U16s - Huddersfield Vs Barnsley

BARNSLEY RUFC U16 MATCH REPORT

LOCKWOOD , SUNDAY 4TH NOVEMBER 2007, 11AM KICK OFF.
OPPONENTS – HUDDERSFIELD RUFC. – Yorks. Plate Competition
REFEREE – RFU SOCIETY

SCORE – HUDDERSFIELD - 5 BARNSLEY- 7

SHUDDERS? IN HUDDERS - FIELD

So spoke the touch-line experts (including the author), “We shudder done this, and we shudder done that.” Geddit?

My overall impressions of this game are those of being pleased for the lads that they have finally got their first cup win, but frustration on their behalf that the score-line was not more emphatically in our favour. With due respect to the Huddersfield team I believe that they were let off the hook as we got sucked into a forward dominated slugging match.
That was partly our fault for not releasing our back-line quickly enough, and often enough, and a combination of dreadful handling, and poor passing, that I have not seen the lads exhibit before (in perfect running rugby conditions). The other major factor was the Ref who, though well-meaning, contrived to stop any fluid play. The scrum ruled supreme.
There were only 2 pieces of play worthy of note, and both resulted in tries for each team.

First blood went to the home team 15 minutes into the first half, when their stand-off threw an outrageous dummy, bought by our entire mid-field defence, chipping through intelligently, with support, to be held up by desperate defence on our try line. We conceded a penalty, and whilst our lads caught their breath, and admired the architecture of the stunning railway viaduct, Hudds tapped, moved the ball wide, a big overlap awaited, simple touch down to score. A very bad try to concede, because they rarely threatened our try line again. Mercifully, someone up there favoured us, and the conversion was missed. 5 –0

We finally got our driving play together, a penalty kicked to touch, the subsequent line out, and a scrum being won in the Hudds 22, resulted in an imperious, and devastating run to the line by Keiron Holmes to score. He just gets better and better.

Jack Churchill slotted the conversion (which was not easy) to make the score 5 – 7.
Both teams then proceeded to treat the ball like a hot potato, knocking on, and passing wildly, which resulted in both packs having scrummaging practice for the rest of the half, if not the rest of the game.

The second half continued in the same vein, and both teams had chances to kick penalties to take the initiative, but both kickers failed. Jack’s kick was an easier chance than his con, but even Jonny Wilkinson misses them sometimes. Frustratingly, it wasn’t that far off. It made for a nail-biting finish in which the ref appeared to have borrowed Alex Ferguson’s stopwatch.

The lads had a golden opportunity to make sure with a 5m scrum on the Hudds line, which had we won, I’d have put my pension on Keiron scoring ,but the Hudds pack had the edge on us (in the scrum only) ,and took it against the head.

They counter-attacked, and we managed to hold out, touching down in our in-goal area.
Much to the visiting supports’ relief, the final whistle went.
Mention in dispatches:

This week I’d like to high-light Jamie Linacre, standing in at hooker for the injured Tyler Smith (get well soon.).He’s only just started playing and whilst he may have been under the cosh in the scrum, he put in a fiery, spirited performance, and threw in well to line out, which we dominated.

I’d also like to mention winger James Green, who on several occasions was last line of defence, and put in crunching tackles to stop them in their tracks.
Well played both of you.

BARNSLEY MOTM :

Miles Brook, dynamic in the loose, disruptive in the scrum , and dominant in the line out, well done.

TIME LINE:

11.00AM – KICK OFF (HUDDS)

11.15 – TRY (HUDDS) + CON. MISSED 5 – 0

11.21– TRY (KEIRON) + CON (JACK) 5 – 7

11.33 – HALF TIME

11.37 – RE-START (BARNSLEY)

12.13– FULL TIME