Saturday saw a round of full rugby fixtures with our boys taking on Reading Blue Coat School across the age groups, while the U13s and U12s competed in the Epsom Tournament. Last Wednesday the 1st XV met The Oratory in the National Schools Rugby Competition, losing 0-10. Meanwhile, our senior rowers continued their training on the water over the weekend with the exception of a couple of competitors at the Scullers' Head in London.
1st XV
After a good training week, the 1st XV faced a well-organised and physical Reading Blue Coat side. Early in the game, two mistakes allowed Blue Coat to snatch a couple of tries in quick succession. Shiplake put together some good phase play in the opposition 22 but could not crack the Blue Coat defensive wall. The second half allowed for the targets to be reset, with the 1st XV needing some “go forward”. Strong running from O Roullier, R O’Keeffe, and the rest of the forward pack gave Shiplake some penetration, but once again the Blue Coat defensive line held firm.
Sometimes, results do not go your way, but what you can control is your effort. To a man, the 18 Shiplake players did not shy away from contact, kept working hard until the end, and are excited for the season ahead once the numerous injured players return to the group. Final score 34-0 to RBC.
2nd XV
Today proved to be a tough first game for the 2nd XI. Blue Coat made a strong start and Shiplake found themselves defending for the first 15 minutes. Two early tries from Blue Coat put Shiplake on the back foot but after some strong running from C Carey and J Greig-Bartram, Shiplake were back in the game and put pressure on the opposition defence. The highlight of the second half was O Smaje running the length of the pitch to score under the posts. Some great rugby from all players also allowed N Scotchbrook to take the ball and score between the posts. Final score 42-12 to RBC.
U16As
One, and hopefully the only one, that got away! Shiplake started the match superbly with fine offloading, resulting in an early try for the team. A second soon followed scored by H Benton. With better decision making and lines of support, the 16As should have been 3-4 tries up by half time. Blue Coat had their share of possession, with numerous penalties, and stayed within reach of Shiplake. The second half saw lots of possession for Shiplake in Blue Coat’s 22 but the team repeatedly lacked the composure to score. With 3 minutes remaining, Blue Coat scored a breakaway try, winning 19-24.
U15As
A missed opportunity for the U15As. The first 15 minutes saw them look lethargic and out of sync. After dropping to a 17-0 deficit, the boys shook off the cobwebs and went to work, out-muscling and dismantling the Blue Coat side in every facet of the game bar the penalty count, which kept the opposition score ticking over against the run of play. Barrelling runs from F Partridge, impressive pace from the rest of the backs, and great engines and physicality from the forwards led to a fantastic fightback. A Cheek led from the front and scored two incredible individual tries from inside centre - he didn’t allow an ounce of negativity to creep into the side and his leadership enabled the rest of the squad to believe a comeback was possible. Right up until the final play of the game, a blindside snipe and try from a free kick found the teams trading tries for the remainder of the game. The 26–24 score line certainly flattered Blue Coat, however with a little more preparation and discipline, it is a scalp the team certainly look forward to taking next year.
U15Bs
Despite being up against it for most of the game, the U15Bs can hold their heads up high after demonstrating resilience from the first minute to the last. The score line doesn’t flatter us (27-0) but plenty of positives to take away from the game and build upon as we look forward to our next fixture. Our boys competed well in every ruck, were brave in their tackling, and moved the ball well while in possession. Captain C Steer played some excellent rugby, demanded organisation and kept spirits high.
U14As
Tough day at the office! The U14As started brightly with the first score but lacked organisational skills which the opposition exploited to take the lead by halftime. Keeping the ball became more and more challenging as the game wore on with the final score of 5 tries to 1 (30-5) reflecting the dominance of the opposition at the breakdown.
U14Bs
Tough first game of the season against a very big and physical RBS setup. However, there are lots of positives that can be taken from this game with a dramatic improvement in the second half. This was with a much-improved intensity and willingness to win rucks and individual battles. A target that the boys identified as a team is to have more players suporting each breakdown and to maintain possession of the ball more often. Players of the match go to H Kyle and T Ridout. Final score 0-39.
U14Cs
The U14C team took on a well drilled Blue Coat side and, even though they conceded some early tries, the Shiplake team didn’t let their heads drop. A Hooker scored a brilliant solo try and some good passages of play were put together. Blue Coat eventually ran out 56-7 winners but Shiplake will have a lot of positives to take from this first game of the season. Players of the match were H Howe-Davies and M Shevlane.
U13As
Report to follow...
U13Bs
The Epsom College tournament provided a baptism of fire for the U13Bs. Kicking off against a powerful Langley Park team, the boys, nonetheless, stuck at the task, tackling well in the face of some aggressive running. Although defeated on the pitch, it was clear they were not defeated off it, as the intensity improved against a very good Epsom College team. For much of this match, we went toe-to-toe with the opposition, but superior weight and speed told in the end. The U13Bs saved their very best until last, with improvements in the ruck proving decisive in a pulsating match against Ewell Castle. Two tries from Z Sanders and one from J Martin saw the boys home - three tries to two and so plenty to be positive about.
U12As
These were the first matches played together as a team and there was plenty to get excited about moving forwards. Aggressive defence, and a commitment to tackling well meant that the team was always in the game. Two losses by a single try saw the team narrowly miss out on a winning start to their Shiplake rugby careers, but I am confident they will not be waiting long for the victories to start rolling in.
U12Bs
The U12B side took on Epsom College (hosts), Langley and Ewell Castle in a triangular tournament on Saturday. The three matches produced two losses and a draw. The boys were a credit to themselves, and the school, in how they competed and never let their heads drop. They will have learnt a lot from their first experiences of competitive rugby. The standout tournament performance was B Keown who scored a couple of impressive tries.
Scullers' Head
At the Scullers' Head, which runs with the tide from Mortlake to Putney, scullers have a staggered departure and attempt to catch up with the boat in front of them, hoping not to be overtaken by the boat behind. F Middleton was one of 55 competitors in the Junior/Schools' category and finished a brilliant third, winning a bronze medal. In addition, Mr Mackworth-Praed entered the Masters category and won silver!
Flickr album: 1st XV v The Oratory, 14 Sept 22 |
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