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Junior club captain blog 4 Hi, welcome to the 4th and last of my junior club blogs. Since the last blog there has been large success in Dorchester Junior Rugby. The under 14’s are playing successful rugby, winning the Bath sevens and the Dorset and Wilts cup final, being well deserved victories on their behalf’s when seeing how much work and effort they put in each week in training and games, a successful team for Dorchester an looking highly promising for the future. My own team, the under 16’s were also successful in 7’s rugby, playing in the new Milton tournament the lads had a laugh and a fun day out, but also played good rugby, we managed to win the plate of the tournament after sadly being robbed the cup play offs. When I say robbed we were playing for the play offs in the last play of the game, nil-nil, and an unnamed player in our team managed to get over the try line, however unknowing of his position he passed the ball! The pass was bad, went on the floor and one of their players picked it up and ran the whole length of the pitch, frustrating for some of the team, but very funny for most. Despite this, like I said the day was good fun, full of laughs and a good turnout of rugby, not a bad day. Sadly, now is the end of the season and I have to pass on the role of Junior Club captain down to the next year, but I take this role of the club as a real honour and privilege and I would like to thank the club for the great opportunity, I’m sure next’s years Junior captain Jordan Maddocks will do an even better job, and will equally share the high amount of pride for the role in the club. It’s sad to leave the Dorchester Junior section, but equally exciting as I, and other players around me, will be stepping up into Dorchester senior rugby, experiencing both men’s and colts rugby. With this I wish the best of luck to all DRFC teams in the future, juniors and seniors. Thank you for reading, Ed Grassby
Junior club captain blog 3 As a team Dorchester under 16’s followed up from expectations of county victory in 2011, the well fought victory at Wareham against Swans looked at the Dorchester team as potential winners for the semi final of the cup. Despite this premature look at the semi final, we knew that getting to the final would not be easy, especially after some heavy battles with Swans in the past. Thankfully on the day we managed to put the thought that the game would be easy to bed, we knew it would not be easy, and it was not. We battled hard against the Swanage and Wareham team but managed to claim the victory, or physical strength showed in the forwards, as well as our fast runners on the wings playing well, much assisted by the quick ball provided from our back line, we played to our strengths and thankfully ultimately won. Know we had Bournemouth to beat. Following up from the home victory in the Semi-Final Dorchester under 16’s were confident, we had beaten Bournemouth before at the under 13’s cup final at Lychett, as well showing Bournemouth earlier in the season that we were a force to be reckoned with at our first game of the season. Despite the skill that we have shown over the last nine years as a team, and cup victories before, part of our confidence was mainly justified on History, rather than our potential skill as a team, and ultimately we lost. The Final was to be held at Wimborne RFC, the conditions were similar to the under 13’s victory, very hot. Before the game we talked about our strengths of play, and where we had earlier in the season manipulated there weak spots. We knew our scrums were dominant, with that so was our mauls and rucks, we had guaranteed controlled possession if we picked and went with our forwards and gained yards, but we did not manipulate this. We played to our weaknesses of the days, hence explaining our defeat. We attempted to play centre’s rugby, with support of crash ball and single man running, despite this tactic working against other teams, it did not against Bournemouth. Bournemouth’s rigorous training showed in the back line, and our centre's were sadly dominated, however our wings and back was not, but despite odd plays that looked dangerous, we did not play too these strengths. Looking back in defeat however I can use the factors to explain why we lost, but the main point of the day is that the opposing team played better rugby, however one could argue they may not be the better team, but it would be hard to contrary the fact that they deserved the victory as they played the better Rugby on the day. Despite our defeat in the county cup final, Dorchester under 14’s looked a definite fighting force. With commitment and teamwork shown by player’s parents and coaches, the team manages 3 Dorchester training's per weak! Two of these training's our completely rugby based, with the splitting of forwards and backs, and the other consists of Gym circuit training, increasing strength of individuals and fitness overall. Winning both the quarter and semi final, and having two players play for the Dorset and Wilts team, the Dorchester team was in the final of the county cup against Wimborne. The final was to be held at Bridport and was heavily supported by both clubs, a county rugby clash of teams both containing Regional players. The Dorchester team however seized the victory with an early try and solid defence, showing a physical game throughout. A well deserved team victory for the Dorchester boys, looking hopefully on towards the Dorset and Wilts final to come Junior Club Captain BlogBlog 2: Hi this is the second of my junior club captain blog, in which since the start of my time in the season a lot has come about the club with junior and senior club affairs. A successful fireworks night in November saw a brilliant turn out with both junior and senior players helping out or enjoying the display along side with many coaches, family and friends also with the overwhelming amount of non club goers coming to just enjoy the fireworks. Also with the follow up of the successful fireworks we had a surprisingly sunny November family day with again a large turn out with players and children showing the community of rugby through the club. This rugby community spirit was also Evident with the surprisingly high amount “Movember” partakers amongst the players which I’m sure with the comic of some of them successful raised a lot of money. Dorchester under 16’s are looking prosperous for the cup this season after winning the first two games of the cup against Lychett and Blandford. Meaning that following up we will be playing swans in the semi final of the cup. On the final game of the year the under 16’s held victory in an away game to the swans, showing promise for the cup whilst setting an image for future games, but also getting ourselves into the right mind frame as we now we will need to work hard for another victory. In December there was the Dorchester Rugby Club Christmas meal which apart from being really nice to eat, it also saw a decent turnout from Club Officials and friends and family of players current and old. The Easter tour for the Dorchester under 15’s and 16’s to Holland is in closer sights after the fundraising of bag packing at Waitrose. This again saw a good turnout with enough players and to cover three rotors of bag packing between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm which hopefully fund raised a lot of money for the upcoming tour. With the stating of the New year I would like to thank you for reading my Junior Club captain blog, and wish the whole of the Dorchester Juniors and seniors good luck to season. Thank you for reading, Ed Grassby SeptemberHi I’m Ed Grassby Dorchester’s junior club captain 2011-2012. I have been playing Rugby at Dorchester for 9 coming up 10 years now starting at U7’s and playing right up through the ages to where I am now at 15 playing and captaining my final years of Junior Rugby for Dorchester U16’s. I have been privileged to be given the role of junior club captain in which I have taken the responsibility from William Holmes where I have quite literally big shoes to fill! Blog 1: A Great start of the season for Dorchester Junior section with a successful and enjoyable Socious Rugby Camp held in the summer, good to see so many players from all ages of the club come together in holidays to enjoy Rugby and learn more about it while there. It was good to see a large turnout at the Registration day where we happily witnessed the same the faces signing up for another year of great Rugby with the club, but more importantly seeing the new faces of the club that we hope will stay and enjoy rugby at the club right up through ages of Junior Rugby. It looks good to see so many teams going through pre-season training and Fitness in preparation for a hopeful season ahead. The Under 16’s had a great start of the season for Dorchester U16’s with a 65-0 victory of the Local Darby match against Weymouth preparing ourselves for a great season ahead with a prosperous tour to Holland ahead of us, as well as hopes to gain the county title as we did only 3 years ago in under 13’s.
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