CREDITON RFC 1ST XV 12-31 IVYBRIDGE RFC

WE endured a difficult afternoon in horrendously wet conditions against a very good Ivybridge side, who ultimately managed both the game and the conditions far better than we did.

From the outset, things seemed not to go our way. We kicked deep and it looked to everyone as though an Ivybridge defender got a touch on the ball while attempting to gather it before it ran dead. Unfortunately, that touch was missed and play came back for a scrum on halfway. Ivybridge took full advantage of the resulting set piece and scored, which was an incredibly frustrating way for us to start.

To their credit, Ivybridge settled quickly into their game plan and showed a real understanding of how rugby needed to be played in those conditions. With two natural fly-halves in their side, they controlled territory effectively, managed the game well and capitalised on our mistakes to build a 12-point lead.

We struggled to find our rhythm and never really reached the standards we know we're capable of, but the boys showed character to fight their way back into the contest. Tries from Ollie Jeffrey and Rob Leach brought us level at 12-12, with Ollie Harris adding a conversion, and suddenly we were right back in the game heading into half-time.

Unfortunately, that proved to be as good as it got for us. Ivybridge continued to play the conditions smartly after the break and gradually extended their lead. There was further frustration when a knock-on in the build-up to one of their tries went unnoticed, meaning another seven points that we felt could have been prevented.

That said, we have to be honest with ourselves. While there were moments that didn't go our way, Ivybridge were better than us in almost every area of the game. The one clear exception was the scrum, where we were dominant and able to exert some real pressure. But as we all know, a dominant scrum on its own isn't enough to win rugby matches. We have to improve across the board, particularly in our decision-making, game management and ability to adapt when conditions are difficult.

Full credit must go to Ivybridge. They were excellent throughout, understood exactly what the game required and executed their plan far more effectively than we did.

For us, this result is a reminder that we need to take a hard look at ourselves. We know the quality that exists within this squad. The confidence and belief we built over the summer and through pre-season were earned through hard work and strong performances. We need to rediscover that mindset, trust in our abilities and get back to playing with the conviction we know we're capable of.

There is plenty for us to work on and plenty of lessons to take from this performance. What matters now is how we respond. We need to put this result behind us, get back to work on the training pitch and start rebuilding the confidence, belief and consistency that will allow us to move forward as a group.

Scorers: Tries – Ollie Jeffery, Rob Leach; Conversion – Ollie Harris.

Next Saturday: 1st XV v Sherborne (A), 2nd XV v Brixham (H), 3rd XV v Devonport Services (H), Colts XV v Ivybridge (A).

Next Sunday: Women’s XV v Penryn (A).

Rob Avery-Wright