U17s vs Bracknell

The first game of the year was a fine team performance. Backs and forwards worked hard for each other and keeping the ball alive was the order of the day.

Scoring sequence;
5 - 0 Dalton
10 - 0 Oliver
15 - 0 Baker
17 - 0 Somers
17 - 5
HT
22 - 5 Richardson
27 - 5 Jones
27 - 10.
FT

Despite a curtailed warm up there was still time to introduce a key change in our backs play with Somers moving to inside centre, and for coach Bloomfield and his bunch of merry men to introduce yet another lineout variation. Both generally executed to good effect during the match.

The interplay between forwards and backs was great to see with player looking to offload out of contact as soon as possible. Done well this is virtually impossible to defend against for any prolonged time, and so it proved in three of today's try's.

The first try of the day was from a classic catch and drive at the lineout. The second was from rapid phases of interplay when Oliver was on hand to burst over and the third was from a chip over the advancing defence by Oliver. Baker latched on to the ball and dashed 30 metres down the wing to score. The chip over proved an effective tactic against an advancing defence.

It was good to have Sharp back in action as he Holt and Lu in particular proved a handful for the opposition.

Changes were made at half time but the intensity didn't drop. Leicester had the beating of his opposite number at 10, and it was from one such break that Full Back Richardson was on had to jink his way through the visitors defence and score the sides fourth try of the day. Jones scored the home sides final try from close quarters.

The lineout functioned well as did the scrum, providing good ball from which to attack.

This is the second time we have played Bracknell this season and both have been keenly contested affairs. Great attitude exhibited by the visitors whose heads never dropped. Indeed if it hadn't been for a couple of knock on's by the visitors with the whitewash beckoning the score would have been much closer.

Well done to man of the match Sharp.

Quote of the week; Scrum Half Lee to ref Lee; "What the bleep, Sir?"