Taunton Titans v Devonport Services

This was an appropriate game for today as Taunton RFC having an Armed Forces Covenant, recognising the Fallen in a ceremony of Remembrance before the startof the game with an abundance of past and present members of the military spectating.

Devonport kicked off with the wind behind them. The Titans fielded the ball and drove forward into the Devonport half.  The ball comes back and Ollie Devoto goes for a gap drawing in the defence and with a perfectly timed pass sets Rocky Prowse off for the try in the corner.  Louie Sinclair could not convert but within two minutes the Titans had five points on the board.  For the next 15-minutes the Titans hardly had their hands on the ball and only some exceptional tackling and mistakes byDevonport kept the Titans in the game. The Titans were under pressure and conceding an abundance of penalties and it was on 18-minutes that Devonport number 10 Richard Goldsby-West kicked the points to reduce the Titans lead to just 2-points.  From the re-start Devonport concede a penalty, one of only two in the first half. The Titans kick to the corner, win the lineout and maul to the line for Vaea (Elvis) Taione to score, the conversion was unsuccessful.  Devonport continue to dominate possession and to win penalties.  They kick to the corner and twice Sam Leworthy rises and wins the ball for the Titans to be able to relieve the pressure, but eventually one penalty too many and Devonport win the lineout and maul to the line for their hooker Aiden Taylor to score and reduce the Titans lead to just two-points again.  Almost from the re-start we saw a bit of the Titans captain Ratu Vakalutukali’s (Toots) magic.  The Titans turn the ball over and Toots sets off several broken tackles, sidesteps and pace sees him clear for the Titans third try which Louie converts.  3opportunities, 3 tries and some daylight in the score.  With half time almost upon us Devonport concede only their second penalty of the half. A kick to touch, a catch and drive from the lineout and Elvis has his second try of the game.  The conversion is good and the Titans have a half time lead of 24-points to 8.

Whatever conversations the players had with each other and the coach at half time was reflected in the beginning of the second half. The Titans came out with what seemed a different purpose.  It was they, who started to dominate, and Devonport who started to concede penalties. Elvis took the tap and drove at the line after several recycles Toots goes in for his second try of the game. Louie converts and 31 points on the board.  The Titans continue to press and 56 minutes Devonport have a player yellow carded just three-minutes later and they have a second player yellow carded.  The Titans have a two-player advantage and on 62-minutes Archie Spokes, the former Warriors Hooker, on his second appearance for the Titans goes in for the try.  Louie converts.  From the re-start Rocky fields, the ball with the opposition forwards fast approaching. He turns and runs away from them towards his own line in an arc completely out pacing the opposition before handing on to Toots who passes to opposite wing Oscar Kolowski to race from the hallway line to score the try which Reece Malone converts.  The Titans achieve their fifty points when Dan Martin makes a decisive break though the centre, passes on to Rocky who is then able to pass inside to Connor Banks in support for the try.  Archie Spokes then having had a bit of a rest to make way for Sam Prior, comes back on to not playing the backrow but hooker and from a ruck he breaks off and passes to Rocky who makes ground before passing on to Toots in support, who then passes inside to Nick Mason before handing on to Connor Baker to finish off a 70-metre move. Reece Malone converts and the Titans have 57-points on the board with ten minutes left.  Just 4 minutes left and Devonport replacement scrum half gets away from the Titans defence and scores a try which was converted.  In the lastminute of the game the Titans concede a penalty and Devonport kick to the corner win the lineout and maul to the line for their third try of the afternoon.  The conversion is missed and the final whistle goes.

This was a game of two halves for the Titans and I am sure that the coaches and the players will ask some in depth questions from which there should be both praise and criticism.  How in the first half could they give away ten penalties and a free kick and from 20% of the possession still score 24-points and only concede 8?  Would the score have been quite the same if Devonport had not been reduced to 13 players for eight minutes of the game?  The second half produced some real impetus and rewards with the penalties conceded reducing considerably.  Next week the long trip to Macclesfield, whilst the Warriors game is on Friday night against Chard at Chard.  It would be nice to see some of you make the short trip to Chard.  The Titans next Home game is against Redruth on 7^th December when they like us will be celebrating their 150^th Anniversary.

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