Junior Rugby (From Evesham Journal)

Junior Rugby

9:50am Sunday 7th March 2010

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Evesham u9s 14, Alcester u9s 2.

AT the start this looked like being a close contest as the home side scored two quick tries.

Evesham replied with Cameron Muir feeding good ball to Owain Hann for try number one, followed by James Cross setting Gregor Gray up for the first of his seven.

The hosts then dominated the game with quick passing, effective rucking and good use of the ball from line-out and scrum.

Tom Symonds made some fierce tackles allowing Hann over for their third. Isobel Clatworthy then showed her versatility with some strong tackling followed by try number four.

Before half-time good support play by Lydia Webster and Joe Capaldi allowed Cross over twice more.

The second-half was more of the same with Evesham defending well and capitalising on every opportunity to score. Further tries came from Gray, Hann, Cross and Ollie Austin.

Alcester u10s 7, Evesham u10s 2.

EVESHAM u10s visited local rivals Alcester and the whole team raised their level of commitment in a tough match that remained close until the final quarter.

Alcester took an early lead but Evesham soon drew level.

Tom Perry followed up Will Moreland’s clean catch-and-drive at the line-out to hold off three defenders and score in the corner.

Despite some fierce defence, Alcester scored twice in the second quarter while Evesham were held up just short as they drove for the line. Then, man-of-the-match Tom Maxted ran from near his own line and started a move taken on by Harry Britten and scored by Will Bugg.

Evesham were unlucky not to add a third try as Harry Johnson crossed the line.

But Alcester moved clear in the final quarter. Evesham players, who can play a fast running and rucking game, too often took the ball into contact and lost momentum.

Alcester u11s 5, Evesham u11s 5.

THIS was a fast, open game in heavy conditions against a powerful and well organised Alcester side.

The Avonsiders knew they would have to step up and put their bodies on the line if they were to prevail.

From the kick-off, the first-half was characterised by a series of mauls and rucks with each side going over, clearing the ball back to the wings with crisp passing and straight running by Sam Riley, Will Farrell and Archie Biltcliffe.

A counter-attack was snuffed out by heroic last-ditch tackles by Conor Armento, Jim Thompson and Archie Webster.

As the first-half was drawing to a close, the Evesham pack mounted a powerful driving maul to the Alcester line led by Marcus Harris and Finley Breach.

The ball was ripped clear by Lewis Woodford and popped up for Tom Britten to crash over the line for the visitors’ only try.

The second-half was more of the same with both sides holding their own in the scrum and line-out, Evesham were driven on by scrum-half Cameron Gray in the first-half with Ashley Allchurch joining the fray in the second.

There then followed a series of penalties against the home side as Evesham worked their way up to the Alcester line.

Old Coventrians u17s 7, Bredon Buzzards u17s 17.

BREDON travelled to Coventry to play Old Coventrians in the first round of the National u17s Cup.

Bredon started off nervously in the first-half, with Old Covs initially having the majority of territory and possession, but Bredon started to find their feet, and were pressing to score five metres out.

But the ball was spilled and snatched up by the OC’s speedy winger, who sprinted the length of the pitch to score a converted try under the posts.

Much of the rest of the half was spent between the two 10-metre lines, though, with neither side looking likely to score.

In the second-half, Bredon started with much more resolve and, taking the game to the opposition, soon found themselves pressing for the line.

Bredon’s first try came from controlled forward drives, fed to the centers and finally to winger Dave Andrews to score.

Bredon now seemed to have good control of the game with their forwards on top.

Following an OC’s infringement, a penalty kick at goal was expected but a kick to the corner was called instead, and Bredon took the ball in at the lineout and mauled over the line for prop James Peake to score.

The visitor’s third try came from another maul to the line with number eight Ben Lees touching down. Joe Freeman added the conversion.

Bredon now felt comfortably ahead, and played a more free-flowing game, holding onto possession and territory for the remainder to close out the game.

Old Silhillians u12s v Bredon Buzzards u12s.

BREDON travelled to Solihull to face Old Silhillians for two games.

Unfortunately, due to illness and various other commitments, only 10 players made the journey as Silhillians loaned them three players. It was the hosts who scored first. With Bredon missing many of their starting backs, gaps were soon exposed and exploited.

Sils scored a second try from a line-out move at the end of the first-half, a set-piece move proved unstoppable.

In the second-half, Bredon’s task became harder with Silhillians scoring an early try.

As the Bredon forwards tired, gaps began to appear in the defence. Silhillians were able to throw the ball wide and managed to run in four more tries by the end of the game to make it Silhillians 49 Bredon 0.

The second game saw Bredon keen to show the scoreline in the first game in no way reflected the lack of talent or commitment on display.

Bredon were quicker to the breakdown, more competitive in open play, and hustled Silhillians for every loose ball.

The scrum began to win every put in, as Euan Archer led the pack well.

Bredon’s first try came from a good, solid platform created by the forwards.

Further tries followed for the visitors from Ollie Goodwin and James Newey as they both grabbed a brace of touch downs each (all converted) in between two further scores for the hosts to leave it 35-14 to Bredon.

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