1st XV v Barnardiston Hall

Despite the comfortable score line, this was a slightly frustrating performance, as the bitter cold conditions and a competitive opposition rather pushed us into our shell and we forgot what we do best: play fast, expansive rugby together as a team.  Too often we tried to do things as individuals, rather than looking to off load and keep the ball alive.  On occasion we did put passages to play together and looked at our best, but greater consistency of performance is definitely needed.  Odd flashes of individual brilliance were there and we stopped taking conversions after the fourth try to keep the score below 50 points and thus play the full game.  Having said this, we scored 8 tires, without playing too well, so the team continued to show their quality. 

Overall Season: Played 9, Won 8, Lost 1.

Points for 305, Points against 114

Felsted Prep v Royal Hospital School

1^st XV: Won 19 -12

Preparations for the game were slightly disrupted when we lost our hooker, Luke Bury, 15 minutes before kick-off; but Ross Ingram seemed thrilled to be given his chance and he would play like a seasoned professional! From the kick-off we recycled it twice and moved the ball wide and ended the move with Tom Walker scoring in the corner. RHS came straight back at us and soon crossed our line under the posts to take a 5 – 7 lead. We responded again and a period of pressure was rewarded with a determined try from Will Barker at close range. Once again RHS came back at us and leveled the score at 12 – 12 just before half time. Despite all the pressure in the second half we couldn't cross the line, as the final pass refused to go to hand and they threatened a break away try at any moment! We struggled in the scrum as we were constantly going backwards, but the tight five kept working really hard under intense pressure. We seemed to lack a bit of composure and our decision making was, at times, poor. However, in the last passage of play we finally moved it wide quickly and Jonathan Salami crossed the line, just, to snatch the victory. This was a truly great game to watch and, whilst the performance was not as impressive as on Wednesday, the sheer determination and heart shown by the whole team was what won the game for us. Each and every player showed exactly what it means to wear ‘the shirt’ and they should be immensely proud of themselves.

Tries: Tom Walker, Will Barker and Jonathan Salami

Conversions: Tom Hitchcock (2)

2^nd XV: Won 27-0

Finally the 2nd XV turned up to play some proper rugby. There was a much more positive attitude to the game. We were aggressive but controlled and we rucked RHS off the pitch, with great handling in all areas.

3^rd XV: Lost 7-26

 Never have I been so proud of a team in defeat as I was on Saturday 10th November. Our opponents are always difficult to beat and as we faced their well-drilled Year 7 A team we knew our work was cut out! This was RHS' best Year 7 players and although we had a few older Year 8 players we were clearly up against it from the start. However, your young men battled their hearts out and tackled like they'd never tackled before. When we did get ball, our backs made good ground and, but for some solid defence, would have scored more tries. RHS just seemed a little sharper and more dynamic in the contact areas and often counter rucked us off the ball; giving them lots of attacking opportunities. But for some tenacious last ditch tackling and all out commitment from us, RHS could maybe have scored more. Joe Head showed initiative by taking a quick tap penalty and going over for our try under the posts; which he also converted. I thought James Cotterill, coming up from the 4ths at the last minute, played really well as did so many of the team but I felt Robert Hadley just shaved it for Man of the Match, not so much for his running and try scoring on this occasion but for his dogged refusal to let his winger, (or indeed anyone!), get past him. Well done boys - New Hall next up!

4^th XV: Won 24-0

The 4^th XV didn’t leave the best performance of the year for their last game, but it was a great spectacle to watch.  The boys played the RHS U12B team and managed to beat them 24-0 in our final game of the year, to remain unbeaten after our 6 games! Their forwards came at us hard for the full 50 minutes and also had our forwards troubled. With Felsted losing a lot of ball in the ruck, the boys tried to respond by pouring more numbers into the ruck, which was a risky plan to try and win the ball. It worked for most of the time, but RHS’ defence was defiant and it took until the 20^th minute and about half of that time spent in the RHS 22. With Jasper Sullivan having a pick and go and grounding the ball in superb style to take us into the break 7-0 up.

As we say every week, the first 5 minutes is always a barrage, and that it was! RHS threw everything they had at us for 5 minutes. But once again we weathered the storm and managed to hit back with great thinking in our own half by Hamish Rowe, to take a quick tap and to run 60 metres down the blindside to bring it around for Peter Hipkin to successfully convert.  RHS’ heads started to drop and the boys kept applying pressure with a barnstorming run by William Pierpoint, to have his first try of the year and to set us up for another great win. But in the last few minutes, “Captain Courageous”  (Serge Savva), who scored the last try of the year under the posts and to cap off a fantastic year from all of the boys, winning in a style that I tried to install into the boys throughout the whole year. It was an honour coaching such a great bunch of boys and getting to know them all individually and I will sincerely miss the team spirit and the way they carried themselves on and off the field.

