Quarter Finals of the Daily Mail Cup: Stowe 16 v Warwick 12
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The Semi-final match will be against RGS Newcastle on Saturday 27th February at Broadstreet Rugby Club in Coventry. Both Semi-finals will be played on the same day. KO 11.00am.
Time to go - Hughes is about to give the post-match conference, and the ladies are getting the match tea ready. Thanks for all your emails - they were great reading here and apologies that I could not log all of them. Old Stoics and present community - the support network really does reach around the world and I'm sure the team will appreciate all of your comment once I get around to forwarding your emails to them.
It's been a really tense game. Hope the action was exciting enough that you can forgive any lack of humour.
Onward now to the semi-finals in Coventry - signing off from the North Front at Stowe, which really is looking glorious today.
Baldwin was great in the rucks and mauls today. Holton never gave up. Roe with a superb performance both in general play and from the place kicks over the whole 70 minutes. Blackham strong on the wing today since coming on. But really, wins like this don't come from individuals. Cliched words - but it really has been a whole team effort today: from the players on the pitch to all the supporters who came on to link arms and hugg and to carry players on their shoulders at the end of the match.
Stowe cheer the Warwick boys off the pitch - Warwick were really, really excellent today and played some brilliant Rugby both going forward and in defence. After the first try, they looked dominant. Still, ever Stoic, the Stowe boys kept just put their heads down and marched on (there had to be a mixed metaphor sometime). Magnificent resolve and determination from Stowe - who really were dominant in the forwards today - scrums, lineouts, rucks the lot.
The crowd invade the pitch. Jubillation. The delight of the human spirit in victory ... you know what I mean. Happiness abound here for one team, there's so many people here I can't even tell you where the Headmaster is (sorry Richard Lewis). But I can answer Philip Hitner's - Roe has been at Stowe since the 3rd Form ... so not an import at all but very much trained up here.
FULL TIME - AND IT'S OVER. STOWE WIN.
A great match. Warwick won the tournament in 2007, and in 2008 they lost in the semi-final against Wellington. So a memorable win here today for the underdogs Stowe.
69 mins Tremendous play by Stowe, strong move through the back line 30 yards out, the ball moves out to Speakman, who is on the 22, and he's about to get tackled and flicks the ball outside, but it's loose. Picked up by Olley, and he's safely tackled.
68 mins Stowe make a half-break down the right wing. Warwick get the ball, Rust with a big hit. Warwick with the ball again, Richardson with a big hit. Warwick with the ball again, and Rust - that man again - with another huge hit, and forces a knock on. Referee looks at his watch. Can't be long now. Warwick crowd strangely quiet.
67 mins Warwick looking a little more dangerous as the match winds down. Messy lineout offers them a chance, but it's a Stowe scrum for a Warwick knock-on.
65 mins Sun is shining full now for the final 5 minutes of this match. The crowd of 700 getting vocal - there's another scrum and both sides' supporters are willing their own teams on to push harder.
63 mins Warwick showing some resolve now, as they push back the Stowe attack. Warwick defence has been good this match - sliding across well and leaving very few gaps. Stowe scrum on halfway from a Warwick forward pass.
61 mins Lots of Old Stoics reliving former glories here. Huw Thomas (1st XV in that '87) suggests just kicking the ball up the field and trying to pin the Warwick team (who are they, he asks in jest) in their own half.
60 mins From a scrum, Holton picks up at the base and drives. Holton taken down just before the line.
57 mins Stowe with the better run of play at the moment. Roe bombs the ball forward, knocked on by Warwick on half-way. Knight comes galloping along and kicks the ball on off the ground - good soccer skills - Knight recovers, and he's taken down 5 yards short of the line. Another try would settle the hearts of many on the sidelines here. Especially the fellow who's turned up in the police hat.
55 mins Right - I've been put into my place. Neill Orr is following on from Canada in -8 degrees, and to answer your question Richard Lewis: No, Roe is fly-half today, but can cover blind-side flank for Northamptonshire County.
54 mins Pace gone down now since that last try. Warwick send on fresh legs in the forwards, where Stowe have been dominant all match.
52 mins That's got the crowd going, and Coaches Hughes and Durrant as well, who really are caught in conversation with each other. "What did you think of the Lapsang Souchong this morning?", asks Hughesy. Durrant replies, "To be honest Hughesy, the only tea I drink is Earl Grey. Love the hint of bergamot. It's delightfully titilating".
50 mins Holton right under the posts. STOWE 16 - WARWICK 12
Ball comes out the scrum, through Hopewell, Roe and then back inside to Holto, who puts the ball down under the posts. Conversion good. It's very, very exciting.
