Under 9

Lead Coach			Richard Simmonds	richard.rugby@blueyonder.co.uk	07527 053233
Assistant Coaches			Glen Radford
			Chris Batham-Read
			Mike Steven
			Joe Yates
Manager			Steve Westwood	stourrugby@live.co.uk	07979 500403

Notices

Player Awards 2009-2010

Player of The Season - Harry Westwood

Most Improved Player - Peter Olley

Spirit of Rugby - Archie Jury

Well done to all 3 winners. Fully deserved. Keep up the good work.

Summer Training

6:45 - 8:00 - Wednesday evenings at Stourton Park. Focus is on fitness and core skills. Ideal time for newcomers to catch up with more experienced players. This is aimed at next year’s under 10's, however others may be accommodated at the Coaches discretion.

Recruitment

Stourbridge Under 9's are looking for new players this season. Training is on Sunday mornings at Stourton Park at 10:30. Matches are also on Sunday mornings. All coaches are qualified, CRB checked and are experienced rugby players. It doesn't matter if you are a boy or girl, big or small, tall or short, experienced or never played before, or even unfit.... There is a place for you in the squad. So, if you're under 9 at 1st September 2009 why not come and try Rugby Union?

Continuum (Laws of the Game)

For those that are eager to know the Laws of the game at Under 9s level, please download this seasons Rugby Continuum from the RFU website. It would be great if you could take time to discuss these with your children.

Gumshields/Mouthguards/Headguards/Body Armour

Gumshields/mouthguards are highly recommended for Under 7 upwards. Players may opt for either 'dentist' fitted or less expensive standard guards that can be moulded to 'fit' at home. Mouthguards are available from the club shop. Headguards & Body Armour are acceptable, however this is at each parents discretion.

Severe Weather Clothing

All players should come adequately equipped to cope with the weather conditions that can occur during the winter months - this includes hats and wet weather gear where appropriate. It is better for the children to wear plenty of layers that may be removed accordingly.

Boot Studs

Players' boots should have aluminium studs complying to BS6366 - studs should be checked regularly for jagged edges as these pose a serious danger to other players. Please note rugby studs can be worn for football but not vice versa. Aluminium studs are available from the club shop. Moulded plastic studs and rubber blades may be used but must be checked on a regular basis - however boots with 'blade' type soles which have a metal tip on the plastic/rubber may not be used. Please not that studs will be checked before every training session and match so it is important that they are maintained in a good order throughout the season.

Shoe Laces

Please accept a challenge from the coaching staff. If your child has yet to master the art of tying rugby boot laces, can you please help us by taking time to show them. It is a skill that is taken for granted by our generations, but with so many children only having shoes that have Velcro fasteners, there are still many in our age group that struggle with this.

Code of conduct

Rugby is a sport that prides itself in delivering high standards of behaviour and discipline both on and off the pitch. These standards set the benchmark for and are the envy of many other sports. Stourbridge RFC is held high regard within the rugby community for maintaining these standards. Please take time to familiarise yourselves with the SRFC code of conduct for both parents and players so that we can continue to maintain these standards now and into the future.

2009-2010 Fixtures List

Match Reports

18/04/2010 - Luctonians Anglo-Welsh Tournament

This tournament is always well organised and very enjoyable.
There were twelve teams entered in the under 9 age group, this year having a particularly high standard.

Group A
Gwernyfed
Hereford
Brecon
Rhiwbina
Lucs Knights
Mumbles

Group B
Bromyard
Lucs Foxes
Pentyrch
Malvern
Vardre
Stourbridge

Match 1 v Vardre

Our first game was against a team we had not encountered previously and had no knowledge of. Our lads were motivated and ready for a good game.
From the start Stour looked very sharp. Within a minute of the start a few quick passes saw Charlie break through for a cross pitch run to score the opening try. Stourbridge dominated the first session with most play penned in the oppositions half. Just before half time Peter picked up a loose pass 5 metres from the try line to cut through for simple and well deserved try. Half time score 2-0 to Stour.
The second half was played more in the hands of the forwards. Good pressure up front resulted in errors from Vardre as they defended desperately. The rucks were dominated by our boys with some aggressive counter rucking forcing Vardre to concede for holding on in the ruck. The free pass gave our boys chance to practise what they had learnt in training. A simple pass spun out to Josh to run thru for an uncontested try.
Stourbridge win 3-0

Match 2 v Malvern

Another quick start for Stour. Harry M barging over in the first play of the match to open the account. Malvern's response was immediate. They pegged Stourbridge back in their own half for long spells but the defence held firm. There was a concerted effort by Malvern to drive the ball upfield in the maul. The commitment of manpower left open spaces across the field that Peter took advantage of after the ball was ripped from the maul to score the second before half time. Half time score 2-0 to Stourbridge.
Malvern continued to attempt to drive the ball with most of the play contested by the forwards. A scrum was called on the halfway line when a Malvern player took a heavy tackle forcing him to loose grip of the ball and knocked on. The ball emerging from the scrum started a sequence of 7 passes (this must be a record for our boys) giving Josh a comfortable run over for the third try. Much pressure was applied by Malvern forwards in the last couple of minutes but the Stour pack managed to keep them out.
Stourbridge win 3-0

