News from the front line - Trelawney’s Army defeated
The Under 18 Short Season
Buckinghamshire selected a strong and integrated U17& U18 squad to make up the county colts side in the SW Festival. This age group plays without the elite players, three of which have played for England and over 10 of which currently play in a Premiership academy (Wasps, Saints etc.) - even without our best players we are a small county that punches above our weight.
Our first opposition at Bristol Grammar School came from CORNWALL, who brought a heavyweight squad from the deep south west. The early stages of the match went the way of the Cornish lads, taking a simple try from a line out ball off the top, thrown wide along the line, a missed couple of tackles and simple try out wide. The boys from Bucks were on a steep learning curve; a box kick, a chasing flaker, pressure a kick through, pick up and over the line - a perfect response which was upgraded to a penalty try after some silly behavior from the Cornish boys.
Half time and evens one try each, the second half saw some glorious intelligent Rugby from Bucks who could score at will – out thinking a slow opposition. Try two came from a sweeping backs move from left to right, four passes and both the 14 & 15 queuing up to walk in a try; the next a quick tap from another scrum penalty (the large Cornish pack unable to hold up their own weight) thrown left through several hands and swept up by the back three and over again for try three.
Bucks camping inside the 22, a strong carry towards the posts, ruck, recycled and another scrum-half dummy, well sold and a walk in under the post for the number nine, try four. The final Bucks try, a strong forward drive, a fast recycle by the 9, five sets of hands, a crowd of Cornishmen unable to drive the 14 into touch, an off load and 15 takes the points.
Twenty five minutes of thinking mans rugby, avoid the big boys, play on the front foot, move the ball, test the opposition fitness: stand up: off load: avoid contact and let the back three run in the tries. Job done and the game in the bag, out scoring the opposition five tries to one we emptied the bench to ensure the travelling substitutes enjoyed game time. In the remaining eight or nine minutes the Bucks line was crossed three time – but we don’t mind.
Trelawney’s Army had been defeated