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U16s turn it on against Tadley Maidenhead
U16s 86 v Tadley U16s 0 Sunday 21st February 2010 |
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This year's game was ended around five minutes early because of an injury to a Tadley player. In truth the match was over as a contest long before the half time whistle went at 59 to nil. Tadley at this age group elected to compete in Division 1 of the restructured Berkshire League this year on the basis that they would rather take on other clubs' A squads than their B squads in Division 2. Last season's equivalent fixture had been much closer than the previous season's, but unfortunately the visitors were missing some key personnel and without them this was a very one-sided affair. It took less than a minute for Michael Anderson to score the first try, running in untouched on the right wing after two textbook rucks and smooth hands in midfield. The next 34 minutes saw eight more tries and top class festival rugby from Maidenhead. Daniel Andrews-Jones scored twice exhibiting his customary pace and deceptive power, as did Laurence MacSwan, the latter's second a relief to spectators, coaches (and team-mates!) as he ignored a sure score overlap, and cut inside, just reaching the line. Louis Basson went over next and then prop Alex Avery went racing down the left wing like a young Welsh lamb running from a hungry Welsh farmer. Tom Eckles's first try featured Seb Coric and Jamie Tolan running and passing like the centres they most definitely are not. His second was the pick of the day, standoff Leo Smith making 50 metres down the left leaving half the Tadley team in the dirt behind him and then floating an inside ball for Tom to run under the posts. Although he did not feature on the scoresheet, Smith had his best game yet at 10 and was central to all the attacking play, pulling the strings and releasing the pace and power outside him throughout. Sure enough, the second half opened with Smith looping twice and putting Surya into the corner and then a simple flowing backs move gave Eckles his third try. DAJ completed his own hat trick moments later and then substitutes Mike Winter and Sam Balfour ran the final two tries in as Tadley visibly and understandably wilted. Seven out of ten conversions for Bart and one out of two for Winter brought up the 86 points. Had the final five minutes been played it is highly likely that the spectators would have politely applauded a home century. In the equivalent game at U15 level, Tadley's forwards gave as good as they got but this year, from the first scrum as tighthead Mark Hine held them and then drove them back over their own ball, they were never really in it. Coric, Bart, Whiteford, Tolan and Trevena were prominent in the loose and, with the home forwards completely on top, a stream of clean ball enabled Smith, MacSwan, Andrews-Jones and Eckles to show their class. Maidenhead opened with a number of regular starters on the bench and looked none the worse for it. Equally when all seven home subs were brought on in the second half, the team looked just as strong and well organised, testament to the squad ethos and team spirit. Maids go top of the BYL table after this result and look forward to the run in against real title rivals Newbury, Redingensians and Windsor over the next few weeks. Squad: Alex Avery, Bryn Evans, Calum O’Flaherty, Dom Bart, Ed Kaye, Iain Whiteford, Jamie Tolan, Mark Hine, Mike Trevena, Mike Winter, Nic Jones, Sam Balfour, Seb Coric, Daniel AJ, Dhruv Surya, Laurence MacSwan, Leo Smith, Louis Basson, Luke Thomas, Markus Olivier, Michael Anderson, Tom Eckles. |