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