Dorchester Under 13s marked the conclusion of their 2007/8 campaign with their traditional end of season tour which once again was expertly organised by Martyn ‘I was born to tour’ Peel. The tour party consisted of 25 players and 19 adults who boarded the coach in Dorchester dressed in beach gear with appropriate fines for anyone not joining in the fun! After a brief stop at a motorway service station for a splash and dash the tour party arrived at Guildford and Godalming Rugby Club (Lead Coach Peter James played rugby here in the late 1980s and early 1990s and despite being recognised was still allowed in) More interesting though was the discovery of a sepia photo showing a youthful Ian Madgwick turning out for the club many years previously!
On to the serious stuff, normally Dorchester Under 13s are sleepy after a long journey and take a while to settle, this game though surely showed a change with the boys signalling their intentions from the start with some hard tackles and great running rugby. It was clear from the end of the first half that Guildford knew they were in a game. The second half saw Dorchester complete the demolition of their hosts with the final score standing at 50-19.
The evening saw the party descend on The Spectrum Centre for 10 pin bowling ,ice skating food and beer for the adults.
The Sunday saw the tour party travel to Sutton and Epsom where Peely used to play until he was transferred out to Dorchester. The first game saw Dorchester up against a well drilled and skilful side and although they lost 20-7 they were by no means outplayed and for large spells of the game were more than a match, a couple of breakaway tries at the end gave the final scoreline a flattering look. The second game saw Dorchester regain the upperhand with a hard earned 26-17 victory with some unlikely kickers scoring conversions.
After the post match food and drinks the tour party moved on to Twickenham where they enjoyed a tour of the stadium and museum of rugby which everyone enjoyed. This was a great weekend and the most pleasing aspect was that all the organisations we came into contact with made the point of saying how impressed they were with the boys behaviour and attitude well done everyone!!
Dorchester 45 v 17 North Dorset
A comprehensive victory saw Dorchester dispatch their visitors back to the North of the county with them wondering how Dorchester have improved so much when in the past they have always had the upper hand. This victory not only gave Dorchester a bonus point win but also enhanced their chances of a play off place!.
From the start Dorchester were the better side and took the lead when Smith floated the ball to Callum King who went over. This sparked some good play by the home side and it wasn’t long before Connor Gould added a further try. Not to be outdone Chris Lawton aka Chabald touched down before Will Holmes scored following a clever move. King added 3 conversions to give Dorchester a healthy 26 – 0 lead at the break.
The coaching staff made numerous changes at half time to give all the players a chance and this unsettled the home side and allowed North Dorset two touch downs one of which was converted. This Dorchester side are a resilient outfit and they weren’t finished yet. Callum King got his second before Freddie Madgwick took advantage of some hesitance in North Dorsets’ defence to snatch the ball and score. King completed the scoring and a further 2 conversions before the visitors got a consolation score.
The surprise at the size of the defeat was evident by the looks on the faces of The North Dorset coaches, but nothing surprises the Dorchester coaching team and it was left to Team Manager Andrew Smith to take the post match press conference and he said that today’s performance is another stepping stone towards making this Dorchester side a force to be reckoned with.
Dorchester RFC Under 13s
A rare defeat for the County Town boys which was no disgrace against a well organised Bournemouth side. The first 10 minutes of the game were well balanced with much of the play in the Dorchester half, with the visitors defending well. However the hosts started to dominate and it was only a matter of time before they got on the score sheet with a try. From the restart Bournemouth applied further pressure and added 3 points from a penalty kick and went in at the break with an 8 point lead.
The second half saw Dorchester defending from the start and from a ruck in their 22 the referee adjudged a Dorchester player to have killed the ball, he not only sin binned the player but harshly awarded a penalty try as well. This galvanised the boys in green and white and they took the game to Bournemouth with some aggressive tackling and good lines of running. Callum King ran from deep in his own half using his speed and strength he proved unstoppable and went in under the posts, he added the conversion for good measure. Dorchester were now looking dangerous but couldn’t find another score and with the last play of the game Bournemouth touched down in the corner.
Dorchester 40 v 0 Sutton & Epsom
A break of four weeks since their last game has done nothing to disrupt the County Town youngsters performances on the rugby field. Welcoming touring side Sutton & Epsom to Coburg Road the home side recorded another comprehensive victory and even more rewarding was no points conceded. In recent months the boys in green and white have been playing with flair and imagination, and this game was no exception. Dorchester set about their visitors in determined fashion and Callum King got 2 early tries to settle the nerves, the best of these was from turnover ball on the half way line, wing Toby Amphlett floated a long pass to King in space who beat off 3 tacklers to go in under the posts, half time 14-0.
