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| Rugby Colts A Team 'Blog' |
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Match 7 v Lambrook Away Saturday 10th December
Lambrook 26 Eagle House 21 (Tries: Ben 2, Jack. Cons: Jack 3) Squad: 1. Benjamin Raho †; 2. Sebastian Baldwin; 3. William Beardmore; 4. Charles Perry; 5. Joshua Hyttenrauch; 6. Jamie Lunnon; 7. Jack Carling ©; 8. Avan Wright; 9. Harry Howard; 10. Jack Rees; 11. Theo Kneen; 12. Max Hindley; 13. Max Rickard. Great, great game - full of passion and skill - a harsh result perhaps for our boys after playing with such passion with two runaway tries in the last five minutes from an outstanding sprinter snatching a win for the home side after a magnificent performance. But great respect must go to Lambrook who faced the very best that Eagle House have played all year and tackled their hearts out to stay in the game. So well done to the players on both sides . . . and a very good ref too.
The match started with a steepling high ball spilled from the kick off deep in the Eagle House twenty-two. There followed an eight minute assault on the line with two attacking scrums and two 5 metre penalties launching wave after wave of wholehearted attacks which were somehow repelled by one of the bravest spells of defence I have ever seen. After one mighty tackle on the tryline Ben managed to steal the ball and smuggle it to Jamie who released Jack off up the blindside. Will and Seb took it on further and in one sweeping counter attack of superb quality that seemed to involve all the players (and the substitute) at least twice, Ben was there to finish it off to put his side ahead. Continuity has not been an Eagle House strength this season, but today the forwards, with Charlie first to every ball, really showed what a superb unit they have become. In tight play they had the upper hand and it was important that they kept the ball away from the dangerous sprinters in the Lambrook backline. When the ball went wide the visiting team looked a bit vulnerable and it was after a fantastic break from Max Hindley that they conceded the equalising try. Max surprised his team mates by beating three players and making superb ground, but for once the support was not there and Lambrook were able to counter and set free one of their very fast three quarters with the defence in disarray.
Eagle House then entered a period where they dominated possession and with the forwards and the half backs punching holes up the blind side to good effect, they were camped in the Lambrook twenty two for much of the third quarter. Lambrook also showed their defensive teeth and survived for long spells, with Eagle House not quite having the pace to escape and convert a string of half chances. Nevertheless Ben scored a second try and Jack looped brilliantly with Theo to score the third in the corner. With five minutes to go the Eagles were seven points up and controlling possession. Loose and wide play was definitely going to favour the sprinters from the home side and it was one speculative kick that got them back in contention. A fumble led to a good attacking position and a sudden break that left a one on one situation. Their one was faster than ours and a try was scored. However the conversion was missed and with just a few minutes left, an older side would have played to their strengths and kept it tight. This is a young side! One minor error of judgement - player isolated - ball bounces kindly to the fastest player on the park - weeping and gnashing of teeth.
It really was a game that neither side deserved to lose. I think both sets of parents were able to genuinely enjoy the game as it was such a good contest and there was so much to admire from both sides. It has been very unfortunate for our boys that they have just fallen short in a few of these very close matches when there was nothing between the two sides. Eagle House can certainly be very proud of their performances all year. No side ever looked comfortable against them and they won huge respect wherever they went. I have certainly enjoyed taking them and it has been a novelty for me to have to calm a side's passion and aggression!
Many thanks to all the parents who came so regularly to support the team through their successes and disappointments. I am also very grateful for the support you have all given me this term. Do remember the names of the players in this team - for you never know how far they might go in the game. 'Do not smile at the humble snail - he may grow up to be a dragon!'