Match 3 v Pentyrch

Next up was one of the tournament favourites, Pentyrch.
Our boys looked slow and laboured in this match. A few were complaining of tiredness, maybe it was the hot weather or perhaps induced by over indulgence at lunchtime. The passing amongst the backs as seen in the previous matches that created all penetrative play was awol against Pentyrch. We just couldn't get any momentum going in this game.
Stourbridge lose 0-4

Match 4 v Bromyard

We needed to take at least one point from this match if we were to progress any further. The game started with end to end action and both teams looking likely to score. Each team in turn just preventing the other from scoring with fully stretched defences. Inevitably a score was chalked on the board, Bromyard first to score. Half time 1-0 to Bromyard.
Ball was much slower in the second half. Stour retaining most of the possession and steadily pulling in territory. Our lads powered tantalisingly close to the Bromyard try line. Stour lost possession at the breakdown which was quickly countered when Bromyard were pinged for knocking forward. From the resulting scrum the ball was passed to Charlie to make one of his trademark low driving runs over the line. The match ended as a 1-1 draw which was enough for us to qualify for the semi finals.

Semi-Final v Gwernyfed

Gwernyfed started at blistering pace setting their winger off on a lovely mazy run down the right wing to be just denied by being forced into the corner flag. From the resulting lineout Stour surged up the field via the forwards going through multiple phases. Charlie linking up nicely with the pack and dodged through for an early try. Gwernyfed came back constantly feeding the wide channels. The faster wide players caused problems and ran in two tries in short succession. Half time 2-1 to Gwernyfed.
By now our lads were dead on their feet and mistakes were sure to happen. Early in the second half the ball was lost in the breakdown as enough support couldn't get there in time to secure the ball. From the turnover one of the Gwernyfed backs ran three quarters of the length of the pitch to score a cracking try. With the score now 3-1 to the opposition, and only 4 minutes of play remaining, the game appeared to be slipping away from us. But our lads did not give up. From the restart Stour gave it everything. There were plenty of hard tackles and determined running from both teams in the last few minutes. Stour kept the ball with the forwards and made slow but steady progress with the maul. In the last play Stour finally managed to power the maul over for the final try. A well deserved try for the hard working forwards. A thoroughly enjoyable and evenly matched game, Stourbridge just losing 3-2.

This was a great days rugby enjoyed by parents and kids from all clubs. Our kids did especially well and may well have won the tournament on a different day. The Stour boys gave absolutely everything, in the end they were completely exhausted. Perhaps the hot weather just didn't suit our kids today.

Thanks to Luctonians for hosting this tournament and making it such an enjoyable day.

21/03/10 - Birmingham Solihull Festival Match Report

Firstly thanks to Mr CBR for the tour of the M42. What a treat. My personal favourite was J3, though J4 and J5 did prove very popular with some of the touring party.

The format for the tournament was to be two "mini-leagues" with four teams in each. The winners from both leagues would play in the final for first place. There would be no play-off for other positions. Matches are two 6 minute halves.

League 1
Stourbridge
Bromsgrove ‘A'
Lichfield
Sutton Coldfield

League 2
Birmingham Solihull
Lymm
Bromsgrove ‘B'
Stratford

Match 1 v Lichfield

Having played Lichfield just a couple of weeks ago we knew our kids were in for a tough game.
The first half was a tight affair with neither team giving away much yardage. The defensive line of both teams was stretched but not broken. Ball was slow throughout the physical test of the first half which remained 0-0.
The second half was a continuation of the first half. As the game progressed Stour edged possession and territory only for Lichfield to steal the ball to break through for a try. Stours reply was to power through the middle with energy sapping mauling. Lichfield found themselves pushed back to their try line in the last minute with momentum in the maul to Stourbridge. A score seemed inevitable when the maul went to ground and a Lichfield player was caught holding on in the ruck. Free pass to Stour. Our lads attempt to spin the ball out to the opposite wing resulted in a retreat almost to the half way line, where the final play ended. Lichfield 1, Stourbridge 0.

Match 2 v Bromsgrove ‘A'

Next up tournament favourites Bromsgrove ‘A'.
Lots of running up and down the wings, screaming at each other, ‘woo-hooing', ‘high fiveing' and back slapping. They're an intensive bunch the US marine drill instructors.
Again, we had played Bromsgrove ‘A' only a few weeks previously which we lost 4-0.
Bromsgrove have a wonderful team that is very well drilled. Play was dominated by the slick passing and discipline of Bromsgrove, punctuated by the occasional drive from our forwards. Some determined defending from Stour kept the score to a reasonable level. Bromsgrove win 5-0.

Match 3 v Sutton Coldfield

Our final game was against a team we had not encountered previously this season, Sutton Coldfield.
Another evenly matched game. Stour "found their hands" in this game and started to pass the ball around using the spaces over the width of the pitch. As a result of the new found spaces Stour ran in their first try of the tournament. Half time score 1-0 to Stourbridge.
Stour continued to use the width of the pitch to move the ball around. The Stour pack were very quick (and comfortable ) into the contact giving SCRFC little time to regroup and setup any play. Sutton had a powerful young fellow who was always a threat, but courtesy of the Stour forwards he was not allowed to make any ground. Eventually Stourbridge broke through for a second try. Final score 2-0 Stourbridge win.