The second half saw the visitors mount some early pressure but had nothing to show for it, King against the run of play completed his hat trick. With Dorchester having all the possession and territory they extended their lead when Harry Smith split the defence with a nice step to go in under the posts.. Next up James Bickley secured ball from a ruck deep in Dorchesters 22 and ran the length of the pitch to cross the line. Will Holmes capped a competent display with a strong run down the wing to cross the try line. King added 5 conversions. This game saw a welcome return from injury for Ali James and Evan Cumber.
It was difficult to say whether Blandford weren’t good enough or Dorchester were too good, and to be fair to Blandford it was the latter. In all areas of the game Dorchester were too strong and slick. From Utility forward French Ben Rubrecht to new boy Josh Foot on the wing every player in green and white played out of their skin. From the start it was clear the home side were going to have a long morning, from a simple play Dorchester created a one man overlap and the benefit went to the try scoring machine that is Callum King who took the ball at place and easily shrugged off two tacklers to go in under the posts. From the restart Blandford mounted one of their few attacks but the visiting defence was up to the task well marshalled by Lewis White they kept there hosts out drove them back and mounted a counter attack.
At this point in the game Dorchester were growing in ascendency and confidence and moves practised in training were being executed to perfection. Stand in scrum half Jack Wood played wit assurance and his delivery to fly half Harry Smith allowed the latter to feed his back line and they needed no invitation to run at the opposition and from this free flowing rugby King touched down 3 more times and kicked 2 conversions to give Dorchester a 24-0 lead at the break.
The second half saw Blandford gradually tire as Dorchesters superior fitness took its toll, using the wind and slope to their advantage by kicking the ball into the corners and using Will Holmes to chase, constantly put the Blandford full back under pressure. 2 Will Holmes tries (one from a penalty move which made Pete James exclaim “Happy Days”) a Kieran Fry score 2more touchdowns from King and the pick of the morning was a driving maul which allowed Ben Vallance to crash over and cap a fine performance in the second row. 2 conversions from King completed the scoring before props Lewis White and Charlie Harries both missed from in front of the posts.
After the game Fitness Coach Kevin White considered this to be the boys most complete performance of the season, he said he would miss the next few weeks but he will be in Florida looking at possible venues for pre season training camp.
Team: Batt, Bickley, Foot, Fry, Harries, Holland, Holmes, King, Madgwick, Makepeace, Rubrecht, Smith, Trenchard, Vallance White, Wood.
Oakmeadians 10 v 32 Dorchester
Another bonus point win following a shaky start was the reward for the boys in green and white following this entertaining game in Bournemouth. When the sides met earlier in the year Dorchester managed a half century of points but this time their hosts had a game plan to contain the devastating pace of the Dorchester backs. This aided by some poor tackling allowed Oaks to take the lead after 2 minutes. A motivating talk by Skipper Charlie Harries allowed Dorchester to hit back almost immediately when Will Holmes broke down the blind side following a period of sustained pressure and forced his way over. From the restart JJ made good ground before offloading on the half way line to Callum King who used his speed strength and skill to evade all attempts to tackle and crash over to give Dorchester the lead. From this point the visitors started to impose themselves. Josh Foot at outside centre grew in confidence as the game went on and showed some good hands and wasn’t afraid to put in his share of the tackles.
Despite being up against a bigger pack Dorchester got the better at the majority of the scrums and Ben Jessup used this additional possession wisely. Oaks defended stoutly and managed to keep their visitors out. A series of rucks and mauls saw Dorchester gain valuable territory, Sam Pollard appeared from a pile of players with ball, as he was tackled a neat offload allowed play to continue and the benefactor was Chris Lawton (former Chabal look alike who with his new haircut has been renamed Chabald!) who went over in the corner. With Oaks now in disarray Dorchester extended their lead further again by Lawton who powered his way over for a second score. A Jack Wood conversion allowed the visitors to enter half time 22-5 up.
The second half again saw Dorchester asleep for the first few minutes but this time a score wasn’t conceded. Oaks were much more lively than the first period and at times their pacey centres threatened to cross however Dorchester's defence was up to the task. The scrum continued to operate well and Ben Clarke slotted in well. Several phases of play saw Harry Smith neatly site step his opposite number and over the white wash. The best was yet to come, a slick handling move following a scrum saw Toby Amphlett gain the ball out on the wing he accelerated passed the opposing wing cut inside than outside and then in under the posts. Oaks continued to press for another try and were rewarded for their efforts.
There then followed an incident which had to be seen to believed. Oaks conversion was rushed by Dorchester and the smallest man on the pitch (Ben Jessup) charged the kick down! The final minutes of the game were played out in Oaks 22, first of all Chris Lawton knocked on just short and from the resulting scrum, hooker Luke Doherty took another against the head, scrum half Ben Jessup darted for the line and when all he had to do was touch the ball down he managed to spill it with the final play of the game.
Team Manager Andrew Smith was pleased with his teams maturity, and felt that they thoroughly deserved their victory. A special mention to Kane Peacefull-Day who though not picked made the journey to support the team and ran the line. Thank you and well done Kane.