Man of the Match - Seb Baldwin Crunchie Award - Ben Raho
Match 6 v Yateley Manor Home Manor 2 2.30 pm Wednesday 7th December Eagle House 7 Yateley Manor 21 (Tries: Harry. Con: Jack) Squad: 1. Benjamin Raho †; 2. Sebastian Baldwin; 3. William Beardmore; 4. Charles Perry; 5. Joshua Hyttenrauch; 6. Jamie Lunnon; 7. Jack Carling ©; 8. Avan Wright; 9. Harry Howard; 10. Jack Rees; 11. Theo Kneen; 12. Max Hindley; 13. Max Rickard. This was a super game played at a fiercely competitive level, but in the best of spirits, by two capable sides. Eagle House shaded possession over the course of the match, but a terrific, disciplined defensive display by Yateley meant that there were no easy yards available today. The Eagle House defence was also resolute and against another team this could have been enough to win the match. So this was one of those games that was very closely fought throughout, but in the end, unlike Saturday where luck went slightly against the home side, you had to say that the team who had the edge took a deserved win. In the first half Eagle House tried to move the ball wide but were frustrated by a stifling Yateley defence, so as the game progressed it was good to see Jamie and Jack Carling take the initiative to launch a series of attacks close to the pack where they had a little more success. Good breaks from both half backs and Harry were seized upon by Will and Charlie, but the red line held firm. It was a little disappointing to concede a try from a penalty on the edge of the 22, when one determined runner was able to run straight through the middle of the home defence. This moment of weakness handed the initiative to the visiting team and saw them grow in confidence.
However, this was very much an isolated error in an otherwise spirited performance from an Eagles side that refused to buckle even when Yateley went two scores ahead through some very good support play. Logistics mean a lot in rugby and if your opponents are a little bit bigger and faster than you, it's going to be a hard afternoon. Yateley had a large core of experienced Camberley club players who certainly knew their business, so I was pleased that the Eagles kept battling and probing different avenues of attack. Bright close handling from the forwards and some intelligent box kicks presented a few new problems to the Yateley back three. Ben was able to pounce on one opportunity and this initiative led to Jack Rees cleverly eluding his marker and making room to run at the full back. When this player conceded a penalty through collapsing the maul, Harry was at hand to finish smartly to draw his side back into the game.
The second half was very even with neither side able to get much change out of the opposition defences and both attacks struggling to make space in the face of such committed tackling. I was delighted that Eagle House were smart enough to avoid shuffling ball away into the areas of particular Yateley strength. They played some good 'heads up' rugby and the commitment was first class . . . it had to be. Yateley scored one more runaway try with an element of fortune to it - there was some question as to whether the player might have had a foot in touch - but the referee can't see absolutely everything and the home team had every opportunity to make sure that the attacker had his head, shoulders, knees and toes over the touch line and play to the whistle. It did make the scoreline a touch harsh but Yateley deserved their win. However, Eagle House also deserve great praise for their performance which was admirable. Charlie is indomitable in the forwards. He will make an excellent openside flanker in the years to come. Theo tackled so bravely and played the second half after receiving treatment for a nasty cut. Jack and Harry hurled themselves at the opposition while Ben and Will tackle all day and work so hard at the set pieces. It is for these reasons that these boys earned Colts Colours earlier this week, and on this performance a few more will be awarded next week. It was good to see the respect between the two sides at the end of the match and at the following match tea. As mentioned on Saturday, this is such an important aspect of the game. This was also reflected in both teams' responses to the decisions of the referee. It was a privilege to officiate in a match where both sides played with such intensity but kept their discipline and this made for a very enjoyable game. Man of the Match - Jamie Lunnon Crunchie Award - Jack Carling
Match 5 v Highfield Home Manor 1 Saturday 3rd December Eagle House 12 Highfield 14 (Tries: Ben, Will. Con: Jack)
Squad: 1. Benjamin Raho †; 2. Sebastian Baldwin; 3. William Beardmore; 4. Charles Perry; 5. Joshua Hyttenrauch; 6. Jamie Lunnon; 7. Jack Carling ©; 8. Max Rickard; 9. Harry Howard; 10. Jack Rees; 11. Theo Kneen; 12. Max Hindley; 13. Avan Wright. A few changes today. Max McCarthy who is a scrum-half by birth has been suffering out in the wide open spaces on the wing this season and with Luke Baker out for the B side, this seemed a good chance for him to get a game in his favoured position where he is likely to be needed next year. This gave Max Hindley a chance to gain more experience at this level after his promising start at the Wellington Tournament. Avan was not quite ready for action yet but came on in the last five minutes as sub and almost swung the game for the home team. This was a brilliant contest between two committed sides and it went right down to the wire. Charlie showed that he was really up for this game by stopping Highfield's strongest runner off the very early free kick and stripping him of the ball. However, it took a few minutes for the rest of the side to get started and by that time the fast, sockless left winger, had cut back across the sluggish line of the home defence and put his side seven points up. Only two hugely brave tackles from Theo covering from the opposite wing and forcing him out in the corner, stopped this winger adding further scores and the Blues found themselves under the cosh in the early encounters. However, the home team responded and, with Highfield fighting tooth and nail for every inch of the field, they did really well to set up a series of attacks. Harry, Ben and jack all made good ground and this momentum eventually launched Will to score after a smart pick up from loose play close to the line. Eagle House were enjoying more possession at this point but both sides found it difficult to keep continuity due to the ferocity of the tackling and the cock-pit that formed at every ruck and maul. It was Vultures v Hyenas out there! Illegality abounded with handling / bridging in the ruck being Highfield's speciality and fringing / coming round the side being the forte of Eagle House.
