Red and Black - Puddletown RFC

Jan 2012 The Newsletter of 

Puddletown RFC 

RED AND BLACK 

Comment... 

WELCOME TO RED AND BLACK ... 

The newsletter for Puddletown Rugby Football Club to keep you in touch with the side and up to date with the 

happenings of the Villagers at Greenfields. 

THE SEASON SO FAR... 

It has been a promising first half of the season for PRFC, who have built on their pre-season matches and have 

overcome serious competition to secure a strong league position coming into 2012. The combination of old hands and 

new players has added some real depth to the side, and has resulted in Puddletown playing some impressive rugby, at 

the core of which has been solid defence - PRFC have secured several wins with no scores going against them, and 

even in defeats, have kept tight scorelines, often securing crucial bonus points. 

As well as the successes of the First XV, there has been a victory for the old and bold of the Club, who played in the 

Veterans Match against Swanage and Wareham Vets, on a ʻFirst Team Dayʼ sponsored by Cub Foot. 

Hard work on the pitch has been matched by hard work in the lanes around the Club, and the kitchen, with the annual 

Piddle Dash raising money for Prostate Action, and the 

ʻmen onlyʼ baking competition showcasing the 

culinary ʻskillsʼ of the Club, as well as raising more 

money. 

Finally, the annual Boxing Day friendly (which, as 

usual, was anything but friendly) took place having 

been snowed off last year. The result was a 

resounding victory for the Country side. 

In all, a great first half to the season, and with the 

First XV offering more to come, hopes are high for a 

strong league finish. 

Red and Black Jan 12 

Results... 

News... 

Fixtures... 

Events...

2011 IN A NUT- 

SHELL 

It’s been a promising start to 

the season for Puddletown 

with old hands and new 

additions combining to run 

out some strong 

performances. The highlights 

thus far: 

Top Scorer: Tom Yeatman 

with 64 

Highest Score: 47 

points vs. Wheatsheaf 

CC 

Most Tries: Dan Udell 

(5) 

Most Man of the Match: 

Matt Watts 

Total League Points 

For: 192 

Total League Points 

Against: 71 

League Wins: 5 

News and events 

The Dorset Piddle Dash 

6th Nov - Greenfields 

Puddletown hosted its annual Piddle 

Dash competition at Greenfields and 

raised a whopping £3000 for our 

charity, Prostate Action, and the 

Weldmar Hospicecare Trust. 

The 6km run was completed by over 

50 sponsored men and boys and took 

on the sights and terrain of the local 

area. 

Dorchester Town all rounder Ryan 

Dovell, brother of fly half Barry Dovell, 

triumphed in the race, who fought off 

stiff competition from runner up 

Andrew Jardine and third place Terry 

Gormley. 

Puddletown chairman Kev Voss said: 

“This is the fifth year in succession 

weʼve held the Piddle Dash, and it 

continues to provide a fun packed 

Sunday morning, but one with a 

serious purpose...Well done to 

everyone who took part, and special 

thanks to organiser Donna Russell 

and her team of volunteers for yet 

again putting on such an enjoyable 

event.” 

At the same time as the Piddle Dash 

the club ran a ʻmen onlyʼ cake baking 

competition. It featured a surprisingly 

high number of entrants, presenting 

dishes of varying style and taste! 

The competition was dominated by 

new club members, with Mark 

Stephen edging out Jez Michael- 

Beale to take the prize. The cakes 

were auctioned off after judging which 

raised a further £100 for the days 

total. 

To find out more about the charities or 

to make a donation please visit: 

www.weld-hospice.org.uk 


www.prostateaction.org.uk 

Above: Limbering up for the run... 

The Winners: Louie Michael Beale, 

Brian Long, Joe Jeanes, Ryan Dovell 

Town - 7 Country - 46 

26th Nov - Greenfields - “Friendly” 

The annual Boxing Day fixture was an 

enigmatic victory for the Country side 

(wearing black). The battle up front 

was fierce with both sides taking 

scrums against the head. The Town 

sides try came from a succession of 

quick rucks, but the Country side 

exploited breaks and a rapid back 

setup to open out an impressive 

scoreline. 

