1st XV Statistics 2011

Please click here to view the end of season statistics for the Felsted 1st XV

Grand Finale!

Result: Won 32-26 
Tries: Hunter-Jordan, Dennis, Hartley, Chaplin, Fillingham 

Cons: Malins W, 2

Pens: Mailns W

Review: The smell of the last game for some was enough to get some players (not all) back on the pitch. ALC had run out of tape by now and so it was all heart that saw both teams try to finish their season on a high. It must be noted that both sets of players had to contend with the worst display of officiating seen for a decade at Felsted. However, as boys often do the teams slugged it out and with Felsted in a commanding position of 32-14 after super tries from 5 different players it looked like the game would end tamely, but Norwich with some support kept plugging away and each penalty took them closer to the line. However, Felsted hung on and it was fitting that Captain Rory Hartley cleared the ball to secure the final win in his final game. It is worth noting the contribution of all the U6th players this season and I trust they continue in the game. To finish the season with W13 and L5 after so many injuries was a credit to the strength of the 16’s, 2nd’s and 1st XV squads. Not included in this tally was the pre-season tournament and the win over Colne Valley 6th Form Academy U17 Xv who played a Felsted Development Squad. Finally thanks to ALC and CSK for their expertise on the coaching front.

Man of the Match: Team Award

1st XV v Wymondham - Heroics unrewarded

Result: Lost 24-22 
Tries: Hunter-Jordan, Dennis, Hartley, Lillie 

Cons: Malins W

Review: The derby game saw more casualties and the rest weekend didn’t seem to get many more on the pitch. The boys who stepped up into the pack from the 2nd XV did a magnificent job and at 22-10 up with 20 minutes to go it looked like the execution out wide with minimal ball was going to pay off. Unfortunately, the boys then found themselves on the wrong end of the whistle for a strange and frustrating 20 minutes that saw Wymondham who were powerful upfront handed just too many lifelines that they couldn’t help but take the lead in the final moments of the game. It certainly felt like a defeat grabbed from the jaws of victory and but for the bounce of the odd shaped ball earlier in the game the referee could have been taken out the equation well before the end.

Man of the Match: Rory Hartley

1st XV v Bishop Stortford College - Local derby brings the best out of XV

Result: Won 26-10 
Tries: Withers 2, Lillie, Malins W

Cons: Malins W 1,  Walsh 2

Review: The XV were still carrying injuries, but had managed to get a couple more players on the pitch with the smell of a home derby in the air. The Collage who were slightly architects of their own downfall with their indiscipline came up against a Felsted XV keen to get back to winning ways. From turn over ball the backs were deadly and scored some spectacular tries spreading the ball wide and attacking space. Daniel Withers had his finest game in a 1st XV shirt cutting his opposite numbering the middle of the park to ribbons and creating space for the wide men. Jordan Lillie was coming of age as a player and having wrestled the No15 shirt as his own was showing why with his all out attacking flair. The odd kick wouldn’t go amiss, but his adventure is exactly how the game should be played. The tries were all well constructed with simple skills executed very well and at pace and the only surprise was that the margin was not greater by the end. The College had some fine players who stuck at the task, but on the day were never in the contest.
Man of the Match: Daniel Withers 

1st XV v Berkhamstead - Injury takes its toll

Result: Lost 0-8

Review: The XV were in the middle of an injury list that would make the professional sides when the players were away on World Cup duty look over staffed. The forwards seemed to have the worst of it, but with over 10 players out the boys who went to Berkhamstead put their bodies on the line and were undone by a single try and penalty on a frustrating afternoon. The backs didn’t see the ball and so the strength of the side and its pace was missed.
 Man of the Match: Hugh Fillingham
 

1st XV v Colchester RGS - Still on Half Term

Result: Lost 10-31

Review: There are many advantages to a two week half term, but keeping your continuity on the sports field is not one of them. This season with the Summer Tour to Australia the squad had not been to France and so looked very rusty and lethargic against an energised and impressive looking Colchester RGS. They played and lost heavily the week before and looked like a side playing for places. In truth both sides in murky conditions would have not impressed any sides waiting for them in future rounds and it was a shame that the XV saved up a 4th round cup tie to display their worse performance of the season.

