UREN’S MAGIC MOMENT SPURS ALL GOLDS TO FINAL GLORY
BRISTOL ALL GOLDS 46 – 18 EASTERN RHINOS
Christopher Wilson at Chiswick RFC
SUMMARY
The Bristol All Golds lifted their first trophy since 2018 as they came from behind to ultimately thump Eastern Rhinos with five tries in the last half hour of a 46-18 victory in Chiswick. After trailing 10-0 early on, the All Golds hit back with tries from Leon Atherton and Joe Capener to lead 12-10. However, the Rhinos regained the lead by half time. Jack Uren’s first try of the season edged the All Golds 18-16 in front but the Rhinos levelled the scores with a penalty. That was the last time they troubled the scorers as Uren’s exquisite pass set up a try for Tega Rume-Tabiowo and a 22-18 lead. Thereafter, tries came regularly for the All Golds with Callum Merrett, Rob Davies, Henry Symons and James Boyles all crossing to seal a comprehensive and deserved win. Uren was named man of the match before Merrett hoisted the trophy aloft and the celebrations began.
FULL REPORT
This time last year, the Bristol All Golds visited Chiswick for a play-off game and were trounced 64-4 by Hammersmith Hills Hoists who went on to become Southern Conference League Champions. This year, Hammersmith are champions again; but the All Golds tasted victory at Chiswick for the first time and lifted their first trophy since 2018 as they came from behind to ultimately thump Eastern Rhinos with five tries in the last half hour of a 46-18 victory.
After an uninspiring first forty minutes in which the All Golds made basic errors and wasted the opportunities they were presented with by an Eastern Rhinos side who were far from infallible themselves, the game turned on a moment of pure magic from loose forward Jack Uren.
After scoring the first try of a disrupted season for him personally, Uren produced a sublime one-handed pass from a three-man tackle to send Oli Winterbottom away. The stand-off then put Tega Rume-Tabiowo in to score. The try put the All Golds 22-18 in front and set up a dominant last quarter where they scored four converted tries to seal a fully deserved victory.
In warm, sunny conditions, the All Golds started well as the Rhinos made a mess of the opening kick-off. However, they sent the ball wide, but it flew into touch.
The All Golds then won a penalty and promptly conceded one; and another immediately after that and the Rhinos profited with a try by Charlie Sims in the corner with just five minutes on the clock.
Things got worse six minutes later as, after three consecutive sets, the Rhinos scored again, Adam Cook crashing over and Dan Harding converting for a 10-0 lead.
After five further minutes of scruffy play, Uren’s run into the heart of the Rhinos defence allowed Oli Winterbottom to send Leon Atherton over in the corner. Winterbottom’s superbly struck touchline conversion was the first of his seven goals from eight attempts, many from difficult angles.
More scrappy play followed as both sides struggled to assert some sort of authority on proceedings until the All Golds produced another moment of quality.
Callum Merrett’s kick on the last tackle dropped kindly for Joe Capener via a Rhinos’ hand and the winger’s knee and Capener, made the most of the opportunity, touching down near the sticks for Winterbottom to make the score 12-10 with the boot.
With ten minutes to the break, the Rhinos re-took the lead, Henry Mason forcing his way over out wide. Will Randall took over the kicking duties and added a good goal to edge his side back in front 16-12.
There was just time for a brief altercation between the sides which saw Dan Short and a Rhinos’ player sin-binned for punching.
That was the last action of the half and the players retreated to the dugouts to plan their efforts for the second half with the trophy still very much on the line.
Just over a minute into the half, the All Golds re-took the lead as Uren’s 20-metre run took him through and past defenders for what was, amazingly, his first try of the season. Winterbottom duly goaled for an 18-16 lead.
However, play still retained its incoherent nature and when the All Golds failed to send a goal-line drop-out the required ten metres, Randall tied the scores with the penalty from in front of the posts.