Half time brought running repairs and 

port as both teams fought hard to the 

end in front of a large crowd - a good 

post Christmas run out for all 

involved.

BRING OUT YOUR 

(NEARLY) DEAD... 

Following the success of last seasons Veterans matches vs. Poole Vets, the Villagers hosted Swanage and 

Wareham Veterans for a game which showcased the talent and experience of the Club’s older generation. 

Sponsored by Cub Foot, the match was played as part of the inaugural First Team Day, and was another 

success, with more lined up for the future. 

Puddletown Veterans - 5 Swanage and 

Wareham Veterans - 0 

10th Dec - Friendly - Home 

A try from winger Nigel Smith mid-way 

through the first half proved to be the 

only score in this nevertheless 

entertaining and closely fought friendly 

match, the first of several fixtures 

scheduled for the Villagersʼ veteran 

squad during the current season. 

The home side began brightly enough but 

soon found that their opponents, in true 

Swanage and Wareham fashion, were going to be 

hard to break down. However Puddletownʼs pack, with 

first team stalwarts Ed Richardson at prop and Peter 

Gordon and Jim Talbot in the in the engine room, soon 

found its rhythm giving the half-back pairing of Scott 

Price and Toby Musgrove plenty of options, and after 

twenty minutes of pressure the breakthrough came. 

Patient recycling from the forwards had engineered 

good field position and from quick ball at the resulting 

breakdown Price found Musgrove in space, he made 

ground before releasing Ray Stephens, and whilst full 

back Mark Thomson ran a dummy line, the centre 

found his outside partner Andy McIntyre who cleverly 

drew the cover before passing to Smith whose pace 

took him outside his man to touch down in the corner. 

The visitors fought back immediately though, starting to 

play their trade-mark rucking and mauling game and, 

slowing things down to their advantage, they inched 

ever closer to the home try line only to be denied by 

some resolute defending as the half drew to a 

close.Despite making several changes at the break the 

game continued in the same vein with the Villagers 

looking stronger in open play and therefore the more 

“We were all 

amazed at the 

pace...we didn’t realise 

rugby could be played 

so slowly” 


likely to score, but with Swans content to keep the ball 

in tight not only did they deny the home side too many 

more opportunities, but there was always the risk of 

that at the other end one of their rolling mauls 

might just build up enough momentum to 

breach the defensive line. 

In the end though, despite the game 

never losing its edge, the scoring 

stalemate prevailed. 

The game featured as part of the clubʼs 

inaugural First Team Day * with 

Puddletownʼs young guns, on a rare 

Saturday off, enjoying a buffet lunch and a 

pint or two of Piddle in the clubhouse before 

supporting the endeavours of their more senior clubmates. 

Asked for his views afterwards 1st XV skipper Tom 

Yeatman commented: “We all really enjoyed it. For 

most of us that was the first time weʼve ever watched a 

veteransʻ match and I think we were all amazed at the 

pace of the game. We didnʼt realise that rugby could be 

played so slowly!” 

* First Team Day was sponsored by Cub Foot. On 

behalf of everyone involved, thanks Cub for a very 

successful and enjoyable day

MATCH RESULTS AND REPORTS (REPORTS BY GEOFF PURYER) 

Puddletown 1st - 8 Poole - 7 

17th Sept - League - Away 

A successful penalty kick from full back Dan Udell just minutes from time 

finally secured a single point victory for the Villagers in this close fought 

Dorset & Wilts Division 2 South opener, a game in which they could so 

easily have regretted not making more of their superiority particularly in the 

first half. 

Starting strongly the visitorsʼ well drilled forwards soon had the heavier 

home pack under pressure both in the set pieces and in the loose, giving 

scrum half Max Welch plenty of space in which to work. The Poole defence 

initially held firm but with Puddletown increasingly spending time camped 

inside their twenty-two the gaps started to appear, only for the visitors to 

squander a number of clear-cut scoring chances and end a dominant first 

period with nothing to show for their efforts. 

The hosts on the other hand were clearly inspired by the 0-0 score-line and 

straight from the restart they upped their game, going close on a couple of 

occasions before the visitors once more regained the initiative. Driven back 

towards their own posts, Poole gave away a series of penalties from one of 

which, ten metres out, number eight Martin Spicer took a quick tap kick and 

drove though the defensive line to score. Udellʼs conversion attempt failed 

but the visitors had at last got their noses in front. 

