Sport Results Rugby
Brambletye U-13 Rugby Sevens Tournament
1st VII 3rd in group
Unfortunately, our play did not quite match the weather! On a stunning afternoon, the squad of nine, plus the three boys set to represent the Wanderers, went to Brambletye to face a group consisting of Imberhorne, Brambletye and Lingfield.
In the first game we came up against a big and quick Imberhorne side. We had a poor start and conceded early in the first half despite creating some huge gaps. In the second half we managed to equalise and Archie converted but in the last play of the game, Imberhorne scored to win the match. They eventually made their way to the final.
Next up were Lingfield and changes were made to the starting line-up. Jay and Ivo were given a start and both stepped up, scoring a try apiece. We came through the game with a comfortable win.
Our final group game was effectively a knock-out match against Brambletye with the winner earning a place in the semi-finals against Cumnor. Much as was the case in the fifteen man code, Brambletye starved us of possession. When we did get possession we lost our heads and started taking contact, thus compounding the problem. Brambletye won the match by three tries to one.
Our thanks to Brambletye for a lovely afternoon. CS
Cumnor House U-11 Rugby Tournament
Colts A 3rd (GdM)
Rugby v Brambletye
1st XV 10-26 (CS)
Colts A 21-28 (GdM)
Colts B 5-48
The Colts B team battled hard in the final game of the season, but, in the end, we had no answer to the superior pace and strength of the
Brambletye team. We conceded a try in the first minute and another shortly afterwards. Brambletye were more effective in the tackle than
we were and they were more aggressive in winning ball at the rucks. A third try followed to give our visitors a 21-0 lead after the first
third of ten minutes. In the second period we got a little more into the game and ran the ball with more urgency, but the Brambletye defence
was generally sound. We had one good spell on attack and Robbie Brooks was able to power over to score from close range. Brambletye added two tries in this period to lead 31-5 at the end of the second third. In the final ten minutes we seemed to fade and Brambletye broke free on several occasions to run in exciting long-range tries - three in fact - with one converted, for a final score of 48-5. Robbie and Daragh Massey both played well with non-stop effort throughout the match. Fred Cox had a good game and stood out with some impressive and committed tackling. Magnus Merryweather made one superb try-saving tackle, showing good pace to catch his man five metres from the line. Overall Brambletye were much stronger and very much deserved their comfortable victory. MH
Under 9A 25-25
We played at the same time on a beautiful sunny day, two seven-a-side matches with all the Minimen in action.
In the As' game, two evenly matched teams were all level at half time on 15 points each, with a try for us ensuring the draw with the last play. Marcus was outstanding with his tackling, saving at least three certain tries with last ditch dives and Dominic was on fire, scoring three tries including the final one – a solo effort weaving though for a splendid touchdown. Vadim also got on the score sheet and was brilliant in the loose alongside a rampaging Josh who had his best game yet. Freddie had several great runs and also scored a try in the second half, and Arthur and Hugh had their toughest game to date up front.
A fantastic game to end a really promising season – well done to you all. RS
Under 9B 15-35
The Bs' game was also end-to-end stuff. Freddy had several blistering runs down the wing for his two tries and Felix also had his best game, with strong running which also resulted in a try. John was excellent in the loose and Charles made probably his finest tackle of the season to save a certain try. Callum was in the thick of it and both Jolly and Morten had some runs with the ball. This was great for your confidence and had you tackled better you would almost certainly have kept up with the opposition. Sterling stuff from all of you – well tried! JB
Rugby v Cumnor House
1st XV 17-27
This afternoon’s game against Cumnor proved to be a great success and was thoroughly beneficial for all concerned. Fielding a side weakened by illness, I had felt at times before the match that we were walking into a bit of a hiding and when we conceded three tries in the early stages of the first half, my fears seemed to be justified. However, Cumnor had also put out a development side and with a little help from the referee we found a toehold and started to play some good rugby scoring three tries, two from Michael and one from Sameer.
For ten minutes in the second half we managed to keep Cumnor at bay with some brilliant last ditch tackling and scramble defence, but eventually our valiant defence was breached and Cumnor won the game 27-17. It was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and I am delighted that some of our 2s' boys made their debut and contributed to a fine team performance. Well done in particular to Gus for his cool head at fly half and Sameer for a scoring debut. Ivo also had a good game playing at inside centre for the first time and Dougie was superb at full back. CS
Colts A 0-21
Cumnor won 21–0 in a tough contest where neither side managed to play with much fluency. I suspect the flat, rush defence employed by both sides contributed to quite a few handling errors. Cumnor scored first after winning good second phase ball and started to gain the upper hand. Ashdown defended superbly and it was a blow when they conceded a soft try just on half time. The second half was a close affair with both sides having more opportunities to score, but more heroic defence and the obvious fatigue factor kept it down to one try. Dominic Prest had an outstanding match in attack and defence. Juan Trevino, Philip Birdwood and the ever determined Sam Allen were the pick of the pack and showed good upper body strength and decision making. William Brockman, Cameron Galloway and Aaron di Comberti were outstanding in the backline and kept Cumnor under constant pressure. Well played both teams! DG
Under 9 40-10
After the usual rigmarole or sorting out boots and gum-shields we took to the (very small) pitch and almost conceded a score straight away as we dived rather tentatively at their man whom we allowed to get up to full speed. It was Marcus of course who took him out in the corner and from there we worked our way up the pitch. Most of you got hands on the ball and grew in confidence over the next few minutes, and Dominic opened the scoring after we were awarded a penalty when he eventually ran straight at the corner flag. Marcus added another before we allowed Cumnor to run round us to score from the restart; Dominic added a third with a fine jinking run to take us into the break.
In the second half we started to play with real confidence with both the forwards and backs taking the ball purposefully forwards. Vadim (two tries) powered forward with his characteristic charge, Arthur was always there in the thick of it and you all had a go. Felix had a good run down the centre, Freddy stormed for twenty yards down the far touchline to be bundled in touch just before the line and Callum, the birthday boy, came on to take a pass and made a similar run down the near side.
Dominic had the bit between his teeth now, and picking up the ball confidently ran in a splendid try, weaving a slalom run through the opposition. At that point Vadim came off and with yet another try from the sizzling Dominic, Marcus came off too. Still we rallied with only eight men on the field and though we conceded another score, that man went searing through from the restart to notch up his fourth try.
Well done all of you. It was great to see Josh and Hugh in the thick of it, taking the ball forwards so eagerly, and to watch you all pass so well.A convincing victory once again, from the mighty Ashdown Minimen! JB
Rugby v Brighton College Lower School
2nd XII 12-15
So finally the transition from Winter to Spring has been properly ushered in, and what better way to enjoy it than to have the Ashdown boys take on Brighton College. The game started with the Ashdown boys on the back foot as they came up against a strong and rather large Brighton pack. This meant that little ball play left our half during the first plays of the game, eventually leading to Ashdown conceding a try, and with the conversion missed left the score at 5-0. However, this did not dampen our spirits as we came back fighting. From the kick we pressured the opposition back towards their 22 yard line. The ball came out from the ruck and Tife Osho picked up the ball and headed for the line. By the time he reached the line he had four opposition players wrapped around him, but even they couldn’t stop him from scoring. Unfortunately the wind meant that the try was not converted so Ashdown were level at 5-5. But like Ashdown, Brighton College were determined to take the lead once again. The restart was sent deep into our half and the resulting chase from the pack allowed the opposition to set up for another try. They ran the ball wide and just managed to sneak past our defence and touch down for a try. The half time whistle went and the score sat at 10-5.