Team: Amphlett, Clarke, Dale, David, Doherty, Foot, Gould, Hallett, Harries, Holmes, Jessup, King, Lawton, Makepeace, Pollard, Skelland, Smith, Trenchard, White, Wood,
Dorchester 31 v 0 Lytchett Minster
A very physical game and the final score-line doesn’t do justice to Lytchett who put up a spirited display but were always second best against a Dorchester side who were made to fight for everyone of their 31 points. Each of the home side who took to the field did what was asked of them and a feature of this Under 13s squad is that there is a real strength in depth, and this is proving a problem for the selectors.
The first half saw Dorchester play up the slope and in to the wind but this didn’t stop them. They played patiently and waited for their chances and they of course came along. With Frank Budden playing at outside centre he showed good game sense that will only improve with a few more games. Ben Clarke playing in the 2nd row also equipped himself well. In recent weeks the Dorchester pack has been in impressive form and they took several against the head and it was from one of these that they worked a move with Callum King getting the touchdown. A second try again from King who benefitted from some quick handling from the half back pair of Ali James and Alex Hallett, this time Jack Wood kicked the conversion to give the home side a 12-0 half time lead.
If the visitors thought that numerous changes made by Dorchester for the second half would give them a chance they were mistaken, as the home side immediately applied pressure from the restart, and for the remainder of the half play seemed to be played out between Lytchetts 10 and 5 metre line as they defended heroically to keep the hosts out.
If scrummaging has improved so then has the line out and Connor Gould ruled the roost here as he stole plenty of ball, from a steal he set up a ruck with Chris Lawton taking the ball on only to be kept out, quick thinking from Gould saw him feed Lewis White who powered his way over from all of 2 metres (a distance he is unstoppable from!) for his first try of the season. From the restart Dorchester attacked again and from a scrum on Lytchetts 10 metre line again taken against the head Harry Smith took advantage of Lytchetts defence rushing up to make a break before offloading in the tackle to King who completed his hat-trick. The final score came from Lawton who seems to be coming back into form. Dorchester continued the pressure but were unable to find that additional try as Lytchett did everything they could to stop the hosts.
After the game Dave Rawles (the latest addition to the coaching staff) the scrummage coach was a happy man as he enthused over the players efforts not only in the set piece but also the loose.
Team: Amphlett, Clarke, David, Foot, Fry, Gould, Hallett, Harries, Holmes, James, Jessup, King, Lawton, Makepeace, Peel, Skelland, Smith, Trenchard, Vallance, White, Youngs, Budden, Wood, Peacefull-Day
Another long journey, another well deserved win. A sunny morning and a sticky pitch awaited the boys at Wellington. As is normal after an hour or so travelling Dorchester took a little while to settle whilst their hosts started brightly and only some strong tackling by the visitors midfield prevented Wellington from gaining a score.
A feature in recent weeks has been the improvement in Dorchester's rucking and mauling and this was evident again today. Despite having to face a bigger set of forwards, the pack (once again led well by Charlie Harries) showed that technique is just as important as they time and time again drove their opponents off the ball. From a scrum on Wellingtons 22 quick clean ball from scrum half Ali James allowed Harry Smith the time to change direction of attack by going down the blind side, a neat off load allowed Callum King the simplest of touch downs.
This seemed to galvanise the home side who struck back almost immediately and took the lead with a converted score. As the first half went on Dorchester started to impose themselves with some sensible play in the loose and controlled driving, this pressure saw them camp out close to Wellingtons line and after 6 or 7 phases of play James Bickley emerged from a maul and crossed the whitewash to give Dorchester a 10 – 7 lead at the break.
Wellingtons coach obviously said something at half time which seemed to lift his side and it was their turn to apply the pressure early on and they touched down within 2 minutes of the restart to take the lead again, however it was to be the last time they found themselves in front.
Dorchester found their rhythm again and took a stranglehold on the game with everyone playing their part, Lewis White put in 2 huge tackles. 3 tactical replacements also helped as Connor Gould brought some stability to the lineout. French Ben at hooker took over where Stephen Trenchard left off. A slick handling move saw Kieran Fry round the winger and go in under the posts.
Next up it was Will Holmes who used his size and pace to go over. The final Dorchester try went to King who was the beneficiary of a cross field kick by Smith, the ball had a kind bounce and King went under the posts for his second of the game. The home side had the last word as they scored a try in the last play of the game.
After the game Director of Rugby Peter James said that this was a performance full of determination and skill and was probably this sides best performance of the season.
