Burgess Hill 56, Hellingly 22: All Blacks show their strength in depth again

The squad had 8 starting changes to the team that beat Crawley in the cup the week the before. The All Blacks started at a frantic pace with the back row of Mackay, Connor Chatfield and captain Dave Wattam running riot with ball in hand. In the backs OJ was pulling the strings at 10 releasing a backline that possessed more pace than an Olympic 100 metre final. The first score came after 5 minutes when centre Lewis O’Shea received a perfectly timed pass from his centre partner Lee Hubble that saw him glide up the touchline to score in the corner. OJ attempted to kick the conversion in unseasonably strong winds but came up short. Hubble was next on the score sheet when following a break by the pack, OJ played him in with 20 metres and 3 defenders to go. With a strong fend and good leg drive the veteran centre crashed over in the corner. OJ once more attempted to convert in the hurricane with little success. Winger Liam Hopwood was next on the score sheet as the ball was passed through the hands and he showed great pace and strength to score in the corner. By now OJ was trying out all sorts of kicks with little result in the high winds, 15-0. At this point Hellingly came alive and showed they also had a backline with some pace and power as their winger scored in the corner for the unconverted score. The All Blacks scored next when following a powerful run in midfield Mackay off loaded to O’Shea who danced around a number of defenders before scoring near the posts. To great applause OJ selected the right club and added the extras 22-5. By this point the game went to uncontested scrums after the Black Pack had handed out some free chiropractic treatment to the men in yellow and black. At a Hellingly scrum 5 metres out the Hellingly no.8 picked from the base of the static scrum and powered over in the corner for the unconverted score 22-10. The final score of the half saw winger Mathues Gava receive a pass back inside from O’Shea that saw him sprint in for a try near the posts. OJ added the extras to end the half 29-10.Hellingly came out well in the second half and threw the kitchen sink at the men in black. Luckily for the All Blacks prop Lee Collingbourne and second row Charlie Rutter were putting in some bone crunching tackles. The next score went to Hellingly where a grubber kick bounced up hitting full back Tommer Teichman and bouncing back into the Hellingly wingers arms where he raced in to score. The Hellingly full back showed OJ how to convert in a gale, 29-17. The All Blacks regathered and following a good lineout drive the ball was spun wide where outside OJ was a marauding Collingbourne to score his 5th try in the last 5 games. OJ added the extras, 36-17. Hopwood bagged his brace next when once more the backline cut their opponents apart and Hopwood crashed over in the corner for the unconverted score 41-17. Hubble was next on the score sheet when he grubbered the ball with such venom it looked like it would go dead. All the Hellingly players called “leave it” as Hubble raced between them to dot down for his second score. OJ once more missed, 46-17. Hellingly were next to score as their quick and powerful nine showed great power and speed to score in the corner 46-22. Gava was next to bag his brace when second row Tim Daniel picked at a ruck on the 22 and surged towards the line. After being tackled by 2 players he popped off the floor to Gava who crashed over for the unconverted score 51-22. The final score of the game went to hooker Tony Cella. After spending the majority of the second half in the centres he took the ball on the 22 ignored his back line and showed great feet, pace and power to crash over the Hellingly full back to score. By this time OJ had thrown in the white towel and let Cella take his own kick under the posts, which of course he missed, 56-22. Once more the All Blacks showed their strength in depth and ability to score tries all across the park. The Ridgeview wine estate man of the Match went to Birthday boy Andy Mackay who carried well all afternoon. The Sussex All Blacks are next in action in their final league game of the season away to Crawley on the 8th April.