U16s Canada Tour Day Nine

Maids battle to the end

Saturday 24th July 2004

MAIDENHEAD’S HEROES BATTLE TO THE END, IN REMARKABLE END-OF-TOUR GAME.

Maidenhead’s tourists lost their final tour game, in perfect playing conditions on Markham RFC’s new pitch on Saturday evening. They played an excellent Ontario provincial side, whose players were big, tough and well-drilled. While the older side won the game, Maidenhead gave the victors a good game, and at the end both sides knew they had been in a real game of rugby. The Maidenhead players were never intimidated by playing older players, and played heroically to claw back a two try deficit incurred in the first part of the first half. They scored a beautiful free-running try in the second half, and achieved a remarkable forward dominance after the first 20 minutes.

After a steady build-up during the day, starting with a mid-morning practice on a pitch right by the shore of Lake Ontario, the squad built up to a late afternoon journey out to Markham to play Ontario’s U17s. We knew they would be big athletic side, who were very well coached, and we arrived to find them running through their drills on Markham’s 12-month old maximum size pitch. Maidenhead continued their build up in a very quiet focused manner, before an early evening kick-off at 6.00pm Play began in an edgy nervous way with dropped passes, and missed tackles, mainly by Maidenhead. After six minutes, Ontario scored by harrying our backs and forcing play further and further away from the advantage line. A dropped pass and an inspired pick up saw a speed-merchant of a left winger sprint go in score a well converted try. Play continued with Ontario dominating play, literally calling the shots, and forcing Maidenhead on to the back foot, and forcing errors. After a sustained period of pressure Ontario went over for another converted try. Shortly after Mitch Batten, who had been warned several times for scrummaging offences, was sin-binned. This proved to be the defining moment of the game. Maidenhead put their heads down and started to push Ontario off their ball. One seven-man shove drove Ontario off their own ball.

The front row of Charlie Hancock, Tom Morgan and Jack Robinson got well and truly stuck in, winning ball in the tight and loose scrums. Chris Parrott and Tom Plumer were rampant, Joe Thomas, captaining the side for the last game of the tour, led the back row in a period of sustained driving play. Together, they countered some of Ontario’s best efforts, and started to take the game to Ontario. Dayne Ferrar was able to out general the Ontario attack and forced their speedy backs onto the back foot.

When the sides changed ends, with Mitch Batten back in the fold, Maidenhead started to grind away at the opposition. Sadly, both Chris Adam and Dave Hodgson had to go off, having taken knocks, and the spirit of the squad became even more focused. Their effort won its own reward when Dayne Ferrer and Ryan Christian combined to make 40 metres, and give a scoring pass for Sam Stefan to score. By this time the two sides had neutralized each other, with forwards slugging it out up front and Maids’ backs mounting a heroic defence of their line against Ontario’s quick backs and mobile loose forwards.

The game finished 12 – 5 in favour of Ontario. On the day they deserved to win, taking their chances well, and going close on a number of occasions. Their lineout was very effective, with good calling and jumping. After the game we learned that they will be touring England next year, and we have already asked if we could meet them and play rugby with them again. It would also give us the opportunity to return their marvellous Canadian hospitality.