Team: Amphlett, Batt, Bickley, Fry, Gould, Harries, Holland, Holmes, James, King, Lawton, Madgwick, Rubrecht, Skelland, Smith, Trenchard, White, Withnall-Dunne,
Dorchester travelled to a windy , but thankfully not wet, Wimborne for a late kick off, which was just as well as some players had failed to read the email on selection and timings for this w/end ! Jacob led the team well from No 8 and should have been better supported in the first half when Wimborne ran in four tries without reply. Unlike England, Dorchester did not gift the Wimborne boys their scores ,which were all scored out wide, but the boys must start to compete with more vigour in the tackle area and retain the ball once it is won.
The second half went better with Sam Pollard making some strong runs and Luke Doherty playing his first full game showing his usual tenacity. Will Batt at fullback was awesome in his tackling and was joined by Kane who made the tackle of the season on Wimborne’s superstar who looked sure to score. Kane’s smile of satisfaction of a a job well done was worth the trip. Alex Hallet looked more assured given a little bit more time in this half and Frank ran and tackled strongly against good opposition.
French Ben did not let his dad down playing with typical French flair in a variety of positions, a new Jean Pierre Rives at Flanker? Just proving that the front row are adaptable in all positions! It was good to see Lewis back from illness rumbling through the opposition and Max and Connor at last beginning to put their bulk about.
The final score of 36-0 was mainly due to the stronger Wimborne players, especially in the back row, just giving them the edge rather than lack of effort by the Dorchester players. There is a lot to learn from these games for both the players and coaches and interesting to see how the simple training ground routines and techniques fail to get used in a match situation, something for us all to work on.
Thanks to Wimborne who played,coached and refereed the game in an excellent spirit.
Team: Will Batt, Ben Clarke, Henry Dale, Josh Foot, Max Ford, Connor Gould, Jacob Holland, Ali James, Ben Jessup, Ripper, Josh Peel, Ben Rubrecht, Ben Vallance, Lewis White, Will Youngs, Sam Pollard, Frank Budden, KanePeacefull-Day, Luke Doherty and Alex Hallett
The home side were unsure what standard of opposition would be offered before the game so started with a strong line up and for the first 10 minutes it seemed that this was the right decision as Dorchester struggled to impose themselves. However following early tries from Will Holmes and Callum King the home side started to dominate. The pack up against much larger opposition proved that technique is so important and on several occasions put the squeeze on to great effect. This produced plenty of good quality ball for scrum half Ali James who had one of his best games yet in a green and white shirt. Following a slick move Harry Smith wriggled over to increase the lead.
To their credit Oaks didn’t give up and tackled hard however without any meaningful possession it was always going to be a long morning for the visitors. The first half saw a second score for King and a well worked try for Kieran Fry who jinxed his way through. King added one first half conversion.
The second half saw Dorchester secure the game with some excellent rugby which Oaks couldn’t counter a further two tries for Holmes and a third from King put the game beyond reach. At this point Dorchester used a large number of replacements and ended up having a complete new pack and for a while this affected their rythmn allowed Oaks to start playing some rugby as they mounted a series of attacks close to Dorchesters try line and on one occasion were held up. The resulting 5 metre scrum saw a collective effort by Dorchester pack securing the ball against the head King then cleared the ball upfield chasing his own kick the ball bounced kindly into his hands on the halfway line and he ran the rest of the pitch to score under the posts with the final play of the game. King added 2 second half conversions to take his team beyond the 50 point mark.
After the game Director of Rugby Peter James was pleased with the attitude of his players but felt that at times they should have taken an easier option, however this was a well worked win which will boost their confidence.
Team: Bickley,Dale, David, Doherty, Harries, Holland, James, King, Hallett, Lawton, Madgwick, Makepeace, Peel, Smith, Clarke, Rubrecht, Pollard, Fry, Holmes, Trenchard, Vallance, Withnall-Dunne, Wood, Ford, Peel
At last a Sunday morning without a gale force wind and torrential rain. The whole squad were well turned out for their team photo with our shirt sponsor Shaun Hearn, so look out for the picture in the echo. Bournemouth arrived with their full squad but as previously agreed between opposing coaches the game was played between the development squads. This gave a game at long last to several Dorchester lads who had not played as much as we had hoped in this first half of the season.
Three thirds of 20 minutes were played and Bournemouth started the stronger with their forwards producing some excellent close play, picking and driving through the heart of the Dorchester defence. Despite some courageous tackling three tries were scored in quick succession but Dorchester did not let their heads drop and the pack lead by example from the play of Jacob Holland started to compete. The backs led by Jack Wood at full back matched their opponents and both Will Youngs and Kane Peaceful-Day put in good tackles and supported well in attacking play.
It was good to see Luke Doherty back from injury and he helped the front row of Ben V and Ben C scrummage well against much larger opponents. Sam Pollard in his first start for the club played hard and helped Henry Dale in the tight mauls. Bournemouth managed three tries in the second third all coming again from their strong forward loose play. The last twenty minutes saw some good running and tackling from the backs with Alex Hallett combining with the new inside centre Josh Foot, both read the game well and with the speedster Toby Amphlett outside them it was a shame they did not get some better quality ball. Bournemouth who had made a lot of changes for this last third scored two more tries to win 46-0.
