3rd October John Roden Memorial Game

Cov Welsh 27 - 3 Coventrians

Coventry Welsh captured the Jon Roden memorial trophy for the first time yesterday to leave each club on one win each in this newly created fixture. Injuries and unavailability left Covents with an unfamiliar looking pack but a back row of Deano, Trev Roberts and Wayne 6 brandies and the Ayatollah at prop did a sterling job. Taking the lead with a Deadeye Doug penalty, Covents kept the score at 3-10 until the last ten minutes when tiredness took its toll and the boys in red gave their win a more convincing look. Fair play to the Welsh then as we remember the main man himself Jonny Roden who was, we suspect, looking down from somewhere and taking the p*ss!

Just a quick note here; great to see Wozza back in the side and having a trundle; he spent 80 minutes looking for Tony Davies who apparently was at home with a mug of coco trying to work out Pythagoras Theorem.

Also, our heartfelt condolences to you and your family Woz for your recent loss; there is a lot of love in the camp mate.

Covents 2nds 0 - 60 Cov Welsh 2nds

I was absent on parade for most of yesterday but wandering into HQ during the seconds fixture with Cov Welsh was like going back in a time machine. Welsh had 14, we had 13 (after they had lent us a couple) and as Haydon (with an O) had gone off with a dislocated eye lash we were down to passive scrums. Twas a tad one sided so the ref decided to play 30 each way. What unfolded was an extravaganza of 1970s lower team rugby more Hearsall Common than Harlequins. Played out on a granite pitch that has felt no rain for a month, this wonderful theatre featured man boobs, beer guts and hairy, cavernous cracks as overweight pensioners threw off the shackles of a humdrum working week and attempted to jog. Our own, super athlete at scrum-half, Terry Mosey, still seeking that solo try to retire on, led the way for Covents (mostly backwards, chasing pacy Welsh backs who should know better.)

At half time, the energy drinks were shunned and I saw a pint of Guinness, a couple of fags, a hip flask and page 3 of The Sun doing the rounds. There were magazines (supplied by Mosey) for shin pads, axle grease for Vaseline and scrum pox. If only I had known I would have supplied a slice of razor thin orange and a blood stained, wet sponge.

The second half started with the hookers sending over arm throws into line outs and any forwards caught lifting their jumpers were jugged. There was no screaming, shouting or yawping just 27 men fully focused on breathing and trying to actually catch the pill and not knock on. Yes it resembled the Alamo and when Covents passed the halfway line they stopped and had to ask directions to the Welsh line but their heads never dropped and they took their punishment with great spirit.

Likewise, the Welsh lads were gracious in victory and looked almost apologetic when scoring. Their kicker even agreed to drop kick the conversions with his left peg and it was not until the 57th minute that we realised that he was left footed. Finally the Welsh batsmen declared and just as Covents opened their innings the game was abandoned due to bad light so technically it was a draw. Whatever the result, we had been treated to a wonderful spectacle that should have been filmed and filed in the archive under G for grass roots rugby!

Touchline Quote; It's only 8 scores Covents, you can do it!!!