Unfounded Doubts (again)
By LI Bohemian
January 17 2023
I have not been able to get to a game since the win against Newcastle at the start of Dec, what with the Holidays, Train Strikes and having the dreaded Lurgie for the first time in 3 years, it was getting a bit desperate.
It was a last minute decision that I would go, after checking the train times to the big smoke, and realizing there were trains running, I chose to commit.
I got off the bus from Ealing and on the walk to the stadium had to go around the largest lake in a road I’d ever seen, even Jonny Weissmuller would have struggled to cross it.
The rain was pouring down, with my thoughts again drifting towards the doubts of getting a result or that these conditions would definitely suit the Bristol forward pack, I bought my cup of tea and took my seat among the Reading massive (five of them). It occurred to me that I had given Irish and undeserved inferiority complex and they could compete in any conditions, I guess the scars haven’t healed yet.
Unbelievably the pitch looked in good nick, considering it had been used for 2 football matches and a rugby match in 7 days, hats off to the ground staff and the drainage engineering at the stadium.
There were quite a few Bristol fans sprinkled around us, some with the cool teddy bear headgear on.
I must admit it felt good to be amongst the crowd, who were lively from both sides.
As soon as the game kicked off the rain stopped, and in the opening exchanges both teams were even enough, this was until Bristol put in a wayward kick and Irish built from it, managing to get possession in a good territory, being awarded a penalty from the ensuing pressure. The tee was brought on, which for me was the right choice given the conditions, and Jennings converted.
Bristol gained the upper hand for the first and what proved to be the last time in the match, it started from a scrum penalty on the Irish put in, and culminated with a lapse in the defensive line after some well performed pick and drives by Bristol, for a converted try.
Even though behind on the scoreboard Irish were not panicking, if anything they seemed to settle down and go about their business in a workman like way, they defended with good aggression and attacked with some quick and elusive moves. White and Jennings kicking better from hand as the game progressed, White kicking deeper from the box made Bristol try their hand at running it back but were stopped by a superb kick chase.
Apart from one penalty going dead in the corner the kicking was good from the outside halves, but even when mistakes were made, the player that made it seemed to reset and keep composure, yes we had a couple of overthrows at the line-out but so did Bristol in equally advantageous positions.
I thought that in the end Irish asked all the questions and Bristol couldn’t deal with it by going into a sulked, this is so unlike Bristol, they also annoyed the match official which never helps.
Try’s were scored by the indomitable Bernard Van Rensburg and the reborn and sniping Ben White. The first half finished 17-7.
The half time talk with my friends was again a bit downbeat, the third quarter capitulation was mentioned, but this was quickly dismissed at the restart of the half, which was botched by Bristol Bears, leaving Jennings with his easiest kick of the night.
Even at 20-7, I was for some unworthy reason, nervous about not being two scores ahead, when Jennings missed the next penalty shot at goal, I started to drift into dark thoughts, but seeing how the Irish forwards defended and dealt with an expensive and experienced front row, the way the team as a whole defended resolutely, Tom Pearson, Van Rinsburg, Loader, and then the bench coming on and showing no dip in standards I soon dispelled these unfounded feelings.
Off the bench mentions to Cunningham-South who put in a couple of X-rated crash balls, where he just kept carrying and Powell who delivered quick ball and got into his stride in an instant.
After the match I went up into the Dug-out Bar, for the first time, (I hadn’t noticed it before?) It was so good that I had to get the Oxford Tube Coach home, as I missed the last train. Looking forward to the Stormers next and there is no doubt about that.
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Many thanks for a good read....