KEQMS Rugby Results 2008 / 2009

Saturday 4^th October vs. Rishworth School

1stXV Won 5 - 3

Tries: Williams

2^nd XV Won 44– 0

Tries: Tonge (3), Richardson (2), Goupil, Gaunt, Johnson
Con: Carson (2)

U15 Won 20 – 7

Tries: Sheridan (2), Higham (2)

U14 Lost 10  – 17

Tries: McLaughlin, Thompson

U13 Lost 7  –  14

Tries: Pugh ; Con: Douthwaite

U12 Won 17 – 10

Tries: Lavelle, T. Lannigan, Myers.  Con:Lavelle.

Thursday 2^nd  October vs. Lancaster RGS (U15 Daily Mail Rd2)

U15 Lost 7 - 19

Tries: Higham; Con: Arciniega

Rishworth Reports

1stXV

Although the pitch high on the Yorkshire Moors is very scenic, Ben Aitken posed the question 2 years ago was this area Constables inspiration (wasn’t he from Suffolk?), when the rain is horizontal with gale force winds there are better places to be on a Saturday morning. After a 10 minute hike to the ground we arrived to find them sheltering warmly in their pavilion. Fortunately the attitude of our team was very positive and after a brief but dynamic warm up we were more than up for the game.

In the first half, playing with the elements, we took some time to gain any good ball but more than made up for this with some aggressive and strong defence. When we eventually did start to gain possession the pack were strong in their driving close to and mauling. As we started to get into the game the referee started to penalise us time after time. As a result Rishworth were able to convert a close penalty attempt to take the lead. At this point we took control of the game. The forwards took control of the set pieces, front jumper Ben Holland athletically won most of the Rishworth lineout ball assisted obviously by his lifting team Elliott Bowen and Nick Carrdus. In the scrums the front five manoeuvred the Rishworth pack to assist their own defence and Hooker Peter Erskine stole several strikes against the head. As a result the highly celebrated Rishworth England U18 fly half found himself hounded by our Blackpool pit-bull Grant Blackshaw and therefore struggled to have any influence on the game. Unfortunately the referee again spoilt the good work with his continued penalising of us for offence after offence most of which bemused both coach and captain. Rishworth however were unable to capitalise on this extra possession due to the dogged Lytham defence. Yet again the back row were outstanding in this area, Ben Samuels and Luke Skyrme turned over ball after ball their upper body strength and technique has yet to be matched this season. Tom Webb at the base of the scrum hounded his opposite number as did Holland against the Rishworth Leeds Tykes number 8. With the centres Harry Ormsby and Kelham O’Hanlon making full use of any ball they did get in attack we finished the half well on top but unfortunately not troubling the scorer. Half Time 0 – 3.

With the gale force wind getting stronger the second half task got tougher and tougher. The Rishworth number 10 must have been rubbing his hands with the thought of hitting the Lytham left hand touch line at will. Unfortunately for him to do this he needed some ball and this he just didn’t get due to the outstanding dominance of the Lytham pack. As with the first half we dominated the set pieces and also the loose play. What Holland missed at the front of the line Dale Martin snaffled in the middle. When they did win ball the pressure of the Lytham back line defence saw them force the mistakes behind.

What was going to be the problem however was gaining the territory to grab some points. From a scrum in the middle of the pitch Blackshaw kicked well into the Rishworth half and from a lineout the Lytham pack drove and drove until, after seeming to have been stopped, second row Lewis Williams plunged over to claim the try. Lewis was returning to a school where his dad, Dr Richard Williams, was cricket captain and Grandfather was Headmaster.

As with these types of situations with 5 minutes left on the clock we managed to keep the huge crowd on the edges of their seat with our kick off return. Fortunately our defence held for the last few seconds to claim an unlikely win in horrendous conditions. Full Time 5 – 3.

It was an impressive performance in the conditions. Whilst it has been our backs doing the business in the last two games the forwards took command in a day which certainly didn’t suit us. The back 3 Kenji King, Max Sworder and Ross Collins did little else but defend and field kicks but they did this magnificently With Liverpool College at home next week and Stonyhurst mid week the coach was delighted that there seemed to be no further injuries, although nothing is certain until roll call on Monday. I would like to thank both Nick Barker and David Johnson who travelled with their team-mates, although injured, to run the line and carry the water. That type of commitment to their team does not go un-noticed and we all look forward to welcoming them back in onto the playing field soon.

2ndXV

It was a wet and windy day and we were determined to make up for last week. We started strong with some great rucking and some good moves by the backs. We found ourselves on their five meter line and great backrow move let Matt Goupil in for a well worked try. After this we found ourselves on top of the game and with the pressure we were putting on them they kicked the ball right into the hands of fullback Sandy Tongue who showed great skill by sidestepping two players then handing of his opposite number to score a try under the posts. The rest of the match was more of play of this standard with great performances by Pearse Carson and Tom Richardson lead us to a huge win of 44-0 and Tongue completing his hat-trick with an outstanding performance. Tom Richardson also added two tries as well as Olly Johnson and Nick Gaunt getting one each. Pearse Carson managed to convert two out of his three attempts. A great team display showed by the quick rucking of the forwards and pace and skill of the back was too much for Rishworth and hopefully we can continue to play to this standard throughout the season.

U15

KEQMS U15’s recorded their sixth win of the season with a workmanship performance against a solid Rishworth team.  Missing 5 of the starting backline the forwards were under pressure to perform and bounce back from a narrow cup defeat to Lancaster on Thursday.

At half time the score was 0 – 0 as KEQMS had been unable to convert constant forward pressure into points.  On numerous occasions they had been camped on the Rishworth line only to turn over the ball which resulted in the Rishworth fly half using the strong wind to clear his line deep into the KEQMS 22.

With the wind now in their favour it didn’t take KEQMS long to open the scoring through two quick tries from Tom Higham who had come on for a brief 10 minutes spell early in the second half due to an injury to Nicholas Cooper.  William Sheridan rounded off a fantastic captain performance with two powerful tries from close range.  Rishworth managed to cross the line for a consultation try late in the game to leave the final score 20 – 7 to KEQMS.

U14

We started strongly, and the early exchanges were based deep in the opposition half but the first try came against the run of play.   A stustained period of pressure resulted in William Thompson unluckily knocking on the ball over the try line however from the resulting scrum KEQMS lost the ball against the head.  This allowed Rishworth to move the ball along their backline to the wing who powered through the remaining backline defence to lead 7-0.  Rishworth then scored two more quick tries through their impressive fly half to leave the score 17-0 early in the 2^nd half.  KEQMS forwards soon began to lead a fight back which resulted in William Thompson and Teddy Diggle scoring two quick fire tries. The score was now 10 – 17 with ten minutes left.  KEQMS forwards we close on two more occasion but Thompson and Richard Grocott we not able to ground the ball over the try line. 

To conclude the match finished in a loss, but this was by far the best game of our campaign so far this season. I am going to look forward to next week with a positive manner. I would just like to say thank you to Mr. Collins and Mr. Liggett for our positive feedback this week.

U12

Congratulations to the under 12 rugby team, who successfully overcame both the elements and a very physical Rishworth team on Saturday.  The conditions on the Yorkshire moors where not suited for fast flowing rugby, but excellent performances from the KEQMS pack sealed a much deserved first win of the season.

An early try from Sam Lavell put KEQMS in the driving seat but a slip up in defence put Rishworth back into the game.  Second half scores from Tom Lanigan and Mitchell Myres secured a fantastic victory.  Let’s hope this is the start to the season that the team needed and a series of positive performances will follow.