Kesteven U15s vs. Oakham U15s

K's were missing a handful of players for their last friendly game before the NLD Cup final. Oakham, the visitors, were depleted too, but arrived at Woodnook ready to give K's a good test. Due to lack of front row cover, scrums were uncontested. Credit to George for coming to watch and support the lads.

First Half
Oakham kicked off the first half with a very strong wind behind, winning an early scrum as the wind played havoc with the kick. Oakham probed for four phases without penetrating the K's defence before a loose pass bounced to the winger who advanced into K's 22m. A grubber kick through was well fielded by James and K's had their first possession of the game. Drives from Tom McD and Thom B were halted before K's found Oscar who broke several tackles to exit the 22m before offloading. Thom B carried before K's opened up the backs again, only for an errant pass to be knocked forward, scrum Oakham. This gave Oakham a platform to release their dangerous centre, dynamically avoiding tackles before a last-ditch Rhys tackle prevented the opening score of the game. However, the ball was offloaded and Dylan made an excellent tackle, forcing the knock-on and a scrum on 5m for K's. Alfred fed Alfie O, to Wyatt, whose delayed pass gave Oscar space to clatter through a couple of tackles again escaping the 22m before K's were awarded a penalty. Alfred went quickly but Oakham managed to turn over the ball, knocking on moments later to give K's a scrum on halfway. Alfred fed Alfie O, he fed Oscar who offloaded to Rhys who was tackled just outside the 22m. Alfred played a 1-2 with Will G on the wing, entering Oakham's 22m for the first time and offloading to Will H. Alfred fed Will M who hit the defensive wall hard. Will H picked and went before K's pressure earned a penalty. Alfred's cross-field kick found Oscar who held off two tackles to open the scoring, 5-0. Such was the wind that Wyatt's conversion was well struck and landed about 10m in front of him!

Oakham's restart was plucked from the air by Robert who made a nice run. However, Oakham's defence managed to turn over the ball and release their backs, but handling was an issue and Alfred came away with the ball with a jinking run. Will M was hauled down by three defenders and K's looked to release the backs, but the ball didn't find hands and K's found themselves on the back foot pinned on the 22m but won a penalty to release the pressure. Moments later, Oakham had a scrum and launched several phases to slowly advance up the field, winning a penalty inside the 22m. The kick to touch earned a 5m lineout and the scrum half nipped-in to score after a rolling maul. The conversion was good and Oakham led 5-7.

Oakham took the restart well but were met with strong K's defence and a turnover from Tom McD. K's piled forward and attacked blind, but Oscar was stopped short. Will H almost made it over and K's spotted the overlap, with Wyatt selflessly drawing the defender and feeding Rhys for an easy try. K's had the lead again, 10-7 with the conversion just missing the upright.

At this point, Oakham had suffered an injury so, in true rugby spirit, Joel donned a yellow shirt and joined the Oakham backs. From the kick off, Dylan recovered the ball and was met with a crunching tackle from none other than Joel! K's probed blind but were tackled into touch giving Oakham a lineout. K's defence scragged the Oakham fly half to the ground, but they recycled, although the ball was scrappy. Wyatt scythed down the Oakham fullback on the edge of the K's 22m, followed by a good hit from Alfred. K's slowed Oakham progress and won a penalty, calling a scrum on account of the wind against and the uncontested scrums. Alfred fed Alfie O who enabled Oscar to cut inside, before being hauled down by four defenders on halfway. Alfred released Alfie O but his offload just evaded Thom B and Oakham had a scrum 10m inside their half. The ball was knocked on and Thomas H picked it up, driving forward strongly. Tom McD timed a nice pass for Will H but the ball was knocked forward. Scrum Oakham inside their 22m. Despite the wind in their favour, Oakham ran the ball, breaking the gainline before Alfred cut down the attacker. Oakham recycled and their dangerous centre played a lovely chip and chase, recovering the ball well only for Rhys to stop another certain try. K's then won the ball back to curtail the attack. K's backs ran a nice move to advance towards halfway, then Wyatt fed Alfred who released Will G. Will's pass didn't quite find Thomas H's waiting hands and Oakham had a scrum on halfway. Oakham pushed forward round the outside but K's recovered the ball just outside the 22m. Callum broke the gainline before several phases played out. K's then went wide, Alfie O feeding Oscar who found Rhys joining the line, but the tackle dislodged the ball and Oakham had a scrum just outside the 22m. K's managed to disrupt the attack and earn a scrum themselves. Alfred fed Alfie O who found Rhys and then Dylan, who jinked towards halfway before being tackled. K's recycled to Callum who broke several tackles, setting up fast ball which Alfred chipped through, putting heavy pressure on the retreating Oakham centre. Oakham recovered the ball but were pinned 5m out. The kick clear was partially charged down and James retreated to recover the ball for K's before Joel jackaled and recovered the ball for Oakham. A good double tackle from Will G and Oscar slowed the attack before K's won a scrum. Wyatt broke the gainline but Joel jackaled it back for Oakham again but they knocked on shortly after and K's had a scrum on 10m. Alfie O spotted the gap and advance into the Oakham 22m before looking for the offload, but it wasn't on and he wisely kept it and took the tackle. However, the ball bounced loose and found Oakham hands and ultimately a penalty on the edge of the 22m. The kick found touch and Oakham had a lineout 30m out. Alfred's pressure on the back line was good, as was Wyatt's tackle and Alfred's jackal, despite the attentions of Joel! The ball went dead and halftime was called.

