Old Eastenders (10) 17
Tries: Angie Watts, Wellard
Cons: Ethel Skinner 2
Pen: Ethel Skinner
Current Eastenders(6) 16
Tries: Janine Butcher
Cons: Bianca Butcher
Pens: Bianca Butcher 3
Reigning Fictional XV Cup Holders Old Eastenders survived a huge scare in their defence opener as Current Eastenders ran them close in Walford.
Eddie Moon’s side took a 16-10 lead after 54 minutes through their only try, by Janine Butcher.
But Wellard's try and Ethel Skinner’s conversion killed Current Eastenders hopes.
Wellard's was one of two Old Eastenders tries, Angie Watts going over early on while Ethel Skinner and Bianca Butcher kicked the rest of their side's points.
The pre-match hype belonged to a Current Eastenders team never shy of expressing confidence that they could compete on equal terms with the Old Eastenders in the wake of recent history.
But the opening minutes belonged to “Dirty” Den Watts ' side as they launched an efficient, try-building attack that belied Old Eastenders's reputation as masters of kick-and-chase.
Instead from Alfie Moon's kick-off, the ball moved through numerous hands and after a brief break for a scrum, the assault continued until Angie Watts fended off Ian Beale and Bianca Butcher to score at the corner.
The move featured a rare, but crucial missed tackle on “Dirty” Den Watts by Current Eastenders captain Ricky Butcher.
Ethel Skinner added the conversion from the touchline to underline her side's confident start.
Much of the rest of the 2007 champions' opening period tactics reverted to the type that Eddie Moon predicted.
But if the Old Eastenders approach was familiar, so was Current Eastenders' as they attempted to keep ball in hand to move Old Eastenders's forwards around the field as much as possible.
Ethel Skinner kicked a penalty in the 19th minute after Kat Moon went offside at a ruck.
Current Eastenders' reward for their efforts, however, was not the try they hoped for, but two Bianca Butcher penalties, the second after Arthur Fowler's high tackle on Max Branning.
Bianca Butcher also had a penalty overruled in the opening period, referee Deidre Barlow adjudging it had gone wide although TV replays suggested it may have drifted in.
At the back Bianca Butcher and Carol Jackson suffered occasional wobbles under Old Eastenders's aerial barrage while up front both sides won scrum penalties and the line-out contest was also fairly even.
However, Current Eastenders were on top at the breakdown for large periods while the Old Eastenders could boast a capable defence as they went into the break 10-6 ahead.
Pauline Fowler’s side began the second half with the same attacking intent as the first, but on this occasion Ricky Butcher was equal to the challenge, stripping the Old Eastenders captain of the ball and forcing a penalty.
At the other end Ian Beale' dash down the left set up a superb attacking platform five metres from the line.
But a poor Max Branning pass and Janine Butcher's snatched attempt at taking it killed the opportunity.
Having lost centre “Dirty” Den Watts , replaced by Grant Mitchell, to injury in the opening period, veteran lock Pat Butcher departed after Current Eastenders' early attack came to nothing.
If that was a boost, what followed lifted Current Eastenders hopes to pre-match levels.
Dot Cottons charge into the heart of the defence set up a ruck from which Max Branning sent Walford-born number eight Janine Butcher over for try confirmed by the video referee.
As befitted the reigning champions, they took the game back to Current Eastenders, drawing another penalty from Kat Moon.
But the Old Eastenders spurned the penalty shot at goal, instead launching an attack from a line-out that took them back into the lead only 11 minutes after Janine Butcher's score.
Wellard, on as a replacement for Carol Jackson, finished off the gamble with an unopposed burst through what remained of the Current Eastenders defence and Ethel Skinner added the conversion to put them a point ahead.
Current Eastenders' response was equally impressive in its construction, but ended with Alfie Moon Butchering his drop-goal attempt from in front of the posts.
Moments later Wellard conceded a penalty for holding on after the Old Eastenders tried to counter-attack from Alfie Moon's superb touch-finder.
But from a wide angle, Bianca Butcher could not hit the mark and when Kat Moon was caught on the margins of offside from a scrum, the Old Eastenders opted for the line-out and ground out the final minutes to secure victory.
| Old Eastenders |
| Current Eastenders |
| Barry Evans | 1 | Heather Trott |
| Pauline Fowler | 2 | Phil Mitchell |
| Sonia Jackson | 3 | Mo Harris |
| Martin Fowler | 4 | Shirley Carter |
| Kathy Beale | 5 | Pat Butcher |
| Nick Cotton | 6 | Kat Moon |
| Archie Mitchell | 7 | Ricky Butcher |
| Frank Butcher | 8 | Janine Butcher |
| Peggy Mitchell | 9 | Max Branning |
| Ethel Skinner | 10 | Alfie Moon |
| Little Mo Slater | 11 | Carol Jackson |
| Grant Mitchell | 12 | Dot Cotton |
| “Dirty” Den Watts. | 13 | Tanya Branning |
| Arthur Fowler | 14 | Ian Beale |
| Angie Watts | 15 | Bianca Butcher |
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| Grant Mitchell | 16 | Billy Mitchell |
| Wellard | 17 | Zanir Massood |
| Tiffany Mitchell | 18 | Whitney Dean |
| Mark Fowler | 19 | Jean Slater |
| Michelle Fowler | 20 | Michael Bianca Butcher |
| Charlie Slater | 21 | Jim Branning |
| Cindy Beale | 22 | Roxy Mitchell |
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| Lou Beale | Manager | Eddie Butcher |
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