Highfield regained the lead after the break. A missed tackle and poor alignment in the backs once again gave good players the room to get into full stride and, despite brave cover defence, another try was conceded. This triggered a wonderfully spirited fight back from the Eagles and they battered the visitors line relentlessly in the final ten minutes. Ben scored with about five minutes to go but the conversion was rushed and missed and so Highfield retained a narrow lead. Once more Eagle House set up a series of attacks and they had at least three good chances to score. Simple three on one overlaps were spurned for headless rhino charges into a defence that had not missed a tackle all day. Ben did get the ball over the line, but it was in the midst of a melee and the referee could not award the score. While it was understandably disappointing for the home side to miss out so narrowly, great respect must go to the visitors who battled so hard to keep their noses in front. In the end, it is games like these that should be valued the most, win or lose. They are so much more valuable than landslide victories either way and therefore I would like to thank Highfield for their part in a really good game. Both teams had their strengths and weaknesses and they did a lot to cancel each other out. A draw may have been a 'fairer' results, but then players need to learn that the small things count and in a game as close as this, they have to take every chance that is offered. It is also important to observe the etiquette of the game by congratulating your opponent and being a good host / guest until you part company. In this way you build respect and friendships in the game which will serve you well as you go through life.
Man of the Match - Charlie Perry Crunchie Award - Theo Kneen
Wellington College Tournament Wednesday 30th November
The second row leads a counter attack against Wetherby
The hooker is held by Cranmore
The winger takes flight against Wetherby
The centre is outnumbered against Ludgrove
The prop scores from a line out against Wetherby The centre chases a box kick against Newland House
Eagle House 0 Ludgrove 21 A disappointing start for the team who struggled to get into the match against a strong Ludgrove side. The White team's ability to spin the ball wide to two very fast wingers on these enormous pitches made it very difficult to compete. The Eagles would have needed to follow Stoke City might to give their opponents a better challenge - play on the smallest possible pitch and force their thoroughbred opponents into a scrap Cranmore 7 Eagle House 0 This was probably the team's best performance on the day. Cranmore had beaten Ludgrove and looked a very polished side. However brilliant defence and good counter-attacking from Eagle House made this a very close game with the two sides locked in a scoreless draw until the final minute when the ball fell kindly to the Cranmore centre and he just had to win a footrace to the line. Eagle House 21 Papplewick 5 After an early scare where the Papplewick centre breezed through the Eagle House defence to score in the corner, the navy forwards took control and dominated possession. Ben grabbed a swashbuckling try and Harry added a second from a penalty move. Papplewick pressed to get back in the game but Max Hindley finished them off with a great opportunist's try. Wetherby 0 Eagle House 21 This was a convincing win against a team that had a few good players but lacked cohesion as a unit. Ben powered his way to the first score and grabbed a gift from a lineout for the second. Harry added a third by wrong footing and outpacing the defence. Plate Semi-Final Eagle House 7 Newland House 19 Logistics got the better of the team at this point - Avan had already gone home after a head injury and Charlie and Jack were both walking wounded. Delays caused by travelling teams arriving late meant that the players had 10 minute to wolf down their lunch and get back out to play this semi-final. The fates also conspired to offer us a strong Newland House team as our next opponents rather than the lesser side we might have expected, as they had finished 4th in their pool solely because they had missed their first two matches. This was a good match nevertheless. Newland House got off to a very good start and went two scores up while the boys were still digesting their lunch. The Eagles bravely came back into the game and forced a score with just a few minutes left in the game.