Man of the Match: James Hardy

Felsted Development Festival

Result: Won 47-0 v Robert Clack
Tries: Salter 2, Ogilvie, Halfhide, Lillie, Hiett, Hardy

 The final development game of the day saw the XV dispatch of Robert Clack with more ease than the oppositions earlier games would have suggested. It was also good to see James Halfhide score his maiden 1st XV try with Matt Salter who had been lively all day scoring twice. The pick of the tries was from the Duracel battery that is William Hiett. William often belies his light frame by making a big impact in the game with his energy and after a sliced high clearance by Robert Clack will scampered across the field rose above bigger men like a gazelle to catch, spin and accelerate to the try line. Well, that is how he described it after the final whistle. The XV were devastating in all areas in this final game and with all the squad having a run the day finished well. Finally a big thank you to all the referees and organisers on the day and to Graham Walker of SMILE for sponsoring the day.


Eesults: Won 24 – 7 West Suffolk
Tries: Malins W, Hardy, Lillie, Salter
Cons: Malins W 2
West Suffolk were a big mobile pack who were keen to keep things up close and personal. Felsted were down in this game and not getting much ball, but spotted the miss matches out wide and with the ball the XV looked dynamic. When the ball was in the wide channels West Suffolk struggled in defence and after some excellent individual skill from Matt Salter down the left to level the scores, Felsted took control of the contest. Further tries enablesd the coaches to rotate the squad and although the clinical nature of the strike moves dipped a little all the players stood up in the tackle and prevented West Suffolk adding to their try in the opening moments.

1st XV v Great Baddow School

Result: Won 49-7
Tries: Malins W, Hunter-Jordan, Hardy, Hartley, Fillingham, Chaplin, Ogilvie, Salter, Lillie

Cons: Malins W 1, Walsh 1

 Review: The youngsters delivered in game 1 showing that the school has a healthy group of players for the future. The festival is meant for development and with tries from all over the field this was an excellent start to the day. The teams that have been bought into the development side of the festival have found a real benefit in blooding new players and enhancing the rest of their season by creating competition for places and a template for the next season. Wisbech couldn’t live with the pace of the game and the tries from Salter, Ogilvie and Chaplin stood out in this try fest. Injuries have hit the 1st XV all season and players were staking a claim for after half term if the situation didn’t improve.

Back on track - 7's anyone?

Felsted U16 'A' rugby v Norwich School

Result - won 26-12

Tries - Seager, Hutchinson, Sellers, Paulin

Conversions - Hutchinson

Penalties

Man of the Match -

On Saturday, the season finished with a victory over Norwich, by 26 points to 12.  In truth, we probably should have won by more, but there were some good moments, and it was very satisfying to finish on a winning note.  The frustration of defeat at Wymondham lingered a bit, but ultimately, the side can be very proud of a record that reads Played 10, Won 8, Drawn 1, Lost 1, and with the B team also winning (43-14, with a Marcus Joyce hat trick), the Under 16 club only lost two games out of 17 all season, which is a fantastic record.

The game on Saturday began with us applying pressure to the Norwich line, and after a couple of close calls, James Seager picked up from the base of the scrum, and dummied his way over.  Rory Hutchinson converted, with Mr Bury quicker to get the flag up than last week’s touch judge!  The game became littered with knock ons, and with the error count high on both sides it took another twenty minutes before we added a second try, this time seeing Rory Hutchinson going over, after a dummy switch in the centre, with him also adding the conversion.  One problem that the side has faced has been maintaining the intensity throughout a game, and errors from the kick off created a platform from which Norwich were able to score just before the break, to leave the game still alive at 14-5. 

