Surbiton Decca RFC vs Old Suttonians RFC 15/03/2025
Venue: Tolworth Arms Park
The Afternoon of Super Saturday had clear blue skies and a chill in the air, as the Surbiton Decca boys gathered for their final run out of the season. The conclusion to Decca’s inaugural season since our rebrand saw faces old and new lining up at Tolworth arms park against Old Suttonians, who arrived in their droves. Spirits were running high as we reached the end of our first successful campaign as a newly branded club.
Decca’s team for the day was made up of some usual faces and also guest players from various clubs in the area, with our great crowd of supporters and injured players watching on, the whistle goes.
The first 5 minutes were all Decca, big early collisions and pods of forwards edging us closer to the Old Sutts half, a very dominant scrum penalty gives Woody the chance to kick to put Decca within a scoring distance lineout. After claiming the lineup successfully, ultimately the chance slipped away after a knock-on.
Some more battling in midfield, Decca gave away some easy yards to the Sutts which finds us on the back foot for the first time in the game. A penalty kick for a lineout for Sutts, which they claim for a catch and drive towards our try line. As the oblivious backs are anticipating the ball to be spread out wide, the echoes of Sean’s rendition of Blink 182’s early 2000s hit “I miss you” hit their ears as he screams “WHERE ARE YOU, WHERE TF ARE YOU” as the oppositions pack drive closer and closer to the try line. Some of the backs join to counter the maul but it was too little too late as the Old Sutts 8 breaks off and scores the first points of the day.
Quickly after the reset it became clear that the Old Sutts speedy backs had noticed dog legs in the Decca defense, their rapid scrum half ran around the Decca defenders and scored their second try.
Soon after, unfortunately a similar story, some great defense in midfield, our back row of Tokyo Al, Ben T and Richard L, doing their best impression of Just Stop Oil allowing no attackers through. After Sutts realise they won’t get anywhere through our big boys they ship it out wide to their pacey backs and take advantage of Decca being sucked into the rucks like a blackhole. The opposition ran around Decca around and score their third of the match.
After some words of encouragement from Sean our captain for the day and guest wingers Laffers and Jules, the boys re-enter the game with a fire in their eyes. After kick off some big tackles landed, Dan, Eduardo and Woody all making big hits allowing Ben T to fall on the ball quicker than Tesla’s stock prices, winning us a turnover. Taken quickly by Ben, Decca make great distance towards the oppositions try line, beautiful flowing rugby with yards made and passes by Ben, to Sean, to Dan, to Jack, to Jules. The ball made its way down to Richard S, for his first carry of a rugby ball since school, inches from the touch line he fends off one old Sutt and beats another one, with the try line in sight his rampage comes to an end with Sutts stealing the ball back. As the opposing 9 prepares to ship the ball, George’s keen eye and lightning turn of pace peeled the ball from the opposition’s scrum half’s fingertips, who could only look on in dismay as the Decca’s stalwart powered passed untouched for our first points.
Ignoring the blistery wind Woody converts for us and we receive the ball for the restart. After battling in midfield and holding the opposition off as long as we could, playing against the extra men from substitution took its toll on the tired Decca defense and Sutts eventually take advantage of the reoccurring dog leg and again score from it.
Towards the end of the first half, the boys were visibly tired, some reshuffling had Quincy and Reland in at scrum and flank. Some great foot work by Potter and Jack get us to the opposition’s half, with some more pods, carried by Tokyo Al and Eduardo, with support from Sean and Big Dave we push forward towards the try line. After Sutts get caught not rolling away, our guest prop JC opts for a tap and go, as if the oppositions defense were stood there presenting JC with a little Red cloth, JC runs into them like a bull and reaches out and scores our second try of the game. The wind claims Woody’s kick and the first half comes to an end.
The second half started off promising with some big runs by Ben T and the success of Decca’s pack, keeping its scrum winning tally high, the big boys were trucking it up winning penalty after scrum penalty, marching Old Sutts back at every opportunity. Off the back of the scrum Jack our 10 ships to Ricky Ross who tries to catch the ball with his face (says Woody) but after knocking the ball on its retrieved by Old Sutts who run it into space, not being caught by anyone they touch down for more points.
After a great restart by Woody the Sutts attacker is taken down by Dan and over the ball goes George for a lightning quick steal before the opposition could even think about rucking, the ball was back in our hands. After some exchanging of compliments between JC and the Old Sutts props about their abilities to tip tackle and karate chop throats, JC had vengeance in mind. Decca are awarded a non-contested scrum within scoring territory, after the ball is rolled backwards, Tokyo Al breaks off with the try line in sight and takes a nasty knock to the head, ending his and the tacklers match. JC once again, opts for a tap and go, the fearful Suttonian matadors look on as big bull JC barges over them for our third try of the day. The wind once again claims our conversion.
After some back and forth possession in the midfield, it became clear that the old Sutts front row couldn’t hack the brutal force of Eddie, Woody, JC and Tokyo Al’s forehead as we continue with the game with uncontested scrums, Decca’s major trump card on the better drilled side had been taken away.
The scrums having to go uncontested took the wind out of the comebacks sail for Surbiton Decca as the last 15 minutes or so of the game was spent trying to hold on to ball, Ricky Ross trying not to knock on some more and catching our breathe. Sutts capitalise on the breathlessness of Decca once again.
The final play of the game came off the back of an uncontested scrum, the ball comes straight to Ricky Ross, passed to Outside Center Dan who is taken down by the Old Sutts 10. Ball is picked up by Jules and ran into midfield. Some more final pod work by the workhorse forwards until the ball is finally lost forward in contact and the final whistle blew.
Even in defeat there was a sense of relief and pride in the air, Sean and Woody lead us in an emotional huddle post-game. Surbiton Decca live to fight another season.
Final Score: Surbiton Decca 19- more than 19 Old Suttonians
Scores:
George K.
JC x 2
Conversions:
Woody
Starting XV:
- Eduardo
- Woody
- JC
- Sean
- Big Dave
- Ben T
- Richard L.
- Tokyo Al
- George K.
- Jack
- Jules
- Ricky Ross
- Dan
- Laffers
- Potter
Impact players:
- Quincy
- Reland
- Richard S.