Rugby union: Wimbledon finish seventh in London & SE Premier

Wimbledon finished the London & SE Premier season in seventh place, ending with a 39-39 home draw against Tring which produced 13 tries.

This was a fitting finale for both clubs, each of which has had its ups and downs caused particularly in Wimbledon’s case by the huge injury toll.

The Wimbledon squad, featuring just two players from the team who played at Tring in September, welcomed back lock Jack Cooke whose lineout skills in particular, plus the weight and experience of coach Sean Renwick playing at flanker, helped skipper Josh Bayford and his pack to recreate the excellent rolling mauls that proved so effective earlier in the season – and again in this match.

But they got off to a poor start. Tring won the ball from the kick-off, spread it wide fast to wing Stanford who rounded the defence to score in the corner and, in a blustery wind, converted from the touchline. Four minutes later Dons lost their own scrum, then conceded a penalty from which Tring repeated their previous move to put Stanford in for his second, this time missing the conversion.

The next 10 minutes belonged to Wimbledon. A nice break on half way by centre Finn Taylor led to wing Jamie Millais racing in for try number one, soon followed by one for flanker Tyler Reichardt finishing off a fine drive from a five-metre lineout.

A half-asleep Wimbledon then let Tring’s number eight O’Gorman score their third from a quick tap penalty, the conversion taking the score to 10-19.

But the rest of the half was all Wimbledon. Centre Henry Peuble won the ball from the kick-off and a penalty with it, and from the ensuing 15-metre lineout the pack drove over, Renwick touching down. Then another Dons lineout win, the ball sent wide to Taylor, inside to wing Josh Charles and he was in for try number four. A minute from half time Renwick got his second after another great drive and fly-half Jake Noble’s conversion made it 27-19 at the break.

Ten minutes into the second half it wasTring’s turn again, that man Stanford running in his third try, soon followed by a flowing backs move from half way finished off by replacement Michie, and Stanford’s conversion put his side into a 27-31 lead.

Entering the final 10 minutes they increased it to 27-36, when a neat chip ahead was gathered and touched down by number 10 Criddle, who followed up with a neat drop goal – and it looked all over at 27-39 with just seven minutes remaining.

But those minutes were dominated by a Wimbledon side determined to finish the season on a high.

After numerous drives by the pack from just metres out Bayford barged over under the posts and replacement Regan Botham added the extras.

With the last move of the game the pack again drove over from a five-metre lineout to level the scores. The wind took Botham’s conversion attempt just wide and it was honours even for the day.