5^th XV: Won 52-10

Saturday 10th November saw the first 5th XV home fixture of the season and, with a record crowd turning out on the back of Wednesday's big win, there was an air of anticipation as some of the supporters got to see their team for the first time. Captain Joe Wahl quickly gathered the squad together for the warm up and, after some discussion amongst themselves, it was decided that there was no real advantage to be gained by choosing ends should he win the toss and as a team they would prefer to receive the first kick off. The coach's instructions were simple today, keep doing what you have been doing and take the game to them from the off. As the first kick off fell into the arms of the mighty 5ths a swift passing move and burst of pace from Jordan Guerrero saw him ground the ball and the team take an early 5 - 0 lead. The quality of passing, pressing, moving and mauling continued throughout the first half and, although the half ended on a slightly sour note for the 5ths with Boomer Entwistle coming off with a stiff neck, his replacement Owen Howell, and a shuffling of the team with the effervescent Ben Dally moving up to prop, meant that the lead was never in doubt. It was a deflated RHS side that went in at half time trailing 25-0 after some superb battling tries from Ed Davis, Elliot Reeve, a tremendous running try from Will Ginsburg and the now famous number 8 pick up try executed superbly by Silas Turner Jones. Jelly babies, water and words of encouragement from both the coach and referee saw the boys take to the field for the second half, (with a substitution of Matthew Hudson-Lund coming on for the ever present Joey Ginsburg), not only aware of the change of ends but warned that RHS would not take this lying down and that it would be a different game altogether this half. Captain Wahl was having none of this though and surged through the RHS back line to score an early try taking the score to 30 - 0. As if foretold in the stars, RHS came back fighting and the remainder of the second half was a real ding dong battle. An RHS try to take the score to 30 - 5 woke up the Felsted defence and, were it not for the fearless tackling of Jonathan Barber chasing anyone who dared try for a breakaway, many more tries would have been conceded. After Silas Turner Jones powered over the line, (powered or was bundled we are still unsure), and Alex Bunn added his now customary try the score was taken 40 - 5 and then ensued another tremendous passage of open play and fearless rugby. Joe Wahl and Jordan Guerrero added another try each and, with the latter being converted from the boot of Joe the score reached 52 - 5. As if sensing the end of the season already (and having been involved in two awesome matches of rugby in 4 days) the 5ths allowed RHS to score another try for consolation which sent Coach Clarke behind the posts during the conversion attempt to remind them that the game was not yet over. The game finished 52-10. Of course, I have not yet mentioned all of the boys who played on Saturday but, were it not for the tremendous hooking of Will Newnham, the front row strength of Bertie Webster and Boomer Entwistle, the back line presence and intelligent support running of George Harvey, and the controlled aggression of Bram Emsley, I can assure you that the result would not have been the same. It has been an incredibly enjoyable and successful season for the 5th XV and I now look forward to the boys showing the rest of Year 7 and 8 exactly what they are capable of during League Matches.

U11A at the Felsted seven-a-side tournament

What a morning! There was a lot of excitement building up to this and we had been working on sevens rugby during the week. The boys need to think a lot more during sevens and cannot just put themselves on their default setting. We started a little tentatively in our group and only beat The Perse by two points (a missed conversion). However, we got into our stride and managed to win the other pool matches quite convincingly against FKS and St Cedd's. This put us in the semi-final against Felsted 'B' team. The 'B' team battled well and played their hearts out, but we were just a little too strong for them. This then put us into the final against a big Dame Bradbury's side. However, Dame Bradbury's were unlucky as we had been improving every game and getting more used to the style of sevens. An absolutely outstanding display of rugby by the boys, even more impressive considering how tired they were, meant that we came out convincing and deserved victors. A good day at the office! Thank you to Mr Hays for organising the event, thank you to the parents for their support and thank you to the boys for their unfailing enthusiasm and effort.

Felsted Prep v St St Faith's Cambridge

1^st XV: Won 24 - 14

Having taken virtually all the 1^st XV away to Dublin on tour the hope was that they would carry their form through to this week. They did not disappoint. This was a fierce contest against a previously unbeaten St Faith’s side and only our very best was good enough to beat them. In the first half we dominated upfront and were the more physical and demanding side and deserved our 12 – 0 lead with both tries being scored by Will Barker. In the second half St Faith’s showed their spirit and determination and fought their way back into the game, mainly through the boot. Two tries allowed them to move into the lead 12 – 14. However, we were not to be denied victory and a period of pressure in the opposition 22 lead to a Tom Walker try following some outstanding scrummaging as we took a 19 – 14 lead. Any worries about losing the game were then dispelled by a strong Jonathan Salami try in the left corner.

The team were all superb today and showed a confidence, determination and desire that comes from winning. Luke Bury, Sam Wisbey, Toby Guild and Tom Walker had all been awarded full colours and their colours’ ties in assembly this morning and they all showed why. Gregoire Imber was outstanding up front and in the loose, as was Harry Sturge whilst Cameron Cowie and Thomas Jardine worked tirelessly in the second row. Ollie Stonham and Barnaby Stoner both showed why they won ‘potential’ awards on tour, and Jem Salmon and Jonathan Salami were immense on the wings, especially in defence. At scrum half Will Buttleman was at his ‘nuggety’ best. It was however our three senior players who proved the difference: Tom and Tom were both a class act and Will Barker, who was individually outstanding, showed exactly why he is Captain of Rugby.

Tries: Will Barker (2), Tom Walker, Jonathan Salami

Conv: Tom Hitchcock (2) 

2^nd XV: Lost 22 -7
 A close first half with St Faiths winning more ball to go in at half time 12-0 in the lead. Felsted came back with a try early in the second half but simply did not win enough ball. 

 3^rd XV: Won 36 - 10

Playing St Faith's immediately after the half-term break has always proved difficult, however the boys rose to the challenge and came out as convincing 36-10 victors. The team played some lovely, controlled rugby in the first half and, once they got the rustiness out of their handling and decision making, started to get the points. St Faith's came back into it briefly in the second half as our forwards failed to hit rucks with the necessary drive and body shape and we allowed them 2 tries. Thankfully we steadied the ship and ran in two more tries.