The second half promised to be a nail-biter, and sure enough it didn’t disappoint. Strong runs from both teams, especially from Ivo Kleinwort and Gus Turner, who repeatedly made plenty of ground down the wings, left Ashdown with a chance. Nonetheless, the opposition had obviously received a sterling half time talk and managed to sneak in another try, extending their lead to 15-5. Ashdown responded with a great run from Ivo who managed to step past three players before placing the ball underneath the posts, and with Gus managing to convert the try, left Ashdown nipping at Brighton College’s heels. The last three minutes were the closest of the season. Ashdown boys pushed and pushed and pushed. Even the support from the sidelines was reaching fever pitch. But it was not to be. On the final play Brighton College kicked into touch to confirm their victory, winning 15-12. Credit has to be given to the forwards for an absolutely astonishing game. The backs were only able to score thanks to their heroic work. Well played everyone! NHH
The field was a very strong one today and we knew we were going to have our work cut out. We played three matches, the first of which was against Brighton College Prep. We kept hold of the ball for long periods of the game but were unable to penetrate their defence and whenever the ball was turned over, Brighton had a nasty habit of turning possession into points. We were not to know that Brighton would go on to win the tournament in a thrilling encounter against Cumnor.
Our second match was not much easier. Yardley came fresh from handing out a thrashing to Lewes Old Grammar School and it would be fair to say that Archie was more than a little surprised to break free down the left wing and run in the first try of the game from 60 metres. Our euphoria was short lived as Yardley answered back with tries of their own. Although we lost the game comfortably in the end, we created some great chances and failed to make the most of them which was slightly frustrating.
Our final fixture of the tournament was against L.O.G.S and it was pleasant to finish with a strong win. Our thanks go to Cumnor House for an enjoyable afternoon’s rugby. CS
Rugby v Lingfield Notre Dame
1st / 2nd XV 20-15
Wednesday’s game against Lingfield Notre Dame was a fantastic match to be involved in for players, spectators and coaches. Owing to a clash in fixtures, we could not put out our under 13 side because the majority of the 2s were playing sevens down in Brighton. Instead we played a mixture of boys, predominantly from the 2s but with a sprinkling of 1s. The result was superb. It was a wonderful sight to see boys of differing ages and abilities sharing the same pitch and playing with real zest.
Lingfield put out a strong under 13 side who were definitely up for the challenge and the result was an end to end game of rugby. Neither side was able to build a lead for long with the score at 15 apiece going into the final minutes of the game. Ashdown pulled ahead and were able to hold on for the remainder of the game. End score 20-15. Congratulations go to all the players but especially to Peter Hill, Ilya Laptev, Luke Walters, Alistair Gethin, Carlos and Pablo. CS
Brighton College Sevens Tournament
Under 12 VII 5th
On Wednesday, the Ashdown House 2s' Sevens travelled to Brighton College for the annual tournament. The boys played four games throughout the day finishing a respectable fifth amongst an array of talented schools.
In the first game, the boys went down to a strong Rydon opposition. It proved to be a steep learning curve and introduction to the sevens tournament for Ashdown, but ultimately showed the boys what level they had to play to in order to be successful.
A second game against Hove Park saw a tightly played game that eventually ended in a 5-5 draw, with a late try to Gus giving Ashdown their first points of the tournament. Special mention must go to Ollie and Sameer whose strength at the breakdowns provided a solid foundation that the backs were able to build upon.
The third and perhaps most impressive game was against the tournament hosts, Brighton College. Brighton had in fact, before the game, convincingly beaten Rydon, a team who Ashdown had lost their first game to. The game in itself was all one way traffic. Tife scored both tries with great shows of speed. His second was terrifically set up by Captain William. Jeehoon was also on fire almost running the pitch, but just being brought down 5m out.
After narrowly missing the semi-finals, Ashdown were to play St Christopher’s in the 5th and 6th place playoff. Ivo opened the scoring early through intelligent play from William W, but soon St Christopher’s fought back to be leading 12-7 by half time. The second half saw Ashdown fight for possession with some great steals at the breakdown by Edward and through a second try from Ivo; the boys hit the lead with minutes to go. Finally the fifth position was settled with a late try to Jeehoon in the corner.
It was a great day of rugby in which the boys showed great determination despite early setbacks. They thoroughly earned their placing and personally I thought they might have deserved better. It was a pleasure to be there and coach. BW
Rugby v Copthorne
Colts A 26-12
‘Things won are done, joy's soul lies in the doing.’ William Shakespeare
Today was a case of the good, the bad and the winning ugly. It was not a game for the rugby purist by any means. Yet we came out on the end of a fairly comfortable victory. There were glimpses of the rugby we can play. There were some lovely running lines and incisive passing. The forwards, especially in the second half, really exerted their physicality. However, for every step we took forward, we seemed to cough up the ball or knock it on. Dominic Prest took his two tries well and controlled the game well from fly half. Many congratulations to Daragh Massey and Pat Athakravisunthorn on making their Colts A debuts, Pat’s a try scoring one. Juan Trevino had a fine game at the heart of the pack, showing some fine ball carrying ability. My man of the match today was Aaron di Comberti Black. His play at full back was faultless this afternoon. He ran everything back with great gusto and made some crucial covering tackles, well done. GdeM
Under 9 20-15
I think we went to sleep on the bus a little as we were hit hard by a strong running, confident Copthorne side and went two tries down in the first five minutes. Our opponents continued to attack well, though with increasing contacts our tackling became more effective and Vadim trundled over for two tries towards half time to even up the score at the break.
It really was anyone’s game, with much end-to-end stuff. Dominic took a nifty break from a scrum early into the second half and jinked his way to the line to give us the lead. Vadim was there in support for the score after a good forward drive up the field a few minutes later with both Arthur and Josh having good runs. Only a few minutes to go and they sneaked another score down the blind side from a scrum and then had a penalty on our line to even up the game. Marcus went for his man like a missile and knocked him over with such ferocity that he knocked the ball forward. Marcus then ran almost the length of the field, being brought down just short of the line where he lost the ball and a final counter attack was launched with Marcus on the floor. However, our tackling was more confident now and we regained possession as the final whistle went.
An exciting, evenly matched game, though our tackling was marginally better than theirs. In the second half we were terrific with Arthur, Hugh, Freddy and Josh all getting involved in the loose, although we were too slow to pick up the ball. Morten had a couple of little breaks, and Felix and Charles started to grow in confidence. The first ten minutes of the match really were a warm-up though, and we looked very ordinary during that period. Our win was due to that one man at the back – the mighty Marcus, who brought down their two strong runners on too many occasions to mention.
Yet another positive game - well done the Minimen! JB
Ashdown House Under 11 Rugby Sevens Tournament
Colts VII Plate Runners-Up
'Pleasure is often spoiled by describing it.'
