5:53pm Wednesday 10th February 2010
By Gordon Thomas
Just how good are Esher? That’s been the nagging question this season at the back of most other clubs’ minds. The answer as a battling and competitive Wharfedale found out on Saturday is very good indeed.
Here - as opposed to the previous promotional-bound hopefuls of recent seasons - is a Championship side in waiting.
The west London side began the match at such a runaway tempo, and with such fluent precision and deft handling interplay and telling angles of running that they threatened demolition.
Three tries and three unerring conversions from their metronomic kicker Sam Ulph and 21 points swiftly gained in less than quarter of an hour.
That Wharfedale were able to score two tries through some slick intelligent play of their own while keeping Esher at bay for the next 45 minutes gives perhaps more indication of the level of contest then the final crushing scoreline.
As home Director of Rugby Mike Schmid - a man ever ready to talk up his team - conceded: “We were made to work much harder than of late and forced into losing our way for a fair amount of the time.”
They did, however, recover their composure and almost inevitably in the final quarter, their superiority against a still-game but tiring resistance brought them three further tries - though they had to narrow their game and ambition and have recourse to the bludgeoning power of their pack to get them.
So Wharfedale despite the heavy adverse scoreline will be on the whole happy with a thoroughly creditable level of performance from a somewhat makeshift as well as under-strength side.
Already minus the key cutting-edge running of Andy Hodgson and the experienced rugged force of locks Alastair Allen and Oliver Renton, the Greens were further depleted by the overnight withdrawal of fly-half Mark Bedworth and the warm-up hamstring mishap to hooker Gavin Hindle. Though such stretched resources eventually took their toll the Greens, once they had come to terms with the high-tempo pace of the Esher game, were able to contest the breakdown.
This was due to some expert work at the core by Dan Solomi and fiery physicality at the fringes from Latu Maka’afi which allowed Rob Baldwin the luxury of some powerful destructive tacking in support of his midfield backs.
All three back-row men again had hugely influential games and in this area the Greens more than matched the quality of the Esher performers.
And once again Wharfedale also benefited from a largely secure set-piece scrum.
But overall the Esher team were very impressive indeed. Money of course plays its ever-more determining part. Take the edge off the pay packet - as has happened recently at both Redruth and now Cambridge - and you soon take the edge off the play.
But Esher have done more than just collect a talented set of individuals, they have built a team with style and purpose, with both a highly-coached cutting edge and a mission.
Their three early tries - a centre break by Seb Jewell; a powerful short drive for the line by bulky No 8 Shawn Renwick; and a squeeze over in the corner by winger Ulph worked free from turn-over ball - were all the product of precise, skilful and varied attacking play at a cracking pace.
But the Greens, as well as tightening their defence, were finding wide space behind the Esher backline, and after promising runs by Ian Dixon and Dave Hall, Luke Gray back in the fly-half role, sent a fine precision cross-kick right into the arms of Simon Horsfall for an opening reply he himself converted.
Ulph again managed a second corner finish but Dixon - who throughout had a fine game with some intelligent running - added a second for the Greens with a skilful follow-up to a kick-on after his own neat initial touchline break. Wharfedale reached the breathing space of half-time four tries to two down at 28-12 having gone some way to stabilising the contest.
They had the better of the opening period of the second-half as well. They enjoyed a bit more possession, a bit more territory and a bit more pressure near the line but were unable to breakdown last-ditch home resistance and come away with any points.
But once Esher broke free and resumed their control of possession they were sufficiently in command to add three further tries. Though their attacking sophistication brought them no further reward their effective forward prowess did.
Lively scrum-half Garrick Cowley picked up at the side of the fiercely driven five yard scrum. Then lock Rod Turner broke through a tiring tackle and Renwick completed the scoring with a second powerful bulldozing finish.
Sam Ulph’s conversion attempt of Turner’s try slipped past the left upright ending a string of 36 successful penalty and conversion kicks stretching back to December 5.
Wharfedale for their part will be most pleased by the unflagging competitive heart shown by the team and the admirable way they played with such unstinting support for each other.
Even within a uniformly good team performance Sam Cottrell’s composure stood out and the experience too will have done wonders for the development of young talent like Jim Mason, who enjoyed a positive and comfortable game. For the young subs too off the bench such exposure to top class play will eventually reap reward.
Saturday’s visit of second placed London Scottish could well prove a highlight of the second half of the season and should certainly provide entertaining fare. The kick-off is at 2 pm.
WHARFEDALE: I Dixon (M Simpson 69); S Horsfall, J Tincknell, C Malherbe, D Hall; L Gray, S Cottrell (D Matthews 69); A Mason, M Chivers, C Steel ( N Dickinson 69); J Mason, R Brown (T Wareing 74); L Maka’afi, D Solomi, R Baldwin (Capt).
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