50 mins TRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
49 mins Stowe takes the play well into the Warwick half. That shining Knight (okay, obvious pun) chips ahead, and Warwick touch down in their own area. Scrum 5 metres out.
47 mins Warwick make a break right down the centre, past the first line. Jamie Knight comes across and makes a strong covering tackle. We can hear the Warwick player grunt from being winded.
45 mins PENALTY IS REMARKABLY GOOD! STOWE 9 - WARWICK 12
Incredible. 52 yards against a fairly gentle breeze. What more can be said? A kick separates the teams in this match.
44 mins Stowe penalty. 2 yards inside the Stowe half. Roe elects to kick against the wind. But hush ... the wind has stilled for just a moment.
42 mins Not much happening at the moment. Some supporters are heading off to purchase some hamburgers from the barbeque - yes, Stowe pulling out all the hospitality stops today. Warwick supporters shouting 'boring'.
40 mins Still a lot of hope here from the Stowe supporters. The snow's stopped and the sun's come out. Stowe support rises. Even start to to half. to-and-fro from both teams.
38 mins Warwick win a lineout on the Stowe 22, and spin the ball wide. Warwick knnock on and it's a Stowe scrum,
Stowe very much with the run of play at the end of that half. The play very much with Stowe at the end of that half. The boys have had their cup of Bovril, and are back out on the field. Thanks for Rob Pumfrey for his email from Aylesbury - he was part of the 1987 year that won 17 and lost only 1 match - part of the great Lionel Weston era. He wishes he was 18 again - you might be wishing that from the warmth of your office, but believe me, you don't want to be here right now. Nature's wrath being unleashed here. Thanks also to the Rudds who have emailed to say that it's 35 degrees in Nairobi at the moment.
Halftime
Stowe certainly with some half-chances in these final minutes. But the half-ends with not much more actions. Stowe will be disappointed to have conceeded so late on in the half. Really sorry for the delays, but we're getting close to blizzard conditions here and we've had to move the commentary position. Should be better coverage int he second half, now that my fingers and brain are thawing by the radiator now.
33 mins TRY TO WARWICK, AND CONVERSION. STOWE 6 - WARWICK 12.
Very much against the run of play. Fantastic play from thej line out,k Stowe spread the ball wide, and Speakman has the overlap, 15 yrds out. But his pass is intercepted by Thompson, who runs 80 yards to score.
30 mins Roe is having a stellar match. Roe kicks crossfield, 60 yards with tghe wind behind him, the ball bobbles on the Warwick 22 very close to the touchline. The Warwickl wimnger collects and steps into touch. Line out for Stowe. One man on the sideline is beyond himself 'yes, yes, yes, yeas' is all he can say.
26 mins PENALTY GOOD. STOWE 6 - WARWICK 5
It's another ginormo-humungo-enormous kick from Roe, which clears the crossbar by 20 yards this time. The crowd really is going wild. Sorry for the delay. Snowstorm causing difficulties. Really, there's lots of white things landing onm muy keyboard. And my fingers are frozen, hence the typingh mistakes. Fine, I'm just covinging for my own illiteracy.
26 mins Penalty to Stowe - same positiojn as last time. Ruck infringement by Warwick. Roe to kick again. Crowd is silent.
23 mins Lots of action here - Stowe chip, recover, theh ball is lost to Warwick, who cough it up. Stowe with a huge overlap, but the final pass is just too fer behind a charging Speakman, and the ball runs into touch just 20 yards from the Warwick line.
22 mins There's some momentum turning back to Stowe at the moment. Warwick again go to the left, and there's an overlap, and Prestige runs across and puts Thompson into touch. Snowflakes are falling.
19 mins IT'S OVER THE POSTS. 3-5.
Roe puts big boot on, and clears the crossbar by a good 15 yards. There's life in this match yet. If you're watching from your London office (thanks for your emails - I know who you are), then stay tuned.
18 mins Penalty for Stowe 10 metres into the Warwick half, right in front. Roe's going to have a go. The Headmaster took the whole Stowe team out yesterday night to see Invictus. Cute that he's dabbling in motivational psychology.
16 mins Warwick backs looking very good thus far. Thompson in particular getting a lot of the ball on the left wing. Skelton with a big hit, Prestige with another and forces a turnover. More balance in these recent minutes. Stowe showing 'moments of promise'.
14 mins Another scrum against Stowe very close to the Stowe line. Stowe win against the feed, and win a penalty. Stowe really pushing hard to play their way back into this match. 'Don't stop believin' as Radio 1 would say at the moment. Still, not one 'small town girl' in the Stowe XV at the moment.