Tournament Result - L/L/W

28/02/10 - Birmingham Solihull - Home

The format for the day's fixture was to be 3 matches, two short development games then one "A" team match.

Match 1

From the start Stour were pushed back into their own half and put under pressure. Despite some dogged defending the Stour line was broke just before the half time whistle resulting in a deserved try. This was the only score of the first half.
The second half was a continuation of the first half. Bees had a couple of players that were simply too quick for our lads to catch when they broke free. Stour's defense was desperate at times and the line was not disciplined enough to cope when stretched by Bees offense. Two more tries were scored by the visitors. Harry M came close to barging over for a late consolation try in the last play but was shoved into touch just inches short. Final score Bees win 3-0.

Match 2

The newer squad members were given a run out in this game. The game started with a try in the first play for Birmingham. 1-0 down after 10 seconds, not an ideal start. Stour battled well but were simply unable to hold the much more experienced Bees team back. The visitors scored a second try with a scorching run the full length of the field. Bees seemed to almost score at will for the remainder of the match. Final score 7-0 to Birmingham.
A credible performance from our recent recruits. In particular, Oliver putting in a strong performance and continues to improve.

Match 3 - Stour A v Bees A

This was a closer encounter than the two previous games. The first half saw Stourbridge absorbing some piercing runs and in turn counter attacking with repeated pick and run moves. Stour had more possession and territory but could not convert into points. Bees did score when running into space with the ball. Half time 2-0 to Birmingham.
The first few minutes of the second half were played in Stour's half. Stourbridge defended well and eventually started to advance up the field. As Stour advanced Bees ripped the ball from a maul, spun it out wide and ran home their third try. Stour did not give up. A late try was scored by Tom Smith with a trademark run down the wing, just beating two players and just staying in play. Final score 3-1 to Birmingham Solihull.

Match day trophies were not awarded as we only had two coaches present who were kept very busy by monitoring the match and training new squad members.

This was a hard morning's work for the Stourbridge lads. Birmingham Solihull were a very physical and athletic squad. Strong displays from the ‘Tackleholics'- Charlie, Harry W and Peter. William twice got himself back up after being injured to play on. Edward also played on through injury but was forced to retire after his hand was trod on in the ruck. Oliver and Sammy R are now showing a good understanding of the game and go from strength to strength.
The results from the fixture were slightly flattering and did not truly reflect the balance of play today. That is not to say BS weren't the better team, because they were. Stour did play well in spells, in particular in the last game. Determination was never lacking and heads never dropped.

14/02/10 - Lichfield - Away

It was probably the warmest morning of the year so far. Hopefully the winter months are coming to a close.

After the Stourbridge coaches had eaten their bacon and egg baps and opened their sacks full of cards we started the first of two matches. Stour lost 8 or 9 squad members to holidays, injuries, sickness etc.

Match 1

This was a physical and entertaining encounter. Stour played with much purpose and determination. It was only a matter of time before we broke through and started chalking up some points. But, against the run of play Lichfield were first to open their account. Half time score 1 - 0 to Lichfield. Stour came out for the second half with freshly sharpened teeth and renewed energy. Lichfield were pushed back into their half for much of the remainder of the match, they defended doggedly. Stour's aggression in attack was relentless. It was inevitable that we penetrated the gain line. Will received a well timed pass and set off through the middle of the park on a diagonal run. Despite 2 or 3 Lichfield players hanging from him he managed to drive over for our only try of the match. The territorial onslaught by Stour continued only to result in a second Lichfield try gifted by a moment's lack of concentration.
Stour had probably 70 per cent of the possession and the majority of the match was on the front foot in the opposition's half. Stourbridge just couldn't get through the resolute defending of Lichfield. Final score 2 -1 Lichfield win.

Match 2

The second match gave the Stour coaches a chance to give some of the newer squad members some good match time.

The first half started with Lichfield very aggressive with ball in hand (and when defending). Stour's defence was exposed with some mazy running from the Lichfield backs. A notable try scored by one Lichfield player after running the length of the pitch leaving Stour's defence in his wake. The biggest round of "oooooh" came from the biggest tackle of the day by Ben "Bonecrusher" Smith. Ben stopped one of Lichfields finest in full flight with a fearless head-on check. Half time score 3-0 to Lichfield.

Stour were a much tighter unit in the second half after some instruction during the interval from the coaches. Our defence kept much better shape in this half, so in turn this created better chances moving up the field. Josh nearly scored a try to match Lichfield's first half spectacular score. After breaking through the gain line deep in our own half he accelerated away seemingly uncatchable. With only 7 or 8 metres left to run he was caught by two determined Lichfield defenders and pushed into touch. Stour were now in the ascendancy for the first time in the match. Much better rucking (and mauling) resulted in retained possession and the occasional turnover in Stour's favour. A well deserved try was scored by Tom Smith after squeezing through an impossibly tight channel down the right wing. Lichfield also scored once in the second half making the final score 4-1 Lichfield win.

