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2006/07 under 12 reports |
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Under 12s Tour - Cornwall April 21-22nd 2007 22 players and 21 adults from the Under 12s left Dorchester bright and early on Saturday 21st April bound for sunny Cornwall aboard the Good Ship Happy Days! Dressed as pirates they had many tasks to fulfil before their voyage was complete, including singing a song of their choice much balloon blowing and general merriment! First port of call was Redruth where the Under 12s came up against a very good Redruth side that have only lost once this season. The boys and girl struggled to find their land legs and despite holding out for much of the first period fell behind to two unconverted tries in the final 5 minutes. Playing up the slope in the second period Dorchester set about reducing the deficit and were rewarded when Ben Vallance crashed over and Callum King added the conversion. Redruth came back straight away and added a converted try, Dorchester made several changes and they continued to play with real purpose. In the end Redruth were too strong and added one more converted score before the final whistle. Final score 24-7. This was far from a disappointing result and the Redruth coach admitted that Dorchester were the first team this season to push them back on their own put in and take one against the head. After stocking up with supplies (Sausages, chips, fizzy pop and much ale) the ship set sail for its evening call at the land accommodation in Penzance. Once checked in it was back to the high seas again for an evening of entertainment, where the crew members enjoyed games of skittles, pool, crazy putting and rifle shooting, followed by more food and drink before retiring for some much needed sleep (well Mr Madgwick got some anyway!) Sunday morning saw a hearty breakfast consumed before Judge Woody held court and several heinous crimes were heard before a packed courtroom, unusually several alleged offences were dismissed! The crew were soon back at sea and set sale for Camborne where Samantha Newbery (in an emotional state) got ready to play her last game for this side, and unanimously the boys all decided she should be captain for the day. Playing up the slope in the first of 3 periods Dorchester played their best rugby of the season and this dynamic play was too much for their hosts who after two periods of 20 minutes found themselves trailing 35-0 courtesy of tries scored by Callum King (2) Sam Newbery, Ripper and the ever dependable Lewis White, conversions were added by King (3) and Harry Smith (2). The final period saw Director of Rugby Peter James play several players out of position to even the game up and Camborne managed two consolation scores. In the end the green and white of Dorchester were too good for their hosts. The afternoon saw all crewmembers watch a professional game between The Cornish Pirates and Pertemps Bees. At half time Dorchester Under 12s played Camborne U12s again, this time in front of 2873 people and again took the spoils with a 10-0 victory playing some good rugby, which was appreciated by the rugby loving Cornish fans. It was soon time to set sail for home, the players were still going and all the adults needed some sleep (except Mr Madgwick!) on the voyage home. The children's behaviour was exemplary throughout and they are credit to themselves their parents and Dorchester RFC well done! After docking at their homeport it was left to Tour Organiser Martyn Peel to say, “ there I was in front of 2873 people and I dropped the cones!” Team: Amphlett, Bickley, Cumber, Dale, Doherty, Fry, Harries, Holmes, James, Jessup, King, Madgwick, Makepeace, Newbery, Peel, Skelland, Smith, Trenchard, Vallance, White, Wood, Youngs. Bridport 14 v 35 Dorchester The first ten minutes of this game saw Bridport totally dominate play and they deservedly took a 14-0 lead with very little resistance from a sleepy Dorchester side. The pack was unusually second best and secured little ball, tackles were missed and it looked like it was going to be a long morning for the boys in green and white. However they have become a resilient team under the expert guidance of Peter James, and they slowly worked their way back into the game. Ripper Makepeace looked very lively in the loose and constantly caused problems, fittingly it was Makepeace who got the first Dorchester score after a period of sustained pressure. With confidence starting to return it was Bridport's turn to defend, but the speed of hands and lines of Dorchester's running was too much and Callum King (in a rich vein of form) finished off a slick move and touched down. The rest of the half saw Dorchester push for the lead but were kept out. King added both conversions. The second half saw Dorchester close the game out in ruthless fashion with 3 converted tries with none in reply. The forwards were now in the ascendancy with Evan Cumber playing his best game yet for Dorchester at prop (his haircut certainly makes him look meaner!) and he had several charging runs. From a scrum close to the Bridport line Ben Jessup fed James Bickley on the blind side and he ran in unopposed, King added the conversion. From the restart Kieran Fry received the kick and weaved his way through a bewildered Bridport team, when he was finally tackled he passed to Harry Smith who still had work to do before he could score, Smith added the points for the conversion. With the hosts visibly shaken by the onslaught Dorchester looked to add to their score further and Will Holmes got the final score following a great break by Jack Wood, King added the final conversion for a very comfortable win. Afterwards Team Manager Andrew Smith said that recent performances have proved the ability and strength in depth of his players, and that this win sets the boys and girl up nicely ahead of 2 tricky games away in deepest darkest Cornwall! Team: Bickley, Cumber, Dale, Doherty, Fry, Holmes, James, Jessup, King, Madgwick, Makepeace, Newbery, Smith, Trenchard, Vallance, Wood, Youngs. Dorchester 12 v 12 Bicester Dorchester entertained a well drilled touring side from Oxfordshire and the result was two evenly