U10 Bs play with spirit on the Camberley permafrost

Festival: Camberley B
Date: 10 March

Players: Ben Atkins, Cameron Bellenger, William Burbidge, Jake Dobinson, Nicholas Fernandez, Josh Hazel, Tom Horrell-Tidbury, Hamish Hudson, Louis Morgan, Max Parker, Christopher Ratcliffe, Will Shaw & Hari Tote

Coach: Dominic Parker

Game 1 Result: Farnham 4 Guildford 1
Try Scorers: Hamish, Josh, Hari & Ben

Game 2 Result: Farnham 0 Cobham 4
Try Scorers:

Game 3 Result: Farnham 0 Wimbledon 5
Try Scorers:

Game 4 Result: Farnham 1 Chobham 2
Try Scorers: Hari

Game 5 Result: Farnham 2 Camberley 1
Try Scorers: Nick & Josh

Top Team Player: Ben Atkins
Top Tackler: Louis Morgan

Festival Report by: Will & Jim Shaw

A good showing by the lads in increasingly bitter conditions, winning two and losing three (one of which very narrowly). After a cracking start we lost the plot a bit against two strong sides and then raised our game with two well contested matches.

First Game Guildford 1 Farnham 4: Our boys flew out the blocks like rabid wild dogs to tear into Guildford. Searing breaks from Nick & Hari, strong tackle from Will S and the irrepressible Louis passing of his knees soon saw Guildford crumbling. A finely orchestrated line out surge saw Hamish crashing over in the corner to start the rout. After some fearsome tackling the game was then delayed to deal with a scary looking injury to a Guildford player. A special mention must go to Hari’s Dad for showing almost as much lithe turn of speed as his son in rushing to the stricken lad’s assistance and organizing his recovery. The game was restarted on another pitch and our boys carried on where they left off. Another lineout and the fearless Christopher leapt like a salmon, crashed upfield like Johno in his prime to set up the rampaging Josh to blast in the try. Later as his father berated the tardy ambulancemen, Hari scythed through with a sublime try. Then Ben Atkins finished his barnstorming game with well worked try. At some stage Guildford got one back but they were well beaten.

Game 2 Cobham 4 Farnham 0: Boys against men, a big wake up call for us. A big, strong, fast Cobham team fairly steam rollered us. Our tackling evaporated and our set piece dissolved as the wheels started to come off. One surge from Hari Whizz seemed our only reply. There was some notable tackling from Cameron who performed heroics in a front row against boys who looked like they’d started puberty a couple of seasons ago. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to hear of a nasty outbreak of stubble rash in our forwards…

Game 3 Wimbledon 5 Farnham 0: Coach Dominic raised his game and his voice and sent his troops out once more.. The scoreline wasn’t a fair reflection of the game. In a game of two halves the first half saw us ship in 3 soft tries. We appeared to be waking up to the danger too late and missing early tackles, despite their players being repeatedly cautioned for handing off (dirty). Halftime and Dominic ratcheted it up to new decibel levels and the boys started a spirited fight back. The highlight of the tournament (besides the sausage & egg roll later) was Ben Atkins terrifying tackle. Arriving like a heat seeking exocet into the side of the Belgrano he torpedoed their attack into touch almost bowling over the howling parents. The team seemed re-energised and had the bit between their teeth again.

Game 4 Chobham 2 Farnham 1: Much improved and we should have nicked it. From the start Hari fizzed through their entire team like Moses parting the red sea for a brilliant individual try. They scored a fine jinking try in reply and it was game on. Honours even at halftime. Dominic’s calm instruction worked miracles and the second half produced much improved rucking and tackling as the boys started to look like an elite team in the making. Chobham then ambushed us with a try from nowhere down our touchline – miscommunication from our guys as their man slipped through. Spirited fight back but we ran out of time and our lads came off angry and baying for blood.

Game 5 Camberley 1 Farnham 2: After a long wait Dominic released his hounds and they tore into Camberley’s soft under belly for a rousing, visceral victory. Possibly inspired by Camberley playing their sneaky home advantage card and making our lads turn the shirts inside out as the wind whistled in from the Urals. But with ice in their veins our brave boys trudged on and earned their shirts with a rousing victory. The lads saved their best scrummaging game for last and after rucking the Camberley shirts into their frozen tundra, the ball popped up and Nick slalomed through to score.
Hari then nearly scorched through the frozen wastes only to be denied the tryline. A fantastic interchange between Hari and Josh so clearly merited a try. The second half saw more ferocious mauling resulting in their large prop lying winded on the ground as Jake teared off on a mazy run to pop Josh through on diagonal run for a well worked try. Then hypothermia began to set in my left hand and my last notes are “they get 1 back”.

I haven’t mentioned all the players, just the stand out moments but all the boys performed heroically in a long cold day and made us all proud.
On a final note I couldn’t find a box for “Coach Watch” so I’ve taken the liberty of adding it in…

Coach Watch – Dominic: Played a blinder. His dolcit, lilting, Scottish brogue could be heard in Frimley.
Commitment: He gave everything and then some more
Tactics: Corrected the faltering scrum set piece with some trademark calm instructions
Inspiration & Communication: Brillliantly kept the boys warmed up all day and had me sniggering into my coffee with his methods “ Pop it up”, “what was that” “10 press ups – good ones”, “count them out”, “don’t need tops you should be warm enough”, “run in”, “pop it up”, “proper ones – 10 more”.
Genius.
Conditioning: Room for improvement and someone get him a decent hat… .