Poole were not finished though and with ten minutes left they turned the tide 

again with some patient build-up play, their outside centre spotting a gap in 

the visiting defence and taking the chance to dash through and touch down. 

The try was converted giving the hosts the lead, but that proved short-lived 

when the Villagers once more forced their way back up-field and with Poole 

eventually conceding yet another penalty, up stepped Udell who, holding his 

nerve, slotted over the winning points. 

Puddletown 1st - 19 Swanage & Wareham - 10 

24th Sept - Friendly - Home 

The Villagers, keen to build on the success of last weekʼs opening league 

match at Poole, welcomed a Swanage & Wareham XV to Greenfields for a 

friendly fixture knowing that the visitors would provide them with a good test 

as they took the opportunity of introducing more new players to their squad. 

The result was an entertaining and well contested game in which the 

Swans, with their usual blend of experience and skills, made Puddletown 

work hard for their win, a victory which will prepare them well for a 

challenging cup tie next week.The home side settled quickly and had eased 

away to a12-0 lead by the end of the first quarter with tries from centre 

Marcus House who won the race to the whitewash following a charge down, 

and then from hooker Jez Michael-Beale, whose line breaking run saw him 

cross over for his first points in Puddletown 

colours. Skipper Tom Yeatman added the 

extras after Houseʼs score but his second 

attempt drifted just wide. 

An unconverted try from the visitors just 

before the break reduced the gap as they 

started to find their rhythm with some well 

controlled rucking and mauling, but into the 

second period the more mobile home side 

quickly restored their advantage when 

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through a couple of tackles to breach 

the defence and touch down. 

Yeatman added the conversion. 

Once again the Swans fought back 

strongly and a prolonged period of 

pressure followed as they probed for 

the gaps in the home defence, an 

examination that, save for one further 

breakaway try midway through the 

half, the Villagers dealt with 

confidently. 

Puddletown 1st - 0 Poole - 25 

1st Oct - D&W Cup - Away 

A five minute spell midway through 

the first period of this Dorset & Wilts 

1st XV Plate tie crucially gave the 

hosts an advantage they never 

surrendered despite a spirited fight 

back from the Villagers during the 

second half, and victory means they 

can now look forward to a visit from 

high-flying Minety in the next round. 

On a day more suited to village 

cricket than to rugby both sides 

started brightly, testing each other out 

in midfield, but creating little in the 

way of scoring chances. Until the 

fifteenth minute that is, when Pooleʼs 

back line suddenly produced a 

sweeping cross field move leaving 

winger Ian Dorey with the space to 

get outside the last defender and 

score in the corner. Fly-half Stuart 

Newman added the extras. 

The visitors tried to respond but were 

soon on the defensive as once more 

the home side pushed forward and 

within five minutes Dorey had 

rounded his man again to cross over 

out wide. Newmanʼs conversion 

attempt failed, but just before the 

break, after Villagersʼ centre Dan 

Udell had first missed the chance to 

get three point back from a penalty, 

he successfully landed one at the 

other end to give Poole a 15-0 halftime 

lead. 

Despite the hot conditions 

Puddletown lifted the tempo of their 

game straight from the restart and, 

just as in the league victory a fortnight 

earlier, spent long periods virtually 

camped inside the home twenty-two, 

but once again turning pressure into 

points proved difficult against a 

resolute home defence. Toby 

Boatswain, playing at number eight, 

repeatedly drove his forwards towards 

the try-line and on one occasion as 

they crossed it the ball looked to have 

been grounded by hooker Jez 

Michael-Beale. Unfortunately referee 

John Read, having been knocked to 

the ground in the melee, was unable 

to confirm the score and had no 

option but to call a 5-metre scrum 

instead. 

Into the final quarter and worse was 

to come for the Villagers as they 

continued to push up-field, when 

Dorey intercepted a long pass and 

sprinted clear of the last man to 

complete his hat-trick. Newman 

kicked the conversion, and then 

added a further penalty late on to 

round off the scoring and to leave the 

visitors contemplating what might 

have been. 

