Wasps arrived at Fullerians to find the ground in excellent order, apart from one puddle on the halfway spot, that was to provide one moment of amusement later in the game, and a Fullerians side already on their way out for a vigorous warm-up.

Wasps began the game playing into the breeze and made an unusually lack lustre start, finding themselves driven back through aggressive driving and ball control by Fullerians and their own inability to keep hold of the ball at the beginning. Wasps were making tackles on the back foot, which kept their enthusiastic opposition at bay, but were invariably dropping or miss-handling the ball when they got hold of it. So the first five or six minutes passed with Fullerians very much in charge of where the game was being played and who had the ball.

Under pressure Wasps were making too many errors, some of them unforced, so it came as no surprise when Fullerians won a ball against the throw on a defensive line-out, crashed the ball up the ten/twelve channel, recycled and spun the ball wide to score a well worked Try in the corner. The difficult conversion was missed, but Fullerians fully deserved their lead after an excellent start on their part. Fullerians 5 Wasps 0.

Unfortunately for Wasps more of the same followed. With George, BJ and Freddie making most of the tackles required but Fullerians were always going forwards and maintaining possession. Wasps were only hurriedly kicking turnover ball away or into touch, but not putting any coherent phases together.

From a line-out just inside the Wasps twenty-two Fullerians won the ball off the top and released it quickly into their backs, having crashed everything up the middle previously, a wrap-around move caught Wasps defensive line out and good handling saw another well worked Try scored by Fullerians wide out. The conversion was again adrift and no-one could argue with the score standing at Fullerians 10 Wasps 0.

Freddie spoke with some vehemence to his team behind the posts and seemed to gain some semblance of a response from them. From the ensuing kick-off Wasps gained a turn-over, courteously of Ryan, who was coming strongly into the game a short yardage drive by Shrek, and managed a few minutes of pressure in their opponents half, for the first time in the game. This at least made a game of it at last and for the next ten minutes a much more even contest arose, with both sides seeing a fair amount of ball in the central areas of the pitch. This phase of the game at least reassured Wasps that they were capable of being involved in what was going on in more than just a defensive manner. They began to win their share of ball and asked a few questions themselves.

Fullerians returned to the Wasps twenty-two, forcing them into a defensive scenario again with a slight cross-field grubber kick. From the ensuing line-out Fullerians took another (one of six on the day) ball against the throw. They caught and drove at the Wasps line, being thwarted, but also being given a penalty, they took a tap a drove for the line again, after three or four arduous phases they drew in enough defenders close into the ball before their skipper drove over to score their third Try of the match. On this occasion a considerably easier conversion was narrowly missed, but a Fullerians lead of 17 – 0 did not lie in terms of what had gone on so far.

Freddie again had serious words with his team and this time got the response he was looking for, the next score was going to be vital in this game. Wasps were almost immediately a different team. They were on the front foot, they were going forward with quick pick and goes, BJ and John both made breaks up the middle. This change in momentum suddenly had Fullerians on the back-foot and Wasps asking all the questions. Wasps rejected a couple of opportunities to take kickable penalties and played tap and go situations, applying more pressure but finding Fullerians defence to be as tough as theirs had been earlier.

Something had to give and after a tapped penalty and four quick rucked balls, George, somewhat fittingly, drove through two defenders and dived over halfway out for Wasps first score. Blayne’s conversion, dragged in the breeze and struck the near upright, before staying out. Fullerians 17 Wasps 5 and the half-time whistle blew.

Now with the breeze and back in the game, Wasps started the second half at a pace. Quick ball and controlled recycling changed the face of the game completely and Wasps were now the dominant force, but Fullerians were tackling to a man and there were no easy yards available. Blayne tried a few kicks up the middle, with good kick and chase support these kicks became attacking weapons, when Fullerians over kicked their returns. One return kick was caught by Full-back Ryan and quickly passed through three pairs of hands to Dami on the right wing, five metres inside his own half, but crucially in space and a disorganised field in front of him. He was off running freely, rounded the first two or three attempted tacklers, stepped inside the covering two defenders and went in under the posts. Blayne’s successful conversion made the score a much more respectable Fullerians 17 Wasps 12 with only six minutes of the half gone.

The game again returned to a spell of equality of ball available and field position. When Wasps were awarded a penalty just inside their own twenty-two Freddie, somewhat surprisingly tapped and went, he burst past three or four Fullerian defenders, passed to that man George again, who did the same, the ball shot out the side of the ruck and a Fullerian boot kicked it slightly infield. BJ picked it up, stepped forward, timed his pass to perfection and put John through a hole, thirty yards later his pass to Nick allowed him to run in unopposed under the posts. Both Wasps wingers had now scored excellent team Try’s, where the ball had been moved through several pairs of hands, and Blayne’s extras from the conversion took Wasps into the lead. Fullerians 17 Wasps 19.

Fullerians were straight back on the attack and once again a game of close quarter driving rucks and mauls occurred, with both ides having enough success to keep following the same path. This pattern of play was fully supported by the Referee who had been having a really good game himself. Both sides were keeping ball and being fairly turned over with the occasional penalty going both ways. Fullerians were quite rightly awarded a penalty just to the left of the posts, for a Wasps players killing the ball. The successful kick took Fullerians back into a one point lead at Fullerians 20 Wasps 19 with ten minutes to go.

Wasps returned immediately to the other end of the pitch, and bashed away at the Fullerian line, Daniel was held up inches short, George came close, Wasps forwards with Ryan, Douggie, Luke, Kieran, Nick and Paynee keeping the ball available and repeatedly driving for the line. A penalty under the posts was the least their efforts deserved and Blayne put Wasps back in the lead with seven minutes to go. Fullerians 20 Wasps 22.

Fullerians returned like men possessed to the Wasps twenty-two, their second-row interchange player to the fore and asked serious questions of Wasps. They were awarded a penalty on the twenty-two just to the left of the posts but through enthusiasm took a tap and went again. They spent the last few minutes within five metres of the Wasps line. They were held-up over the line on two occasions and threw the kitchen sink at Wasps, they could not be faulted for positive efforts, as Wasps could not be for their defensive efforts. Wasps finally forced a turn-over and Ben’s safe pass, which had been a feature of his game through out, allowed Blayne to clear into touch and the final whistle.

This game had developed from a one horse race into a real humdinger and either side could have won. It was a credit to both teams and showed what can be achieved with a positive attitude from players aided by an Official who took a full part in the afternoon’s entertainment.
For a change man of the match was easy to pick, George just had a blinder, tackling, carrying, clearing out rucks and even passing on occasions.