UNFORTUNATELY, the winter weather got the better of Crediton Rugby Club last Saturday and there are no games to report on from the weekend. However, it provides an opportunity for an update on the season so far which, it has to be said has been pretty impressive.

It was the start of a new era in the leagues with Club Second XV’s encouraged to join the English Clubs Championship and so the Second XV, along with 13 other Devon Club Second XV’s, opted out of the Devon Merit Table and became a part of the RFU League pyramid.

Counties Three Tribute Devon East is where the Quins were placed, effectively the old Devon One league playing at level nine.

For the First XV, Crediton remained at the same level six in the league structure, but with a reduction in the number of teams from 14 to 12, and they lost the longer distance clubs such as Lydney, Newent and Thornbury and gained Sherborne.

Some may argue the league has become easier but there are still some good quality sides to contend with such as St Austell, Truro, Wadebridge and Sidmouth.

To start the league programme Crediton players made a westerly journey to newly promoted Truro and a close encounter saw them get off to a good start with a 22-18 win.

This was followed a week later with another hard earned win against a very competitive Wadebridge team 29-17.

Game number three meant a trip to Bridgwater, probably the most under performing Club in that league over the past couple of seasons and Crediton returned from Somerset with a 31-13 win.

Next up was a home game against Chard who proved a difficult nut to crack but Crediton managed a 17-3 win.

For the third week running Crediton had Somerset opponents, this time just 40 minutes up the road to Wellington, and a 43-17 bonus point win whilst on the same day, Sidmouth took away the 100 per cent record held by St Austell, which meant Crediton moved to top of the table.

At long last Crediton had the chance to test themselves against Devon opposition with a trip to Newton Abbot and a 43-20 bonus point win.

North Petherton were then visitors to Blagdon, normally tough opponents but on this occasion they had no answer as Crediton ran riot with nine tries in a 57-0 win.

Crediton then travelled to Sherborne and despite falling behind to an early try, did bounce back to win 40-7.

That was the fourth successive game where Crediton managed 40 points or more.

The fact that three of those games were away from home was quite remarkable and it earned the First XV the Tribute Team Of Month for October.

Teignmouth came next and had been showing something of an upturn in form, and indeed made life difficult for Crediton, but a 26-15 bonus point win kept the momentum going.

During all this time, St Austell had remained hot on Crediton’s heels and a trip there was going to have a significant effect.

That is precisely what happened when Crediton journeyed to Cornwall, a disappointing performance ended in defeat, the first of the season 15-34 and so the Saints regained pole position and Crediton slipped to second with third place Sidmouth on the horizon.

Crediton needed to bounce back with a win in this local derby and that is certainly what they did with a bonus point 28-7 victory.

That completed the first half of the season, all other teams in the league had been played and Crediton were just a couple of points behind leaders St Austell.

The second half did not start so well with a trip to Wadebridge and a disappointing 17-32 defeat in a game that went away from Crediton in the final few minutes.

With more home games than away during the second half of the season there can be no doubt that Crediton players can look forward to continuing their success and ensuring they keep the pressure on at the top of the table.

The return of Dan Lee and Ollie Down proved a real bonus and with Ross Toms recovered from the injury that kept him out for most of last season.

The strength of the side has improved.

Centre Ollie Clark has also been performing consistently well throughout the season.

The forwards have generally proved too good for the majority of their opponents and Crediton has plenty of cover in the pack especially from four to eight.

The vast experience of Dan Lee and second row Chris Courtier added to an already impressive pack.

With players of the calibre of Lance Palmer, Henry Gavin, Dan Yendell, Will Cole and latterly Phil Holmes all sharing the front row duties, the pack has a solid platform.

Add to that Josh Lee and Courtier forming a tremendous second row partnership, with Ben Wonnacott, Jake Clarke and Josh Pearce covering the back row, I doubt there are any other clubs in the league that can come close to matching that pack.

At half-back, Crediton has one of the best pairings in the league with Ed Brady at nine and skipper Ollie Avery-Wright at 10.

Brady is probably the quickest scrum-half in the league.

The ever improving Josh Davey has filled the fullback slot with confidence and, as with most positions, there is competition for places looming.

The loss of Josh Woodland with a leg fracture will inevitably have an effect, Josh is a natural finisher and can score tries from nothing.

Likewise, the very unlucky Devon Hosegood, having just battled back to the First XV after a long term injury, suffered another blow that will keep him out for a few weeks.

However, Crediton has cover with the two Bobby’s, Jenkin and Saunders who have both proved able deputies when called upon.

In addition, recent new signing Josh Hall who joins us from Barnes RFC having recently moved into the area, will no doubt prove a tremendous asset in the three-quarters.

Including the pre season friendlies, skipper Ollie Avery-Wright has played in all 14 games to date, as have Josh Davey, Dan Yendell and Ben Wonnacott. Avery-Wright has scored 109 points from one try, 40 conversions, seven penalties and a drop goal.

Josh Woodland heads the try scoring with nine, followed by Ed Brady and Dan Lee on six a piece.

The Quins have also impressed in their first season in the league which opened with a 62-5 victory at Tiverton and this was followed with an identical score at home against Buckfastleigh.

Torrington, at home, was a tough game but Crediton eventually pulled away to win 37-15.

The one blip on the record was a 12-14 defeat away to Cullompton Seconds, especially disappointing as Crediton had hammered them 36-22 the previous week in the Cup!

From there on the victories simply flowed, both Newcross 38-10 and Okehampton Seconds 18-12 were despatched and at this stage Crediton were sitting in second place behind OPM First XV who were undefeated and the next opponents at Blagdon.

As it turned out, Crediton proved far too strong for the league leaders and ran out winners 36-8 to take over top spot.

An earlier game against Exeter Athletic was postponed and was played under lights, a tight game that Crediton managed to win 29-24 and was followed by an identical scoreline away to Sidmouth Seconds to complete the first half of the season with the Quins at the top of the league.

Victory at Buckfastleigh 41-12 started the second half of the season in grand style.

Owen Cooper, Jo Dodge, Kevin Ellis, Macca Jones and Ben Rodd have appeared in all 10 games, Skipper Chris Hooper has 55 points from 11 tries and Tom Ronchetti also has 55 points from 20 conversions and five penalties, Fenton Davies 45 points from nine tries and Joe Dodge 35 points from seven tries are the leading scorers.

The review of the Third XV will appear next week.

Weather permitting, the First XV travel to Chard on Saturday, December 17, to finish the league programme until the New Year whilst the Seconds travel to Torrington for their last league game until the New Year.

Paul Harris