Fixture result - Lost 2

This was a tough test for our boys. Probably the toughest physical encounter of the season so far. Our boys were certainly not daunted by the task. A depleted squad simply made the task beyond reach (no doubt Lichfield suffered the same half term shortages). Stour were forced to play with an unfamiliar shape leaving things a little light up front. Nevertheless the whole team constantly back themselves and each other in everything they do on the field. Confidence is not a problem. The new players are learning and maturing quickly. Stour simply could not break through today. One of the Lichfield coaches was so impressed with the footwork of the Stourbridge 9s he commented they were "gracious in de feet".

Lichfield RFC is always a pleasant fixture. This was our first visit there since winning the Lichfield Tournament as Under 7s two years ago. Compliments to the chef for the best breakfast sandwich of the season so far.

Man of the Match - Tom Smith - scored one of only 2 tries and always threatened to break the gain line.
Defender of the Day - Will Radford - scored the other try and defended well.
Spirit of Rugby Award - Ben Smith - Fearless tackling, learning fast and most importantly enjoyed the game.

31/01/10 - Worcester - Away

We were surprised to hear this tournament would go ahead as the ground in the Stourbridge area was frozen solid and had a thin covering of snow. Fortunately the weather in Worcester had been milder and kinder.

After parking in the usual spot we were told the under 9s would be playing on one of the new pitches nearer the motorway. Luckily he meant the M5 though it felt like the M6. When we eventually got to said pitch we were pleasantly surprised to see the ground softening in the morning sun. A decision was made at 11:15 that the pitch was playable.

Saracens were unable to fulfil the fixture so two points were awarded to Stourbridge and to Worcester. The two remaining teams decided to play one game at 15 minutes each way as a "competitive friendly" fixture so all squad members would get match time. The best nine from the two clubs were to play the first half.
Our lads played a slick Worcester team only a few weeks before Christmas and came an emphatic second best.

The contrast in styles was evident from the whistle. Stour started with the ball in hand and ran straight into contact. Possession was lost in the ruck and Worcester quickly spun the ball out wide. Charlie intercepted the wide runner and ripped the ball to begin a run of his own. Stour, again, running into contact with great determination but inevitably conceding turnover after two or three phases.

The difference between the two teams became apparent when Worcester were in possession. They advanced as a unit. The ball was offloaded, after drawing in our defence, just before the tackle. This opened up gaps that Worcester comfortably took advantage of. Stour were unable to cope with the clinical passing and pace.
Stourbridge played their brand of "proper rugby" and were successful in some areas. Collisions were won in contact and the ball was often won at the ruck. There was nothing between the teams in the physicality, especially at the breakdown. Both teams were impressive with some strength sapping contests at the maul.

Though the gap between the two teams was not that great, Stourbridge simply were unable to penetrate the way Worcester did. The half time score of 5-0 to Worcester was impressive and perhaps a little flattering to the hosts.
Worcester fielded the ‘B' team for the second half and Stour gave all squad members who did not play in the first half a run out. Worcester were unable to match the Stour aggression early in the second half. Stour pounded away at the defences until Charlie Shaw squeezed over for the first try. Jacob Grainger played his best game of the season and scored a well deserved try after a scorching run down the right wing. Stour began a relentless wave of attack through the middle of the field and the floodgates opened. Tommy Smith worked like a Trojan in midfield with effective tackling and came close to scoring twice. Three further tries were scored by Peter Olley (2) and another one for Charlie.

Final Score 6-5 Worcester win.

This was a good natured contest played against a high standard of opposition. I look forward to seeing these two teams meet over the coming years. Some errors in our game have become routine and need addressing. Passing in this match was certainly better than previously. Even so, we still charge into contact instead of looking for a simple pass. Too often the ball is unnecessarily lost in this way. We must learn to offload before the contact (at least sometimes).

We are blessed in our team with two or three aggressive players who will commit to any tackle under any circumstance. When these players ruck they do it like angry Samoans. If these players are not available to contest the ruck, it remains uncontested. Occasionally during this match our team were caught "looking" instead of rucking. It is pointless hanging back from the breakdown waiting for the next phase, it won't happen without the ball. Rucking is a duty of all players.

There were so many positives to be taken from the day. First and foremost the kids (and parents) thoroughly enjoyed the match. Despite the first half scoreline the lads know they played well. It was a great team performance against a strong Worcester team. Notably strong play from Charlie Shaw and Tom Smith. Jacob Grainger played out of his socks. Not only did he score but defended his wing without conceding a yard.

More players are learning to tackle effectively, some relishing the big tackle. There's no doubt one of the strengths of the team is the power and aggression, together with the snow balling team spirit, this is a wonderful platform for the coaches to build on.

Man of the Match- Jacob Grainger, made the wing his own.

Defender of the Day- Tom Smith, tireless performance.

24/01/10 - Bromsgrove - Away

The Christmas break and poor weather conditions meant this was not only our first match for 6 or 7 weeks but was the first time the players had even trained outside for some time. It was great to see all of the new squad members in attendance.

Format for the fixture was to play 3 matches at 3 ability levels to suit Bromsgrove's three tier squad.

