By Mickey Mouse
April 3 2006

London Irish continue their unbeaten run in the ECC to book a semi-final date with the Newcastle Falcons in late April with a strong determined performance from all the lads. Irish's dominance around the pitch was only spoilt by the Bayonne Mascot, whose antics won the crowd like a pro! As a warm up to the game, I thought it appropriate to go along to the Reading match on the Saturday. I've never been to a match with one of them round balls and found the experience all a little bizarre, 1 hour of boredom followed by 5 goals in quick succession and a pitch invasion by some 15,000 people. Reading were crowned champions of the Championship, and congratulations to them! The game was a sell-out (ignoring the near empty away section). Was this a sign of things to come?

Well, we got an emphatic victory, but with only 5,100 people and no pitch invasion...!

And so onto the proper game! The weather was, well undecided really... It was nice and sunny, and then the heavens opened (and opened with such ferocity, it actually cleaned the windscreen on my car which was a nice surprise when I got back!). And then when the sky ran out of precipitation, it remained relatively sunny, good Rugby conditions. Marvellous.

There were a few changes to the line-ups to those in the programme, London Irish had Michael Collins at Loosehead as opposed to Neal Hatley. Bayonne on the other hand appeared to bring a completely different team to the one published in the program, so I'll refer to them by numbers where necessary :-p

The pre-match entertainment was provided by the Bayonne mascot, a rather animated Pony (I think!) who literally pranced around trying to get a rise from the crowd and succeeding! Fair play to the chap, his caterpillar crawls and rolly-polly's made our very own Digger look lethargic!

Onto the match, I was sat over the North 22 in the Upper West today, I'm an East ST holder, but thought the occasion deserved a better seat :-p Kick off ended in a "knock on" when Irish tried to reclaim the ball, I don't believe the ball went backward at any point, but I'm not the ref! Our scrum look ominously strong, and our mauling was gaining multitudes of meters early on, the signs were good! Sadly the aforementioned Collins suffered an injury after only 1:42, I believe he was replaced by the aforementioned Hatley, but I may be wrong. A drop goal attempt by the French No 10 is charged down by Flutey, but the French manage to clean the ball up before any Irish hands can get to it.

A few minutes pass and Irish are playing all the Rugby, it's good to see that we're not kicking, it's passing running rugby all the way. Bayonne are pinged for offside in a kickable position, but we opt for a 5m line-out. An inevitable catch and drive doesn't amount to anything, but Bayonne are pinged for coming through the side, and we opt for another 5m line-out. The ball is thrown long into the safe hands of big Bob Casey a drive ensues and meter by meter we drift closer to the line, it looks like they try to bring down the maul illegally, but it doesn't matter as Robbie Russell now has the ball and goes over the line for a try! It's good work by the forwards and a welcome return from injury for Russell. I believe this is first start this year, having come on as a substitute in Bristol & Sale.

Flutey seems to have found his kicking boots since the last match, and we're 7-0 up after 10 minutes.

After the restart, Casey cleans up the ball nicely and a wonderful driving maul starts steaming up the pitch, but the French bring the maul down illegally with 60m still to go. Catt hoofs the ball into touch on their 22. A few phases of play sadly come to nothing and the French defence is proving a tough nut to crack. Eventually the ball finds it's way to Armitage, who has 4 players to contend with, still we know what Delon can do and he does a neat chip and chase, unfortunately neither the ref nor the linesman spotted the obstruction, and the ball goes dead for a 22 drop out.

20 minutes have passed, and we're playing all the rugby with all the possession, Catt makes a wonderful break in mid-field only to find forwards in support and is held up just before the line. The entire Irish squad is having a massive game today but we're not turning the possession into points. Tagicalakjsdfoeriehwodnfdlsasdjadsnflkjeofjsdckjsdfadua appears to have damaged his hamstring and is replaced by Justin Bishop. As worrying as this development is, I do find shouting "go on Bish" much easier...

The next ten minutes is spent again in the French half trying to get through their defence, but the French aren't going to lie down and are doing a wonderful job containing us, we have a half-break here and there but nothing definitive. Eventually the ball finds its' way back into our half and the Bayonne Number 4 (listed as Cedric Bergez, but could be anyone!) finds himself with a Yellow Card for not rolling away. He didn't seem particularly happy about this, and spent the whole of the ten minutes actually walking to the touch-line...!

On 36 minutes, Bishop makes a classic line break and finds Magne in support, unfortunately he's not supported by anyone and a try goes begging. A couple of minutes of possession and territory and we are given advantage for an offence, Flutey decides to try his luck and slots a superb drop goal.

Upon the restart Bayonne manage to clean up the ball, and Drop Goal attempt by their number 10 hits the posts. We manage to get the ball back up field again and eventually the ball finds itself into Armitage's hands, he again finds himself with 4 Frenchmen at his throat and again goes for a trade-mark chip & chase. He again gets obstructed and that's half time. Moment of the half had to be when Catt kicks a long touch-finder from his 22 caught on the edge by a French player who trips into touch giving us the line-out :-p

Half Time entertainment was provided by the excellent Bayonne mascot. He's great! I think that was possibly the best half time entertainment since the Extreme Frizby match!

