Match Report | 2nd XV make Orkney RFC history with first ever league game against Stornoway

On Saturday 31 August 2024, a squad of 19 made history for Orkney RFC as the 2nd team played their first ever competitive league game.

Starting the season with an away trip, and island clash against Stornoway, meant leaving on the last Hamnavoe sailing Friday evening before a drive to overnight accommodation in Ullapool.

Upon arrival, Captain Martin Harper made it clear to the players to not let the occasion get to them and to treat the night as any other to keep their game prep as close as possible to a home game. So naturally the players headed out to the pub until the early hours, making sure the nightlife of Ullapool was as similar as possible to Kirkwall.

On the Saturday morning a 3 hour ferry took the team into Stornoway, arriving an hour and a half before kick off the team went to the hotel… for an hour… then eventually got out on the pitch half an hour before kick off to see a fired up Stornoway team waiting for them.

23 hours after leaving Orkney, the game began, and its safe to say the journey was still in the legs of the visitors as they were blasted back by the strong carries of their hosts. Some poor rucking and support in attack lead to reduced periods with the ball and long periods defending, during which soft tackling allowed Stornoway to take a 15-0 lead early on. Including a try out wide by their captain Alick Graham who showed deceptive speed for a heavy gentleman.

Some words of inspiration from Coach Ryan Mooney helped rally the team as they became accustom to the 17’C heat and slight breeze (that we can only assume is standard weather on an isle so far south…). This increased physicality from the team, headed with charges forward by centres Angus Brown and Silas Cox gave Orkney a platform to attack deep into the Stornoway 22.

A series of pick and carries close to the try line were eventually turned over by the Hosts defence, but with the ball over the try line, the dashingly handsome and incredibly intelligent Bruce Pinkerton utilised his knowledge of the laws to stroll around the ruck and dot the ball down to score and take the game into half time 15-7 to Stornoway.

Unfortunately the second half started with a similar pattern to the first, soft tackling from Orkney and a tendency to look for an extra pass that wasn’t there gave Stornoway far too much possession and space, leading to an early try 20-7. Shoring up the defence became imperative for Orkney, and although the team were able to withstand a period of 10 minutes camped on their own line withstanding the heavy barrage of pick and goes by Stornoway (that may or may not have been scored several times and pushed back before the referee noticed).
Eventually the sneaky scrum half snuck through a gap too small for the big forwards to have noticed and scored a try for Stornoway, this time converted to the biggest cheer of the day 27-7.

With their big pack tiring and their backs unable to break through the Orkney defence, Stornoway made the most of the sun at their backs and starting a campaign of kicking to pin back Orkney. Unfortunately for them, Brogan Russell was on fire at Fullback for Orkney, and put in a man of the match performance as he fielded the kicks and weaved his way back through the defence with interest multiple times.

With the pace of the game increasing, and fly half Bruce Pinkerton leaving the pitch to have a second look at his lunch, some Orkney reshuffling put birthday boy Craig Brough through a gap, but as he surged forward the referee was forced to pause the game for a suspected head injury to vice captain Murray Simpson.
It turns out Simpson was just tired and needed a rest to get his breath back.

With the game drawing to a close and 2 more tries by the hosts putting the game to bed at 39-7, the Orkney team relaxed in attack leading to some fluid play and a quick tap penalty by Big number 8 Robbie Firth making a 45 meter run put Craig Brough in for a try under the posts. Converted by Brogan Russell. 39-14

Looking to quickly spread the ball to the speedsters out wide for Orkney and to add a little flair to the dying minutes of the game a tactical cross field kick was put in by Orkney fly half Silas Cox, only for teammate and centre Euan Harcus to expertly charge it down and the final whistle be blown.

Although a disappointing result on the surface of it, many lessons were learned by the team, and real spirit was shown to stick at a game that could have easily turned into a rout if it hadn’t been managed properly and awe look forward to the return fixture in. Orkney.

A massive thank you to the referee who let the game flow expertly and communicated perfectly to the team. And of course a thank you to our hosts for their brutal physicality On the pitch and open armed hospitality and respect Off the pitch. Memories and stories were made that night as all the team enjoyed themselves. The same cannot be said for the 7am ferry the next day…

R.M.