Toc 3s Trounce Spartans to start off 2018

On a day where one could imagine spring was just around the corner, Toc H Threes looked to start 2018 with a bang against the Village Spartans. The fixture was reversed due to all Toc pitches being played on, Spartans kindly hosted.

Mindful of the close match between the two sides the last time out, much was made in the warm up of “hitting the ground running”, so it was with considerable consternation that Toc found themselves 7-0 down within the first 20 seconds, with Toc giving the ball straight back to Spartans from the KO and allowing their centre to run straight through the Toc line to score unopposed under the sticks.
Suitably chastised by Brooko, Toc launched into a frenzied counter attack, the forwards battering forward against the Spartan defence, with berserker Collins leading the line and making some important gains into Spartan territory. Scrums were frequent and very well contested against an obviously well drilled Spartan pack, the front row of Crabtree, Beardsall and Reynolds keeping it steady for the most part.
Toc proceeded to get a hold on the game, basing it around pod based forward rumbles, with forward pockets rolling forward and the Flankers securing the ball for recycling. This allowed Toc’s backline to cause devastation almost at will, with centres Paul ‘PASS IT’ Petrie and Tom White putting in a real shift and making some excellent runs around the park.

Dan Phillips and Ginger Brookes partnered well as scrummy and fly half, with Dan marshalling the line and Brooko even side stepping someone, which hasn’t been seen since the first invasion of Iraq.

The stars of the show, however were wingers Frenchie Theo and Rob Eatough, who between them scored 7 tries from open play, some of them ending on the opposite sides of the pitch to where they started.

However, there are three members to a back three…

There are certain times in life when you can turn to your mates and say: “I was there”, and Saturday 13th January 2018 was one of those days. Toc moving forward fumbled a ball into the hands of a waiting Spartan centre who set off like a whippet. Between him and the line was Full Back Ritchie “I play touch on Saturday mornings” Bray, a man who’s’ last tackle was when Minidisks were big and bangs were in style. The field quietened to a deathly hush as the two approached each other at speed, and Toc waited for the inevitable, when “IT” happened. Perfectly executed, the Spartan went down and presented – Ritchie emerged, loomed over and stripped the ball. Women swooned and men dropped their beer, children gasped. I think Rob Weedon shed a tear. It was, for want of a better word, poetry.
The game ended 51-14, and Toc wish Spartans well in the remaining games of the season.

Toc face top of the league Helsby next week.

Man of the Match: Frenchie Theo
Dick of the Day: Luke Collins, for not being able to untie his own shoelaces.