BOYS’ SPORTS REPORTS 21/11/16

RUGBY

B2 v Giggleswick U15A Won 26-7
Another good performance for B2 in what was a very competitive match.

2nd XV v Ermysteds 1st XV Won 62-0
Great 1st half in poor conditions, excellent play throughout the team. Pearson, Williams, Combe, Silvester & Madronal the pick. 2nd half fell away as Ermysteads tired badly.
Tries: Madronal, Combe 2, Williams 2, Scott-Dempster, Birch 3, Woods
Cons: Foster 6/10
GUN

3rd XV v Keswick 1st XV Won 31-12
The weather has turned. Despite a rainbow over Winder (hard core Sedberghians say it is always there!) the temperature, rain and hail came down in good quantities as we battled against Keswick. And it was a battle. Don’t make the mistake of looking at the score and thinking that Sedbergh were in control and had the game by the scruff of the neck for seventy minutes because you would be mistaken.

We scored a very good converted brace of tries through the backs early in the game with Heathcote showing his power in the first one and then his pace in the second. Chamberlain knocked both over. After that we were somewhat naive at times and then under pressure at others. The Keswick boys had an excellent pair of half backs and a dynamic fit pack. To think that six of their number were year eleven boys makes me think that there will be a couple of good matches in the future.

The hooker drove over from close range and the Captain, George, who played at fly-half went over after a flowing move which left the Brown defence all ends up. 

The forwards worked exceptionally hard but they had to. The reason they had to work so hard was their own doing. We hit contact too high and did not work the ball to ground. As a result we had to counter ruck and put more numbers into the ruck than we wanted to. 

Keswick discipline let them down just before half time and we managed to earn a penalty on our five meter line. We chose to scrum and the 8, 9, 14 combination managed to send Brogan the distance. It is testament to the Keswick boys that Brogan did far less damage to the defence than he has done in other games recently.

Bolton and Gray were mammoth today. They both smashed rucks and carried brilliantly. I challenged them before the game and they rose to it. Hunt had gone to play hockey and Morrison has picked up a shoulder knock so both men had to put in a full shift which they did. Fletcher was also a late withdrawal which thrust Jones into the mix. He is raw but he is committed and he will develop.

The back row worked exceptionally hard on the heavy ground with Halsall being destructive, Thomas supporting and tackling everything that moved and Ward with an immense work rate.

The second half saw the hail hit and the rain lash down. And this is where we must improve. It seemed as though we were playing by numbers. Although the conditions had changed our desire to go wide didn’t and as a result we created issues for ourselves. We lost our shape and our composure.

We panicked, not in defence but unusually in possession. Plan A wasn’t working and we didn’t apply plan B. This game has to be as Whitehouse described it “transitional,” we need to ensure that we learn from this.

Hitting the ball with good technique around the fringes is what it might take. Not only do we need to earn the right to go wide but we have to “look after the pill”.

We may play Keswick again this season and I hazard a guess that they will look to disrupt us and keep what we lose!On the other side of the coin, the defence and counter rucking which we have worked so hard on was epic today.

For a long period of time in the second half Keswick were camped on the line, they were held up and they knocked on but the boys were determined not to let them score. The discipline in this area was excellent.

Not only did we hit in the tackle but our technique and commitment was such that our opposition went backwards with ball in hand. Chamberlain led this area of the game superbly. He is a powerful man and he put his body on the line today, but his leadership and communication were superb.

Graham scored a very good try against the run of play. He played excellently at fullback today fielding a number of high balls in very difficult conditions. He is a powerful and well balanced athlete. I would be surprised not to see him at the top level Sedbergh has next season.

After a series of naïve efforts to run the ball wide we managed to kick a penalty to the corner and we drove a line out leading Ed Whitehouse to score a well-deserved try. He had another very good game and as conditions deteriorate I imagine the dog in him will bark louder.

A week today we have Ampleforth. Doesn’t get much bigger.
A big week of training our brains lies ahead.
Win 31-12
Tries: Heathcote 2, Brogan, Graham, Whitehouse
Con: Chamberlain 3
CH 

B1 v St Edwards College Liverpool (Natwest Cup Round 4) Won 5-0
St Edward’s College came into this fixture unbeaten this season and there were whispers on the touch line of an unbeaten streak going back the best part of two years. Colts B therefore had a difficult task ahead of them made more challenging by the slippery conditions.

In the regular season thus far Sedbergh have not faced opponents with such aggression in defence and at the break down. All too often Sedbergh coughed up possession as they were too flat in attack or ineffective in the carry or tackle. Also new to this usually free-flowing Colts B outfit was being held to 0-0 at half time.