Today was one of my favourite days working at Ashdown. We didn't win a trophy. No medals were dished in our direction. Yet there is no more pleasant sight than seeing school children giving there all representing their school. In a wonderful sunshine, hopefully heralding the entrance of Spring, we battled against team after team. After beating Copthorne in our opener, playing some really pleasing 7s, we then slipped up against Holmewood and Brambletye. Our fate lay in the plate competition. We played some efficient rugby and beat Cumnor House in the quarter finals. We dug deep into our resolve to win a fantastic arm wrestle of a tie against Duke of Kent in the Semi Final. St Ronans was a step too far in the final. They deserved the spoils. We lost nothing in defeat. The team played magnificently, way above the sum of our parts. I am immensely proud of how the boys played for each other and for the school. I could mention everyone in this report, as there was total commitment from all, yet it would be remiss of me not to single out Dominic Prest for special praise. Good sportsmen play well themselves, great sportsmen make those around them better. Dominic's attitude on the games field is second to none, I thank him for his leadership today.
I have old school friends, with office jobs, who can't understand why I chose this profession. If they'd been on the Patch this afternoon they'd have got their answer. GdeM
TOURNAMENT REPORT
Although the wind was a bit chilly, we were blessed with a fine, sunny afternoon for the annual Ashdown Sevens. With no rain for several days beforehand, the pitches were in very good condition and the players responded with an excellent afternoon of running rugby. Sixteen teams took part in four pools of four, with all matches lasting five minutes each way. Holmewood House were unbeaten in Group A, with Brambletye second, Ashdown third and Copthorne fourth. St Christopher’s won Group B, winning all three matches, ahead of Great Walstead, Handcross Park and Cumnor House B. The St Christopher’s v Great Walstead match was a terrific game, with St Christopher’s edging it 12-7. Yardley Court topped Group C with three wins, ahead of Rose Hill, Hall School Wimbledon and St Aubyn’s. Hilden Grange won Group D, with three wins, ahead of Cumnor House A, St Ronan’s and Duke of Kent. The Hilden Grange v Cumnor House A match was one of the best games of the day. Both teams scored three tries, but two conversions allowed Hilden Grange to sneak a 19-15 win.
The top two in each group went into the Cup quarter-finals, while the bottom two went into the Plate. In the Cup quarters, there were wins for reat Walstead, Yardley Court, Rose Hill and St Christopher’s. In the Plate quarters, there were wins for Ashdown House, Duke of Kent, St Ronan’s and Handcross Park. After this the results were as follows:
Plate Semi-Finals
Ashdown House 12-5 Duke of Kent
St Ronan’s 29-5 Handcross Park
Plate Final
St Ronan’s 24-0 Ashdown House
Cup Semi-Finals
Yardley Court 19-5 Great Walstead
St Christopher’s 34-0 Rose Hill
Cup Final
St Christopher’s 31-0 Yardley Court
Congratulations to St Christopher’s for winning the Cup and to St Ronan’s for claiming the Plate. Yardley Court played some fine rugby during the afternoon and were worthy finalists. However, there was no denying St Christopher’s who played superb rugby, winning all six matches, scoring 29 tries and conceding only one. Many thanks to our visiting referees – Nick Buoy, Oliver Peck, Jon Pass, Anthony Merrett, Richard Grice and Andrew Daville from Brighton College and David Peat from Eastbourne College – who provided an excellent standard of refereeing. Thanks also to the Ashdown House Year 8 boys who acted as touch judges and did a fine job. Many thanks to the Ashdown grounds staff and to the members of staff who helped as pitch marshals, with car parking and on first-aid duty. Last, but not least, the Ashdown catering department for the delicious refreshments which were provided throughout the afternoon. MH
Rugby v Lingfield Notre Dame
1st XV 51-7
The boys enjoyed an afternoon of free flowing rugby against a Lingfield side that was depleted by illness. It was a shame that Lingfield had five of their better players missing because it effectively killed the game before the whistle had blown for kick-off. Tries were scored by: Smith, Clark-Hattingh, Line, Park, Kay (2), Kleinwort (2) and Osho. Archie converted 2 and Ollie 1. Man of the match was Rory but please don’t tell him because I will never hear the end of it. Well done to all but let us have a sense of perspective and, whilst taking stock, recognise that we have a much sterner challenge ahead in the shape of the Cumnor House juggernaut! CS
Rugby v Skipper’s Hill
Under 9 30-5
We played an inexperienced Skippers Hill side which had been playing rugby for only a few weeks and decided to play ten-a-side. It was clear that we had the upper hand from the start with Vadim powering over for two scores in the first ten minutes ably assisted by Marcus (whose tacking was devastating), shortly followed by a great run from Arthur down the right wing for his maiden try.
We took off our fast men after this and evened the game up considerably and we led by three scores at half time. We continued to play with a couple of men off against a more confident opposition. All of us had a run at some stage, with Felix and Charles enjoying a good deal of possession and with Freddy making some great runs (just pushed into touch before he could score). William got into the thick of the action and ‘Ripper’ John was again relishing stealing the ball whenever it was there for the taking. There were plenty of tackles to be made too and it was good to see everyone having a go at bringing his man down. Josh was a powerhouse in the loose and only had his try disallowed for failing to carry the ball properly in two hands. Skippers finally managed a consolation try near the end and Freddie rounded off the game in fine style with a solo effort in the corner having reached top gear.
Another great game - well done the Minimen! JB
Rugby v Woodcote House
1st XV 13-17
The boys were extremely nervous before the game. We knew we were to be up against a decent Woodcote side and had heard talk of rather a handy centre. Such proved to be the case but luckily we had spoken early in the week about how we might deal with such a scenario and had put a plan in place. The plan was executed with accuracy and aggression and I must congratulate the backs for the way they played in defence, but especially Greg who had the unenviable task of marking the flyer. Every time Woodcote tried to move the ball down the line, Greg flew up as fast as possible, from outside to in. This meant that the 13 either got man and ball or was forced to cut inside where Nikko and our back row were waiting to pounce. The centre in question still scored two excellent tries but he could have inflicted far worse damage.
In the first ten minutes of the game, our nerves were obvious for all to see. However, we started to put in some good hits and very soon realised that our opposition were in fact flesh and blood and could be beaten. The forwards played out of their skins. Henry and Michael combined quite beautifully in the line outs and we won much more than our fair share of ball. Our small front row, including Tife who was making his debut at prop, coped brilliantly in the first half and as the bigger Woodcote boys got tired, we started to knock them back in the scrummage. Woodcote were very streetwise at the breakdown but there was some heroic rucking and I think it is fair to say that we dominated possession.
In terms of the score, we drew first blood when Archie knocked over a penalty, but it did not take long for the centre to scoop up a loose ball and go round the outside of Payno (no one goes through Payno!) to score from 60 metres. It was a tough break for us but there was little or nothing we could have done. It took a long time to recover from this moment because from then on there seemed to be a feeling that whatever we did, we couldn’t keep the ball out of the hands of the monstrous midfield for the whole game. However, Ollie went to the boot and kept Woodcote pinned back and we created chances. A penalty kick went begging and poor decision making lead to us trying to run the ball just before half time, which would have been three easy points. At half time we were behind at 7-3.