Match 1 -"B" team
Our lads just couldn't wait to get going. Having been starved of action over recent weeks they were raring to go. As might be expected Stour were aggressive from the first play. Bromsgrove were given no time to breathe. In the second minute Harry Moseley opened his account with a "no nonsense" power try. Bromsgrove were detained in their own half for most of the first session. Harry Moseley scored a second try, Bromsgrove also scored. Half time score 2-1 to Stourbridge.
The second half saw Stourbridge playing downhill and applying more pressure. Bromsgrove defended well, and pushed Stour back at times, but were unable to put together any sequence of phases. Harry Moseley scored again to grab his hat trick. Bromsgrove came close to pulling back a try but were denied by some rugged defending. A fourth try was scored by (yawn) Harry Moseley (again)...SMOKIN!!
Final score- 4-1 Stourbridge win.

Match 2 - "A" team
Our first nine played a cracking Bromsgrove first team. It soon became evident that it would be difficult to win this encounter. Bromsgrove's slick passing and speed of play was a joy to watch.
The home team's first try was scored via neat passing and a breakaway at blistering pace. This was the theme for the whole of the first half. Score at the interval 3-0 to Bromsgrove.
We had the slope behind us for the second half. Gravity's assistance was appreciated. Stour again defended well and conceded one try in the second half. A conciliation try was nearly scored, but it wasn't to be. Final score 4-0 Bromsgrove win.

Match 3 - "C" team
This match gave us the chance to give new squad members and less experienced players some game time.
The kids from both teams enjoyed every minute of this game. It was a competitive and good natured encounter. Oliver Lawson and Jacob McAteer both put in performances beyond their experience. Mickey Merrick showed excellent aggression. His will to win evident with a sublime ankle tap at full stretch. Sam Roberts scored (maybe twice??) on his debut using his size and pace. All four new players have great potential and the coaches look forward to seeing more from these boys. The final score for this match was 2-0 (or 3-0?)

Another superb morning of rugby from Stourbridge. Hat's off to Bromsgrove's first nine. The development of their "A" team is a few months in front of us. They have some great players that are very well trained. That is not to say Stourbridge played badly, they did not. A stand out performance by Stours answer to Lewis Moody, Harry Westwood, with solid contributions (as always) from Peter Olley, Tommy Smith and Will Radford. The improvement continues. The first team played their hearts out and would have beaten most other teams. The standard across the squad has improved beyond recognition when compared to the start of the season. To register two wins and one defeat against a squad of Bromsgrove's standard is an excellent achievement. The first team players must now be on their guard, the development squad players are now pushing hard for their chance.

Thanks go to Bromsgrove for hosting this enjoyable morning of rugby. The refereeing of all three matches was of the highest standard. Not only fair, but also consistent.

Man of the Match - Harry Moseley for aggressive attacking play. Scored all four tries in the first match.
Defender of the Day - Harry Westwood. If it moved he tackled it.

All players not selected please attend Stourton Park for Training at 10:30

06/12/09 - Old Silhillians - Home

It was a pleasure to welcome Old Sils this week. Easily the nicest home fixture we have hosted this season.

We had been ‘pre-warned' by coaches at other clubs how good Old Sils would be. Apparently Sils had won every game so far this season, hardly conceding a try along the way. To make things worse we had 3 of our key players absent.

The agreed format for the fixture was a little different to the norm. The first match would be 14 mins (7 mins ew), the second match was to be the usual 30 mins (15 mins ew) and the third game was to be 14 mins (7 mins ew). The two 14 minute games were to allow the development teams from each squad to play. The standard 30 minute match was to pitch the ‘A' teams from each club against each other.

Match 1
The match started a little tentatively with neither team committing to "full-blooded contact". After the first couple of minutes of play Stour eased in front and confidence started to grow. Harry Moseley opened his account with his now familiar "ball through skittles" approach. Harry scored a second try (identical to the first) in the first half. A further two (well deserved) tries were scored by Jacob Grainger and Sam Oakes. Half time score 4-0 to Stourbridge.
During the break the Old Sils team were given a gentle talking to by their coaches. A combination of Old Sils renewed determination and Stour getting a little over confident saw a totally different second half. Sils became much more aggressive. Though Stour remained strong they missed the extra spark they had in abundance in the first half. Play was slow for long spells with neither team seeming able to spin any ball out of the action area. A try was scored by Old Sils with same reply (Elliott Yates) from Stour. Final score Match 1, 5 - 1 to Stour.
This was an impressive performance from our emerging talent. Notably strong and much improved displays from Ed Simmonds, Archie Jury and Sam Oakes A nasty collision during the first half meant we lost our scrum half Archie Batham-Read to a leg injury. His accurate passing and reading of the game was missed in the second half.

