A Black and White... draw.

Sunday 19th Feb vs. Trafford Metrovic RFC U16s

You know you are getting old when you cannot remember things that just happened but can still wax lyrical about the good old days. I can remember what happened before the game started. In the opulent changing room – it even had a massage table – the Barbarians team were given a forthright reminder that they need to take personal responsibility for their actions both on and off the pitch. Respectable and respectful young adults, that observe the rules and play in the spirit of the game.

Enough of that! Pre-match, the referee checked everyone’s studs and explained to the front row how he wanted scrums to happen. And he explained a lot more to the half backs, then the coaches… I zoned out after a few minutes and am unable to report that part of the day with any accuracy. In fact, this fellow had so much to say after the game began that I’m surprised he only ran over 5 minutes each half, cramming in as much monologue as was possible. There are 39 possible ways that a penalty can be sanctioned during a game. By the time the final whistle had blown, we had heard all thirty-nine of them. Each meticulously explained, each with the prefix “penalty yellow [Didsbury], you did XYZ…”. Metrovics played in black & white, apparently they already knew these laws and rarely had to be lectured on of any.

With such a theatrical, whistle-blowing performance by the self-pronounced man in charge, the actual game itself was in danger of becoming a sideshow. But it was a well contested sideshow and evenly balanced throughout. Neither team truly excelled – this was not the powerful forwards display that we saw last week by Didsbury. The line-out, usually an area of dominance, was only mediocre. Rucks were poorly attended, loose and slow. Trafford played with equal measures of panache and clumsiness, they matched Didsbury up front but will rue their wayward passing amongst the three-quarters and back three.

Trafford took the lead in the first half; and extended it with a second try converted to lead 12-0. The shock realisation of a potential heavy defeat fired Didsbury into life. With a bit more aggression, faster ball and the mercurial feet of Jamie McCreery, the Barbarians pulled back one score before half time and were dominating play in the opposition’s 22 before the interval interrupted their revival.

Second half and a second try followed shortly after for Didsbury. Another long distance chase by McCreery, tying the game at 12-12. With Didsbury in the ascendency, a third try duly came with minutes left on the clock. It was a replica of one of the previous two, I can’t remember which but it was definitely from out wide, at pace, incisive running and scored by Jamie McCreery giving him a hat-trick - well done Jamie. And it was scored in the corner. Logan McMahon composed himself for the touchline conversion. He struck it well, the ball carried the distance but regrettably faded just wide in the blustery conditions.

So with just enough time left to penalise the visitors for rules number 38 (ungentlemanly conduct) and 39 (backchat to match official) the referee brought Metrovics comfortably from the restart directly to within 10 yards of the Didsbury goal line. At this point I have grudging respect for a very well worked tap penalty by Trafford. First one then a second lumbering dummy runner drew the defensive pack infield, switching the ball to their fly half running a great diagonal blindside break. Only Oskar Smith was alert to the danger, and while he lunged bravely to bring the player down, momentum carried Metrovics over the goal line for the equalising score. The tension was clearly too much for some of Didsbury’s players, protesting that the try was not a try, when it was clearly a try; fantasising that in some parallel universe the ball had gone into touch - while in reality it had been a perfectly well grounded try (scored near to the touch line). Fortunately the tension had got to Metrovics kicker too. Just missing the conversion with the last touch of the game, the final result was 17-17.

Post-match, the opposing teams congratulated each other whole-heartedly (I jest). Ah, my memory is coming back to me – there was a tactics board in the room where the lads got changed. I thought it was odd when I first saw it, the field of play was drawn out but it showed three teams, not two. Black Team, White Team and Pink Team – what sort of game are there three teams involved on the pitch? And then it all made perfect sense, the ref played in Pink.

NB. No videos this week. We are all too conscious of the risks and damage that can be caused by social media.