Jonno Wilson made 

his 50th consecutive 

start for the 1st XV 

Puddletown 1st - 41 

Wincanton - 0 

8th Oct - League - Away 

A workmanlike first half performance 

from the Villagers in this Dorset & 

Wilts Division 2 South encounter saw 

them patiently build up an 8-0 lead, 

taking the sting out of a determined 

Wincanton side and paving the way 


for a second half onslaught in which 

they ran in a further five tries to 

secure a well deserved bonus point 

win. 

Despite playing up the slope and into 

a strong wind the visitors were 

immediately on the offensive and after 

just five minutes the pressure told, 

with skipper Tom Yeatman electing to 

put early points on the board with a 

successful penalty kick. A second 

attempt minutes later failed, but the 

Puddletown ascendancy continued 

and at the end of the first quarter a 

good phase of play off the back of the 

scrum found Josh Hiscock in space 

and the outside centre, making his 

first start since rejoining the club, 

dashed through the gap to touch 

down. 

After Yeatmanʼs conversion attempt 

fell short in the wind the hosts 

regrouped, and until half time enjoyed 

a period of play in which they sought 

to test the Villagers, but the defence 

looked in no mood to give away 

territory and their own twenty-two 

never really came under serious 

threat. 

With the elements in their favour after 

the break, the visitors increased the 

pace and within minutes had gone 

further ahead with two tries in rapid 

succession, firstly when winger 

James House followed up his own 

long clearing kick to outrun his man to 

the line, then straight from the restart 

quick thinking from Jon Wilson and 

Martin Spicer released second row 

John Moise for a sprint down the 

touchline before cutting inside the full 

back and crossing over under the 

posts to record his first points in 

Puddletown colours. 

Into the final quarter and full back 

Marcus House, not to be outdone by 

his younger brother, raced clear of the 

home defence to secure the bonus 

point before another surge from the 

Villagersʼ rampant forwards saw Jez 

Michael-Beale break through several 

tackles, cleverly popping the ball up 

as he went to ground just short of the 

line for second row Jim Talbot to add 

his name to the score sheet. 

Finally, with just minutes remaining,

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another forward led attack ended with 

Moise again making the hard yards 

before releasing number eight Spicer 

for a simple touch down between the 

sticks. Yeatman added his fourth 

successful second half conversion to 

seal a convincing Puddletown victory. 


Wimborne - 23 

16th Oct - Friendly - Home 

On a weekend free of league or cup 

action the Villagers enjoyed a club 

game with a visiting Wimborne side 

instead, taking the opportunity of 

giving more of their squad players 

valuable match practice. 

The result was an evenly contested 

encounter in which Puddletown, 

looking confident with ball in hand, 

outscored the visitors by seven tries 

to four, but were nevertheless given a 

stern test in defence by the quality of 

their opponentsʼ half-back line. And it 

was Wimborneʼs centre pairing who 

gave immediate notice of that danger 

when, after just five minutes, they 

created the opening for a try out wide. 

The Villagers responded quickly 

however and a fine passing move 

gave winger Chris Thomson a clear 

run into the corner to level the scores 

with his seasonʻs first, before a period 

of increasing dominance from the 

home side allowed them to ease 

away with further tries from number 

eight Martin Spicer, flanker Toby 

Boatswain, and centres Tom Yeatman 

and Dan Udell. 

Wimborne pressure just before halftime 

saw them come back strongly 

with a pair of well worked tries of their 

own, then straight from the restart, as 

Puddletown began to ring the 

changes, they reduced the arrears 

even further when the visiting number 

twelve yet again evaded several 

tackles, weaving through the defence 

to score. 

But the fight-back was short-lived and 

ten minutes later Matt Isaac chased 

down Yeatmanʼs excellently placed 

kick and the winger, picking up 

cleanly, crossed over for his first try of 


the season. Then finally Josh 

Hiscock, on as a second half 

replacement, breached the defensive 

line to score under the posts, his 

converted try completing a forty point 

haul for the Villagers for the second 

game running. 


