U13s win plate at Gullivers Tournament

Burnham-on-Sea
5th/6th May 2001

The crunch match was that against Aberavon Green Stars on the second day of competition. The Green Stars are not a well-known club at senior level but their U13 team was outstanding, the best the Maidenhead coaches had seen all season. It was large, physical and well organised. Maidenhead had to beat the Green Stars to take the title but in a compelling battle, full of heavy tackling and wonderful commitment, the Welsh team won by 8-0 to become champions. They thoroughly deserved their victory although their coaches were generous enough to point out that their own team was fresh whereas Maids had just battled through another colossal affair against the outstanding Moortown, the Yorkshire club.

For the Aberavon match, Maids had to play without their talisman, the mighty Joe Thomas, the lock., Thomas suffered a serious nose injury against Moortown, with typical courage tried to play through the pain against Aberavon, but was forced to leave the field. Thomas was probably the player of the tournament and Maids sorely missed his presence. They lost to a penalty and a late try, the only time their line was crossed in the whole tournament - a tribute to a superb defence well marshalled by Alasdair Bruce at fly-half. It was noticeable that players like Tom Kay, Ollie Styles, Tom Morgan and Ryan Christian made Herculean efforts to drag the match back. The spirit of the team was remarkable. The scrum, with Ashley Hanks, Pat McSweeney and Jack Robinson the foundation stones, was never beaten in the tournament.