Year 8 & 10 Partnership Rugby Finals
April 29th, 2010 |
Delayed due to the weather, the South East Somerset School Sport Partnership Under 13s Boys final between Ansford and Westfield Schools took place at Castle Cary RFC.
Under the watchful eye of their rugby-playing Head of PE, Paul Hoggett, Ansford fielded a confident side, with several of the team members actually playing for Castle Cary RFC. With good support from parents they warmed up with intent, looking to impress the opposition from Westfield from the Yeovil area. |
| However, the opening first 20 minutes were pretty evenly matched with both teams looking to get the ball out wide and play an open game. Ansford looked well drilled, were committed in their tackles and looked to have the upper hand. Westfield played the basics well and when the opportunity presented itself nipped in after some good quick handling to take a 7-0 lead. Ansford responded well and pressed hard for the remainder of the half, with their best chance coming just before half time, but failed to get on the score board. |
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| The second half once again saw Ansford encamped in the Westfield half, but despite playing a simple straight forward game they failed to capitalise the pressure into points. Meanwhile Westfield stuck to their task well and always looked dangerous on the counter attack and managed to score twice more before Ansford got points on the board. The final score of 26-5 in Westfield’s favour demonstrated the need to make the most of opportunities when they arise. Pictured below are Westfield. |
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| On the adjacent pitch, the U15s from Frome College from the northern part of the Partnership took on the boys from Buckler’s Mead. The first 10 minutes saw both sides testing out the strengths of the opposition and Frome quickly demonstrated good skills and team work in both the scrum and the line out. This strength soon produced points from scrum 5 metres out that Frome drove over the line. Buckler’s Mead pictured below. |
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| Frome then established a dominant pattern of play, where they were quick to the breakdown, tackled low and hard and were always looking to get the ball out wide to their two wingers who clearly had pace. This sustained pressure led to Frome going into the half time break leading 20-0. In the second half, Buckler’s Mead demonstrated rugged commitment as they constantly looked to get on the score board and get themselves back into the match. Their efforts were rewarded when a long kick from their own 22m was eventually chased down allowing one of their centres to run in under the posts. Frome continued to dominate after this, wining the match 32-7. Winners Frome pictured below. |
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| All teams benefited from having rugby coaches from local club sides offering and providing their support to the school staff – school to club links being one of the major areas of development of the School Sport Partnership. Peter Dickens from Frome College recognises the value of this joined up approach and is looking to integrate the coaches from Frome RFC into the overall programme of rugby offered to his students. |
