Richmond 36 Barbarians 45

On a lovely spring evening, both sides provided a thoroughly entertaining spectacle, playing in perfect spirit in true Barbarians style, in front of a crowd of over 2,200, including many famous rugby names.

With the 1ST Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment providing the introduction with a drum display of enviable timing, the match kicked off at high pace and never relented. Referee Rowan Kitt ensured that the game was never unnecessarily stopped.

Richmond dominated the first quarter, gaining a plentiful supply of the ball and retaining possession well as they battered the Barbarians line. The first try was scored after eight minutes, when the home side were awarded a penalty try, the forwards having driven from a line out to the try line before the maul was pulled down.

The Barbarians soon countered when Richard Carter (Aberavon) was gifted an interception try as Richmond opened up very ambitiously under their own posts.

Despite this setback, Richmond remained largely in early control, though finding it hard to break down a Barbarians defence who were fast up on their opponents.

It was going to need something special to counter this stranglehold and Jonan Boto provided it, receiving the ball in his own half, accelerating through a small gap and then powering straight through two covering tacklers for a superb solo try and a 14-7 lead after sixteen minutes.

The Barbarians now started to find their feet and gain confidence, their ability to break quickly and find support troubling the normally resolute home defence.

Mark Breeze (Aberavon) was next on the score sheet, barging over from ten metres and he was soon followed by Tom Young (Cardiff Blues), one of a very lively pair of flankers, along with man of the match Julien Bardy (Clermont Auvergne and Portugal).

The Portugese flavour was then maintained by scrum half Jose Pinto, who completed a high class fourth try which showcased traditional Barbarian handling skills.

Having conceded 21 points in eleven minutes, Richmond did very well to remain focussed and close the gap again. After Owen Gregory covered a kick ahead and memorably feinted and dodged his way out of trouble, Will Browne in turn showed his individual skills, running an outside line round his opposite number to straighten up and run in an excellent try from thirty metres. The half time score was 19-28.

Richmond also started the second half well, scoring ten points without reply in the first twelve minutes. The first score was one of the best, Peter Clarke taking the ball at pace to time his pass perfectly to his side’s man of the match, the speeding Jonan Boto, who was unstoppable.

When Ross Broadfoot added a penalty, Richmond were back ahead and certainly giving their illustrious opponents plenty to think about.

If the result now looked open, the visitors soon regained control. Once again, it was the pace with which the Barbarians broke out of defence that impressed and the support play was top class.

Tom George made a very good covering tackle but he could not stop Charlie Ingall (Newcastle) from scoring the fifth try in the corner to reclaim the lead. Thinuas Delport (Stourbridge and South Africa) followed suit a few minutes later, the try originating from an attacking crosskick which bounced unkindly.

In their attempt to maintain a running game, Richmond were being harried into errors by opponents mostly from higher leagues, and when Carter scored his second and his side’s seventh try from another breakaway, with twenty minutes to go, it did look as if the floodgates could finally open.

But this Richmond side are made of strong stuff and they stayed in the game with dogged persistence and no little skill, thoroughly deserving the final try themselves.

After hooker Dave Simmons had twice gone close with lung busting runs, Johnny Wehbe, who has a habit of making things happen, took a quick tap penalty and chipped imaginatively over the top of the defence.

Euan Sadden , who played a very effective twenty minute cameo, gathered the unpredictable bounce to complete the evening’s scoring at a highly creditable 36-45. Well done to a game Richmond side and a huge thank you to the wonderful Barbarians.

Tries: Penalty try, Boto (2), Browne, Sadden.

Conversions: T.Gregory (2), Broadfoot (2) Penalties: Broadfoot Team: W.Browne (J.Wehbe) , J.Greenwood (P.J.Clarke), A.Maclennan( T.Platt / E.Sadden) , T.Gregory, J.Boto (N.Barrett), J.Brooks (R.Broadfoot), T.Drewe (T.Henry), O.Gregory (A.Okeshola / D.Parkinson), D.Burr (D.Simmons), M.Berry (T.Walford), T.Wesley (C.O’Keefe), J.Chance (D.Abbott), T.George (J.Gibbons), C.Davies, P.Clarke (C.Nightingale)