OP TRIES 7

Ollie D x 3
Tristan x 1
Charlie L x 1
Charlie H x 1
Callum x 1

OP CONVERSIONS 4

Tristian x 4

OP PENALTIES 0

After all the rain this week, it was a welcome relief to see blue skies over Everest road for the game today. We’d not matched up against them for a while but knew them to be another of the Old-School, community-centred, clubs that abound in Gloucestershire . They brought a solid looking squad of 19 lads and we knew we were in for a physical afternoon.

We had plenty of our own boys available and chose to use every possible U17 in a squad of 24. It looked quite different to the previous weeks’ team and the week before that. But that is the point of the development league – all the boys get to play and progress. It feels like we’re building something this season, the cohesion is palpable.

We lost the toss and Matson chose to play uphill first half which gave us the slope early – we’d need to use it and hope that they got more tired than us in the second period. Teams with big lads often do this – today, not so much. Matson kept coming at us all game.

We started fast, knowing the second half would be tougher. Tristan, captain for the day, kicked deep and a great chase won us the ball back deep in the 22. The pack stacked up the midfield on the open side but, spotting the lack of defenders blind, Tristan reversed the flow and put Ollie D in for a try in “Hellfire corner “. He slotted the kick from wide too and we were ahead 7-0 with only a couple of minutes in the clock.

Our line speed was good and Matson, under pressure, needed to kick to clear their lines. Sam S fielded the ball, spun a long pass inside to Charlie, who again shipped it wide to

Callum on the opposite wing. The defence was unable to cover his rapid advance and he made the left corner for a12-0 lead.

We were a bit disorganised from the subsequent kickoff and our clearing kick was charged down allowing our visitors to open their account. 12-7.

Our defence continued to be aggressive with the back row terrier-twins of Max and Angus causing mayhem with their relentless pressure. A scrum from a forced error in midfield gave us first phase ball and some slick hands put Charlie thought a gap with a nice line and enough gas to make the posts. 19-7.

Tristan, basking in the glow of southern African victory, was pulling the strings at 10. He produced three 50/22 kicks in the first half alone to force them back and give us excellent field position. Our set piece was noticeably improved from last week and, from the latest line out, an offence gave us a penalty which we tapped quickly. Conor hammered it up with a collision that shook the ground and sucked in defenders giving Tris space to cross the line on the short side. He hit the post with the kick from wide to give us a 24-7 lead at the half.

As usual, we swapped the boys around at half time knowing we’d need to keep up the physicality and intensity playing uphill. We’d made ground every time we’d been able to move the ball wide and so the plan was to keep it fluid in attack whilst fronting up in defence.

Matson had noticed the obvious advantage of the slope and kicked deep early in the half. Thomas, on at half time gathered and backed himself, racing into space with Ollie D tracking him outside. A perfectly timed pass, some pace and we were under the posts for the ginger-genius’s second try of the afternoon. 31-7.

Playing uphill is noticeably harder for the champagne-style of the three-quarters, so the pack showed them how it was done with a multi-phase attack up the left side after a quick break from Barney, again excellent at scrum half, set them going. Several got close to the line, Charlie H crossed it with a pick-and-go. Tris slotted another from wide on a great kicking day for him off the tee and in hand. 38-7

A penalty close to our line saw Matson tap and go quickly. Dan H made an excellent tackle to stop them short but he hadn’t sufficiently retreated and received a yellow card for this transgression. Probably fair, but an unfortunate blot on an otherwise dynamic performance from him. Matson forced over with us a man down. 38-14.

Sensing an opportunity, they continued to pound us with their big lads running hard off rucks. It may not be the prettiest style but, done well, it’s certainly effective and Matson did do it well, retaining ball and applying pressure. A cohesive defensive effort was required and we got it with all the boys putting in the hits when needed to hold out till our numbers were restored.

Back to 15 players, we won a scrum for a knock on and lined up the backs going right. Anxious to take space, the defence rushed up but bought an outrageous dummy as Tristan went through. Ollie D gliding outside him was the grateful recipient of the scoring pass and raced over for his hat trick.

Assuming he’d not attracted any close attention as he made the line, he opted for a celebratory swan dive which was somewhat spoiled by the man dragging on his jersey that he’d not spotted!! No matter, we had our seventh and final try.

Final score 43-14. An excellent, hard game and a very convivial club house afterward. Man of the match went to All-Action-Angus but many others put their hat (trick) in the ring for the award Thanks to Matson for playing their part. We’ll see you in December at your place.

Allez les Pats!

Tom Perris