Try scorers: J Clarke (2), Dowling, Beale, Timmis and McIlvenna,

3 conversions from J Head

Man of the Match - J Clarke 

4^th XV: Won 32 - 5

After a long half term, the boys knew they were going to a bit rusty only after one games session, but they were determined to keep playing for each other and to remain unbeaten. James Cotterill was one of the stars of the show again, scoring his 2^nd hat-trick of the year with some of his barnstorming runs and the boys were great at the support play and rucking also. But the Man of the Match had to go to Samuel Barratt. Starting at flanker, we soon realised they had a kicker and swapped Amaar with Samuel, which was where he shone. Without scoring a try but taking four crucial catches, which swung the momentum back into our favour, scoring from almost every single counter attack. It was a great performance also by Tobias Butler, Harry Britton and Serge Savva who all also scored tries. The final score was 32-5 which mean we remain unbeaten after our 5 games with 1 remaining. 

5^th XV: Won 61 - 10

The 7th November 2012 will go down in history as the date of the first win for the mighty Felsted Prep 5th XV; and what a win it was...

Captain Joe Wahl won the toss in a cold but bright Wednesday afternoon in Cambridge and cleverly opted to attack uphill in the first half giving St Faiths the sun in their eyes. The tone was set from the kick off with John Barber scoring a try straight from Felsted receiving the kick off after some incredibly direct and powerful running. St Faith’s knew they were in a game and Felsted's historic slow starts were a dim and distant memory.

Felsted maintained their excellent start by quickly adding two more tries through excellent support play, offloading and attacking running with the ball finally being grounded by Will Ginsburg twice. Still the Felsted pressure continued and with St Faith’s struggling to keep up with the powerful mauling and quick rucking on show, a scrum was given to Felsted about 5 metres from the St Faith's try line. The superb scrummaging from the 5ths kept the ball well until Silas Turner-Jones executed the perfect number 8 pick up to drive the ball over the line. With three more tries delivered from Alex Bunn, Will Ginsburg and John Barber before half time, Felsted went to collect their couple of jelly babies each (how many is that Sir?) leading 39-0. There was some distraction as an RAF fly past took place but the key messages were conveyed and the boys took to the field for the second half determined to improve the score.

Half time saw Ed Davis replaced by Ed Yeatts on the left wing, and Finlay reminded to defend the other end of the field this time! All of Ed's substitute's energy was evident when he ran in an excellent try straight after the break. A much improved St Faith's side started to give as good as they got and, after more tries from Joe Wahl, Alex Bunn and Will "four tries" Ginsburg, there began an incredibly open, competitive and combative passage of play in the Felsted 22. There then followed a Felsted substitution replacing George "pat the dog before the line out" Harvey for Ed Davis after George's hard running had taken its toll on his legs. With the score at 61-0 it was good for our boys to know that the game was not over as St Faith's scored one good battling try followed by one fast breakaway try to take the score to 61-10.

Any concerns of a St Faith's comeback were quickly settled by the sound of the full time whistle and everyone relaxed to bask in the glory of a well earned and much deserved first win for the 5th XV. It was a real team effort and, whilst Will Newnham, Boomer Entwisle, Bram Emsley, Elliot Reeve, Jordan Guerrero and Joey Ginsburg have yet to be mentioned, this is not because of their lack of contribution - I could write much more in them match report given the space! Well played boys, you have all worked so hard for this win.

RHS await at home on Saturday...bring them on! 

U11 A: Won 21-10

What a day! The boys started well and quickly realised they were up against a good St Faith's side. There was a small element of rustiness in the early stages, but the game was very evenly contested. However, the boys went down two tries to one by the end of the first half, making the score 10-7 as St Faith's did not convert. However, the second half told the real tale. The boys kept their heads high and showed some real grit and determination. Tackling was superb and they really took it to the St Faith's boys. We managed to score two unanswered tries in the second half making the final score a very deserved 21-10. A very satisfying afternoon and the boys did the School proud showing real character to come from behind and illustrates that they are continuing to develop. Thank you for the rousing support from the parents and thank you to Mr Townsend for refereeing. 

U11 B: Won 56 - 0

After a long lay off over half term and with only one training session before we faced St Faith’s, it was very gratifying to see the boys play with determination and commitment. We dominated in all aspects of play, both in the forwards and backs. Once we had secured the ball either in open play or from set phases, the backs worked well moving the ball out to the wings, giving our runners space to exploit the opposition’s defence. A thoroughly deserved win boys, well done. 

U11 C: Felsted Won 55 – 34

The Squad was larger than normal as this was our last match and several players deserved to play in a competitive match and the squad had practised with enthusiasm and determination.

The Squad:

The starting line up was: Forwards; Aiden Swan-McSorley, Cameron Wallace, Dominic Savva, Scrum Half: Lewis Isaacs, Fly half: Harvey Minks, Centres: Samuel Winter and Sebastian Martinez-Minett, Wing: Joshua O'Conner. As the game developed forwards were substituted: Henry Barker, Archie Pritchard and Elliot Smith, and in the backs came Ethan Weatherstone, Thomas Gilbert, Orlando Drewitt-Barlow, Matthew Reagen and Oliver Craig.