Despite the score Dorchester team should be encouraged by their performance, for several lads this was their first game and for others either injury or the Christmas break had meant no game time. Also it proved that they can all compete without the reliance of those who have been playing more regularly.
Lineout coach Ian Madgwick was happy with the boys work rate and overjoyed that Peely was getting instruction in another county so we could not hear him!! Sympathy to Smithy and instructors who had to put up with him all w/end were offered by todays referee (who managed three “roll away tacklers”) and fitness guru Kevin White.
Take a look at the pictures...click here
This match was as one sided as the final score line suggests, and the contrast between the two sides couldn’t have been greater. Bridport (unusually) offered little resistance anywhere on the pitch whereas Dorchester (despite a 3 week lay off) took the opportunity to play open attractive rugby at all times, and even when the outcome of the match was beyond doubt they kept their heads, controlled the game and sought to keep the ball alive. Encouragingly as well was that any signs of greed never surfaced as each player in green and white supported the ball carrier and made themselves available for the offload, this style of rugby is always difficult to defend and by half time Dorchester were leading 28 -0 courtesy of tries from Chris Lawton, Kieran Fry and Callum King (2) with the conversions coming from Jack Wood and King (3).
If Bridport expected any let up in the second half they were mistaken as Dorchester continued the pressure. Josh Peel came agonisingly close to touching down (much to his father’s excitement) only to be held up just short, with the point of attack changing constantly it was only a matter of time before the visitors added to their total and it was Fry who crossed for his second. Bridports collective head dropped and Dorchester continued with the rout, King crossing for 2 more tries, Harry Smith weighed in with 2 and Lawton added his second with further conversions from King (2) and Wood (2). With 8 minutes remaining the referee decided enough was enough and called full time.
After the game Fitness Coach Kevin White said he was impressed with the way all the boys kept playing and this was very much a team effort well done. He also took the opportunity to say “that he and Heather would like to thank all those that visited, sent get well cards, texts, phone calls and general concern for Jordan’s wellbeing. This meant a lot to us and we very much appreciated this. So once again many many thanks to our true dear friends.”
Team: Harries, Trenchard, White, Madgwick, David, Lawton, James, Smith, King, Fry, Peel, Jessup, Wood, Rubrecht, Skelland, Bickley.
A high scoring game from two sides determined to entertain the festive crowd, and in fairness the game was closer than the final scoreline suggests. The main difference, being some slick handling by the home side who took their scoring opportunities in a clinical fashion.
Dorchester started in confident manner, and showed that they have improved vastly since the two sides last met, and after a Chichester attack was stopped on the visitors 22, from a ruck Chris Lawton showed great strength and pace to run 60 yards under the posts to give Dorchester a shock lead. From the restart Chichester mounted a series of attacks, running good lines of attack the Dorchester line was under threat, however the back 3 of Kieran Fry, Freddie Dunne and Will Batt showed great resolve and put in a huge number of tackles to keep the home side out, However the pressure continued and it was only a matter of time before Chichester levelled. This then seemed to open the gates and the home side added 3 further tries of which one was converted to take a 22-5 lead. The final minutes of the first half saw Dorchester get back into the game with some play of real purpose, led by Charlie Harries who worked tirelessly in the front row they went into the break in the knowledge that they had made sure their hosts knew they were in a game.
The second half saw Dorchester set about reducing the deficit, once again it was Lawton on a rampaging run who gained ground but as he was tackled it was Fry in support who benefitted from a good offload and he still had some work to do before crossing the whitewash. Chichester added another score. From the restart Dorchester pushed hard forcing errors from the hosts and again it was boy mountain Lawton who went in under the posts. Alex Hallett added the conversion. Chichester once more got one back before pressure exerted by Will Holmes and Harry Smith saw the Chichester full back spill the ball, Holmes hacked the ball on, and a chase involving Holmes, Smith and the full back ended with Holmes getting the all important touchdown, Hallett added his second conversion. The last word ended with Chichester scoring with the final play of the match.
This was an excellent match played in tremendous spirit, and which saw three long term injured players return to action, Ripper Makepeace, Ali James and Luke Doherty. The game also saw Kane Peacefull-Day make his debut and he equipped himself well. After the game it was left to French International Coach Phillip Rubrecht to conduct the post match press conference with his most telling comment being “Les garçons bien fait”
Team: Bickley, Dale, David, Doherty, Harries, James, Jessup, Lawton, Madgwick, Makepeace, Peel, Skelland, Smith, Dunne, Holmes, Rubrecht, Hallett, Batt, Clarke, Ford, Peacefull-Day, Fry.
