Blues over-powered
The Remembrance Weekend match at Monks Lane saw a fistful of tries, some very strong play from both teams and the Blues resisting a lot of pressure in the first 25 minutes but Winchester proved too strong and over-powered the Blues to take the match 32:14.
With Winchester sailing near the top of the table, the Blues not and also afflicted by injuries in the senior team, the match was always going to be tough. Neither team was quite as disciplined as they should be – both seeing men put in the sin bin and both conceding penalties and even a penalty try – and it was rather telling that match fortunes didn’t change much when either team was a man down. But Winchester almost always had the edge in strength, speed and accuracy. To the Blues’ credit, their tackling was probably as good as it has been all season.
Perhaps the match for the Blues fans was best summed up by Dan, aged nearly 8, who was stood with me on the touchline and when asked what he thought of the Blues’ play said “Not the best they can”.
The Blues travel away to Tottonians on Saturday, 16th November – kick-off at 2pm – and are not home again until on 7th December when they play Petersfield. Come on you Blues!
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It was altogether a different picture in Hungerford, when the Newbury U16s took on their local rivals and, as reported by Robin Varley, “produced a gritty win 40:12. A great spectacle of rugby that was enjoyed by all, both on and off the pitch”.
