It was a beast of a day straight from the rancid meadows of Hades as we played a talented Belsize team who were a well drilled outfit who possessed solid lines of running. It wasn’t long before their 14 opened us up skillfully and surgically to run in the first of 2 tries Belsize scored in the opening half playing down the hill and with the brutal breeze.
This early score seemed to steel UCS as we defended gallantly for the first 30 minutes. It was then that our gallantry started to pay as we hemmed in Belsize into there own 22 like a rugby seamstress that time had long forgotten.
We battered Belsize ramparts with our big blundering guns but just couldn’t score in the first half.
UCS carried this robust momentum into the second half with some fine performances but alas we just couldn’t get ahead in the game, notwithstanding 2 excellent tries.

George (Sewell) gained hard yards evertytime he took the ball even if they were somewhat of a hospital in nature. Some of the passes were caught by a Matron’s natured wind and would have been more suited to Orthopeadic ward at the royal free rather than the fine, if somewhat dampened, pastures of Hendon. I could swear that George was wearing a pristine white lab coat and stethoscope by the end of the game!
Alex Michaelson was equally robust from hooker with countless carries into to thr heart of Belsize defence, Not only that, he kindly agreed to ref the second half like a true professional. With touch flags and whistle in hand, he made a sublime entrance wearing a shirt that would make the ugliest of toads vomit on sight.
David Cohen worked so hard with George to get this game on during the week and into Saturday morning. It is therefore a matter of rugby joy that he was rewarded by the sometimes cruel gods of rugby, with a try as well as the Jedi award. Not only this but in the second half he ran a line of such pace that he has now been invited to the Hadron Collider on the outskirts of Geneva to power there next fission. Quarks and Sparks flew as he thundered into the line. In fact he was so focussed on his velocity that his dexterity got the better of him as he forgot to catch the ball. The beauty queen of glory literally slipped through his hands.
Wing commander Warren provided heaps of running and tackling on Saturday and was very close to man of the match for his efforts. A try in second half was rich reward indeed as UCS piled on the pressure
Mert Zabci is a voracious rugby monster. He feeds on collecting the ball, shoving it up his jumper and smashing it upnto the opposition. Pure and rugged Turkish delight. I do hope his injured knee is okay.
Liam Clarke was no less insatiable and it was great to have him back. The talented tosser of coins from Yorkshire used his vigorous dexterity to have a dominant game on the flank
Making up the triumvirate of the back row was the marauding Jonny Harper at 8; Can no man quell this giant’s sword or temper his temper. As passionate as ever with some lovely breaks from the base of the scrum into the mollases of the mid field.
As for the backs, George Cowell jingle jangled his way through the game, jinking around on those lovely feet to open space for others. A super game out of position at 9.
Luca Joseph was the standout player on the pitch. He made some ENORMOUS tackles, none more so than the tackle in the second half where he lined up the opposition centre from around the 16th Century. He has the look of a musketeer and the bravery to match. A deserved Man of match who one could easily see in swashbuckling adventures, wooing ladies with his swordsmandship and courage.
In the ladle of life Jonny Gunning was also given more spoonfuls than others in the courage department but it was lovely to see some touches of quality on the pitch as well. Classy.
Does Jacopo Savini ever have a bad game and does he ever miss a tackle. I throw my gauntlet at the feet of any man that tells me he has. Some superb covering at the back in atrocious conditions.
I believe we have entered a new eon of Rugby at UCS with Rollesy’s Rugby Renaissance.
He has certainly rolled back the years and is so solid of stature that his shoulders could bear the heaviest of burdens in the centre. Another one it is great to have back on the pitch.

We must rejoice in the fact this was Lisandro first game of rugby and he passed with flying colours. A superb cover tackle in the first half was close to winning the Jedi which would have been an auspicious start in the UCS shirt to his rugby career. I cannot wait to see him don his boots again as there be talent in those limbs.
Jimmy is a quiet unassuming man with the heart of lion. He made a number of Try saving tackle before being cruelly struck down with an injured calf and we wish him a speedy recovery.
Paul Dillon had a superb game at prop. Not a backward step was taken physically but many a forward step was taken verbally as Paul talked to his opposition prop more than Trever Turton has to the check out girl at Greggs bakery in 52 years of sausage rolls.
Chris Pope unretired himself to play and scored a clear try that I saw with my own muddied eyes. Alas, it wasn’t to be as the muddied mist of the afternoon tainted the referees view of this score.
“Full many a gem of purest ray serene the dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear, full many a flower is born to blush unseen and waste its sweetness on the desert air” as Thomas Gray once said. I am not sure Saturday was a desert but your try that wasn’t a try was certainly a gem.

Final score 21-10 to Belsize but an excellent performance against a good side.

Big thanks to Dave and George for getting this game on and also to Conrad for an extremely entertaining evening at captains cocktails after the game.

Date: 14th Jan 2023
Team: UCS Dev
Opposition: Belsize Park
Score: 10 - 21
Man of Match: Luca Joseph
Jedi: David Cohen
Tries: Cohen and Fraser

Cheers Chappers