Three minutes later came Uren’s second key play as he took the ball up just inside the Rhinos’ half before producing an offload that Winterbottom used to maximum effect, making ground forwards before sending Rume-Tabiowo over out wide. For the first and only time Winterbottom’s kicking radar was off target though the 22-18 lead was to be the starting point as the All Golds grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and shook it until points came out.
On 56 minutes, Merrett produced a perfectly weighted chip to score himself, and though the Rhinos complained about an obstruction, the officials awarded the try.
The All Golds now began to settle down and their play became more coherent. Despite losing the ball early in the tackle count, they regained possession with some big defence and Winterbottom’s kick into the in-goal was made dead by the Rhinos after a mad scramble.
From the resulting goal-line drop-out, Morgan Lewis produced a replica of his pass to Rob Davies from the last game against the Rhinos and with the same result as the Welshman powered through a gap to score.
While the Rhinos’ heads never went down, mistakes in possession from them now became more frequent and the All Golds were in the mood to punish each and every one.
With twelve minutes remaining, a fumbled kick allowed the All Golds a repeat set and James Boyles sent Henry Symons cantering over the line to touch down by the posts.
The Rhinos’ Joe Dakin had what he thought was a try disallowed by the referee, who saw a knock on, and the All Golds finished matters with a try that perhaps typified the nature of the game.
As they worked the ball upfield, they reached the goalline but were denied a try by an offside player. Rume-Tabiowo took the tap penalty quickly and Boyles dive over the unguarded line for the All Golds’ eighth try. Winterbottom’s majestic goal ended the scoring.
The Rhinos tried one final play but their kick to the in-goal went dead and there was no time to restart play as the referee drew a close to proceedings.
The Bristol All Golds’ victory is a deserved one given the progress the club has made on and off the field in the seven years since their last triumph. It is a reward not just for the players on the field of play, but also for all those who have contributed to the season, guiding the club by helping in the development of a multi-faceted organisation with burgeoning Junior and Women’s sections.
MatchStats
Teams:
ALL GOLDS: James Boyles; Joe Capener, Will Armour, Louis Birch, Leon Atherton; Oli Winterbottom, Callum Merrett (Capt); Eric Davidson, Adam Turner, Brandon Ball; Tega Rume-Tabiowo, Rob Davies; Jack Uren. INTERCHANGE: Morgan Lewis, Henry Symons, Brandon Lamb, Dan Short. 18th Player: Luke Davies.
SCORERS:
Tries: Atherton (16), Capener (25), Uren (41), Rume-Tabiowo (52), Merrett (56), R. Davies (61), Symons (68), Boyles (76)
Goals: Winterbottom 7 from 8.
RHINOS: Ethan Johnson; Peter Mbwasse, Will Randall, Charles Randall, Charlie Sims; Chris Kerkow, Dan Harding (Capt.); Greg Short, Rory Butcher, Harry Dines; Mofe Abidekun, Henry Mason; Joe Dakin. INTERCHANGE: Adam Cook, Charles Mason, Darin Pringle, Connor Corbett.
SCORERS
Tries: Sims (5), Cook (11), Mason (30).
Goals: Harding 1 from 2, W. Randall 2 from 2.
Scoring sequence: 0-4, 0-10, 6-10, 12-10, 12-16, (HT), 18-16, 18-18, 22-18, 28-18, 34-18, 40-18, 46-18, (FT)
Penalties: All Golds 10-11 Rhinos
Referee: Cameron Grey (RFL)
Touch Judges: Tom O’Hare and Joe Foxon (RFL)
Sin-Bin: Dan Short (All Golds) (39 mins, fighting)
All Golds Player of the Match: Jack Uren has had a disrupted season with injury, illness and suspension but returning to the side at loose forward and then hooker, he was instrumental in turning the tide with a well-taken try early in the second half and then a brilliant offload to set up Tega Rume-Tabiowo’s score which gave the All Golds a lead they built on to win the match and their first trophy since 2018.