Straight after the break, a scrum in the centre of the field was used to create space for Miles Singleton, who fed Max Paulin, allowing him to race in under the posts, to put us in a comfortable position again.  With Norwich still playing hard, and a couple of their players having first team experience, it was not easy, and the lack of fluency hampered our attempts to really kill the game off.  When they were then able to capitalise on a quick penalty, and turn over ball, to bring the score back to 21-12, the last ten minutes looked challenging.  However, Adam Sellers picked up his second interception try in consecutive matches, and scored the last try of the season to finish the game at 26-12.  Norwich kept attacking, but this time the defence was secure.

End of term report – it was a pleasure to work with a well motivated, talented squad, both A and B team.  The performance against Gresham’s was definitely the highlight of the season, and the mid-season break did not help our attempts to regain that fluency.  As a group of players, they still have much to learn, but that is what is so encouraging, because there is plenty of room for further development and improvement, as individuals, and as a group, in the coming years. 

U15 A v Bishop’s Stortford College

Result: Won 47-12
Tries: Malins 3, Williams, Jackson, Brooke, Begley
Cons: Malins 6

Felsted started the match in a very positive manner taking the College by surprise. After 10 minutes with tries from Begley and Malins, Felsted were 21-0 up. Forceful forward play combining with good back play led to all three tries. Felsted then relaxed and the College responded by scoring in the corner. Felsted raised the tempo and a quickly taken penalty led to a Will Jackson try. Felsted started the second half slowly and again conceded a try to a good College move. Oliver Williams was then yellow carded but the scrum managed to win balls against the head. Felsted upped the tempo again with Max Malins completing his hatrick of tries. Harry Brooke picked up from number 8 and a very determined run over half the length of the field resulted in him scoring a fully deserved try. Alex Marka came on to replace George Blyth on the wing. His first action was to receive the ball, outpace the cover and then deliver a perfectly timed pass to Oliver Williams drawing the full back. The try was scored under the posts. This was a great team performance with many players demonstrating what they had learnt during the term. 

Man of the Match: Harry Brooke

   

U16 A v Wymondham College

Felsted Rugby U16 'A' v Wymondham College

Result - lost 20-22

Tries - Seager, McLaren, Sellers

Conversions - Hutchinson

Penalties - Hutchinson

Unfortunately, the unbeaten run of the Under 16s came to a very narrow end on Saturday at Wymondham.  The final kick of the game was a penalty to give us a 23-22 win, but this time Rory Hutchinson’s boot could not give us the game, and the kick was tantalisingly close to the left hand post.  Some thought it was over, but the referee ruled (rightly, I think) that the kick missed, and Wymondham had hung on for a 22-20 victory. 

It was a very frustrating afternoon, because, despite the obvious talent in their side, we had plenty of opportunity to make the game safe, but a high error count, perhaps reflecting nerves from the players, knowing how much this game would mean, hit us badly.  Also, our discipline cracked, and we were unable to work with the referee.  As the game wore on, this became an increasingly big issue, and key penalties were conceded by players who ignored the fact that commenting on the decision making was not helping our cause.

There were some highlights – a great interception try from Adam Sellers, Angus McLaren getting a score, having come in to replace the promoted James Halfhide, and a very good score from James Seager after we took a scrum against the head near their line.  Also, some of the scrambling defence in the last ten minutes was of the very highest quality, but the fact that we were scrambling shows that we were not quite as controlled in the first phase as we needed to be, and all three of their tries were the result of errors on our part. 

There is much that we can learn from this result, and it is important that the players do see ways to improve.  If they do, Norwich will not know what hit them this Saturday, as the season finishes with a home fixture, 2.15pm kick off.  I hope to see many of you there.

Unfortunately, having been largely injury free as a squad, we have lost Bertie Wells, who has had a really impressive season at centre, after picking up a wrist injury.  We will miss his physical presence next Saturday, but I am sure that the lads will be determined to get a win in their last game regardless.

As usual, a few clips from the game

Line out

Rory's line break

Ruck ball