U 10 Saxons at Dunstable.

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2 entertaining matches a good warm up for next weeks County Cup.

On the day of the London Marathon (no Bradley with us today, as his Mum is running) and the day after the EDF final. Our own Frazer McGown scored 2 tries for Wymondley in their ½ time match at Twickenham. Nice one! The Vikings decided to stay at home for last minute training for next week, so only the Saxons venture across the border into Beds.

Taylor, OJ, Daniel; Aless, Frazer; Ashley, Oli Red, Tom, Will J. Reps -Russell, Andrew.

Game 1 Dunstable 3 v 0 Hitchin

Daniel takes the ball at the start and shows great strength driving on. Tom intercepts well and Oli and OJ make good ground. The scrum is doing well despite the presence of some great lumps in their front row. Aless make a great tackle and Ashley just fails to stop the very tall girl, who gets in at the corner 1-0. The scrum now seemed to lose it’s early strength as pressure was exerted. A good home lineout move allowed another score. 2-0 at HT.
Taylor, playing with great passion, now ripped the ball away from a ruck, but endured the first knock of the day. Dad Colin asks “Do you fancy another crack at it?”
Not the best choice of words! Dunstable then produce one of the best tries we have seen scored against us, as despite increasing Hitchin pressure, they move the ball superbly to free their winger, to make it 3-0. Will, Tom, Andrew and Frazer make crunching tackles to deny them further points and we start to move the ball with more fluency. Oli Red is unceremoniously dumped out of the way by the rampaging prop, but later makes amends and Aless makes a good break. The home ref is spot on with most calls, mostly involving offside, with a nice feel for the game. Tom is told to forget trying to intercept and tackle. He responds in a fine way, then betters it further with the “tackle of the year” (Quote from Colin) as he stops a forward, inches from the line with a full-on challenge. It ends 3-0. A full blooded contest, played in just the right spirit.

Game 2. Dunstable 1 v 1 Hitchin
William J
The team welcome back Russell, on for OJ, after a long lay off due to hospitalisation. Andrew also enters the fray, as Tom takes a rest. Ashley manages to fall over with no other player near, but recovers to make yet another crunching tackle. At last, a try, as Oli takes it on and Will J goes over in the corner. Some fantastic play, with Taylor again ripping the ball clear and Ashley tackling with force and driving the player back, the Russell stormed away like he’d never been away. Dan and Frazer did some nice inter-passing before HT.
Tom returns and Frazer, trying to emulate his Twickenham scores, goes close, but we lose concentration, and the ball is whipped along the line. Oli does well to hold them, but a score soon comes 1-1. Taylor takes yet another hit and comes off. By this time, we already have 2 ambulances attending Hitchin players from the U12s and U 11s and now a call is made for one to attend Taylor, as he is in considerable pain. D pressure is repelled, with some committed tackling, and the front row of Dan, Russell and OJ is doing really well, holding up to the strong front row.
The game ends 1-1, but a large cloud now hangs over all 3 adjacent pitches, as 3 Ambulance vans and a paramedic car wait for the Hitchin casualties. Taylor loses his entire kit, cut away by the medics to apply his neck/back supports. (Tony has offered a shirt for next week, I have a spare body-armour and black shorts) We later hear that Taylor, Simon (U11s) and Joe (U12s) from are fine to leave hospital.
Player of the week, went to Russell, for showing great courage on his return. Full credit to all players, for tackling your socks off and giving it a go. Dunstable U10s were 3rd in the Beds County finals, a few weeks ago (Ampthill won) and play a good game. We competed well.
How about this for next week? - “ TOPS “ . Tackle. Organise. Pass. Score.

This from Colin McG (AKA Super-ref, but as a player, sadly flawed. His son has scored more tries than him at Twickenham);

Today, all of you players did (in no particular order!) yourselves, your parents, your teamates, club and coach something to be so very proud of.

Not wanting to sound like a Halle Berry Oscar winning speech but it was a day that tested all of your characters.

Very strong opposition is always a test but to overcome a slow start and a number of serious knocks and turn it round to achieve a very creditable draw in the 2nd game after an initial 3-0 loss was an excellent achievement. Everyone put their bodies on the line and made some crunching tackles against heavier and stronger opposition and by demonstrating such a high commitment it forced Dunstable to make mistakes. We improved our rucking then all of a sudden it was our turn to run hard and we created chances to win which was superb. However to echo the Dunstable coaches, the defence was simply outstanding and to see the line defended so strongly made everyone watching very proud indeed.

The fact that you listened to me during at the break between the games also destroyed the urban myth that we are just here for entertainment value!!

Looking forward to taking those efforts forward to the festival and finishing the season in style.

Cheers, Colin

County Cup. The Saxons first game in the Cup is at 10.00 next Saturday the 19th April. Please be there for 9.15 for a good warm up. The first game is against Bishops Stortford. Win this and we could do well. They also have Barnet and Cheshunt in the pool.
The Vikings have it a bit easier, with the first game at 11.00. Please be there for 9.45. They play Cheshunt and Stortford too, plus our old friends Stevenage. See you there.
This is from the Hertford website.
HRFC have organised good parking facilities on Hoe Lane for those attending the Festival. Entry to the parking will cost £4, which includes one festival programme. The parking is very close to the club, but those with heavy gear may drop it at the entrance to the parking if they wish and HRFC will have a flatbed truck to transport it into the main club facilities. It would speed up the flow of traffic at peak times if drivers had the correct change ready. Marshals wearing visible clothing will direct cars and pedestrians.

There will be free disabled parking in the main club carpark.
There will be a limited number of spaces available for purchase in advance in the main club carpark. If you or any member of your club wishes to park in the main club carpark, please contact our treasurer via chris.learmonth@ntlworld.com. These spaces are available at a cost of £10, payable in advance. A pass will be issued to those wishing to do this.

Directions to HRFC
All traffic is to enter the Festival via the Rush Green Roundabout situated at the junction of A10 and A414 (Hertford) turning. At this traffic light controlled roundabout over the A10 there will be signposts to the B1502 (Stanstead Road), running south from the roundabout.

From North
Follow A10 south to A414 sign-posted Hertford. On the roundabout take the second exit sign-posted Great Amwell B1502

From West
Follow A414 through Hertford to junction A10. At roundabout take fourth exit sign-posted Great Amwell B1502

From all above - then - Turn first left into Hoe Lane, approximately 500 metres along the B1502 with a slip lane to go left. Then turn right after the bridge over the A10 into the signposted Festival Car Park, following the marshals directions

PLEASE NOTE: THERE WILL BE NO ACCESS TO THE FESTIVAL FROM THE LONDON ROAD END OF HOE LANE. PARTICIPANTS SHOULD PLAN THEIR JOURNEYS ACCORDINGLY.

These arrangements have been made in liaison with the police and local residents. We would be grateful if you could bring these arrangements to the attention of those attending the Festival from your club.