OUTLAWS 68 GLOUCESTERSHIRE WARRIORS 6 (21/6/2008)

Report by Richard Johnson

Photos by Gav Slater (gallery)

Nottingham Outlaws Rugby League Club dismantled a hard-working Gloucester Warriors outfit with a comprehensive 68-6 victory that stretched their winning run to 8 matches. In doing so the Outlaws recorded their highest ever win against the west country outfit and stretched their lead at the top of the Midlands Premier to 4 points.

Going in to the match the Outlaws had to make a few late re-adjustments as flying winger Chris McNamara failed a late fitness test and was replaced by debutant winger Ari Yesufu and Will Thomas returned to full back allowing Rob Brown to take up his more-accustomed loose forward position.

The match kicked off in cold, wet conditions that were more akin to October than June and straight away it was clear to see that the difficult handling conditions were going to pose a problem to both sets of players. Time and again the ball popped out of the tackle as the forwards struggled to maintain their hold on the ball. Indeed with the match only 5 minutes old a Warriors forward coughed up the ball in the tackle on the halfway line and as the visitors hesitated quick-thinking forward Ben Radford fly-hacked the ball down the pitch and in a desperate race for the line the powerful forward re-gathered his own kick and plunged over the line for the opening score.

As the Outlaws started to gain the upper-hand on possession it seemed inevitable that the home team would add to their score but over-eagerness and a slippery ball led to a number of bombed chances that should really have been put away as the Outlaws tried to force the pass. However it was not too long before the next try came and on 12 minutes following a superb break from the base of the Outlaws scrum by loose-forward Rob Brown. The dynamic forward scorched down the pitch leaving defenders in his wake and as the full-back approached he drew his man and popped the ball to try-poacher supreme Paul Calland who waltzed over the line for a superb try under the sticks. Ben Thornton slotted over the extras and at 12-0 the Outlaws seemed to be on the road to a straight forward victory.

Above: Dynamic prop Bryn Waldram takes the ball in

As the first half unfolded the visiting Gloucester forwards began to shake off their long journey and at the mid-way point of the half the visitors registered what was to be their only points of the game. Rather bizzarely the Warriors scrum half attempted a drop-goal on the edge of the 20 meter zone and a poor attempt was sliced well wide. With the ball sailing wide of the posts the Outlaws defence stood and watched only for the alert Gloucester right winger to pounce on the loose ball for a try that pulled the score back to 12-6.

Stunned by this reversal the Outlaws turned up the heat a couple of notches and their attack began to click into gear after a hesitant start. As the completion rate stepped up so did the score and the points began to flow! A superb break by Will Thomas opened the Gloucester defence and from a quick play the ball big Aussie second rower Myles Rutherford showed all the skills of a ballerina to pirouet out of a 2 man-tackle to score from short range. Ben Thornton added the extras to make it 18-0 and then he went one better by scoring a superb try straight from a scrum. As the ball emerged at the base of the scrum it was quickly transferred across the line before the light-footed centre stepped off his right foot and ghosted through the defensive line for a fine try.

Shortly after the re-start coach Crick was forced to re-shuffle his team when full-back Will Thomas took a nasty knock when he bravely dived on a loose ball to save a try but the minor re-adjustment did not seem to affect the Outlaws as the points kept coming! The next try once again the try came directly from a scrum. Try-scorer supreme Paul Calland drifted across the threequarters dummying as he went and shaped to pass 3 times before stepping off his right foot and scorching through a gap so wide you could have driven a bus through it! Ben Thornton just failed with the conversion but at 28-6 the Outlaws were in total control as the referee drew the first half to a close.

At half time Coach Crick rang the changes again and on came talismatic forward Adam Millward after 3 a three match absence with injury and he was clearly hungry for work! Straight from the kick-off he put in a huge hit on his opposite number, knocking him into touch in the progress! From the resulting scrum the ball worked its way to Myles Rutherford and the enigmatic Aussie showed a suprise turn of pace to race clear and beat the chasing defence for a superb solo effort from the big Queenslander.

Above: Myles Rutherford outsprints the cover on his way to a spectacular solo try

Straight from the restart it seemed like the Outlaws had scored again when rampaging second-rower Ben Radford sauntered over the line only to be tackled in the process of placing the ball down. However the Warriors respite was short-lived as the Outlaws scored again with Paul Calland jinking over the line for a fine individual score that brought up his hat-trick. Thornton again added the extras to make it 44-6 and the Warriors were clearly wilting under the heat of the Outlaws attacking machine.

As the visitors defence began to become more ragged the score--board continued to click over, despite the best efforts of the visitors to stem the tide. Next up for the Outlaws was Adam Millward, relishing his return to the team after a frustrating spell on the sidelines. The eager Millward showed that he has pace as well as power as the turbo-charged prop blasted through a flailing Warriors defence on halfway and scorched down the field to score under the posts. Thornton added the extras to bring up the half century but still the Outlaws were not finished!

The next Outlaws score had a touch of the comic book abaout it! A clever chip and chase by Calland saw the ball bobble towards the Warriors in-goal area. With the ball squirting around on the greasy surface a wild fly-kick by the home defence saw the ball hit the posts and bounce kindly back into the arms of Paul Calland who calmy put the ball down under the sticks for his fourth of the match!

Next up for the Outlaws was Ben Radford. The bullocking second-rower had been given some stick for his previous mis-hap when he wasted a golden try scoring opportunity but the red-faced forward made amends when he attacked the line at pace and broke clear and this time he made sure of the score by firmly planting the ball down under the sticks.

As the clock ticked down there was still time for one more try and rather fittingly it went to Adam Millward. The Outlaws were at this time playing exhibition rugby and a 6 man handling move that started on the halfway line worked its way to the right wing. As the Warriors defence drifted across Paul Calland stopped it in its tracks with a marvelous reverse pass out of the back of the hand that released Millward and the returning hero scorched over for his second of the match. Ben Thornton slotted over the extras to bring his personal tally to 24 for the match and wrap up the game with the score-board showing a healthy 68-6 victory for the Outlaws.

Above: Man-of-the-match Rob Brown gives a money ball to his support player

As the players waited eagerly for the announcement of the man of the match a few players had their eye on the prestigious award. However the clear winner was loose forward Rob Brown who is now back to full form after a series of injuries that have stopped the pacey forward from operating at 100% and his contribution on attack and defence had been immense all afternoon.

After the match coach Martin Crick expressed his general pleasure with the performance and a job well done, adding "Generally I am very pleased with the performance and the overall result. Conditions today were very difficult but I thought we overcame the elements to play some attractive rugby and with another victory under our belts we achieved our number one target for the day with something to spare"

Next Saturday the Outlaws travel to Derby hoping to make it 9 wins from 9 matches and whilst the Outlaws start the match as favourites, they know that the form-book usually goes out of the window when these 2 local rivals meet and they will have to be at 100% if they are to come away with the spoils and maintain the pressure at the top of the division.