In the second half we conceded a further two tries, one from the skipper in the centre and one from a beautiful chip and chase. Neither of these chances was converted which meant that we were still in the game but I wasn’t sure at the time how many of the boys really believed this when we were trailing by 17-3. The team came from behind the posts with a new attitude, determined to show that they were not going to be walked all over. Renewed energy and determination saw us slowly change the momentum of the game in our favour. Tries came from Michael crashing over from short range and Archie going in at the corner after some superb handling from the backs to put him in space. Unfortunately the conversions were not added and the game finished at 17-13.
Had we believed, we could have hijacked this game against a very strong Woodcote side. Nonetheless, I have nothing but admiration for what the team achieved today and great pride that they turned in a stirring and gutsy performance.
Ps Rory has been complaining that I haven’t mentioned his name in dispatches yet so here we go: Rory, you were brilliant today! I hope that will keep you quiet for the next couple of weeks! CS
Colts A 0-28 (GdM)
Colts B 0-56
The Colts B team were well beaten by a good Woodcote House side in wet conditions at Ashdown. Woodcote attacked from the start and displayed a very good all-round running and handling game. Their rucking was good as well and they had a steady stream of ball. They scored three tries in the first half and added five more in the second, all converted. Robbie Brooks played well for Ashdown, making plenty of tackles, while Daragh Massey stood out as well with a gutsy display. MH
Under 9 40-5
We played a somewhat depleted Woodcote side (which had all its on-games boys playing) on a soft and damp pitch. Everyone got ‘stuck in’ from the outset, though we were a little too bunched together at the restart. Vadim opened the scoring for us after a couple of penalties against him for handing-off, followed by Freddie who got up to full speed quickly to score in the corner. Woodcote fought back well and scored a try through their quick winger before Marcus went over just before the interval.
Marcus scored again immediately from the restart, showing what decisive, straight running can do and from that point onwards we dominated the game. Arthur was there in the thick of it alongside John who did exceptionally well in ripping the ball off his opponents. Josh also grew in confidence and galloped away from a maul to score a superb solo try – look what you can do when you run straight at full pace and don’t stop!
Hugh was always there in support, battling in the loose and Dominic sniped effectively along the margins and was unlucky not to score on several occasions. For the record, Marcus scored three, Vadim two, Freddie two and Josh one try.
This was a solid team performance – all of you had a run at some stage from Felix and Morten coming on as substitutes, to Freddy going forwards with more confidence in the mauls.
Another really positive performance - well done the Minimen! JB
Rugby v St Christopher’s
Colts B 0-25
The Colts B team put up a spirited performance before finally going down 25-0 to a useful St Christopher’s side. Our ball retention today was pretty good, despite the drizzly, slippery conditions. However, we ran into contact too much, whereas the St Christopher’s boys passed the ball to people in space and moved it wide better than we did. The pack of Robbie Brooks, Alexander Young and Adeoluwa Pearse all played well and took the game to the opposition. Daragh Massey at scrum-half and Charlie Naylor at fly-half tried hard and ran well with the ball. The outside backs, Fred Cox, Pat Athakravisunthorn, Magnus Merryweather and Charlie Abate all put in plenty of effort and all had good runs with the ball at times. However, we were unable to break through our visitors’ defence to score, although we got close on several occasions. Much of the play was fairly even and we can take plenty of heart from this performance. MH
Rugby v St Christopher’s
1st XV 46-10
We really had no idea what to expect from St Christopher’s, not having played them for many years. The instructions before the game were to be very quick up in defence and exert as much pressure as we could to exploit the effects of the long journey from Hove. We did this to great effect with Archie scoring in the corner within the first five minutes. Despite the early score, St Christopher’s were not put out and answered straight back with an excellent team try. It became clear that they had some strong runners and a powerful pack; the game was very much on! Ashdown responded brilliantly right from the re-start. Archie kicked long, the ball was fumbled, Greg chased up, skipped through the mêlée, gathered the ball and scored; a soft try yes, but just what we needed to get us back on track. The kick was converted and from this point onwards we went about our business with great precision. Eric scored our third try with some very strong running, a feature of his game all afternoon. Eric is really growing in confidence and becoming an extremely difficult man to bring down. It wasn’t long before he scored again and Archie converted to make it 24-5.
The second half continued to showcase some superb rugby. Although we were making hay on the scoreboard, Christopher’s had not given up the fight and we really had to battle, especially at the breakdown. Oscar scored a super try resulting from a dynamic pick up - he continues to lead this side by example, rampaging round the pitch like a mad bull! This was followed by tries from Archie and Jay and I am delighted to report that Eric finished off the scoring to complete his hat-trick. In the last 10 minutes St Christopher’s raised their game and scored an excellent team try: deserved reward for their industry.
Well done to Parky for his trio of scores but at the heart of this victory was a very gutsy performance from the pack who provided quick ball which was beautifully distributed by Ollie and Payno. Henry’s throwing at the lineout was almost faultless and JT, Oscar and Michael dominated that area of the set piece. Ivo, picked for his defensive work, was a revelation in attack. He has really progressed over the last few weeks. I was also highly impressed by Greg today. His strength normally lies in his attitude, in that he plays with real heart, but he added finesse to the equation today. He cut some excellent lines and kicked well out of hand but his passing was the real highlight. He is starting to realise that the ball and the pass can break tackles, not just the man. All in all a fine team performance, epitomised by the likes of Rory who never knows when to throw in the towel and will forever be up for the battle, whether it be on the games field or in the class room! CS
Colts A 3-56
Sometimes you come up against an opposition that is far superior to you. You just have to hope that, on that day, you either play at your absolute best or they play below par. On this occassion we were not at our best and St Christopher's were outstanding. This meant the result was sadly never in doubt. All credit must go to St Christopher's who put on a clinic. Hopefully we learnt from them. The boys gave their best, they always do. They deserve a restful half term. GdeM
v Fonthill Lodge
Under 9 35-5
We travelled to play Fonthill Lodge on sunny and dry Wednesday afternoon – the weather a complete contrast to what we had to endure last Wednesday afternoon. The game was to be played in the spirit of a coaching game as they have never played a match of full contact. We, on the other hand, have played numerous games already this season and were going to prove to be a formidable opponent. Marcus, Dominic and Vadim were ruthless in attack and scored a handful of tries. Next to follow suit was Freddie Smith and Freddy Floyd – both played well and made impressive runs. We scored eight tries in the match and our hosts managed to score their one and only try in the dying seconds of the match. The end result was a superb 40–5 victory. Well done boys on a fine display of skilled and disciplined rugby. RSRugby v Cottesmore
1st XV 31-10
This was a game that we had targeted as a pivotal fixture in our season. We knew that the likes of Holmewood and Vinehall would be very tricky but Ashdown/Cottesmore fixtures are always closely contested and we prepared ourselves to pull out all the stops. Playing into a strong wind in the first half was a gamble, but we knew that if we could keep hold of the ball we would be able to get through the half on level pegging and exploit the wind in the second half. The boys played out of their skins in the first half but the final pass eluded us and we blew two early opportunities. Thankfully Archie crossed after five minutes and converted his own try to give us a 7-0 lead. The try came from excellent team play. The forwards were extremely dynamic and worked together to give Payno an armchair ride for the first ten minutes.
