MHRUFC U11 Aces & Chiefs vs Broadstreet RFC - 13.01.2019 Match Report

Broadstreet RFC hosted both Aces and Chiefs MHRUFC U11 squads this Sunday. Being the official training facilities of the Midlands’ recent Premiership Rugby imposters (formerly of the Capital, then Wycombe) and littered with instructive signage and over-zealous club officials, initial impressions were not welcoming. However, an impressive clubhouse and reasonably priced and friendly catering soon raised spirits.

The weather too became more benign as the drizzle subsided, the wind dropped [slightly], and the comforting sound of the A46 provided the backdrop to the morning’s proceedings. 3 matches against Broadstreet U11 (BS) were played with the Aces playing each first half and a [predominantly] Chiefs team playing the second halves. The use of ‘Pods’, a feature of recent training sessions, was given its first match test.

Match 1 saw the Aces pick-up from where they left off before the Christmas break, full of initial energy and no signs of any festive excesses. Early pressure on the BS try line was unlucky not to be rewarded as a try was adjudged to have been in touch. More pressure forced BS into multiple knock-on errors before Arthur Adams broke the deadlock with a trademark try. Teagan Beaufoy scored soon after, handing the Chiefs a 2-0 margin at half-time to manage.
The modified BS line-up looked more cohesive in the second half and, despite some incisive runs from Freddie Williamson, Mason Blyth, and James Killick, BS had pulled a try back of their own and looked confident. However, from the retaken restart Mason Blyth collected the ball and scored immediately, restoring the 2-try margin and MHRUFC seeing out the first match 3-1 victors.

Match 2 was not so easy-going: BS had seemingly now warmed-up and after having a try disallowed scored soon after. George Williams pulled a try back for the Aces, capitalising on an excellent passage of cross-team rucking and passing but, for the first time out of another three, the Aces were penalised for the whole team being off-side from a clearing kick. BS scoried a try from the subsequent advantageous position. The half-time score was 1-2.
The Chiefs had to pick-up the pace in the second half if pride was to be restored and the team delivered: Rhys Carter was unlucky to be hauled down before the try line however his teammates soon delivered again. Freddie Williamson continued his excellent morning scoring from a line-out, Mason Blyth scored a try capitalising on another team effort which started with Isaac Mohan clearing from a ruck through Freddie and Jack Glover before slicing up the park. Josh Ellis completed the second half comeback with a determined run down the wing from a delicate James Killick pass. No score from BS in the second half meant the match finished 4-2.

Match 3 followed the playbook of Match 2 to the letter: an early turned-over scrum allowed BS to open the scoring. Dan Weston stripped the ball and with a length-of-the-field run scored a try to level the match. However BS were allowed to score 2 more tries of their own with some skillful catching and fine all-team passing and positional play. At Half Time match 3 stood at 1-3.
Once again, though, BS were permitted to score no further tries in the second half: Joab Tiney and Josh Ellis showed positive skills before Mason Blyth scored a hat-trick of tries, capitalising again on good support play from Freddie Williamson and Josh. Freddie himself rounded off the morning’s scoring with a try of his own, again ably assisted by Isaac Mohan and Jason Glover turning-over a ruck in the build-up. The final score 5-3 ensured MHRUFC remained undefeated.

Whilst MHRUFC were 3 times pinged for being off-side from clearance kicks, giving the coaches some points to work on in training next week, the spectators were all heartened by the skillful and cohesive team efforts on display. The festive break seemed to have had no effect on the momentum of both squads: the improvements in tackling, rucking, communication and positional play, underpinned by the new Pod system, meant the only feast on display was the one for the eyes.