matched and very entertaining games of rugby. The ground conditions enabled both sides to play some fast moving rugby which wouldn’t have looked out of place in The Super 14s! Bicester started the more livelier of the two sides and deservedly took the lead with a converted try following a period of sustained pressure. This spurred Dorchester into action and led by Captain Toby Amphlett they slowly got back in the game and were rewarded when Callum King crashed over from short distance and then added the points for the conversion. The second half took the same pattern with Bicester restoring their lead with an unconverted try. With both teams looking to run the ball at every opportunity, it took a King clearance kick which was chased down by the lively Kieran Fry who took advantage of a kind bounce to touch down unopposed, this time the conversion was missed. The game remained finely balanced with defences dictating how the game was played out and ended in a fair result. The only worrying sight was that of James Bickley leaving the pitch with concussion early on. The good news is that James is ok and should be fit for the next game. Dorchester 7 v 0 Bicester Another highly entertaining game with the result although in Dorchester's favour could easily have been Bicesters! With each side continuing to play open attractive rugby, although no quarter was given in contact. Dorchester certainly had the edge upfront stealing several line outs and nicking two against the head in the scrum. The home side should have taken the lead when Wood senior popped the ball up on the try line only to see it spilled and the advantage going to the visitors. The half finished scoreless. The second half clearly belonged to Dorchester who were slowly losing players and were forced to use 2nd Row Henry ‘Dingle’ Dale as an emergency full back and what a game he had, safely catching 3 up and unders! The decisive score came when makeshift No 8 Wood the slightly older, made a searing break from the base of a ruck and sprinted 20 yards to touch down, (with that kind of pace he could well a make a decent scrum half!) Harry Smith added the conversion. The home side looked for another score but were kept out by a determined and well marshalled Bicester defence. Afterwards Director of Rugby Peter James felt his players have finally started playing rugby in a style that he envisaged at the start of the season. He was also full of praise for the French speaking referee provided by Bicester! Team: Amphlett, Bickley, Dale, Davidson, Fry, James, Janes, King, Madgwick, Peel, Smith, Trenchard, Vallance, White, Wood, Wood, Youngs Swanage & Wareham 21 v 14 Dorchester A local derby is always enough to motivate players and this one was no different. Dorchester started quickly for a change and took the lead when Harry Smith on the left wing took a quick pass from Ben Jessup from an early scrum and touched down in the left hand corner, Smith added the points from the conversion. Swans started to get back in the game with some determined tackling and incisive running lines, however Dorchesters defence was more than up to the task until an overlap on the Swans left wing allowed them a simple run in try which was converted. Dorchester rallied again but couldn’t find that all important last pass. With the last play of the half Swans took the lead with another converted try. The second half started as the first finished with Swans gaining another score. With several positional changes Dorchester had a different shape to them and they fought back well. Callum King at full back made several charging runs And was unlucky not to score when he was finally brought down just short of the line following a run from deep inside his half. With the visitors starting to exert control it was only a matter of time before Dorchester got their second score, this time it was Ben Jessup who spotted a gap and crashed over, this time King added the points from the conversion. With a 3rd and equalising try beckoning Dorchester finally ran out of time. Swanage & Wareham 0 v 21 Dorchester Dorchester gained ample revenge in the second game of the morning when they soundly beat a very useful Swans side. Dorchester were clearly the sharper of the two sides quickest at the breakdown and most aggressive in the tackle, a tactic which clearly unsettled their hosts. From a penalty close to the Swans line Freddie Madgwick showing speed of mind and quickness of feet (not seen in a Madgwick since his Dad ate a dodgy aubergine in Bath!)took a tap penalty and dived over to give Dorchester the lead. The rest of the half was evenly balanced with neither side able to breakdown the others defence. The second half saw Dorchester continue their good performance, with Charlie Harries playing a captains role in the front row he drove his players on. Callum King again broke from deep but was tackled yards out, James Bickley was on hand to finish the move off with a touchdown. Try as they did Swans could not find a way through a well drilled Dorchester defence which tackled hard and fair. With the seconds ticking away King capped another great display with a well earned try. Smith added 3 conversions which gave Dorchester a well deserved victory. Afterwards Skills Coach Martyn (with a Y) Peel, felt there were many positives to take from the game but that there was always room for improvement as he seeks that perfect performance form the players. Team: Bickley, Dale, Doherty, Harries, Holland, Holmes, Janes, Jessup, King, Lawton, Madgwick, Makepeace, Newbery, Peel, Skelland, Smith, Vallance, White Youngs. With many of the players opting to spend the day with their Mummys, Dorchester Under 12s travelled to Wimborne with just 15 players. Wimborne on the other hand had 25+ players to choose from. Both sets of coaches decided to play 3 games each 20 minutes in duration. Wimborne 5 v 0 Dorchester The first game saw Dorchester up against the team that lost narrowly to Bournemouth in the County Cup final. Despite having to play several players out of position, Dorchester (led well by Chris ‘Chabal’ Lawton) weathered an early Wimborne onslaught well, and for much of the game had both territory and possession but as