U12s at the Malone Tournament Belfast

12th/13th April 2008

Maidenhead fielded their A team squad for the Malone RFC Under 12 International festival of Rugby. This ten-a-side rugby tournament has been running for 5 years at Belfast's Gibson Park and now attracts quality sides from all over Ireland, Scotland , England and Wales. Maidenhead Rugby Clubs U12s played in the two day tournament and also took the opportunity to see something of the city of Belfast and some of its history.

Twenty teams in four groups meant that Maidenhead played in four games in the preliminary group on the first day. In the first match against local team Ballyclare, Maidenhead made a bright start with the ball running down the back line in less than 2 minutes to winger Ruth Dow who blasted through three tackles to score the first try. Inspired by this Maidenhead put on a display of passing that saw the ball traversing the field to let Patrick Bart score. Ballyclare recovered their composure and got the ball to their fast and large inside centre on the halfway line who accelerated through Maids' defence to score the next try. George Kingsley drove up a quarter of the pitch before being stopped, rucking the ball and providing a quick feed to scrum half Peter Watts for an easy try on the half time whistle. (3-1). In the second half fly half Simon Graham opened the account followed by winger Lee Neal who carved up the left wing with plenty of support. The final score was 5-1.

Neal tried the same move at the start of the next match against Boroughmuir Athletic and found another try. Shortly afterwards, Maidenhead's pack consisting of Jody Dance, Hamish Rosser, George Kingsley, Owen Langstone and James O'Connor won ball from a scrum on the opposition ten metre line, scrum half Peter Watt drawing the defenders before offloading to winger Dow who scored the second try. Matt Price then burst through in a clever run to score the next try before Jodie Dance then surged over the line to score for Maids again. Boroughmuir recovered sufficiently to snatch a try following a penalty on the Maidenhead ten metre line, to give a 4-1 halftime score. Boroughmuir rallied in the second half and made the most of a scrum at the Maidenhead end, the scrum half running the ball round the blind side to score their second try. Maids responded with sustained pressure that eventually yielded a try to Patrick Bart. The final score was 5-2.

Bridgend Athletic from Wales gave Maids their hardest game of the day which was played in increasingly raw windy conditions with occasional snow flurries. The Bridgend team carried a weight advantage and were not slow on their feet either, quickly finding a hole in Maids' defence to score two tries. Maidenhead tackled more determinedly and suddenly 2^nd row Owen Langstone found the way clear to score. Winger Aaron Whetton found the ball loose in front of him and didn't need any encouragement to swerve around the Bridgend defence to make the half time score 2-2. Bridgend started the second half brightly and soon Maids were finding that the rucks and mauls were drawing in all their players leaving space for the Bridgend backs to run. This resulted in tow more tries giving Bridgend the game 2-4.

The final match of the first day was played against a Barbarian team which was outclassed by Maids. James O'Connor scored first supported by an offload from Harry Kealey, followed by tries from outside centre Lee Neal and prop Harry Kealey. Winger Chris Hudson and Lee Neal combined a couple of times to run the ball the length of the pitch before being halted. The score at half time was 3-0. Patrick Bart scored probably the fastest try of the competition with 15 seconds of the second half starting when the Barbarian full back failed to control the ball, letting Bart take it and run over. Tries then followed from Mike McPherson, Owen Langstone and centre Sam Anstiss. The final score was 7-0.

Maidenhead came runners up in their group which put them into the Cup 'A' league on day two against three other teams. Sandal were first, starting confidently by kicking the ball behind the Maidenhead players, getting a scrum for a knock on and using that as a scoring platform. In almost a mirror image, Maids' backs scored after a scrum at the other end to level the score at half time (1-1). In the second half, both sides maintained pressure with the Sandal left winger breaking away twice. Eventually the Sandal right winger broke through with a long fast run in. Maids repulsed all other efforts but were unable to mount a successful counter attack. Saracens yielded to a combination of a gritty run by Maids' full back, offloading to Simon Graham who didn't fail to run in at close range. Saracens replied with a try but then made a lot of changes to their back line. This seemed to work as they then scored another try towards the end of the second half.

Maidenhead's last match of the day was played against Cooke, a local Belfast side. Cooke outclassed Maidenhead pushing four tries past with a display of flowing passing ten man rugby. Maids rallied in the second half and dug in with a ferocious run of play led by winger Ruth Dow, centre Chris Hudson and Owen Langstone. This slowed Cooke right down with Maids conceding only two more tries. The final score was 6-0. Cooke went on to emphatically win the whole tournament.

Maids finished 4^th in the A Cup Group, 7^th overall out of twenty teams. The team returned home tired after a good performance in a high quality competition that was very well organised and run by Malone RFC.