Medway RFC U16s

9 March 2008

The U16s played and won four games at the Festival, conceding only one try while scoring eleven. But that isn't even half the story as they had to show immense strength of character to win through after falling behind in close-fought and extremely tense quarter- and semi-finals. It earned them the right to compete in a full-length final next week against current champions Blackheath next Sunday.

Eight pools of three teams each would determine who would compete in cup, plate and bowl competitions. Medway drew Beccahamians and Folkestone, teams that they hadn't met for several years.

Pool matches

Off to their traditional slow start, the U16s were pegged back by Beccehamians early on in their first match, clearly regarding the 9:15 kick-off time as ungodly for a Sunday. Medway broke out with a fly-hack upfield which was chased down by Joe Jelfs and Tom Bourne before being forced out. The Beccehamian lineout was captured by Aaron Dimmick who popped the ball off the ground for Jelfs to dive over.

Not long after a scrum on the Beccehamian 22 was moved quickly through Richard Verrall to Stewart Stockford who forced himself over in the corner and half-time came with a 10 - 0 lead for Medway.

Medway awoke a little in the second half and started to put some piercing attacks together, but managed only one more try. The ball was retained in a ruck following a scrum and then moved to Verrall who dived into the corner. Stockford converted and the final whistle went for a 17 - 0 victory.

In the second game Medway found some excellent form and ran in six tries, three in each half. Medway put the pressure on right from the start, but it was a Folkestone penalty that missed touch which allowed Medway to show their counterattacking skills. Jonathan Saddington ran the ball back and passed out of contact to Jamie Chapman, who avoided the remaining defenders and went into the corner.

The second was a forwards' try after the backs had softened up the defence with pacy attacks on right and left wings. Tom Barnes carried the ball into contact and Dimmick maintained the momentum, before the striking power of Verrall finished it off. Stockford converted from wide for a 12 - 0 lead.

Medway kept the ball for the rest of the half, retaining and recycling well, until eventually Gavin Hyder was able to feed Chapman who beat the last man and strolled over the line. Stockford converted again and Medway had a 17 - 0 lead at half-time.

Early in the second half came the try of the tournament as Jamie Chapman received the ball deep in his own half and jinked and sprinted all the way to the line past half a dozen defenders to go under the posts. And then a flowing move involving Hyder and Stockford, and a strong carry by Richard Petch led to an inside pass to Stockford to go over.

Finally a strong run by Bourne carried the ball close to the line, and from a resulting scrum the Number 8 and scrum-half combination of Paul Pierce and Ryan Ellis secured the final try. Stockford converted all three second half tries for a final score of 38 - 0.

Quarter-final

Finishing top of their pool earned the right to go into the premier competition, the Cup, and a quarter final against Beckenham. Each game in the tournament is just 20 minutes - 10 minutes each way. At this level of rugby, that is no time at all to break down a good side. A single try or penalty is often enough to win the game and the pressure to avoid mistakes is high.

Beckenham are a good side and proved it by keeping the pressure on Medway for the whole of the first half. Several attacks down their left wing were barely repelled, and late in the half when they moved the ball to the right a missed tackle in the centre allowed the 13 to kick into the in-goal, and a freakish bounce over the head of Jamie Chapman let their right wing into the corner. It was the first try Beckenham had scored against Medway in four years, and they had picked the perfect time to do it, but it was unconverted.

In the second half Beckenham kept up the pressure, keeping the ball well, and things looked bad for Medway. But the U16s are full of character and spirit, some would say bloody-mindedness, and they only need one chance to score.

Skipper Stewart Stockford was inspired and took a decisive grip on the game. Medway had a penalty deep in their own half, and Stockford launched a kick into touch that gained 50 metres and at last Medway had an attacking position. From the lineout a good throw and catch set up a textbook maul and drive before quick hands through the backs put Stockford over the line. The conversion was crucial, but Stockford stepped up again and it sailed through the centre of the posts.

Beckenham continued their good work, forcing their way back into Medway's half, but the Medway defence was strong and two minutes later the final whistle went and Medway were through to the semi-final with a narrow 7 - 5 victory.

Semi-final

Westcombe Park have improved by a long distance over the last 12 months and have had an excellent season. They had enjoyed a long run of good results and as the county's form side they were the team to beat in this tournament. With a heavy and well-drilled pack, and skillful halfbacks, Westcombe Park keep the ball and drive their way to victory.

Medway decided to counteract their style by selecting their most mobile pack and by moving the ball through hands as much as possible. In the first half it didn't work too well. Westcombe Park had the better of possession and territory, and Medway were on the back foot. But no points were scored and the match came alive in the second half.

Early in the second period the Westcombe Park 10 made and exploited a gap in the Medway defence. He was tackled and the defence recovered, but an error at the ruck gave Westcombe Park a penalty. The error was compounded by indiscipline as the decision was questioned and Medway were marched another 10 metres. The penalty was now within range and was duly slotted for a 3 - 0 lead.

Behind again, the score spurred Medway to action. Suddenly the ball was moving fast and convincingly. Drives were punched into the opposition and the ball retained,  recycled and moved wide. The Westcombe Park defence began to creak and their forwards were beginning to look tired, while the mobile Medway pack were getting to the breakdown quickly.

Jamie Chapman took advantage. Collecting the ball on half way he went on a characteristic elusive run at high speed and headed for the corner. It took a high tackle from a desperate defender to stop him and the penalty was tapped quickly to maintain momentum. The move got nowhere but Westcombe Park had not retreated and the penalty was retaken. This time Verrall drove low and hard from five metres out and despite the close presence of half the opposition team, he got there.

The conversion missed, but Medway were not troubled in defence for the remaining few minutes and a 5 - 3 victory saw them through to the final of the CUp for the first time after two years of missing out at the semi-final stage.

The final is at Aylesford RFC on Sunday 16 March, kick-off 13:30.