has happened all too often this season, could not turn this superiority into points. The scrummaging has been a strong point this season and this game was no different with Dorchesters pack more than a match for their larger opponents. The front row of Lawton, Ben Vallance and Steven Trenchard were faultless in their application especially at the breakdown where for once Dorchester gained more ball than they lost. However an early defensive error by the visitors was all that separated the teams at the end. Wimborne 5 v 5 Dorchester The second game saw another determined effort by the boys and girl in green and white. From the start Dorchester had their hosts on the back foot, Samantha Newbery and Freddie Madgwick combined well in the second row and with Callum King tackling ferociously, the diminuitive Ben Jessup at scrum half had plenty of ball to work with. This was gratefully accepted by Harry Smith Will Holmes and Kieran Fry who all made probing runs but also defended well when required. It was captain Lawton who put Dorchester in front with a typical bulldozing run. Dorchester then had to defend their line and it was all hands to the deck with wingers Josh Peel, JJ and Luke ‘Safe Hands’ Doherty at full back all making the tackles at the right time. However the pressure mounted and Wimborne got the equalising try with the last play of the game. Wimborne 10 v 5 Dorchester The third game saw Dorchester take the field looking a little tired and they fell behind to an early try. On the wing Connor Skelland had another immense game where his improving defensive game came to the fore. Henry Dale defied his build and played aggressively at the breakdown ensuring Wimborne were not allowed to settle. Another breakaway score flattered the hosts, but Dorchester have developed a never say die attitude and they slowly fought their way back into an enthralling game, and it was Lawton who got the try that gave them hope. However the physical demands of 3 games had taken the toll and they just couldn’t find that important 2nd score. Afterwards Team Manager and Attack Coach Pete King had nothing but praise for the players who did all they were asked and more. Well done!! Team: Dale, David, Doherty, Fry, Holmes, Jessup, King, Lawton, Madgwick, Newbery, Peel, Skelland, Smith, Trenchard Vallance Taunton 21 v 10 Dorchester In probably the worst conditions either team have ever played, both sides conjured up a highly entertaining game of rugby. With the rain and mud adding to the spectacle, in fact it was only the referee who had trouble staying on his feet! The hosts started the brighter and found themselves a converted try up within 3 minutes. This galvanised Dorchester who put together some very slick moves involving both forwards and backs, keeping the ball alive meant Taunton were constantly on the back foot defensively. With the Dorchester pack certainly in the ascendancy in the scrum, ground was quickly gained, and with the ball being made available Dorchester soon found themselves camped on their hosts try line, following several rucks the always impressive Stephen Trenchard crashed through a pile of bodies to touch down. From the restart Dorchester were on the offensive, Harry Smith made a searing break only to be tackled 5 metres out. From turnover ball Taunton cleared their lines, This time it was Will Holmes who made great break aided by some good support play from Kieron Fry, with the ball recycled quickly scrum half James Bickley weaved his way through to give Dorchester the lead, unfortunately Smith missed both conversion attempts. The game developed in to a finely balanced affair with neither side willing to give anything away. With the final play of the half Taunton managed to slip through a couple of tackles and earned another converted try. The second half took the pattern of the first with Taunton adding another very quick converted try. The game was certainly far from over and Dorchester worked tirelessly upfront to impose themselves Lewis White and Charlie Harries put in strong performances, assisted by Ben Vallance, Evan Cumber Henry Dale Freddie Madgwick and Sam Newbery who proved more than a match for their larger opponents up front. Ben Jessup looked sharp at scrum half coupled with an assured performance by Jack Wood the visitors never gave up. At full back Luke Doherty looked comfortable and with Connor Skelland have a good game on the wing with some strong tackling, this was real team performance. In the end a couple of missed kicks and some knock ons at crucial moments meant Dorchester lost a game that was theirs to win. In the absence of Director of Rugby Peter James (away on a scouting mission) Fitness Coach Kevin White was left to rue some missed tackles that lost the game. Team: Bickley, Cumber, Dale, Doherty, Fry, Harries, Holmes, Jessup, Madgwick, Newbery, Skelland, Smith, Trenchard, Vallance, White, Wood. Dorchester 19 v 21 Lytchett
A very tight game played against a vastly improved
Lytchett side., Dorchester lost in a six try feast by just two points 21-19. This weeks report was brought to you by ‘Sports Cub reporter’ Peter James! Under 12s County Cup Festival After a season of much promise, and with some very good performances under their belts, Dorchester entered this Festival full of confidence, unfortunately this again proved not to be Dorchesters day. Drawn in a group along with Blandford, Sherborne and North Dorset, hopes were high. In the first game Dorchester had the game won up front but as has happened too often in the past, this superiority could not be turned into points. Playing on a very narrow pitch the opportunities to get the ball wide were very few, and when it was possible the ball was invariably dropped. Blandford defended well but never looked like scoring. The game ended as it started 0-0. The second game against North Dorset was Dorchesters worst performance of the morning. Nothing seemed to go right, very little possession, scrum unusually under pressure and a North Dorset side that were much more up for the game, and who took a deserved 14-0 lead in at half time. The second half was better and at least Dorchester competed, however they left it too late and were