1st 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)
2nd 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.
3rd 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!
4th XV: Won 24-0
The 4th
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 20th 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.
5th 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.
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