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Sun 24 Sep 2017
Wolverhampton RUFC
U16s -Sch year 11
Tries: null (2)Conversions: null
12
42
Tries: S Jacques, K Smith (2), b drakeford, B Moore, T AllenConversions: b drakeford (5), J Burton
We Have Come to Woof Them! Wolverhampton v Hinckley 24th Sept 2017
Paul Goodwin1 Oct 2017 - 00:18
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Wolverhampton 12 v 42 Hinckley Match report by Andy Duggins
Hinckley U14s travelled up the M6 to test their metal against new opponents, Wolverhampton RFC, with debutants Allen and Jacques making their first appearance following a move from Leicester Forest.
Hinckley kicked off against this big Black Country team, who ran the ball straight back at Hinckley, but early tackles from Burton, Buckler, McManus and Jacques showed them this was not going to be an easy morning’s rugby. Wolverhampton enjoyed an early spell of territory, with a line-out on Hinckley’s 22m line following the first (of many!) penalties against the black and ambers.
The ball was eventually thrown in, after the referee spent several minutes explaining every current law of rugby union, although the Hinckley boys had no idea what he was saying without a translator on the field. Wolverhampton attacked from the line-out but, after a thundering Burton tackle, Hinckley turned over the ball which was passed out wide to Smith on the right wing who made good ground up to the halfway line before being bundled into touch.
Wolverhampton counter-attacked from the resulting line-out but couldn’t break through Hinckley’s excellent defence with Wainde, Allen and McManus all making notable tackles in midfield. Hinckley won another turnover, which Allen took forward before superbly off-loading to Jacques who used his power and pace to burst through the defence to score his debut try and Hinckley’s opening score under the posts. Drakeford converted to give the away team an early 7-0 lead.
Wolverhampton attacked Hinckley as the game re-started, but were again met with strong tackles from Moore, Drakeford, Allen and Jacques in midfield, and after great work from the Hinckley forwards they regained possession. The ball was quickly fed out by half-backs Wainde and Hurley-Smith, to Smith on the right wing. He again demonstrated an excellent turn of pace taking Hinckley up to their opposition’s 10m line before being tackled into touch.
Wolverhampton tried to break from the line-out but were met with solid tackles from Mensforth-Grove, Moore, Allen, and Jacques with a crunching dump tackle on his opposite number. Hinckley then forced a scrum following superb work in the ruck from Mensforth-Grove, which the big Wolverhampton pack won against the head and counter-attacked, only to be stopped this time by tackles from Moore, Smith and Buckler.
Hinckley regained possession from the ensuing ruck, and showed sublime handling in the backs through Hurley-Smith, Allen, Jacques and eventually Smith, who took Hinckley back into Wolverhampton’s half. Wolverhampton managed to clear the ball into touch but from the resulting line-out Hinckley attacked again, with Burton, Barnes, Miller, Allen, Jacques and McManus all making good yards before being held up 10m short of the opposition’s try line.
The ball was quickly recycled and passed out to Smith wide on the right wing, who rounded his opposite number to run in his first try, which was converted by Drakeford, extending Hinckley’s lead to 14-0.
Wolverhampton didn’t seem to know what had hit them. Burton quickly caught the ball from the re-start and galloped through a number of attempted tackles into the opposition’s half before popping the ball to Drakeford in support who took the game up to Wolverhampton’s 22m line. Allen was on hand to receive a superb off-load from Drakeford and he darted under the posts for a fantastic debut try. Drakeford was successful with the conversion taking the score to Wolverhampton 0 – 21 Hinckley.
Hinckley made a couple of replacements before the game re-commenced, with Goodwin and Underwood taking to the field. Wolverhampton re-started, kicking the ball to the Hinckley forwards, who ran straight back at the opposition through strong runs from Underwood and Toon. Hinckley retained possession following a ruck, passing out to Jacques at pace who took the ball and three tacklers into Wolverhampton’s half. The ball was superbly off-loaded to Smith (AKA Dennis) who again showed blistering Kenyan pace rounding the opposition to touch down for his second try of the match. This was again successfully converted by Drakeford to give Hinckley a commanding 28-0 lead.