definitely second best. Against Sherborne, Dorchester finally woke up, and to be honest there was very little between each side with both defences refusing to give any ground. With several players playing out of position Dorchester finally had some shape to their game. Both sides tried to get the ball wide but that score proving elusive. With the seconds ticking by it seemed the game was drifting to a fair 0-0 draw, however, Sherborne managed to get the ball through and scored with the final play of the game which was converted. Afterwards Team Manager Andrew Smith commented that in fact for 2 out of 3 games the players did well and could have sneaked a win, however, although some of the play was disappointing the team had rediscovered some form towards the end. Team: Bickley, Doherty, Harries, Holland, James, King, Madgwick, Makepeace, Newbery, Smith, Trenchard, Vallance, White, Wood, Fry, Holmes. Chard 21 v 35 Dorchester Another competent display by Dorchester against a Chard side that refused to lie down and who gave a good account of themselves. Opting to play down the slope in the first half, Dorchester were soon putting their hosts under pressure. Callum King back from injury made a storming comeback, with the ferocity of his tackles needing to be seen to be believed. The County Town side used their backs well where their handling and pace are causing trouble to all opponents. From a scrum in their own half Dorchester won quick ball and Fly half Jack Wood showed great pace and angle of running from 30 yards out to score Dorchester's first. From the restart Dorchester were guilty of napping and Chard got the equalising touch down. This was Dorchester's only lapse of the first period, and they made Chard work very hard, with direct running from King, Charlie Harries and Lewis White which set up the backs to gain valuable ground. However it was King who powered his way over to restore Dorchester's lead. Shortly after Ripper Makepeace came round the blindside of a ruck caught Chards defence unawares and ran in opposed. Shortly after this King crashed his way over following some great work between him and Freddie Madgwick. Dorchester should have extended their lead but Chard defended well. Harry Smith successfully kicked all 4 conversions to give Dorchester a healthy lead. Chard were quick off the blocks in the second half using the slope to their advantage, and were rewarded with a converted try. Dorchester responded well with Evan Cumber and Sam Newbery leading the push and it was King who provided the all important touch down, Smith added the points from the conversion. Dorchester continued to look for another score but couldn’t find a way through. Toby Amphlett and Josh Peel played well on the wing and Luke Doherty gave an assured performance at Full Back and looked very confident under the high ball. However the second half belonged to Chard who added another converted try to their score. Dorchester were however comfortable winners. Afterwards Fitness Coach Kevin White felt the win was due as much to the boys’ fitness and condition as well as their undoubted ability. Team: Amphlett, Cumber, Doherty, Fry, Harries, James, King, Madgwick, Makepeace, Newbery, Peel, Smith, Trenchard, Vallance, White, Wood Blandford 0 v 14 Dorchester It quite difficult conditions underfoot Dorchester mastered these very early on as they dealt well with a well organised Blandford side. Once again it was in the pack that Dorchester secured an early advantage with Ripper Makepeace taking several against the head at the early scummages. The game saw a welcome return for scrum half Ali James after 6 weeks out, he returned showing the same form prior to his lay off. With the pack securing plenty of quality ball, James and Fly Half Jack Wood used the possession wisely and it was from a set piece that Dorchester took the lead. With the ball fed out quickly, Harry Smith on the loop created the extra man out wide and he went over for his sides first, he added the points from the conversion. The rest of the half was very much Dorchester’s in terms of possession, which they couldn’t seem to convert to points. The second followed very much the pattern of the first, except with the wind in their favour Dorchester pinned their hosts in their own 22. From a Dorchester lineout Lewis White caught the ball and bulldozed his way over from 10 yards, Smith added the conversion. Blandford competed well but couldn’t find any way through the visitors well marshalled defence. Dorchester conceded a lot of penalties through tackles being too high, fortunately their hosts didn’t make them pay. This was a thoroughly competent performance by Dorchester to secure this win. Dorchester 14 v 26 Wimborne In the second match of this triangular, Dorchester were quick out of the blocks and soon had Wimborne defending desperately. As the half developed the game was evenly balanced. Dorchester's Henry Dale had another immense performance in the 2nd row. Dorchester drove well from the set piece. From a lineout Dorchester formed a well executed maul, which crossed the line and it was Ben Vallance who got the all important touch down for his first ever try in the green and white of Dorchester. Harry Smith added the conversion. With control of the game Dorchester set about extending their lead and it was Lewis White who crashed over for his second of the morning. Smith again kicked the conversion. Just before the end of the first half Wimborne got a converted try. The second half belonged entirely to Wimborne who ran in 3 tries 2 of which were converted. Unfortunately for Dorchester the players heads seem to drop and they couldn’t find a way back into the game. As in the first game Dorchester conceded too many penalties that affected the flow of the game. Their were some notable performances from Ben Vallance, Henry Dale and the fast improving Will Holmes. After the game Backs Coach Mike Harries felt overall that this was a good performance, although the tackling at times was disappointing. The boys know what to expect at Tuesday nights training session. Team: Amphlett, Bickley, Dale, David, Fry, Harries, Holland, Holmes, James, Jessup, King, Madgwick, Makepeace, Newbery, Peel, Smith, Trenchard, Vallance, Wood, Youngs