Big win for U14 Black on the road

Saffron Walden U14’s 0 v 70 Ipswich U14 Black ( Tries : Harvey, Callum C, Victor, Ollie S 3, Joe F 2, Callum M, Dom, Aston, Matt. Conversions : Victor 3, Callum M 2)

The long journey down to Saffron Walden was well worth the trip for us today as the boys put on a fantastic display of controlled rugby that really saw us show our capabilities with and without the ball. Walden made us really welcome and they are a fantastic club. We would really like to develop the bond and see if we can play them more often as despite the score line they did compete and made us work really hard for the shut out in the second half.

For the first time this season we started well. Bill won a strike against the head and Mo got the ball away to Vic who drove at them hard with support from Harvey who he put in for the simplest of scores. From a line out Dom then drove at the five metre line to put Callum C in for his first try in Black and Gold and then Victor got in for one with good support from Arch who took away the defender and allowed Victor the gap which he drove through to make it 0-15 inside the first ten minutes.

The last fifteen minutes of the first half were the most satisfying for me that we have put together this season as we utilised the ABC, AB drill to good effect to then go through hands and stretch Walden to breaking point for five more unanswered tries. First it was Ollie S and then Joe F who both got on the end of some really good attack play. Sometimes in training I do wonder if we are going to transition it to a game scenario but today we made it pay and that can only give the boys confidence as we move into November. Victor converted the later of these two tries to make it 0-27. Ollie S got on the end of the next two showing considerable strength and power, again with us showing our capability to pull Walden one way and then the other with the ABC, AB and the second one where we went from our ten metre line after a brilliant cover tackle from Dom stopped their most dangerous player from getting in to score. Victor converted this one and then right on the half time we got Joe F away again through the hands after we’d run the ABC’s and Victor duly converted. So 0-46 at half time and a very decent display.

We made five changes at half time which merely reflected that we needed to give five substitutes decent minutes with County Cup games in mind, us looking at formations and seeing who can play where under pressure. Freddy H came on for Callum C, Aston for Joe F, Gibbo for Harvey, Harris for Ollie W and Callum M for Kajaei. All the boys who made way did well today and can be pleased with their shifts.

Playing into the wind and the sun in the second half we knew Walden would come at us hard so the message was to stop them scoring and to focus on that, not trying to score lots more tries and maybe get a little ragged in the process. A shut out was always the main task of the day in the second 25 minutes and we started well with good defence that we turned into attack before going wider left through Gibbo who showed great acceleration and then Victor who popped in Callum M who skipped through next to the post and then converted for the extra points. Dom then scored under the posts after great driving work from Joe M and then Arch, Callum M converting again and then we got Aston in wide right after a great pick and go by Haz from the base of the scrum that he then moved to Arch who continued the drive before putting Fred H away who drew the man before putting in Aston for the simplest of tries. Finally we got Matt in after great ABC, AB work from the forwards that got the backs in and then Matt popped up in the line to finish it off.

In amongst all this, Walden put us under a fair amount of pressure in the second half and they are a decent side despite what the score says.

Man of the Match

Walden gave their man of the match to Hazza for his probing running and presented him with a tie. We did the same in reverse from us and presented their standout player with Arch’s tie which I will replace. My man of the match for his work rate and generally making us tick today was Victor. There were lots of good performances from us across the park generally and I was very pleased with the work rate and shift we put in.

Camaraderie

Really pleased with the team spirit and togetherness today. The music in the dressing room before and after really worked and seeing Fab Freddy H, Matt, Gibbo and Victor bust their moves will live long in the memory. Also really please with Wrighty who came and supported the boys even though he wasn’t selected for this one but was still very much part of the group.

Thank you to all the parents and family for getting the boys there and again to Walden for hosting us.