U15`s (school year 10)
Matches
Sun 13 Oct 2019
Yarnbury RFC
U15`s (school year 10)
Tries: C Popley (2), N McCormack, M Baker (3), J Reynolds, J Windridge-FranceConversions: B Woods (2)
44
12
SKIPTON
Yarnbury RFC U15 v Skipton RFC U15

Yarnbury RFC U15 v Skipton RFC U15

Stephen Fletcher16 Oct 2019 - 14:12
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The winning streak continues!

Today's game saw new visitors to the Yarnbury ground; Skipton. A team we have not played before, well we don't think we have anyway.

The weather was drab, grey and miserable. Our spirits, however were anything but as this was our first home game in a while and the first game on the AGP this season.

Today's game ended up being a bit of a Heath-Robinson affair with the game split into three 20 minutes periods to accommodate our visitors.

Skipton were open and honest with us leading up to the game, advising that they had a small squad of 11 players but were more than happy to play 10-a-side with one replacement if we were game. In an effort to make it a more involved game for all the players, and seeing as we're all one big rugby family anyway, the Yarnbury boys were given a choice of the 10-a-side game or to perhaps offer their services as volunteers to bolster the numbers. Magnificently they went with the latter and without hesitation too. After a short recess for the coaches to look at each other aghast, catch their breath, smile wistfully, wipe away a rogue tear or two (those pesky AGP rubber pellets get everywhere! Honestly) and wonder who replaced our boys with androids bestowed with initiative, character and selflessness, it was decided; we'd play 13-a-side and do away with a no.8 and a full back. Skipton were short in the back of the scrum and had a competitive front row. Step up the magnificent 7 (well, 6 but I Liked the analogy). The Yarnbury forwards arranged their own volunteer service, aligned in a two by two formation (like on Noah's ark but with a lot more bum fluff), two volunteers per game period. First two - Harvey Coates and Max Fletcher.

Game on.

The game started brightly and it didn't take long for Yarnbury to find some rhythm. So much so in fact that they broke with tradition this season and scored first! Charley Popely with one of his trade mark gain line bursts grounded under the sticks to give Ben Woods an easy conversion. Well it would've been easy had the two Yarnbury replacements managed to locate the kicking tee. Honestly, you guys have one job... Ben decided to nonchalantly drop-kick the conversion instead and marched back to his own half with a swagger not seen since one Mrs Lewty proudly ear-marched Mr Lewty from the Queens Arms at the end of one particular junior tour.

This seemed to perk Skipton up, and with the assistance of Max Fletcher's wizarding jackal skills in the ruck, fought back bravely and made strong gains into Yarnbury territory. Yarnbury proved a little too strong though and on 16 minutes the mercurial centre Ned McCormack doubled Yarnbury's try tally for the first period. Alas, with kicking tee now found, Ben missed the subsequent conversion. Skipton, never giving up the ghost, battled and pushed and their efforts were rewarded with a great team try right at the end of the period. The first period, an entertaining session, played in great spirit by both sides, ended with Yarnbury 12-5 to the good.

The second period was a bit more of a one-sided affair with Yarnbury running in five unanswered tries. Max and Harvey re-joined the Yarnbury pack with Seth Thompson and Ben Woods being the next two volunteers to don the red of Skipton. The game was still enjoyable for all and was made all the more enjoyable because of the ridiculously positive attitude of the Skipton players and coaches. For the record, the try scorers were Mason Baker, grabbing two of the five on the way to a well earned hat-trick for the day (in future years young man I expect you will be employing serious jug avoidance tactics to save yourself the expense of a post-match team jug of ale. But for now, enjoy the blissful, innocent, and cheap, glow of hat-trick satisfaction), Joseph Reynolds grounding one, a second for Charley Popely and Jem with the fifth towards the end of the period. All resulting from a great team effort with interplay between forwards and backs, excellent support runners and disciplined ruck play. Not one try was converted successfully either. Just thought it was worth a mention.

The final period was a much more even competition. Ben and Seth returned to the Yarnbury pack (Ben unfortunately retiring injured part way through) with Jack Gallagher and Charley Popely completing the volunteering. One try apiece with first blood to Skipton in this period. Yarnbury's final try was Mason's third which was suitably converted by a pre-injured Ben.

All in all, yes a win for the Yarnbury team but that just didn't matter to any of us really and is only mentioned here out of a sense of duty provide a match report for everyone's enjoyment (hopefully). What matters significantly more is the attitude of all the players. It really did feel like a rugby family atmosphere out there today. All one big team just separated by two different coloured shirts. I know its a bit of a cliche, and very corny, but I don't care frankly; Rugby really was the winner today... *sighs with enigmatic smile, looks into the distance, * Bloody pellets in my eye again!

Oh yeah, almost forgot; Kieran reff'ed it. The only negative for him was having to change his lovely bubblegum pink referee shirt for a more dreary black one due to a colour clash with Skipton. His life was made so much easier because of the fantastic attitude of all. Don't get me going again...

There was no man of the match today, oh no. Not one person deserved it. But six did! The Yarnbury volunteers were our men of the match today. Well done fellas, great to see and thank you for being generous. For once.

I can only finish by echoing the sentiment shown by my coaching colleague Mr Coates at the end of the game. He said...give me a minute (deep breath, stop your blinking)..."Stay together Skipton, don't give up on each other, you've got a great team there fellas, I've seen you, I work in Skipton, I've seen the schools, Ermysteads and all that. Great attitude from all of you...thanks for today. Stick at it. Really. Good stuff"

Powerful. Poetry that.

PS - thanks to my Stato, Isabella Coates, for providing all the scoring stats and times. Great to see that current UK educational standards are way ahead of the curve - telling me tries and times in order of 1st half, 2nd half and 3rd half. (I have photographic evidence)

Match details

Match date

Sun 13 Oct 2019

Kickoff

11:00
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Main Sponsor - WAE Group