Bournemouth 28 v 0 Dorchester The same score-line as the home match at Coburg Road earlier this season, however disappointing the result may have been, Dorchester lost by playing well below their best which is probably the biggest positive coming from this game. Bournemouth were definitely more hungry for the ball and their well drilled defence gave Dorchester no time to think, which caused numerous forced errors which the home side capitalised on by running in 3 converted first half tries to go into the break with a healthy lead. A tough half time talk by skills coach Martyn Peel left the players knowing exactly what was expected of them in the second period, and despite conceding a soft try, the players dug in defended well and at times asked questions of the Bournemouth side which they hadn’t done in the first period. Props Charlie Harries and Lewis White had solid games up front ably backed up by Stephen Trenchard and Freddie Madgwick in the 2nd Row. It was the backs that disappointed with what little ball was secured being squandered with passes going astray. In the end Dorchester can have no complaints as they were beaten by a better side, but the players all know they are capable of much more. Bournemouth 5 v Dorchester 14 A much more even game which saw a tightly contested first half with neither side giving much away, although the home side always looked the more likely to score somehow they couldn’t find a way through thanks to some desperate defending by Dorchester. As the half went on Dorchester began to impose themselves and gradually started to gain territory, however they too couldn’t find away to score and the half finished scoreless. The second half saw the home side start brightly, they nicked a lineout on Dorchester's 5 metre line and went over for a deserved try. This seemed the wake up call that Dorchester needed. From the restart Bournemouth went on the attack, however Dorchester were ready for them, with some great work up front by Evan Cumber, Henry Dale and Samantha Newbery, debut centre Will Holmes collected the ball from deep inside his own half, powering his way down the wing he crashed through 3 tackles before touching down between the posts. Harry Smith added the conversion. Almost from the restart Holmes found space down the right side as he was tackled he offloaded to Smith who was in support but the was bundled into touch. At this point Dorchester were in the ascendancy and when Toby Amphlett went on one his mazey runs another score was inevitable although Amphlett injured himself touching down. Smith added the points to extend the lead. This was a game which saw an excellent debut by Will Holmes and some assured performances from the improving Josh Peel, Connor Skelland and Cameron Janes who never gave up. After the game Skills Coach Martyn Peel said “although their were some good performances today there were far to many basic errors committed” Team:Amphlett, Bickley, Cumber, Dale, David, Doherty, Fry, Harries, Holland, Holmes, Janes, Jessup, Madgwick, Makepeace, Newbery, Peel, Skelland, Smith, Trenchard, White, Wood, Youngs. Oakmedians 0 v 49 Dorchester This game was as one sided as the scoreline suggests. From the start Oakmedians had no answer to the skill levels and execution of set piece plays by their visitors. Dorchester were again dominant up front where Lewis White is growing in stature week by week, aided by some excellent line out work by 2nd row pair of Stephen Trenchard and Freddie Madgwick , this with the physical strength and skill of Callum King at No 8, Dorchester now have a pack to be reckoned with. Securing possession allowed the backs to run freely at the opposition. First over was Kieron Fry. Next up was Big J following the best move of the game starting over on the left hand side the ball was passed quickly and with each player taking it at pace ground was quickly gained, King fed the ball to Big J who still had to shrug off 2 tackles before touching down. Straight from the restart Dorchester were on the attack again, aided by some weak tackling Fry went over for his second try, he completed his hat-trick just before half time. Harry Smith coolly slotted all 4 conversions to give Dorchester a healthy half time lead. If the hosts thought the second half would be any easier they were mistaken. The ball knocked on by the home full back, was scooped up by Callum King who was unstoppable from 10 yards out. Dorchester continued on the offensive, at times their speed of play and quick thinking caused growing panic in the home defence, the half back pairing of Ben Jessup and Jack Wood worked very well and the both used the ball intelligently. Chris Lawton capped a fine display when went over, before Callum King rounded off an excellent performance with his second try of the game. Smith maintained his 100% kicking performance with 3 successful conversions. Oakmedians 14 v Dorchester 31 The second game of the morning allowed some of the newer players to display their growing talent. Despite falling behind to an early converted try, they didn’t allow their heads to drop, and stuck to the task of imposing themselves on the game. Jacob Holland playing at No 8 had an immense game, using his experience he led the pack well and was rewarded with the equalising try. With the bit between their teeth Dorchester set about their hosts with another fine display of handling and keeping the ball alive. Their hard work reaped dividends when Kieron Fry went over. King was successful with one conversion. The second half again saw Dorchester impose themselves and left Oakmedians reeling. With a level of confidence not seen before all the players looked at ease with ball in hand, Connor Skelland, Josh Peel and Will Youngs all made great runs only to be pulled up short of the try line. This style of play allowed Dorchester to run in further tries by Holland, King and Fry two of which were converted. Oaks had the last say though with a well worked try from the base of the scrum in the last play of the game. Attack Coach Pete King was almost lost for words as he felt the display in both games was so good that whatever he said didn’t do justice