2nd XV seal opening league victory of the season with win over Marlborough

TRFC 2nd’s made the short trip up the A4 to Marlborough for what was sure to prove a bruising encounter as a season opener.

Missing their captain and usual team manager TRFC could have felt a little out of sorts but with Luke Guffick replacing James Marwick as captain and Oz Grant making his first foray in to senior rugby management in place of Paul Taylor the 2’s had no place to hide.

From the kick off the game was frantic TRFC with a very young team lacking experience at a senior level found themselves gifting Marlborough points early on. A quick pep talk from some of the more experienced members of the team and over the next few phases of the game TRFC settled in to the patterns of play they’d been working so hard on during the pandemic period.

The game flowed backwards and forwards with some massive collisions in the midfield taking its toll on both sets of players. A dislocated knee to one of the Marlborough players proving a welcome though concerning respite for both teams as the play move from one pitch to another whilst medical attention was sought.

TRFC now appeared to have the upper hand, with a scrum and line out that was functioning well, Piers Rosier was able to dictate play from the 10 position. Trowbridge seemed able to score every time they went wide through Will Browne or Jay Patterson but could they stop the Marlborough centres?

A tactical change by Oz Grant saw TRFC alter the defensive line up, finally closing out Marlborough’s strongest players. Time for TRFC to manage the game out to a close through the forwards.

Final Score Marlborough 29-39 Trowbridge a strong winning start to the season.