Tetbury Takes a Tumble

Game 1

Stroud 8 - 3 Tetbury

Stroud always seemed in control of this game and established an early lead against the strong Tetbury side. Max M and Zack were a thorn in the side of the Tetbury attack, harrying the ball carrier and forcing a 6-tag turnover which Stroud capitalised on with great efficiency. In attack, Jake and Toby demonstrated some solid ball-handling and direct running while Dylan K side-stepped his way through the defence to offload and set up some well-worked tries

The second half saw Stroud continue to close out the game. Will G took charge of the defensive line while his strong running kept the defence on the back foot. Thomas H was exceptional in support, making sure that wherever the ball was, Thomas was never far away! The final whistle left Stroud the comfortable winners in a game that demonstrated how aggressive defence and accurate ball-handling wins matches. Special mention goes to Max L who showed great patience and awareness of space, often positioning himself on a wing and calling for the ball. This clever play led to a number of try-scoring opportunities

Game 2

Stroud 11 – 13 Tetbury.

A real game of end to end rugby, where nearly every try was met with a counter try. The players are starting to realise now that the slightest mistake can lead to a break by the opposition, and as a result the handling skills and positional play have really improved. Will F, Tommy G, Will T and Tom H in particular are proving to be a strong defensive line up and learning how to position themselves well to disrupt an opposition attack. Daniel and Andrew continue to run amok with their size, and when they find their line through defence are proving to be very difficult to stop. And if they do get caught, Calum is always there in support to finish the move or to change direction and move the attack out wide. But some of the biggest plaudits this week go to Hector, whose confidence is growing with every game, and with a useful sidestep and turn of pace he’s difficult to read and not to be underestimated. Well done to all the boys this week, they were unlucky not to be rewarded with a win.

Game 3

Stroud 6 - 3 Tetbury

Tetbury took an early lead in the third game but, after an impressive turnover right on our own try line, Stroud scored and very soon gained the upper hand. Dylan D had an outstanding game with some dazzling footwork and clever angles of attack leading to a number of tries. In defence, Imogen caused all sorts of problems for Tetbury, applying continuous pressure on the ball carrier and leading to some hurried passing and spilled balls (eagerly scooped up by Joseph).

The second half began with Stroud 3-1 up but with plenty of time for Tetbury to mount a come-back. However, the sheer pace of Theo left the defence scrambling back to cover ground and the quick offloads and all-round good ball-handling from Sam kept the pressure on. A brief lapse in defence gave Tetbury the opportunity to increase their score but Lawrence's consistent handling, coupled with his strong and direct running, continually put Stroud on the front foot and a well-worked passing move allowed Will R to score a lovely try and keep Stroud in front. Special mention goes to Joseph D who took control of the defensive line and had a storming game cleaning up the loose ball from both teams, causing numerous turnovers for Tetbury and saving Stroud from a few as well!

On a more general note, I think the standard of rugby on Sunday was impressive to say the very least - especially when you consider the game time we've had since Christmas. It was great to see such an improvement in ball-handling (possibly due to the indoor games we've been playing) and the overall awareness of the teams - players standing in space waiting for the ball, offloading before the tag etc. - well done Stroud!