25/4: U16s Roebucks Plate Runners-Up at North Dorset 7s
April 27, 2009
Mixed fortunes for Newbury Stags and Roebucks at the North Dorset 7s on Sunday April 19th as the Roebucks reach the Plate Final while the Stags went out in the group stages. 7s is not a game that Newbury play very frequently and for the most part it showed against the teams from Dorset and Wiltshire who are more familiar with the reduced form of the game.
Newbury Roebucks lost their opening fixture 28-5 to Avon with a consolation try from Michael Lintin but reached the Plate Final courtesy of a fine 17-5 victory over Dorchester. Another try from the lively Lintin and 2 from the outstanding Matt Childs plus a Childs conversion were enough to see them through to the Plate Final as runners-up in their group. In the Plate Final, the Roebucks came up against hosts North Dorset who clearly take their 7s very seriously and looked very distraught not to be in the main competition final. They took out their disappointment on the Roebucks who although they fought valiantly were unable to deal with the greater 7s skills and preparedness of their opponents. The final score was 29-7 to North Dorset, but some consolation for the Roebucks as they not only came away with a trophy but also scored the best try of the Final through Ben Hornby ably converted by James ‘The Boot’ Macaulay.
The Stags team really showed a lack of understanding of the 7 game as they continually took the ball into contact in their opening matches and basically tried to play a 15 a-side approach where width and support play and quick hands are what is required. Their interest in the day was therefore over very quickly as they lost their opening two matches 19-5 to eventual winners Salisbury (Newbury try Henry Theobald) and 12-0 to North Dorset. They began to get the hang of the 7s game by the time of their third match against Ellingham & Ringwood which they won 19-0 thanks to tries from Jack Moates (2) and Freddie Reschwamm. Conversions Macaulay (1) and Reschwamm (1).
Congratulations to the Roebucks team and thank you to Colin Theobald for holding the reins and trying to instil ‘The Basics of 7s Rugby in One 30 Minute Lesson’! Everyone had a good time on what was a beautiful day in Thomas Hardy country.
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