Encouraging return to full-contact rugby

Ealing take many positives from narrow defeat at Grasshoppers

A dull August day saw an Ealing 1871 squad of 24, made up of established club members, newcomers and several making their debut after moving up from the U18s during the enforced absence of competitive full-contact rugby due to the pandemic, put up a highly encouraging performance, before conceding three late tries against a level 7 club, two tiers above them.

On Grasshoppers' 4G pitch at their impressive new facilities at Gillette Corner, the visitors found themselves under early pressure, but held out through well-organised defence and resolute tackling, notably by Max Muirhead at outside centre. When the first competitive scrum for 17 months arrived close to the Ealing line after 10 minutes, the 1871 pack gained a clear nudge, which it continued to do throughout the game against heavier opposition. Attacks by both sides were quickly snuffed out as the first period of 30 minutes drew to a scoreless close, but after weathering the early storm it was Ealing who were in the ascendant at the break, the choice to take scrums instead of penalty kicks reflecting their dominance in that area.

The visitors' improvement continued in the second period and nearly resulted in a try when a grubber kick beyond the last line of defence just eluded former Under-18 Ben Pink. Despite constant ebb and flow, last-ditch tackles by both sides meant that that there was no score until just before the second break, when Ealing created space down the right wing for Toby Holt to finish off, Aidan Fitzgerald's attempted conversion rebounding off the post.

A third and final period of 20 minutes produced three tries, all going to the hosts, as the game opened up with players on both sides understandably beginning to wilt after their first taste of 'proper' rugby since March 2020. Grasshoppers scored in similar fashion to Ealing's opener, on the left, soon followed by a second try when they quickly recycled and crashed over after being held up on the line. A third unconverted score finally put a slight gloss on the Grasshoppers win in what had been a broadly even contest.

The Ealing coaching staff will take considerable encouragement from a skilled and committed performance as preparations for the start of the Herts Middlesex 1 league season continue. Ealing man of the match was scrum half Kyle Beck. Our thanks to our hosts Grasshoppers for stepping in and providing a fairly contested encounter following a cry-off by 1871 league rivals Wasps Amateurs.