Willoughby is Bloeming good in Guernsey win

Guernsey 39, Tottonians 0

GUERNSEY resembled a team sitting second from top of London Three South-West rather than second from bottom on Saturday. The 80-minute performance for which coach Colin McLatchie had been asking arrived in emphatic fashion as the unfortunate Tottonians were put to the sword.

'That was better,' said McLatchie with a wry grin at the final whistle.

'One to 19 were magnificent. It was what we have been waiting for all season - what we have been working for for so long. I thought we played very well and controlled the game in all disciplines.

'I do not feel that we are a second-from-bottom team and that display proved a point today.'

If the whole Guernsey team were magnificent, one was simply on another planet.

Willoughby Bloem produced a masterclass in the art of playing at scrum half. His passing was exquisite, his kicking immaculate and his running sublime.

For much of the second half he filled in at fly half after his mate Francois Venter, who had been hugely impressive as well, succumbed to injury. Bloem made that role look easy too.

It was the South African number nine who made the break that set Guernsey on their way after just three minutes.

From a scrum on halfway, Bloem picked up, spotted the gap and ghosted through it with ease after throwing a dummy. With just one defender to beat, he offloaded to the supporting Paul Livesey and the winger went over.

Five minutes later Venter added three more to the score with a drop goal, drilled through the posts from fully 40 yards with the minimum of fuss.

Guernsey were looking hungry and worked the phases well, retaining the ball and getting men in support continuously.

At the heart of the dog work were flankers Darren Jones and Mark Elliott. Their back-row colleague, James Regnard, was typically never far from the action either.

The score was up to 13-0 after 13 minutes as Bloem got onto the scoresheet himself, bursting through the defensive line with the pace of a greyhound following a neat interchange with Venter. The only moment of embarrassment for the home side came from the conversion when Venter attempted a quick drop goal from directly in front of the posts, but watched it sail wide of them.

It was obvious that it was not to be Tottonians' day on the half-hour mark as they created an overlap with a neat move only for Guernsey captain Andy Bailey to intercept what should have been the killer pass and race virtually the whole length of the pitch to touch down.

Jones converted that try and the Welshman deservedly added one of his own just before the interval, going over in the left-hand corner after a break by need I say who.

Just moments after the turnaround the hosts were temporarily reduced to 14 as Regnard was sent to the sin bin having failed to retreat 10cm, let alone 10 metres, when he tackled his opponent after a Tottonians' tap penalty.

The visitors did pressurise the Guernsey line during the ensuing 10 minutes but the home side stood firm.

Once back to their full complement, the Sarnians starting adding to their points tally as Jim Elliott was given a free run to the line and the skipper Bailey got the last try with 10 minutes remaining. Bloem was, unsurprisingly, instrumental in both tries and fittingly he scored the last two points of the game with the final conversion.

McLatchie, who had not seen Bloem in the South African's first season in the island last year, now knows what all the fuss is about.

'The boy's got a degree of talent,' was his initial, understated assessment.

'Will is class. Unfortunately, no one can keep up with him because he is that quick.

'Francois played very well also. The two have been playing together back in South Africa: they know each other's game and that showed.'

Unfortunately, Guernsey have a two-week break before their next fixture, but it is hoped no momentum will be lost.

Their next home game is on 10 December and anyone who has yet to see Bloem in action is recommended to be at Foote's Lane that afternoon. This 20-year-old is simply too good to be playing in this division.