Fixture

Caerphilly RFC | Under 9s 4 - 3 Abergavenny RFC | Under 9s

Match Report
17 January 2017 / Team News

CAERPHILLY BEARS MATCH REPORTS 15/01/2017

Back home this week where we welcomed the players and supporters from Abergavenny and Beddau to the Constructaquote Stadium. Despite the gloomy forecast that we could either expect to be in the depth of a cold snap or face a deluge of rain, the weather gods were smiling down on us with a fine, albeit cold morning. Considering the rain we have had recently and the notorious lack of drainage, the pitch was looking in pretty good nick and, despite some unwelcome deposits left by our resident flock of geese efficiently cleared by some willing volunteers, was set up to allow some entertaining running rugby. It is fair say that those lucky enough to be in attendance were not be disappointed on that front.

Following on from the previous week’s hard-fought victory over Abertillery, the boys were raring to go. First up were Abergavenny, who held the honour of being the first team where our boys were able to demonstrate their tackling prowess for the very first time back in September. Based on this first meeting, the boys knew they were going to be in for a tough test and so it proved to be.

Caerphilly Bears 4-Abergavenny 3

The game started in the same vein as last week with strong defence from both teams on show. It was Abergavenny who broke the deadlock, their attacking from first receiver and lines of running off the shoulder resulting in the first try of the game.

The Bears hit back a well worked try from Alfie. Teifi received the ball, going on a run before offloading to Devon who went on one of his snaking runs seemingly bamboozling defenders at will and made a break for the corner. Realising that he wasn’t going to score, spotted Ryley on his shoulder and offloaded to him, Ryley almost getting in at the corner but being held out by some outstanding scrambling defence from Abergavenny. Ryley kept the ball alive though and with Teifi acting as scrum-half, he spotted Alfie coming in on a great line and with a great pop-pass, Alfie took the ball at full tilt to score. No-one was going to stop him from that distance!

The offloading from the Bears was to be a real feature of their play today, each of the boys taking the ball at pace and breaking the gain-line from each attack they mounted. They weren’t having it all their own way though and it was Abergavenny who scored a breakaway try to regain the lead and that was how the score would remain at half-time.

H-T Bears 1-Abergavenny 2

The second half started with changes in personnel for the Bears in the knowledge that the boys who had started the match had set the standard for them to follow and it was pleasing to see that they were all up for the challenge. It is worth saying at this point that, going into this second half, Hywel had been given strict instructions by his mother that she wanted to see him score a minimum of two tries. How would H-Bomb respond to this you ask? Well, more on that later ……..

Try 2 for the Bears came soon after Neil had blown his whistle to start the second half. A good passage of play with some nice passing resulted in ball finding its way to Nathan. Realising that he was being closed down by the Abergavenny defence, he switched the play running back inside and, spotting that Hywel was in a bit of space, offloaded to him and after a step and a dummy, strolled in at the corner. (One down, one to go, Jen).
The Bears then took the lead for the first time, try 3 coming from Owen, some probing runs from Sam Fortt, Nathan and Jayden took the Bears deep into Abergavenny’s half with Jayden just being kept out in the corner. He kept his composure, presented the ball back to allow Owen to take the ball at pace on a good angle to score.

The lead was not to last long though with Abergavenny pegging the boys back soon after the restart from Owen’s try. It was nip and tuck thereafter with neither side able to breach the opposition’s defence and it wasn’t until the final play of the game that the Bears scored their fourth and, ultimately, winning try. Following a great break by Sam Morgan, the ball was recycled and passed along the line until it reached the boy who, after throwing another audacious dummy crossed for his second and winning try. The scorer? Yes, you’ve guessed it, H-Bomb! I think you’d be hard pressed to find a better example of doing exactly what your mother tells you to do!

F-T Bears 4-Abergavenny 3

The second game was against another tough, quality opposition, Beddau.

Caerphilly Bears 3-Beddau 4

Straight from the first whistle, this was to prove a feisty, uncompromising and edgy encounter played in a challenging atmosphere where the tension was palpable, and that was just between the two sets of coaches! Anyway, once a few issues had been clarified and Neil had reaffirmed that he was refereeing the match, the boys were able to get on with playing a game of rugby.

Beddau were first out of the blocks to take an early lead. The Bears equalising try came from Alfie, who after a sustained period of pressure on Beddau’s line, took the ball as first receiver, crashing over from a yard out. However, the Bears were caught napping from the restart, Beddau regaining the lead immediately.

Try 2 for the Bears was scored by Devon. Another passage of outstanding running rugby from the boys involving Alfie who passed on to Luke who then passed back inside to Alfie who passed the ball along the line to Devon who was able to cross after some nice side steps inside the defence.

Beddau regained the lead before Owen scored the Bears’ equalising try. Owen spotted some space and after breaking a few tackles, was able to outstrip the cover to score in the corner. Once again though, after working hard to get back into the game, a lapse in concentration allowed Beddau to take the lead again straight from the restart after Owen’s try, scoring what proved to be winning score.

F-T Caerphilly Bears 3-Beddau 4

Two games today between well-matched teams where the results could have gone either way in both games. The Bears edging out Abergavenny in the first game with Beddau taking the spoils with a well deserved victory in the second game, played under challenging conditions as previously mentioned. It was pleasing to note sporting handshakes between both sets of coaches at the end of the game, though.

The boys’ development continues apace with some real ‘heads-up’ rugby now being played by all of them. Instead of taking the ball and looking for contact, it is really pleasing to see every one of them looking to offload the ball to the player in space, their first thought being to scan to see what’s on before they receive the ball, the result of which is some attractive, running rugby played at pace, the very embodiment of the Bears’ mantra - space and support.

Man of the Match

Another accolade for Owen following another outstanding performance today. As Michael so eloquently put it, Owen was everywhere today in defence and attack and seemed to cover every blade of grass.

Most Improved Contribution

This award for today goes to Alfie, solid as always in defence but really prominent in attack today also, resulting in two tries from him. He looked dangerous every time he had the ball in hand.

Special mention today also goes to Sam F who put in one particularly crunching tackle on an unfortunate player from the opposition.

 

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