to the hard work and discipline shown by his players. Team: Bickley, Cumber, Dale, David, Doherty, Fry, Holland, Janes, Jessup, King, Lawton, Madgwick, Makepeace, Newbery, Peel, Skelland, Smith, Trenchard, White, Wood, Youngs Sherborne 7 v 12 Dorchester Today's first game of the morning marked two firsts. Dorchester Under 12s first ever victory over Sherborne, and Sherborne's first defeat of the season. Dorchester took a decision to take only 16 players for the fixture in recognition of the quality of the opposition and the squad size of Sherborne (18). This meant all the boys got a lot of game time. Playing down the slope in the first half, Dorchester shaded territory and possession but the home defence was equal to the task. As the half went on Dorchester established a solid platform created by the pack. Props Lewis White and Charlie Harries showing good thinking, by picking and driving and making good ground against a determined opposition. With Callum King finding his feet in the No; 8 position and combining well with Alex Bradley Dorchester started to exert pressure and it was from this that King went to give Dorchester the lead with the last play of the half. The home side obviously felt that they would have an advantage in the second half with the visitors playing up the slope, Dorchester had other ideas, and set up several phases of play. From a scrum 10 metres out, Ali James used the blind side well and with Alex Bradley coming in as the spare man crashed over to extend the lead. King kicked the conversion. Sherborne gradually got back into the game and finally got some reward when they drove over for a try midway through the second half which was converted. The rest of game was evenly balanced with neither side able to add to their score. Both sets of players tackled hard, but in the end Dorchester were good value for the win. Sherborne 14 v 14 Dorchester Sherborne came out with a little more purpose in this second game, and had obviously decided to spread the ball wide, however they were too lateral and made little ground against the Dorchester defence ably marshalled by Jack Wood and Harry Smith. They continued to press hard and slowly gained ground, And this hard work paid off when they ran in a simple try which was converted. Dorchester seemed a little out of the game at this stage and fell further behind to another well work converted try. The second half belonged entirely to Dorchester who showed great character in over turning the deficit. Using their superior forward power they exerted extreme pressure on the home defence and it was Callum King who crossed for his second of the morning, he duly added the conversion. Spurred on by this Dorchester went out looking for the equalising score. With Kieron Fry, Harry Smith and Jack Wood all looking for ways through, it was the forwards who once again provided the platform, this time it was Jacob Holland who was the beneficiary as he wriggled through 2 tackles to score. King added the conversion. The game soon ended as a draw. After the game Director of Rugby Peter James would only say that this was the best performance this side has put in since his involvement 3 years ago. Each player did exactly as they were asked and he could not demand more. Well done. Team: Amphlett, Bickley, Bradley, Doherty, Fry, Harries, Holland, James, Jessup, King, Lawton, Smith, Trenchard, Vallance, White, Wood. Dorchester 14 v 21 Swanage & Wareham Another highly entertaining match in which both sides gave their all, and in fairness a draw would have fairly reflected the game, however Swans took their chances when they came. The first period belonged entirely to Dorchester who once again dominated the set piece play, in particular the lineouts where Chris Lawton and Australian bound Alex Bradley both destroyed the Swans attempts at control. With Swanage on the back foot, Dorchester started to press the advantage in terms of possession, although Swans defended desperately the Dorchester front row of Lewis White, Stephen Trenchard and Ben Vallance were proving too much for their opposite numbers with some excellent pick and driving, this inevitably opened up some gaps and with Harry Smith playing at fly half he used the ball wisely and Jacob Holland showing great vision in joining the line crashed over to give Dorchester the lead. Callum King slotted the conversion. From the restart Dorchester were on the offensive again, panic at times struck the Swans defence and a speculative kicked clearance fell nicely for Callum King who is unstoppable from 15 yards out as he touched down as well as adding the conversion. The second period saw Dorchester make several positional changes, and this always unsettles the side and Swans capitalised on this and for the first time in the match Dorchester had to defend. Will Batt making his debut at full back was more than up to the task, three times he made a try saving tackle, this with several good breaks with the ball in hand means that the squad have another promising addition. Swans were very patient in their build up and were rewarded with a well taken try which was converted. The rest of the period remained evenly poised and Dorchester were unlucky not to add to their score when they were held up. Both sides agreed to play a third period and Dorchester made further changes. Swans by this time were in the ascendancy and kept the ball alive with some great passing out of the tackle, this is always difficult to play against and they got their reward with their second try which was converted. Dorchester struggled to gain much for 10 minutes or so and conceded what proved to be the decisive score thanks to 2 or 3 missed tackles. It was only in the dying minutes that Dorchester mounted any sort of attack but ultimately couldn’t find a way through. After the match Director of Rugby Peter James felt his team had played well and should have come away with a result, but needed to be more clinical in their finishing. Team: Amphlett, Batt, Bickley, Bradley, Cumber, Dale, David, Davies R, Doherty, Fry, Holland, James, Jessup, King, Lawton, Madgwick, Makepeace, Peel, Skelland, Smith, Trenchard, Vallance, White, Wood, Lytchett Minster 7 v 14 