Brian Smith clearly had some words with the boys at half time, we had all the possession and not a great deal to show for it with all things considered. After kick off, Irish eventually end up with a Line Out 20m from the French try line. We manage to collect and five minutes of multi-phase play and we end up with a penalty. Bishop takes a tap & go and nearly makes it all the way, being stopped a matter of millimetres from the line, the ball is recycled to Robbie Russell who simply aims low and dives over, TRY! Flutey, still with his kicking boots converts.

The French lock returns to the pitch after his sin binning. He appears to have remembered how to run!

Bayonne make a change in their front row and substitute 3 with 17 (still don't trust the program). My notes say "HUGE!". A few minutes go by and Ojo, who at this point had been having a quiet game had a little moment of magic, a wonderful break sees him outrun two players before they can tackle him. With only the full-back to beat, he does a little chip & chase, sadly the bounce of the ball and the ridiculously short dead-ball line denies him a wonderful solo try. Still, we see this sort of thing from Armitage all the time, he'll learn :-p

A 22-drop out sees the action back at the half way line and again London Irish are calling the shots, Casey is showing his authority and has a wonderful break where he literally runs through 3 players! Paul Hodgeson is replaced by Darren Edwards on 50 minutes. Hodge had been having a cracking game, the highlight being a chip and chase from deep in our half ended up with him being outrunning most of his own back-line to the ball!

Irish slowly work their way up the pitch again, and after conceding yet another penalty Magne tap's and goes, he off-loads in the tackle to Edwards who passes to Flutey. Magic runs wide drawing in defenders and passes to Tiesi who switches inside wrong footing everyone, the full back manages to get a hand on the Argentinean, but he's too strong to stop the inevitable. After a couple of seconds of discussion with the touch judge, a try is awarded. Flutey converts, he's having a good day with the boot!

On 53 minutes there was a "bucket load of replacements" as the announcer announced. Two Irish, four Bayonne, sadly I can't write that quickly and French team didn't appear to have any players in the program on or off the pitch, so you'll have to read a proper report for these! Paul Gustard came off for us, to be replaced by Strudders. And Catt came off to be replaced by the young Geraghty. It seems as though Brian was convinced we've won the game so started replacing our key players for the premiership. Good thinking that man!

Back to the match! On 57 minutes, Tiesi has a beautiful break, Flutey races in support and Tiesi off-loads in the tackle, Flutey runs to the line unopposed to score!! Another try!! This is turning into a white-wash!! Flutey has even converted every try! Must have borrowed Barry's boots! 31-0...!

A replacement is made, Flavin comes on for whoever ended up playing loosehead after the first minute injury.

By this point the game is pretty much won, my notes state that it took 62:14 before we started playing a kicking game, Flutey had been leaving the touch-finders to Catt, but with his departure he had taken over the duties. That said however, I was highly impressed with Geraghty, we all saw what he is capable of at the Cardiff game earlier this season, and he had a number of lovely breaks, but found himself with no one in support!

On 64 minutes Ojo scores a try, this was a superb team effort as the ball passed through so many hands, that I could not keep up! Flutey finally misses a kick, leaving the score 36-0..! Phil Murphy makes a welcome return to action at the expense of Magne, no doubt being rested for the Premiership.

Bayonne are now determined to take something from this game, their forwards front up and start making strides down the pitch. Robbie Russell is yellow carded, the ref made a signal that seemed more adept on Heathrow's runway that on a rugby pitch, so I missed what for! Anyway, by this point it was 72 minutes, so that was the end of his game. With the kickable penalty, Bayonne wanted more and kicked to touch, good for them. The lineout was clean and the drive was illegally brought down, however advantage ensued and they got over the line - but our defence held firm and it was held-up. Bayonne again kicked to touch at the penalty. Another clean line-out and a classic catch & drive ends up in a try to Bayonne scored by the number 19. The name used by the announcer was nothing like to that written in the program! Their fly half missed the conversion. 36-5 :-p

Dawson was substituded for apparently David Paice if the program is to be believed (which I don't) to ensure we have 3 front-rowers on the pitch.

Bayonne's glory is short-lived however, at the restart, a mistake is made by them and a pass is dropped, Murphy hacks the ball on and manages to collect his kick for another try! Marvellous!! Flutey seems to be fed up with kicking all these conversions and Geraghty steps up to take a shot, he is just wide sadly. 41-5...!

Tiesi looks a little injured and seems to be replaced by, err...Well no one, the bench is empty!

Time is running short, but yet again we're in the French half. I notice that Bishop has taken up a position as flanker in the scrum seeing as we're a man down in the scrum! Geraghty is having an absolute blinder of a game, if Catt does decide to call it a day, I don't think we need worry about who can fill those boots!

The game is closed out by a try from Big Bob Casey after intense pressure from the Irish, let's be honest, could you stop that bounding Irishman if he was running at you with intent?!!? Geraghty nails the conversion leaving us with the final score line of 48-3.

So, what can we take from this game? Well the French defence in the first half was outstanding, and was equally so in the second half. Irish were playing a very attractive running game and a very simple game plan. Keep ball in hand, only kick when you're in your 22 or you find yourself largely isolated. This game plan worked very well against this opposition helped by our handling errors being very low. The team was playing with confidence and this really showed. This bodes well for the future. Our pack was immense against this French side and all the backs managed to have a mini-break or three throughout the game.

My man of the match? This is a tricky one, a lot of the team played blinders today. But for me the man of the match, without a shadow of a doubt, was the Bayonne Mascot!!

The future's bright, the future's green!

Oh, and congratulations to the Roche's!