By Tristan Pattison

Romsey stay on the winning trail

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Match report courtesy of Peter Jones, Director of Rugby
Romsey 20 : 17 Havant
A high flying Havant outfit were the latest League side to succumb to Romsey’s winning ways on a cold, blustery day at Ganger Farm last Saturday.
An early Jim Lamont penalty was a just reward for a bright start for the home team. It was almost immediately backed up by a smart blind side move off a scrum that released speedster Sam Adams to open up a ten point lead after only seven minutes. On the fifteen minute mark Romsey scored one of the best tries of their season, a deft handling move that resulted in Lamont scoring close to the Havant posts. Another sweeping move was brought to a halt by a penalty infringement and Havant were able to clear their lines.
The visitors drew on all their experience to begin the task of working their way back into the match. A series of strong forward drives was eventually rewarded by a try and clever lines of running resulted in a second. A further Romsey penalty meant that the teams went into half time with the game finely balanced at 20-12. With the winds in their faces for the next forty minutes, it was clear that Caine Latham’s Romsey side would have to fight hard if they were to keep the winning streak going.
And fight hard they did, halting the bulky Havant drives with ferocious tackles and pressurising the opposition into making mistakes. The home crowd were delighted to cheer what appeared to be a crucial Dan Penn Newman try only for the referee to disallow it, and Havant renewed the attack. Another series of drives in the Romsey 22 allowed them to inch forward but the home side’s defence was resolute.
Finally the blue and gold wall was breached when Havant moved a tap penalty wide for their No.8 to score in the corner. The conversion was missed so Romsey were clinging on to a 20-17 lead.
A crucial turnover on Romsey’s line by skipper Latham was greeted by a roar from the home crowd, and Havant’s last chance had gone. The squad has now put together a run of six successive victories, playing some exciting rugby in the process. This latest win was achieved in the final minutes through full blooded defence, but there is no doubting the fact that they are a much improved side since Christmas.
Next week sees Romsey jetting off to play runaway League leaders Guernsey, but home fans will be making a note in their diaries that the last League fixture of the season is to be played versus Gosport and Fareham at Ganger Farm on March 11th. It promises to be an entertaining end to what has been a roller coaster of a season.

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By Tristan Pattison

https://www.romseyrugby.club/n

Friday May 5th, 7pm – 11.30pm at the Clubhouse, Ganger Farm.

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Black tie dinner and dance

We cordially invite you and your guests to the 2022-23 season Romsey RFC Awards Night.

This event marks the end of the season and is our chance to recognise and thank the players, coaches and volunteers, from all teams across the club, whose hard work and commitment has made a difference to the club both on and off the pitch. The evening’s dress code is black tie and includes a 2 course meal, raffle and charity auction, and the awards ceremony for each team and Club Person of the Year for the junior and senior section. Before, finally, we hit the dance floor accompanied by our band, The Alibi

Buy your tickets here on Eventbrite

Running order:

• 1900 Welcome drinks

• Club Raffle & Charity Auction will be running online throughout the event with winners drawn automatically

• 1915-2030 Dinner

• Junior & Colts presentation

• Senior presentation

• Club person of the year: junior & senior

• Dance with the band

Details:

£30/ticket

Includes 2 course meal and wine on the table. Please advise dietary requirements at time of booking.

