U9A&B Tag Rugby v Burton Hathow (H) - 1.45pm

Team: U9A&B

Venue: HOME

Coaches: Mr Elkington & Mr Sinnott

Start Time: 1.45pm

Finish Time: 3.00pm

A: Wilf H-S, Jenson G, Cameron M, Euan P, Ted J, Charles B, Rupert B-W.

B: Raul P, Matthew H, Austin S, Aidan M, Arthur R, William S, Euan B.

Notes: Change at first break, water bottles are required. Following the game the boys will enjoy juice and a biscuit. They will then get changed and return to their academic lessons. Normal 5pm finish.

U9B Report

With the rainy season in full pelt and the ground saturated and slippery, the U9B team took to the lower east pitches of St Hugh's School and formed a thin red line against the aggressors from Burton Hathow.

Burton were short on numbers and so the decision was made to cede a St Hughsian, in foreign habiliments. This was undertaken with due sportsmanship.

St Hugh's kicked off and started well, their passing and catching skills much improved from previous weeks. The boys passed into space and quickly scored the opening try. However, counter-attack ensued, and through the pace of Burton’s star man, the score was quickly flipped to 2-1 BH. The bulk of the game consisted of try and counter-try. A mesmerising exchange of skills and interplay. One try in the corner was so quick that it had to go to TMO in the form of the spectating older gentleman, who gave the appropriate nod of approval.
At half time the score was 4-3 BH, the word went out to the St Hughsians that in order to score more frequently, they had to keep running forwards, instead of shepherd’s crooking round the back of their own team. This message seemed to percolate, as immediately after the break the boys in red put together an excellent score, bringing them equal.
In the 1980s, it was the lightning interceptor which kept Russian aero-aggression at bay over the skies of Lincolnshire. But in 2019, a new interceptor emerged, William, who stretched his great long arm out and plucked the floating ball from the air, before showing great pace to score in the corner. The St Hughsians now looked to be marching on. But Burton were unperturbed, and answered with yet more points.
With 1 minute on the clock, both sides made last-ditch efforts to salvage victory. The play resembled a ping pong match, with the ball first at one end of the pitch, then the other as tackle after tackle was made and turnover after turnover stolen. As the clock entered red, Aydin, playing for Burton, saw his chance and with speed of foot, dotted the ball down in the corner, sealing the fate for his former team mates to the jeers of ‘et tu, Aydin?’.

Final score 5-6 BH. Another excellent game with St H looking the stronger team throughout, it is undoubtable that without the aid of our own players on the opposition team, this game would never have been lost. However, I commend the boys who had to make this sacrifice for their excellent sportsmanship. I also commend, our own team, who improve every week and whose skills become better and better, particularly passing and catching. Keep running forwards boys and the success will come.