Photos: Helen Watson/Andy Wansbury
A controlled and clinical performance from Richmond who, despite a couple of moments of excellence from Blackheath midway through each half, were able to stretch to a relatively comfortable victory in this opening match of the National League One season, and the latest instalment of the oldest fixture in club rugby.
‘It was a really tough game,’ said Richmond skipper Dave Massey. ‘It could have gone either way, but small moments made the difference.’
‘Two hold-ups over the line when Blackheath had us under the pump were a game-changer for us, and we made the most of our opportunities when they came.’
‘Our set-piece was solid, though our lineout might need a bit of work.’
Blackheath didn’t get the best of starts. Markus Burcham took a knock within a couple of minutes, soon to be followed to the touchline by Tom Stradwick, and while the hosts were recovering from the loss of their two most experienced players, Richmond took the lead with a Lewis Dennett penalty, followed by wing Alex O‘Meara cutting inside to send full-back Callum Grieve across out wide.
National 1 fixture between Blackheath and Richmond at The Utilita (Well Hall), London on the 7th September 2024.
However, if there was one area where Blackheath would hold the upper hand it was the lineout and, after Tom Ffitch had got the Club off the mark with three points for not rolling away, ball off the top of the set-piece saw the fly-half step inside and find a gap to glide across for a lovely score on 17 minutes, his own conversion nudging the Club ahead.
National 1 fixture between Blackheath and Richmond at The Utilita (Well Hall), London on the 7th September 2024.
The hosts kept up the pressure, but despite losing a man for ten minutes, Richmond’s defence held on, and as they emerged from their own half of the field, a scrum penalty saw Grieve, taking over kicking duties, edge the visitors in front once more with three points.
Sam Pim, making amends for his earlier yellow card, hoisted a perfectly judged kick for a 50:22, and a blind-side move saw the number-eight involved again, flicking the final pass to open-side Toby Saysell to stretch out for a try in the corner, Grieve’s fine conversion giving Richmond an 18-10 lead at the interval.
National 1 fixture between Blackheath and Richmond at The Utilita (Well Hall), London on the 7th September 2024.
Pim was the creator yet again as he broke off the base of a close-range scrum within three minutes of the restart, scrum-half Lewis Schwarz sliding over from the ensuing ruck, and Blackheath’s moment looked to have passed when they were held up for the second time, and then a penalty was kicked dead.
However, Ffitch found a long-range strike, and added the conversion after Jake Hennessey and Jordan Burns combined off scrum-ball, Burns then piercing the Richmond cover, before returning ball to his inside-centre to sprint home from 40-metres, putting the hosts back within five points.
National 1 fixture between Blackheath and Richmond at The Utilita (Well Hall), London on the 7th September 2024.
Nevertheless, while Blackheath had the better of the lineout, Richmond had the edge at the scrum, enabling them to keep the hosts under pressure in the closing stages.
Grieve added another penalty to push the margin beyond a converted score, and as Blackheath tried desperately to break the shackles and counter, Dennett struck a beauty of a drop-goal, just to make sure.
Blackheath head to Hertfordshire next Saturday for their first away fixture of the campaign against Bishop’s Stortford. Kick-off at Silver Leys is at 3.00 pm.
Blackheath
Tries: Ffitch 17, Hennessey 62
Conv: Ffitch 17, 62
Pens: Ffitch 15, 55
Richmond
Tries: Grieve 11, Saysell 39, Schwarz 43
Conv: Grieve 39, 43
Pens: Dennett 3, Grieve 38, 73
DG: Dennett 75
Attendance: 613
| 15 | . | Augustin Slowik |
| 14 | . | Jake Lloyd |
| 13 | . | Markus Burcham |
| 12 | . | Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas |
| 11 | . | Jake Hennessey |
| 10 | . | Tom Ffitch |
| 9 | . | Jordan Burns |
| 1 | . | Archie Holland |
| 2 | . | Billy Harding |
| 3 | . | Andrew Boye |
| 4 | . | Tom Everard |
| 5 | . | Tevita Cavubati |
| 6 | . | Tom Stradwick |
| 7 | . | Josh Smart |
| 8 | . | Tom Baldwin (Capt) |
| 16 | . | Alex Witchell |
| 17 | . | James Cornish |
| 18 | . | Mike Etete |
| 19 | . | Jack Daly |
| 20 | . | Noah Sloot |
Graham Cox
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