BOURNEMOUTH III 80

WEYMOUTH & PORTLAND 12

WEYMOUTH & Portland were handed an 80-12 away humbling at the hands of Bournemouth Thirds in their Dorset & Wilts One South encounter.

Despite the Seahorses again dominating proceedings with their impressive forward pack, Bournemouth cut loose with their back line, steering the ball away from the visitors’ strong suit.

Anthony Cowburn’s side did manage two tries, through Andy Bowditch and a 60-metre dash from Norton Rogers, but Bournemouth had by then pulled well clear – after a scoreless opening 20 minutes.

Speaking to Echosport, Cowburn dismissed any notion that low confidence was to blame.

He said: “I don’t think it was this week. After this game the Bournemouth coach came over and said to me why are you so far down the league, you’ve got the best pack in the league

“Our pack dominated them. He also said that was the best side he’s put out this season. He was able to field a very, very strong team. What they had and we didn’t was a good back line.”

Cowburn added that a promising start soon went awry when Bournemouth shifted focus away from the Seahorses’ forwards.

He said: “After 20 minutes, it was still 0-0 but they had more experienced players that were able to support their backs. When they realised where our weakness was they started to target it.

“They moved the ball quickly away from our strengths and pushed it towards our weaknesses. They were able to capitalise.

“They played some really, really good rugby. It was nice to watch but it wasn’t nice to be on the back end of it.”

Weymouth created the first of their tries through more impressive work from the forwards, while winger Rogers was able to punish a Bournemouth mistake.

Cowburn said: “Our first was our forwards dominating. We won a penalty and the forwards were that confident that they tapped and went themselves, made yards and got held up on the line.

“They came back for a scrum and the forwards pushed themselves over.

“The second try was a mistake by the Bournemouth backline which was picked up by Norton in his own 20 and he ran the length of the pitch.”

Amidst the one-sided scoreline, Cowburn did reserve praise for three of the Seahorses’ forwards.

He said: “Andy, Dan Hayne and Billy Hayne, all three played absolutely outstanding.”

Seahorses: Comben, B Hayne, Berry, Leatham, Billington, D Hayne, A Bowditch, Cameron, Allan, Toms, Richards, Young, Rogers, Orlacchio, Farley. Reps: Hamilton, Tibble, Williams, Davis, Norton, Sankey

CONTACT ME:

t: 01305 830990

e: neil.walton

@dorsetecho.co.uk

twitter: @EchoSportNeil