On a day of seismic clashes including a potential Scotland win, but inevitable loss to the All blacks and a humdinger of a match up under the flood light in Paris, as the springboks completed a remarkable smash and grab, the main event was unfolding at Warners Bridge as the Bishops welcomed the mighty men of Billericay. 

The Bishops assembled a fantastic squad for this mouthwatering match up, including the likes of experienced stalwarts Wilco and Kipper, through to the youthful exuberance of Noah McIntyre, Ollie Mason and everything in between. Preparation had been excellent, with a committed training session under their belts, and all arriving punctually on the day. A two minutes silence was honoured before kick off, to respect and think of our fallen war hero’s. 

1st Half

Now, into our own battle of sorts, against our fellow Essex brethren. The match started with a ferocious intent from both sides. Southend’s scrum looking its usual dominate self with the evergreen Cas Clay and fellow front rowers consistently turning the screw, power assisted from the engine room by a slimline version of Ollie Mason and 1st start debut Will Gleed. A text book start from the Bishops, building lovely momentum though multi phase play, all the loose forwards, Sean Thompson and Tim Watson getting involved with versatile no8 David Gilson making notable destructive inroads time and again into the Billericay defensive lines. Eventually, the defence could not cope and was overwhelmed as Gilson got Southend on the scoreboard for a well deserved try. Another followed shortly after as great pressure from fellow back rower Watson completed a remarkable charge down and seemed to surprise himself that he touched down for a 5 pointer. 

The backs were starting to come into the game, Mariano at full back, marshalling the back field with authority, and wingers McIntyre and Gatward both making elusive runs and gaining precious meters to keep the Billericay defence stretched. The mid field combo Hodges and Hayzer playing some nice tidy rugby, but you felt, not quite fully unleashed in this cagey first half. Half back Sam Read, fresh from his priors call up and debut the previous week played with aplomb and slotted a high pressure penalty to keep the score board ticking over. 

A flukey brake away try from the Billericay veteran fly half, and an incredibly hard fought score from the Billericay pack kept them in the match. Although this last score followed a defensive set from Southend, reminiscent of the commitment our beloved hero’s showed a century before on the battlefields of Flanders’s and the Somme. 

The match was finely poised at 1/2 time 17-15 to Billericay. Although this did not feel like a reflection of the dominance, commitment and skill on show from the Bishops. Would the Bishops be able to come out strong in the 2nd half, would they be able to turn their dominance into a winning performance? 

With the flying Fijians showcasing outrageous handling skills 80 miles to the west, if only the television cameras were trained on Warners Bridge so the world could witness what was about to unfold here, in the 2nd half. 

2nd Half

The experienced bench was unloaded, enter the bomb squad. With Wilco and Kilburn’s rugby intelligence providing some brains (and brawn) to the pack. A new fresh faced front now on, seemed to give the attack another dimension. Prop Whitewood at the centre of a couple of cracking mauls, and fellow prop Todd insanely galloping around crashing into anything in black and yellow. 

The renewed energy of the pack was the perfect launchpad for accomplished fly half Daz Clarke to really start pulling the strings. Touch kicking perfection when called upon, but his distribution and passing at the line was starting to cause the resistant Billericay defence to split and splinter. All of a sudden, the centre partnership were finding holes, unders, overs, off loads. Hodges and Hayzer were making huge gains, right up the middle (could this be the midfield England have been looking for all these years, with the All blacks round the corner?). Buster Hodges with a hat trick of try’s, and an incredibly bizarre decision by the strange looking referee chalking of what looked like the try of the match from centre and skipper Adam Hayzer. Very odd decision. 

Another 2 well worked try’s from the forwards, Gilson with a bullocking run and touch down. Stefan also on the score sheet for his 1st ever try after a well worked “hammer move” straight of the training paddock. 

Final scored a 51-34 victory. So many positives, and a huge squad effort from all 23 players involved. 1 to 23, everyone had a positive impact and helped to team to get a vital win.

John Adams