Everyone played with energy and showed they knew how to play with good positive rucks and mauls and winning most of the scrums. The backs passed it out down the line and made some terrific runs through the gaps and round the outside. Dominic led the team and pack from the front and Harvey distributed the ball efficiently and ran forcefully. Sebastian and Samuel were extremely strong runners cutting the opposition apart in the first half, thanks to the possession the forwards had battled for in the rucks. Oliver Craig showed us how to run strongly through tackles to score.

1st XV Rugby Tour to Ireland

Once we arrived in Ireland, our drive to the Johnstown Hotel was short and exciting. The prospect of who was sharing with who in each apartment was causing great expectations! After lunch the boys were given their apartment keys and room mates and a short time to settle in before the first training session. It was a two hour full on session that blew away the cobwebs and reminded the players of the physical nature of the game - it was a great session! The evening was spent playing silly team games in the games room as well as completing the first team quiz of the tour (on the subject of Ireland). 

After breakfast on Tuesday we again had training. We had picked two sides called ‘Dub’ and ‘Lin’ (see what we did there – Joe didn’t!) and our plan was to give each team a half of each upcoming match. We spent the morning perfecting scrums, line outs and back lines. After lunch we headed off to the rather high class indoor Mayan and Aztec Crazy Golf Centre for a sophisticated game of golf! It was great fun and a good bonding exercise and Jem proved to be the top golfer on the day. Afterwards we headed off to Seapoint for our first full fixture. 

An outstanding performance from all 24 players saw us run out comfortable winners against a competitive and persistent Seapoint side. We played an exciting brand of open rugby and thrived on the large, wide senior 1^st XV pitch. The quality from all the players was fantastic and there was no doubt that our two training sessions had helped every player step up a level and perform with ambition and confidence. Plenty of tries were scored from all areas of the pitch. The scrummaging was good and we showed aggression in defence and ambition in attack. The pre-match golf had clearly helped the team building preparations and all the players showed a confidence in each other and a willingness to trust them and to work hard for each other. Tries were scored by Harry S (2), Harry N, Connacht captain Tom H, Munster captain Will, Leo, Hugo, Ben and Leinster captain Tom W (4) with Christian adding two conversions and Tom H kicking 8 conversions. The final score was 80 – 24. The post-match hospitality was typically Irish – generous, warm and genuine (after which Mrs Stringer dashed off to the airport to collect Henry so he could join the rest of the tour). A huge thank you to everyone at Seapoint for allowing us to experience such a wonderful opportunity and a special thank you to Sean, the Seapoint coach. Thank you must also go to Mr Head, whose generous sponsoring of our tour shirts meant we not only played the part of a professional outfit on the pitch, but we also looked the part. We returned to our apartments tired but happy and managed to squeeze in the second team quiz (on the subject of rugby) before retiring to bed. 


On Wednesday morning we travelled into Dublin for a bit of light shopping in Grafton Street before heading towards Croke Park for our tour of this incredible stadium and home to the Irish Gaelic Games. Two hours later we had learnt a lot about this magnificent stadium and its rich history and I can only recommend the tour as a ‘must do’ in Dublin. To emerge from the warm up area to the sound of 80,000 fans was quite something even if it was piped in noise! We returned to the hotel for another full training sessions followed by time in the pool and the ice bath. Silly relays added to the team scores. Halloween evening was spent running around under a full moon playing Wide Games whilst wearing Halloween masks! More team scores were gathered from this and the Halloween Quiz which the teams completed. 


Thursday morning saw another light training session before we departed for ten pin bowling at the rather superior ‘Super Dome’! Again it was great fun with a lot of laughs and absolutely the right thing to do before our second fixture. Henry proved to be the top bowling champion. The journey to our fixture against the Wanderers Club took us right into the shadow of the Aviva Stadium where we were due to play on the warm up pitch right next to the Stadium. Mrs Stringer got chatting to Brian from Security and before we knew it we were taken into the Aviva Stadium itself and put in one of the secondary changing rooms. We then warmed up in the sound proofed area that Ireland will use this weekend to prepare to face South Africa. Having warmed up we came out of the stadium and onto our pitch to face the Wanderers. ‘Lin’ started the game this time under the captaincy of Will B and it was obvious from the beginning that this was going to be a tough game. Wanderers moved the ball well and mauled extremely effectively and we found ourselves under intense pressure as the tackle count mounted throughout the half. We conceded 3 tries which were well worked by Wanderers who were exposing us out wide. An injury to Jem saw Tom W introduced to the game and we quickly struck back. 7 – 15 down at half time was a great result for the ‘Lin’ team and huge credit must go to all the players. ‘Dub’ played the second half and our superior skill, strength, defence and pace began to show. Now it was the Wanderers under pressure and through the leadership of Minster’s Will, Connacht’s Tom H and Leinster’s Tom W we began to score regularly. The tries were great tries, including tremendous solo efforts from Will and Tom W but the team collective proved too strong for Wanderers and we finished the game 42 – 15 winners. Tries came from Leinster’s Tom W (3), Munster’s Will, Luke and Connacht’s Tom H with Christian (1) and Tom H (5) adding the conversions. 

Following the game Brian then took us on a private tour of the Stadium. We entered through the players’ entrance and were taken to the Senior home changing rooms and shown the suites, the baths and facilities as well as being able to sit where the Irish players will be sitting this weekend to face South Africa. Then we were taken out into the stands to sit in the Irish team dug out and soak in the quite incredible atmosphere of the empty stadium. Brian had organised for some of the lights to be turned on and it was a unique experience. We were also shown the medical rooms which are so impressive that Sir Alex Ferguson wants the same facilities at Old Trafford next year! As a once in a life time experience this was very special as we had the whole Aviva Stadium all to ourselves this evening. We travelled back to our apartments for dinner and, incredibly, the tour prize giving ceremony. Everyone received recognition for their part in the tour.