12 mins Warwick attacking scrum, 5 yards from the line. Warwick break from the base and they're over the line. But the referee calls for re-scrum. Scrum reset the boys correct me. Cheers from the Stowe fans as they realise that Stowe is off the hook. Lots of pressure from Warwick here. Stowe repelling a lot of attacks.
10 mins Sorry - just realised that we need to change to match time. Wawick make a good break down the left, but Hopewell across to cover. Jones off withh injury, Blackham on a couple of minutes ago.
2.39pm These Valentine's Day posters are getting a bit raunchy. One is inviting Olley: 'Jake, be my cupcake'.
2.37pm Stowe penalty from a scrum 23 yards out from the Warwick line. 15 yards to the left. Stowe goes for the posts - but Roe puts it slightly wide. Windy day here, the ball swung very, very late. Harmison would be proud.
2.35pm Conversion missed.
2.34pm TRY TO WARWICK. 0-5. Thompson scores.
Warick win a scrum 35 yards out; Warwick centre breaks down the Warwick left, cliosed down but easy pass to Thompson on the Warwick wing, who comes around to plant the ball 15 yards to the left of the posts. The Warwick bench run onto the field to celebrate.
2.33pm A good 650 on the sidelines now.
2.30pm Warwick go over the line, trying for the pushover, but held up over the line. Stowe win the scrum, Warwick foul and it's penalty to Stowe, which Olley boots 40 yards up the field.
2.29pm Warwick make great move from the line out. Close to the Stowe line. 5 yards. Jarvis with a try saving tackle 20 yards left of the posts.
2.28pm Early kick-off here. Warwick with the kick off. Stowe pushed into touch.
2.26pm Warwick come out in their royal and white hoops. Stowe run out to huge applause from the 550 on the sidelines at the moment. Both teams huddle and slap each other on the back of the heads. The Anthonys are following on from Verbier - sorry you're interrupting a skiing holiday for schoolboy rugby.
2.25pm It's a big game for both teams. No talk of dreams or of believing from coach Alan Hughes in the match programme today - just business talk advising spectators to be quiet when the goalkickers are lining up.
2.23pm Valentine's Day coming up - One of the Stowe banners reads 'I love Luke Rust'. Lucky boy.
2.18pm Warwick have bussed in their own rent-a-crowd for today's match. 120 of them, and they've even brought their own drum. Stowe have been decimated by a full list of games fixtures - so many Stoics are absent. Still, there is a Rugby God - The Headmaster and 60 Stoics were due to fly out to New York at noon today, but delays across the Atlantic have meant that the Headmaster's party are now staying until the final whistle. 61 more supporters to join the 150 Stoics presently on the sidelines.
2.17pm The sun is out here - glorious sunshine for a glorious game. There's a golden glow onto the grass, and the spectators are starting to come out in force. It was snowing here just 2 hours ago, and there are cars arriving with their number plates obscured by the white stuff. Still bitterly cold here despite the sunshine. The weather bureau is showing 1 degree centigrage - the boys draw on their geography knowledge and are telling me that it's below freezing, since they've found some frost on their seats.
2.14pm Again, no caption competition - but we've run out of Rugby jokes here at the school. Any comments gratefully received through the courseof the day - email tchan@stowe.co.uk . There's very little company here on the terrace of the North Front Pavillion at Stowe.
2.12pm Teams are out for their warm-up. Both teams in blue at the moment - that's not really going to work in the match. Warwick have the pads out, Stowe are running through some backline moves.
2.10pm Teams have been announced.
Stowe: Brown, Baylis, Richardson, Skelton, Johnson, Prestige, Baldwin, Holton (Capt.); Hopewell, Roe; Knight, Rust, Speakman, Jones and Olley.
Subs from: Carter, Mason, Bishop, Rudd, Leech, Blackham and Nichols.
Warwick: Bloor, Kinsey, Ashworth, Worlidge, Smithers, Shoesmith, Morse, Russ; Hardy, Edwards; Thompson, Blake, Nellany, Blake and Howard.
Subs from: Linford, Mosley, Heap, Southall, Pelych, Williams, Owen and Hollis.
Referee: David Grasshoff (East Midlands)
2.09pm Welcome one and all - Stowe vs. Warwick and we're back. Thanks for not sending any complaints to Ofcom about our coverage last time. Action building up now.
Stowe play Warwick in the next round of the Daily Mail Cup this afternoon. KO will be at 2.30pm on the North Front.
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