Sun 27 Nov 11

TRIANGULAR FIXTURE AT TROWBRIDGE

The team travelled to Trowbridge for a triangular fixture against the home side and Chippenham.  It was a long journey but worth it for good rugby on well maintained flat pitches at the John of Gaunt School.  It was a bright but very chilly Sunday morning with a very cold breeze – clearly Winter setting in.  Trowbridge could not field a full side so Chippenham lent them a couple of players.  With posts on the pitch we managed to play Conversions, with long games – 15 minutes per half.

Match 1:                     Salisbury 14               Chippenham 28

Chippenham had easily beaten Trowbridge in their first match and were warmed up; they clearly caught Salisbury napping scoring 3 of their tries in the first half.  James Robson came off with an injured knee closely followed by Ben Richards who had been studded on his old injury from which he had just recovered.  Chippenham’s backs were particularly good with an excellent line and near-perfect passing.

Salisbury played much better in the second half and, after a series of drives forward, Edward Shanley crossed the line to score, which Mark Hill converted.  Tom McFarland managed a darting run to score again and regain some Salisbury pride, allowing Mark to convert again.

Match 2:                     Salisbury 14               Trowbridge 7

The Trowbridge boys were massive (I’m convinced one of them was actually a Dad) but they lacked the mobility and agility possessed by the nippy Salisbury boys.  Tom McFarland scored early in the first half.  The second half became more physical in which they boys battled against some undisciplined play and high tackles.  Tom McFarland scored his second try of the match (and third try of the day) which Harry Burke converted.  Trowbridge’s consolation try was actually scored by a Chippenham player wearing a yellow shirt.

There were some welcome hot dogs for the players at the end of play.

Sun 20 Nov 11

TRIANGULAR FIXTURE AT SALISBURY

Devises and Bradford on Avon joined us for a triangular fixture at Salisbury.  The absence of posts on the training pitches meant no conversions.

Match 1:                     Salisbury A 0              Bradford on Avon 3

Salisbury ‘A’s were asleep.  No other way of putting it as BoA slipped two easy tries past the boys in the first two minutes of the match.  They gradually improved and woke up, but no enough to prevent BoA getting a third try in the second half.  James Robson and Edward Shanley came a cropper as they double-tackled an opponent and both hit their heads.

Match 2:                     Salisbury B 1             Devises 4

Conversely the B team played the best they have all seasonl and the scoreline belies an evenly matched contest.  The play included Salisbury B’s first competition try of the season from Brandon who tumbled over the line with 5 Devises players hanging off his body.  Morale is high.

Match 3:                     Salisbury A 4 Devises 0

The A Team had finally woke from their slumber following a good stiff ‘discussion’ with Richard and Taff.  The team played very well with Daniel Harris, Tom McFarland, Edward Shanley and Harry Mould all scoring tries..

Match 4:                     Salisbury B 0             Bradford on Avon 6

After a good initial match spirits were high, but with maybe a touch of complacency and the B Team should have realised that it was taking on a side that had put four tries over the A Team.  In the end it was a disappointing result.

Sun 16 Oct 11

SALISBURY FESTIVAL

The fine weather felt more like early September than mid-October for this year’s Salisbury Festival.  A long day with 20 players rolling out to represent the U12s.  As a new development, the festival rules permitted 5 points for a try and allowed conversion to score an additional 2 points.

Match 1:         Salisbury 5     Topsham 7

Relative newcomers Topsham travelled a long way to the Festival but it was worth it as they eventually made it to the Cup Final.  Salisbury piled on the pressure in the first half to no avail.  It wasn’t until early in the second half that the pressure paid off and Tom McFarland grew another 4 inches as he stretched to get over the line.  Regrettably, the new conversion rules, especially that the kick must be taken within 60 seconds of the try, caused Josh Ellis to miss.  We weren’t particularly bothered even when Topsham scored an equalising try.  It wasn’t until they converted it and the referee called out the final score, that we realised how close we had come, but had eventually lost the match.  Even worse, Ben Richards limped off with a swollen foot which it turns out (following a visit to A&E), is broken.

Match 2:         Salisbury 14   Devises 0

A much better match with an early try for Harry Mould following a good straight run through the opposition; Josh Ellis converted.  Josh then scored our second try with a long diagonal run into the opposite corner, topping it off with an easy conversion.
Devises clearly woke up and were much stronger in the second half but failed to score.  Moment of the match was Tom McFarland’s run across two thirds of the pitch following Josh Ellis’ clearance kick, ending in a superb tackle. A good result.

