RUGBY UNION: Ipswich 5 Diss 19. This was a disappointing start to the new league season for Ipswich, and their supporters were wondering how they lost a match they controlled for so much of the game.

RUGBY UNION

Ipswich 5 Diss 19

THIS was a disappointing start to the new league season for Ipswich, and their supporters were wondering how they lost a match they controlled for so much of the game.

In the end the difference between the two sides was in the finishing. Ipswich could not convert their superiority in terms of possession into points, whereas Diss had three chances to score and took all three.

On each occasion good possession obtained by the industrious pack was squandered by the three quarters. They looked disjointed, ran across the park, and basic skills were often poor, and passes often misdirected.

Diss created three tries from balls they snatched from the Ipswich backs in the loose.

When Ipswich took the ball into contact, rather than look to set up the ball for the forwards to recycle, players tried to force a pass, or simply could not retain the ball in the tackle, and Diss took full advantage, moving the ball through several sets of hands and supporting well when they could sense a try was available.

Ipswich started well, and dominated the scrums for most of the game, but the real problems were at the lineout were Reeve just could not find his range and time after time Diss were given the scrum for not straight at the lineout and so denied Ipswich the continuity they needed to really press home their advantage.

Primmer, jumping at two, actually won more ball on the opposition throw and with Price also dominating his opposite jumper one felt that if the lineout had gone well Diss would have struggled to win the ball.

From one such lineout, Diss caught and drove a misdirected throw, moved the ball wide and some excellent support play enabled them to force errors from the Ipswich defence.

Diss converted the penalty and followed this up with another fine effort moments later to extend the lead to 6-0.

Ipswich quickly responded when from a line out five metres out Primmer caught and the pack drove over, Clake emerging with the ball.

With the wind in their faces, Ipswich kept the pressure on Diss but could not maintain ball for long periods, denying them field position to launch attacks.

As the second half got underway one felt that Ipswich would find the breakthrough but it was not to be. Diss defended well and as time wore on Ipswich looked more desperate and started to try to move the ball wide, and early. This is when the problems started to occur.

Diss snatched the game from Ipswich with three unanswered tries in the last quarter of the game. Each one came from lost ball in the loose.

Coach Atherton was disappointed. He said: "There were many positives to take from the game. Last season we simply did not have a front row, this year our pack is capable of dominating opponents.

"If we can get the lineouts sorted, I think the prospects for the season are good.

"The backs were disorganised but that is not surprising. We lost our fly half Alex Coker in the warm up when he strained his neck, so we had to re-juggle the back line with five minutes to go."