Under 14 XV
Matches
Sun 03 Nov 2019
Kettering Rugby Football Club
Under 14 XV
22
10
Barkers Butts
KRFC U14's V Barkers Butts

KRFC U14's V Barkers Butts

Stewart Holford3 Nov 2019 - 17:44
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Full Squad Effort

A good home fixture today against a strong opposition. We were a bit depleted today with the half term break, quite a few backs missing so we asked the boys to play in different positions today. We know BB are a tough side & again we don't want to get into an arm wrestle with them, we talk about retaining the ball, play the off load game & play in their half. We also ask them to counter ruck to win the ball if they can. We still fielded 25 players, 2 x 25Mins here's how it played out.
1st Half:
BB kick off & KRFC gather, we work up the pitch and go through the phases, some great support at the rucks, the ball goes through pretty much everyones hands but it's Fraser at the end & he scores under the posts, Fraser converts his own try. BB putting us under pressure now they go through the phases as well, we lose Fraser to a knee injury. KRFC defend well, BB really applying the pressure but the boys aren't letting anything through. BB get up to our 5m but the boys don't panic & defend well. A real sustained attack by BB. Kettering get the ball & the forwards are working hard to get out of our half, they suck in the BB forwards & create great space for Tom R, he runs from his own 22m to score, great work from the forwards again & great break from Tom, conversion Ioan. BB gather their own kick from the re-start, and work forward, we give away a penalty at the breakdown ( hands in the ruck), BB take their opportunity & score under the posts, no conversion. Toby gathers the re-start & makes a good break, gets caught holding on in the tackle, needed support a bit quicker. BB kick for touch but Joe catches & makes a great break but gets tackled just short of the line, we recycle a couple of phases, Dan nearly over the line but it's a scum 5. Charlie off the back of the scrum & he scores under the posts., no conversion. End of the first half. Note: We have Tom R playing 10 this week & hasn't kicked once, he's passed the ball out & the boys have worked with ball in hand all half. A very cool head under a lot of pressure.
2nd Half:
Pretty even stuff again, lots of breakdowns, lots of recycling. BB try to put the ball out but Alex flicks the ball from the touchline to Oran to keep it alive, great skills. We start to concede a lot penalties now, hands in the ruck. Another penalty & marched back 10m for " chatting" to the ref. More break downs & more penalties from us, hands in the ruck & holding on. A great counter ruck now to win the ball back. Nothing in this game, it's back & forth. BB kick for touch but Dan flicks it off the touchline this time to keep the ball alive in our half, great skills The penalty count is hurting now & BB win one on our 5m, BB score, no conversion. We pressure from the restart, BB scum on their 10m, Their 10 gets tackled & tries to recycle the ball but no one from BB goes for it, Tom H picks it out & out to Oran with a great run with a 2 v 1, off load to Tom R & he scores, no conversion. BB on the attack again, Tom R with a superb counter ruck to secure the ball, Charlie picks up & he's gone, sprinting for the line, BB bring him down just short. BB gather but it's a knock on by us, scrum 5 to BB. A fantastic break from Charlie. We win the scrum, Charlie picks off the back but he's just short again, BB save the try. Another scrum on the 5m, three more Kettering phases, forwards working around the corner on each one, a thing of beauty to watch. BB keep it off the line, fantastic defence from them & great attack from us. More discipline issues & we get marched back 10m again, somehow Oran sprints up and charges down the clearance kick, we are scrapping away in their 5m channel but thats time here at Waverley Road.
A fantastic full squad effort today, everyone made a difference on the pitch today. We asked boys to play out of their preferred positions, no moaning they just got on with it, some great individual skills but it was the team work that won the game. I could name them all as doing something significant, Shea was an absolute menace at the breakdown with Will L-W, Toby & Joe. Max & the front row working their butts off all morning. Charlie & Alfie creating havoc at the back of the scrums. The backs faced up in unfamiliar situations, Tom R taking control at 10 with, Alex & Oran in support. Milo filling in anywhere he was needed weather that was the wing or full back. Cyrus was back with us making great breaks along with Ewan. Sam & Clark interchanged well at hooker. We need to look the discipline & particularly hands in the ruck ( something for the coaches to work on). Overall the passion & desire to play well got the boys over the line. As a spectator it was a great game of rugby to watch.
Tries: Fraser 1, Tom R 2 & Charlie 1, Conversions: Fraser 1 & Ioan 1

Match details

Match date

Sun 03 Nov 2019

Kickoff

10:00
Team overview
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