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| Rugby Colts C IX Team 'Blog' |
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Yateley Manor 30 Eagle House 20 When I think back to the first session that this group had just after half term at the start of this rugby 'season' and I think what the children were like and then compare those children with the ones that have played in the last three matches, I am pleased for them. Last week we put in two good performances(neither of which were recognised disappointingly), we drew at the Aldro and scored three good tries against a bigger and faster Highfield side. Today we raced into a very pleasing 15-0 lead at Yateley manor, before things start to go a little wrong. However, whatever the result of today's game on a 'pitch' 'marked' out with cones, the children have every right to be delighted with the vast improvement in their rugby playing skills. Okay, so tackling is weak, and having had nobody to practise against in a match situation we found that pressure caused a few problems, but we know how to play rugby. The children have worked hard (thank you, Mr Guest and Mr Mono) and they have played some delightful running and passing rugby, the result of practising and listening and listening and practising. The group is not perfect as too many infuriatingly do not concentrate always and can mess around when they should be working, but they have improved and had we been playing a similar group age and size at any stage we would always be competitive and often would show how this beautiful game should be played. Today was a disappointing way to finish the season. The pitch was not even marked out and players did not follow the rules. Our players were generally good and followed the rules, and for this they were constantly penalised for being onside, coming in from the back of the ruck or maul, not handing off etc. As I have said, we struggled to cope with the bigger players, and there were a couple who did not involve themselves fully. However, most of our team did their best and they should pleased that at least they tried to play a good game within the limitations of the rules of the game. It would certainly be interesting if we were to play on a proper pitch, perhaps at Eagle House. This group has improved tremendously since the start of the season and should remember what they have achieved when we start again next November.
Eagle House 17 Highfield 48 ish It was clear from the first whistle that we were going to struggle against a school that puts five sides out at this level, especially as three players had become available or had to playing for a senior side, and then Mathew had to leave as he looked whiter than the beaches of Hamilton Island. For this reason we had asked that we should play a side that was of roughly equal ability and size and that we should only play uncontested scrums. The latter was achieved as we were at home. In the end it was pleasing that there had been no unnecessary injuries when the game was finished. It was disappointingly obvious that we were going to struggle against stronger and more physical players and time after time the opposition just ran through flapping hands and this stopped the game from being a meaningful contest. Such was a shame as when we did put the two man tackles in, we showed that at least we were trying to play rugby and in places we did play some good rugby. We passed the ball and tried to go forward, before releasing the ball to supporting runners. In places we should be pleased with the rugby we tried to play and if we had had a full side, perhaps... A shame, but we will work through some more tackling practice on Monday and Tuesday
Aldro 17 Eagle House 17
Yes, that means that we scored as many points as they did…….. Having driven through torrential rain which reminded me of the monsoon season of 66, we arrived to run through the rain to the changing rooms, unpack our bags to realise that we had left shirts, socks, shorts at home (Sir, it was in my bag, honest – the children really have to learn to take responsibility for their own kit at this age, honest), we jogged down to the pitch, won the toss, kicked the ball, Aldro caught the ball, ran to our try line, and no, wait a minute, we tackled the man, we picked up the ball we ran forward (in the right direction), we were tackled, we popped a pass, we ran forward and wait another minute we scored a try…….. And then another… And then it was half time. 10-0 to us. We were leading against a year six side and had been playing rugby. All the practices on Manor seemed to have made a difference. We were tackling in pairs, and everybody was tackling, not just one or two, and then we were getting the ball, and we were actually trying to get the ball, and the second half started. And we became a little complacent and they scored a try and then another, as we stopped playing rugby. Perhaps little legs were getting a little tired or we stopped thinking. Jacob ran in his third try, and Hamid kicked the two points. Then Aldro ran in to score and….missed the conversion. 17 -17…..we pressed and pushed and Joseph nearly made it, but was dragged down five yards short by a great tackle and the whistle went. A fair result, because the opposition were so big and we had decided on uncontested scrums. Both teams played running rugby, not always in the right direction, but it was entertaining. If Aldro had won I think it would have been a little unfair, and had we won by one score, it might almost have been fair as we had improved so much on the last outings. Now we must cope with the rain sleet, thunder and lightning on Saturday, and build upon this improvement.
Papplewick 35 EagleHouse 14 I was talking with Mr Guest this morning about yesterday’s coaching session and we agreed that it had probably been one of the best that we had had during the term so far. For the first time, most of the boys were working hard at the exercises and most of the boys improved considerably their tackling and passing. What it was then to perform in the way that we did today against Papplewick. Admittedly they have been playing since the start of September and have played seven or eight matches, but the referee was more than fair to encourage our players to compete. Only Hamid can really come off the pitch with his head held high, because he started from the first whistle and then kept going all the way through with a break for half time, thoroughly deserving his try. Now that was a funny thing, as Hamid’s try was not a solo effort but the result of one of the three times that we looked like we could play rugby. A tackle was made, the ball was grabbed, we ran forward, passed the ball, were tackled, passed the ball ran forward and then scored. We did that three times this afternoon and it was clear that this was what we could do. However, too often we flapped a hand and thought that it made a tackle, too often when we caught ball we did not run forward, but either threw the ball away or worse still ran backwards or straight off the pitch. We need to understand that in this great game everything that we do has a consequence good and bad. If we tackle well we can win the ball, if we don’t then somebody has to do our job, if we stand and watch as many of you were doing today, then we are letting our friends down. Three times during the game we showed what we can do and it is this standard that we must reproduce all the time if we are going to compete and win. Eagle House 0 Cranleigh 49 One has to ask if there is any benefit in playing a C team like this when we requested to play the next level down as it was such a one sided game technically and tactically. Cranleigh were powerful and hard and every one of them was prepared to tackle. Indeed I fear that they would have given our Colts B a good game. It was a win for Cranleigh and they did play well to get the result. However, the Eagle House boys did give it a good go and kept at it until the referee called it a day. Most tackled hard and stuck to the job, but most importantly I hope that they benefited from playing against a team in a match situation, to see, understand and appreciate how to play together to carry the ball forward, to support each other, to pass the ball in front of the players and so on. Exercises are useful, but they must be practised hard in a game situation for them to be beneficial. If the EH boys really understood why Cranleigh were that much better than them(basically because they all tackled, they all went forward and they all wanted the ball), then that is a good lesson learned. Everybody did their best, and I cannot really complain about that effort. We will continue to work hard in the coaching sessions and I hope we will be able to show what we can do against teams of the same ability.
Hall Grove 20 Eagle House 10 This was the first outing for both teams, and in some places both teams clearly were trying to play rugby as they had been asked to play. Hall Grove quickly moved into a ten point lead with two tries gifted by half hearted and inconsequential tackling, the opposition runners just wandering through as we just let them. Fortunately, some of the team began to show a little more heart and we controlled the next ten minutes, crossing the line on four occasions, but only being awarded a try on the stroke of half time. 'We must make our tackles', 'We must get the ball in our hands' and 'When we get the ball we must run forward' was all that was said at half time, but these simple messages were not taken on board as we conceded two more easy tries just after the break. We did pull one back, but time ran out and the result was disappointing. In our next coaching sessions, we will concentrate on going FORWARD, on getting hands on the ball and getting the backs moving. We cannot stand and watch the game and leave everything to other players. It is not fair to name the players who worked hard and gave their best, but they should know who they are and these players should be pleased with this first match. There is something to build upon, and I hope that you will work really hard on Friday and then again at the start of next week. I will try to post the team by 1830 on Friday and update it at 1130 on Saturday depending on who is available. |
