Middlesex Rugby
U16 in Hertfordshire
U16s play Hertfordshire U16s
Hertfordshire “A” 40 – Middlesex “A” 22 11 November 2007 – St Albans School
A windswept afternoon at St Albans saw Middlesex hosted by Hertfordshire. The first 15 minutes saw Middlesex apply good steady pressure but fail to turn that into points and Hertfordshire methodically moved the ball down the length of the pitch to get within the Middlesex 22. There was continued pressure which led to Middlesex conceding a penalty in front of the posts. Herts opted to go for the posts thus kicking into a ferocious wind, the ball was blown back into Middlesex hands where it was promptly gifted to Hertfordshire within the 5 metre line. The ensuing drive saw the ball over the line and Middlesex were fortunate to hold it up to avoid an early Herts score.
Herts continued to apply the pressure and, as Middlesex were breaking upfield, a long pass out wide was blown off course and fell to Hertfordshire’s centre who grounded the ball for an easy score. The conversion was good and the hosts were in the lead 7-0. Middlesex immediately brought the game back to Hertfordshire and applied a period of good pressure within the Herts 5m line. Frustratingly, this did not result in points and Middlesex needed to restart efforts toward the Hertfordshire try line. This lead to a good period of endeavour and resulted in a penalty to Middlesex in front of the posts, stand-off Zafar Ansari passed to ball to Alistair Bone at No. 8 who went over to the right of the posts for the first score. The conversion was not successful and Middlesex trailed 7-5.
The game settled into a prolonged period of handling errors and minor infringements from both sides and eventually Hertfordshire began to build some momentum and get the ball into the Middlesex half. The ball was worked up to the Middlesex try line and, after a long series of punchy attempts, it was grounded. Harts managed to convert in the high wind and lead 14-5 with very little remaining in the half. Middlesex worked the ball well to within the Herts 22 and a series of attacks saw Herts discipline falter. Scrum half Will Magie ran a quick tap from one of the Herts penalties and offloaded to Ansari just before the line. The fly half dove over and grounded the ball. Fullback Marland Yarde converted under very difficult circumstances and half time arrived with MIddlesex behind 14-12.
Middlesex found themselves facing an increasingly strong northerly wind in the second half as well as a more focused Herts team. The Londoners were on the backfoot immediately and a sustained Hertfordshire effort over five minutes resulted in a classic pick-up from the base of a scrum and the resulting drive saw the ball quickly grounded. Hertfordshire’s luck kicking into the wind held and saw them with a 21-12 lead. Middlesex’s woes increased during a period of lacklustre play which was made worse when the ball squirted out of a Middlesex scrum to be toe-poked over the line and promptly pounced on by Herts. Again the kick split the uprights and Herts were putting some daylight between themselves and their opponents with a 28-12 lead. Hertfordshire continued to pile on the pressure after the restart and this soon resulted in a nice working of the ball towards the try line and a ball spun out wide to the left for a score. The conversion was good and Hertfordshire found themselves 35-12 to the good. Further sustained efforts saw Herts exploit the Middlesex sonambulance with a hasty try for a 40-12 lead.
Middlesex finally stated to wake from their second half stupor and immediately began to seek a way back into the game. Luke O’Keeffe had a highly effective break out of Middlesex territory which was subsequently taken to within inches of the Hertfordshire line allowing lock Fraser Wem to scoop up the ball and go over. Middlesex’ conversion into the near gale blowing out of the north saw the ball pushed back on to the left post from where to the ground an indicator of Middlesex’s fortune’s. Middlesex trailed 40-17. Following the restart Middlesex worked the ball downfield with new-found purpose and the support play at the breakdowns showed marked improvement. Middlesex got to the Herts line and prop Joe Wasinski went over though the ball was somehow judged to have been held up. Middlesex continued to bring the game to Herts and the dying minutes of the game saw Marland Yarde make a good catch of a Hertfordshire clearance kick and run the ball the length of the pitch breaking tackles and sidestepping with great effect. He grounded the ball for a well deserved try. The conversion was unsuccessful and Middlesex trail by 18 points at 40-22. There was very little follow on play before the final whistle.
