Buckinghamshire U20s recorded a bonus point victory in their first game of the National U20s Shield at Aylesbury RFC against travelling opponents Warwickshire in a thrilling game that produced 8 tries.
The first try came after only 5 minutes from Bucks captain Tom Pearce, with Bucks dominating from the start. This became the norm for the first 20 minutes of the game with intense pressure from the Bucks team holding Warwickshire back in their own half and yielding a further try from Rob Waldron who showed immense skill with a chip and chase over the opposition to score try number 2 which was duly converted by Alex Shearer.
Bucks endured a rare 5 minutes of pressure from the restart that culminated in a Warwickshire penalty taking the score to 12-3, but they immediately responded with an intense attack on the Warwickshire lines from the restart and secured a third try after only two more minutes, Giles Westgarth forcing his way over the line to touch down. The conversion was missed and the score was set at 17 – 3.
Despite further pressure from Bucks, the Warwickshire team had settled into the game and put up some great defensive rugby to prevent any further scores before half time.
Bucks came into the second half in a confident mood, but this proved to be their downfall for the next ten minutes as Warwickshire attacked with enthusiasm and scored two tries in ten minutes, one from a penalty and the second from a quick tap and go that caught the Bucks defence napping. Both tries were converted bringing the score level at 47 minutes.
Bucks responded positively and attacked again pinning Warwickshire inside their 10m line. Repeated pressure resulted in Ziana Alexis smashing through the opposition in the left corner and giving Bucks their fourth and bonus point try at 55 minutes. The conversion was again tricky and proved elusive, and the scores stood at 22-17. From the restart Bucks did not reduce the pressure and after securing possession attacked again, with Alex Shearer going over the line at 58 minutes to give a ten point lead. He duly converted the try and set the scores to 29-17.
Warwickshire refused to capitulate and began a period of intense pressure of their
own that saw bucks defending hard for the last quarter of the game. Warwickshire were aided by the necessity of reverting to uncontested scrums as their front row were out of action. The Bucks squad put in an immense shift, holding Warwickshire at bay until the 85th minute when, after repeated infringements and with Bucks in danger of a yellow card, the Warwickshire pressure breached the Bucks defence and produced a try. Despite not converting, Warwickshire had brought the score to within 7 points at 29 – 22 and secured a losing bonus point
.
Praise has to go to everyone in the Bucks squad who produced some excellent rugby and some justly earned tries with their attacking display, and were able to regroup and win the game a second time after the scores were levelled. The defensive work in the last quarter secured a great win for Bucks and sees them in good shape for the next round against Oxfordshire U20s in two weeks.
Bucks U20s Squad
Ziana Alexis, Joe Batt, Devin Brookes, Piers Dyer, Jack Hockin, Daniel Hostetler, Luke Jordan, Connor McKillop, Tom Pearce (c), James Phimister, Ollie Potter, Callum Reid Jones, Bruno Renucci, Tom Rhead, Alex Shearer, Joe Sole, Rob Waldron, James Walker, Giles Westgarth, Brad White, Tom Young