2nd April 2006
Results & Reports
Under 12s
St Ives 28 v Shelford 0
Ben Pirzad and Louis Rhettig bravely volunteered to make the numbers up to twelve for depleted Shelford team. The first game got of to a good start for St Ives with some great support play between forwards and backs which resulted in St Ives first try. The forwards gave Jake Hill at scrum half a good base to pass the ball, this gave Jack Topham the chance to run at the defence and release his backs on a number of occasions. St Ives forwards dominated in every area, Angus Hughes had an inspired game at Hooker winning three scrums against the head. Both the forwards and backs passed the ball with confidence particularly out of the tackle. Shelford tried to get back in the game but St Ives were just too strong with two tries in the first half and two in the second half. St Ives tries were scored by Dale Taylor, Harry Martin, Dan Malem and James Hunter. 4 Conversions by Jack Topham.
St Ives 49 v Shelford 0
Again St Ives put in an assured performance to beat Shelford in the second game of the morning. In a close, flowing game St Ives took an early lead with a very well worked try. The forwards, Alex Colah, Angus Hughes, Dale Taylor, Harry Martin and Nathan Dewar were instrumental in the line outs and scrum, quickly making the ball available for Roger Shakespeare, at scrum half to make a number of darting runs around the blind side to score two tries. This, as with the first game showed full commitment from all the players. Dan Malem came on part way through the second half to replace James Hunter who suffered a bang to the head to score with an intercepted try. In the end St Ives were just too strong for Shelford running in seven tries. Tries scored by Alex Colah x 2, Roger Shakespeare x 2, Nathan Dewar, Dan Malem and Max Dominy. All the tries were converted from the trusty boot of Jack Topham. St Ives now look forward to their tour to Torquay next weekend.
Under 15s
Wellingborough Old Grammarians 22 v St Ives 17
A depleted St Ives travelled to play and were thankful for additions from OG’s subs bench to even the sides. Played in a very strong wind, the game was littered with errors as the players of both sides struggled to hold onto the ball.
St Ives was first to break the deadlock, the ball finally getting down the line to Steve Hehir, who rounded the defence to score. Joint man-of-the-match and recently selected squad member of Eastern Counties, Matt Nice, converted the try.
A little later, Adam Buttigieg picked up from a ruck to bulldoze his way over for St Ives second.
Unfortunately, St Ives inability to complete overlap passes meant that the rest of the half remained scoreless.
The second half saw OGs immediately on the attack and swift ball transference saw the right wing in at the corner.
Astute kicking by the OGs stand off kept St Ives in its own 22, and pressure from a 5m lineout eventually led to a score.
At this point St Ives heads began to droop and poor first up tackling allowed OGs to break through and take the lead with a converted try.
There then followed a period of great effort of rucking by St Ives, with joint man-of-the-match Matt Taylor prominent. On getting into OG’s half, Buttigieg again picked up and sprinted to score a fine individual try, which tied the scores.
Unfortunately for St Ives, the defence could not hold out and tired tackles allowed the final score in the corner.