BOYS’ SPORTS REPORTS 17/10/16

RUGBY

3rd XV v Morecombe HS Won 66-7
Our 4th XV had returned from a punishing loss at Morecambe with stories of big men who ran them around the field and taught them a lesson. As a result our Tuesday session was very much dedicated to ensuring our tight defence was ready, our set piece would function and that our forwards knew how we wanted to work their big forwards.

The rain came for about 10 minutes prior to kick off but otherwise it was a clear and windy day. The wind was in our back in the first half which meant that in our re-jigged back line Park Johnson would use the wind and slope to our advantage. As it was it was Graham from full back who set the game alight with a hatrick of tries in the first 20 minutes.

Charlie is a powerful athlete with a sportsman’s ability to time his run well. He gets better with every game and is deceptively quick, especially in counter attack. Baerschmidt needed a big game and had one. He attacked well, and turned over ball. Park Johnson used the wind beautifully and although he may have been looking to find touch the ball stood up perfectly for Graham to score and then Brogan to scamper under the posts.

Brogan is improving each time he pulls on the shirt and could develop into a good Bigside player. Madronal and Chamberlain were a handful in the first half running hard lines and holding the ball up in the tackle. Both are big strong boys but understand that running a line that creates space for the other backs is as valuable as running into the space with the ball!

Bolton came into the side and showed none of the fatigue from his D of E exploits at the weekend. He scored a well-deserved try and ran hard in the first half. Bolton knows the job of the lock forward. Today in very windy conditions he caught the ball from kick offs and showed he had deft hands as well as strength. Shewan came on in the second half.

To think that a player of his quality is playing in the 4th XV shows that we genuinely have an embarrassment of riches in the squad currently. He scored a good try late in the second half. The forwards as a unit deserve special mention today. It is the first time that they have worked and performed as a pack. They hunted the ball down, they hit rucks hard, sharked well and supported the backs.

They were seriously good today. It was such a shame that an injury to a Morecambe player halted play just before they could finish a series of shark balls that would have seen them score as a pack from 25m out. Moss came on in the second half and put in some massive tackles on the big runners who were just not fit enough to run outside the ten channel. Morecambe did score.

They worked a very good position but had to go through 19 phases to cross the whitewash. The fact that our team held their concentration and pattern for this period of time and defended aggressively meeting the opposition was for me the high point of the day. Park Johnson was without a doubt man of the match today.

He varied the game beautifully from ten, he communicated and he marshalled. He kicked all but two goals. He is a good player and deserves the team’s recognition.
Tries: Graham 3, Bolton, Madronal, Brogan, Park-Johnson, Halsall, Chamberlain, Shewan
Cons: Park-Johnson 8
CH

C2 v Durham Won 33-7
C2 enjoyed a competitive victory against a physical Durham team, playing some of their best rugby of the season in the process.

This was an ideal match for C2 as they had to work hard to impose themselves on the visitors who were determined to use their big forwards to run directly at every opportunity. C2’s defence was up to the challenge and we rarely missed a tackle.

The stand out moment defensively was Jonty Stuart’s tackle on the strong running prop who was stopped in his tracks. This epitomised the attitude and focus of all 18 players who worked tirelessly to shut the door on every attack.

The same can be said for our attacking play which, for the first time this season, demonstrated a maturity and patience to go through the phases before releasing our dangerous backs.

Hill and Welch were outstanding at 9 and 10 and marshalled every attack providing the space for Scott and Ferrer in particular to make significant ground with strong and intelligent running. The back three also provided excellent width with Stuart joining the line to good effect and Konevskey making a fine debut on the wing.

The stand out try came when Cawthorn finished a team move, originating from the forwards making ground and sucking in the defence which allowed the backs to move the ball and finish a wonderful move under the posts.

Other mentions should go to Mullins, Harling and Booth who ran hard all day and weren’t afraid to put their bodies on the line. Tyser had a fine game and looked dangerous when he moved to 6, as did Warburton-Lee and Gunning who worked tirelessly in the mauls in particular.

A great, competitive schoolboy game which should be the turning point of our season.
PCL

1st XV v Barnard Castle Won 36-7
First half tries from Sam Moore (2) Cameron Redpath & Niall Combe laid the foundation for a good win away from home against a traditionally strong Barnard Castle side.

The second half was a more even affair with Sedbergh scoring a great early try from Tom Walsh which was then matched by a well worked score from the home side as they registered their first points on the score board.

At 29-7 Sedbergh had the final say when they executed a brilliant try out wide to Walsh after some outstanding lead up play from the pack and then the inside backs as they punished a Barnard Castle handling error.