Weymouth 2nd - 20 

23rd Oct - League - Home 

A successful penalty kick from 

Weymouthʼs Max Baudouin just 

minutes from time finally sealed 

victory by just two points in this 

Dorset & Wilts Division 2 South clash, 

a game which lived up to its billing as 

a typically full-blooded local derby and 

one in which, for the most part, the 

result remained too close to call. 

The Villagers were first to settle and 

showed their intent with some early 

attacking play only to go behind after 

just five minutes when a quick break 

from the visitors found full back 

James Almond with space to score an 

unconverted try in the corner. 

Puddletownʼs response was 

immediate and after some patient 

build up phases fly-half Barry Dovell 

took a short pass to burst through and 

touch down under the posts. 

Skipper Tom Yeatman added the two 

points, then ten minutes later with his 

side still in the ascendancy he 

increased the lead further with a 

successful penalty kick. More 

promising attacks followed and just 

before half time good hands out 

towards the touchine saw centre Josh 

Hiscock put clear by his backs for a

simple try. Yeatman missed his conversion attempt but 

the Villagers nevertheless turned round with a ten point 

advantage. 

Weymouth upped the pace of their game straight from 

the restart and within five minutes had reduced the 

deficit when Almond, running from deep, dashed over 

for his second try. Although unconverted the score put 

the visitors on the front foot and eventually the 

pressure told again when scrum-half Gordon 

Tye went blind from the back of a five 

metre scrum to breach the home line. 

Fly-half Baudouin slotted home the 

conversion to give the visitors the lead, 

only for Yeatman to snatch it back ten 

minutes later with another successful 

penalty kick. 

The battle intensified as the game went 

into the final quarter with Puddletown 

keeping the pressure on as they searched for 

the opening that would make the result safe, but with 

the visitors also sensing that victory was still within 

their grasp they too mounted a series of last ditch 

attacks, finally forcing the home side into conceding 

the penalty that ultimately proved decisive. 

Puddletown 1st - 47 Wheatsheaf CC - 12 

29th Oct - League - Away 

A five-try blitz during the second half of this Dorset & 

Wilts Division 2 South encounter sealed a convincing 

victory for the Villagers as they continue to build on 

their early season promise. 

The first period though told a different story and while 

the visitors made a positive start with a converted try 

after just five minutes from quick thinking fly-half Barry 

Dovell, the home side responded immediately, taking 

advantage of some poor defending to level up the 

scores, before slowing the game down and confining it 

to a rather scrappy midfield battle for much of the time 

in an attempt to deny Puddletown quick ball. 

Puddletown 

continued to build on 

their early successes 

with a strong 

performance 

“A 5 try blitz during 

the second 

half...sealed a 

convincing victory” 


Despite this, the visitors always looked dangerous 

when they did get possession and eventually they 

scored again when hooker Jez Michael-Beale timed his 

run into the line to perfection to breach the home 

defence, with skipper Tom Yeatman once again adding 

the extras to give them a seven point advantage at the 

break. 

Toby Musgroveʼs half-time team talk obviously 

proved effective with the Villagers visibly 

upping the pace straight from the restart, 

and it took them just five minutes to 

increase their lead when full-back Dan 

Udell, running from deep, collected a 

short pass to power over the line. Once 

again though Wheatsheafʼs response 

was immediate and taking play up to the 

other end they scored an unconverted try 

out wide, but that turned out to be their 

last opportunity of any note and as the 

increased intensity of Puddletownʼs attacks 

forced them more and more onto the back foot, so the 

chances started to open up for the visitors. 

The hard running Udell crossed the whitewash twice 

more to complete his hat-trick, his scores coming either 

side of a well taken try from inside centre Yeatman to 

add to his points tally from six out of seven successful 

conversion kicks, then finally with just minutes to go 

number eight Martin Spicer darted through a crowd of 

bodies to complete the scoring. 

Puddletown 1st - 13 Wimborne 2nd - 19 

12th Nov - League - Home 

Having fought back to draw level mid-way through the 

second half of this Dorset & Wilts Division 2 South 

clash, the Villagers looked as though their superiority at 

that stage would see them go on to take the spoils, but 

the well drilled visitors, stepping up another gear, not 

only resisted Puddletown's relentless pressure, but 

counter-attacked with devastating effect, scoring two 

late penalties to snatch victory. 