Friday morning was Barnaby’s birthday as well as the inter-team 7’s competition (although we actually played 8’s!). With the team contest in the balance every game and every try was crucial as all carried bonus points. Ultimately Leinster came out on top as they just managed to overcome Connacht in a tense deciding game. This result would put Leinster briefly in the lead although Connacht had been leading all week with Munster not far behind. The final result however would not be finalised until we were five minutes from school so there was still plenty of opportunity to gain and lose points.

And so incredibly we reached the end of the tour and only needed to travel home. I cannot say enough about how good the boys were (most of the time!) and how they treated their grown up surroundings and accommodation in a mature and professional manner. Despite the large flat screen televisions, it was a delight to see so many Uno cards in action. Even the packing and cleaning out of the apartments was relatively painless!

A massive thank you to all the players for their part in this wonderful tour. Thank you also to all the parents for allowing us to take their children away and thank you to those parents who were able to join us on tour and provide friendly faces for us on the touch line. Thank you to Mrs Stringer for her tireless efforts all week and thank you to Mr and Mrs Le Chevalier for all their enthusiasm, help, quality coaching and refereeing! Well done also to Luke, Toby, Ethan and Noah for being great tourists! Thank you to the parents for their generous gifts to myself and Chevs. Thank you also to Kevin for organising our fixtures and promising us more in the future if we so desired!

A final thank you must go to Mr Tydeman whose generosity towards the tour allowed us to enjoy those extras that made the tour the unforgettable experience it became – thank you.

The final team scores were as follows:

Connacht 77

Leinster 76

Munster 67

Congratulations to Tom H and vice-captain Jem for leading their team so well although Munster’s Will and Luke and Leinster’s Tom W and Sam also deserve great credit. Mention must also go to the four young Year 7’s on tour who all showed real potential in terms of rugby and leadership.

Needless to say the tour was immensely good fun and all the boys were great value. All of them have learnt a lot about themselves and each other and hopefully will take a lot away from the tour. There is so much more that I could write about but, as you know, “what goes on tour stays on tour” – isn’t that right Jem!?

Felsted Prep v Bishop's Stortford College

1st XV: Won 17 – 7

Wow! In what was, without doubt, the performance of the season so far, 17 boys put their bodies on the line for each other and showed what it meant to wear a 1^st XV shirt. It was not just the result that was so impressive today, but the level of performance and the calibre of the side on display. Both sides were evenly matched and the result for most of the game could have gone either way but in the end our desire, commitment and the quality of our rugby shone through. We played into the wind in the first half and turned around 5 – 7 down at half time, having spent the last 5 minutes valiantly defending our line. With the wind behind us, we found another gear and we increased the pressure on the opposition to a point where their defence cracked twice and we scored two more impressive team tries. It would be unfair to single out any one player in this magnificent performance, but the senior players were superb in every area. Having said that we did, at times, make silly errors and worked hard to put ourselves under pressure. What is most encouraging though is that this side is getting better and better and harder to beat and, with the tour to Ireland in half term, this hopefully will continue into the next half of the season. Well done all!

Tries: Guild, Barker and Salami

Conversions: Hitchcock (1)

Men of the match: all 17!



2nd XV: Lost 12-47

It was a very close first half, with both sides playing some good rugby. Half time score 12-15. The second half was another story of missed tackles. 

3rd XV: Won  29-17

The most keenly awaited fixture of the season for all FPS rugby players, resulted in a resounding victory for the 3rds that even brought a smile to the hard to please Mr Manson (the Alex Ferguson of Prep School rugby!!). The score of 29-17 hides the fact that Stortford College responded well to being 19-0 down at half-time and really took the game to us. Some loose tackling and rushed play allowed them back in but the boys eventually steadied the ship and started making their tackles. Much to everyone's relief, (and sir's ticker!), we put in another two cracking tries to seal the win.

Men of the match: Max McIlvenna and Joe Head

Scorers: Tries - McIlvenna (3), Beale and Hadley. With two conversions by Head. 

4th XV: Won 52-7

The 4th XV this week seemed like they had saved their best game of the season for Bishop's Stortford College. After BSC scored off the kick off, the boys really switched on and realised this was going to be a big game in the forwards. Two great individual tries from Tobias Butler and Harry Bridgewater put us in the lead and showed why he has played the previous 2 games in the 3rds. Halftime was 19-7. In the second half we turned on the scoring and the forwards out muscled their forwards. The backs were also able to capitalise on some ball won by our big forward pack and Harry Britton, Jasper Sullivan, James Austin, Alex Smart all dotted down in the second half. Tobias then sealed his hat-trick with his 3rd try close to full time.

U11A: Lost 12-31

What a game. Our first home match of the season did not disappoint. The boys were really up for this game and it showed. They started well against a very big and physical Stortford side. Our tackling was awesome and attacking play kept threatening to promise a score. However, Stortford managed two tries to our one in the first half. Unfortunately the boys lost a little bit of focus at the beginning of the second half, which was compounded by the fact that we went down to 11 men. This meant that Stortford managed two soft tries, despite our best efforts to stop their big lad. This seemed to rally the boys and a lovely consolation try finished the game. The final score was 31-12 to Stortford, but we deserved better.

