Our fixtures tomorrow are with Farleigh from Year 5 and up. All contact and touch teams, and therefore all boys, are accommodated – home and away.
Please note there is no skiing. This date was always unavailable to us owing to a competition taking place there. However, the skiers will be accommodated in tomorrow’s rugby arrangements.
The other exception is that the U12 7s team are in action at the Boundary Oak 7s, which starts earlier, with the first match kicking off at 1330.
On Saturday, there will be Games sessions, with no inter-school fixtures following the school confirmation service.
Year 6 players enjoyed an introduction to water polo yesterday evening. This series of water polo meetings at Twyford from 1700-1800 continues next Monday with:
- Monday 4 March – U12 A & B (Year 7)
- Monday 11 March – U13 A & B (Year 8)
Teams have been selected on SOCS. If your son, selected for the fixture, can’t make it, please alert me so another may have the opportunity. As the game is a mix of swimming and contact rugby, which is what has informed my initial selections.
Team
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Opposition
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Venue Details
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Start
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Return
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Wednesday 28 February 2024
|
|
|
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U13 XIII
|
Farleigh
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Home | Bailey
|
14:30
|
16:30
|
U12/13 A, B & C Touch
|
Farleigh
|
Away
|
14:30
|
17:30
|
U12 B XII
|
Farleigh
|
Away
|
14:30
|
17:30
|
U12 7s
|
Boundary Oak 7s
|
Boundary Oak School
|
13:30
|
16:30
|
Colts A IX
|
Farleigh
|
Home | Wolvesey
|
14:30
|
16:00
|
Colts B IX
|
Farleigh
|
Home | Wolvesey
|
14:30
|
16:00
|
Colts C IX
|
Farleigh
|
Home | New Piece
|
14:30
|
16:00
|
Colts Touch
|
Farleigh
|
Home | New Piece
|
14:30
|
16:00
|
Foals A VIII
|
Farleigh
|
Away
|
14:30
|
17:30
|
Foals B VIII
|
Farleigh
|
Away
|
14:30
|
17:30
|
Foals Touch
|
Farleigh
|
Away | Farleigh School
|
14:30
|
17:30
|
Under 9 Rugby Group
|
GAMES - Coaching
|
Home | Grid
|
13:50
|
15:30
|
Skiing Group
|
Skiing
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CANCELLED
|
14:00
|
16:30
|
Saturday 02 March 2024
|
|
|
|
U13 Rugby Group
|
GAMES - Coaching
|
Home
|
14:00
|
15:30
|
U12 Rugby Group
|
GAMES - Coaching
|
Home
|
14:00
|
15:30
|
Colts U11 Rugby Group
|
GAMES - Coaching
|
Home
|
14:00
|
15:30
|
Foals U10 Rugby Group
|
GAMES - Coaching
|
Home
|
14:00
|
14:15
|
Under 9 Rugby Group
|
GAMES - Coaching
|
Home
|
14:00
|
14:15
|
Monday 04 March 2024
|
|
|
|
U12A & B Water Polo
|
Twyford
|
Away
|
17:00
|
18:30
|
Match Reports
Wednesday 20 February
U13A XIII vs Papplewick
Lost 40-0
The scoreline seems stark but this was a good match to watch, and our boys were up for the challenge. It was a real scrap, and we were competitive in the tackle and the breakdown. On balance, we were pegged back in our half, so were under pressure, territorially. With the poor weather conditions a factor, we created some chaos with the kick-chase, forcing some errors but we couldn’t get that elusive try. We were three tries down at half-time and then ran out of steam towards the end. It was a performance full of pride, grit and determination. Well done boys. AJS
U12A XII vs Papplewick
Lost 0-60
Pilgrims’ went to this game with an 18-player squad, the admiral intention being to give the whole squad game time. By contrast, Papplewick were a focussed, tight knit unit with only one sub. They had only one intention, to win! Pilgrims’ battled bravely and kept Papplewick on the back foot for most of the game. However, Papplewick were very well organised and when they got the ball out to their backs, they were able to use the space – it was a big pitch – to run in some classy tries. Although Papplewick were ultimately dominant, the best part of the game was the attitude of Pilgrims’. Not one player gave up and there was no bickering, even as the points on the scoreboard began to rack up. PB
U12/13 A Touch vs Papplewick
Lost 15-5
