“ Can brown stay calm?”
The Wykehamist
XVs
Another year, another OTH win
One hundred and fifty-seven years on from the first time red and brown met in a match of XVs, the game has proven to be as alive and well as ever. Vibrant crowds on either side of College canvas were treated to a fast-paced, teeth-clenching game of winkies, with Houses ultimately emerging victorious, winning by just two points at 40- 38.
Commoners established a quick lead, as Houses chased closely behind for the first stages of the game. An early plant from Stanley Askew led to the game’ s first behind, creating momentum for the Commoner side – a momentum which the OTH boys did their best to suppress through some great play into ropes and consistent aggression. Red and brown wrestled for a lead until a kick just feet away from Commoner worms put OTH ahead for the first time in the match. At the 20 minute mark, Commoners had had 6 behinds with no conversions, while Houses kept their consistency on the canvas. The rest of the half featured several sliced kicks from both sides, and some frustrating posts given each way for careless rule breaks. While Commoners were dominant in the hots( a trend in recent years), they converted very few, often resulting in some awkward gameplay in the middle of the canvas which lent itself to opportunity for goals for OTH. This portion of the match was also marked by some exemplary gameplay on both sides; George Bowder( B, 2020-) and Ted Miers( B, 2020-) on ropes for OTH kept cutting into the reds’ attempts at making ground, while textbook chases from Commoner kick James Kennedy( D, 2021-) and ropesman Jack Warner( G, 2021-) kept the pressure on the browns( a pattern which ultimately earned Warner the Johnny Pot for outstanding Commoner player at XVs dinner that night). Houses were however noticeably quicker in getting organised at the sound of each whistle, which only accentuated the creeping lack of discipline on the Commoner side( seen mostly in early crosses at the behinds). These careless mistakes resulted in free goals for OTH, creating a large point difference which peaked at 25-16 at half time.
Tensions heightened as the teams swapped sides. Houses pushed with their lead, stretching it to 35-19 at one point, much to the satisfaction of the OTH crowd. As hope began to dwindle on the opposite side of the canvas, some pivotal plants and more calculated gameplay from the Commoners led to an epic turn of events; eager and rejuvenated, Commoner kicks Seb Morgan( D, 2020-) and Dan Garrett( G, 2020-) found it in themselves to lead a team which seemed all but out of the game back into the match. The most enthralling portion of the game played out in the last ten minutes: both sides raised the intensity, with commentating RJHM questioning“ can brown stay calm?” as the reds began playing with a fierceness and composure we hadn’ t seen since the very beginning of the game. A great shot from Inigo House( A, 2020-) seemed to slow the Commoners’ momentum, bringing the score up to 39-29, though a textbook bust from Commoner captain Morgan gained nearly a canvas’ worth of posts for the reds, resulting in a series of much-needed behinds bringing the score up to 39-32.
“ Can brown stay calm?”
OTH captain Anthony Cloke-Browne( B, 2020-) defended worms against the waves of Commoner attempts, though a first-class flyer from V Book Seb Browning( G, 2022-) brought the scores even closer to 39-35. Clearance from browns and intensity from reds marked the next few moments of the game. The 56th minute edged the Commoners even closer to the Houses’ lead – 39-36. Despite a lovely behind into ropes from Cloke-Browne, Commoner right kick Garrett sent a beautiful flyer over OTH worms, igniting an uproar from both crowds. 39-38. The clock ticked on as the teams met in the last hot of the match. With less than 90 seconds left, the ball emerged from behind the Commoners’ side …“ Then, with seconds left, came the match defining moment – Dom Jackson( A, 2020-), with his arms and legs fully spread, planting a Commoner flyer that looked certain to sail over OTH worms. A moment that will surely last in the annals of WinCoFo history, writes Will Whitehead( A, 2018-2023).
Frantic gameplay on both sides followed. Intensity from Arthur Duckworth( H, 2021-) and George Davies( D, 2020-) on ropes couldn’ t stop Houses clearing the ball with just 20 seconds on the clock – a behind
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