U11B: Lost 0-34

A tough encounter that really saw the Bishop's Stortford backs being able to elude the tackles of the Felsted backs. With plenty of endeavour from the forwards, particularly in the scrum we did manage quite a few attacking phases of possession. Unfortunately we held onto the ball a little too long and lost vital possession. Hopefully we can work upon this in time for our next game.  Lost 0 -34.

U11 C: Lost 50-5

A very excited and enthusiastic team began strongly and made some tenacious tackles, but let their winger run very fast round us. Aiden picked up the ball from a penalty and made a calculated and determined run to score a try. 5 - 5 after 15 mins. Felsted were generally under pressure and made some brave tackles. There was no man of the match, as all the players had their moments of excellence but never at the same time. Felsted battled away to the very end and showed they can play some good quality rugby but we need to be a little quicker to react to situations and work together. Lost 50+ to 5.

U11 D: Lost 0-47

The team played very well in the first half, going in only 3 tries down and having had equal possession. However, tiredness in the second half led to missed tackles and we gave the game to Stortford, who were an excellent team. Lost 47-0

U11 New Hall Tournament

On Sunday 7th October, the U11 A team were at the New Hall Tournament. This has grown over the past few years and on the day there were 15 schools at the event. We started well and managed draws against strong sides from Orwell Park and Bedford Modern School. This placed us in the Shield Competition. In this we managed to beat New Hall and Brentwood quite easily, but came up against fierce competition from Barnadiston who were more aggressive and wanted the game more and had also played fewer matches than us. They beat us, so it was all down to the last game against Belmont. The boys put their hearts and souls into this match and tackled as if their lives depended on it. Belmont were very good at ball retention which meant that we were unable to score and they managed two tries in the first half. We did manage to score in the second half, but were unable to draw level. We lost the game, but this was not form lack of effort from the boys.

It was a very tough day for the boys, six very intense games of rugby and they went home all very battered and bruised. However, their grit and determination showed through on the day. They played with conviction and courage and probably 'toughened up' against some very good opposition. I am really looking forward to the rest of the season as they showed real potential in places during the day.

Thank you to the boys and thank you parents for coming to support.

Felsted Prep v Orwell Park

1st XV: Won 49 – 5

To come away from Orwell Park with a result is challenging, as they are always competitive, committed and well organised.  To come away having won 49 – 5 has, therefore, got to be pleasing. For the majority of the game the score line reflected the differences between the two sides. We held onto the ball well, ran some great lines and created some stunning tries that had a lot to do with ‘heads up’, intelligent rugby and a lovely timing of the pass. We also put them under huge pressure and our rush defense certainly paid its part in the overall score line. Tries came from Jonathan Salami (4), Will Barker (1), Tom Hitchcock (1) and Sam Wisbey (1), who actually ran half the length of the pitch following a dropped ball from Orwell. Tom also added 7 conversations, not all of them easy. Once again our scrum was impressive and our distribution of the ball highly ambitious. However, for the first 10 minutes of the second half we drifted back to old habits and made basic errors that put us under pressure. Orwell’s try came about as a result of three missed tackles and, having tackled so well up to and after the try, this was disappointing. We must learn once again from our mistakes and ensure that we bring a consistency to our performance. When we play error free rugby, few sides will match us; but with Bishop’s Stortford College as our next opponents, only our very best will do.

2nd XV: Won 50-0

A very comfortable victory, against a weak Orwell team. Felsted's performance was improved from the previous week, with a few positional changes that worked well for the team. A lot of hard work is needed to improve our rucking, in the build up for the game against Bishop Stortford College.

5thXV: Lost 40-35

An exciting game played in interesting conditions. A game billed as a IX a side game on a full pitch, became a X a side game across the pitch between the "22"s as we arrived and the boys did well to adapt to these conditions, edging the first half by one try. As scrums became contested in the second half, the gradient of the pitch proved to be a friend to the Orwell Park IX and they were able to edge the second half resulting in a final score of 40-35 to Orwell Park.

The rugby on offer from Felsted was aggressive and decisive with many tries coming from incisive breakaways, or some fantastic mauling and driving of bodies down the field. The try scorers were Bunn (4), Barber, Reeve and Ginsburg J but, to a man, everyone played well and enjoyed another taste of competitive rugby.

U11 B: Won 14 - 7Tries - J Oluwabusola, A Summers
Cons - A Summers 2

A spirited performance against quite a strong physical Orwell Park side. The forwards had their work cut out both when scrummaging and in the loose. Both sets of forwards were determined to win the ball and it was a good contest. The backs showed some good running, linking well to move the ball wide, both ways. Both our tries came from some loose play from our opponents, the try scorers picking up a loose ball and running into score.

U11 C: Won 52 - 0

Due to Orwell Park's smaller numbers this game was played in a nine-a-side format. This gave us extra substitutes, for extra motivation to the players on the pitch to play well or risk being substituted. From the kick-off we were confident and focused. Our game focused on making sure we had quick ball at the breakdown and always had players willing to ruck over the ball. This was executed to perfection, allowing us to always move the ball forwards with good wide passing. The opposition couldn't contain our quick ball, which produced many gaps, with the opposition bunching at the breakdown. We assessed the opposition well and alternated with the forwards running with the ball to gain metres and drew in the opposition and then change to pass wide for where there was space. Our scrumming won us many scrums that were often not even our put in. Many tries were scored for a convincing win of 52 to 0. Well done Felsted!