Dorchester Another closely contested match, in which Dorchester played extremely well, but somehow only managed to score twice. The first half belonged entirely to the county town side, with the hosts having virtually no possession and winning very little ball at the set pieces. Dorchester were very quick out of the blocks from the start and the Lytchett defence were on the back foot immediately. With Dorchester's superior power upfront they were able to give their potent backs plenty of ball, the only question remaining unanswered is how they managed to go in at the break one converted try up, this courtesy of Callum King who is making a strong return after injury. Ripper Makepeace was unlucky though to have a try disallowed for touching down over a non-existent dead-ball line. The second half saw Dorchester make several changes, and Lytchett immediately took the game to the visitors, and for the first five minutes of the half Dorchester looked decidedly wobbly as the replacements struggled to find their feet, however they soon grew in confidence. Lytchett were well rewarded for their enterprising play with a well worked try which was converted to bring the scores level. The rest of the game was evenly poised although Dorchester probably shaded both possession and territory, and they threatened to take the lead again but the home defence was up to the task. Ben Jessup finally got the winning try with a darting run from the base of a scrum 10 metres out, King added the conversion. In the end Lytchett could not find another try and their disappointment at the final whistle was only too clear to see. Backs Coach Mike Harries, felt this was a confident display by his players and reckons the best is yet to come. Team: Amphlett, Bradley, Cumber, Dale, David, Davies R, Doherty, Fry, Harries, Holland, James, Janes, Jessup, King, Madgwick, Makepeace, Peel, Skelland, Trenchard, Vallance White, Wood, Youngs. Dorchester B 24 v 14 Bournemouth B A well contested game of rugby between two evenly matched sides saw the hosts run out worthy winners. The County Town youngsters were quicker off the blocks and with all the players putting in their share of tackles, the visitors started to look hesitant in defence. It wasn’t long before Dorchester made the pressure tell. Winning plenty of ball at the set piece, scrum half James Bickley fed the ball quickly to his backs, full back Harry Smith joined the line on a good angle, passing the ball from the tackle he gave Craig Martin a well timed pass who then did well to cross the line, Smith added the points for a conversion before leaving the field with a groin strain. The visitors started to impose themselves but couldn’t find their way through a well marshalled defence. Dorchester came back on the counter attack and the impressive Kieron Fry found himself in space and touched down safely to extend the lead, Callum King was successful with the conversion. Just before half time the home side were guilty of napping when Bournemouth crossed the line following a tap penalty which was then converted. The second half saw Dorchester continue to play well with increasing confidence. Samantha Newbery at hooker played at her best and showed why she has become the youngest girl to win a county cap, her line out throwing always found her man. The forwards well led by Alex Bradley were always quick to the breakdown ensuring the visitors had to live off scraps. Craig Martin touched down for his second following some great passing moves involving at least six phases of play. Momentarily Bournemouth got back in the game with another converted try. From the restart Kings drop kick bounced into the in-goal area, with indecision striking the Bournemouth full back Craig Martin nipped in touch down for his third. This turned out to be the last play of the match. Dorchester A 0 v 28 Bournemouth A Despite the final scoreline this was an excellent performance from the hosts with the difference being that Bournemouth had a physically stronger pack which gradually wore down Dorchester's pack. That said for much of the game there was only one converted score in it, and although Dorchester never really looked liked scoring neither did the visitors! The makeshift front row of Lewis White, Luke Doherty and Billy Davies gave no ground to their bigger opponents and with Bradley and Lawton working tirelessly they made sure it wasn’t all one way traffic. The second half saw Dorchester tire, despite the best efforts of Ali James who again looked sharp at scrum half Jacob Holland and Kieron Fry who both tackled their hearts out. This game also saw Callum King back at his tackling best with some bone-crunching tackles in midfield! Despite all this Bournemouth ran in 3 converted tries without reply for a well earned victory. Paul Joy (Bournemouth Head Coach was complementary on Dorchester's performance commenting on how much they had improved from last season) Director of Rugby Peter James, was full of praise for his players stating that for the first time this season every player had contributed 100%, especially pleasing was the number of tackles that each player put in, given that some players were only playing their second game of rugby. Team: Amphlett, Bickley, Bradley, Cumber, Dale, David, Davidson, Davies B, Davies R, Doherty, Holland, James, King, Lawton, Madgwick, Newbery, Skelland, Smith, Vallance, White, Fry, Martin. Strength in depth was the key difference between these two sides. Dorchester with a squad of nearly 30 players were always going to be too strong for their visitors, who turned up with just 11 players and had to borrow 2 Dorchester forwards for the whole game. From the start Dorchester were up on Blandford and gave them no room to move, forcing them back at the breakdown and all their second phase ball was taken on the back foot. A welcome return for Callum King from injury saw him inject strength and vision at inside centre with some typical strong running. The extra tackling and rucking drills at training are starting to pay off with all the Dorchester players putting in their share of big hits. Distribution from Ali James was excellent which enabled the backs to run some good angles, which caused