With the sides locked together in second place this 

was always going to be a close game but the visitors 

immediately seized the initiative and, showing why they 

are the league's top scorers, twice caught the home 

defence napping to run in two tries out wide in quick 

succession. 

Neither score was converted but with just ten minutes 

gone the shell-shocked Villagers suddenly had it all to 

do. To their credit though they rallied superbly, the pack 

wresting control of the midfield battle and giving their 

own back line the chance to run, but with the visiting 

defence holding firm, a successful penalty from skipper 

Tom Yeatman was all that the home side had to show 

for their first half endeavour.

Five minutes into the second period 

and Wimborne restored their ten point 

lead when the referee spotted an 

infringement on the home 22, but 

undaunted by this set-back 

Puddletown were straight back on the 

offensive. Yeatman fired a long 

penalty kick into touch, the resulting 5 

metre lineout was taken cleanly, and 

the forwards quickly recycled the ball 

for Josh Hiscock, playing at scrumhalf, 

to spin out a pass for full back 

Dan Udell to run on to, his speed 

taking him past the last man to touch 

down under the posts. 

Yeatman added the 

extras and then, after a 

further ten minutes of 

sustained dominance 

from the home side, 

he levelled the scores 

with another 

successful penalty. 

From that point on it 

really was anyone's game 

and, in an intense final quarter, 

play continued from end to end as 

both sides went in search of another 

score. In the end though it was the 

visitors who prevailed. 

After the game coach Paul Newbery 

commented: “Apart from a poor first 

ten minutes, Iʼm really pleased with 

the way the team played today. This 

game was a chance to measure 

ourselves against one of the strongest 

teams in the league, and the way we 

stepped up to the mark shows just 

how much weʼve improved this 

season.” 

“The new guys are settling in well and 

theyʼre all having a really positive 

effect on the strength and depth of 

“The new guys 

are settling in well 

and they’re all having a 

really positive effect” 

our overall squad. Iʼm confident that if 

we continue to work hard thereʻs 

much more to come.” 

Puddletown 1st - 10 East 

Dorset - 13 

19th Nov - League - Away 

Littered as it was with so many 

penalties, this Dorset & Wilts Division 

2 South clash was a rather frustrating 

stop-start affair, but a close game 

nevertheless in which the forwards 

dominated with a match-long battle 

up and down the middle of 

the park. So much so that 

despite the tireless 

prompting of both halfback 

pairings, neither 

set of backs had too 

much opportunity to 

really stretch their 

legs. 

Due to a late withdrawal 

the Villagers had to hastily 

rearrange their tight five and were 

immediately under pressure in the 

opening exchanges from the heavier 

East Dorset pack. But they reacted 

well and with the loose forwards 

particularly looking more mobile than 

their counterparts they patiently 

worked their way into contention. 

Fifteen minutes gone and some good 

rucking phases from the visitors 

resulted in a scrum five, the home 

front row offended, and flanker Toby 

Boatswain was quickest to react, 

tapping the free- kick himself and 

powering through to cross the line. 

Skipper Tom Yeatman added the 

conversion, but that signalled an 

immediate East Dorset fight back, and 


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ten minutes later they reduced the 

deficit with a successful penalty kick 

under the posts, only for Yeatman to 

cancel it out on Puddletownʼs next 

attack with his own three-pointer, 

following hands in the ruck from a 

home forward. 

Not for the first time this season the 

Villagers turned round with a decent 

lead but then managed to let it slip, 

with the damage being partly selfinflicted 

by their repeated offending at 

the breakdown. A yellow card just 

before half time should have served 

as a sufficient warning, but as the 

home sideʼs pressure increased so 

did the penalty count and as a result 

they scored twice, firstly with a 

successful kick midway through the 

half, then from a converted drive-over 

try to give then a three point lead with 

just five minutes to go. 

It still wasnʼt over though and 

Puddletown had one last throw of the 

dice in the final seconds when East 

Dorset were caught offside on their 

own twenty-two. Rather than settle for 

a draw the Villagers made the 

decision to kick to the corner and take 

a line out, showing great drive in 

hoping to snatch a deserved win. 

