Under 13
Matches
Sun 27 Mar 2022
Kesteven Rugby
Under 13
5
25
Stamford
Kesteven U13s vs. Stamford

Kesteven U13s vs. Stamford

Mark Hastings28 Mar 2022 - 11:36
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NLD Cup Semi-Final, Sunday 27th March 2022

Pre Match
There was an air of excitement and nerves on the morning of the NLD Cup Semi-Final as the two form teams of the tournament thus far were drawn against each other in the semi-final.

K's arrived somewhat battered and bruised, feeling the effects of a 7s tournament on the Thursday before the game. Most significant was an injury to Mason which kept him on the sidelines, forcing a last-minute adjustment for K's and frustration for poor Mason.

As the boys warmed up, a large crowd gathered to support both teams - playing on Pitch 1 for the first time. The stage was set for what would be an incredible game of rugby, worthy of the final.

First half
K’s kicked-off the match, playing uphill and into the light breeze. Stamford enjoyed good early possession, retaining the ball well through multiple phases. Ultimately this resulted in the opening try of the game, 0-5.

K's then enjoyed a good spell of possession, working their way up the field and close to the Stamford line, with Tom McD going over from close range to tie the scores at 5-5. Game on!

Both teams were fully committed with lots of strong tackling from both teams. From one break, where Stamford looked destined to score, Josh G made a great try-saving tackle at full-back.

K's were unfortunate, losing Joel and Josh G fairly early to heavy knocks - a combination of strong tackling and hard ground taking their toll. Alfred also required treatment for a bloody nose and Max turned his ankle, meaning K's rhythm was repeatedly interrupted in the first half.

The strong tackling continued with both teams trying very hard to gain momentum in what was a closely fought battle. Mid-way through the first half, a spear tackle from Stamford left another K's player on the ground. The referee chose to invoke the spirit of the game rather than the letter of the law: calling the player over and sending him from the field of play to cool down, allowing a replacement to be brought on.

Still, the teams battled one another hard and two late tries in the half gave Stamford the edge at half-time, 5-15. All was still to play for.

Second half
The second half was much like the first - tough, attritional rugby with neither side taking a step back, both sides probing and defending like their lives depended on it.

K's broke through from a run from Dan, but an excellent Stamford tackle denied the try. Similarly, Ollie M looked destined to score having rounded his opposite winger, only for another last-ditch tackle to close the door. It was these fine margins that would ultimately be telling as K's struggled to gain sufficient momentum.

K's injury woes continued with a head injury for Joe D and knocks for Callum, Ollie T, Oscar and Will in the second half.

Right at the end of the second half, a patched-up K's team with lots of boys playing in unfamiliar positions conceded two late tries leaving the final score as 5-25.

Post Match
Man of the match was Tom McD. Well played Tom - lots of great rucking, tackling, jackaling and determination.

A special mention goes to the first aiders, ably supported by Dave B, who together probably racked up the most yardage dealing with all the injuries!

That evening, we received a thoughtful message from Stamford, expressing hope that the injuries weren't serious, adding "Thanks to you and everyone at Kesteven for today, I know it's tough and one of us was going to be in the situation! There was nothing but gracious positives from all your group after the match. I know your guys will come out fighting and want to heal a wound next time we meet (on the field!). Cheers."

Although a disappointing result, K's should be proud of their performance. On the day, Stamford played better and deserved the victory. We wish them all the best for the final and hope they are victorious.

Thank you to all the parents for their support - you were great. Kudos to the players who came up to watch and support - thank you! The coaches were proud of all the boys and encourage them to hold their heads up high. We'll learn from this and come back stronger for it.

Match details

Match date

Sun 27 Mar 2022

Kickoff

11:00
Team overview
Further reading