"Actually, London's not a shithole, it's quite good. Lots of nice places to go to, loads of pubs and clubs. So no, I'd say London's not a shithole, and it's a lot better than Wigan."
The banter from the Warriors fans was pretty spot-on. One lad couldn't hold his drink well and was full of loud songs and assertions. His mate opposite him was the opposite, a bit of wit about him, spotting the opportunity to make his mate look stupid in public and nailing it. The look of embarrassed unease about the drunk was enjoyed by the whole carriage.
Had the pissed up lad made up songs about the Broncos, though, he would have been left unchallenged by anyone. It was another grim afternoon in prospect for London Broncos supporters as their cataclysmic Super League season wore on.
At the turn of the year, Harlequins returned to their favoured Broncos moniker, and the club promised they had assembled the strongest squad in the club's history. 17 defeats out of 20 games later, with the Broncos rock bottom, those words seemed horribly laughable.After a series of humiliating hammerings, coach Rob Powell, who had never played the game, let alone coached at this level before, was mercifully relieved on his duty and club legend Tony Rea, who had led the Broncos to a couple of play-off appearances, was drafted back up from Down Under.
His task was a thankless one. Challenge Cup holders Wigan Warriors were at the top and in fine fettle. The most successful club side in history up next for London. The nightmare was surely about to continue.
The thing is, though, that the Broncos fans know their team is hopeless, they know they will get tonked, and they turn up anyway. There may not be many of them, but my, do they love their rugby league.
It was also my first roving report for Phoenix FM. I feared I might be reporting on a crime scene more than a sport, with a badly beaten Broncos left twitching on the field. Which isn't a euphemism. I winced at the last match Chipper and I saw at the impressive Twickenham Stoop. A 58-12 annihilation by Leeds Rhinos. I was going for a 70 point thrashing.A healthy crowd of over 4,000 saw everything going to plan in the first 10 minutes. Wigan Warriors were 10-0 up. Sam Tomkins was running the show. The Broncos looked down and out already. We started to shake our heads and roll our eyes.
Yet the expected slaughter never materialised. Well, not for a while. The rugby wasn't pretty, and London created a little less than little in the way of scoring opportunities, but as the seconds ticked down to half time, an unlikely rumbling was going around, totally unconnected with the chicken balti pies. The next try was going to be the crucial one. Broncos had somehow forced the issue.
They wished they hadn't. The impressive Sam Tomkins made a break for the Broncos try-line and clearly dropped the ball in doing so. The referee, though, with Tomkins back to him, missed it and gave the try. Normally there would be uproar at a decision like that. In the Broncos case, though, there was just an irritated acceptance that when you're at the bottom your luck's out.
That was it, really. Broncos tried, but Warriors had theirs up for the second half. In the end the 44-6 scoreline was about right, although it actually marked a considerable improvement from the capital's only Super League club.I duly reported the hammering to Phoenix FM and was pleased that the atmosphere being generated was being picked up by the mic. Blimey, it sounded almost professional. Only almost though.
One thing about rugby league, though, is that it's always a refreshing change from professional football. Supporters of both clubs mingle, sit together, have a pint, and cheer their side next to each other. You do get an edge on occasion, such as the electric Good Friday night at Odsal (more of that another time), but by and large it's a nice, relaxing afternoon at the match. I love it.
6 points from 21 games. I'm beginning to think the Broncos play-off bid might just fall slightly short if they don't buck their ideas up. And today, yet again, they were truly bucked.
London Broncos 6, Wigan Warriors 44
No comments:
Post a Comment