MATCH REPORT: Stroud Rugby vs Painswick RFC

Report by Mark Samak

Stroud looked to continue their recent run of positive results their local rivals under lights on a perfect night for rugby at Fromehall. Once again, they looked to give youth an opportunity with three colts players in the starting line-up.

Stroud Rugby:

Voyce secured the kick-off despite great Painswick pressure and set up an opportunity for Cremmins to have a powerful early surge. Hammonds once again took control early with a perfectly judged spiral kick for a 50-22 to give Stroud early territory in an attacking area. Voyce found Stokes and the resultant line-out and off the top ball allowed Hammonds to feed Cremmins for a second bulldozing charge up the middle before Stroud showed their attacking intent and spread play wider. Hammonds and Marsh combined to release Raath, who was well tackled in the corner but quick ball from Ashenford found Debieux on the charge and although eventually stopped, Painswick were caught offside. Spurning the chance for three points or position at the corner, Ashenford once again fed Debieux on the burst to drive within a metre of the line. Voyce carried on the momentum before Ashenford spread the play to Hammonds, who in turn fed Samak, running a hard line, to crash over for the opening score. Hammonds converted. 7-0.

Stroud won a number of penalties over the next 10 minutes and regularly kicked to the corner. Unfortunately, the lineout was not a consistent source of possession and a number of attacking opportunities were not converted into points. Phillips, Cremmins and Debieux always looked to carry hard and one Debieux surge put Painswick on the back foot and create gaps around the fringe of the ruck. Ashenford was always looking to exploit these gaps and a trade-mark show and go put him into space, where he then showed his acceleration to round the full-back to score by the posts. Hammonds Converted. 14-0.

A number of penalties conceded at the breakdown allowed Painswick some easy territorial gains but excellent defensive work from Fruin, Baldwin and Phillips negated the threat with Baldwin eventually carrying well before the ball was well cleared by Samak. When Painswick looked to move the ball, the backline defence moved up at pace and forced a number of handling errors.

Hayes (on debut) was gradually working his way into the game and an excellent line-out take allowed Fruin to peel around the back on a strong surge. Excellent hands from Hammonds and Marsh released Raath, who found Bonham on the outside. Only a superb covering tackle from Churchill (Painswick Centre) stopped a certain try.

Stroud came close on a number of other occasions: a kick return from Raath took play back into the 22 and a resultant lineout take from Stokes set up a catch and drive, from which Cremmins was stopped only inches short. It seemed to be constant Stroud attack but frustration was mounting as chance after chance went begging. Marsh and Samak released Wilkes on the left only for a final inside pass to go to ground. From the clearance kick, Wilkes spread play to Hammonds before the fly-half spun it further wide to Samak, whose outside break was stopped 5m short but another great tackle from Churchill. (Toon replaced Baldwin with Hayes moving into the second row).

With the scrum under a bit of pressure, Cremmins and Ashenford were forced to scramble the ball away on a number of occasions but Ashenford created just as many issues for the Painswick scrum-half with his predatory presence around the base. One Cremmins pick from the base freed Marsh, who spun it wide to Bonham for a strong surge into the 22, forcing a penalty. Putting speed into the game, Ashenford took a quick tap and found Debieux on the burst. The prop built up his momentum and smashed through a number of tacklers to power over from 20m. Hammonds Converted. 21-0.

Half Time Stroud Rugby 21 Painswick 0

(Warner replaced Fruin) The half-time chat was focussed upon keeping the ball in hand and in play the second half and the messages were certainly taken on board and applied. Another strong kick return from Raath set the platform for Voyce to show great footwork to make ground up the middle before Hamoonds, Marsh and Samak showed swift and accurate handling to release Bonham on the right. Bumping off the first tackler, he surged towards the 22, presenting quick ball for Ashenford to find Cremmins on the burst, who linked well with Debieux. Quicker ruck ball allowed Hammonds, Marsh and Wilkes to link to find Raath sprinting up the left wing only to be tackled into touch inches short.

Huge charges from Warner and Cremmins set up the next attack, before once again the backs took over finding Bonham cutting an inside line. Remaining strong in the contact, he burst through a number of tackles before being felled 2m out. As ever, Phillips was first on the scene and picked up to crash over for a well deserved try. Hammond Converted. 28-0.
Stroud were always looking to counter attack from Painswick kicks. Wilkes remained strong under pressure to find Hammonds. The young fly-half glided up the left touchline before starting an interchange of passes between Ashenford, Toon and Raath which ended with Marsh cruising in under the posts for a superb team try. Hammonds Converted. 35-0.

(Fruin replaced Voyce) The next score came from Painswick possession from the lineout. Warner showed his strength to turn the ball over in the maul. Ashenford immediately spun the ball wide to Hammonds, whose floated miss-pass found Samak moving into space. An inside pass to Marsh found the centre storming up the middle before a superbly judged kick ahead allowed Samak to out pace the covering defence to pick up and dive over. 40-0.

From a more secure scrum, Ashenford found Hammonds, who quick out the back distribution found Marsh, who jinked his way 40m upfield before offloading well in the tackle to the supporting Wilkes. Excellent clear out work, gave Phillips the opportunity to carry on the front foot before Ashenford spread the ball to Hammonds. A show and go on an outside arc took him beyond his opposite number before his pace took him away from the covering defence to score under the posts. Hammonds converted. 47-0.

A secure take from Hayes at the restart gave the young forward the confidence to charge 50m upfield, leaving a number of would be tacklers in his wake. The ball was recycled to allow Debieux to go on another punishing run and make significant yardage. Ashenford switched play to find Fruin on the charge before more efficient recycling allowed Samak, and Raath to combine with Bonham to take play within 5m. Showing his ever-present alertness, Ashenford spotted a gap on the blindside to snipe and dive over in the corner. 52-0.

The next try came from solid close in defence from Stokes and Cremmins forcing a kick from the Painswick fly-half. Hammonds had dropped back and was soon on the counter-attack; using his pace to outstrip the drifting defence isolated the full back before a well-timed inside ball found Wilkes steaming up in support to receive and cruise in by the posts. Hammonds converted. 59-0. (Hopkinson replaced Phillips to make his debut).

Hayes went on another 50m scorching run from the restart and his offload was unlucky not to go to hand as he was eventually dragged down. From the resultant scrum, excellent defensive work from Samak and Wilkes allowed Toon to scavenge loose ball. As the ball was moved to the narrow side, Samak was on hand to run in virtually unopposed as injuries were beginning to take their toll on Painswick. Hammonds converted from out wide. 66-0.

Toon returned the restart with a typical direct charge and a sublime offload out the tackle freed Cremmins to crash up beyond halfway. Stokes carried well before Ashenford spread play make to the left for Debieux then Raath to carry on the momentum. Hammonds, spotted a gap on the narrow side and accelerated into it before linking well with Wilkes. A well-timed pass found the ever-willing Ashenford in support, who ran around beneath the posts, appearing to score his hat-trick try before selflessly off-loading to Hayes to give him a debut score. Hammonds converted. 73-0.

Full Time Stroud Rugby 73 Painswick 0

After a lacklustre first half Stroud showed their handling and running skills to run out comfortable winners in the local derby. This was another step in the development of this young team and despite the set-piece still requiring further work, the expansive nature and confidence that all players played with should be applauded and provided a great deal of entertainment for the sizeable crowd.

Stroud remain at Fromehall next week when they face current league leaders, Bredon Star and look to continue their winning run.
Saturday 26 March KO 1430.