Felsted Prep v Bishop’s Stortford High School

1st XV : Won 41 – 0
Another improved performance from the 1st saw them win convincingly against BSHS. The commitment was clearly there and, at times, the decision making and precision of passing was fantastic. Tries were scored from all areas of the pitch and when we kept the ball and moved forward with purpose we looked very impressive. We still tend to put ourselves under pressure through silly errors, but this is happening less and less. Again we scrummaged well and the forwards generally were superb. The backs looked dangerous and meaningful going forward although we need to work on our defensive lines.

2nd XV: Loss 19 - 29

Despite being 5-0 up at half time, a lack of concentration and poor tackling allowed the opposition to get the upper hand in the 2^nd half. 

3^rd XV: Loss 63 - 10

The 3rd XV's unbeaten run came to a rather abrupt end on Wednesday against the much bigger and better Bishop's Stortford High School Year 8 B team. A resounding loss of 63-10 was only slightly sweetened by tries from T Butler and Pitts.

Man of the Match - Robert Hadley. 

4^th XV: Win – 40 - 15

Bishop’s Stortford High School are well renowned as a good rugby school, so it was always going to be a tough ask. We pushed them in the first half with the wind, slope and sun against us and managed to keep them to only a 3 point lead of 7-10 at halftime. The second half, was a different story though with James Cotterill adding two more tries to his first one in the first half to get himself a hat-trick. Tries also came from Harry Britton, Joe Head, and Samuel Barratt. Joe showed great awareness and put pressure on opposition with long kicks into their half that the backline chased well. He also converted 5 of the 6 tries, with the one he missed coming off the post! A great turn around by the boys and a well fought victory with the final score being 40-15

CJSB 

U11 D Squad Matches v Fairstead

U11 D teams - 7 a side Rugby
Two equal teams selected from Felsted D squad played 7 a side rugby against Fairstead School (20 mins one way).

First game was "J" team v Fairstead.
Felsted team included: Josh O'Conner (Captain), Sebastian Martinez-Minnett (2 tries), Ethan Weatherstone (1 try), Gabriel Mifsud, Archie Pritchard, Richard Brindley and Nicholas Smyth. Conversions by Archie and Josh. A very close game but Fairstead put on lots of pressure at the end to win % tries to 3, with one conversion to Felsted's two. Lost 27 - 19.

Second Game was "M" team v Fairstead.
 Fairstead came at them hard and ready, scoring first. The Felsted team got together and came back with some great runs and firm tackles. Matthew Hipkins (Captain), Samuel Winter (2 Tries), Orlando Drewitt-Barlow(1 Try), Cameron Wallace(1 Try), Oliver Craig, William Duggan (1 Try), Samuel Hart . A very open game with some good passing and running. Felsted tackled strongly. Felsted won 5 tries to 3, and 2 conversions by Samuel Winter to 1, Felsted M Team won 29 to 17.

Last game Team "J"  v  "M".
Both teams played some good flowing rugby with some strong running and almost strong tackles. Everyone played with enthusiasm and determination to the extent they became over anxious to perform different tasks. No man of the match as everyone tried their best and and tried to go the extra bit although we need to be more committed in the tackles. Team "M" won 14 (Samuel 1, and Cameron 1, Conversions by Samuel) to 12 (Tries by Sebastian 2). The difference being one conversion.
Thank you to the spectators for their cheering and encouragement.
A very enjoyable set of games.
BEME

Felsted Prep v The Abbey

U11 A: Won 52-0

This was an outstanding performance from the boys. The Abbey were not a bad side, but we took them apart up front and in the backs. Some very strong scrummaging and a high level of effort from the forwards meant that we won a lot of ball. With the ball in hand, the backs cut some lovely runs through the opposition, leading to some great tries. Defense was solid and our line was never really threatened. A really good performance from a developing side, who more than make up for their lack of height in levels of effort. They have obviously been listening to their coach. However, the real challenge is whether or not they can maintain this for the rest of the season, especially up against better sides.

 JPF

U11 B: Lost 14-12

The boys started very brightly showing good continuity of passing, ball retention in contact and rucking, providing the backs with the ball. We scored first but failed to convert the try. The Abbey then started to play some good rugby, assisted with some luck, scoring twice to go ahead 14 - 5. With time running short, we managed to counter attack from deep within our half, building momentum going forward, scoring a well deserved try which was converted. However, with time against us we couldn't make that final push, but an enjoyable and competitive game, with some areas to develop.

TKAR

Felsted Prep v Woodbridge

1st XV: Won 47-12

A much improved performance, especially in the second half, saw a comfortable win against Woodbridge by 47 - 12. Tries came from Will Buttleman (1), Cameron Cowie (1), Tom Hitchcock (2), Jonathan Salami (2 on debut) and Tom Walker (1). Tom Hitchcock also kicked 6 conversations.

When we played fast, open rugby and looked to keep the ball alive we were unstoppable and the opposition struggled to defend our clever attacking lines or the pace of our attack. We scored some stunning tries that saw the ball pass through the hands quickly and with purpose and we were able to show some of our potential. We also scrummaged well and the front row had a good day! We did, however, continue to put ourselves under unnecessary pressure with silly errors or poor decisions and these are two areas we will need to work on. We also need to learn to control the contact situation better and retain the ball more efficiently. Overall though there were more positives than negatives to be taken from this game and it was good to see the level of intensity raised from last week's game - some players are really beginning to show what wearing the 1st XV shirt really means!