Hinckley maintained their dominant form in the last passage of play in the first half, with an early turnover following the re-start and notable breaks from Hutton, Jacques and Smith taking the game back up to Wolverhampton’s 22m line. The home team eventually cleared with a long kick downfield which was marvellously fielded by full-back Moore, who made excellent ground through a counter-attack with Jacques and McManus in support. Hinckley continued to pressure the opposition but a knock-on ended an excellent first half display by the away team, with an imposing 28-0 lead.
Hinckley brought on more replacements for the second half and showed their strength in depth by taking the game back to Wolverhampton immediately from the kick-off, with runs from Underwood, Allen and Jacques, finding Drakeford in support who danced with the Wolves’ defence before splashing down for Hinckley’s fifth try. Drakeford made it five out of five with the conversion to further extend Hinckley’s lead to 35-0.
Wolverhampton re-started but Hinckley launched another attack through strong runs from Allen, Newitt and Hutton. Wolverhampton’s defence held up and they counter-attacked following a turnover, but solid tackles from Fountaine, Barnes, Newitt, L Whittingham, Allen and Jacques prevented them from gaining any decent territory.
Wolverhampton were then awarded a penalty and kicked the ball into touch, which was their first real foray beyond Hinckley’s 22m line. Hinckley however turned over the ball from the resulting line-out and ran back at the opposition with breaks from Jacques, Salisbury and Fountaine taking them up to halfway.
Wolverhampton attacked from a scrum on the halfway line, and appeared to have changed their tactics, making more use of their burly forwards to try and break through the Hinckley defence. But strong tackles from Hutton, A. Whittingham, Buckler and Barnes kept them out.
During a passage of play in which the referee seemed to keep awarding Wolverhampton penalties until they scored, the home team were awarded a free kick five metres from Hinckley’s try line. The ball was popped to their huge second row forward on the crash but he was stopped short of the line by a crunching tackle from Underwood.
Wolverhampton continued with the attack but were again held up by tackles from Buckler, Toon, Fountaine, Salisbury and Jacques.
Wolverhampton eventually broke through, while the referee didn’t appear to know what was going on, to score their first try of the match which was converted, taking the score to Wolverhampton 7 – 35 Hinckley.
As the game entered the last quarter, Hinckley re-started, kicking back to their opposition. L. Whittingham made a superb tackle, taking man and ball, following which he turned over the ball, but the referee awarded yet another penalty to the home team.
Hinckley turned over the ball from the resulting line-out after an excellent tackle from Giles, and kicked back into Wolverhampton’s half. Wolverhampton knocked the ball forward and Hinckley attacked from the subsequent scrum through Jacques who took the ball on the crash up to Wolverhampton’s 10m line.
Wolverhampton’s defence held up, forcing a scrum from which they counter-attacked, but Hinckley’s resistance remained stubborn, Jacques and Buckler making notable tackles and eventually winning a scrum for Hinckley.
As Hinckley tried to clear their lines, Wolverhampton were awarded another penalty, again using their big forward on the crash, who was initially held up. But the ball was recycled and Wolverhampton managed to dive over for their second try. The conversion drifted wide, taking the score to Wolverhampton 12 – 35 Hinckley.
Wolverhampton initiated a late attack as the game re-started but the ball was spilled following a thundering tackle from Underwood. Moore gathered the loose ball superbly and turned on the gas to sprint through from the half-way line to score Hinckley’s first try of the second half, which was converted by third choice kicker Burton to increase Hinckley’s lead to 42-12.
Wolverhampton re-started and, in the last scrappy spell of play, endeavoured to score a consolation try, but Hinckley’s defence stayed strong, with Buckler and Goodwin throwing themselves into tackles.