Unfortunately the move did not come 

off and East Dorset ran down the 

clock to take the game. 

Although East Dorset will be the more 

satisfied following this result, 

particularly as it stopped the rot of 

three straight league defeats, the 

Villagers will nevertheless take heart 

from another solid performance 

overall, and in particular from the 

promising debuts of the two latest 

signings, Kiwis Ant Frew and Scott 

Kingan, and as the expanding squad 

works together more and more in 

training so the improvement should 

continue to show on the field. 


Fordingbridge 2nd - 0 

3rd Dec - League - Home 

A fine individual try from full-back 

Marcus House mid-way through the 

second half of this Dorset & Wilts 

Division 2 South encounter finally 

sealed victory for the Villagers against 

a Fordingbridge side who, confirming 

their recent improvement in form, 

made them fight all the way to secure 

the points. 

Puddletown started brightly and after 

just five minutes nearly went ahead 

when fly-half Barry Dovell broke clear 

and chipping ahead, picked up his 

own kick only to be tackled metres 

short of the line. But the early 

pressure from the home side 

continued and after ten minutes the 

visitors conceded a penalty on their 

twenty-two inviting captain Tom 

Yeatman to step up and put the first 

points on the board. 

Fordingbridge responded and with 

their well drilled pack gaining some 

advantage in the set scrums and lineouts 

they made the Villagers work 

hard for possession. But the home 

forwards were countering to great 

effect in the loose and after going 

close with several promising attacks 

further scores eventually came. First 

Yeatman landed another successful 

penalty kick after the visitors had 

infringed in front of their posts, then 

minutes later a series of phases set 

up a move which spread right across 


the park with flanker Gareth Beynonʼs 

long pass finding Martin Spicer on the 

overlap and the number eight 

powered past the last man to score in 

the corner. 

The conversion attempt fell short but 

the Villagers, having built an eleven 

point lead, continued to press forward 

after the break and it took some 

resolute defending from the visitors to 

keep them at bay. But Puddletownʼs 

attacks were increasing in intensity all 

the time and eventually the relentless 

pressure bore fruit when House, 

running from deep into the line, took a 

short pass and weaved his way 

through the entire visiting defence 

before touching down under the 

posts. 

Yeatman added the extras, and 

although Fordingbridge did manage 

to break out and mount a series of 

promising counter-attacks in the final 

quarter it was the home side who 

continued to look the more likely to 

score and the game ended as it had 

begun, with the Villagers firmly on the 

offensive. 

Puddletown 1st - 37 North 

Dorset 3rd - 0 

17th Dec - League - Away 

A superb display of counter-attacking 

rugby in the second half of this Dorset 

& Wilts Two South encounter saw the 

Villagers run in four more tries to add 

to their half-time lead and so seal a 

well-earned victory. 

Starting brightly, and with the gusty 

wind at their backs, the visitorsʼ early 

pressure soon paid off when North 

Dorset were penalised for handling on 

the ground, and skipper Tom Yeatman 

stepped up to claim the three points. 

Spurred on by this score and playing 

confidently with ball in hand, 

Puddletown went further ahead 

minutes later with clever interplay 

between scrum-half Max Welch and 

outside-centre Josh Hiscock setting 

up Martin Spicer for a powerful run 

past the last man to the line.

Yeatman converted the number eightʼs try to put the 

visitorsʼ score into double figures. 

Back came the hosts though, and with a taste of what 

was to come in the second half they used their big 

pack to rumble up-field, giving the defence a stiff 

examination as they looked for the gaps. 

But the Villagers held firm and just before half-time 

fly-half Barry Dovell made a quick break and, 

spotting the space, he chipped ahead for 

wing James House to follow up and 

score. 

The try remained unconverted and 

although the visitors turned round 15-0 

ahead they now faced both the 

worsening conditions and a home side 

in no mood to admit defeat. 

Immediately upping the intensity, they started to 

mount phase after phase, repeatedly pinning the 

Villagers back inside their 22. The defence though was 

equal to the task and, with flankers James Green and 

Matt Watts winning plenty of turnover ball at the 

breakdown, they were able to break quickly and set up 

attacking options. 

