A game of two halves
You learn more from a narrow defeat than you do from a heavy win. That was certainly true of today's performance.
This was a performance that made you proud to be a coach and indeed a supporting parent.
Match 1; Redingensians 0 Ruislip 5. Ruislip scored an unlikely try 2 minutes from time when 'Ensians failed to clear the ball.
Match 2; Redingensians 0 Ruislip 14. Two well worked tries down the left hand side.
We found ourselves facing opposition much larger than ourselves. No change there! We found ourselves facing several very quick backs, especially out wide. No change there either! We are getting used to dealing with that and we certainly did today to great effect. For 80% of the first match we were camped in the oppositions half. The tight 5 played some of the best rugby that they have played, winning all their own scrums and dominant in the lineout, fed by the accuracy of Jones and the hands of Hunt & Lu. The back 3 were everywhere, with the ever thinking Sharp turning up occasionally at inside centre to torment the opposition.
Arriving as a unit, the rucking by the forwards was generally text book, and fearless tackles abounded. This was indeed inspiring stuff.
Leicester mixed things up well at fly half, relieving pressure with deep kicks where appropriate, providing quick ball for his backs and tackling consistently throughout the match. In the latter half of the second match he cut inside on several occasions to make several good breaks.
The backs have learnt to pass quickly and effectively, but still lack penetration. This is something that we will continue to work on this season. Tackling was much improved and defensively we were generally quickly up putting pressure on the opposition. Wild once again was fearless at full back.
There were a number of impressive individual performances and some very high levels of commitment.
Wareham sadly left the match after a cracking personal performance to have 4 stitches in his eyebrow.
This was a stirring team performance and it's great to see the strength in depth that we are beginning to develop. Well done to the whole squad.
Especially well done to men of the match Leicester and McCrory.