PENGUINS AGAINST CANCER

Previous PAC Days would suggest that history repeats itself, however, there was something different in the air on January 20th. With the incredibly swanky Grasshoppers RFC clubhouse in the background, both the Fresher and Penguin XVs took to the pitch to battle it out for the Fergus Scholefield Memorial Cup: an annual match played in memory of a brave young boy who died before his 3rd birthday.  Following moving speeches from both Pat Gush and Ben Challacombe there was a minute’s applause in memory of Fergus, to remind us what an important and special fixture this is for the GHRFC. The respective captains [Freshers – Kai Chilvers, Penguins – Peter Gretton] then led their teams onto the field. 

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I know that medics are supposed to be on the smarter end of the boffin scale, but this year’s student intellects must have forgotten the definition of “Freshers” team, because I only counted 8 baby-faced first years, alongside a group of not-so-first years. There were no complaints, the stage was set, the lights dimmed and the show was underway.  It was a tentative start to the match, with both sides trying to play legitimate, well-thought-out rugby underpinned by a sense of structure and poise. However, this did not last long. The players soon realised that the spectators were here for a show and boy were they about to get one. Our first glimpse of Finn Russell-esq genius came from the Freshers’ team with a tap-and-go penalty on their own 22m line. They took the quick tap, immediately followed by a ‘do it then’ jaunt, from alumnus Henry Poon. This prompted a mahoosively aimless cross-field kick, which just so happened to land in the arms of our 1st XV hooker, Alex Phantis [he said he was on the wing because he “saw it coming”. I think he was just too lazy to get back onside for the penalty]. Either way, with some silky footwork by Phantis and a gorgeous switch with Ben Settle, the two of them dealt masterfully with the final 2-on-1 and Settle was in under the posts.  Crowd, erupted. Flood-gates, opened.  

 

What then ensued was a cataclysmic game of free-flowing rugby, which our fabulous French referee, Fabrice, could barely keep up with. Open-field kicking was no longer an option, it was a necessity. Defence was now optional. There was just simply nothing you could do about the beautiful passages of attack. One stand-out highlight came from alumnus James Kemp who, late in the second-half, soared down the left-hand touchline towards 3 baby-faced defenders, and opted for the chip and chase. Now, I’ve never seen a ball move in slow motion before but my god this was close. The ball floated through the air, over the defenders, at the perfect angle, then bounced millimetres from the touch line and seemed to glide back into Kempy’s arms as he ran through to score under the sticks. As I said, not much you can do to defend that…  I would love to tell you that everybody on the side-line had witnessed this miracle, but I think Toby Davis might have missed it as he was a little bit busy “flirting”. I think that’s what he calls it. 

 

As the match closed in towards the final whistle, the freshers still had one last try in the tank. A lovely move spreading the ball to the side line created a fabulous score out wide for Sam Bryan. When Fabrice told us that was the final play of the game, I asked him the score. The answer, ‘Ummm, 44-44, yeahhhh. I think it’s 44-44, let’s just say that’, didn’t fill me with confidence in his score-keeping abilities. And still to come, I had the absolute pleasure of taking the game-deciding conversion - way out on the touchline I might add. With the pressure/abuse piling in from the side-line, I went through my usual goal-kicking routine, trying to maintain composure and take it seriously. I needn’t have bothered. I shanked the kick so far wide it was unbelievable. But really, the score draw was a fitting end to a fantastic game. 

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As a result, the Fergus Cup was retained by Pete’s Penguins, and the Freshers continue to yearn for a win. The day then turned into a great night starting in the superb Grasshoppers Club House. The Raffle organised by Jamie Dunbar was a great success raising £560 thanks to some generous donors, sponsors and ticket sales amongst students and supporters. We played a few traditional games then trundled back across London with the Old Boys and our Freshers for a curry at Nawaz before the evening descended into mild, sociable chaos.

What a fantastic day for the club and a real honour to be able to play in memory of Fergus Scholefield.  
 

Tom Downie

1st XV Captain