Fixtures of Saturday 17th November against St Aloysius

U16 lost 31-40

Unfortunately the U16’s winning streak came to an end at the weekend but not without a valiant and well fought contest. The team found themselves in the unfamiliar territory of being 40 points down but rather than getting disheartened and give up they fought back and scored 5 tries in the second half. The silly errors of the first half were a thing of the past as the team finally found their rhythm and put up a good fight. Unfortunately the match came to an end before they could level the scores but the team enjoyed the game against strong and aggressive competition and the lessons it taught them about being switched on and ready from the start.

1st XV won 60-0

Today's game was a repeat of our first game of the season: an away fixture against St Al's. That fixture had finished 15-0 in our favour, a keenly fought match where we were forced to absorb significant periods of pressure. If the morning had begun, therefore, with a keen interest to see how our respective seasons had progressed, it ended in little doubt that Kelvinside's had fared rather better: for the game finished with us scoring 10 tries for the second week running, this time without response for a 60-0 victory.

Straight from the first kick off, Kelvinside exerted pressure through its expansive running game. Then quick clean ball from a ruck close in saw Andrew Davidson (S4) take a short pass and crash over for the game's first score. The kick was added by Cameron MacKay (S6). 7-0.
Our second score was outstanding for its simplicity: a high ball put up in midfield was followed up at pace by Ross Cowan (S6), leaping with perfect timing to take the catch ahead of the defence and sprint to the line. MacKay again added the extra points. 14-0.

The Kelvinside pressure continued with a scrum on our opponents' 22. From a no. 8 pickup, Mackay attacked the line and delayed the ball perfectly for Graham Bryden (S6) running through on the angle. 19-0.

This early pressure was followed by St Al's strongest period of the game, resulting from lost possession where a further score for Kelvinside looked to be on the cards. Solid defence saw us repel this surge and we were soon back on the scoresheet again. Reminiscent of so many scores this season, a change of possession from the tackle and breakdown in midfield and slick hands brought the ball to Cowan, whose pace simply could not be matched by the defence. 24-0.

One more score from a Thompson pickup at a 5m scrum brought the score at half time to 29-0.

The difference today, from previous games where we have dominated a first half, was that we maintained a high intensity throughout. First to the tackle and breakdown once again, simple quick hands out to Cowan gave him the space to round the defence and speed to the line. The kick from MacKay brought the score to 36-0.

A set-piece move brought the next score, this time from our much-improved lineout. MacKay looped Round and fed James Couper (S5), who sprinted round from his blind-side wing to create the extra man and space to cut through the defence. The kick from MacKay made it 43-0.

The scores were coming freely now. From our lineout ball, their full-back had come into the line and from a good kick by MacKay, the chase through could have resulted in any of three Kelvinside players making the score. It was Callun Brooker (S6) who was quickest to the ball to score under the posts. The kick brought the score to 50-0. Good hands once more saw the ball speed along the back line to Thomas Merrylees (S6), who handed off the defender and ran to the line. 55-0

The final score of the day saw a period of excellent ball retention as we went through a number of phases. Finally, up popped Thompson to scythe through the gap to the line. 60-0.

A surprisingly straightforward victory but with an important part to play, it is excellent to see the less experienced players now playing such a full role in the team. A tough run-in to Christmas sees us playing, in consecutive weeks, Heriot's, Glasgow Academy, Edinburgh Academy and Hutchie. Let's hope our performance and the weather holds!

Graham Bryden (S6)

This article was posted on 19-Nov-2012, 15:13 by Hugh Barrow.