With the Easter weekend around the corner some players were unavailable, so 6 U16's were called up to bolster the match day squad for this National U17's Cup Semi-final fixture, played on a bright but chilly afternoon. Due to the stage of the competition, the referee was supported by two "mic'd up" assistant referees, this and the sizeable set of Chinnor lads would influence the outcome of this highly competitive cup tie.

Chinnor started brightly and began to put their bulky ball carriers to good use, running hard at the Bracknell defence. It was intense and physical. Bracknell failed to deal with this directness early on, Chinnor made ground and look like a strong outfit, it was going to be a tough day.

On 7 minutes, Chinnor scored the opening try from a well executed catch & drive. The conversion was missed. Chinnor led 5-0, deservedly so.

Bracknell looked good going forward with ball in hand, but these opportunities were fleeting. The defensive effort solidified, this team has character, physicality was matched, parity gained. Lines were cleared well by Callum Pearce and Oli Radford, and the chase was good.

On 24 minutes, Bracknell continued to snipe with the ball, carrying hard and looking for gaps. On one occasion, a tip tackle was penalised, the Chinnor 10 escaped with a ticking off and not a yellow.

The resultant penalty led to Bracknell's first meaningful incursion beyond halfway, phases were structured with real skill, striking left then right, making ground, recycling the ball quickly. Ultimately this pressure told, and Chinnor ran out of defenders. Kieran Brown's vision was good, a well targeted long cut-out pass found Callum Baker in space, running hard at a huge gap in the Chinnor line, he scorched through to score under the posts. Oli converted, Bracknell led 5-7, perhaps against the odds, but you can't keep a good side down for long.

Chinnor, for all their good work going forward, when pressured became fragmented in defence with more holes than a Swiss Cheese. Bracknell needed the ball and some go forward.

Half-time came, changes were made and a continuation of the intensity requested. The referee complained of tinnitus, maybe due to the incessant noise in his ear?

Moments into the second period, following an intervention from the Assistant Referee, the one with the very clean boots, Louis Morgan was yellow carded for an alleged neck roll. The Referee had no choice, and the decision was not questioned, quite rightly. But for Louis peace of mind, the Assistant Referee appeared to have been the only one to have seen the alleged neck roll. This moment was defining. Chinnor kicked to touch, and attacked hard and fast from the line out. Their big runners bust holes and scored under the posts. With the try converted, Chinnor led 15-7.

The game now became frenetic, the physicality increased, Chinnor threw the big lads at Bracknell who repelled them with equal ferocity. The gain line was defended, time and time again. Josh Knight and Patrick Fitzgerald led the way, living in the pockets of the Chinnor attackers, it was claustrophobic. All the U16's were now on the field, and all were resolute in defence, particularly Liam Collins who put in a series of hits around the fringes. Jamie Johnson disrupted the Chinnor line-out, Tom Hodge carried well and James Barratt, Dani Ramsey and Harry Barratt caused problems out wide. Next years Colts are going to be a hard team to beat.

A moment of individual brilliance brought Bracknell right back into contention. A Bracknell attack, multi-phased and direct, again broke up the Chinnor defensive patterns, the ball moved wide to Michael Hardcastle who went on a meandering run, stepping and jinking his way past floundering tacklers to score wide out. The conversion was missed, but Bracknell now had a chance, and were one score from an unlikely victory. Chinnor's lead had been cut to 15-12.

Bracknell spent the final moments on the front foot, Patrick almost completed an intercept, a kickable penalty was kicked to touch, the Bracknell pressure continued. Chinnor's defence held, but Bracknell would not let Chinnor breakout of their 22, and were awarded an attacking centre field scrum. This was their moment. The play was called, the scrum was set, the ball struck and the Assistant Referee intervened again, adjudging the ball to have been handled in the scrum by a Bracknell player. A confused Bracknell forward pack retired 10, Chinnor cleared their lines and won the game.

Similar to last weekend, this was another classic cup tie which could have gone either way, the physicality and intensity centre most, both sides had their moments and chances, and we wish Chinnor all the best in the regional final.

Many congratulations to the U16's who made their Academy debuts and to the sterling work and commitment of all 22. That was never in question.