London Scottish Under 7s have enjoyed a very successful run of matches in the triangular series.
LS1 match report from Coach James Bishop:
Team members:
Toby
Noah
Josh
Conor
Sevan (U6)
Joe (U6)
Henry (U6)
London Scottish 1 had a very enjoyable and successful session of matches.
We started the first game against 'the Hammers' with some excellent running, supporting and passing which produced several well worked tries. Toby and Noah got themselves onto the score sheet early with Josh and Conor also making early contributions. However, the opposition had obviously had a good breakfast and we had difficulty getting near enough to them to remove their tags which resulting in them getting a couple more tries than us.
Next up was Richmond. Before this game started we put together a strategy in order to get more tags off the opposition. This involved getting close to the players with the ball as quickly as possible to remove their tags before they had time to start running. This plan proved very successful and we were able to get loads of tags and limit the number of tries that the oppo could score. This enables us to narrowly win the second game.
The spirit of the team was good throughout the morning with good sportsmanship during and after the game. The next games against Hammers and Richmond saw enthusiastic contributions from Joe, Savan and Henry coming off the bench with fresh legs.
The team saved the best for last in the final game against Richmond. By this time Josh had got used to wearing his shiny new rugby gloves and both ball and tags were sticking to them like glue! The whole team worked well together to create loads of tries and finished the morning with tired legs and their heads held high!
LS2 match report from Coach David Deakin:
Team members;
Henry
Gregor
Max
Lucas
Finlay
Lucas
It was a lovely fresh Sunday morning down at the Athletic Ground and it was great to see the enthusiasm and excitement from our U7’s Team 2. Our first match was against Richmond and although we lost we showed some excellent attacking skills with some memorable tries from Henry, Max, Lucas, Finlay and Gregor.
Before our second game, which was against Hammersmith & Fulham we talked about the importance of defence and trying to stop the other team from scoring tries. This showed immediate benefit with a draw and Max and Finlay both showed some amazing positional and defensive play to turnover possession and halt the opposition from scoring.
In our third game against Richmond we put together what we learned from our previous games on defence and attack and recorded our first win of the day. The boys showed some incredible ball skills and were excellent in tracking back and keeping the defensive line.
Our fourth game was the most open yet and was a draw against Richmond with both sides scoring 11 tries each! It was great to see the boys digging deep to keep the energy and concentration levels up.
We all had an excellent time and can’t wait for the next one. C’mon Scottish!!!!!
LS3 match report from Coach Jim Wright:
Team members:
Elliot
]William
Liam
Magnus
Daniel
Harry
The Barbarians selection policy threw together a very attack-minded squad this Sunday, with Elliot and Liam to the fore in the early games with their sniping runs and eye for the gap; with longer hair we'd have had our very own JPR and JJ for the day.
William both carried and defended with great enthusiasm, showing a fantastic step off either foot and fixing his opponents on the spot on more than one occasion. In matches where scores were loosely kept, he was invariably the player dotting down after offering excellent support to a team-mate. Daniel was determination personified, chasing and harrying in defence, always looking for the pass when tagged, and running great support lines. Harry's generosity with ball in hand, perpetually finding a fellow Scot to off-load to was matched by his enthusiasm in defence; his (literally) growling, snarling approach came as a surprise to many an opponent!
Finally the coaches son; a player with an eye for the gap, the line, the ladies, and a biscuit. Magnus' unerring ability to run straight and commit defences opened space for those around him, and he finished the final game with a trademark score with the last play, arcing round the cover to the corner.
It would be a delight to report that in these days of dour, defence-obsessed professionalism the boys' Corinthian spirit carried the day but it was not to be. Although the team drew two high-scoring matches with Richmond, they found the abrasive, relentless defence of the Hammers teams they played to be a difficult nut to crack, and unfortunately lost these encounters by the odd try or three.
My personal highlight? The enjoyment the boys got from the day: they smiled, laughed, learned, and improved in every game they played and made a cold day that little bit warmer with their energy, enthusiasm and never-ending commitment; a more Baa-Baa like group I couldn't have wished to have, and I hope that they enjoyed the morning as much as I did!
LS4 match report from Coach Mark Tweedie
Team members:
Arturo
Callum
Rufus
Luca
Fergus (U6)
Another fine tournament at the RAG with some fine individual and collective performances. In the face of some “robust” defence from our visitors on pitch 6, the Scots closed ranks and ran in some delightful tries while maintaining great discipline in defence and upholding of the tag not contact principle.
We saw some stellar debuts from young Fergus and Lucas, who, whilst unaccustomed to playing at this level and facing older children in the massed ranks of Hammers and RFC, acquitted themselves well and would have learnt / developed from the occasion.
As temperatures dipped and the breath turned to condensation at the breakdown, we needed our seasoned veterans; Luca and Arturo to step forth and so they did, scoring a raft of tries each and linking beautifully to thwart a tide of red threatening to engulf the Scots line.
Rufus and Callum had considerable game-time and moments to remember with both pinning their ears back on pitch 7 and scoring cracking long-range efforts, deserved of their commitment and notwithstanding the close attention of the opposition.
It was like watching Speyside salmon artfully evading the anglers' hooks and pressing powerfully onwards.
Well done team, mums and dads and the wider coaching staff.
