Colchester achieved Centurion status with this emphatic one hundred nil league victory over visitors Woodford. In an awesome display of fifteen-man attacking rugby, thirteen Colchester players scored sixteen unanswered tries to demolish a struggling Woodford side. The men in black scored more than sixty points for the fourth of eight games so far this season to the delight of the home crowd.

Woodford started well, disrupting Colchester possession and counter attacking for a scoreless first quarter hour and a last ditch four minutes unsuccessful defence to keep the final score in two digits. Resistance crumbled in the face of relentless Colchester pressure, tackles missed and possession repeatedly conceded by a Woodford side lacking confidence.

The Colchester team were faster, stronger, fitter and more resolute than their dispirited opponents in all aspect of play. Rather than seeking individual glory a team game was played that saw the ball moved by hand to supporting Colchester teammates to maintain attacking momentum, denying Woodford possession and scoring efficiently to build a points tally for a promotion push this season.

The Colchester pack completely outplayed their opponents. Woodford scrums were driven off the ball, lineouts plundered and loose ball seized by the more eager men in black. Repeated well supported Colchester forward surges led to eight forwards scoring ten tries. The Colchester backs ran a beguiling variety of attacking lines to befuddle their opponents, using speed and power to great effect.

Lock Liam Pickett started the rout with an unchallenged lineout take and dive over for the opening try on fifteen minutes. Winger Damien Brambley added his first chasing down a deft James Crozier chip kick, reciprocating with a pass to set his fellow wing in for Crozier’s own try. Centre-turned-flanker Ben Murphy finished off a slick handling move with Colchester’s fourth bonus point winning try before No. 8 James McRae returned the restart kick in a forty metre charge before Murphy raced in his second try in as many minutes.

A lineout catch and drive enabled prop James Mitchell to bulldoze over for a try from five metres, flanker Ollie White running in another from 35 metres. Liam Pickett returned the Woodford restart in a fifty metre charge that resulted in Brambley’s second try, flyhalf David Higgins adding his fifth conversion for the 50-0 halftime lead.

Colchester started the second half determined to add to their points tally but injuries to Higgins and Brambley led to a reshuffle that the team had to adjust to quickly. A Woodford scrum-five was reversed over their line by the powerful Colchester pack where scrumhalf Matt Wadling touched down. Lock Elliot Castle drove a wedge through the Woodford defence, centre Matt Smith breaking tackles at speed to score before James McRae jinked his way through a tired defence to add his try. Skipper for the day Graeme Hay showed his skills as the lock turned up on the wing and crafted a well judged kick, the receiving Woodford fullback bundled into touch by the speedy chase down by prop Joe MacMillan. From the resultant lineout steal, Hay finished the move he had started in his own half with a try.

Forward drives set the position for prop Jay Hatcher to cannonball over for a try, Liam Pickett carrying tacklers over for his second before hooker Dan Brennan seized fullback Brett Cutbush’s chip to score, Crozier’s fourth conversion taking the score to 93-0.

Woodford dug in for the last four minutes before Colchester’s waves of attacks ended with a quick tap penalty by the alert Brett Cutbush set him to zip in for the final try, Crozier’s conversion taking the score to one hundred points with the last kick of the match before capable referee Michael Woods blew the final whistle – leaving Colchester’s two digit scoreboard unable to cope.

Gary Griffiths, Colchester RUFC