Match 2
This was billed as the main event of the fixture by the promoters.
Stour, having trained for 5 consecutive weeks, were hungry for some match action.
This game was a pleasure to watch. There were two different styles on show. Sils played the better passing and disciplined game, and Stour's game was centred around strength and aggression.
Early in the game it was clear Sils were comfortable moving the ball across the field to create space. It must have felt like chasing the Harlem Globe Trotters around for those first few minutes for our lads. In open play Old Sils retained possession until tackled and a ruck was formed. This was one of Stours strong areas, constantly winning the ball in the ruck. Harry Westwood and Charlie Shaw clearing out nicely at every breakdown. Their relentless bombardment was a constant menace to Sils throughout the game. Score at half time 2 - 1 to Old Sils.
The second half continued to be very close. The problems caused by Sils slick passing were snuffed out by anticipating the move and making the quick tackle. Sils were now forced to commit more manpower to the ruck to compete. Though Sils did even things out at the ruck this did leave gaps across the field. Advantage was taken of these gaps allowing Stour to run a further 3 tries in the second half, Sils scored once. Final score 4 - 4.
Every try in the second half was scored either by peeling away from the breakdown or drawing the oppositions players into the ruck leaving open gaps to run into. A marvellous team effort.
This game was a typical example of how our squad is developing. The team has an almost fearless style now. Gone is the nervousness evident before a match earlier in the season.
It almost seems a shame to mention try scorers and individual achievement for this game. As mentioned above each try was scored as a result of a team effort. The defence was strong as a result of good communication and team play. Try scorers Peter Olley (3, all scored as described above) and Tom Smith with one of those unorthodox runs of his. Strong in defence this week; Will Radford (never afraid to put his body on the line, sometimes making us parents wince!), Harry Westwood (superhuman workload), Charlie Shaw (absolute commitment) and Jacob Grainger (vast improvement).

Match 3
As mentioned at the top of this match report the format for this fixture was different to our usual 2x 30 min games. Unfortunately someone forgot to tell all the players / parents so some went home after the second match....
As with the first game this was a development game for both squads. The game was not really intended to be fully competitive, but the lads didn't understand that. So both teams went for it.
Straight from the whistle Stour scored an almost uncontested try. This was closely followed by a second. Of course, Stour felt they had Sils on the ropes and went for the kill. Everyone now wanted to score a try. The match remained a little one-sided throughout but still nice to see our boys relaxed and enjoying the game. Final Score 8-0 to Stourbridge.
A great performance (2 tries) from Harry "don't stop me now" Moseley. He was having such a good time.... Peter Olley ran 3 lovely tries and Tom Smith scored via another tight run down the wing. Joshua Mcevilly came close but not quite managing it this week. Great to see Tom Steven scoring. The size of the smile said it all. The biggest cheer of the day went to Molly Ryan for her 20 yard dash to score her first try. Well done!!

Fixture result - W/D/W

Man of the Match - Harry Moseley, back to his bulldozing best.
Defender of the Day - Sam Oakes, greatly improved.

There are so many positives to be drawn from Sunday. If it weren't for a couple of small errors this fixture could easily have been a clean sweep. Two wins and 1 draw is still very impressive against this standard of opposition. We have an ever growing nucleus of players in the squad showing full commitment, and enjoying it. Emphasis is shifting away from the glory of scoring a try. Team effort has now become more important.
The ruck has become one of our strengths, no longer a weakness. What has been learned in training is showing in a match. Eg scoring a try from the maul. Coaches and parents were particularly proud this week.

Thanks go to Old Sils coaches, parents and players for providing such a high standard of opposition and making this such an enjoyable fixture.

14/11/09 - Dudley Kingswinford - Home

TBA

8/11/09 - Worcester - Away

This weeks' fixture was away at Sixways, home of Worcester Worriers. Don't know what they have to worry about but that's not important for now.

When Stour U9s met Banbury at the recent Cheltenham festival we were comfortably beaten 8-0. Worcester ‘A' recently beat Banbury 6-0. It was going to be a tough morning for our kids.

Match 1
A close run affair with both teams giving little away. From the whistle both teams applying pressure and in turn defending well. Worcester opened their account with a try scored from Stour loosing possession in open play. First half 1-0 to Worcs.
Worcester scored a further 3 tries in the second half. Final score 4-0 to Worcester.

Match 2
The rain picked up just before the second match but not enough to make any impact on the game. The team was rotated giving all squad members a good run-out. As in the first game possession was fiercely contested with Stour just coming off second best. Score at half time 2-0, full time score 5-0 to Worcester.

Stour's strength and confidence is growing weekly. It's a joy to see so many of our players now relishing the physical contact. Our defensive play is as good as any team we have played so far this season. Rucking, mauling and tackling like seasoned professionals. In attacking play, however, we make the same mistakes every game. When in possession our player will invariably charge forward to the contact. At this point we will either loose possession, or form a ruck then repeat until we do loose possession. We need to learn to make an early pass and offload before the contact (sometimes). We can't score tries without the ball.
Nevertheless, we continue to improve. As the season goes on the gap between the clubs with bigger squads and ourselves will close. This was a great team effort today. No-one backed away from the contact, every tackle was made to count. We didn't score a try today but battled to the final whistle. Well done Stour!

During this fixture problems were constantly encountered from high tackles. It started in the first game and continued until the final whistle of the second game. The problem worsened as the fixture unfolded. Both teams were "at it". Inevitably this caused heated exchanges and retaliation. This type of dangerous play is not acceptable and luckily there were no injuries. If senior first team players tackled in this way they would expect to leave the field. The issue was addressed in the proper manner (over a pint in the clubhouse after the match). Coaches from both clubs accepted shared responsibility. The behaviour should have been nipped in the bud early in the first game. Hopefully a lesson learned.

