Knights Rally but the Game is Marred by Poor Drinking Contest

After a couple of positive performances by this improving Knights U13s team who came into this match looking for an elusive win to raise their spirits. We haven’t played Gordano for four years so we didn’t know what kind of game they would bring. With a slight chill in the air and a light drizzle, the boys got off to a good start absorbing early pressure with strong rucking, and good attacking play. Taking the lead for the Knights were Charlie, Rocco and Harry and that saw Yoshi run in for an early try.

Gordano weren’t having it and replied straight away with a try of their own. It was good to see Theo, Lucan, William and George from the forwards stepping up and carrying the ball early in the game and making tackles, which has made our pack look much stronger. We need to work on our stamina so we can keep this intensity up in the forwards for the whole game but it's a great starting point. Then one mistake by the Knights losing the ball and Gordano broke and scored a try. But despite this setback, Knights kept their heads up, kicked off, and great pressing from Wilf forced a Gordano error and Riley went over the line for a Knights try.

This is something we did not do enough of in the game. We did not press the opposition as a team consistently to put them under pressure and force mistakes. Sometimes Wilf, Riley or Yoshi pressed but it needs to be the whole team together, as a unit, as a line. We gave them space and let them run at us where they gained speed and momentum, and we didn’t force many handling errors and when we did we got a try as a result. Also, Gordano used the width of the pitch more than us and we got bunched in the middle as a group. They would pass along the line to find space as we were not holding our lines so they could score easily with an overlap. They ran in three tries because we weren’t disciplined enough in our positioning. The first half finished Knights – 10; Gordano – 25.

There wasn’t much difference between the two teams and in the second half, the Knights team matched Gordano man for man. Wilf charged down the line and was unlucky not to ground his kick to get a try. Then Riley pressed Gordano and got the ball which saw Jack go over the line for a well-deserved try. This is what will happen more and more if we press the defence of our opponents, we’ll create opportunities, and force errors rather than standing off and letting them bring the game to you. Well done Riley and Jack! Then William and Rylee were smashing into the Gordano forwards and suddenly Jayden sprung to life and scored two tries in a row. The momentum of the game was shifting, Knights had drawn level. The parents on the touchline were jumping up and down – what a great opening to the second half.

But then we lost concentration, and momentum and we stood off Gordano by not pressing them and they used the width of the pitch by passing along the line and scored three tries in reply. Looking at Gordano, we need to do more of this and pass the ball out to our wingers and make space. Too often after one pass, we are either running across the pitch and not straight at them or we running into them and not passing it out and using our width.

On the positives what makes this Knights team so good is that you kept your heads up showing great team spirit and never say die attitude. Harry broke through their defence releasing Jayden for his third try. Gordano came back, pressed as a unit, forced an error and scored again. Then Wilf broke through supported by Yoshi who ran around their defence to score the final try of the game. Knights kept pressing to the end and were unlucky not to get another try before the final whistle. Great attitude lads!!

The whole Knights performance was marred by a really poor display by the two men of the match trying to down half a pint of blackcurrant squash in one. I have never seen such a ridiculous attempt at downing a drink in all my life and my granddads and his granddads before him. What was going through their minds no one can know. This definitely needs more practice before the next match – don’t let us down.
The three key lessons from this game:
1) Press as a line and quickly
2) Draw your man and pass the ball along the line using your wingers to create width
3) Man up for the drinking contest and down a half pint in under 3 seconds or else. See you next week….

Tries: Jayden – 3, Yoshi – 2, Jack – 1 and Riley – 1
Captain: Wilf
Captain's Man of the Match: George
Coaches' Man of the Match: Riley