Twickers triumph for Langley Park

5:20pm Monday 7th April 2008

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LANGLEY Park School's under-15s rugby team have lifted the prestigious Daily Mail Vase after a dramatic 8-7 triumph against Calday Grange at Twickenham last Wednesday.

If parents, staff, friends and family thought the semi-final victory against Woodlands had been a nail-biting affair, they were in for another treat.

The boys started the game at a blistering pace with the forwards carrying the ball up strongly and working hard to recycle it.

There were huge performances from one to eight, making it impossible to single any one of the boys out.

Numbers nine to 15 sniped, ran and jinked their way into the Calday Grange half.

Calday Grange, possibly shocked by Langley's willingness to run the ball, elected to kick for territory at every opportunity.

Mark Longhurst, Dan Hamilton and Will Jafrato were more than up to the task and ran the ball back into the opposition all day.

Keeping Langley at arms' length, Calday hoped to prevent them using any of their strike moves, but early in the second half from a scrum in just the right position, skipper Jacob Burr called a set move.

The backs switched sides to confuse the opposition and from the base of the scrum, Brian Tarbie sent Longhurst running into open space.

Hamilton was on hand to take the pass from Longhurst and race round to score near the posts to make it 5-0 to Langley Park.

As the second half progressed, both teams ran hard at each other and some fierce tackles went in.

The desire to win was clear on both sides.

Monster tackles from George Hixson, Tarbie, Harry Peddle, Matt Hankin and Justin Jones inspired the team even more.

However, Calday Grange fought their way back into the game and after a spell of possession in the Langley 22, battered their way over the line.

With the conversion, they now led 7-5 with only 10 minutes to play and a repeat of the nerve-jangling semi-final looked inevitable.

From this point on Langley played the only way they know how, throwing themselves into every tackle, ruck and maul to try and win Ben Hollister a chance for a drop-goal.

Driving their way into the Calday half, the forwards were setting the platform.

With one drop-goal attempt shaving the post, it looked as if the boys may have had their last chance.

And then tragedy struck.

Tarbie, who had covered every blade of grass, and generally been his opposite number's worst nightmare, went down with a broken ankle.

After a long stoppage, Sam Wheeler came on for Tarbie with a clear job to do.

The scrum held firm and Wheeler fed the ball.

Jamie Hughes struck it and as Wheler passed to Hollister for the attempted drop goal, the Calday flankers raced up off-side.

With a penalty kick to win the game, thoughts turned to the Langley kicker.

Not having struck a place kick in anger since the semi-final, Hollister stepped up and placed the ball.

Langley boys know from experience the simplest kicks aren't so simple under pressure.

As the crowd held its collective breath, Hollister confidently knocked the ball over.

The final whistle went and Langley celebrated a famous win.