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Blackheath (45) v Barbarians (57)
150th Anniversary Match
Rectory Field, Wednesday 18 March 2009
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 Captain
Mark Lee (right), the current Senior XV skipper becomes
a Barabarian.
Reports from Blackhealth and Barbarians web sites
Blackheath's report
The Barbarians, skippered by Scottish international and British Lion,
Gordon Bulloch, brought their world-famous
style of adventurous rugby to the Rectory Field on Wednesday
evening to celebrate 150 years of Blackheath rugby.
And the National Division Two side's players responded
with a display that must have caught the Baa-Baas by
surprise. Both teams played the kind of scintillating
rugby worthy of a match built on so much rugby history.
They fought each other toe to toe, with the lead changing
hands almost as quickly as the ball was being passed
from hand to hand. It was champagne rugby in front of
a bumper crowd.
The Barbarians came to the Rectory Field, not only
to recognize 150 years of Blackheath rugby, but to honour
the role the south-east London club played in their
own history. The famous invitational team was founded
by Blackheath player William Percy Carpmael
in 1890. On a rugby tour of the north of England, during
an oyster supper at Leuchter's Restaurant in Bradford,
Carpmael proposed that a team called
"Barbarians" be formed occasionally to tour at the end
of the normal rugby season. The first game played in
1890 was at Hartlepool and the team contained eight
Blackheath players. Many Blackheath players played for
the Barbarians in those early years and throughout their
history. The tradition of the Barbarian F.C., as it
is called, has grown to the point where it is now the
most famous of all invitation sides, bringing star players
from all over the world to don the famous black-and-white
hoops, playing mostly against the best international
teams. To celebrate Blackheath's 150th anniversary,
the Club invited the Barbarians to play a celebration
match at the Rectory Field. The invitation was readily
accepted by Barbarian F.C. president Micky Steele-Bodger,
who said before the match that it would be "a great
occasion for both of our clubs. They have had close
connections ever since eight Blackheath men were in
the first-ever side fielded by the Barbarians in 1890.
It is fitting that, having played Blackheath in the
75th and centenary seasons, we are now returning to
the Rectory Field in this, their historic 150th year."
The pattern was set after only 3 minutes when the Baa-Baas, passing the ball
at dizzying speed from one side of the field to the
other, went over in the corner, John Dalziel
of Melrose touching down for an unconverted
try.
The reply came swiftly, 3 minutes later, when Blackheath
full back Tom White pounced on a loose
Barbarian pass in his own 22 and scorched 80 metres
down the field, leaving defenders in his wake, to score
near the posts. Matt Leek's conversion
put Blackheath 2 pts ahead.
The first scrum came after 10 minutes and it was immediately obvious, by the way they moved their opponents backwards, that Blackheath's pack, who have dominated their league opposition all season, were not going to let the bigger and heavier forwards of the invitation side have it their way.
Five minutes later and the Barbarians were zipping
the ball along their line again, presenting England
Sevens international Simon Hunt of
Birmingham-Solihull with a try in the corner which was
converted by Richard McCarter of Dungannon
for a 12 pts to 7 lead. Within 2 minutes Blackheath
centre Steve Hamilton crashed through
Barbarian tackles to score a try converted by Tom
White, and more was to come.
In the 25th minute, winger Sam Smith,
Blackheath's man of the match, set off on a wonderful
weaving 50 metre run across the field and through the
defence. Clever passing at the end of his run put Blackheath's
other wing, Johnnie Williams, over
for a try which Tom White converted
to make the score 21 pts to 12 to the hosts. By now
a packed Rectory Field was relishing the adventurous
play of both sides, and beginning to dream the impossible
dream.
Within 3 minutes, however, the Barbarians were crossing
the tryline again, winger Simon Hunt scoring
an unconverted try . Two more Barbarian tries by Welsh
under-21 international David Bishop
of Ospreys and Seb Jewell of Harlequins
and Esher followed in the 30th and 36th minutes, both
converted by McCarter.
Two minutes later, Blackheath centre Mark Odejobi
finished off another fine break by Sam Smith.
Tom White's conversion brought the
Club to within 3 pts at 28pts-31.
No sooner had the spectators caught their breath at
half-time, than the points started piling up again.