A well contested game in atrocious conditions saw Wimborne come out worthy winners by virtue of taking their opportunities when they came their way. In contrast the home side had chances which went begging and it was a disappointed Dorchester side that left the field after the final whistle knowing they can play much better.
For much of the first half the game was played between the 10 and 22 metre line of Dorchester with the home side unable to get their hands on any meaningful possession. The visitors kept their composure and were very patient in their build up and after several phases got their rewards when they went in under the posts and added the conversion for good measure.
From the restart the home side finally got themselves in the game with some good attacking moves but unfortunately the final pass too often went astray and possession conceded when a little more concentration would have been rewarded.
With the second half underway the game was finely poised and there for the taking but for some reason Dorchester didn’t want to take it and were punished when after a series of stupid penalties Wimborne extended their lead with another converted try. This finally shook Dorchester into life and they laid siege to Wimbornes line and mounted a number of attacks which the visitors managed to repel, however replacement flanker Jacob Holland did ground the ball but the referee adjudged the ball to have been held up, and from the resulting 5 metre scrum the home side were pushed back and their last scoring opportunity was gone.
After the game Throw In Coach Ian “Madgos” Madgwick was in contemplative mood when he felt that while there were many positives to take from this game but there were some basics which need to be worked on:
Team: White, Trenchard, Harries, Gould, Madgwick, Bickley, David, Lawton, Smith, Hallett, King, Holmes, Amphlett, Fry, Batt, Holland, Rubrecht, Wood, Withnall-Dunne, Ford.
In the end it was convincing win for Dorchester but one which they made themselves work hard for due in part to some poor tackling and at times some bad decision making. The home side were quick out of the blocks and it was fly half Callum King who got the first score. As it is often the case this proved to spur on Dorchester who battled well to overcome a spirited Bridport side.
Following a fluent handling move it was outside centre Will Holmes who provided the second touchdown. It was at this point that Dorchester appeared to switch off and allowed their opponents back in the game. Bridport attacked the channels well and were rewarded with a try in the right hand corner. With the bit between their teeth they shocked the home side with another well worked try which should have been prevented. With the seconds ticking by Dorchester finished the half stronger and Kieran Fry with very little room to work with managed to find a gap and score with the last play of the half.
A stern half time talk by Coach Peel seemed to galvanise Dorchester who caught Bridport napping when James Bickley wriggled through to score. At this stage Dorchester were in the ascendancy and their visitors were playing entirely on the back foot. The home side pack worked hard in the close and took several balls against the head, it was particularly good to see prop Lewis White back after injury and sickness, and he doesn’t appear to have lost any of his energy.
Replacement lock Connor Gould added some much needed steel to the line out and he proved a constant nuisance to Bridport, his performance was rewarded with Dorchester 5th try. From the restart Bridport attacked the kick gained possession and their Number 12 was allowed a free run in with no one wanting to make the tackle, Bridport were also successful with the kick. The final 10 minutes were played entirely in the Bridport 22. There was some desperate defending by the visitors and they did well to keep the home side out. In the end a succession of 5 metre scrums proved too much and No 8 Chris Lawton picked and went to finish the scoring for the game. King added to his points tally with 2 conversions.
After the game Fitness Coach Kev White said that several of the boys had played themselves into contention for the big cup game against Wimborne.
Team: Bickley, Clarke, Dale, David, Ford, Fry, Gould, Hallett, Holland, Jessup, King, Lawton, Madgwick, Peel, Skelland, Smith, Trenchard, Vallance, White, Wood, Youngs, Holmes.
A grand total of 16 boys, 4 coaches and 5 parents made the journey down to Devon in most awful conditions, but on their arrival were met with clearing skies and even some sunshine!
Although only 16 players out of 20 selected made the journey was disappointing, the flip side was that the number of changes were so few it didn’t affect their rhythm. Playing into a stiff breeze in the first half, Dorchester spent the first minutes of the half defending a well organised Exmouth side. However as has been the case this season, Dorchester have shown that they are a side full of determination and seem to revel when they are under the cosh.
Despite the pressure Exmouth seemed unable to get any further than their opponents 22, and when Dorchester secured a turnover, the ball was fed out wide and Josh Peel (exhibiting more skill than his father has ever had!) stepped inside then outside drew his man and gave a beautifully weighted pass to Callum King on the loop who then sprinted 50 meters to touch down under the posts, he also added the conversion. This seemed to shock the home side who had no answer to the aggressive defence of their visitors and were unsettled by Dorchester's centres. Again from deep inside their 22 Dorchester turned the ball over quick ball from Ben Jessup found Alex Hallett who floated a beautiful long pass to Chabal Lawton who in true No 8 style ran from his own 22 shrugged off 3 tackles and went in under the posts. King kicked the conversion.