First to profit was full-back Marcus House who took 

Yeatmanʼs short pass to sprint clear and score, then 

after soaking up more North Dorset pressure, prop 

Jeremy Michael-Beale, appearing in the line, was the 

recipient of another fine pass and he outran the 

defence to secure the bonus point. 

The pattern of play continued, and in a final flourish 

both Hiscock and wing Dan Udell scored breakaway 

tries. Yeatman added his second conversion of the day, 

while at the other end Puddletownʼs defence held out 

for a clean sheet, their third of the season so far. 

“Puddletown’s 

defence held out for a 

clean sheet, their third 

of the season” 


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Enterprise Park 

Piddlehinton 

Dorchester 

Dorset 

DT2 7UA

RUGBY COMMENT 

Each month this section gives anyone a chance to write about 

issues affecting the club or the wider game. Bill Ruddock, 

referee in Dorset and Wilts, is writing this month, and talking 

about the current issues facing referees and the game as a 

whole. 

Referees are often the object of 

abuse from rugby fans, sometimes for 

good reason but more often not. I give 

an opinion of ʻwhat is wanted from a 

refereeʼ, and possible law changes 

that are at the rumour mill stage. 

It seems to me that players and 

coaches are not sure what we want 

from referees. Do we want them to 

show nerves of steel and make those 

big calls, regardless of the occasion, 

or not make the big calls because of 

the occasion? Do we want them to 

show judgement or apply the laws 

rigorously? 

I would say we want a happy medium 

of it all, a balance. But by requesting 

that we are asking the referee to use 

their judgement in an event that they 

only see once at full speed. When 

taking that into consideration, the 

number of plainly wrong and marginal 

decisions is very low, and because 

they use judgement, their view may 

not be the same as others. However, 

they have been charged with making 

those calls, and make them they 

must. 

When you look at what we are asking 

them to do, and what we give them to 

effectively do it, they don't do a bad 

job. And if you don't agree, give it a 

go, it's not as easy as it looks, but 

your efforts will at all levels be 

appreciated most of the time, by at 

least one team, if not both. Think 

New Players 

New players of all skill levels are 

always welcome at the Club 

Contact Ray Stephens on 

07966412467 or Toby Musgrove on 

07718193573 or come along to training 

on Tuesday or Thursday from 1900 

about this, if a referee 

doesn't show a red card 

when they should early in a 

game, and the opposition 

carry out a similar offence 

later on, how can they show 

a red then? 

Following on from the Rugby World 

Cup the unions will get together to 

look at possible law changes to adapt 

to the way the game of rugby is 

developing, as referees we have 

been hearing some rumours about 

what these changes will (may) be. 

Contribute to RED AND BLACK 

• Photos 

• Comments 

• Articles 

• Features 

• Notices 

• Anything else! 

Thanks to Mark Freeman 

Sam 

Warburton’s 

World Cup red 

stoked the fires of 

controversy 

(www.freester.co.uk) ,Chris Davis and 

Idris Martin for use of their images 


The strongest rumour is regarding the 

maul. It's widely believed the law will 

change to state that after an 

unsuccessful maul the ball will be 

thrown into the scrum by the team 

going forward. This is different from 

current law where the scrum is given 

to the team that didn't take the ball 

into the maul. We believe this law 

change would be a positive for the 

game by encouraging teams to 

compete to move the maul, not spoil 

it. 

The next involves the scrum, a 

change to the cadence to show that 

the ball will not be put in until directed 

by the referee. We believe this will 

allow the referee to ensure that the 

scrum is straight and stable before 

the ball is put it. This could effectively 

kill the hit. Scrums could come 

together less aggressively, and then 

get the shove on once the ball has 

been put in. 

We'll see what happens soon. 

RED AND BLACK 

Puddletown RFC, Enterprise Park, 

Piddlehinton, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 7UA 

Tel: 01305 848808 

Bill 

Ruddock on ‘what 

we want from refs’, 

from the maul to the 

scrum and 

beyond... 

Web: www.puddletownrfc.org.uk 

Ed.: christopher.musgrove@googlemail.com

Red and Black - Puddletown RFC

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