Thanks go to Worcester for hosting this enjoyable fixture. The matches were a pleasure to watch and were played in good spirit. Well done Worcester!

This weeks awards:

Man of the Match - Charlie Shaw, Great aggressive play from Charlie.
Defender of the Day - Peter Olley, Effective as the last line of defence preventing at least 2 tries with spectacular tackling.

1/11/09 - Dudley Kingswinford - Away

Sunday saw us travel to a place with one of the longest town names in England, Dudleykingswinford.

This has always been a favourite fixture for both the kids and parents from both clubs. Always good to see some of the old faces at DK (and some I recognised too).

Match 1
Both sides setting out their stall with some big tackles. Though a physical encounter some excellent rugby was played by both teams. Two tries scored from sheer endeavour, Tom Smith and Charlie Shaw. The first half score 2-0 to Stour.
Stour smelt blood and came out for the second half looking for tries. We continued the tactic of powering our way through the middle. Harry Westwood, Peter Olley, William Radford and Charlie Shaw were in no mood to allow any breach of defences. With this "brick wall" in place other players were released to attack DK's line. Harry Moseley scored twice with identical powerhouse tries straight down the centre of the pitch. Archie Batham Read also scoring two lovely tries from "jinking" runs down the wing. Another try scored from hard work by Peter Olley. The score was a little flattering to our boys. DK really did play well, they just couldn't get the ball over the line in this match. Final score 7-0 Stourbridge win.

Match 2
Dudleykingswinford began the second match looking to avenge the first game. Stourbridge started over-confident. DK opened the scoring with a cracking try from a run down the wing, this was quickly followed by another very similar score. Stour responded with a (another) try from Harry Moseley. The opposition then ran another comfortable score. Half time 3-1 to Dudleykingswinford.
The half time team talk saw Stour approach with a renewed desire. From the whistle DK were pushed back. Tommy Smith scored first to open our account for the second half. Stourbridge were relentless in the second half. DK were continually pounded and put under pressure but never gave up. Tries were scored by Peter Olley and Charlie Shaw. Tommy Smith ran in a further well deserved two! Final score 6-3 to Stour.

This weeks' performance was one of our best of the season so far. The awards could have gone to so many of the squad members. Our defence was certainly our greatest quality today. DK were unable to penetrate our lines, this (and our improved aggressive attitude) being the telling difference between the two teams. Nice to see Harry Moseley (MOTM) back to full fitness after injury, and scoring tries. Tom Smith (MOTM) found the form of last season scored freely in the 2nd half of the 2nd match. Keep it up boys. Ethan Squire, Ed Simmonds, Tom Steven and Jacob Grainger put in a solid performance producing some great tackling. Molly Ryan gets closer with every match to scoring her first try. As soon as she does I am sure there will be many to follow.
Today was a real team effort but with some outstanding individual performances.

Many thanks to our local friends for hosting this thoroughly entertaining morning of rugby. Both games were played in great spirit and an absolute joy to watch.

Man of the Match awards were shared this week:

Harry Moseley - simply unstoppable going forward.
Tom Smith - tenacious performance topped by 3 tries.

18/10/09 - Cheltenham Tournament - Away

The journey to Cheltenham was a very pleasant one. There were no traffic hold ups and the rain stayed away.

The tournament started with some great positive signs... the sun was trying to break through, the squad turned up on time and the bacon sandwiches were delicious.

The format for the tournament was to be four "mini-leagues" of four teams (16 teams total) with the top team from each "mini-league" advancing to semi-finals and then the final. Semi final losers would play each other for 3rd and 4th positions. Teams failing to advance to the semis would play-off for the remaining positions, five to sixteen.

Our group / mini-league consisted of Hucclecote, Frampton Cotterell and Banbury.

Group Match 1 v Hucclecote
This game started in our now familiar style. The usual 4 or 5 lads did a splendid job of keeping out the opposition and grinding away in offence. The speedier lads waited patiently on the wings for service but were generally starved of good, quick ball.
At half time Stour were ahead by 1 - 0.
The second half continued the theme. Both teams worked tirelessly giving very little away. Hucclecote pulled level with just a few seconds remaining. Final Score 1-1.

Group Match 2 v Frampton Cotterell
We lost this match 3-1.

Group Match 3 v Banbury
Stourbridge were disappointed with themselves from the previous match and started this game in the wrong frame of mind. Within 2 minutes we had conceded 2 tries. Stourbridge lost this game. Well done to Banbury for a great display.

We now had 2 remaining matches to play-off for positions.

Play-off Match 1 v Marlborough
Before this game the players had a "good team talk" from the coaches. The talk did the trick. Every player put in much more effort and showed the aggression and commitment lacking from the two previous matches. Stourbridge took a deserved lead in the first half. We were forced back in the second half. Our defensive workhorses absorbed lots of Marlborough pressure but unfortunately conceded an equalising try. Final score 1-1.

