Match report Herts U15 A & B vs Essex U15 A & B
Venue Bishop’s Stortford RFC, Sunday 13 February 2005
Herts U15 B - 44 Essex U15 B - 12
Herts U15 B forwards won little early ball in the tight or loose and the strong Essex forwards soon scored an early unconverted try. However, this spurred the home pack into action and good quick ball was moved to winger, Jonathan Tinner whose outstanding speed saw him run in a try under the posts. Andrew John converted.
The whole team’s spirits were now raised and, again, after good ball from the forwards, quick hands soon saw Tinner with the ball and being faced by what looked like Essex’s star winger. Tinner stepped outside his opponent, left him grasping thin air, and scorched home for his second, unconverted, try.
Essex made a short term comeback with a gifted, converted try. The Herts defence attacked the outside shoulder in the center, and the opposite center stepped inside for a home run under te posts. Half time 12-12 and all to play for!”
Despite the sticky pitch, Herts backs used every ball provided by their increasingly dominant, and higher skilled pack. Winger, Daniel Nansoz, learning from an earlier situation, where he stepped inside with space outside, chose the right option, used his pace and finished with an unconverted try in the corner. Marco Celindano, a newish player to the world of rugby, but with lots of potential, made a good break at center, fed the ball to Robert Richardson who ran in an easy try under the posts. Richardson converted his own try.
Tinner then found himself with the ball on his own half-way line and burnt grass all the way to the Essex line for a great individual try.
Herts.
Back row, Jono Elvin finished off more good forward work with a try in the corner, and then that man with the pace, Tinner “creamed” his opposite, number once again on the outside.
The final points were, fittingly added by the hard working forwards, when second row, Schillaci, found his way to the line.
A great, well-earned victory, for a strong supporting act of players. Some of these are still in contention for a place in the last 15 a-side match and also for 10 a-side selection. Well done lads!
Herts U15 A - 51 Essex U15 A - 12
In the same fixture, Herts U15 A team’s backs were provided with great ball from a solid, aggressive and skillful set of forwards.
Matt Chambers, number 8 and Captain, led by example despite incurring a lower back injury in the warm-up. He adapted his game by focusing on the tight, allowing flankers Fraser and Dempsey to dominate in the loose.
The backs have exceptional overall skills in handling, positional play, support running and pace. What more can you ask?! Every opportunity was taken to run the ball and winger, Lars Johnson, was soon on the score sheet, with a try in the corner, after slick hands showed him the ball.
Winger, Charlie Pattison, provided the return inside pass, to Ian Harrowell, whose electric pace left the Essex defence watching. Vinnicombe narrowly missed the difficult conversion as the wind drifted the ball outside the posts by inches.
Herts continued the press for more points with center, Jack Knowles, showing off his Jason Robinson skills and leaving the Essex defence grabbing thin air.
Loose head prop, Paul Brown, was outstanding in his relentless direct running, and even when stopped after a raging bull session, always set the ball up for his supporting back row.
Herts knew they were in control now and after a kick ahead, winger, Charlie Pattison caught the defender in position, blind-side flanker, Dempsey secured quick ball, popped to Harrowell, and supporting full back, Chris Johns finished of the exciting move with a well deserved “total rugby” try. Great passion, teamwork, support running and a great try!
Brown, hooker, Paget, and Chambers produced good interplay. Fast ball went to Vinnicombe, who flighted a perfect grubber into the Essex 22, which center, Jack Knowles, picked up perfectly to run in under the posts and secure a half-time lead of 20-0
Herts opened the second half in attacking fashion. Quick ball went to Johnson, to Chambers, back to Johnson, on to Vinnicombe and then Pattison, who finished off with a try. Vinnicombe converted. Herts were heads up and flying. Johnson soon ran in another direct winger’s try which Vinnicombe converted. Johnson then scored his hat-trick in similar style. Substitute second row, Osibodu, worked well with Dempsey in attack which kept Essex on the back foot.
Johnson (that man again!) put in a great tackle on his opposite number who was, mistakingly, trying to run out of defence. Harrowell kicked the loose ball forwards, picked up on the bounce and ran in a try to finish the match in style.
Well done lads. A great match and fantastic for the spectators too!
This keeps the Herts U15 A team 100% record in 15 a-side matches on track following on from last season.
2003/04, 2004/05 (revised) record to date:- Played 7, won 7, 217 for, 64 against.
( We must still be doing something right!!
These two matches saw 11 of our regular 47 squad players out of action, mostly for skiing holidays or other school trips. Essex were disappointed with the quality of their threequarte defence, but also had a “couple” of players out.
Nominations have been made for Saracens U15 Academy, and Matt Davies, Essex U15 Manager and Saracens Academy Coach saw, for the first time, 8 of our selected 10 players. He was more then happy to have them in his Academy.
All County U15 players will still train at Hitchin Academy on Wednesday 16 Feb and 2 March, but as our following fixture, against Eastern Counties is an A team-only-fixture, we will start to reduce our squad as we approach the 10 a-side campaign.
We can confirm now, the two 10 a-side festival dates. The first is the Easter Counties 10s (at Culford School ?) on Sunday 10 April, where we will probably take around 22 players, before finally reducing to 16, plus 4 "non-travelling reserves", for the flagship, National U15 10 a-side competition at Rugby School Saturday 30 April to Monday 2 May 2005.
Regards,
Tony Rea,
Herts U15 Manager 2003/4, 2004/5