This was a match with a little bit of edge! Having waited an hour in the rain for our opposition to arrive, there was a sense that perhaps our boys had switched off by the time we finally started. Papplewick came with a touch group who had played no touch, which meant there was a reasonable amount of confusion at all times, and a tendency to be a little more ‘physical’ than is strictly necessary in a game where physicality is not the order of the day. Add to this the very wet conditions, and slightly congested New Piece pitch, it ended up being a game for only the very purest of purests! Knock ons were common, as were offsides and a whole host of otherwise avoidable minor misdemeanours. However, the game settled to an extent and both sides started to move the ball. It ended up being quite a tight game, but our defence switched off at crucial moments which allowed Papplewick to score all of their tries in the same corner, meaning they just about deserved it on balance. Learning points are that we must concentrate on our own game and play to our strengths, not get sucked into whatever our opposition is up to! Thanks, too, to the Pilgrims’ parents who waited patiently in the rain for the game to start, and for their support of the boys on a soggy day! WD
U12/13 B Touch vs Papplewick
Lost 0-2
With Pilgrims’ leading the way in adopting the revised RFU ‘Touch Union’, some schools are still to catch up and adopt the new playing conditions. Consequently, it can be somewhat confusing when you arrive and must adapt to a different format. To their credit, Pilgrims defended resolutely on a very claggy and slippery pitch. Despite making an early breakthrough in the first half, Papplewick were consistently kept at bay, and as the match progressed, Pilgrims began to exploit weaknesses in the Papplewick defence, but never quite managed to make the decisive try-scoring run. AA
Foals A VIII vs Papplewick
Lost 11-3 (Benjy C, Rio C, Finlay N)
Despite a few missed tackles, this was a more even game than at first sight. Pilgrims’ grew in to the fixture and were competitive in the second half. Papplewick passed the ball well, exploiting some space on the wings to run in a few tries. Benjy C, Rio C, Finlay N all showed excellent speed and evasion to score their tries. Our defence was lead well by Caspar H, he closed down the space excellently and made some crucial tackles. Our game awareness is growing, allowing a greater contest in the breakdown. Something to build upon. On to the next. MTG
Foals B VIII vs Papplewick
Lost 45-10 (Connor 2)
A bit of rusty start from Pilgrims’, after a long coach journey, half term and a lack of practise due to play rehearsals meant that we took a while to get going, despite the huge improvements we had made just before half term. However, a few tactical team talks during substitutions and we soon quickly picked up from where we left off, with most of the team going down when taking the ball into contact and then rucking to keep the ball in possession. Some great running, particularly from Marek, meant that we looked threatening and often put the opposition under pressure, and Oscar deserves some enormous credit for a superb on an extremely large Papplewick player. Pilgrims’ managed to get over the line twice with Conor, fresh from his stint in with the touch group, using his speed and agility to get the ball over the line. The team now have the knowledge and experience to know what to do with the ball in hand, the key is now having the confidence to take the ball into contact physically, with strength and determination being the number one priority going forwards. CAL
Foals Touch VIII vs Papplewick
Mr Rainer was excited to see how we would return after the break. A very good season so far with some promising improvements, we left confident of getting a result against a bigger and quicker team. Despite the rain on the way to and from the match, the game itself was played in the dry. Pilgrims’ got off to a strong start and our speed of attack, aligned with a good line of defence, ensured that the game was very even. Despite Papplewick rotating their numbers, and a concern that we may tire towards the end, Pilgrims’ pulled ahead and were at one point leading 5-3. Mr Rainer was very animated on the sideline roaring the boys into position and to think ‘wide’. The half-team talk was simple: ‘don’t run back into the opposition, look for space’ and ‘don’t cut back towards the sideline if we’re already there’. The boys did well with this in the second half and moved to 6-4 ahead despite tiring. Mr Rainer got very excited by the thought that Wales may do the same to Ireland at the weekend and only a strong try at the death for Papplewick made the scoreline closer than the play suggested. Alex scored a wonderful try, Rafe got a brace as captain which was thoroughly deserved, and Lucas scored a hattrick of tries thanks to the terrific support play of the others. Match tea was warm and much needed as Mr Rainer was last seen staring into space dreaming of his beloved Wales pulling off the shock of 2024 and matching Pilgrims’ efforts today! TWR
