Memorial Day at Phoenix Park promised to provide a great atmosphere at Phoenix Park, with the 1st XV ending a challenging patch of three away games in a row.

The game began with Stowmarket looking like the away side who were still on the bus. Thurrock made a quick start and within ten minutes had scored three tries to shock the home side. A combination of some over excitable defending alongside some incomplete tackles meaning there was much to do in the first half.
Thankfully the early comeback arrived, and Stow began to go through the gears and get back into the game. The forwards pack in particular excelling at the scrum and lineout, dominating their opposition with every set piece that came their way. The performance of Gavin Rudland in particular was a highlight, with some slick hands and quick feet eptiomising the modern day front row and showing Stow have superior skills all across the eighteen. Half time score 19-22.

Stow now needed to keep up the momentum in the second half and go after the rewards on offer, with everything still on the table. When in possession of the ball the home side looked dangerous and were able to move Thurrocks tiring forwards around. The back line of both teams was where a more difficult battle was fought, with both sets of backs trading blows throughout the game which made for an entertaining tussle. The defining factor of the second half was decision making, with Thurrock able to get their noses further in front through some superior backs plays which were finished well. Stowmarket will feel hard done by to not have been awarded a try at the death to secure a bonus point in addition to a questionable yellow card following an off the ball offence by the opposition 9.

Speaking after the game Director of Rugby, Ash Cook, said:

‘We are all gutted with this one. We absolutely should have taken at least a point if not more away from this game but the tone was set in the first ten minutes when we were too casual with our defending from set piece. We left ourselves too much to do. Chalk off a couple of their tries through better focus from us and we are winning these sorts of games comfortably.

There is still plenty of Rugby left to play and we know we are capable of beating anyone on our day. We travel to Brentwood next week after a really good tussle here in the winter and we’re excited to go again and gather some end of season momentum’.

Man of the Match: Gavin Rudland