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Harrogate
Mini Festival 2007
Under
8's share
trophy: Under
7's lose by 1
try in the
final
It’s that time of
year again. Old
Rishworthians under
7's and under 8's
yearly end of season
pilgrimage to North
Yorkshire and The
Harrogate Festival.
It
was a fantastically
organised event
and all the coaches
and parents at
Rishworthians would
like to thank
Harrogate RUFC and
the people who help
run the event over
the 2 days.
Under 12's
Sanda won the
under 12's trophy
with Harrogate runners
up.
Under 11's
Sandal won the under
11's trophy with
Harrogate runners
up.
Under 10's
Sandal won the under
10's trophy with
Harrogate runners
up.
Under 9's
York won the under
9's trophy with
Northern runners up.
Under 8's
Hoping for a repeat
of last year’s
success as under 7’s
winners. The
Festival marks the
end of this squads
tag playing days.
After 3 years of
playing tag rugby
they start next
season playing full
contact rugby. (The
players can hardly
wait.). Old
Rishworthians were
placed in the more
difficult of the 2
pools with
Harrogate, who we
beat last year, West
Park Leeds and
Malton and Norton.
Game 1 Old
Rishworthians
7 - 4 Harrogate
Old Rishworthians
opening game of the
tournament was
against Harrogate.
Having won the toss
Rishworthians kicked
off with a pass to
William McDonnell
who set off from
half way, sprinted
down the touchline
and scored in the
corner. Harrogate
did come straight
back and replied
with a try of their
own, but
Rishworthians kept
up their momentum
and scored 3 further
tries from
Thomas Sweeten,
Jacob Bower and
Charlotte Siddall.
Harrogate pulled one
back to make the
half time score 4-2.
The second half was
similar to the first
with another early
try from
Rishworthians first
possession.
Will McDonnell
scoring his second
of the match. Both
teams then
alternated the
scoring with tries
from
Thomas Sweeten
and Sam Brant
to make full
time 7-4 to Old
Rishworthians. A
good opening win
with more domination
from Rishworthians
than the score line
suggests.
Game 2 Old
Rishworthians
5 - 4 West
Park, Leeds
Having
watched the earlier
close fought match
between West Park
and Malton and
Norton, Old
Rishworthians knew
what to expect from
these two decent
sides.
The game began as
the Harrogate match
with a try from
first possession.
Will McDonnell
scoring
Rishworthians
opening try. West
Park scored a try,
before Rishworthians
scored their second
from the hard
working
Nathan Cooper.
In the second half
Will McDonnell
scored another
individual try from
his own half to give
a two try cushion at
3-1. A period of bad
play from the Old
Rishworthian
youngsters allowed
West Park back in to
the game, bringing
the score back to
3-3. A try from
Greg Day
edged the score back
in Rishworthians
favour but West Park
hit back with
another try. A try
for Rishworthians
seemed certain after
Jacob Bower
sprinted down the
wing only to be
tagged 2 yards from
the line.
Frustration was
evident from the
youngster but
moments later he ran
on to a neat pass
and managed to sneak
in to the corner to
make the final score
5-4 to Old
Rishworthians.
Game 3 Old
Rishworthians
3 - 1 Malton
and Norton
This was
the final pool match
for both teams, each
having won their
previous two
matches. The winner
of this match would
go forward to the
final.
Another difficult
match for Old
Rishworthians with
the Malton and
Norton youngsters
matching
Rishworthians tag
for tag. A very
tight first half
allowed for only two
tries. The opening
try, scored again by
Rishworthians, from
the ever busy
Thomas Cockroft
was
cancelled out by a
try from the
opposition.
Yet again
Will McDonnell
opened the second
half with a try, his
60th of
the season, followed
soon after by a try
from
Thomas Sweeten
after he took a long
pass from McDonnell
that found him
unmarked with an
easy finish. That
try eased the
pressure and Old
Rishworthians kept
their discipline to
the end winning the
match 3-1 and a
place in the final.
The Final……Old
Rishworthians 2 - 2
Sandal
On their way to the
final, Sandal had
impressive wins over
Bradford and Bingley,
Ripon and
Darlington. Both
teams are well known
to each other and
there is a mutual
respect between the
clubs, each meeting
always involving
classic encounters
and this final held
the same
expectations.
The game began at a
pace with some
furious tagging from
both sides which
cancelled out the
speed merchants on
both teams. Sets of
6 were exchanged
with no side able to
impose any authority
on the game. Old
Rishworthians tried
to be expansive with
a great move that
saw the ball go from
right to left
through six pairs of
hands only for the
final pass deemed
forward with the try
line begging. Busy
work in midfield
from Jack Davis,
Thomas Cockroft,
Greg Day and Sam
Brant kept Sandal
tied down to 0-0 at
half time.
The deadlock was
broken early in the
second half. After a
good run from
Charlotte Siddall
she gave a pass to
Nathan Cooper
who scampered
over to score a try.
