Tries

Olney 2 – 1 Market Harborough ‘B’                          Sam 1, Ben Brear 1

Olney 0 – 1 Old Scouts

Olney 1 – 0 Market Harborough ‘C’                          Sam 1

Olney 6 – 0 Rugby Lions                                                 Sam 1, Ben Brear 1, Ben Roworth 1, Jacob 2, George 1

We won 3 out of 4 games. A 1 – 0 defeat by Old Scouts meant we just failed to reach the final, where we would have met (and beaten) Bletchley.

Struan grounded the ball over our own line first and then Old Scouts followed up and were given the try, however, we really lost that game because we dropped the ball about 5 times in that match. We could and should have scored 2 or 3 tries. The Old Scouts match just turned out to be the game when the ball did not go to hand. Shame as Old Scout had a draw with Market Harborough ‘C’ so a draw with us would have seen Olney in the final.

I see this tournament as yet more progress. When the kids did get the passing right they looked fantastic and played some really top class entertaining rugby. They also rucked and mauled well at times, a little less so sometimes but on the whole did very well. Georgia Brock was the outstanding player in the tight but was run close Rhys who was very quick to the breakdown. George and William made up the forwards on the day and passionate performances by them, added to the efforts of the squad, saw us retain and win a lot more ball than we lost against sides a lot bigger than us. The forwards are where we will have to front up and stand our ground in the future but if they can provide the platform ( as they did yesterday) I am certain our backs will win many games for us. Rome was not built in a day and it will take more time for kids to get their passing and timing spot on but as I look at the potential in the back line I can’t help but have great confidence.

Defence right across the team was strong, particular mention should go to Jacob, Louis, William and Struan but all kids really played their part. What I liked was if one player did not quite complete their tackle they did hold the attacker up and the other players were on them. A good defensive team performance. Laurence and Isaac were asked to play different positions in different games and adapted well. Isaac had a hunger for the ball and attacked with passion. Ben Roworth did well as scrum half and made several good snipping runs, one resulting in a fine try. We know we need to improve our support play when our scrum half takes off from the base of the scrum and this will come.

In the close games Ben Brear and Sam Dalton were our most potent attacking force and Jacob came into his own with some strong running in the last game. Sam showed outstanding finishing. He outstripped all defences with pure pace and was our top try scorer with 3, despite being subbed off for half of every game. We will need to work on handling skills but when we can put Sam away, with ball securely in hand, we have a real potential match winner here. I all a fine performance by the squad in attack, defence, rucking and mauling. We were so close. A little better ball handling and we would surely have won this tournament.  I am not going to complain about that. We are trying to get the kids to pass the ball and they did try hard to do that, sometimes brilliantly, sometime not quite so brilliant. I think we played the best passing rugby of the teams I watched and as execution improves we WILL open up defences.

Chris Brear

Group stage

Bedford Lions                                    lost         0 -  1

Old Albanians                                    Won        3 – 2  tries by Jacob, Charlie, Patrick

Northampton Old Scouts                 Lost        1 -  2  try by Zack

Semi Final of the Plate

Bedford Tigers                                  Won      7 – 0 tries Ben, Zack, Louis, Charlie, Struan (really struggling with this one who scored?)

Final of the Plate