Holt 35 v 25 Ipswich U13 Gold (Aston 3, Arch, Joe)

Having been given the smallest changing room in the world to share with our U16’s whilst Holt had a changing room each for U13 and U16 we had to get out early to warm up rather than use the dressing room as we just couldn’t get both our age groups in there.

We started okay and there was plenty of too and fro but neither side was able to get a foothold or hold onto their own ball for the first 10 minutes. Ben made his debut in black and gold and I thought had a very good day out wide, never giving up, even when he was completely isolated at times. As the game wore on we struggled to secure ball at the ruck and got pushed off time and time again as we went deeper into the half. This made it difficult for Mo to get the ball out and then away to Harvey who could then only give flat ball to Sam and Ollie who by this time were nearly always over run. Joe tried hard to make good lines but the game was very static when we were ball in hand and we played without the fluidity that we had showed the previous week against Diss. Yes we had boys missing but we had trained really well in the week and I was confident we would go well. At half time we were 25-0 down and boys were asking to come off as they had been during the half and that I’m afraid really disappoints me. Leo did pick up a knock to the head so came off as a precaution and his tackling was very good today. That said, without naming names we need to be fitter or really question whether we want to play this great game moving forward. If you’re asking to come off and you’re not injured, you’re playing the wrong game in my eyes.

We made big changes at the break and the second half started very much like the first half in that it took 10 minutes for the first score to happen. This time though it was us and we were now securing rucks and winning ball. Then we stopped playing when they made a big forward pass that the referee let go, which they then turned into a try. This was a further ongoing lesson in playing to the whistle but heads didn’t drop and we then really started to turn it on. Bill, Will and then Arch made great forward progress before Arch popped to Dom who ran at the try line and drew two players getting smashed in the process but still managed to pop it off to Aston to score. Arch then stole ball in a tackle and managed to go unnoticed down the blindside and then open his legs and get away to score. Their big lad who was merely big in my opinion but will give him the credit of being very quick ran through some hands out wide to keep the gap at 4 tries before Joe made a brilliant line to run in a long one and then Aston bagged his third. As the game finished we were very much in the ascendancy but we’d just given ourselves too much to do with the way we started. I know we are so much better than we showed today but self belief has to come from within. Not me or the other coaches.

Standouts

I was very pleased with Ben as I’ve said. It was great to have Seth back after a while out and we’ve certainly missed his input. Harris made some great lines from deep and was good in the tackle as was Joe. The boys that came over from Black were all very solid. Freddie H led the pack well and hit good numbers in his tackles as did Robert. I gave the MoM to Robert as he got through a stack of work when he came on for Leo who hit good tackle numbers but had to go off as I’ve said. Being a forward can mean that a lot of your work can go unnoticed. Well done today Robert. Now lets move it forward.

We should also remember that today we’ve effectively played Holts best. Whilst they weren’t a very pleasant bunch of boys given the songs they were singing in their dressing room about us afterwards, they were a good test. If we are to keep moving forward we have to stand up to the better tests and the fixture card this season gives us that. We look forward to giving them a warmer welcome at the Lane later in the season.

Things to work on…

Our platforms. We have to secure good ball at the ruck and in the scrum if we are to play with freedom. If it is a ruck we need to get there in numbers and either ruck over or seal it. If it is a scrum we need to dominate from the get go.

The ball. We need to look after it better. Being able to catch a ball that has been kicked to us by the opposition or passed to us by a team mate is a basic. Throwing it away when we are under pressure rather than recycling it is another basic.

Support. We have to support the runners with numbers so that the runner doesn’t become isolated in the tackle and the ball turned over.

Line speed. We need to get up quicker and hit our tackles.

Tackles. We have to make our tackles. Mark a player, win your individual battles.

Understand our processes and deliver on them. We practice ABC’s and drift and yet it sometimes doesn’t materialise in games. If we don’t understand we need to ask and practice to the point that we can replicate what we do in training in games.