U12s v Leighton Buzzard Sunday 9th March 2008

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A tremendous morning of well contested rugby, with no quarter asked or given, and where ultimately the honours were even across both games.

The style of the Hitchin game bore ready comparison with the quality of play evidenced at Ampthill earlier in the season, and after a couple of average weekends we can look forward to the remainder of the season and the festivals. Once again our new recruits stepped up to the mark and copetition for places is as tough as it's ever been.

It was also great to see so many parents, grand parents and coaches from other Hitchin teams supporting the U12’s, and all taking the opportunity to get to know each other and have a chat. - On that theme the Odd Shaped Ball was a great success and despite those that went seemingly having seen fit to apologize to each other for their behaviour, it would be wonderful if other parents could come along next year.

As ever the opposition add to the spirit of a Sunday morning and a fair crowd the Buzzers folk were, appreciating the rugby of both sides. The Buzzers lads were pristine in their smart shirts with the coach a fine looking cove, distinguished professorial mop of grey hair et al. Unfortunately he was quick to point out his roots were in The Valleys and from then on it was brag, brag, brag. Your scribe, coming in on the tail end of the chat couldn’t understand why he seemed so keen to tell us that The Principality had experienced the most rain in a day in March 2008 !! Not sure that was anything to go on about………

To the games……

Hitchin v Buzzers Drew 19 – 19
Tries: Euan (3). Conv: Mitchell R (2)

A great game where each side dominated for long passages and where but for a missed conversion one side would have been the outright winner.

1st half
Buzzers kicked off and reclaimed the ball – guys….open your mouths and shout “MINE” – and had us pressure immediately. Having relieved our line, good work by Joe Page set us up with a maul which crossed the Buzzers line but the ball was held up. Hitchin were under some early pressure in the scrums but dug in, the established second row grunters of Adrian and Ashley, lending their strength and increasing rugby nous to the game. Bobby was enjoying a run out at No. 8 and showed great positional awareness in securing maul ball. It was from clean ruck ball that Euan broke through the centre of the Buzzers defence to score with Mitchell adding the conversion. The game plan went slightly skewed up to half time with Buzzers scoring twice on blind side moves, with their one crucial missed conversion.

2nd half
With Buzzers out of the blocks first, it was solid defence by Hitchin that prevented an early score, Hannah and William putting in good tackles and Jonathan always looking for an opportunity to break clear. Weak tackles enabled the opposition to score and increase their lead to 7 – 19 with time running out.

It was at this point that Hitchin responded as a team, and where in previous weeks heads may have dropped we started to steam. The rucks and mauls started producing third and fourth phase ball and with Euan having scored his second try which went unconverted, the Hitchin pack were now dominating. The introduction of Mitchell (No. 2) gave Hitchin momentum and the “go forward” attitude required. From the final passage of play the pack secured the ball, Bobby fed Henry who passed to Hannah, who having controlled the ball brilliantly, moved the ball to Euan who ran in to score in the corner. With the pressure on Mitchell to tie the game, he calmly knocked over the conversion and the game ended in a fair draw.

Hitchin v Buzzers Drew 14 – 14
Tries: Tom, Mitchell B. Conv: Mitchell R (2)

1st half
The same Buzzers team were now faced by the likes of Tom and Reece who fronted up very well in the Hitchin scrum. With Mitchell (No 2) again looking a real find and having no fear in entering the dark recesses of the rucks there was real prescence to Hitchin’s early play. Mathew showed there was potential for life after Bryony in the middle of the front row, and Callum demonstrate a cool head in the face of some astute tactical kicking by Buzzers. It was Tom who scored the first try, being driven over by the pack, with Mitchell converting. Henry was demonstrating a new confidence in his own kicking, relieving our line, and making good ground before being tackled and placing the ball for the pack to drive over. Charlie demonstrated his versatility by playing on the wing, making ground and tackling like a demon. With Mitchell (No. 2) scoring a debut try which his namesake converted, it was a shame to see Buzzers pull a converted score back to make it 14 – 7 at half time.

2nd half
This was a tight affair – hence the lack of notes – and a really tight half, both sides going for the winning score. Buzzers drew level early on with a well worked cross field kick and from then it was certainly game on. Reece was retaining the ball in the tackle, Hannah’s tackles were stopping Buzzers in their tracks and with both defences holding firm no-one could begrudge a sharing of the spoils.

And finally……Allez les Bleus !! Get munching those snails, adopt a frog, dream in French but pray for the right result – you know what is required. Come on Les Garcons !!

Player of the week: Exceptionally hard to choose this week with everyone putting in good performances. Reece just edged it with a fine & committed display.

Check the Forum for details of the squad for Cambridge.