As the half progressed, the Cottesmore forwards became more and more competitive, winning some good ruck ball and playing close to the fringes in defence. The Cottesmore fly-half used the wind intelligently to push us back and eventually Cottesmore scored the try their industry merited. Their kicking tactics proved very effective and, if it wasn’t for some smart work by Ivo (on debut at fullback), they would have done even more damage. The Ashdown boys soaked up the pressure and ran the ball out of defence with some good handling and a great deal of determination. Shortly before the end of the half Archie crossed again, this time from 50 yards. Slick hands from Oli, Nikko and Greg got the ball to Archie in space, who for once heeded the advice of his coach, backed his pace and went round the outside of the wing and full back to score in the corner. We finished the half 12-5 to the good and were looking forward to playing with the wind at our backs.
In the second half, the shift in gear was very visible, particularly in the first 5 minutes. More slick team work allowed Greg to get his name on the score sheet and Michael followed with a dynamic pick and go. Archie converted Michael’s try to take the score to 24-5. Our final score came from Payno who stepped four successive players to go in under the posts. Again Archie added the extras. At this point we took our foot off the gas and Cottesmore started to show what they were made of. Their speedy winger scored an excellent long distance try and the momentum of the game changed. The final score was 31-10.
There were many excellent performances, but I would like to make special mention of the pack. As a unit they were brilliant but there were stand out individual performances. The front row of Oli C-H, Smithers and Charlie Keen were as heroic in the loose as they are in the tight and Henry’s throwing was much more accurate under very difficult conditions. Oscar and JT had massive games. These two boys do so much of the hard graft yet they sometimes get overlooked. Rory was as competitive as ever at the breakdown, but kept on the right side of the ref for once! Michael had a huge impact as ever and Simon played a tidy game in his new position on the blindside. The usual suspects in the backs played well but I would like to single out Nikko who has been the quiet man of the back line. He is rock solid in defence and completely selfless in attack - a real team player. I have no doubt that he will get on the score sheet before long, but at present he is making good decisions. When we create overlaps, Nikko resists temptation and makes the right decision to exploit space and numbers. Let’s see if we can build from here. CS
2nd XII 31-5
In potential gale force winds, the seconds travelled to Cottesmore in hope of securing another win. The first half started well and, despite the strong headwind, an early try was scored by Gus Turner, who forced his way through the opposition defence to give Ashdown the advantage. A successful conversion from Tife Osho made the score 7-0 with only around 3 minutes played. To their coach’s pleasure, the Ashdown boys did not become complacent. With some strong tackles and good running by Jeehoon Chang, Ashdown were in sight of the opposition try line. Alistair Gethin emerged from the ruck and put his head down, powering through three Cottesmore forwards to secure another try. Unfortunately the wind and the angle meant that it was not converted, but this didn’t stop our attack. Tife received the ball at the restart and ran half the pitch, skipping his way through tackles to place the ball directly underneath the posts for an easy conversion. The whistle went for half time with Ashdown leading 19-0.
The second half allowed us to play with more fluidity as we had the wind on our side. However, it was apparent to the Ashdown boys that the Cottesmore coach had given the opposition a stern team talk as the opposition came back fighting. The first 15 minutes was anyone’s game, with end to end action. Some strong tackling from William Womersley, William Douglas and Felix Radmall kept their offensive at bay, but a slight error meant that the Cottesmore No. 8 was able to break through and scramble to the try line. The wind once again hindered any chance of a successful conversion, leaving the score at 19-5. But Ashdown countered with conviction. The ball was passed down to Tife who ran forward and must have skipped through half a dozen tackles to reach the corner. The conversion missed the post by a whisker but still left Ashdown with a healthy lead of 24-5. The final push came for Ashdown in the dying seconds of the game. A ruck formed five yards from the line and the ball was passed to William Womersley who wanted a piece of the action. He ran forward and dived over the line for a final try, and with the successful conversion the whistle went. Ashdown had won 31-5. NHH
Colts A 21-0
‘Seeking to forget makes exile all the longer; the secret of redemption lies in remembrance.’ Richard von Weizsaecker
The boy who cried wolf’s story got old and the more he told it the less credible it became. People are guilty of forgetting that, at the end the tale, wolf showed up. I’ve told people all term how much potential this team has. It became harder and harder to remain credible as the losses piled up. People had heard the story too many times. Today the wolf showed up. We put in a complete performance and, at long last, lit up the scoreboard.
We had a good day in many departments. The scrum was immense. We won scrum and lineout ball aplenty. We thundered into rucks like an unrelenting blue tide. The ‘piano pushers’ did their work. Could the backs, ‘the piano players’, do theirs? They weren’t quite note perfect, but they played a fine tune nonetheless. We ran hard and straight. Opportunities came for the back three to stretch their legs. We scored three decent tries. Everyone had a great game. In particular Dominic Prest was effervescent. His kicking was perfection. His determination spread through the side. Sam Allen dived on every free ball, making it ours. He had little respect for his body. The master forager. Man of the match goes to Archie Boyle on this occasion. Victories are built on the selfless dirty work done by forwards like Archie. He hit his rucks, he made his tackles, he dominated the lineout. It’s those who shun the limelight in favour of the dirty work who make a team. I hope we remember today as the day we turned it around. The day the wolf came. GdeM
Colts B 25-40
The Colts B team put in an improved performance in an entertaining match away at Cottesmore. Pat Athakravisunthorn powered over for an early try to give us the lead, but Cottesmore hit back with three tries. Despite this there was more effort in our tackling than in the previous two matches and on several occasions we held them up manfully near our line. Pat scored a second try just on half-time to make the score 10-15. The second half was end-to-end stuff, but our defence was fairly flimsy at times and Cottesmore scored four tries. Pat scored his third try and, in a rousing finish, Edward Garner and Robbie Brooks both broke away to score. We can take much encouragement from the game, despite the 25-40 defeat. Daragh Massey, Alexander Young and Adeoluwa Pearse all put in plenty of effort and made some good runs, as did Charlie Naylor. The three try-scorers all had good games too. Well played, the Bs! MH
Rugby v Vinehall
1st XV 7-22
Another testing fixture, a loss but a good one, if there is such a thing! There were moments of real aggression and determination, moments where we knocked them back in defence and had them chasing shadows in attack, but we looked like a team lacking in confidence. Too often the last pass went awry or we did not back ourselves to go for the corner. On the other hand, we have played the majority of our toughest fixtures and can now look forward to games which have traditionally been much more closely contested.