The 2nd half saw Exmouth come out in determined fashion, and they had a definite game plan which soon paid off when some poor tackling allowed them to cross the whitewash. Spurred on by this they went in search of their second score, but the Dorchester pack led well by Charlie Harries stuck to their task and slowly got their side back in the game, unfortunately a couple of silly penalty offences saw Exmouth back on the attack and from a well executed maul they got a second and deserved try. This was the last time they troubled the Dorchester line. Dorchester then played like they had in the first half with some excellent tackling good rucking and intelligent kicking saw them dictate the game, following several phases a great pass from Will Holmes to fellow centre Harry Smith saw the latter use his speed to out run his opposite number and touch down with the final play of the match.
After the game Director of Rugby Peter James said that he felt his team were playing a style of rugby he has long sought for. In particular he made mention of Ben Rubrecht who had to play in the unfamiliar position of prop and who as usual went about his game in an unselfish manner.
Team: Harries, Trenchard, Rubrecht, Madgwick, Dale, Holland, David, Skelland, Lawton, Jessup, King, Holmes, Smith, Hallett, Peel, Batt.
Dorchester travelled to Sherborne short of both key players to county trials and
some other notable absentees who must have preferred to stay in bed rather than
tackle the torrential rain.
For those who did brave the wind and rain it was a good chance to shine against a strong Sherborne outfit. And the effort put in by all the boys shows the depth of strength to the squad this season. The game should have been a tale of two halves as the gale was blowing hard from one end to the other , but neither side used the elements to their favour.
Dorchester played into the wind for the first half and competed well with some strong running from the new Chabal look alike at no8 Max. He was well supported by James and Jarlam combining well in the back row. Sherborne scored first when Dorchester forgot about tackling of any kind and let the Sheridanesque Sherborne prop power over from the HALF WAY line!! The new look front row of all Ben’s tried hard to secure ball against a much larger scrum and despite some good rucking and mauling Sherborne managed two further tries from loose play. James captaining from the front scored an excellent individual try from a five yard quick tap penalty just before half time.
The second half given the elements should have been closer but Sherbornes stronger and quicker players were given too much respect and space. So despite some spirited play from Dorchester in retaining the ball and setting up some good phases, when the ball went loose the opposition managed to get up a head of steam which made tackling even harder and four more tries were run in without reply.
Thanks to
both the Sherborne lads lent to us for each half, playing at scrum half and then
fly half, to those who played out of position without any grumbles and also to
all the parents for keeping cheerful despite getting soaked, winter is here
HAPPY DAYS!!
A reminder from Harlem Globetrotter forwards coach Peeley, TACKLING PRACTICE
Tuesday night.
Another comprehensive victory against a spirited Chard side who really had no answer to Dorchester's strength and organisation, for the second week running Dorchester (on the few occasions they had to defend) refused to give any ground and ended another game with out conceding a point.
In fairness to Chard who were playing their first game on a full sized pitch battled well never gave up and made the home side work for every score. Chris Lawton crossed first for Dorchester after 4 minutes. From the restart the home side applied quick pressure when Callum King crossed for the first of his 4 tries. Dorchester started putting together phases of play which stretched the visitors however on several attacks one or two players became a little greedy when a simple pass was all that was needed, their patience paid off finally when Will Holmes touched down after a series of driving mauls. Dorchester then managed one final score in the first half with King grabbing his 2nd try, he was successful with 3 conversions to give the home side a healthy 26-0 half time lead.
The second half was much like the first with Chard playing the whole time on the back foot and on the few times they had possession they were met by a green and white wall. Scores in the second half came from King (2) a well taken try by winger Freddie Dunne and a typical scrum half try from Harry Smith who picked and ran in from 25 metres to complete the try scoring for a very confident Dorchester side, the only other points of the half came from a King conversion.
This was a competent display by Dorchester and Fitness Coach Kevin White said after the game “ that the pre season conditioning and fitness programme he had devised was starting to show as the players superior fitness was clear to see)
Team: Bickley,Harries,Holland,King,Lawton,Madgwick,Peel,Skelland,Smith, Trenchard, Vallance, White, Wood, Gould, Withnall-Dunne,Clarke, Holmes, Fry, Ford, Rubrecht
Dorchester continued their promising start to the season with a hard fought and closely contested win against Trowbridge. Some games are notable for their free flowing rugby, this will be remembered for some heroic defending by Dorchester in the last 10 minutes when their hosts camped out on their 5 meter line and were held up on the try line no fewer than 6 times.
The game started out in promising fashion for Dorchester after their trip north. Tuesday nights training session on rucking and driving certainly paid dividends, with Dorchester back row of Chris Lawton, James Bickley and Connor Skelland securing plenty of turnover ball. With the ball being used sensibly Dorchester gained ground although Trowbridge defended well and after a period of sustained pressure during which Callum King narrowly missed a penalty from 35 metres out. Dorchester were finally rewarded when a slick set piece move from a scrum saw King on the loop take the ball at pace and dive over, unfortunately the conversion kick drifted wide. The rest of the first period saw play concentrated in Trowbridges half, although Dorchester were unable to make their possession count in the form of any additional scores.
