SPORT
RUGBY
Senior Rugby – 1st XV / 2nd XV
As the famous saying goes , ‘ no plan survives contact with the enemy ’, and this sums up very nicely how our season started and went ! Following the absence of contact rugby due to COVID-19 , myself and the outgoing Head of Rugby , Jonny Wheeler , had planned a graduated start to the term , with Ashville being our first fixture on the 25th of September . The aim for the first few weeks leading up to exeat , was for as many as possible to return to rugby safely , reduce the risks and frequency of injury and ensure everyone was enjoying the game . The RFU Schools Cup unfortunately intervened , and we had to play Ampleforth on 15th September in the first round . We were able still able to support our graduated return to contact rugby though , by reducing match playing time , and playing uncontested scrums and lineouts in our first few fixtures , in order to reduce the risks of injury .
Our first match was a mid-week away trip to Ampleforth in the Schools Cup , which started brightly with some excellent individual and team play . This was a promising sign of things to come and what the group was capable of , despite a narrow defeat . The defence was relentless , and the attack was free flowing and incisive . Three days later we then played a very big and physical Mount St Mary ’ s , and struggled to gain any real territory or possession in that game . We soon realised , following those first two matches , that physically we would smaller than most teams , and that we would have to play fast , freeflowing rugby in order to perform well against much bigger sides . Following on from these two fixtures , the 2nd XV made the mid-week trip to Hill House and , although the result did not go our way , it was pleasing to be able to say that everyone involved in the rugby programme had returned to playing a fixture within two weeks of returning to school .
Our last game before exeat would be against Ashville , and it came at the right time . Ashville were of a similar stature to us , which made for a good and equal match that see-sawed both ways . We won the fixture , and it was great to see the boys celebrate their first win of the season ; however , we had suffered a few minor injuries despite our focus on limiting as many as possible .
Following on from exeat , we played arguably the biggest team physically we would all year , in Nottingham Trent . The boys did incredibly well and delivered a performance to be proud of . Despite being on the losing end , the boys gave their full efforts , again with some relentless defence and free-flowing rugby when we did have possession . Four days later , we were back in action in the Schools Cup , entertaining Ripon Grammar in the second round of the bowl – which included a nail-biting finish ! We started the game strongly , rushing into an early lead with some
34 THE POCKLINGTONIAN