Away at Royston

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3 hours + with Royston and Wendens Ambo!

Away at Royston on Fireworks day, with Wendens Ambo a new team to many of us (it’s near Saffron Walden) A very long morning, finishing at about 1.15. Nice coffee (cappuccino!) in the clubhouse. Fortunately, most of us had given the day over to rugby, with Eng v NZ on BBC later on (20-41 was that score).

GAME 1 Royston 0 v Hitchin B 6
Squad – Andrew, Christopher, George, Lilian, Max, Oliver M, Oliver P, Russell, Toby, William J,

Oliver P got us going with 2 strong runs to score , with Christopher adding another. Max made a number of weaving runs and Jamie tackled strongly. Jamie was then “on fire”, as he charged to the line, to make it 0-4 at HT. Jamie got his 2nd then a long Royston run was ended just short of the line as Christopher caught him superbly. Hitchin then counter-attacked, to have coach Trevor purring, “It’s finally working!”. Oliver M was unfortunate to miscalculate the try line a few times, placing the ball short. (The very long grass did not help see the cones) After a few bizarre moments, Max tackles Max, Frazer tackles a Hitchin player (names not often heard in teams against us) Christopher put in another good tackle and Oliver M joined in, to make it 0-6 at the close. A superb display of team work, with good passing and ball retention.

GAME 2 Hitchin A 5 v Wendens Ambo 0
Squad – Aless, Ashley, Ben S, Christian, Daniel, Frazer, Harry, Joshua, Jack, Philip, Tom

A strange game this one. Ashley came in for a good tackle straight up, then Jack finished well, 1-0. Then a long talk by the ref on scrummaging technique, a run by Wendens and it was HT. After the break, Hitchin put together play of which they are well capable, scoring 4 tries through Frazer, Josh, Harry and Daniel, although it must be said, team play was minimal, the scores coming from moments of individual skill. It was as if we were still playing tag, with little threat of turnover ball. Tom also placed the ball short after cutting through well, which would have equalled the score from game 1.

GAME 3 Royston 3 v Hitchin B 2.
It was odd that the A team did not get to play Royston, and the B’s did not play Wendens Ambo. However, the B team again showed great commitment in this game, albeit a losing one. The opponents star runner ,Charlie got another hat-trick in this game (he got one against W. A. too) 2-0 at HT. Jamie got his 3rd of the day, to get us on the board and Max and Toby ran well. Oliver M put in another crucial tackle on Charlie and then scored, to make it 3-2 at the close.

GAME 4Hitchin A 0 v Wendens Ambo A 0
Well what to say!? This game ‘kicked off’ at 12.45 Fortunately it wasn’t too cold and was dry. Maybe the players were tired. It just didn’t get going. Good defence was shown, as the score suggests, but the attacking play was poor. Harry did at least one excellent tackle. The A team need to play more as A team, as too often moves broke down with bad passing. Communication needs to improve too.

P 4 W 2 L 1 D 1
Players of the week- A team Frazer, still cutting good lines and a great piece of ball winning. B team –Jamie, what a stormer. Trevor nominated the whole B team as PsOW!
Training next week, if old man Wuidart (he’s 40 next week) can get himself to the club. Still, I’m away too playing the Last Post at Remembrance Day if I can get my dentures to fit.
Seriously, maybe a minutes silence should be observed?
We will remember them.