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09 May 2017 / Club News

U12s Finale

Aberystwyth U12s Festival Sunday 30 April

Aberystwyth U12s entertained two clubs from South Wales last Sunday and it provided to be a fantastic spectacle of running rugby from all 3 teams, played in the correct spirit and it was fitting the teams would each lose and win a game.

In sunny conditions with a strong wind driving down towards the club house, Aber first played Machen RFC from Gwent. Having won the toss, Aber choose to play into the wind first half. As usual, Aber started slowly and were immediately 5 points down as they failed to gather the kick off and Machen moved the ball wide and were able to easily out flank a disorganised defence.

The rest of the half was played pretty much in Aber’s half as Machen dominated possession. However Aber were able to keep them at bay with some furious tackling. It was a big tackle from blind side Mason Lees which turned over the ball, which allowed returning outside-half Reuben Price to start a counter attack which would see centre Sion Gould outpace the defence, only to be held up under the posts. From the resulting scrum, number 8 Osian Bebb Worrall picked up and crashed over. Price was able to convert, giving Aber a 7-5 lead into half time.

The second half started with Machen struggling to clear their lines into the head wind. It was from one of these kicks that Aber’s full back Tom Jones was able to counter attack. Beating the initial chase, he was able to link with his forwards who were able to produce quick ball for Price to work Lees into space, and he was able to run though unopposed. Aber continued to attack and tried to kick for position. Unfortunately one loose kick fell to Machen’s full back who simply outsprinted everyone to Aber’s try line in a scintillating 80 metre run.

Aber, however, didn’t let this change their tactics and they still used the wind to find position. From a resulting lineout, Aber won the ball and with the scrum half pass blocked, Guto James dodged and weaved, finding himself through, and darted for the corner. However Machen’s full back had other ideas and was able to catch James. In the tackle, James popped up a pass which unfortunately fell to their winger who was able to run the 95 meters to score Machen’s third try.

Again Aber attacked, knowing a converted try would win them the game. Going though the phases they didn’t panic and slowly moved into Machen’s 22. As Aber’s ball carriers crept towards the try line, Machen in one desperate effort counter rucked and won possession. They moved the ball wide to their full back who raced away for another long distance try which took the score to 14 – 26. It was a great game and so easily could have gone the other way.

Llangennech were the other touring team and they then played Machen, with Llangennech running out 19-7 winners.

Aber’s final game of the 2017 season was against a much larger Llangennech 15. Aber seemed to have learnt from their first game and looked after possession carefully, with half backs James and Price choosing the right options into the headwind. It was one such attack that saw inside centre Gould link with Lees who was able to power over for a converted try.

As the teams turned round for half time, the wind seemed to drop, Aber now decided to run the ball more often with Lees, Gould, Jones, Worrall and Price all making big carries. However it was Llangennech’s turn to concede a long distance break away try. Aber hooker Adam Bradley forced a turnover in Aber’s 22. With possession gained, Aber made two quick passes which released centre Will Beckham who sprinted the length of the field to score out wide, with Price adding the extra 2 points, taking the score to 14-0. However Llangennech were not finished and proceeded to throw everything at Aber’s line and were rewarded for some excellent sustained pressure with their number 8 crossing out wide. As their 10 added the extra the ref blew up for the end of the game and the end of 2017 season.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the players for making it a pleasure to be involved with them, to the coaching team of Richard Morris and Anthony Morris and to the parents and guardians who without them none of this could happen.

Finally I like to thank the junior section admin staff for their organisational skills and to Aberystwyth Rugby Club as a whole.

See you in SEPTEMBER !!!!

Andi Price

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