Heathfield 27 Pulborough 20
Heathfield were clear winners by four tries to two in this entertaining SE3 league game played in good conditions on a sticky but decent surface. The game was played on the Cypress field as the Clubhouse pitch was too waterlogged and while this would have helped stifle Pulborough’s talented three quarters it would not have been good for the pitch, spectators or players.
The visitors chose to play with the steady breeze in the first half and may regret this decision with hindsight.
Pulborough started the stronger and after reclaiming the kickoff went through a couple of phases before a simple move in the centre ended with an easy try under the post with only a couple of minutes on the clock. The visitors were looking confident and some home supporters commented that Heathfield appeared unsettled at this stage. However the home pack started to get involved with Henry Ross making the first of several lineout steals and the home scrummage looking very solid. Nonetheless Pulborough were playing some attractive rugby and another fine counter-attacking move only failed because of a botched final pass.
The home forwards were starting to build up a head of steam with Nick Cook often leading the way and a big forward surge in midfield was eventually worked left for Toby Simpson to finish clinically in the left hand corner. Harry Reilly’s conversion was well struck but just fell short.
Pulborough stretched their lead after their right wing made a lovely diagonal run but Heathfield transgressed at the breakdown directly in front of the posts.
The Heathfield defence was starting to come to terms with the obvious threat from the visitors’ backline with flanker Tom Cornwall making numerous tackles all across the pitch being a major influence.
It has to be said that Heathfield’s kicking in this half was poor. Facing a steady breeze and a potent visitors’ back division too much ball was kicked either too high or inaccurately. At least four times kicks out of hand went directly into touch, losing many yards.
However the home pack was starting to produce plentiful possession and Heathfield steadily progressed into the visitors’ half. Toby Harrison now made an outrageous show and go before making good yards into the visitors’ 22: the ball was then moved wide left where Cook was unstoppable from five yards out. This time Reilly converted for a home lead of 12-10.
Pulborough retook the lead a few minutes later with a penalty but their threatening back division was generally being contained. Right at the end of the half they had a promising position with a penalty kicked for the corner and the expectation of an attacking lineout but the kick was botched and went dead.
Heathfield always had an edge in the scrummage although they were later penalised for wheeling when appearing to be dominant. There was some technical discussion about this later in the clubhouse of no interest to anyone outside the rarefied front row think tanks. The home side clearly won the lineout with Ross stealing several visitors’ throw ins and Nick Cook generally securing the Heathfield ball.
At half time Eoin Larmer replaced Jeyden Rainbow and Larmer was immediately involved in an extended period of play following a secure home lineout with play moving from right to left and back again into the right hand corner with Cook inevitably being instrumental before hooker Dan Bird gave a scoring pass to Jack Morgan in the right hand corner.
A few minutes later Heathfield were again pressing when the referee played advantage for a deliberate knock on and good hands saw Cook work his way over for the bonus point try.
Most of the play so far in this half was in the visitors’ half as Heathfield had at least a fair share of possession. Harrison and Reilly were both kicking well out of hand to keep the visitors penned back, making better use of the conditions than the visitors in the first half.
Entering the last quarter a penalty by Reilly stretched the lead to 27-13.
Pulborough were by no means beaten and they soon made their first serious second half visit to the home half and thereafter probably just had the better of the final quarter. However it was puzzling, to me at least (comment unnecessary), why the visitors frequently chose to keep the ball tight and drive in the forwards when their strength clearly lies in their back division.
A couple of minutes from time Pulborough secured a deserved losing bonus point when they ran some lovely lines to take a good position near the home try line before working their over from short range.
The referee afterwards identified Cornwall, Cook and skipper Gus Taylor as the most influential players for Heathfield reflecting a good contest around the breakdown and effective home defence which stifled the potent visitors back line. The Pulborough skipper Frazer Oliphant-Hope was always at the heart of their attacks as his good footwork frequently defied the defence – a tackler would see Oliphant go one way, Hope would go the other and he would end up tackling the hyphen.*
Ross had another fine all round game apart from his kicking which clearly needs further work. Reece Webb had a notably strong second half but it was his front row colleague Bird who was especially praised afterwards for good scrummaging, tackling and useful carrying as well as the scoring pass.
The Pulborough coach afterwards asked me to mention a particularly fine, good looking member of their staff but I was laughing so much that my notes are unreadable.
The result gives Heathfield a nine point margin above the relegation zone and this increasingly settled team are now a match for any of the teams in this league. At the heart of this Heathfield performance was a strong team ethic which overcame the early score against them and promises well for the rest of the season.
After a week’s rest Heathfield next visit old foes Park House who have always proved redoubtable opponents on their home turf (15 Feb 2.30).

* I don’t care – it’s an old joke that I was determined to use. Thanks to Michael De St Croix for reminding me that it originated from an Irishman who had been bamboozled at Twickenham by Phil Horrocks-Taylor in the 1950s.