Away at Old Laurentians

MHRUFC U14s Vs Old Laurentians

A short notice change to our fixtures saw the U14s travelling for the second time this season to Rugby’s Old Laurentians. Last time there the boys faced the clubs B team and despite being short on numbers managed to pull off a convincing win. OLs had been keen for a rematch, but this time against their A team. As we always play a mixed ability squad it was going to be interesting to see if the lads could stack up against a selected team.
From the off it was clear that this was going to be tough opposition. Looking organised and disciplined, OLs made an aggressive start and drove deep into MH territory. Always vocal, compared to the relatively quiet MH team, they looked like a serious threat. Despite this, MH held OLs back and a game of attrition ensued as the teams moved back and forth up the pitch, each trying to muscle the other out. The focus of the game was initially with forwards play. Props, James Watkins and Patrick Grady, along with Hooker Theo Barre rucked hard and second row Will Logalbo and Thomas Dyson put in great support to try and secure the ball at the breakdown. It was fairly even for the first ten minutes, but weakness in MH discipline and rucking lead to a hastily seized opportunity for OLs and they ran in their first try, but failed to make the conversion. This try was a wake up call for MH. They weren't performing as a team in the way that they had been recently. There was certainly some individual flair, but the close support and fast pace that we had come to enjoy seemed to be absent this morning and the regular mauls that appeared seemed to favour OLs slightly more aggressive forwards. OLs clearly relished this more physical style and Scrum Half Fabian Boddy found himself struggling for space and time to distribute the ball. Fly Half Dan Hands was struggling to have time to consider options and time and again Harborough were closed down before they could ship the ball wide. Captain and Flanker Will Adams pushed the boys on though, and despite some careless handling MH managed to hold OLs in their own half for quite a while. A scrum in the OLs 22 was opportunity to replace some tired legs. MH twice drove up to the try line but were unable to ground the ball, a penalty scrum was to finally allow MH to even the score, Flanker Charlie Power took the opportunity to live up to his name with a ferocious drive through the defender to land his first try of the season, the slightly awkward angle and distance proved a little too much for Will Dawson to convert however. OLs came right back from the restart. Once again the focus was on forwards play, Flanker Sam Dexter proved a serious threat and constantly probed the defence with his impressive line speed. Winger Joe Harrison had to muster all his strength to counter the wide runs as OLs pressed hard. It was Number 8 Ben Marshall that finally put MH ahead, always a formidable presence in the team he proved his mettle once again as he drove like a bulldozer in to the defenders and clearing a space to ground the ball to put MH five points ahead. A more flattering angle for the kick allowed Dawson to convert and put the score at 12-5 at half time.
Buoyed by their slight lead MH engaged like for like with the OLs pack and again the game seemed to centre around mauls and rucks. Fullback Jack Rowlatt was to become a huge asset as he on several occasions became the only defender between OLs and the Harborough try line, always dependable and with immaculate timing he tacked anyone who strayed through the defending line. A neat steal by Marshall saw the ball popped up to Dexter who at last had the space to show off his speed, as he took off toward the try line he drew the only OLs defender and expertly offloaded to Centre Tom Wainwright who flew across the line neatly placing the ball between the sticks for Harborugh's third, Dawson failed to convert but Harborough now had a more comfortable lead. OLs were clearly rattled now and were starting to lose composure, not enough however to take the foot off the gas. Taking the game to Harborough it was once again their forwards who did the driving and managed to hold Harborough for several minutes close to the try line. Despite tremendous defending the pressure proved too much and they grounded the ball and converted to bring their score up to 12. With only a five point lead Harborough had to stay focused or risk all. With some changes to allow players to rest suddenly Harborough appeared to remember the open play style that had become their trade mark and at last the OLs forwards were outclassed. Ollie Hoare became a real menace among the OLs players making quick ball the order of the day from this point on.Quick rucking gave Replacement Scrum Half Hands the opportunity denied to Boddy to whip the ball away fast and the Harborough backs started to make their presence and line speed felt. Wingers Elliot Coxon and Louis Van Den Berg made some cracking runs deep into opposition turf, Coxon proving a feisty opponent to any counter moves. Quick rucking again proved to be the undoing of the OL forwards, Dawson put in some nifty footwork and a timely offload to Wainwright resulted in an unstoppable run in for another five which was neatly converted for the additional two points. Harborough now having recovered their style piled on the pressure and OLs started to fall apart. The final try of the game came again from a quick ruck, a speedy ball away by Hands passed through to Dawson and down the chain of backs at high speed as they each in turn ran on to the pass, a fantastic demonstration of open play which ended once again with the fleet of foot Wainwright powering unchecked across the line. Neat placement between the posts gave Dawson a relatively easy conversion to end the game with a 31-12 scoreline