With the backdrop of the wedding of the year the previous day, this match had a lot to live up to. Our Captain, Steve Hoather tied the knot with his long suffering fiancé, Zoe, and everyone at the club wishes them love and happiness for the future. And for the neutral at Chelwood Drive on game-day, the events of Saturday were almost as exciting as the events on Friday as Wetherby had never won at 1st team level at Hegians, although they left many loyal supporters biting their nails to the quick and praying for full time.

Wetherby’s warm up was apparently wholesome and energised. It was heard, we couldn’t have prepared better. And then failed to get the kick off the required distance which led to a scrum on the half way line. But maybe the game plan hadn’t been shared fully with the supporters and despite Hegians program (read 1 sheet of A4 folded in half) lauding a ‘strong pack’, Wetherby dominated all forwards play throughout including that first scrum. It was going to be a tough day for the Hegians front row.

With Louis Cox-Rawnsley making his first start for the 1sts he was involved from the outset with early carries and plenty of action in the rucks. Surrounded by experience in Hoather and Woodworth, the front three made a formidable attacking force which led to the first try from Hoather who looked fondly into the crowd in search of his bride, touchingly with a hand-heart gesture. Ah. 0-5

With the conversion missed, Hegians kicked off and Wetherby secured possession only to hoof the ball to the strong set of backs that Hegians curated through coaching from the Newcastle Falcons centre. Suffice to say that they proceeded to run rings around the Wetherby defence and bounce back with an almost immediate try. Again with conversion missed, 5-5 was the score.

From the kick off Hegians punted what looked like a great kick over the defence of Wetherby but the backs were up to the challenge with Sam Little taking an impressive catch over his shoulder and running the ball from left back position through the centre of the Hegians defence and launching a counter-attack down the right wing. This set up a number of phases of forwards play (the original game plan…) and following a faultless lineout to Reid, Wetherby win yet another scrum under the posts and walk over to secure the try and conversion.
5-12

With Wetherby seemingly in control it would make sense to secure the ball and tire the Hegians defence however we seemed to have different ideas and again needlessly gave the ball back to the Hegians backs who meandered in to the Wetherby 22 and sauntered over for their 2nd try and conversion. 12-12. The Wetherby faithful were puzzled!

Acland was subbed for Greenwood with a suspected broken fingernail, we hope he makes a speedy recovery and fortunately didn’t stop him from partying on Saturday night. We can just imagine his pick up lines to the ladies of North East Leeds after that injury. Wetherby re-start on the front foot. A cultured pass from the rugby players player, Youlden, sends Yates on a run from our half and embarks on one of the powerful forays we have come to know and love. This would a theme throughout the game of Little, Yates, Parrish and Kaye getting space to run in to and making the most of it. And meanwhile Day focussed on tackling all the big lads that Hegians could muster, even the one with pig-tails – a weird choice some might say for a rugby match.

Halftime came not a minute too soon and renewed instructions to keep it in the forwards were issued. Woodworth takes a breather and Mason comes on, and Parrish swaps with Oates.

The second half starts as the first concluded and despite looking like the visitors were on top, Hegians were putting up a good fight. Yet more great running by Yates and support from Blakey takes us in to Hegians half and Day then succumbs to a high tackle which draws a penalty.
Yet Wetherby are to be frustrated again so much so that Jack Kaye, isolated at outside centre shouts over to the scrum half, “FFS Jarrod pass it….”. We weren’t sure if Kaye knew the meaning of the word ‘pass’ but there you go.

With Geoff doing his best to imitate Jesse Marsch and managing to upset the linesman, decisions didn’t seem to be going our way. Yet nothing could stop the steaming wildebeest that was our scrum and we walked over another try with Watson dotting down. Conversion completed 12-19 and a real chance to kick on.

Or, we could just give the ball back to Hegians and let them score. Yeah, let’s do that instead. 19-19

McLeary had been studious in his tackling, being pinned down and roughed up by the Hegians prop wasn’t to his liking though and executed a string of tackles that took the wind out of the recipients. And perhaps in retribution he was then tackled in the air, some might say ‘dangerously’, but not the referee who only awarded a penalty. The subsequent pressure by Wetherby and some more dominant forwards play handed Hoather another score and the crowd looked to a beaming and proud bride, Zoe, she knew then that she had chosen the right one.

With that try converted again by Yates and a penalty that, to be honest I had forgotten about, left the score at 19-27. But Weth were determined to throw this one away and almost immediately handed Hegians another try that they celebrated as if they had just won the World Cup. 26-27.

But with only three minutes left Wetherby draw the penalty after a great carry by Woodworth. And Yates calmly slotted home for the win.
And so we can all relax. The win taking us up to 8th in the table with winnable games on the horizon over the next 3 weeks. And with Christmas rapidly approaching Jack Kaye insisted on handing everyone a flyer for his Christmas tree sale – apparently 50% discount for club members. Until next time.