This was a very difficult match report to write. Balancing the disappointment of losing the Quarter Final with the feeling that we should be pleased in the fact we played in an exciting game of rugby, playing some great rugby on the way and taking it down to the final whistle.

So the match? Well 1.30 scheduled kick off was delayed to 3pm after a mix up with licences and a frantic dash by Charles and Eudes to get them to the ground before we forfeited. Having warmed up at 12.30, it was evident that both teams were going to struggle to be ready for the kick of having warmed up, cooled down warmed up and cooled down again, BRFC were certainly not switched on at the kick off.

Centrale started at pace as we knew they would, trying to stretch the defence and sending their big runners into the midfield and the seam between 10 and the breakdown. Their strong running in broken play caused a lot of problems, and it was only excellent scrambling defence that stopped them scoring a try, stopped short once and held up over the line once as well. It's a great example of how good this team can be that we figured out how to defend them and shut down their options very quickly, stopping their quick game and for all their good work they left our half with only a solitary penalty to show.

From then it was our turn, the pack taking the game to them, keeping it tight as planned with good kicking into the corners to keep pressure on and using Brian to set the next breakdown close to the line, the pack completely dominated their lineout, scrum and maul - point in case being the catch and drive on half way that took us deep into their 22, the only thing that stopped us scoring was the ref's willingness to allow them to collapse the maul. A try from Brian after a fly hack and chase, and the lead was 7-3 in our favour heading for halftime.

Centrale are a good team and showed it by playing us at our own game and driving a 5metre lineout over for a try much to our surprise.

8-7 to centrale at half time - and unfortunately for us that's how the score remained until the final whistle.

The second half was played predominantly in our half, a deceptively strong wind making it difficult to kick out of defence and we opted to play out of our own half for the majority of the game rather then surrender pressure only to have it kicked back to us. A cheap shot saw the departure of Neil with a serious rib injury, and the departure of their prop with a red card. unfortunately this probably effected us more then them, meaning all lineout's were shortened and the scrum was reduced to 7 men, nullifying one of our main attacking weapons.

Lost of running rugby from BRFC saw us make huge breaks from our own half but could never quite finish them off with good cover defence from Centrale.

Final score 8-7 to a very relieved looking Centrale

So we lost, but there was a hell of a lot of positives in the game. For a start it went down the wire, and while we lost we certainly didn't disgrace ourselves.

Don't misunderstand me we can't be happy losing, and anyone who saw our dressing room afterwards would understand that we weren't, but some days the luck just doesn't go your way, and there was a world of if's and buts left after the game. I'm pretty sure centrale will be walking away form that game happy to have won but worried with how little they contributed on the attacking side of the game. But credit where it's due and they defended incredibly well and took the chances they were offered.

We had a lot of people who deserved man of the match, it almost seems unfair to award it to one person as really everyone who took to the field gave everything they had. Personally I though the front row were excellent, Matt was his normal reliably excellent self, Nico, Eudes and Sean all had their moments. Jon, Nick and rick all worked hard around the pitch both in the tight and the loose, the back row were incredible, mobile and more then a match for the Centrale lads, big defence from Thomas, Fred, Paul, Ned, James and Arun at various times, and again their work in the eh loose was second to none - turning over their ball and carrying and supporting well.

In the backs, Neil ran things well from 9, Colum played well - in four different positions. ever reliable in defence and slotting in well at 10 when I went off to get treatment.

Brian and Charles were immense in the midfield, totally dominating their opposite centre pairing and showing strong running. Similar story at the back, not much went wrong, and all three of Tom, Quentin and Austen made the right decision at the right time.

Man of the match? Well it really came down to one of four people. Thomas was excellent at 6, turning over their ball, breaking tackles and if it hadn't been for injury shortening his game significantly probably would have been man of the match. Matt and Jon played exceptionally well as a unit in the line out, and both were awesome around the park, and both worthy contenders for man of the match. But it's going to go to Charles, who had probably his best game in a BRFC shirt this season, huge in he tackle, and some great barnstorming runs - he even showed he can pass the ball this week as well.

All in all though lads as I said on Saturday, it really was just a case of it wasn't to be our day, and while we are all gutted to have lost we really shouldn't be to disappointed with how we played. To lose by one point? Well they don't come much closer then that, and, as is often the case, but for a few inches here and there it could have been us heading off to the Semi-finals next week.

The other results showed how close this league can be on the day with only Antony getting a hammering going down 29-0 to France pub, Asptt beat PUC 7-4 and Orsay did SCUF 14-0.

So we walk away from the league having done well enough for a team that only came together 6 months ago, which is not to be underestimated considering all of the teams in our league have been together for a few years - even Centrale, and have infinitely more resources then us.

There is still a bit of rugby to play, with Tour on the 17th and the Cup hopefully being re-arranged for another day as it clashes with the Tour - but we shall see.

well done lads,