Despite failing to put any points on the board, the opening exchanges were very positive. Vinehall started to gather momentum and worked their way towards the try line. It was a team effort that took them to the 22, but the try was scored thanks to a fantastic pick and go down the blind side. The try was converted but heads did not go down. Vinehall continued to exert pressure but, after much stalwart defensive work, we conceded a penalty which was duly knocked over. Ashdown responded with a Michael Berry try from close range. In the second half, we won more possession and there were moments where the boys started to look like they believed they could win. Excellent running from Greg, amongst others, and a much improved kicking game from Ollie kept us in the hunt but Vinehall killed off the game with two fine individual tries. The end result was 22-7. A fine performance by the boys CS
2nd XII 15-10
The Ashdown House Seconds came out victors in a thrilling game against Vinehall this afternoon. Playing at home, the boys worked hard at training and this fitness paid off with the first try to Tife off a quick tap. At half time the score was 5 apiece, but shortly into the second half it was the backs that took advantage of the wind and field position to score two more tries. The forwards were quick and powerful at the rucks and the whole team's handling skills were outstanding. The final score stood at 15-10. Jay, Jeehoon and Gus made outstanding contributions to the win and the boys thoroughly deserved it. Two wins on the trot! BW
Colts A 7-33
“Our frustration is greater when we have much and want more than when we have nothing and want some. We are less dissatisfied when we lack many things than when we seem to lack but one thing.” Eric Hoffer
We were soundly beaten in the end. We deserved to be. For ten minutes in the second half we played the brand of rugby that we know we are capable of. The object is to get quick ball into space. We did so and James Bradley scored a great try in the corner. We continued to cause them problems. However, you can only give a good side so many opportunities. We coughed up far too much ball. Our handling was dreadful. It was a cold day. It was a cold day for both sides. For ten minutes we played with a belief and ebullience that must come on a more regular basis. It’s hard to keep losing and to keep believing. We must. GdeM
Colts B 0-45
The Colts B team had a tough game today. We played a Vinehall Under 10 side who were well organised and played very nicely together as a team. We had our moments with some good passages, but too much of our play was as individuals. Our tackling was not good and Vinehall ran in a number of tries far too easily. Daragh Massey and Adeoluwa Pearse were the pick of our players and both got stuck in tremendously. Alexander Young had several good runs with the ball, as did Charlie Naylor. The Vinehall referee did a very good job and officiated very generously in our favour to try to even up the game. Vinehall were too good and won by nine tries to nil. MH
Rugby Triangular v Vinehall and Brambletye
Under 9
v Brambletye 10 – 20
v Vinehall 10 – 10
A bone-searching chilly wind was blowing as our Minimen warriors again took to the field in another triangular, this time on our own soil.
We started well against Brambletye – a large and physical outfit – and scored almost straight away with a good solo effort from Vadim. The black and pinks soon got into gear however and ran four tries past us despite some valiant tackling. We replied through Marcus with another near the final whistle after several end-to-end runs, but it was not enough.
Brambletye went on to beat Vinehall by the same margin in an excellent hard fought encounter in the second match, leaving the Minimen to take on the dark blues in the final match of the afternoon. This was a titanic struggle with some excellent play from both teams. Vinehall went one up at the end of a first half so exciting that the referee (yours truly) played an extra five minutes; we came back in the second half to level it, they went one ahead and the Minimen finally made it two each when Marcus went over from the free pass after Vadim’s elephant charge and subsequent melée was held up over the line.
There were some excellent contributions from all of you today and everyone had a run at some stage or another. Vadim was awesome in the loose, shoulder charging and pumping his legs like a buffalo with wild dogs trying to bring it down. Marcus was again outstanding in both the loose and with his tackling, even when tired and after taking some knocks, and Dominic was again in the thick of it, making many dashing runs up the wing. Josh saved at least one try and himself piggy-backed a few of his opponents up the pitch, Morten again got some tackles in and John enjoyed scrapping for the loose ball. Freddy, Arthur and Freddie all played a huge part in the game and you all emerged with tremendous credit and that much more confident. Great fun to watch today boys, you gave it your all and were a credit to Ashdown. Well done again, those mighty Minimen! JBRugby v St Ronan’s
1st XV 12-24
It is hard to work out what went wrong today. Individually, I thought there were some excellent performances, but we didn’t quite click as a team and Lady Luck was not smiling on us. In the first half we were playing up hill and St Ronan’s took advantage of this. They had some big runners, but our tackling was excellent and we did well to initially restrict them to two tries. Unfortunately, late in the first half, the St Ronan’s centre intercepted a pass and ran in the try from his own half. This was followed by another piece of bad luck when Eric got over the line, but the try was not awarded: a fair decision in the absence of the television match official.
After the break, we made an excellent start and were rewarded by a try from Oscar, deserved reward for the grit and determination he has shown. St Ronan’s answered back, but the boys continued to fight and Oli C-H forced his way over. Unfortunately, the second half was littered with small mistakes that halted out progress just as we were starting to gather momentum. The final score was a 24-12 loss. Better luck next time gents. CS
2nd X 15-12
It was a rather dismal day as the 2nd X set out against a much larger St Ronan’s team. Having decided to play in thirds rather than halves due to the fall in numbers, Ashdown kicked off into a strong headwind with their heads high. The first third was a tough one, with strong rucks and crunching tackles being made, especially from our specialist full-back William Douglas. In the first ten minutes he must have made at least four try saving tackles against an opposite man who must have stood close to 6ft. The first third ended with no points being scored but the style of play suggested that there were some to come.
The second third started with a bang as the Ashdown offensive, led by Gus Turner and Ivo Kleinwort, pushed the opposition back towards their try line. The ball came out of a ruck and was run in by Ivo right under the posts. Unfortunately the wind had changed and the kick was missed by inches. We responded well from the kick and managed to string together some inspired passages of play, with Jeehoon Chang breaking their line of defence several times before being brought down inches short of the try line. 5-0 at the end of the second third, things were looking good.
The final third consisted of end to end rugby from both teams, but St Ronan’s managed to break our defences with a half pitch run from their nippy winger who skipped past our tackles. The conversion was missed, but Ashdown let their guard down a few minutes later as the same player made a dive for the line and managed to secure a 7 point lead with the score at 12-5. With only 10 minutes left to play the Ashdown boys gave it their all and forced their way to the opposition 10 metre line, then their 22, then mere feet from the try line. A brave dive from Edward Hannay secured another try for Ashdown bringing the score to 12-10, but unluckily the conversion was just short. 2 minutes left to play and both teams were in it to win it. Some strong defensive work from our backs stopped a potential winner for St Ronan’s and helped us to launch our own counter attack. Jeehoon picked up the ball and ran for the hills. Celebrations began but he fell short once again. And with our hearts in our mouths, a ruck formed in the middle of the opposition 22 and Gus picked up the ball and put his head down, smashing through two men to reach the try line. The final whistle went with Ashdown winning 15-12, a truly magnificent finish. NHH
Colts A 0-22
I’m afraid on this occasion I was unable to find a pithy quote to sum up the frustration of this performance. It was a bitterly cold afternoon and the pitch rapidly escalated into a quagmire. We won most set pieces, dominated the breakdowns and yet could not put points on the board, yet again. When St Ronan’s, who had some fine players, broke through some flimsy tackling to score a try either side of half time, we looked a beaten side. On a number of occasions we threatened to cross their try line, only to have a costly turnover at exactly the wrong time. At the moment we are like a golfer who is smashing his drives, executing his irons and missing every put. One try in four games says it all. However it is impossible to lose faith when you see the way we play at times. As Andy Dufresne told Red ‘hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.’ We will continue to work hard in practice and cling on to the ‘hope’ of turning this season around. GdeM
Colts B 5-53
The Colts B team were outplayed today by a useful St Ronan’s side. Unfortunately our tackling today was not up to scratch and this gave some talented St Ronan’s runners too much time and space on the ball. However, one must give credit to St Ronan’s too. Their handling, pace and support play were very impressive. They scored two quick converted tries and this left us a bit shell-shocked after just three minutes. We had moments where we rallied, but we were not able to cover enough ground to turn this into points. St Ronan’s were lethal on the counter-attack. At half-time it was 31-0, and four more tries in the second half made it 53-0. We had our best passage of play in the last few minutes and, after camping on their goal-line, Pat Athakravisunthorn pounced on a loose ball to score. We were weakened by having two of our best players in the Colts A team today, but, despite this, there were solid performances from Pat, Robbie Brooks, Alexander Young and Adeoluwa Pearse. Final score: 5-53. MH
Rugby v Tavistock & Summerhill and Sompting Abbots
Under 9
v. Tavistock and Summerhill Won 20 – 5
v. Sompting Abbots Won 20 – 10
We arrived at Haywards Heath Rugby Club looking for our first win on a dreary day with a chill North Easterly to keep us on our toes.