Play-off Match 2 v Stroud
We played some nice rugby in this game. When Stour decided to play a couple of quick passes we looked like a different team. Our best try of the tournament came from a passing move and was scored during this encounter. The score at half time was 2-2. During the second half things got slightly heated as both teams obviously wanted to win their final game. Two minutes into the second half we took the lead with a hard earned try. Victory seemed imminent. With just 1 minute of time remaining Stroud broke free to score. The re-start was to be the last play. Our tactic was to position a fast player wide and get a pass over to him. The pass was made in our own half and off he went hurtling down the wing. It really was a great run, it seemed that he couldn't be caught.... But he was. Just one yard from the goal line he was nudged into touch. Final score 3-3.

Tournament Stats: Draw 3, lose 2.

Coaches (and parents) were frustrated by this tournament. It just wasn't our day. There is no doubt, Stour played below what they are capable of. A few decisions went against us that might have gone our way on a good day. With the exception of Banbury, Stourbridge had the ability to beat all other teams played. Two of the drawn matches were lost in the final play! There is much to be learned from this tournament. The most important lesson to be learnt must be to play more as a team rather than a group of individuals.

11/10/09 - Kidderminster Away

This week we took a long drive to Kidderminster.
Kidderminster improved greatly towards the end of last season. They were witnessed causing every team problems in the tag rugby tournament at Sutton Coldfield (which they won).

Following our previous week's success at Hereford our lads were in a confident mood.

Match 1
From the off Kidderminster were aggressive and very organised in all areas. It was obvious they had spent much time on the training ground on various techniques and attacking manoeuvres. That training was to now pay dividends for them. As at Hereford our lads defended with great courage and managed to keep Kiddy away for a while, but not for too long. Inevitably our defence was breached. It did seem that as soon Kidderminster scored their first try the floodgates opened. The halftime score was 4 -0 to Kidderminster. During the second half Kidderminster continued where they left off in the first half. They went on to score a further six tries. Stourbridge failed to score, though we did come very close. Well done to Kidderminster. They quite simply were too much for our lads in this match.

Match 2
Match 2 saw a fightback from our boys. We were much quicker to make the tackle and generally more aggressive. There was little to separate the two teams. The first half scoreline was 1-0 to Stourbridge with an excellent try from Peter Olley. The second half saw Stourbridge score twice (both by Joshua Mcevilly) and Kidderminster scoring once.
Full time score 3-1 to Stourbridge.

There is no doubt Stourbridge were second best on this occasion. I believe the scoreline of the first match was a little harsh and maybe not a true reflection of the encounter.
There are many positives to be drawn from Sunday. Great team character was shown in the first match. Stourbridge never gave up and battled to the final whistle. Harry Westwood and Peter Olley led by example. They were defending demons working tirelessly throughout both matches. They both gave 100% and have received the match awards for their efforts. Joshua Mcevilly again caused problems for the opposition when he had a clear run with the ball. Tom Smith ploughed through his usual high workload. Edward Simmonds and William Radford always made ground powering through the middle. Archie Batham-Read supplied some of our best passing and positional play. This seasons new squad members continued to show great promise, notably a gritty performance from Sammy Oakes. Well done to all of the squad.

This was an excellent fixture played in an enthusiastic and friendly atmosphere. Both sets of players behaved impeccably on and off the field. We look forward to hosting this fixture next year.

Man of the Match - Harry Westwood

Defender of the Day - Peter Olley

Next week we travel to the Cheltenham Rugby Tournament

04/10/09 - Hereford Away

This was not only the first fixture of the season, it was also the first match of contact rugby for our boys.

Having met Hereford at the usual annual fixture and various tournaments last year we had a good idea what the standard of opposition would be. Hereford always have a well organised team with some fast (and strong) players.

Another warm and dry weekend gave a hard pitch. It was expected that the pitch would suit us as we had been working on our passing game in training.

Match 1
Stourbridge started very strongly and were the first to score. Our lads were dominant in all areas in the first half scoring four tries. Try scorers Tom Smith, Harry Westwood and Joshua Mcevilly (2). During the second half we lost our defensive shape a little as we rotated the substitutes which encouraged Hereford to push Stourbridge back. Hereford scored twice in the second half. Final score for match 1, 4-2 to Stourbridge.

Match 2
The second match was a much closer contest. Hereford now knew what to expect and had regrouped. Hereford applied much pressure from the off forcing Stourbridge to defend. A first half try scored by Will Radford was quickly matched by a Hereford try. There was no score during the second half, final score 1-1.

Tom Smith, Harry Westwood and Peter Olley were absolutely tenacious all over the park. These three players were very hard working, turned over ball on numerous occasions, made the most tackles and were always in support during attacking moves. Harry Moseley, Edward Simmonds and Will Radford were the powerhouses of the team. Every time they were in possession of the ball we made 5 yards. Charlie Shaw put in a solid performance. Great to see you enjoying your rugby so much Charlie, keep it up! Joshua McEvilly caused the oppositions defence headaches with his attacking pace. It was also good to see new squad members performing well. Though there is still much to learn this was a very encouraging display.

This was an excellent squad performance for the first match of contact. It really was a coming of age. Most encouraging was the way the lads defended when under pressure (especially considering the high standard of opposition). Stourbridge showed great character. Every squad member played, and played well!

Man of the Match - Harry Westwood - 100% effort throughout. Well deserved.
Defender of the Day - Peter Olley

Our thanks go to Hereford for this fixture, which was played in good spirit, and their generous hospitality.