After a much hyped pre-season build up, Ripon kicked off their league season with a disappointingly below par outing to Bradford and Bingley, gifting their opponents a full five league points and earning none themselves. A cruel start to what promised after the two previously successful seasons, to be one in which The Blues fancied themselves as title contenders, but one to take important learning points from, to prevent further decline.

In this match, Ripon struggled significantly to optimise their first phase possession. Their performance at scrum time and line outs was inconsistent, which limiting the speed and precision of first phase possession, set the tone for the rest of the game. From the outset, Ripon found themselves under constant pressure, both in attack and defence and whilst the penalty count in favour of the hosts 12 – 10 didn’t show any refereeing bias, the hosts clearly capitalised on Ripon’s indiscretions, with 25 of their 32 points coming directly or indirectly from penalties.

This inability to secure and maintain high quality and speedy possession and effectively take advantage of the opposition’s mistakes, hindered their ability to build any meaningful momentum and so the game drifted beyond reach.

With a new look squad, Ripon fielded no less than six new signings making their debut in one go, including the two new Player-Coaches in Allan Hudson at Inside Centre and Alex Riley at Scrum Half. Hudson went on to win “Man of the Match” acclaim, with his two tries and Riley coped well, servicing his back line from a creaking scrum and less than optimal line out. The rest of the squad was a subtle recycling of previous personnel, with the notable return to action for Morgan Clark at Number 10 after missing two seasons due to injury.

Starting up front, the pack was beefed up with Keith Anderson at Loose Head, who showed fortitude in overcoming pre-season injury worries and carried hard throughout. Skipper James Pearce led by example at Hooker and showed again that it’s the size of the fight in the dog, rather than the size of the dog in the fight that matters. Sam Stoddart put in a blistering performance at Tight Head and whilst not spending the entire game dazzling people with his new boots, contributed some go forward when needed. Charlie Britton and Billy Fletcher provided the power in the boiler house at Lock and whilst carrying and tackling ferociously, couldn’t help dominate the set piece. In a not so subtle blend of old and new, the back row saw new additions Jordan Layne at Blind Side and Elliot Taylor at Number 8 respectively, both influential at the breakdown and Taylor carrying well throughout. Concluding the forward line up Tom Austin put in another gritty performance at Open Side.
The back line was again a similar mix of old and new faces, With Tom Graham and Henry Hanson gracing the Wings with their pace and power, though both sadly under-utilised as the opposition stifled Ripon’s attempts to play their usual expansive game. Jacob Drane completed the Centra pairing with Hudson and Reuben Pyle brought up the rear at Full Back but sadly left the field through injury before having an opportunity to make his mark on the game.

The bench was ably covered, though brought into play much earlier than expected and comprised the sagacious front row cover in Adam Newcombe, the “I’ll play anywhere” versatility of Tom Roebuck and final new signing of the day, Mark Balwin as specialist back replacement.
From the outset and in warm, bright conditions, the hosts looked to outweigh Ripon in many areas outside of the pack and whilst size does matter to a point, it was the determination and resolve of the home team from one to eighteen, that saw them contest everything Ripon had to offer and execute their own plays to good effects.

The first half saw The Bees rack up a modest 10 point lead, through a converted try and penalty goal and no reply from Ripon. Early injury worries compounded The Blues’ woes, with all three replacements coming on for various injuries within the first half hour.
The second half started as the first ended, with the hosts taking advantage of a Ripon indiscretion to extend their lead to 13 – 0 with a second penalty goal. A stroke of luck from the subsequent restart saw a floated pass in the hosts’ midfield that was snapped up by Allan Hudson to stumble and then weave his way unopposed through the confused defence to open the scoring for Ripon. Clark’s conversion for 13 – 7 made this look like a game in the balance for Ripon.

Bees countered strongly however and in the next ten minutes, piled on as many points, with a converted try and another unconverted to take the score to 25 – 7 with twenty minutes to go. Ripon dug deep and Clark narrowed the deficit slightly with a penalty goal for 25 -10, but then the hosts went and spoilt the celebrations with their fourth and bonus point winning converted try to top their scoring at 32 – 10.
Ripon refused to give up and in the closing, minutes eventually pieced together some cohesive moves that let Hudson in for his second try to make the score a respectable 32 – 15. There being no further scores, the hosts rejoiced in their sound victory, their first five point win of the season and Ripon left licking their wounds and wondering what to do next.

Throughout the match, Ripon’s attacks were frequently thwarted by the opposition, leaving them scrambling to regain control. Their defensive efforts were equally challenged, as they were consistently on the back foot, trying to fend off the relentless advances of their opponents. This continuous pressure took a toll on Ripon's overall performance, making it difficult for them to execute their game plan effectively.

On the other hand, Bees demonstrated a composed and strategic approach from the very beginning. They capitalized on Ripon’s weaknesses, using their composure to gain significant territory and create numerous scoring opportunities. Bees' ability to maintain control and dictate the pace of the game was evident, as they consistently outmanoeuvred Ripon in both offensive and defensive plays.

Bees' strategic advantage was clear in their territorial gains. They effectively utilized their possession to push Ripon back, keeping them on the defensive and limiting their chances to counterattack. This territorial dominance translated into scoring opportunities, which Bees were able to convert, further solidifying their control over the match.

In summary, Ripon's less than optimal performance in first phase possession and their constant inability to exert pressure in both attack and defence were key factors in their struggle throughout the match. Bees' composed and strategic play allowed them to dominate in terms of territory and scoring opportunities, ultimately leading to their success.

On a positive note, this is a largely young Ripon side, with much potential in the new squad members. Notable contributors to The Blues’ cause, in the pack was new signing Taylor, with a powerhouse performance at Number 8 and Skipper Pearce, who led tirelessly from the front and was a demon in defence. Wings Graham and Hanson, both of whom took great initiative to attack and counter, with pace and precision.
In conclusion, a disappointing start to the season, particularly in the context of the massive commitment this squad has made to off-season training and the injection of so many new and talented individuals. The next step is to mould them all into a strong and cohesive team that can appropriately contend league and cup challenges to come.

Next week, Ripon are back at home for a bumper weekend of Rugby with no less than three teams playing at Mallorie Park. The 1st XV entertain old friends and rivals Roundhegians in round two of Counties Two Yorkshire League action; in the opening match in front of the newly commissioned “Tim Wray Stand” on Saturday 13 September. All supporters very welcome to savour a great Ripon welcome and inclusive atmosphere.