Second Half
K's kicked off a second half which would see both Callum and Will M don the yellow Oakham jersey to maintain 15 a side. Credit to you lads. K's won an early penalty which Alfred took quickly, evading several tackles. Dan O broke the gainline, and Dan W was tackled before K's went wide to Rhys who beat the tackle to advance deep into Oakham's 22m, but the offload was recovered by Oakham. Callum then made a break for the visitors, feeding the winger who was tackled into touch by Rhys. Dan O's run was called back for cross and Oakham had the penalty. It was tapped to Callum whose goosey and offload gave Oakham the break, but K's tackling was strong and determined, forcing the loose pass in midfield which Wyatt hacked through. Joel recovered the ball for Oakham and was tackled by Wyatt. Oscar tackled the next man whose offload went to Wyatt. He released Will G who offloaded to Dan W. Dan was stopped short, as were Thomas H and Laurence before Oakham were awarded a penalty. Oakham ran it, finding the winger on the left. He was tackled by Ollie Ma but it was high and Oakham had another penalty. Again they ran it but it was lost forward. K's quickly coughed up possession and Oakham had a lineout. Again Alfred made the tackle. Oakham ran several phases until Thom B jackaled the ball back for K's but K's knocked it on, giving Oakham a scrum inside K's half. Joel made the break for Oakham this time, beating the tackle and offloading well. But K's were given the scrum inside their own 22m and Alfie O kicked clear to halfway, spectacularly breaking the glasses of one of the Oakham coaches. Alfred's line speed forced the scrum half back inside but Oakham recycled and their scrum half rounded the K's wing only to be tackled by Rhys - a third try-saving tackle of the game. Thom B jackaled the ball back and Wyatt kicked clear. Oakham looked to go wide again, conceding a scrum 5m inside K's half. Wyatt's deft pass found Oscar who offloaded to Rhys to score the opening try of the second half, 15-7 which Wyatt converted, 17-7.

Thomas H caught the restart, making 15m before being tackled and offloading to Dan O. He made metres and found Wyatt but the ball had found touch and Oakham had a lineout. Great pressure from Alfred, who was having a standout game, limited Oakham's options before K's conceded for going off their feet in the ruck. Wyatt's tackle dislodged the ball but Oakham recovered before being given a penalty. They ran it again, K's turned it over but the ball bounced loose into touch for an Oakham lineout. K's pressured well and won a scrum just inside the Oakham half. Wyatt made the break but was well tackled by the fullback, Dan O drove it in, K's recycled, Will H found Alfie O who fed Rhys to score for K's. 22-7

Oakham's restart wasn't 10m so K's had a scrum on halfway. Thomas H made a break but Oakham came up with the ball although play was called back for a K's penalty. Alfred went quick, feeding Wyatt before Oakham made the tackle. Rhys held off several tackles, Alfie O chipped across the field and the ball bounced kindly into Oscar's hands for another score, 27-7.

Ollie Ma grabbed the restart, running across field before offloading to Oscar, who dummied, before being tackled. Alfred fed Will H who shrugged off a high tackle and powered on. K's had quick ball and Alfred fed Alfie O but the ball didn't go to hand and play was called back for the K's penalty. K's didn't capitalise and Oakham had a scrum. Good tackles from Rhys and Dylan couldn't halt progress enough and Oakham's standoff was eventually stopped just short. Oakham recycled and up stepped Callum to score for Oakham, ironically his first try of the season - scored against his own team! 27-12

Oakham won a scrum after the restart, but Oscar made a good hit and Rhys effected the jackal turnover, passing back to Oscar to score under the posts, 34-12 with Wyatt's conversion. K's finished the game with 18 players on the pitch - showing the spirit the game was played in. Thank you Oakham.

Post Match
MOTM was Rhys: 3 try-saving tackles, 3 tries and 1 assist doesn't even tell the full story - well played!