Great Performance, Just Short of a Few Bodies

The U15’s have endured a tough season, only recently starting to add year 10’s to the squad. Unfortunately, a combination of illness and other commitments left only one yr 10 in their ranks for the visit of the league leaders.

The coach’s both focused the players on the basics that they could carry into the remaining games and next season’s competition and the boys delivered.

The Hurricanes, maybe coming into the game a little overconfident, soon found that the home side were in no mood to lay down. Despite an early score for the Canes, the green and black were soon making inroads into the Canes half.

The pressure soon told with two crash plays in behind the markers was followed up with a sweeping passing movement to the left, the conversion narrowly missed to pull the green and black back to within two.

The next fifteen minutes was a battle of the defences, as both sides went hit-up for hit-up, tackle for tackle, but with neither side able to find the break through.

Just as it looked like that would be the score at the half, the Panthers started to speed up the play-the-ball and as a consequence made 40 meters on their first three tackles. This put them in prime position to attack the Canes line which they did with purpose, finding the inside gap to pull four points ahead following the successful conversion.

At halftime the young green and black were in a buoyant mood, but the coaches reminded them that they had to keep up the work rate. Working up the slight slop in the second half would sap their energy reserves, so they had to make the most of each rest bite.

The Canes, however, weren’t about to let them rest as they rocketed into the second half with a thundering run from their big forward line, pulling the Panthers line in. This presented the Canes with an overlap that they couldn’t fail with and they pulled the game all square.

As with the first half the next twenty minutes was too and fro, with neither side giving easy ground and neither side looking like conceding.

Then with ten to go, the Canes hoisted a booming kick which swirled in the wind leaving the Panthers fullback grasping at air. As it landed it took a wicked change of direction, wrong footing the covering winger, but straight into the path of the on-rushing Canes winger for the score.

Although the conversion had been missed, the score had deflated the Panthers. Where the green and black had been running on adrenaline in the backs, due to shortage of numbers, the score seemed to drain their energy and drive.

The last five minutes saw the Canes work hard to increase their advantage, with the Panthers battling hard to recover possession. Eventually the Canes wore down the Panthers resistance and posted a further score which added a gloss that didn’t really reflect the nature of the game. Final score 16 – 24.