The ball was eventually kicked into touch from a ruck to end another fantastic team performance by a rampant Hinckley U14 squad, the final score Wolverhampton 12 – 42 Hinckley.
Forest dumped, Ashby smashed, Wolves woofed, let’s hope we’re not playing Uckfield next.....!
Hinckley kicked off against this big Black Country team, who ran the ball straight back at Hinckley, but early tackles from Burton, Buckler, McManus and Jacques showed them this was not going to be an easy morning’s rugby. Wolverhampton enjoyed an early spell of territory, with a line-out on Hinckley’s 22m line following the first (of many!) penalties against the black and ambers.
The ball was eventually thrown in, after the referee spent several minutes explaining every current law of rugby union, although the Hinckley boys had no idea what he was saying without a translator on the field. Wolverhampton attacked from the line-out but, after a thundering Burton tackle, Hinckley turned over the ball which was passed out wide to Smith on the right wing who made good ground up to the halfway line before being bundled into touch.
Wolverhampton counter-attacked from the resulting line-out but couldn’t break through Hinckley’s excellent defence with Wainde, Allen and McManus all making notable tackles in midfield. Hinckley won another turnover, which Allen took forward before superbly off-loading to Jacques who used his power and pace to burst through the defence to score his debut try and Hinckley’s opening score under the posts. Drakeford converted to give the away team an early 7-0 lead.
Wolverhampton attacked Hinckley as the game re-started, but were again met with strong tackles from Moore, Drakeford, Allen and Jacques in midfield, and after great work from the Hinckley forwards they regained possession. The ball was quickly fed out by half-backs Wainde and Hurley-Smith, to Smith on the right wing. He again demonstrated an excellent turn of pace taking Hinckley up to their opposition’s 10m line before being tackled into touch.
Wolverhampton tried to break from the line-out but were met with solid tackles from Mensforth-Grove, Moore, Allen, and Jacques with a crunching dump tackle on his opposite number. Hinckley then forced a scrum following superb work in the ruck from Mensforth-Grove, which the big Wolverhampton pack won against the head and counter-attacked, only to be stopped this time by tackles from Moore, Smith and Buckler.
Hinckley regained possession from the ensuing ruck, and showed sublime handling in the backs through Hurley-Smith, Allen, Jacques and eventually Smith, who took Hinckley back into Wolverhampton’s half. Wolverhampton managed to clear the ball into touch but from the resulting line-out Hinckley attacked again, with Burton, Barnes, Miller, Allen, Jacques and McManus all making good yards before being held up 10m short of the opposition’s try line.
The ball was quickly recycled and passed out to Smith wide on the right wing, who rounded his opposite number to run in his first try, which was converted by Drakeford, extending Hinckley’s lead to 14-0.
Wolverhampton didn’t seem to know what had hit them. Burton quickly caught the ball from the re-start and galloped through a number of attempted tackles into the opposition’s half before popping the ball to Drakeford in support who took the game up to Wolverhampton’s 22m line. Allen was on hand to receive a superb off-load from Drakeford and he darted under the posts for a fantastic debut try. Drakeford was successful with the conversion taking the score to Wolverhampton 0 – 21 Hinckley.
Hinckley made a couple of replacements before the game re-commenced, with Goodwin and Underwood taking to the field. Wolverhampton re-started, kicking the ball to the Hinckley forwards, who ran straight back at the opposition through strong runs from Underwood and Toon. Hinckley retained possession following a ruck, passing out to Jacques at pace who took the ball and three tacklers into Wolverhampton’s half. The ball was superbly off-loaded to Smith (AKA Dennis) who again showed blistering Kenyan pace rounding the opposition to touch down for his second try of the match. This was again successfully converted by Drakeford to give Hinckley a commanding 28-0 lead.
