Hi all, with the league season over and having finished in 4th place we wait to see whether the leagues will once again be restructured and if so what that will mean for us as a club. Meanwhile attention has switched to the two Cup Competitions. We know we received a Bye in the first round of the Combination Cup and are now due to play Old Colstonians RFC in the Semi Final this coming Wednesday 17th April (KO Time tbc) to be played at the Dings RFC ground in Frenchay and hope to see many of you along to cheer on the team.

Yesterday Es travelled the furthest for some time for a rugby match having been drawn against Wells RFC in Somerset knowing that if they won that they might have to travel even further the following Saturday to Perranporth in Cornwall if they won their own away fixture to South Molton RFC (Devon). The good news is that the Thundercats also fielded a team to play Wells RFC 2nd XV as a prelim to the main cup match.

Thundercats Squad: Will Tobin, Kit Douel, Ewan Crowley, Will Leggett, Scott Tomlins, Lewis Coates- Johns, Adam Ralls, Dan Leach, Oliver Rupperchat, Ted Bristol, Charlie Garrett, Rob Munro, Mo El Mourioud, Will Patterson, Ben Charlton & Tobias Burden + a couple of players from Wells RFC.

Thundercats Match Report: Unfortunately Es couldn’t raise a front row so the game would be played with uncontested scrums, but better that than not at all. The match kicked off with the TCs kicking uphill and the TCS were able to apply some early pressure and within only minutes Kit Douel ran in for a try out wide, which was superbly converted by Dan Werz or was it Kit?? (0-7). After a small amount of Wells pressure Charlie Garrett storms through the Wells defence to score a good solo try, the drop goal conversion was missed (0-12). A further score came almost immediately from a solo effort from Will Patterson after a line out he weaved his way through to score, the drop goal conversion again not hitting the target (0-17).
Wells mounted another good attack but steals from Will Tobin and a good run from Tobias Burden relieved the pressure. A good Es move involving Teddy, Charlie and Ralls ended up in touch. From our own 22 Dan Leach caught an interception and looked like he would go all the way but the referees whistle brought play back. Charlie Garret was playing out of his skin like a wherling dervish but even he couldn’t stop a well worked try for Wells, conversion missed (5-17). From the restart a great weaving run from Teddy Bristol took him into the 22 where he slipped the ball to Charlie Garret for him to run in for a further try, conversion missed (5-22). Then rolling back the years we saw a tizzy run from Dan Werz and he perhaps should have gone all the way but a pass to Kit Douel saw him run in for his 2nd try again not converted (5-27). Kit Douel was indeed on fire and only minutes later the TCs lead was extended through a third Kit Douel try and he also converted (5-34). The TCs were totally in control and another good break involving Adam Ralls and Teddy Bristow saw Charlie Garrett run in for his hat trick of tries with Kit adding the conversion (5-41). The TCs showed slick hands straight from the restart and in the safe hands of Charlie Garrett TCs & Charlie scored again + conversion (5-48). Once again rolling back the years Dan Werz put in a try saving tackle but Wells recovered to score a try and conversion (12-48). Teddy Bristol then got Dick of the Day with his in field kick which went backwards! Adam Ralls was close to getting DotD when he questioned his being pulled up for kicking the ball !! A good try from Teddy Bristol rounded off the game with another TCs try and conversion from Dan Werz, a great TCs victory (53-55), well done lads. There was a Half Time in there somewhere but I forgot to note exactly when!!

1st XV Squad: Greg Foord, Fergus Blyth, Jack Houlder, Adam Skyner, Tom Bendall, Henry Oughton, Dougal Broom, Benji Wagstaffe, Sam Hygate, Alex Potts, Alex CS, Pat Dore, Sam Brewer, Arthur Mills, Matt Carr, Ben Charlton, Wil Patterson, Kit Douel, Tobias Burden.