U9 A VIII vs Papplewick
Won 50-30
A fantastic display of rugby from Pilgrims' from start to finish. Edward Nield started brightly scoring numerous tries with his powerful and direct running. Rufus also impressed with some excellent ball carrying and quick feet. Papplewick at their moments, but overall, Pilgrims' managed well and were good in the tackle. The final phases of the game were most impressive. Abhinav showed superb awareness while running powerfully and passing beautifully down the line, creating the opportunities for others to score. An excellent performance. Well done. JB
U9 B VIII vs Papplewick
Lost 70 - 50
Today’s match could have gone either way in all honesty. Both teams looked exciting and entertaining when in possession of the ball, whilst equally both are needing some more time spent on tackling. Our boys tried to put in tackles to stop the opposition, but often we were tackling too high which meant that our defence was not very productive. However, we played the better rugby and demonstrated some excelling passing down the line. Tommy P was positive and direct, scoring 4 excellent tries. Teddy, Winston, Scipio, Max, Wilfrid, and Patrick also scored tries which helped keep the game close. Lots of positives to take into our next match against Twyford. TMH
Saturday 24 February
U13A XIII vs Twyford
Lost 45-15 (Neil C 3)
With the scoreline at two tries to one at half time, it may be fair to say that Twyford were a bit rattled, having had some very good results already this season. There were a number of stand-out performances from the likes of Neil, Barnaby, Bryan, Summer, Sammy Q, Ben, James, Bertie and William who were displaying an ‘in-your-face' belligerence which paid the opposition no undue respect.
There were some fantastic moments to cheer, Neil’s three tries, certainly, but some penetrating moves which elicited no reward such as Barnaby’s break down the right which was nearly completed by the rampaging Bertie from the resulting pick and go.
The end-of-game team huddle spoke of pride and an abrasive team performance through which the boys had a lot of fun. AJS
U12A XII vs Twyford
AC
U12B XII vs Twyford
AZ
Colts A IX vs Twyford
Lost 10 – 50 (Christian B, Austin S)
The second half was almost a completely different game from the first. Having taken a breath to take account of the way the referee was interpreting the laws, Pilgrims’ adapted admirably. Ten minutes into this half, Pilgrims’ were 10 – 5 up. At fifteen minutes the score was 10 – 10. To their credit, Twyford bounced back from this unforeseen turn of event and used some of their powerful runners to very good effect, scoring a couple of tries in the last five minutes. It was a game Twyford deserved to win and one from which Pilgrims’ can learn. PB
Colts B IX vs Twyford
Lost 40-20
It was a stunning setting for the local fixture against Twyford. The Colts B team welcomed two new players, signifying the depth and progress within this year's group. Throughout the afternoon, it was a closely contested match. Although Twyford led for the duration, Pilgrims posed a significant attacking threat, especially through the strong and creative runs of Anton, Alex, and Theo. At one point in the second half, they were only two scores apart. A more robust defensive line might have narrowed the gap further. The boys thoroughly enjoyed the game and supported each other well. They continue to progress, with a focus on improving our defensive setup. We look forward to building on this experience and hosting Twyford for the return fixture on Saturday 16 March.
Colts C IX vs Twyford
Lost 50– 40 (Hugo W, Eddie Q 3, Harry C, Henry C)
The Colts Cs played a remarkable game of rugby on Saturday afternoon, and I could not have been prouder of them as a team. They have grown as a unit, and there is a good sense of camaraderie and teamwork. They were able to absorb a lot of pressure during the game, and displayed some real courage in defence, which was wonderful to note.
The Pilgrims' boys ran in 6 tries to Twyford's 8, and the game see-sawed between the two sides. Excellent running with the ball in hand was again a mainstay of the C team's game. The breakdown is a point where we can seek some improvement, and the simple pick and drive is something we can work on. The Twyford team were excellent at the ruck and drove over the ball strongly. There was, however, very little to separate the two teams.