Panic set in a little and poor decisions were made at key times. A little regrettably, Sedbergh may have to look to kick the ball a little more to relieve pressure when appropriate. An opposition with more attacking threats would have punished Brown on a number of occasions. 

St Edward’s attack was limited to close play around the breakdown and a driven line-out which Sedbergh dealt with, with good commitment and technique. 

Fortunately, Sedbergh’s domination of possession eventually told in the 50th minute when good hands managed to put Harry Sheil away in the corner. A tense ten minutes followed but Sedbergh closed out the game successfully. 
Still sterner tests await. 
Tries: H. Sheil
CJS

1st XV v Warwick Won 27-20

In what is always very competitive match Sedbergh welcomed Warwick to Buskholme eager to make amends for last season’s disappointing defeat and to keep the momentum going in what is a brutal run in to the end of the season.

Warwick capitalised on an uncharacteristically slow start from the home side to get the opening score with a well-executed catch and drive. Sedbergh then replied with their first score through the exciting Josh Hodge who beat a defender on his inside to crash over out wide. Straight from the next kick off Sedbergh went the length of the field in a breath taking passage of play which all started from a strong carry from Brad Clements.

Will Haydon Wood combined beautifully with Cam Redpath to give Tom Walsh an easy run in to the line. Sedbergh started the second half fired up but it would be continuous handling errors that would let them down in crucial times.

Warwick as they always do stuck close with penalties and all round solid play as they quickly regained the lead 13-10. With 20 minutes to go Sedbergh burst into life with an outstanding individual try to Redpath followed another score again directly from the next kick off from fullback Kyle Kitney who ran a great support line to get on the end of a powerful and almost unstoppable surge from Sam Moore.

Replacement scrumhalf Harry Laidler then had the final say for Sedbergh when he scored a very intelligent try from the guard area with a brilliant dummy pass. Late on Warwick scored against the run of play but it was too little too late as Sedbergh took the victory.
Tries: Hodge, Walsh, Redpath, Kitney, Laidler
Cons: Hodge 1
SM

2nd XV v Warwick Won 38-20

‘A traditionally brilliant fixture, tightly fought throughout, with Sedbergh’s grit and skill coming through in the later stages of the game.’
Sedbergh started fantastically well in this tough fixture on Buskholme 2. Niall Combe went the length showing a great turn of pace to beat the full back. 

However from this point in Sedbergh were in the back foot, struggling to put together more than two or three phases. Warwick kicked well and applied pressure in the right areas going into half term 10-5 up. 

Sedbergh responded magnificently well, showing real grit and cool heads to play smarter rugby at a higher intensity in the second half. This wore the away team down significantly and so the boys in brown eventually ran away with the game. 

The back row, yet again were a force to be reckoned with, especially Birch scoring two more tries in his second game for the club. 
Bigger challenges will come thick and fast over the next few weeks. A positive start to the final third of this season. 
JSA

A1 v Warwick Won 17-3
In a game that never really got going, A1 came out victorious with a resilient performance against a good Warwick side full of physicality and gusto. Good performances from Flanker Tom Russell and Captain Harry Hill helped secure a very good away win for A1.

In a stop- start game for both sides – two late tries in the second half sealed the win and now A1 look forward with confidence to Kirkham on Wednesday
Tries: Hill H, Hollins, Guthrie
Cons: Brighetti
PJEC

B1 v Warwick Lost 39-15
Sedbergh made too many mistakes to compete with a sharp Warwick outfit who exerted consistent pressure and took their chances well. 
If Colts B keep the ball they are a good side. They didn’t and were made to look average by a Warwick team that competed fiercely at the breakdown, kicked more intelligently and were more clinical in attack. 

In addition, Sedbergh didn’t work hard enough in defence to fill the field or to push across once the ball had been passed and were frequently exposed in wider channels.

Brown amplified the pressure applied by Warwick by repeatedly not dealing with the Warwick kicking game, not playing in the right areas of the field and throwing the ball away in contact. Good sides do not need many opportunities to score and Sedbergh gifted Warwick the platform from which to attack. 

A highlight was Harry Sheil’s pace and footwork on the right wing and JJ Kouadio’s immense efforts in defence and at the breakdown until the very end. 
Tries: Burridge, Sheil, Wilman
CJS

C1 v Warwick Won 31-28
C1 racked up a hard-fought away victory, clinging on to a slender lead in the dying moments of the game after a spirited Warwick comeback. Arguably Sedbergh should have been out of sight by half time, but a lack of aggression at the breakdown and some naivety in the back Iine kept the opposition in the game.