The other two teams played each other first which resulted in a victory for Sompting while we kept as warm as we could.
Playing Tavistock first, we started with our strongest nine – all the U9 boys who were on games had a run during the course of the day. Marcus played a blinder the whole afternoon, tackling with ferocity well beyond his size and Dominic ran with confidence and tackled in the same vein. With all our points in the first half, everyone else had a go in the second half and we had to do some defending! Morten, despite the cold, made a tremendous try-saving tackle, followed a few minutes later by Felix who bravely brought down his man with a last ditch dive – and has the mark to show for it! Well done to you both. Freddy F was also relishing being in the thick of the action alongside Arthur and we held off the majority of the opposition’s onslaught.
The second match was much tougher. Marcus and Dominic scored from well taken set pieces to give us the lead, but we were tiring and Sompting rallied strongly, breaking through twice to level the score at half time. A draw looked the likely outcome, with both teams playing committed rugby, but finally Dominic broke through to give us the lead. More brave tackles later, Vadim burst through on one of his many blistering runs during the afternoon, shrugging off tackles and piggy-backing several members of the other team before touching down for a great try near the end.
This was sterling stuff from the boys. What we occasionally lacked in skill we more than made up for in determination. John and Josh both had their moments up front, Charles took several good passes to run down the wing and Freddie S always looked dangerous with the ball in hand when reaching top speed. Many of you grew in confidence today and despite your wounds and cold limbs enjoyed the game. Well done the Minimen! JB
Rugby v Brighton College Junior School
1st XV 29-14
Hurrahhhhhhhh!!! First victory of the season. The boys have trained extremely hard and thoroughly deserved their win. Despite conceding 84 points in the first two games, the boys have remained positive for the most part and there was certainly plenty of determination on display today.
The boys were warmed up and raring to go and it didn’t take long for the first score thanks to some excellent running by Archie Kay. However Brighton struck back with some equally dynamic play. There was no doubt that they had not come to make up the numbers. Ashdown responded well with two tries but Archie was unable to convert and when Brighton scored and converted their second try early in the second half, the match was very much in the balance at 15-14
It was a great feeling to go in at half time with the lead but rather a concern that we had dominated possession but had not put enough points on the board to give ourselves some breathing space. The early Brighton try in the second half jolted us back into action and the forwards again started to ruck with real aggression and dynamism against a much bigger pack. We scored another two tries, both of which Archie converted, to finish the game 29-14.
Well done to Oscar for leading his team through a very tricky spell but congratulations must also go to Archie for his running game and Michael for his tally of three tries. Ollie has been the anchor in the back line with Nikko and Greg putting in some gutsy performances. Well done to William Payne for his brave performances at scrum half and a good debut for Ivo.
All in all, a wonderful afternoon’s rugby. Well done both teams. CS
Rugby Triangulars v Windlesham House and Dorset House
Colts A 7-7, 0-0
‘To believe with certainty we must begin with doubting.’ ~Stanislaus I of Poland
After the disappointment of the Marlborough House game we came out all guns blazing against a larger Dorset House team. We played some sumptuous rugby. The forwards used their technique to out-muscle physically superior foes. The backs played with a wonderful freedom and cut swathes through the opposition. James Bradley had a great game, torching Dorset House with his speed. Luke Berry played like a man possessed in the centres. Dominic Prest, playing on one leg, nullified their talented fly half. We took a 7-0 lead into the final play of the game, having not wasted a few scoring chances. We succumbed to a last second try. This was a heartbreaker, but could not mask what was a terrific performance.
If form had worked out, we should have routed Windlesham, as Dorset House had done earlier. Yet, ask any horse racing man about form and they will tell you it is a perilous indicator. Windlesham were extremely tough and if they missed a tackle in this game, I didn’t see it. We huffed and puffed, but just could not blow their house down. This was despite the hard running of Cameron Galloway, who had a fine game.
It is a good sign that we drew two games against two good sides and came away feeling disappointed. This gives us a great platform to move on from. Player of the day for us was Sam Allen. His work ethic was terrific and he was at the heart of everything we did well today. GdeM
Colts B 15-26, 10-14
We travelled to Windlesham House for a triangular with the hosts and Dorset House from Pulborough. It was the first time we had played Dorset House, so it was nice to play a new school. The matches were played over two ten-minute halves. In the opening match Windlesham had a comfortable win over Dorset, 38-10. In the second match Ashdown played Dorset House in what was an entertaining game. Dorset House scored two converted tries to lead, 14-0, at half-time. In the second half we got into the game and scored three tries to two. Edward Garner, Adeoluwa Pearse and Alexander Young scored our tries, but unfortunately our goal-kicking was off target… from in front of the posts! Dorset House had a good goal-kicker and his three conversions helped to give them a cushion on the scoreboard even though the try-count was just four to three in their favour. Edward had a superb game, elusive with ball in hand and he covered acres of ground in defence, making plenty of tackles. The whole team played much better in the second half, but we went down 26-15.
In the third and final match we had a storming battle with Windlesham. Alexander Young ran the length of the pitch for a thrilling try, but Windlesham scored and converted two to lead 14-5 at the break. In the second half we kept them scoreless, which was a terrific effort defensively. Pat Athakravisunthorn powered over for a try to make the score 14-10. The last few minutes were exciting, but we were unable to breech their defence despite having good field positions. Adeoluwa, Pat and Robbie Brooks all got stuck in and we got some impressive driving mauls going at times. Lex Wills played well at scrum-half, Alexander had some fine runs with the ball and Edward played very well in both matches. A very enjoyable afternoon and the team is making encouraging progress! MH
Under 9 5-30, 5-15
On Saturday afternoon we hosted Dorset House and Windlesham. The games were only going to be 15 minutes each, which meant that both games could have been seen as one normal length game. Our first 'half' of the game was against Dorset House. They struck early and we found ourselves on the back foot early on. Marcus and Dominic played well in the backline as did Vadim in the forwards. Callum, in his first game of the season, looked impressive indeed. We managed to salvage some pride in the second half by scoring a try. The end result was a disappointing 30–5 defeat. The next game, against Windlesham, proved to be far more exciting and equally matched. The boys seemed far more settled and managed to play some attractive rugby. Arthur had his best game thus far and can be very proud of his try-saving tackle! We lost the game in the end, 15–5. The promising progress continues… RS
Rugby v Marlborough House
1st XV 12-36
Another tough day at the office for the 1st XV. The opening exchanges were very evenly matched and I think it is fair to say that Marlborough House scored the first try much against the grain of play. Ashdown had dominated the possession but we tried to play too much rugby in our 22. Eventually we panicked because we could not clear our lines and Marlborough House pounced to score an opportunistic first try. The Ashdown boys responded in fine style with a super try that was the product of many phases of possession and excellent team work. It did not take our opposition long to regain the advantage. We lost possession in the middle of the pitch, Marlborough House ran a simple switch bringing the outside centre back on the angle and the result was a try from 50 metres out. It must be said that the centre was rapid with an excellent step and was the stand out player of the match. We had no answer to his pace and he went on to score four (?) tries and produced two try saving tackles (‘worth thirty points in the game’ as the referee pointed out afterwards).
