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Sat 10 Dec 2011
The HIVE, Camrose Avenue, HA8 6AG
U10
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Saracens Cup - Semi Finalists
Nathan Summers12 Dec 2011 - 14:07
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The U10's were not able to defend the Trophy that they won last year, but left the tournament with heads held high.
On a freezing cold Saturday, and with frost still on the pitches the Under 10s went to the Hive in Edgware to defend their title in the Saracens Cup.
The pool stages did not get off to the best of starts, with defeat to Old Albanians by single try to nil. The team were disappointed with both the try and their performance, not putting into practice the dynamic rucking style of play that had won them the trophy last year.
The second game was better. Fullerians won a tough match against Sevenoaks by a single try to nil. The match had few chances, with both teams defending superbly.
The final pool match was against Datchworth. We knew that we had to win, and win well, to ensure a place in the knockout stages as one of the best runners up. The game started well with an early try, but we started to over complicate our attacks, and could only manage one more try.
A nervous wait followed in the rapidly cooling conditions as we contemplated being knocked out in the pool stages. But our discomfort departed when it was announced that we had made it through by the skin of our teeth to the quarter finals.
Our match was against Haywards Heath, a team we had not encountered before, who had gone through as top seeds after the pool stages. The first half was a torrid affair, with neither team taking control of the match, or being able to breach the other teams defence. At half time we fired the team up, reminding them that a draw would mean the opposition going through on previous points scored.
Within minutes we had made the breakthrough required, scoring against the run of play. The last few minutes were nail biting as we hung on through wave after wave of attack. But hang on we did, making it through to the semi-finals.
Our semi-final was against Amersham and Chiltern Lions, a team we last faced in the final of the Tring festival in 2010. We started brightly, and looked like scoring, but silly mistakes started to creep back into our game. Three times we were pulled back when players were adjudged to have handed off. As the game wore on ACL started to get the measure of us, and in the end we did well to keep them from scoring. Unfortunately the nil-nil scoreline meant that we went out of the competition on countback.
We stayed to watch the final (ACL beaten 2 trys to nil by Beaconsfield), and then made our way to Wembley to enjoy Saracens victory over Ospreys. The team enjoyed taking part in the parade and the world’s largest scrum (a new world record!), and watching the pre match entertainment. Despite a cut and thrust 5 try game, the team’s interest seemed to be drawn less towards the on field attraction, and more towards the touch line entertainment!
The pool stages did not get off to the best of starts, with defeat to Old Albanians by single try to nil. The team were disappointed with both the try and their performance, not putting into practice the dynamic rucking style of play that had won them the trophy last year.
The second game was better. Fullerians won a tough match against Sevenoaks by a single try to nil. The match had few chances, with both teams defending superbly.
The final pool match was against Datchworth. We knew that we had to win, and win well, to ensure a place in the knockout stages as one of the best runners up. The game started well with an early try, but we started to over complicate our attacks, and could only manage one more try.
A nervous wait followed in the rapidly cooling conditions as we contemplated being knocked out in the pool stages. But our discomfort departed when it was announced that we had made it through by the skin of our teeth to the quarter finals.
Our match was against Haywards Heath, a team we had not encountered before, who had gone through as top seeds after the pool stages. The first half was a torrid affair, with neither team taking control of the match, or being able to breach the other teams defence. At half time we fired the team up, reminding them that a draw would mean the opposition going through on previous points scored.
Within minutes we had made the breakthrough required, scoring against the run of play. The last few minutes were nail biting as we hung on through wave after wave of attack. But hang on we did, making it through to the semi-finals.
Our semi-final was against Amersham and Chiltern Lions, a team we last faced in the final of the Tring festival in 2010. We started brightly, and looked like scoring, but silly mistakes started to creep back into our game. Three times we were pulled back when players were adjudged to have handed off. As the game wore on ACL started to get the measure of us, and in the end we did well to keep them from scoring. Unfortunately the nil-nil scoreline meant that we went out of the competition on countback.
We stayed to watch the final (ACL beaten 2 trys to nil by Beaconsfield), and then made our way to Wembley to enjoy Saracens victory over Ospreys. The team enjoyed taking part in the parade and the world’s largest scrum (a new world record!), and watching the pre match entertainment. Despite a cut and thrust 5 try game, the team’s interest seemed to be drawn less towards the on field attraction, and more towards the touch line entertainment!
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