Ashton Rugby 7s

The U14 and U15 Sevens squads travelled to Ashton for a tournament on Wednesday 29th February.  Full report to follow but in the meantime here are some images from the games taken by parents Alisdair Tait and Sam Lamb.

U14

The U14s competed in a select 8 team tournament. They had a tough group of 4 teams to try and master, for this the side were pleased to see the return from injury of Struan Tait, whose pace was a welcome return at a fitting time. They immediately started well with a hard fought victory over Rushmoor School, winning 19-12. They then faced a tough game against a very strong Wooton Upper School, where we struggled with the physicality of the Bedfordshire side. In the last group game the result could have tilted either way as it so often does in 7s, and a skilled Perse side coming out winners, but only by a fine margin, with the last score giving the score line a deceptive look as it was even closer than it suggested at 26-12.

These results just placed us 3^rd in the pool, which meant we proceeded into the Plate competition and not the Cup. This was now a knockout Rugby but the team was in full flow and very much enjoying the occasion playing some great 7 s style rugby, this allowed us to beat Caroline Chisholm in our semi-final tie, in which both teams played well, Caroline Chisholm displaying a well organised defence, and it took all our mite to stop one of the fastest players in the tournament. The Pitsford attack eventually, although not easily, overcame the defence, and made their way to the Plate final with a 19-5 win.

Reaching the final was a real achievement for the team who were then set to play Akeley Wood in the final, Akeley scored 2 quick tries but then Pitsford started to come back into the game with Luke Conyard, Charlie Gilbert and Fraser Harrop to the fore, Pitsford managed to scrape one try back, and then converted meaning that Akeley were then only leading by 5 points, but as Pitsford applied more pressure, Akeley capitalised on a mistake to score the final try of the game. The spirit and furiosity of the Pitsford approach especially in their tackling made for a very proud team.

A complete squad effort and great team work displayed by the squad of: Mitchell Williams, Fraser Harrop, Luke Conyard, Connor Watts, Conor McKiernan, Charlie Gilbert, Richard Marsden, Struan Tait, Archie Lascelles & Issac Hamlyn.

U15

The Under 15 team disappointingly suffered a very tough tournament, with no luck what so ever. Partaking in a 10 team tournament, they had lost some players to injury before the day including flying winger Kiaren Brian and the unwell Zach Budd. Lady Luck deserted us further when in the first game,  Harrison Chipchase injured his heel, and Harry Lamb his arm, ruling them out of any further games. In the next game Jack Bruer was the next to fall with a knee injury and Declen Slinn picked up a knock which he shook off before the next game but removed him from the field, so disappointingly things were looking dire. So instead of a full strength squad challenging to be the eventual winners, the remaining players were tested tp their limits.

It proved too tall an order with Pitsford finishing bottom of a five team pool, with only just enough uninjured players to take to the field. Their team photo at the end of the day was therefore taken where most the team were now resident, in the medical tent (away from what we had dubbed Camp Pitsford where we sheltered and recovered under our gazebo in the corner of the field). A tough tournament for them mentally and physically but still an enjoyable day.

The battered and bruised squad: Charlie Hayton, Harry Lamb, Harrison Chipchase, Jack Bruer, Declan Slinn, Robbie Wallace, Tom Wainwright, Alex Ainsworth, Dan Knight, Liam Walker & Jonathan Martin.