Hinckley maintained their dominant form in the last passage of play in the first half, with an early turnover following the re-start and notable breaks from Hutton, Jacques and Smith taking the game back up to Wolverhampton’s 22m line. The home team eventually cleared with a long kick downfield which was marvellously fielded by full-back Moore, who made excellent ground through a counter-attack with Jacques and McManus in support. Hinckley continued to pressure the opposition but a knock-on ended an excellent first half display by the away team, with an imposing 28-0 lead.
Hinckley brought on more replacements for the second half and showed their strength in depth by taking the game back to Wolverhampton immediately from the kick-off, with runs from Underwood, Allen and Jacques, finding Drakeford in support who danced with the Wolves’ defence before splashing down for Hinckley’s fifth try. Drakeford made it five out of five with the conversion to further extend Hinckley’s lead to 35-0.
Wolverhampton re-started but Hinckley launched another attack through strong runs from Allen, Newitt and Hutton. Wolverhampton’s defence held up and they counter-attacked following a turnover, but solid tackles from Fountaine, Barnes, Newitt, L Whittingham, Allen and Jacques prevented them from gaining any decent territory.
Wolverhampton were then awarded a penalty and kicked the ball into touch, which was their first real foray beyond Hinckley’s 22m line. Hinckley however turned over the ball from the resulting line-out and ran back at the opposition with breaks from Jacques, Salisbury and Fountaine taking them up to halfway.
Wolverhampton attacked from a scrum on the halfway line, and appeared to have changed their tactics, making more use of their burly forwards to try and break through the Hinckley defence. But strong tackles from Hutton, A. Whittingham, Buckler and Barnes kept them out.
During a passage of play in which the referee seemed to keep awarding Wolverhampton penalties until they scored, the home team were awarded a free kick five metres from Hinckley’s try line. The ball was popped to their huge second row forward on the crash but he was stopped short of the line by a crunching tackle from Underwood.
Wolverhampton continued with the attack but were again held up by tackles from Buckler, Toon, Fountaine, Salisbury and Jacques.
Wolverhampton eventually broke through, while the referee didn’t appear to know what was going on, to score their first try of the match which was converted, taking the score to Wolverhampton 7 – 35 Hinckley.
As the game entered the last quarter, Hinckley re-started, kicking back to their opposition. L. Whittingham made a superb tackle, taking man and ball, following which he turned over the ball, but the referee awarded yet another penalty to the home team.
Hinckley turned over the ball from the resulting line-out after an excellent tackle from Giles, and kicked back into Wolverhampton’s half. Wolverhampton knocked the ball forward and Hinckley attacked from the subsequent scrum through Jacques who took the ball on the crash up to Wolverhampton’s 10m line.
Wolverhampton’s defence held up, forcing a scrum from which they counter-attacked, but Hinckley’s resistance remained stubborn, Jacques and Buckler making notable tackles and eventually winning a scrum for Hinckley.
As Hinckley tried to clear their lines, Wolverhampton were awarded another penalty, again using their big forward on the crash, who was initially held up. But the ball was recycled and Wolverhampton managed to dive over for their second try. The conversion drifted wide, taking the score to Wolverhampton 12 – 35 Hinckley.
Wolverhampton initiated a late attack as the game re-started but the ball was spilled following a thundering tackle from Underwood. Moore gathered the loose ball superbly and turned on the gas to sprint through from the half-way line to score Hinckley’s first try of the second half, which was converted by third choice kicker Burton to increase Hinckley’s lead to 42-12.
Wolverhampton re-started and, in the last scrappy spell of play, endeavoured to score a consolation try, but Hinckley’s defence stayed strong, with Buckler and Goodwin throwing themselves into tackles.
The ball was eventually kicked into touch from a ruck to end another fantastic team performance by a rampant Hinckley U14 squad, the final score Wolverhampton 12 – 42 Hinckley.
Forest dumped, Ashby smashed, Wolves woofed, let’s hope we’re not playing Uckfield next.....!
Further reading