1st XV Match Report: With our very own Nick Heath refereeing Es were to play down hill in the first half, a slope that could potentially play it’s part and so Es would need to use it to their benefit. An early missed tackle from Es nearly let Wells in from their 22 to our 22 but a good saving tackle from Benji Wagstaffe helped the day. Some good early Es defence showed Wells that this would be no easy battle for them. Early exchanges were fairly even both sides showing good potential. Es mounted some pressure and from a scrum Benji Wagstaffe broke from No.8 and popped the ball to Sam Brewer who stole over for a try duly converted by Sam Hygate (0-7). From the restart Alex Potts pushed forward and following a ruck Sam Hygate put up a great box kick which was cooly retrieved by Benji Wagstaffe who beat the last man to score a great Es try then converted by Sam Hygate (0-14). The restart was booted straight back up to half way by Sam Hygate and Es then defended this position well with Wells actually going backwards in possession. Wells continued to test the Es defensive line but could find no kinks to exploit. A good penalty kick by Es gave them good territory and a further penalty kick was then duly slotted between the posts by Sam Hygate (0-17). Es needed to continue to take advantage of the slope and indeed did just that when an Es kick through was dropped by the Wells Full Back and Sam Brewer pounced and scored under the posts giving Sam Hygate an easy task of adding the 2 extra points (0-24). Once again but this time from Sam Brewer a good defensive kick gave Es good territory and another penalty kick to the posts to Es was unfortunately missed. Wells then mounted their own attack into the top left hand corner. A tackle from skipper Pat Dore saw him replaced by Will Patterson at least for a few minutes as Patty was continually warned by the referee but then Yellow Carded. So Es down to 14 defending their line with some great tackles, one notably from Henry Oughton shoving his man well backwards! And another from Greg Foord. Adam Skyner then also came off injured replaced by Ben Charlton and this period of pressure from Wells was rewarded when from a 5m penalty they stole over the line for a converted try (7-24) probably not what Es needed just before half time!
Half Time
From the start Es were penalised for a tackle in the air, a mistake the crowd cried out to the referee but the officials decision was made!! The Wells tactic early in the second half seemed to be through their heavier pack driving Es back several times and a series of penalties eventually saw the referee penalise Es with Greg Foord being sent from the field with a Yellow Card. This early pressure by Wells in the second half saw them score again when their HUGE prop bowled over from 5m out for a converted try (14-24). Suddenly Es lead was looking precarious. Sam Brewer had a good storming run but the move ended in a controversial forward pass. It started to look like Es might buckle under the immense pressure being applied by Wells and with Es committing a series of penalties but the Es defence was enormous, big, strong, hard and effective. Despite this it was a tense time for the travelling Es support. Es continued on occasions through Sam Hygate, Alex Potts, Alex CS relieve the pressure but the flowing rugby of the first half was not in evidence until a steal from Will Tobin and an Es penalty saw Tobin and Fergus Blyth push up field and the ball was then recycled wide through the hands of Sam Brewer and Arthur Mills who then slipped the ball to Alex CS who skinned the Wells defence for a great Es try, not converted (14-29), so two scores ahead with the clock ticking down. Some good tackles from Jack Boulder again stemmed the tide of the Wells attack but two further Yellow cards for Es, one to Will Patterson for a low head first and in the referees opinion dangerous tackle saw him Red carded (based on having been shown two yellow cards) and then Will Tobin was also Yellow Carded towards the end but the Es BLUE WALL stood firm and great tackles from Tom Bendall and others kept Wells out much to their own frustration. Defence Defence Defence was undoubtedly what won it for ES in the second half but some very exciting rugby and excellent handling really gave Wells RFC a shock!! Great Heart Great Victory.

Forgot to ask Pat Dore for man of the match sorry

Supporters Man of the Match: Tom Bendall a really good game from this much improved Lock.

As the game ended news came through that South Molton, from Devon had beaten Perranporth and would now be Es next opposition at Home next Saturday 20th April, please come and cheer the lads on.