The Rugby World Cup this year will give our game a massive profile and I have been tasked to help Watford RFC take advantage of this. The RFU will help us deliver the biggest recruitment campaign ever mounted in Hertfordshire by adopting an innovative approach to strengthen our game by growing the number of adult social players.
Watford welcomed back skipper Chris Thompson back to scrum half for his first game in several months and commenced the game in vigorous fashion, being first to the loose ball and generally tackling and running more purposefully than their opposite numbers. Even playing against a heavier Hertford 8, they managed to secure their own ball steal some of the opposition throws and played the game camped in the Hertford half. However the pressure led to few clear cut opportunities until Paul Wilson burst powerfully off his left wing through four or five tacklers to score after about twenty minutes. The conversion was not added.
As the scoreline suggests this was eventually a very one sided game though the opening exchanges gave few clues of what was to follow. Tries in the first quarter by Simon Tucker and Martin Lee gave a solid look to the scoreboard, but it was the three quick scores in the five minutes directly before the interval that really broke the spirit of the OMT's side.
Watford kicked off with a very youthful looking side against a strong wind in a game where they really needed a victory after two successive draws to set up their end of season push to get to the merit final. The far more sizable and experienced, Harrow pack were always going to dominate, though Watford had pace to spare and cleverly at times though also chaotically they attempted to run the ball whenever possible. The Harrow number 8 was causing major damage in the home defence whenever he had the ball and predictably scored the opening try after a short range surge to the line after they had an attacking line out near the Watford line. The conversion was added to give them a seven nil lead. Worse was to follow after half an hour when confusion in the Watford midfield led to the Harrow outside centre scoring under the posts, the conversion was added to leave Harrow fourteen points ahead.
Watford went into this game looking for the win that would ensure their safety in Herts/Middlesex 2 North. As has been the problem for most of the season their visiting opponents made the better start and soon took the lead with a converted try to make the score 7 - 0 to them. The first half turned out to be a battle of the forwards with both teams trying to secure quick ball for their backs to use. Just before half time Watford managed to get the quick ball they had been struggling for and good work by fly half Ian Butcher and centre's Quintas Van Bosch and Peter Cox led to Cox scoring under the posts for his 3rd try in 2 weeks. The conversion by scrum half Simon Maney made the score 7 - 7 at half time.
