An then there was one

A confusing and ultimately disappointing weekend. I was supposed to have two games, a local Surrey League game on Saturday and a U15 game on Sunday. Firstly the Sunday match was changed to U13; younger and lower skills. Secondly my Saturday match was scratched, a second game was offered local to me, but before they could confirm I’m called for another league game. I’m finally called 2 hours before kick off to learn that this match is cancelled. It’s all too late to get another match, which is disappointing given the overall shortage of referees.

Still, I managed to get to watch my old side, London Welsh Occies, hammer London Scottish in the semi-final of the Middlesex Merit competition. There are some photos here;
London Welsh Occies
I had a good chat, post-match, with the Level 8 referee who managed the game, with some interesting pointers on how he interpreted foot-up in the scrum; not something that gets pinged very often.

Sunday in Richmond park with Rosslyn Park and Dorking youth was a one sided affair, with a superb performance from the Dorking fly-half. A star of the future, he popped up everywhere, taking two of the four tries and kicking three conversions. I had a good chat with the Park coach and it included the ELVs, our shared view was that collapsing mauls and hands in rucks my well work at the top of the game, but it is asking for trouble on a wet January afternoon with lower level teams.