This was another good performance for the 1st XV who now turn their focus to Wilmslow in the final match before the half term holidays.
Tries: Moore 2, Walsh 2, Redpath, Combe
Cons: Hodge 2, Redpath 1
SM 

2nd XV v Austin Friars 1st XV Won 45-10
The 2nd XV played a confident Austin Friars 1st XV in Carlisle on Saturday and quickly went 10-0 down much to the enjoyment of the vocal home supporters.

However a stirring fightback lead by Sedbergh’s impressive pack prompted an excellent game of rugby. Hill, Mason & Pepper at 8, 9 & 10 were excellent throughout with Player also being a threat throughout. Captain Stewart was awarded his 2nd XV colours following a very impressive victory.
GUN

3rd XV v Barnard Castle Won 71-0
Sedbergh won the game 71-0 at a canter with 13 tries scored by Sedbergh and none in return from Barnard Castle. The boys need to not get carried away, Giggleswick will be a different prospect on Wednesday. It was a good day to play but the opposition could not cope with the intensity or skill sets of the 3rd XV.

Great work from the forwards set the backs loose and the opposition could not cope with the variety that we played with. Sadly it was one way traffic although the Barnard Castle boys were sticking to the task and tried their hearts out, credit to them.
Tries: Baerschmidt, Brogan 3, Williams, Shewan, Taylor, Madronal, Chamberlain 2, Morison, Graham, Moss
Cons: Chamberlain 2, Graham 1
CH

A1 v Barnard Castle Won 69-5
A convincing win over a side that had come into the game unbeaten so far this season, having played Ampleforth and Pocklington to date. After a frantic start to the game, some good strong line breaks from Hollins and Hill to name just two, meant the home side being on the front foot for most of the game.

However the visitors made A1 work for the ball, especially at the breakdown, but as the game wore on – some clinical finishing out wide led to a strong win to the Brown. 
Tries: Panday 3, H Hill 2, Brundage 2, Russell, Hollins, Hill J, Green
Cons: Brighetti 7
PJEC

A2 v Barnard Castle Won 65-5
A2 were too strong for a determined Barnard castle team running in eleven tries to one. Although the visitors were well beaten they tried hard to the end and out scrummaged A2 throughout the game. Harry Hampsey – Cooke had an outstanding game at fly half scoring two well deserved tries. 
JO

B1 v Barnard Castle Won 76-5
Sedbergh were too strong for Barnard Castle and ran in fourteen tries, all but one of which were scored by the backs. 
Redpath was sharp at nine, Gowling was heavily involved in a lot of good play and Wilman carried like a man possessed in the second half. 
Tries: Rogerson (2), Fischer Montero, O. Melville, C Melville (2), Jones (2), Redpath, Sheil (3), Burridge (2)
Cons: O. Melville 3
CJS

B2 v Barnard Castle Won 48-0
Played very well and put together some excellent, varied attacks, scoring two particularly good flowing tries. Defended very strongly to prevent Barnie from gaining any sort of foot hold in the game.
HRD  

C1 v Barnard Castle Won 42-24
C1 can be pleased with a comfortable away victory but will know that there is much to improve upon if they are to stand up to sterner tests later in the season.  

The backs were at times scintillating in attack, with Cooney looking quick and powerful at 13 and Balogun having his best game so far on the wing. Handling was excellent throughout the team. The forwards ran hard and linked well at times, but overall failed to make as much of an impression as they would have liked.

The breakdown was an issue once again, with a lack of aggression and technique causing a regular loss of our own ball after contact – very frustrating. We also often looked second best in collisions, which is something we must rectify urgently. Line speed was good but this did not always translate into an effective tackle on the gain line. We cannot keep leaking tries and except to win games. 
JDL

C2 v Barnard Castle won 62-0
A fantastic display of running rugby saw C2 record their biggest win of the season. From the outset they were too strong for a raw Barnard Castle outfit who committed well at the breakdown but lost shape too easily.

This was exploited by C2’s half backs who ran the first half and set up a host of tries for the backline including Cawthorn who touched down 3 times. The second half brought more of the same with some fine attacking rugby. Olly Scott excelled at 10, breaking the line and getting the backline moving to exploit the gaps in defence.

The pick of the tries came from Kanevskiy who finished with the dynamism of an experienced winger, beating three men in the process. An excellent win, with the game stopped 15 minutes early, from a team that is growing in belief. A number of players really made a claim for a starting place next week against Wilmslow.
PCL 

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