Well done to our boys on a fine performance against the old foe! CXC
Foals A VIII vs Twyford
Lost 13-2 (Rio C)
A stoic effort for Foals A. The boys epitomised hard work, determination and resilience throughout. The game was physical, Pilgrims’ absorbing a fair bit of pressure in defence. They stood firm to their task, engaging with the contact and putting in the yards. Twyford ran in a few tries, through some miss tackles, but shipped the ball well into space. To our credit, the second half was a tighter affair. Pilgrims’ offered more in all aspects of the game. They came back twice with well worked tries of their own. Charlie L was excellent in defence, squaring up and tackling anyone that went in his path. Pilgrims’ played with a lot of heart, and kept going until the final whistle. Not the result we were looking for but in terms of commitment, endeavour and pride; a huge showing. Well done. MTG
Foals B VIII vs Twyford
Lost 55-30 (Marek 3, William S 2, Connor)
The beauty of coaching the same year group 2 years in a row is that I get to see how a team responds to an opponent over the course of two years. This time last year, our last fixture against Twyford resulted in Pilgrims’ having to borrow three Twyford players for our team, and only Oscar left on the field at full time in the match. This year, it was great to see Pilgrims’ battling on with courage, determination and an extremely positive attitude against an, admittedly, much stronger side. Our target going forwards was to run with strength and determination with the ball in hand, and it was fantastic to see Pilgrims’ break through Twyford’s defences on several occasions to get over the line. In defence, our tackling looked that bit stronger and a few courageous tackles from Oscar, Inigo and William turned the tables on its head and put the pressure on the Twyford boys towards the end of the game. Two double ticks in the improvement box for this team – well done all. CAL
Foals Touch VIII vs Twyford
Draw 7-7
Despite the threat of rain and a dreary afternoon, the sun came out and enabled a wonderful game of rugby. Pilgrims’ set off with some fabulous attacking play led by Rafe and got ahead. This was to remain the story throughout the game until the last 2 minutes. With Pilgrims’ pressing hard for another try that would surely have been a winner to go 2 tries ahead were penalised for an infringement and it allowed Twyford to score in the dying seconds and earn a deserved 7-7 draw. The boy's rugby has improved significantly in the last few weeks. Despite the wet and a slippery ball, hardly any passes were dropped and there were only 2 knock-ons per side. The organisation was good in defence. In the last few weeks there has been a focus on getting back and into place quickly. This has been an important improvement which has led to some excellent results against bigger and quicker opposition. Rafe led the way today with excellent support form Ryan whose speed caused Twyford all sorts of problems. Julian also had an excellent game organising the starts and being involved with link play. Harry and Soichiro also did well with their defending. All in all, an excellent result and some terrific play. TWR
U9 A VIII vs Twyford
Lost 25-15
Apparently, there were some important six nations matches being played this weekend!? The real rugby however was being played by the U9s at Twyford! Hoots and hollas from the crowd were an indicator to the outstanding performances on display. Pilgrims’ started the game with great intent. Tackles were committed and technically strong, limiting the opposition to few scoring chances. An unfortunate injury meant that Pilgrims’ had to play out the rest of the fixture with no subs. A game with this much ferocity was always going to take its toll, and in the last moments it was clear the boys were beginning to show fatigue. Twyford took advantage of fresh legs and scored the winning try in the final phase. Pilgrims’ were understandably disappointed in the result. But the smiles and cheers from watching parents in admiration of the quality of their rugby and the efforts given was enough to cheer them up. Well done boys! JB
U9 B VIII vs Twyford
TMH
U9 Touch VIII vs Twyford
Won 9-7
A great performance by the boys against an eager Twyford side. It was very even for most of the first half, with each team scoring one after the other. As half time approached, Pilgrims’ had nudged their noses slightly ahead and were up by two points. The second half began quite evenly, but Pilgrims’ then began to look stronger as Twyford faded a bit. Although It remained fairly even throughout, in truth we always looked like taking the win. Some excellent performances throughout the team with great running and defending from Baxter and Isaac, and a player of the match performance from Thomas ‘The Puma’ H-P. SXT
Congratulations
Fraser and Alfie of Year 7 have been selected to represent the district team at the County championships on the 5th March – well done!
Also, Lucas entered the Blackpool Grand Finals Area Competition at Gosport on Sunday. He reached the final with five other boys, and won 3rd place with a trophy in the final round of the Ballroom Waltz. Well done Lucas!
Andrew Short
Director of Sport