the Blandford defence all sorts of problems. However it was the tireless Stephen Trenchard playing at 2nd row who forced his way over for the first score, King kicked the extra points for the conversion. From the restart the home side were on the offensive immediately and with some quick hands excellent rucking and consequent quick ball saw Jacob Holland go over for Dorchester's second try, again King kicked the conversion. Although much of the play was one-way Blandford never gave up and scrummaged well and put in a huge number of tackles. With the pace of the game being dictated by Dorchester it was only a matter of time before they added to their score this time it was Toby Amphlett who weaved his way through to score, King maintained his 100% kicking record. Dorchester should have had further scores but one or two players became greedy and rather than pass tried to take on too many players with the result of scoring chances being missed. The second half saw Dorchester replace the whole side. There were some excellent performances notably from Billy Davies playing at prop who tackled his heart out and went on some bulldozing runs. Kieron Fry on his debut also looked assured with the ball in hands and wasn’t afraid to tackle. Unfortunately the scoring in this half belonged to Blandford. Their first try coming from a quickly taken penalty 5 metres out with Dorchester asleep allowing their scrum half the easiest of touch downs which was converted. Dorchester responded with some great passing but just couldn’t find their way through. Blandford were growing in confidence and it wasn’t long before they added to the score this time the conversion was missed. The game was evenly balanced however Blandford just couldn’t make up the points difference and it ended in a deserved victory for the hosts. After the match Attack Coach Pete King, was keen to emphasise that this was all about a squad effort and that everyone played a part especially those boys that played for Blandford. However one player worthy of mention was Big J who played out of position at fly half and had an absolute blinder. With current County Cup Champions Bournemouth visiting next Sunday it promises to be an exciting mornings rugby. Team: Amphlett, Bickley, Bradley, Cumber, Dale, David, Davidson, Davies B, Doherty, Fry, Holland, James, Janes, Jessup, King, Lawton, Madgwick, Makepeace, Martin, Skelland, Smith, Trenchard, Vallance, White, Wood. Dorchester B v 28 Chichester 26 Despite the scoreline this was a gutsy performance by the Dorchester lads, some of whom have not played a serious game of rugby before. Leading the way was Ben Vallance who had an awesome game in the front row. Chichester as Dorchester found out last season were well drilled and executed their moves to a high standard. However they didn’t have it all their own and some determined work by Vallance and Henry Dale in the 2nd row meant that the visitors knew they were in for a hard game. The smallest player on the pitch Ben Jessup had a good game at scrum half with some sniping runs from the base of rucks and the scrum causing his opposite number all sorts of problems. Despite all this the difference was that Chichester took their chances running in 4 tries 3 of which were converted. Dorchester nearly had a consolation try which was disallowed for an earlier knock on. Disappointing result, excellent performance. Dorchester A 21 v 0 Chard Like the game before this was a game which was hugely encouraging, for the Dorchester Coaching team. Like the first game the home pack put in a tremendous collective performance, securing quality ball which allowed the half back pairing of Ali James and Jack Wood to use the pace and strength out wide to ensure a convincing win. First on the scoresheet was Wood who cut round the blindside following a scrum and crossed unopposed, Harry Smith added the points from a conversion. Chard stepped up a gear and had several promising moves only for the final pass to go astray and it stayed one score apart at the break. The second half saw Dorchester come out keen to add to their score. Following several phases of play Chris Lawton found himself in space following some excellent interplay with back row Alex Bradley and Lawton needed no further help to crash over, once again Smith converted. Dorchester kept battering away Big J had a couple of searing runs on the wing only to be hauled up just short. With Chard threatening to score the home side won an important scrum on their own line against the head, Wood kicked downfield with Smith in pursuit, Smith picked the ball up in one hand and outpaced the defence to score he again was successful with the kick. Chard worked hard to the end and should be congratulated on never giving up. Of particular note it was pleasing to see Charlie Harries complete his first game for 10 months following a career threatening ankle injury. Dorchester 0 v 35 Chichester A disappointing final game of the morning which saw Dorchester soundly beaten. In fairness it is unlikely that the home side will come up against such well organised rugby as they did today. Like the first game Chichester didn’t have it all their own way especially upfront where the forward coaching is reaping reward, the difference was out wide where it was a pleasure to see such good handling and good lines of running being taken. Chichester ran in 7 tries all of which were converted. Billy Davies and Connor Skelland both turned in promising debuts. The game also saw the welcome return of Toby Amphlett who has spent 3 years playing football, and much to the delight of his parents has decided he wants to play rugby again! Skills Coach Martin Peel said at the post match press conference that the 3 games this morning gave him and fellow coaches Peter James, Mike Harries Pete King and Kevin White plenty to work on in the coming weeks and that the foundations of a successful season are there to be worked on. Squad: Amphlett, Bradley, Cumber, Dale, Big J, Davidson, Davies B, Davies R, Doherty, Harries, Holland, James, Janes, Jessup, Lawton, Madgwick, Makepeace, Peel, Skelland, Smith, Trenchard, Vallance, White, Wood. |
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