A Win That Didn't Really Feel Like One

Hi All,

Although a combined score line of 51-26 in our favour seems to indicate another successful hit-out for the Bracknell U14a’s, it certainly didn’t feel like it by the time the game was blown short due to a serious injury to Cobham’s hugely talented and impressive flanker Riley.

This was not a typical match due to the three ‘halves’, extended squads and rolling subs format requested by Cobham, so after five weeks of trench warfare across three counties, we took the opportunity to mix and match boys into different positions and combinations in the interest of the long term development of depth in the squad.

On the upside, it was great to see Ben Clark and Alexander Robinson, stalwarts of the tight five get a run in the back-row with great success, and to see Adam Hawkes make a successful debut at hooker. Man of the Match Kane O’Leary continued to show us that we have plenty cover should we need it at loose head with another storming game in addition to his usual role as a blindside flanker. Ryan Phipps and Kyle McKinnon made a real step-up to A-team rugby and it was great to see Chris’s Beswick’s huge frame back from national Judo competitions and Ieuan back from a foot injury. James Walford had a contest on his hands for once at tight head and Matt van Heerde even managed to get through a whole game without serious injury!

In the backs, hard-running Tim Cato is going from strength to strength and it was just awesome seeing James Williams successfully exploiting the outside channel to deafly effect again. Matthew Bower's tackling is worth the price of admission alone and Toby Parker is running hard and straight. Sam looked like he enjoyed his extended run at 12, while both scrumhalves, Jamie Brown and Josh Elsey, performed excellently and Ewan looked like he enjoyed his run at 10. JJ Paling and Matt Dalrymple rounded off an interesting experiment with a solid display at fifteen and ten respectively.

On the downside, the mix and match selections and rolling subs did not allow us to run our systems as we have to such good effect the season so far, and we were put under pressure in areas of our game that are normally our traditional strengths. A tremendous amount of credit needs to go to Cobham, however, who played a refreshing blend of constructive and attacking rugby. They targeted our scrum and were very effective in contesting the tight-loose, with great technique over the ball, depriving us of our attacking platform and frequently turning us over when we took the ball into contact.

Despite Bracknell starting the game stronger of the two sides and winning the first 30, Cobham settled down as their stronger players were introduced and the visitors had the better of the second 30. The final period was a ding dong affair between two teams giving their all and was delicately balanced at two tries each when, in a desperate effort to stop Sam Faulkner’s try, Cobham’s brilliant flanker made heavy contact with the upright and dislocated his elbow causing he match to be blown short for him to be properly treated.

Despite the score-line, this did not feel like a victory as Cobham exposed us in many areas of the game that we have perhaps taken for granted as areas of strength and we will be returning to the training paddock with some clear work-ons as a result of Sunday’s fixture.

Cobham deserve enormous credit for the manner and spirit in which they played the game and we thank them for visiting us a Lily Hill Park. We wish then all the best for the season and in the Surrey League and look forward to meeting them again. The good news is that Riley is recovering well from his injury and will be back on the pitch in a month or so, with the best wishes of all of us at Bracknell RFC.

Kind regards,
Andy