After many passing moves more reminiscent of sevens
rugby, Army and Newbury flanker Mark Lee
scored for the Barbarians two minutes into the second
half and England international Nick Walshe
of Bedford Blues added the conversion.
Then it was the turn of Joe Simpson
of London Wasps and England Saxons, Blackheath's scrum
half last season, who returned for this match to help
the Club out of an injury dilemma in that position.
He broke through a gap to score a try converted by Matt
Vaughan in the 49th minute.
There was no let up in either the try scoring or the
exciting open style of rugby. A 52nd minute try for
the visitors by skipper Gordon Bulloch
was followed by another try in the corner for Blackheath's
irresistible Sam Smith, whose Twickenham
appearance on Sunday for the England Counties team seemed
only to have acted as a catalyst for this celebration
match.
With 13 minutes left, and the score a very close 40pts
to 43 to the Barbarians, the visitors, throwing the
ball around even from their own try line, pushed further
ahead with two tries from Baa-Baas man of the match,
Mark Lee, and Welsh international full
back Kevin Morgan of Newport Gwent
Dragons. Walshe added the conversions.
Blackheath were not finished, however. Constant probing
by Joe Simpson and a massive effort
from the Club's tireless pack resulted in James
Catt crashing over for a try with the weight
of his fellow forwards behind him.
The final whistle blew to end a game of breathtakingly
high skills. Blackheath had matched their illustrious
opponents in adventure and style, and though the game
ended in a Barbarian win, by 57pts to 45, for a crowd
buzzing with the excitement of it all, the real victor
was rugby itself. It was indeed a fitting celebration
of 150 years of England's oldest open rugby club.
Barbarians' report
A match of 16 tries played out in front of a capacity crowd at the historic Rectory Field was nothing less than the Blackheath club deserved on an early spring evening.
Beforehand, the presidents of both clubs – Mike
Newsom and Micky Steele-Bodger
– had spoken effusively of the ties that had bonded
their respective clubs together ever since eight Blackheath
players had featured in the first Barbarians XV in 1890.
The 80 minutes of sparkling rugby that followed only served to underline their shared ideals and style of play. That the Baa-Baas shaded the try count 9-7 in their favour was almost incidental as every one of the 44 players contributed to the running and passing feast on offer.
The lead changed hands three times in a breathtaking first half, at the end of which the Barbarians, at one stage trailing 12-21, led 31-28. Though they never lost their advantage in the second period, the Baa-Baas never looked like running away, in another sense, with a match that celebrated 150 years of rugby for their hosts.
Appropriately, Blackheath had the final word with a
thrilling try for back rower James Catt
in the 72nd minute, by which time both sets of players
were almost out on their feet. Opposite number Mark
Lee was voted Barbarians' man of the match
but, in truth, everyone involved shared star billing
on an occasion that left a warm glow in everyone's hearts.
At the end, Micky Steele-Bodger said, “Words cannot express
how happy I am to be here with the Barbarians this evening
– and what we have had served up in the field of play
has been exceptional. My heartiest congratulations are
extended to all concerned.”
Barbarians: *K A Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons &Wales); *S P Hunt (Birmingham-Solihull), S J Jewell (HEC Harlequins & Esher), *D Bishop (Ospreys), *D van Vuuren (Doncaster Knights); R G McCarter (Dungannon), *N P J Walshe (Bedford Blues & England); N R Hall (Newport Gwent Dragons), G C Bulloch (West of Scotland & Scotland), *P A Palmer (Pontypridd), *J Cannon (Northampton Saints & Bedford Blues), *H Senekal (Cornish Pirates & Namibia), *J V Dalziel (Melrose), P Volley, captain (London Scottish), *M Lee (Army)
Replacements: C C G Ritchie (Rosslyn Park) – Bulloch (60); J J R Dawson (Cambridge University) - Palmer (60); *H Head (Richmond) – Senekal (60); *J M Lumby (Barnes) – Volley (h/t); *O Ruttley (Cardiff) – McCarter (50); *J S Shanahan (Cambridge) – Jewell (h/t); *O P Dodge (Bedford Blues) - Hunt (h/t)
Scorers: Tries – Hunt (2), Lee (2), Dalziel, Bishop, Jewell, Bulloch, Morgan; Cons – McCarter (3), Walshe (3)
Referee: T Hall (Kent Society)
Attendance: 2,300
Posted: 20 Mar 09
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