BARNSLEY RUFC U16 TOUR REPORT

MIDLETON FESTIVAL, IRELAND.

THE WEEKEND OF THE 4TH TO 7TH APRIL 2008

BARNSLEY BOTTLED UP IN CORK

And so at last to our much awaited Irish tour, which involved us travelling to John Lennon airport, Liverpool, to fly on one of Ryanair’s finest to Cork, the home of Murphy’s and Beamish, so I’m told.

Then to Trabolgan holiday centre, a sort of down at heel Center Parcs (in a lovely setting) for the lads to play in the Midleton Festival, the home of Jamieson’s and Paddy’s, whatever that is.

Coach Smith stated that this team was the first ever from Barnsley to actually play in an overseas tour, senior tours have never involved actually playing?, apart from half a game in Cork about 8 years ago, which was abandoned through lack of interest!

Off the field the tour was eventful, and after 10pm on Sunday evening being at Trabolgan was a bit like what living on Wellington Street might be on a Friday night!

On a depressing note an innocent, respectable member of our party was subjected to a totally unprovoked, vicious assault which resulted in serious injury.

Thankfully the Irish justice system sprang into action effectively, and for once the outcome would appear to be favourable.

I’m sure that we all wish the innocent victim well for a full recovery, and a satisfactory outcome to the legal proceedings.

Back to the rugby, which took place on the Saturday and the Sunday.

Teams were divided into 2 groups :

A – Ourselves , Caldy (Liverpool), Market Harborough, Worthing, and Reading Abbey

B – Midleton (the hosts), Northwich, Heathfield & Wald, Penzance & Newlyn Pirates, and Dinas Powys (Cardiff)

GAME ONE –

SCORE – BARNSLEY- 0 – READING ABBEY- 5

Reading scored early on in proceedings and we chased the game, never really producing a clear cut chance. However, you got the feeling that had it been a full game we’d have prevailed, but it wasn’t and we lost.

GAME TWO

SCORE – BARNSLEY – 0 MARKET HARBOROUGH – 29

This game was against one of the eventual finalists and the lads were overwhelmed by the fluidity of movement, and the pace out wide from this impressive team, which is reflected in the score line. The lads battled hard, but were outclassed.

We then had an inordinately long wait for our final game of the day, which saw too many of the squad lose interest, which was to have catastrophic consequences.

GAME THREE

SCORE – BARNSLEY – 5 CALDY – 42

Yes, this game was as one sided as the score suggest, but not due to the quality of the opposition, but the abject performance of at least 2/3 of the team. The first half in particular was embarrassing, we turned around 28 – 0 down, with the Caldy coaches wondering if their entire team might get on the score sheet.

The second half started more positively, but Caldy racked up a further 2 scores (very well converted by drop kicks) to add to the depression. A combination of over-confidence by Caldy, and some spirit shown by some of our lads resulted in a last gasp fight back.

A re-start was gathered by Rob Mynett (playing centre), who drove it on dragging defenders with him looking desperately for support, he managed to off-load to Marlon Wragg, who battered and bashed his way through at least 3 tacklers for a tremendous score. Too little, much too late.

Needless to say some harsh words were spoken during the break, at the end of the game, and through the evening. This is not what we’d travelled all this way to see.

SUNDAY – A new day, and a new attitude!

Quotation corner: Mark Smith “ I’ve fielded a team with too many players, too few players, and now I’ve managed to misplace an entire squad!”

Thankfully the lads hadn’t gone AWOL, but had got lost in the labyrinthine changing facilities.

GAME FOUR

SCORE – BARNSLEY – 0 WORTHING – 26

Score lines can be deceptive, and this was one of those occasions. The squad was now reduced to 16, 3 having returned to England to watch The “mighty” Reds.

This predicament seemed to galvanise the lads, and Jim Haigh came to the fore and showed why he was picked to be the captain, and in this mood and form, should remain as captain.

The entire team gave a blood and guts performance, epitomised by Grant Powell powering through the entire Worthing defence, knocking back an attempted tackle by one of the big forwards, fully 5 metres onto his back. This must be the nearest thing to being hit by a freight train that doesn’t involve death that the unfortunate lad could experience.
We conceded the first score with a silly error, but straight after Rob Mynett was in on an overlap, only to receive a poor pass and knock on – oh what might have been.

Whilst the centre field battle was “even- Stevens”, Worthing had too much class and pace out wide, which did for us again.

Much better play and attitude from the lads and worth getting out of bed for.

And so to the final for the losers of each group.

SHIELD FINAL

BARNSLEY – 0 PENZANCE & NEWLYN PIRATES – 12

The final, unlike the pool games (12mins each way) was a 20 min each way affair.

It was clear that the Pirates were equally as motivated as our lads not to go home with a “whitewash”.

A ferociously competitive game ensued, with the pirates gaining the upper hand territorially. There was a fierce biting wind which was in our favour first half, but which we failed to make the best use of. Our regular stand off, Rob Mynett, was still recovering from a foot injury, and couldn’t kick, therefore he played full back (forgot, and kicked it, everyone heard the yell!) Jim Haigh fired up and led the troops well, he really came to the fore today, and it was the kind of mature, focussed performance we need from him every game.

However, the defining moment involved “The Grant” playing at centre!, who in a customary fearsome charge was tackled brilliantly by a slightly built second row and dumped on his back! It’s a shame there wasn’t some one filming this, it would have been in the RFU coaching manual. Some days you just know that it ain’t going to happen.

The half finished with a powerful Barnsley drive over the Pirate line only for Stephen Lister to unluckily knock on. The pirates counter-attacked from a swiftly taken 22 drop out, to catch the Barnsley defence in disarray, to score (with the aid of a forward pass?) in the corner.

As half time approached, the sky grew black, the wind whipped up, the hail fell in torrents, the game became extremely difficult for both teams (the pitch was the worst at the club, rock hard, devoid of grass, with huge furrows and ridges),as half time came.

Still all to play for in the second half ,but the pirates used their wind advantage well scored a second converted score ,and ended up deserved winners. It was a strangely compelling match ,and both teams gave everything.
One mention in dispatches, Tom Lodge playing his first game ever at scrum half did really well, and provided added physicality – watch out Woolhouse!

Ireland was a lovely place with really friendly people. I for one hope to go back, not, however with 20 teenage lads in tow, in accommodation with hundreds of others!

Dinas Powys won the competition.