At half time we were 17-12 down but, having had the lion’s share of the ball, we felt that we were very much in with a fighting chance. Unfortunately, every time we worked ourselves into a good attacking position, the ball would be turned over and the centre would run it in from long distance. Every time this happened the boys had the stuffing knocked out of them and in the end Marlborough House ran out as comfortable victors 36-12. It did not help that we were down to 14 against 15 for the final ten minutes as Jay sustained a knee injury. Well done to Archie for slotting in at full back for the final 10.
This was a vastly improved performance by the boys and I am delighted with the way they stuck to their guns. Better luck next time chaps. CS
2nd XII 12-33
In the second game of the season the 2nd XV were away against the boys of Marlborough House. Despite a few injuries the boys played strongly and seem to be growing in confidence and ability. Special mention must be made of Will who scored all of Ashdown’s point with two tries and a conversion. Without substitutions the forward pack played tirelessly with Luke and James putting in a lot of effort. Unluckily the boys went down 33-12. BW
Colts A 0-26
‘Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought.’ ~Henri Louis Bergson
We put in a very decent performance against Marlborough House, yet were let down by our decision making and execution. The difference between the two sides was simply that we missed crucial tackles, they made theirs. We wasted opportunities, they took theirs. We scrimmaged well and had much more possession than our previous game, yet were sorely lacking in a cutting edge on this occasion. We will learn from this. I will take this opportunity to praise our captain Dominic Prest, no one could have given more in a losing cause, a great example to the rest of the team. GdeM
Colts B 17-42
The Colts B team travelled to Hawkhurst in Kent to play Marlborough House School (MHS) in the second match of the season. MHS fielded a large squad of B and C team players in order to give as many players a game as possible. The early exchanges were fairly even, but gradually MHS got on top and led at half-time by two converted tries to one, 14-7. Pat Athakravisunthorn scored our try, converted by Lex Wills. Early in the second half they scored again, but Adeoluwa Pearse scored for us to make it 21-12 to MHS. From this point on our tackling fell away and our hosts scored three late tries, all converted. Pat scored a second try to make it 42-17 at the end. Lex had a very good game and made numerous tackles. Robbie Brooks was the best of our forwards and tackled more and more as the game went on. There is plenty for us to work on before our next few matches. MH
Rugby v Holmewood House
1st XV 0-51
Playing Holmewood this early in the year is a bit of a gamble. We were certainly undercooked today against a very good side… the gamble did not pay off! On the other hand, the game has been frozen or snowed off at this time of year for the last two years… arguably, that is a winning punt! In all seriousness one must ask the question of a match where you come out on the wrong side of a 51 point deficit, ‘Was this a worthwhile experience?’. In the case of today’s game, the answer is a definite yes. We are going to face sides that are bigger than us all season, but we won’t play many sides with the quality of the team we faced today. Once the game was effectively lost, we realised that the pressure was off and this gave us the opportunity to stop worrying about the score line and try to have some fun.
The boys responded very well in the second half and only conceded three tries. I was worried that heads would go down but this was not the case. The boys played with a smile on the face in the second half and we managed to find some positives, although it was a shame that we did not manage to cross their try line. We are going to need plenty of tackling practice between now and Wednesday, but I have great faith that this group of players will be able to turn their fortunes around, given some hard work in training. In finishing, I should perhaps mention the moment of the game, when Michael Berry went into a ruck that we had lost and cleared four Holmewood boys off the ball; it brought tears to my eyes (and probably theirs as well) and it provided some much needed possession for us. Well done to the Captain, Oscar, for his constant enthusiasm and encouragement. CS
2nd XII 10-31
In the first match of the new year Ashdown House 2nd XV went down to a strong Holmewood opposition. The boys put in a lot of hard work during the game and that paid off with tries to Jeehoon and Gus. Special mention must be made of Sameer and Pablo who played outstandingly in their first ever game. Ivo made countless tackles at inside centre and on the wing Will was able to make some lightening runs around the defence. Overall a great effort and solid start to the season. BW
Colts A 0-12
At the end of Braveheart the narrator describes the Scottish army at Bannockburn. ‘They fought like warrior poets’ he says. Now I’m not totally sure what he meant by this, however, that phrase sprang to mind this afternoon. I have never experienced a defeat that felt so much like victory. We were absolutely magnificent. Holmewood were an excellent side and retained the ball extremely well. If someone was keeping track of possession stats I would guess we probably had 20% of the ball at most. Our tackle count was through the roof. Yet there was no let up in our defence. We chased, tackled and scrapped as hard in the last minute as we did the first. Holmewood deserved to win and in truth we never really threatened their line, yet we will have days when we win and not come close to this performance. It was a great physical encounter to start our season with and, to quote William Ernest Henley, we left Holmewood with our heads ‘bloody but unbowed’. I’m very proud to coach such a courageous team, a team of ‘warrior poets’. GdeM
Colts B 15-0
The Colts B team played their first match of the season at home against Holmewood House. In very windy conditions we made a stunning start with a fine passing move which went the length of the pitch. Our passing and support play were very good in the first half, but good defence in their 22 by Holmewood kept us out. Edward Garner scored the only try of the half with a terrific 60 metre run, jinking this way and that, eluding numerous tackles on his way to a brilliant individual try. We continued to throw the ball around in the second half and scored two more tries, both by Pat Athakravisunthorn, who received the ball near the line and was unstoppable. Holmewood had several elusive runners and fought hard and could easily have scored a couple of tries. Our forwards – Robbie Brooks, Magnus Merryweather, Alexander Young, Adeoluwa Pearse and Pat – all did well and had good runs with the ball. Adeoluwa made one thumping tackle. Lex Wills ran well and cleared the ball to the backs effectively. Daragh Massey and Edward looked lively in the inside backs, while the wings, Charlie Naylor and Fred Cox, were elusive, although we needed to get more ball out to them. A very encouraging first performance! MH
Under 9 15-20
Our first rugby match of the season proved to be an absolute humdinger. We travelled to Holmewood House on Saturday afternoon very excited and keen to play our first match ever! The boys all played very well and improved as the game progressed. Freddy (Floyd), Josh, Arthur and Vadim played in the forwards – they scrummed well and got stuck in – they can all be very pleased with the way in which they played. They all managed to register a tackle and a couple of metres on the park through some determined running. Marcus, Freddie (Smith) Hugh and Dominic were outstanding in the backline and threatened the try-line on a number of occasions. Felix, Charles and John improved as the game developed and they became more involved and more courageous! Special mention must be made of our Captain, Marcus, who tackled relentlessly and was a pleasure to behold – he led by example and remained positive throughout the game. We scored three tries in the match, while our hosts scored four. The end result was a respectable 20 – 15 loss. I am very proud of every single one of boys who played today – they gave their best and tried very hard. Success on a rugby field begins with confidence and self-belief and today was one giant leap towards that success. Congratulations, boys! RS
