Best performance of the season despite result

Sidcup RFC  5  Cranbrook RFC 60

On a relatively balmy Sunday morning the squad gathered under the posts for an updated team photoshoot.  Plenty of snaps from clicking parents on their mobiles and surly, scowling youths doing their best tough guy impressions..

The game commenced with some big hits and certainly a few ahem! borderline tackles shall we say...

Billy with a great smash on his opponent couldn't quite stop their first try which should be referred to the dubious try committee IMHO.   The game ebbed and flowed and we started losing our general shape which resulted in Cranbrook creating plenty of overlaps and upping the points tally.

No lack of effort from the lads  and the scoreline maybe looked a bit harsh on us.

Tap tackles galore was the only way to stop the faster 2 players (who scored all of Cranbrook points) - perfectly executed by the flying Masters duo and rising above the punishing dump tackles and hand offs. Ayo remained strong at full back and was quick to ensure we played the ball back towards the oppositions half. In the scrum we managed a few good turn overs and the line outs were either won convincingly or the receiving player was quickly pounced on. Lots of positives!

The coaches stressed at the debrief  about making it a 'personal battle with your opposite '(Well, Luke certainly did that! I think he'd eaten raw meat for breakfast!) and 'a large percentage of the game is in the mind'. They emphasised that we played very well in 'phases' of the match but consistency and focus is key - keeping the pressure on at all times and not letting the scoreline get the better of us. Iain (our stand in ref from the u16s) also commented that "when the boys want it - they're amazing!"

Josh bulldozed over the whitewash aided by some good support play down the left hand side for a consolation try, nice one Josh!

We lost the game, but chin up lads, signs of improvement without doubt, and guess what, we won the fashion stakes while eating  the lasagne!

Andy.