Match 3:         Salisbury 12    Sherborne 7

Sherborne shocked us with an early try.  Tom McFarland was within a gnat’s whisker of equalising but was scragged back over the line by the opposition.  Time and again Salisbury threw themselves onto the ramparts of Sherborne defence but failed to breach them until Tom McFarland finally managed to score, with Josh Ellis converting.  It looked like it was going to be a draw, but in the final play of the match Edward Shanley looked certain to score had a Sherborne player not employed a dangerously high tackle.  The Wimborne referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try with a resultant Salisbury victory.

Match 4:         Salisbury 0   Bradford upon Avon 0

Salisbury had to win this match to go though for the Plate.  The teams were very closely matched; although Salisbury had the greater possession they failed to capitalise on it and, despite frantic efforts the score remained nil-nil throughout.

As a result Salisbury failed to get through to the Plate Final by one point. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride; but it was a good day’s rugby.  Get well soon Ben.

Sun 2 Oct 11

GUILDFORD B TEAM FESTIVAL

This was, to the Author’s knowledge, our first outing to Guildford, which was a good, well run festival on large open (but slightly sloping) pitches.  This was the first proper match against a real opposition for many of the new players in the B Team.  We were meant to play 4 matches in the pool, but Farnham failed to put out a team so we got a ‘by’ for that match.

Match 1:         Salisbury 0     Battersea 6

The poor scoreline belies an impressive display from the newcomers.  Everything came together and there was some impressive tackling from many.

Match 2:         Salisbury 0     Old Rutlishians 2

A much better match with visible improvement in the team; excellent scrummaging.

Match 3:         Salisbury 0     Chipstead 3

Again, the team had improved and Brandon Bennet should have scored in the opening play with a dancing run down the wing.  The referee’s sharp eyes however spotted that he had placed a foot into touch (even though the touch-judge hadn’t raised his flag).  Bad luck.  Despite this set-back the team fought on with some superb kicking from Rhys Williams.  William Lambert took a hefty knock but was soon back on his feet.

The poor stats do not show the full picture.  The team grew with every match and, as Coach Anthony said at the end ‘They arrived as individual players, but left as a team.’  A good day’s rugby.

Sunday 26th November 2011

U11A Tournament Report, North Dorset, 6th November 2011

A strong, cold wind blew the last of the Bonfire Night smoke across the sunlit, rural pitches of North Dorset RUFC for this U11A tournament, a local affair but for the passage through these parts of the Dubai Exiles, no less.

Salisbury under 12s

New Milton Festival

Sunday 2nd October 2011

Match 1 - Salisbury 1 v New Milton 0

A good start for Salisbury playing deep in the opposition half. Salisbury could have got a try early on but despite taking up excellent positions the ball wasn't moved wide as quickly as it could have been. Much of the first half was the same with passing improving and Salisbury closing on the line but unable to execute the final pass when it mattered.

The second half started with some good passing from Harry Mould, Ben Richards and Harry Burke. New Milton defended well and it looked like a draw was on the cards until Charlie (captain) used his strength to punch through on the final move of the game.

Under 12s Match Report

Bournemouth Festival 17th April 2011

Salisbury 3 V Swanage 1

Some of the opposition looked big enough to shave, however, Salisbury were not put off by size and applied lots of pressure in the first half particularly through the scrum. They were unlucky that this only resulted in a single try in the first half from Tom McFarland. Harry Burke very nearly got away for a try following a good kick from Josh Ellis.

In the 2nd half Swanage managed to get an early try from their biggest player although a few of the Salisbury team thought he had a foot in touch. From that point on Salisbury increased pressure and Jacob appeared to be over the line but perhaps not aware (red markings on the pitch weren't the clearest). Salisbury held position on the try line and Harry Burke was first to react to a loose ball touching down for Salisbury's second. Salisbury maintained the pace up to the end with Charlie getting a well deserved third.

Dorset & Wiltshire Final at Sherborne

3rd April 2011

Match 1 - Salisbury 1 v Bournemouth 0

A good start for Salisbury in the first few minutes with Harry Burke getting over the line for what looked to be a try but was held up. After that nerves seemed to creep in with some poor passing and a lack of direction. The second half saw a much improved Salisbury who spent most of the game in the oppositions half searching for a try. A penalty was awarded in the final few seconds of the game and Salisbury passed the width of the pitch for Ben Richards to take the ball over the line. A great start to the tournament and a well deserved win.

Salisbury U11B

Salisbury Festival, 16 October 2011

The only B Team in an A Team festival, with the season barely underway and the team's combinations untried, this was never going to be anything but a tough gig.
The autumn mist rose, the sun came out over the alpine Hudson's Field landscape, and Andover hove into to view. After some sound early defending in the first half, Salisbury used the slope to good effect, with Bobby going over to score in the thick of a powerful rolling maul. After half time, however, the tables were turned.