Super Club claims big scalps in Plate

9:47am Thursday 23rd August 2001

ON a day reminiscent of Blackheath Rugby Club's glory years, they reached a Twickenham final last Saturday for the first time since 1958.

Playing in the Eurobet Middlesex Sevens, Club lost in the Plate final to Harlequins.

Blackheath lost their opening match in the main event to the powerful Saracens by 42-0.

It did not look good as Club were pitted against big-spending Gloucester in the first round of the Plate for teams beaten in the first round.

But Club were not overawed by their Premiership rivals and tries two tries by Charlie Abban and Chris Trace, together with one from Jon Griffin, who also kicked four conversions.

Tha tremendous victory set up a second-round tie against Wasps, who were fielding five internatonals and skippered by former Club favourite Mike Friday.

It looked ominous for Club when Wasps scored straight from ther kick-off, but they missed the conversion and Blackheath responded immediately with a Chris Trace try converted by Griffin. And when Matt Griffiths and Paul Godley went over, Club turned round with a 17-5 lead.

But Wasps rallied and they scored 14 points without reply to lead 19-17 as the match entered its final minutes.

Blackheath were then awarded a penalty 30 metres out and as Griffin and Mark Percival deliberated, the large form of Dom Walton intervened and, in no uncertain terms, suggested a kick at goal. Griffin duly obliged to give Club a one-point lead and in a nail-biting last few seconds, Trace joyously grounded the ball for the match-clinching try which Griffin converted for a 27-19 win to send Blackheath's travelling band of fans into raptures.

In the Plate final, Harlequins proved too strong for a leg-weary Blackheath side and won 21-5 with Abban scoring the Club's solitary try.

Griffin, who captained the side, said: “At the beginning we were slightly overawed by Saracens and we probably gave them too much respect.

“But we grew in confidence and played to our strengths.

“Gloucester gave us the confidence that we were good enough to make the Plate final.

“Wasps lost the plot because the probably thought they only had to turn up to win and they rightly got a rollicking from their coach after we beat them.

“I will remember three things from the day. First, hearing out fans cheering us on when we came out to warm up. Second, after we beat Wasps and then at the end of the Harlequins match when, despite losing, our fans stood applauding us during torrential rain.”

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