Match 4 v Papplewick Home Wednesday 23rd November Eagle House 26 Papplewick 5 (Tries: Ben 3, Will. Cons: Jack 3)
Wins against Papplewick in rugby matches are always difficult to come by and they have been very rare over the years. There is no doubt that the fixture secretary did them no favours by scheduling this, their first match of the season, just two days into training. So, whilst celebrating a very good Eagle House performance we must recognise that our visitors were very much a 'scratch' side. That said, they had a number of very capable players and there was no shortage of spirit in their squad and that might have been enough against a less effective outfit than this Eagle House team are proving to be. The results in the other fixtures today put this in perspective and I was delighted with the players' determination to press home their advantage. I was particular pleased with the team work and continuity shown by the front five forwards. This was an area that has been lacking so far this season as players have gone into contact showing the ball to the opposition and losing possession as a result. Today Ben, Will, Josh, Charlie, Max and Seb were terrific in getting the 'go forward' whilst making the ball available for their team mates. As a result they were able to unleash Ben at retreating defenders in broken play and he proved lethal, bagging a hat-trick of tries.
The backs defended well and looked dangerous in attack. They too handled and retained the ball well but were guilty of drifting across the pitch at times without committing defenders. This meant that Theo and Max, our speedy wingers and Avan at full back only saw the ball in counter-attacking situations where they looked very threatening and made good ground. Nevertheless, it is usually the area of forward play where a settled team has its best advantage against a scratch side and so it proved today. As the second half progressed, Papplewick found it increasingly difficult to secure possession and it was only their admirable willingness to tackle, even when the game had slipped away from them, that kept the score sensible. Eagle House did have the game under control by this time and Ben twice, Seb and Jack all got over the tryline but had scores ruled out. Ben must take a huge amount of credit for today's win and his tries were a fitting reward for his efforts. Josh also played his best game for this side, however, I am going to make Will Beardmore 'Man of the Match' for the brilliant work he did in the loose, showing immense appetite for the ball and combining so well with Ben and Seb in particular, to engineer those try scoring opportunities.
Man of the Match - Will Beardmore Crunchie Award - Max McCarthy
Match 3 v Cranleigh Home Wednesday 16th November Eagle House 12 Cranleigh 0 (Tries: Jack, Ben. Cons: Jack) Squad: 1. Benjamin Raho †; 2. Sebastian Baldwin; 3. William Beardmore; 4. Charles Perry; 5. Max Rickard; 6. Jamie Lunnon; 7. Jack Carling ©; 8. Max McCarthy; 9. Harry Howard; 10. Jack Rees; 11. Theo Kneen; 12. Avan Wright; 13. Joshua Hyttenrauch. This was the best game of the season so far with two very evenly matched sides involved in a flowing game, where every player was fully involved. The low score reflects the tenacity and determination that was shown by both teams in defence rather than any shortcomings in attack. Cranleigh were able to establish a good position early on capitalising on an early penalty infringement and making good yards towards theEagle House corner. A few missed tackles early on aided their cause and they were able to press and gain in confidence as several of their team got to make good yards with the ball. Some great work at a breakdown from Ben and Charlie to steal the ball gave Jack the chance to clear his lines. From this point Eagle House had the edge in first phase possession and the powerful home runners were able to make some inroads into the Cranleigh defence. The recycling was much better today and there was more continuity to play, however there was a tendency to hang on to the ball a little too long rather than draw a man and release the speedy outside backs. As a result. Cranleigh got quite a lot of joy from counter attacking and their pacy full back threatened on a number of occasions. Avan, not to be outdone, made the first really dangerous break for Eagle House, fielding a deep kick and outpacing the chasers before being bundled out in the corner by a brave scrambling defence.