Tickets available to members and non-members

Music to 11:00pm; Card-only bar to 11:30pm

By Nick Creal

Outstanding defensive performance from red shirted warriors

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Romsey travelled to the Island on Saturday looking for a first win there since 2008 when 3 of the squad hadn’t even gone to school and only 1 was legally allowed to drink. Trips south are fraught with logistical problems and the team travelled without balls or contact shields but the godfather of Wootton Nick “Don Squealeroni” Creal used his contacts over there and sourced the necessary items needed.
The game started at a ferocious pace with the teams evenly matched as the Island used their bulky forwards to hammer in close to the breakdowns but each charge was felled by a man in red. Unfortunately one of these bulks fell awkwardly into Josh Doran, who’s kneecap decided to take a quick holiday from its position on the front of his leg round to the side but this was remedied by the swift actions of Will Bayliss and Nick Buck. Doran however had to leave the field to be replaced by the geriatric Rob Stent. Romsey started to get the upper hand through the hard tackling of Brad Piper and this caused the Island to infringe again giving Eli Pitt the chance to open the scoring after 20 minutes with a kick to make it 0-3.
Romsey tried to move the ball wide when they could to use the wingers who are a touch quicker than their early season ones and this paid dividends when the returning Jamie Stent broke outside his opposite number and linked with former Welsh schoolboy Rhys “passport” Hill down the left before a quickly recycled ball was popped to a rampaging Jon “Jesus” Allen who crashed over wide out for a well worked try. Pitt judged a tricky wind deftly to slot a conversion on a par with one that occurred on the road to Damascus in AD38 to make it 0-10.
With half time approaching the aged Stent won a turnover penalty deep in IoW territory and the choice was made to go for the corner. Ben Hoad’s accurate throw was plucked out of the air by the flying mullet Harrison Scott and the ensuing maul rumbled towards the line sucking in defenders. Selecting the precise moment Dan “bunny girl” Penn-Newman sniped off the back and fed the onrushing chunky Northerner and captain Caine Latham, who despite being tripped up by a longer blade of grass used his power and momentum to score an unconverted try, to match his brother Will’s at Ventnor, to make the score 0-15 at half time.
With coach Dave Grosse reminding the team what happened earlier in the season when leading, deciding to keep things the same, Elliott Johnson was unlucky not to enter the fray but did a fine job on the touch line, as Romsey had their destiny in their own hands. All the training with slippery wet balls was paying off as on a dry day with a dry ball crisp handling through the backs almost produced the try of the season but good scramble defence from the home team allowed them to clear and attack the Romsey 22 with vigour. On the weekend of the 144th anniversary of Rourke’s Drift another red defensive line stood up to wave upon wave of attackers with ginger ninja Dan Murrant to the fore time and again stopping the hard carrying Island number 8 as he broke from scrums.
Romsey had chances to put the game away but Adam Pinkney, who’s support run was so long he started it with black hair and finished it with grey, was tackled as he took a return pass from Allen with the line at his mercy causing the ball to spill loose, and Isaac Pitt who was adjudged to be in front of the fastest man on the pitch when he received a pass that was ruled forward by the referee.
The dogged Islanders eventually broke through to score but crucially the conversion was missed, and having been refuelled by Alfie Lawrence the game entered the final 10 minutes. More great work from Hoad and Piper at the breakdown gained Romsey a penalty in front of the posts but buoyed by their earlier success the side elected to go for the try. The lineout was secured and the ball moved to Isaac Pitt who was bundled over the line but the referee decided that the ball was held up. The swiftly taken goal line drop out was fumbled on half way and this put the home side on the front foot sensing a chance to steal the game but Brad Hughes and Jon Allen pulled off a massive double tackle that prevented a certain try.
Again the Island attacked but captain Latham stole a vital turnover and Penn-Newman’s slick pass gave Eli Pitt the time to delicately float a kick pass into the hands of the electric Sam Adams, graciously called the fastest player to grace the IoW pitch in a long time by the opposition, the chance to evade the scramble defence to secure the victory with an excellent try that Pitt converted to quell the pacing Tom Clarke’s nerves.
Oli Soundy replaced the tired Rob Stent and skilfully used his head and the angle of the sun to cause the Island to fumble the ball which was cleared to touch to end the game 5-22 and end the home sides 16 game, 13 month unbeaten run on their pitch.
This was by far the best performance of the season with the defence outstanding and the handling crisp and Romsey hopes to build on this as they welcome Andover 2s to Ganger Farm this Saturday for a game that kicks off at 1400. The following week sees the 2s return to action in a game against Trojans 2s that kicks off at 1230 allowing the players to watch the 6 nations afterwards.

By Nick Creal

21 February

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More sad news

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It is with great sadness to give people the news of the passing of former Romsey player Sam Arthur at the age of just 34. Sam followed in his father, Simon’s, bootsteps playing for Romsey 1st team in the back row up until 2015 before departing to Eastleigh. He did return on a couple of occasions for the Vets and Second team. A mobile flanker Sam also had the ability to play in the center as well and was one of the nicest people ever on a rugby pitch.

Sam’s funeral will be at Romsey Abbey on Thursday 9th March at 12.30pm

A link to Sam’s Just Giving page is below

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sam-arthur-memorial?utm_term=874XRMZBZ&fbclid=IwAR1usxnsL84mxDrNgJkBKOD9qLai_hERReo4EpDPGHeqThV-LmhlhcmqUn8

Monday 15th August 2022 at 19.00

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Notice is hereby given of the forthcoming AGM to be held at the clubhouse at Romsey Sports Centre on Monday 15th August 2022 at 19.00

The agenda will be as follows:

1) Welcome and Introductions
2) To receive apologies for absence
3) To consider and approve the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on Thursday 26th August 2021. These are available on the club website.
4) To receive a report from the President
5) To receive a report from the Chairman
6) To receive a report from the Junior Section
7) To receive a report from the Director of Rugby and Club Captain, and to outline their visions and aspirations for next season
8) To receive a financial report from the Treasurer setting out financial performance for the season, the current asset and liability position, and future projections
9) To elect the Members of the Management Committee for next season.
To elect the Members of the Management Committee for next season.

Position	Member	Proposed by	Seconded by
Club Captain	Caine Latham	Nick Creal	Adam Pinkney
Honorary Treasurer	Kev White	Tristan Pattison	Adam Pinkney

10) To approve the club plan for 2022-25
11) To approve the new club rules
12) To hear any other business for the consideration of the Management Committee during the ensuing year but on which no voting shall be allowed

Should you have any resolution you wish to submit, please email the details to Adam Pinkney (Hon Secretary) at secretary@romseyrugby.club no later than Monday 8th August 2022. Any resolutions will be considered by the management committee.

Only fully paid-up club members with full voting rights will be eligible to vote.

Adam Pinkney
Honorary Secretary

Pastures new for one of our biggest characters.

Romsey RFC said goodbye to one of its biggest characters this month. Rob Hart, who took on the captaincy during the difficult COVID period, has had to move on to pastures new. An energetic and hugely committed captain, Rob’s aggressive ball carrying will surely be missed. Romsey’s Director of Rugby Peter Jones said that Rob’s leadership of the side was always impressive. “You hope your captain will set the tone for the side. Rob always did.” Caine Latham takes over as skipper as Romsey RFC prepares to move from their Sports Centre ground to the new facilities at the Ganger Farm Pavilion.

As excited as he was over the club’s move to Ganger Farm, Rob felt that he had to accept a job offer in the West Country. On reflecting on his move, Rob offered the following thoughts – “The biggest decisions are the ones you know you don’t want to take, but for the best of reasons, you simply have to. From ripping my tendons, tearing hamstrings, chipping teeth, getting knocked out and knocking the ball on, I’ve been part of a brotherhood that will be with me forever. Romsey you’ve taught me so much not only about rugby but myself, business, and leadership. Thank you, one team, one Roms x”