RUGBY: Old Laurentians centenary celebrations continue against Rugby & District XV

Pictures by Chris Reading

Centenary Match

Old Laurentian 2nd / 3rd XV 36 Rugby & District XV 12

As part of the celebrations to mark the centenary of Old Laurentian RFC, a combination of the Old Laurentian 2nd and 3rd teams took to the field last Sunday afternoon against a Rugby & District Select XV, writes Garrie Reeve.

With most of the OLs side having played together regularly throughout the season it was they who started the better, makeshift centre Tom Hill crossing in the corner to score his first try of the afternoon.

Hill scored a second try 15 minutes later, carving his way through the District defence to dot down behind the posts. Veteran fly half Kev White kicked the conversion for 12- 0 after 20 minutes.

With most of the town’s clubs represented in their team, the District started to gel as a side and ask questions of the OLs’ defence, soon driving over to score a converted try from close range.

On the half hour mark, OLs scored their third try, winger Alex Guilfoyle ending a fine passage of pressure from OLs to snipe round the side of a ruck for 17-7 lead

With a yellow card reducing OLs to 14 players the District ended the half making their numerical advantage pay, scoring from an attacking scrum inside the OLs’ 22 for 17-12 at half time.

OLs made several changes at half time which, combined with a heavy rain shower, resulted in a scrappy opening to the second period. OLs eventually broke the deadlock when Hill completed his hat-trick, the centre proving too difficult for the District’s defence to hold, White adding the goal points for 24-12.

OLs pack, led by the evergreen Gary Hammond, had dominated their own lineout and disrupted the District lineout all afternoon.

From an attacking lineout Hill scored his fourth try, surging in from 30 metres and leaving would-be tacklers in his wake. White added the extras to increase OLs’ lead to 19 points.

With time nearly up, OLs kicked a penalty to the corner. With the resulting lineout comfortably won, OLs’ pack drove their opponents back and Hammond touched down a well-deserved try.

Many thanks to the players from both sides for playing in a committed fashion that befitted the occasion. Thanks also to the match officials, referee Kindy Devgun and assistant referees Roy Shallcross and Ian Roberts; and officers and volunteers of both Old Laurentians and Rugby & District for their help with the staging of this match.

The celebrations continue on Sunday at the Close, with a day-long Festival of Rugby, starting at 10am, with mini games involving six age groups against teams from Leicester Forest; then U15 Girls and U15 Boys against Market Harborough and Old Coventrians respectively; and the Phoenix Ladies touch team against a Midlands Ladies Barbarians side and finally the 1st XV v Warwickshire XV at 3pm.