The first five minutes of the second half continued well for Dorchester as they looked to impose themselves, however Trowbridge had other ideas, and instead slowly took control of the game and it was their turn to apply the pressure. This was greatly aided by Dorchester's inability to win any scrums in the second half (a fact that will surely be worked at this week!). With the host gaining vital territory it seemed only a matter of time before Trowbridge crossed the line, unfortunately they seemed to lose the ball in contact or concede turnover. With the minutes ticking by they laid siege to the Dorchester line and with the forwards led well by Charlie Harries, but time and time they were driven back or held up, with some timely interventions by Bickley, King, Freddie Withnall-Dunne and Harry Smith. The relief on the Dorchester players and the disappointment on the Trowbridge players faces was all too obvious when the final whistle was blown. This was a game played in great spirit by both sides who are to be congratulated on their attitude. Ben Rubrecht made a promising debut at hooker and looks a good addition to the playing staff.
Skills Coach Martyn Peel said after the game “that he challenged the spectators to name one time when they have seen a team defend with such determination as Dorchester did today”
Team: Bickley, Harries, Holland, Jessup,King, Lawton, Madgwick, Peel, Skelland, Smith, Trenchard, Vallance, Withnall-Dunne, Fry, Hallett, Ford, Rubrecht.
Even closer than the scoreline suggests and a comment that even Wimborne confirmed! In past seasons the only question when these two sides met was the margin of the win for Wimborne. Right up to the final seconds a win was on the cards for the home side.
From the kick off Dorchester signalled their intentions forcing an early knock on by pressuring the Wimborne catcher. The next 10 minutes or so were keenly contested with neither side able to break down some resolute defending, and with some big tackles being made a close game was obvious. Wimborne finally broke the deadlock with some slick handling aided by a couple of missed tackles they touched down, the conversion was missed. From the restart Dorchester camped out on the edge of the visitors 22, and with some fierce rucking and committed tackling kept Wimborne on the back foot. From a ruck scrum half Harry Smith fed No 8 Chris Lawton who bashed his way over to level the score, Callum King added the conversion to give Dorchester a slim half time lead.
The second half saw play take much the same pattern as the first with very little ground given. Finally Wimborne found a way through on the left side and touched down in the corner, once again the conversion kick drifted wide. With the possibility of a win Dorchester set about in determined fashion to regain the lead, several times they were held up on the line, James Bickley knocked on as he went over and so the siege continued. With play being switched left to right a score was inevitable and it was Lawton who went over this time the conversion was missed. With seconds remaining Wimborne caught the home defence napping and scored with the final play of the match.
This was a game played in great spirit by both sets of players who are to be congratulated with the way they conducted themselves.
The Under 13s first 15 a side game on a full pitch provided a thrilling game in which the home side were dominant in most areas in both halves. Leading the charge with a captains performance was Callum King now playing at fly half he used the possession well and kicking for position in the few instances when Blandford threatened, in contrast it seemed Blandford were content to try and run the ball out of trouble, a tactic which failed and certainly contributed to 3 of Dorchester's tries.
First score came from a typical strong run from Chris Lawton and he had no trouble breaking through 3 tacklers to crash over and give Dorchester the lead. This seemed to galvanise the home side and they set about extending their lead, and it wasn't long before James Bickley wriggled over to keep the scoreboard ticking over. The visitors struggled to make any ground and were constantly on the back foot living off scraps of possession and with the home side very strong in the tackle they never looked like troubling the Dorchester line, although the one area where they were better was in their rucking although they struggled to make this tell. Before half time Lawton went over for his second. King kicked 2 conversions to give Dorchester a healthy 19-0 at the interval.
Despite making several changes at the break this didn’t affect Dorchester's rhythm, although the first 10 minutes of the second half Blandford managed some parity with much of the game played in the middle of the pitch with no plays to add to the score. However Dorchester are a patient team and it was only a matter of time before they added to the score, this time it was debutant Connor Gould who got on the score sheet when he crashed over in the corner. By this time Blandford were tiring and the home side had now taken a stranglehold on the game and added 3 further second half tries through King (2) and Will Holmes, King was successful with 2 conversions.
This was an encouraging start to the season not least of which was the final scoreline but also because of several promising performance by some new players especially Max Ford. With such a large squad there is now plenty of competition for places and hopefully this will improve further the quality of the rugby played. After the game Director of Rugby Peter James said that the game had given him plenty of food for thought for the season ahead.
Team: Amphlett,Bickley,Dale,David,Harries,Holland,Jessup,King,Lawton,Madgwick,Skelland,Smith,Trenchard,Vallance,White,Wood,Gould,
Withnall-Dunne,Clarke,Holmes,Youngs,Fry,Batt,Hallett,Ford.