MCS

2nd XV: Won 41-10
A much improved performance against a good Woodbridge side. Felsted played a far more aggressive game and controlled the play for much of the game. Handling and rucking skills showed great improvement. Well done to the team. 


4th XV: Won 50-5

This week’s game was a better performance by the 4^th  XV, as they managed to dispatch a young Woodbridge side for 50-5. The Forward play was exceptional on a wet pitch and, when passed out to the backs, both wingers finished superbly with Tobias Butler and Harry Britton scoring 4 tries each. The half time score was 30-5, until James Cotterill bundled over for a double after halftime and the boys staying unbeaten so far this season.

CJSB

Felsted Prep v The Perse

1st XV: Lost 47-29
The 1^st XV faced a tough, physical Perse side and lost 47-29.  Tries by Walker (3), MacLennan and Sturge and 2 conversions by Hitchcock.
Whilst we scored first, we allowed the Perse back into the game and our defence was, at times, rather poor. Going forward we looked good and scored some very good tries, but we need to compete for the ball more strongly at the breakdown, whilst not over-committing and be more thoughtful in our play.
Man of the match was Walker.


2nd XV: Won 5-21
 The Felsted 2nd XV put on a good performance against a tougher opposition than last week. Four tries from Jonathan Salami who proved far too powerful than the Perse boys. Our handling skills were not quite up to scratch on the day and this will be a big focus in training. 


3rd XV: Won 21-39
A keenly anticipated first outing, for the mix of experience and new blood that is the 3rd XV, did not disappoint. A resounding victory, by 39 points to 21, did not hide the need for improvement with the teams handling and tackling. However, they did look dangerous going forward and should have scored more. Tries for J Hoile (2), Stratton, Snooks, Rowe, McIlvenna and Hadley, with a conversion each for Timmis and Stratton completing the scoring.  Man of the match - J Hoile


4th XV: Won 12-28

With the first game of the season up against The Perse, it was always going to be a tough game. We felt like we had prepared well and we started the game very well. With two tries out wide to Tobias Butler, and also two tries each to Samuel Barratt and Harry Britton (Harry scoring the try of the match) they were never in the game. Tries to Serge Savva (Captain) and also new student James Cotterill, these two players really led from the front. As everyone played so well as a team and it was too hard to pick a man of the match, so the whole team deserved praise on a good first performance of the season and only letting two tries in against the run of play. 

5th XV: Lost 25-5

A sunny and blustery day saw in the season's inaugural 5th XV fixture. With the current crop of players rated highly amongst the ever expanding coaching team, hopes were high.
The Perse started the game brightly and, after electing to kick, scored an early try that woke Felsted up. After some lovely open play by Felsted the ball reached George Harvey who produced one of his deceptively fast trademark sprints down the right wing to score. Felsted worked hard to remain on level terms up to the break but ended up going in 10 - 5 down.
The second half was played uphill and into the wind which unfortunately favoured the home side enormously. Despite working hard with some tremendous off loads, explosive forward running and awesome tackles (the majority of which were low down) the final score was 25 - 5 to The Perse. All the boys enjoyed the game, a few were battered and bruised, but all learnt a great deal to take into the next fixture after half term. Bring on St. Faith's!

Felsted Prep v Holmwood House

1st XV: Won 33-10
The U13 1st team won their match 33-10, with 4 tries coming from Tom Walker, 1 from Robby Maclennan, and 4 conversions from Tom Hitchcock. The first game of the season showed a lot of very exiting potential, with some fast, open and flowing rugby. However basic skills and fitness levels need to be improved, as well as decision making.

A weak opposition meant it was difficult to take too much from the game, but a promising start to the season with certain individuals impressing. MCS

2nd XV: Won 49-5
The U13 2^nd team won their match 49-5; they were winning so convincingly at half time that several players even had to be taken off.

This was a very comfortable win to start the season, against a rather under strength Holmwood side. NFT 

U11 A: Won 40-14
The U11 A’s won their match 40-14. This was very solid performance in the first game of the season, however there are still a few areas that the team needs to work on in the coming weeks. JPF 

U11 B: Won 41-7

The U11 B team won their match 41-7, with tries from Josh Barkman (1), Freddy Mathams (2), Alex Swift (2) and Teddy Summers (2).  Alfie Summers also kicked 6 conversions.

This was a very promising start to their season.  They showed good attacking skills, keeping the ball alive in contact situations. Passing was generally accurate, although the strong wind didn’t help; also the scrum was solid, winning a lot of ball for the backs to attack with. From here the team have a few areas to work on, building towards their next game. TKAR 

U11 C: Won 43-10
The U11 C team won their match 43-10, with tries from Sebastian Martinez- Minett (3), and one each for Felix Webster, Harvey Minks, Samuel Winters and Dominic Savva. Felix Webster also kicked 3 conversions and Joshua O’Connor kicked one.

The players dominated the play, which was slow and intermittent with no real flow. There was good forward play from Aiden Swan-McSorley, Elliot Smith, James Sandison and Henry Barker. The backs tackled well and ran hard and fast; Thomas Gilbert at fly half, Archie Pritchard at centre and Ethan Weatherstone at wing all made strong runs and the best try of the match was set up by man of the match Felix Webster. This was a promising start to the C’s season. BEME