C1 started well, with Cooney barreling over out wide after a patient build up through a number of forward carries and offloads. Frustratingly, however, Warwick struck back almost immediately with a try against the run of play, with the ball bobbling out of the back of the scrum close to our line and their winger diving on it over the line.

The game was then nip and tuck either side of half time, with Warwick (frustratingly) getting the better of the breakdown but our backs looking much the sharper outfit. A more combative second half performance from our forwards brought a little more time and space for our backs out wide and Cooney was once again the beneficiary, proving too quick and too powerful for the Warwick midfield defence with a further two tries.

Ultimately he was the difference between the two teams. Despite a well-worked Warwick try from a catch and drive line out 5 metres out, which brought them within 3 points with 5 minutes to go, C1 were able to hold out for a pleasing away victory. 
JDL

5th XV v Uppingham Won 66-10
A big win for the 5ths as they cruised to victory in a great display of running rugby. 

A2 v Austin Friars U16A Lost 48-7
A below par A2 struggled against a strong quick Austin Friars backline whose outside centre was quite exceptional. The game started well for A2, pinning Friars down in their 22 but they couldn’t breach their dogged defence and a few try scoring opportunities were wasted.

For the rest of the half Friars were on top and scored several fine tries. A2 made a good start to the second half with Jamie McMillan scoring under the posts and it looked like the fight back was on but in the end Friars were too strong and clinical and thoroughly deserved their 48-7 victory. 
JO

B2 v Austin Friars U15A Lost 48 – 0
Despite the score, long periods of the game were very even and Sedbergh had a good share of possession. We defended well but unfortunately we lacked the fire power to make the telling break to secure a score.
HRD

C2 v Austin Friars U14A Won 56-10
C2 were simply too strong for their opponents in a fast game played in awful conditions.

Team organisation and slick hands saw C2 run in ten tries against an abrasive and determined Austin Friars team who rucked impressively and fronted up at every opportunity. However it was C2’s backs who stole the show scoring all of the team’s tries through good handling and intelligent use of the overlap – simply executed rugby at its best.

Ferrer impressed with his pace and power to break through and finish in style for four tries, as did Hill for a very well-taken opening score. It was pleasing to see the quality of C2’s finishing with Cawthorn, Palmer and J. Stuart all showing good pace and awareness to score fine tries.

Ames also impressed on his return from injury with strong, determined running which was rewarded with a score in the second half.

One disappointing aspect was C2’s forwards being outmuscled at times; losing ball in contact and conceding too many turnovers. This is an area that must be addressed in training before the challenge of Ampleforth next week.
Tries: Ferrer (4); Cawthorn (2); J. Stuart; Hill; Palmer; Ames
Cons: Hill (2); Cope
PCL

TENNIS

At the start of the year 3000 teams started in the 2016 Aegon Team Tennis Schools Year 8 & 10 championships and this year has seen Sedbergh produce their best ever performance.

Both The U15 Girls & U13 Boys became county champions during the summer term with the boys going on to reach the North Great Britain Regional Finals after beating both Newcastle School for Boys & Durham Johnson School.

The Regional Finals were held at Silksworth (Sunderland) Tennis Centre on Friday 17th November where the boys played some excellent tennis beating Hymers College but losing a hard-fought match to Holmfirth High School.The loss ended a tremendous run for the team comprising of James Griffin, Luke Butler, Vladimir Kanevskiy & Charlie Churchouse and left Sedbergh Prep School ranked 9th in Great Britain.

Picture 1 L-R Jon Griffin (attached) (Coach) Vladimir Kanevskiy, Charlie Churchouse, Luke Butler, James Griffin & Faye Barker (Team Captain)Picture 2 (attached) Sedbergh school coach Jon Griffin with his Cumbria LTA Coach of the Year Award which he received at the annual Cumbria LTA Awards ceremony held at ` The North Lakes Hotel and Spa@ Penrith on Friday 11th November. Jon has also been shortlisted for the LTA National Coach of the Year Award.
JG


HOCKEY 

U18 County Cup Final Won 5-0 v Windermere
Despite missing several cup tied players and very little practice Sedbergh put in an outstanding first half performance that saw them score five goals, including a hat rick from Harvey Ferguson.

Sam Stewart and Chris Sanders were the other scorers. The second half saw Sedbergh continue to dominate but a much better defensive performance from Windermere made it much harder for Sedbergh. This result bodes well for next term, and showed the benefit of touring Malaysia in July, in which nearly every player was involved. 
MPS

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