Maidenhead RFC - Newsletter 25/10/07

U17s top the table

High Wycombe U17 5pts - Maidenhead U17 53pts (BBO League)

After two league games, the U17s now top the table and are really looking to maintain this position to the end of the season

Although not the strongest of opposition, Wycombe was shocked with the tempo and fluidity of the Maids game. With tries throughout the side, there was a good flow to the game and Maids extra aggression up front and speed out wide made all the difference

Strength in depth is looking good for the U17s with at least 6 of the squad away for half term or injured

I personally put it down to the quality of their coaching team

The ED - U17 Coach

Powergen SW1
Click here for full SW1 League Stats

Team	P	Pts

Bracknell Chinnor Cleve Old Patesians Redingensians Weston-Super-Mare Oxford Harlequins Maidenhead Coney Hill Reading St Ives (SW) Bournemouth	6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6	12 12 10 9 6 6 5 4 4 2 2 0

Sweet Revenge for 3rds
Maidenhead 3rds 31pts vs Oxford Harlequins 0pts

Maidenhead 3rds continued their impressive start to the season with a powerful forward display rounded off with clinical finishing from their backs

Seeking revenge for an away drubbing last season, the recurring theme of this term continued – the pack wins games and the backs dictate by how much. Maids started the game with an ominous srummaging display which set their stall out for the 80 minutes

Good work by the front five saw Maids cement a good platform of possession that saw well worked tries from the rampaging Mark Robinson and Paul Savage. A fine mid field break by Jon Sudbury set up another try for Lester Martin. Maids domination continued in the second half with tried from Jan Weddepohl and another from Lester Martin. The Penn Motor Company and White Horse Man of the Match goes to the 3rds very own 'Paekakariki Express'. Ed Poulding produced his trade mark display of defense splitting runs from deep to cap another fine display

However, a very special mention must go to our sub who made his debut off the bench this season, Captain Kirk. His positioning, angles and stature were a menace to all who crossed him and his shear presence was enough to deter a certain score in the dying minutes. My only concern was propensity to act like Superman to Kryptonite when the ball came near him but a sound start to a no doubt blossoming career

All in all another great performance as they head into the cold winter period with tough games coming up against Tadley and Thatcham (twice)

Mike 'Scoop Junior' Anthony

U15s heroic against Marlow
Marlow 14pts - Maidenhead 19pts

The Under 15s won an epic battle away against Marlow with an inspiring team effort and never-say-die defending.

This friendly fixture was divided into three periods of 20 minutes. Marlow quickly moved into a 14.0 lead, but as Maids found their rhythm they attacked relentlessly.

Big driving mauls, with Michael James at the heart, put the pressure on the hosts. Spotting a gap in Marlow's defence, Michael Habgood flew through and was only stopped by a top-drawer tackle. Accurate kicking from Paul gained territory and from a line out the ball was worked wide to the ever-reliable Thomas Simpson to speed through and score.

Habgood and Sayers produced another scintillating move with another last-ditch tackle preventing Maids from extending the score further. James Parrott was highly effective in the mauls, wining turnover and bravely diving on the ball in the loose. Jack Bowyers showed strength in his tackles and Rory Creffield passed effectively

An impressive driving maul five metres out gave Maids their third try as Wickham-Smith finished off the powerful move and Simpson converted. With a player off injured, Maids withstood a ferocious onslaught in the closing minutes to win 19-14

Forthcoming fixtures
Saturday 27th Oct
1st XV vs St Ives (A) SW1
2nd XV vs Reading Abbey II (H) BBO
3rd XV vs Reading III (A) F

Sunday 28th October
Minis vs Chippenham (A) Directions
U13 - Training
U14s vs Drifters (A) Directions
U15s vs Ealing (H)
U16s vs Old Ruts (H)
U17s - Training

Forthcoming 1st Team Fixtures
Click here for full fixture list

8 Sept      Reading - W (40-18)
15 Sep     R'ensians - L (38-5)
22 Sep     Bracknell - L (28-29)
29 Sep     Cleve - L (23-13)
6 Oct       B'mouth W (32-20)
17 Nov     Cup
20 Oct     Oxford Quins L (31-35)
27 Oct     St Ives - A
3 Nov      Weston S Mare - H
10 Nov     Chinnor - A
17 Nov     Old Patesians (A) Cup
24 Nov     Coney Hill - H
1 Dec      Old Patesians - A
8 Dec      Cup
15 Dec    Chinnor - H

A look at the history of rugby union (contd)

.....Whether the try was converted or not the kick off took place from between the goal posts. It was fourteen years later that the law was changed in that in the event of no goals being scored the side which scored most tries won.

Obviously this caused dissatisfaction, for within one year three tries were given equal status to one goal. In 1890 a further change was made in that a try now counted one point, and a goal three, and any other goal four points including a field goal, which was defined as 'any ball kicked through the goal posts after, for example, a dribbling rush, the only proviso being that nobody touched it'

The oval shape of the rugby ball did not come about because the ball needed to be handled during a game. The shape was dictated by the pigs bladders that were inserted into hand stitched leather casings which was used as the ball. It was only much later that rubber gained popularity and replaced the pigs bladder. In those early days it was necessary to ask for volunteers to inflate the ball for it was not a job that was sought after. The pigs bladder would be blown up while still in its very smelly 'green state' solely by lung power down the stem of a clay pipe which was inserted into the opening of the bladder (sounds like a 3rd team tour - The Ed)

To be continued...

MAIN CLUB SPONSOR

OUR SPONSORS

Why not visit www.maidenheadrfc.com to find out more