Speedy U17s keep ahead of Barbarians

Maidenhead U17s 22 v Oxford Barbarians U17s 10
Sunday 15th January 2006

For both newly promoted sides, this was their first match in Division 2 of the OBB U17 league. For Maidenhead it was a question of continuing where there they had finished in the first part of the league season, with a win and bonus points for scoring 4 tries.

When the two sides met at Oxford before Christmas, Maids were easy winners. However, there was enough in that match to suggest that the Barbarians might fancy their chances in a rematch, particularly as they had been short of one or two key players.

The two teams have very contrasting styles. Maids have won matches because they understand that brains can make up for their relative lack of brawn. Their outsides have pace and fast hands, with centres who can carve gaps through opposition defences, wings and a fullback who can put away tries and halfbacks with mature decision making abilities. Their lightweight pack has learnt that fitness, skill and technique can give them the edge in both the set and loose against opponents who seem to have a weight advantage of a stone a man. The team wins matches by winning at least its fair share of possession, unleashing the backs and, when needed, by stout and determined defence. However, when they switch off their brains, they can suddenly look vulnerable.

In both matches, the Barbarians have displayed a much simpler, but potentially still effective, game plan. They use their large pack to drive the ball straight up the middle of the pitch towards their opponents’ line, leaving their centres and wings largely unemployed. Against a well drilled and organised team like Maidenhead, these tactics are predictable and do not introduce any subtlety or surprise. They depend on the superior power of the pack to deliver the points. Counter that and they are vulnerable.

Maids went into the game with several key players injured and a match squad with exactly 8 forwards in it. Within 10 minutes things were definitely looking grim. After a bright start by Maidenhead, the Oxford pack had driven into the Maids’ 22 and created an unconverted try. Worse, in making a tackle, Maids’ effective blind side flanker, Gareth Whyte, had injured his shoulder and had had to leave the pitch, being replaced by utility halfback Alex Dean.

For the remainder of the first half Maids kept their brains in gear and ran in 4 tries. From the restart, after the Barbarians try, Maids drove straight into the Oxford 22, No. 8 David Sewell fed the backs from the base of a set scrum and centre Mike Skelton angled a run through the defence to score. Within minutes, the Maids three-quarters ran in a brilliant try, with left winger James Kudamaku setting up a score for fullback Corin Singh. Kudumaku then popped on the right wing to finish off a well executed try and Skelton combined with Tom Miller to send in the fly-half for a fourth try, which Dean Rogers converted.

Maids were 22-5 ahead at half time and looked to have the match well won. However, in the second half Maidenhead’s Mr. Hyde took over from Dr. Jekyll. A string of unnecessary penalties were conceded, focus was dissipated disputing refereeing decisions (always a negative activity), clearance kicks went straight to the Barbarians rather than to touch and indecision over whether to replace injured players all conspired to let Oxford Barbarians back into the match. Maids spent much of the second half under siege in their own 22. It is a credit to the pack that they kept sufficient discipline to continue dominating the lines-out and keeping the Barbarians scrum under constant pressure. Above all, they dug in on the own line to drive back repeated attacks, often pushing the Barbarians back several metres.

The Barbarians forwards did manage to drive over for one try from a short penalty, but were otherwise frustrated.

In what was a team effort, it would be wrong to suggest that any of the pack were less than excellent, but prop Brinsley Munn, second row Liam Lynch, flanker Guy Kynaston and "man of the match" David Sewell were all conspicuously outstanding.