There were few clear breaks from this point on. Both teams explored ways to get in behind their opponents - Eagle House were mostly direct while Cranleigh tried to outflank the home side. The defence was impressive however and neither team was able to establish a significant advantage until Eagle House managed to mount a concerted forward drive, with Ben, Will and Charlie driving and off-loading smartly to set up a ruck on the 5 metre line - quick ball fed out sharply by Jamie gave Jack the platform to smash his way over the line despite a desperate combined tackle from the Cranleigh fly-half and centre. Jack converted to make the score 7 - 0.
Theo showed his skill and concentration, fielding the kick off brilliantly and setting up another flowing move which saw Ben and Max Mc combine well along the touch line. Eagle House showed power at this point but while they were able to get over the gainline they were mostly unable to maintain sufficient continuity for pressure to build up and lead to holes appearing in the stout Cranleigh defence. If the home runners were a tad selfish and ball retention not all it could be, the heart shown by both sides was immense and it took another series of determined breaks backed up with intelligent off-loading before the Eagle House were able to establish a dynamic attacking ruck right next to the Cranlieigh line. Ben picked up from the back foot to crash over and establish a 12 point lead.
The second-half was a more 'stop - start' affair as the forwards tired and little errors crept into play. Both defences got on top and there were very few gaps to exploit. The fly-halves tried a variety of options to keep their counterparts guessing, but the tackles kept coming in and neither side had the pace to outstrip their opponents dogged defence. Cranleigh edged possession in the final quarter, but despite their sharp handling and committed running, they never quite threatened the Eagle House line during this period. The final play lasted 5 minutes and included a scrum won by Eagle House, a sharp break from Jack, a great counter from Cranleigh followed by three successive penalties to Cranleigh and finally a smart steal at a maul by Will who showed that prop forwards can be bright and kicked the ball off to secure the win and let everyone get their breath. I have to say it was a real pleasure to host Cranleigh today. They were a very capable and committed side who knew and followed the rules of the game. Both teams responded really well to instructions which meant the whistle could stay in the pocket most of the time and it was only the odd knock on or line out that broke up the flow of play. Man of the Match - Ben Raho Crunchie Award - Harry Howard
Match 2 v Feltonfleet Away Wednesday 9th November 2.00 pm
Feltonfleet 24 Eagle House 0
Squad: 1. Benjamin Raho †; 2. Sebastian Baldwin; 3. William Beardmore; 4. Charles Perry; 5. Max Rickard; 6. Jamie Lunnon; 7. Jack Carling ©; 8. Max McCarthy; 9. Harry Howard; 10. Jack Rees; 11. Theo Kneen; 12. Avan Wright; 13. Joshua Hyttenrauch.
This was a really well contested match and both teams emerge with great credit. Feltonfleet deserved their win in that they were a very capable side who played with skill and passion. Eagle House had a hard day in that they had to rush through lunch, rush down the motorway and rush out on to the pitch to play this early scheduled fixture. It is very difficult for such young boys to play with any composure under these circumstances and they came under a great barrage of pressure in the first ten minutes from their opponents. The fact that they stayed in the game at this point was solely down to their brave defence. Charlie Perry was an absolute star in the pack and he put in an immense performance. The back line were also tireless in their commitment with Jack, Harry, setting a fine example. Ben had a quiet game by his standards but he still won his fair share of the ball and put in some great tackles. Theo and Avan put in a series of try saving tackles and the whole team played with tremendous heart. Under this pressure the decision making was not quite what I would have hoped for and the handling was nothing like as good as it had been in midweek. These things we can work on and it is my job to build on this passion that the boys have shown and add a little more match intelligence. Clearly there were a few areas that can be improved - the recycling of the ball was poor and protecting the ball in contact also needs some hard work - however I was full of admiration for the players. When a team shows such collective heart you really feel for them and they got very little reward today. If this game had finished 19 - 7 to the home side, everyone would have gone home happy and said what a fantastic game. The best team had won and the plucky challengers had been recognised for their spirit - but it didn't, and being on the sharp end of a number of critical decisions at both ends of the pitch meant the visitors left with nothing to show for their efforts. My main disappointment came when Jamie Lunnon, protecting his own line, threw his whole 2kg frame to hold up a rampant Feltonfleet player charging at him from five metres, just long enough for the 3kg Charlie Perry to bustle the player into touch in goal but the ref (human), didn't notice and the try was given. Soon after with the score at 24 - 0 and with Feltonfleet having secured their win, Eagle House put in their most coherent attack of the day and exposed the home defence which led to a ruck under the posts and a cruel relieving penalty to the home side. So it was a disappointing day, but in some ways very encouraging. When I was asked to take this Colts team, I really didn't expect to see them play with such courage and I am delighted with the way they have started the season. Having said that, they do have a lot to learn and I hope they will want to work hard in practice sessions so that they can get better rewards for their efforts. I will be giving a star to each player for the heart shown today. Man of the Match - Charlie Perry Crunchie Award - Avan Wright
Match 1 v Hall Grove Away Wednesday 9th November 2.30 pm
Hall Grove 21 Eagle House 31 (Tries: Max, Jack, Theo 2, Seb. Cons: Jack 3) Squad: 1. Benjamin Raho †; 2. Sebastian Baldwin; 3. William Beardmore; 4. Charles Perry; 5. Max Rickard; 6. Jamie Lunnon; 7. Jack Carling ©; 8. Max McCarthy; 9. Harry Howard; 10. Jack Rees; 11. Theo Kneen; 12. Avan Wright; 13. Joshua Hyttenrauch.
It was pleasing to get off to a winning start and I think that the boys showed a real appetite for the game today. There is still a lot to work on to get the most out of this group of players, but there were a lot of encouraging signs. I was particularly pleased with the tackling. This can so often be the undoing of young sides but these boys were very keen to face up to their opponents and there were very few missed tackles. Ben, Jack C, Charlie and Theo were particularly impressive in this area but no one let the team down. Our positioning at kick off and when defending in broken play was not quite what I had hoped for, but the players showed the heart to make up for these technical deficiencies and chase down their opponents. The game itself was a little bit frustrating with long stoppages in play. This was partly due to it being the first fixture of the season and then the unfortunate occurrence of a fairly serious injury when two of the Hall Grove players appeared to clash heads when attempting to stop a powerful burst from Jack C. Eagle House established a early foothold in the game with the powerful front row, led by Ben, securing the bulk of the ball at scrummage. This enabled Jack C and Harry to embark on quite effective runs, with Jamie showing his ability making a sniping run from a ruck but falling inches away from the first score. Quite against the run of play, the Hall Grove scrum half made an almost identical run and his elusive pace enabled him to beat the winger and the full back a little too easily for my liking to score a good try.
Stung into action the Eagle House forwards worked hard to win the ball from the restart and after some good handling and positive running, Max M popped up on the opposite wing to score in the corner. Soon after, Jack C made an incisive break that reached the Hall Grove 22 metre line, the forwards were quick to drive the ball on through Seb then Ben, and Charlie worked hard to recycle the ball for Jamie to feed Jack C who finished off a very impressive move. Eagle House continued to dominate the set pieces and so were able to be on the front foot for long spells, but the Hall Grove tackling was similarly committed and there were no easy yards to be made. The Hall Grove backs were very pacy and well organised, and they proved to be quite a threat on the counter attack. We lost a bit of dominance in the second half when the referee felt the need to go for uncontested scrums due to another injury. The Hall Grove scrum half was a constant nuisance and his breaks helped to keep his side in the game right up to the final whistle. Theo was particularly impressive during this spell. His text-book tackling and his decision making when going forward enabled him to frustrate his opponents' attacks on a number of occasions, while scoring two excellent tries in the corner. A third brave run was finished off when Ben was able to take the ball on towards the line, slipping the ball cleverly to Seb who cut a brilliant line to score the winner. Of the other players, Will relished his first opportunity to play in the A side and he looked very at home playing his first ever game in the scrum. Charlie and Max R were very hard-working and quick around the park, making good tackles and getting quickly to rucks. Harry and Jack R tackled well and their handling showed promise. Avan didn't have a lot to do at full back but he too looked threatening when the ball was kicked through to him. Joshua came on midway thorough the first half and he was able to make a good contribution. So, while there is a lot to work on to get the best out of these players. I think this performance confirmed that the selection process has been quite thorough and I was very pleased with the spirit that the boys showed as a group. Man of the Match - Theo Kneen Crunchie Award (for the best tackle) - Ben Raho
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