Sandal came back and
managed a try of
their own. A second
try for Sandal
looked on the cards
after a Sandal
player took the ball
in his own half, cut
across the pitch and
ran down the
touchline. He seemed
destined to score
but out of no where
Charlotte Siddall
came cross field and
took a magnificent
tag yards from the
line. That was the
defining moment of
the match and gave
turn over ball to
Old Rishworthians
who drove the ball
up field well in to
Sandal territory.
Good possession and
a pass taken on the
run from
Charlotte Siddall
saw her
go over the try
line. It seemed
forever before the
referee gave the
try, but eventually
he did and
Rishworthians took
the lead 2-1.
The usual free
runners of
McDonnell, Sweeten
and Bower tried
making breaks but
couldn’t find the
space to do their
thing. Stubborn
defence from
Rishworthians,
including
replacements Lewis
Hilton and George
Radcliffe, kept
Sandal out, but this
Sandal team never
give up and Old
Rishworthians hopes
of winning were
dashed in the dying
seconds by an
equalising score to
make the final score
of a thrilling final
2-2.
Neither side
deserved to lose but
the Old Rishworthian
youngsters appeared
deflated at the end
having been denied a
win in the final
moments. Sandal, on
the other hand, were
delighted, as they
continued their
record of remaining
unbeaten all season,
but they were pushed
all the way by a
determined and
equally skilful Old
Rishworthian side.
We received this
praise from Sandal
today.
From all at Sandal I
would like to
congratulate the
players, coaches and
parents for
producing tag rugby
teams of the highest
standard. Sandal
travel the far ends
of the country
playing in a variety
of tournaments with
the under 8s playing
54 matches, winning
52 and drawing 2 in
2006 / 7. Old
Rishworthians are
the best side we
have played all
season without any
doubt (and our
‘scalps’ include
Saracens, London
Irish, Wasps,
Maidenhead,
Cheltenham,
Worcester, Rugby,
Selby etc). But it
is not just the
fabulous playing and
technical ability of
your boys and girls.
The spirit with
which they play is
fantastic and the
competitive nature
displayed by all is
exemplary. For that
the coaches and your
wonderfully
supportive parents
should be
congratulated. We
are delighted to be
opponents and allies
of Old Rishworthians
and we look forward
to the thrills and
spills of contact
next season.
Squad:
William McDonnell,
Greg Day, Thomas
Cockroft, Sam
Brant, Nathan
Cooper, Jacob
Bower, Thomas
Sweeten,
Charlotte Siddall, Lewis
Hilton,
Jack Davis, George
Radcliffe.
Festival
scorers :
William McDonnell 5,
Thomas Sweeten 3,
Nathan Cooper 2,
Jacob Bower 2,
Charlotte Siddall 2,
Sam Brant,
Greg Day and Thomas
Cockroft.
Under 7's
To
echo the sentiments
of
coach Grahame
White, the under 7's
went with the
intention of
enjoying the
experience. At
the Morley
Festival they
were intimidated by
big players crashing
through the
defensive line and
tacklers throwing
tags to the ground
rather than handing
them back. Harrogate
festival and all of
the teams that the
under 7's played
were friendly but
competitive and this
all helped to create
an even greater team
spirit within the
side.
With players
unavailable
Rishworthians
arrived with
only seven players
Callum Bell, Sam
Puddephatt, Emma
Bower, Toby Muscat -
Baron
and 3 who are still
in the under 6 squad,
Corey White,
Kian Sutcliffe and
Finn Sutcliffe the
under 7's knew they
would all get at
least 3 games. Over
the season/ three
months, these
youngsters have
become friends as
well as team mates,
whilst other larger
squads were training
and practicing set
moves, the Rishies
side were enjoying
the atmosphere and
the occasion. With a
large band of
travelling support
Rishies continued
their impressive
improvement. No
longer straying off
side, no longer
passing forward they
were a brilliant
testiment to the
coaching of Graham
and Dave. The ball
retention and
support play from
everyone was
outstanding sweeping
moves across the
pitch and back saw
every individual
cross the line at
least once.
It was
undoubtedly their
best games of the
season,
the under 7's drew
the first pool match
and then won the
next two to top the
group and earn a
place in the
final!
Game 1 Old
Rishworthians
5 - 5 West Park
Leeds
Rishworthians
started slowly but
soon got into their
stride and to draw
level with West Park
Leeds through tries
by Callum Bell, Sam
Puddephatt, Emma
Bower, Toby
Muscat-Baron and
Corey White
Game 2 Old
Rishworthians
7 - 6 Harrogate
A much better game
as Rishworthians
settled down to play
some great tag
rugby. Tries scored
by Callum Bell 2,
Sam Puddephatt, Kian
Sutcliffe, Finn
Sutcliffe, Emma
Bower, Corery White.
Game 3 Old
Rishworthians
6 - 5 Sandal B
A tough game against
a well drilled
Sandal side but
Rishworthians just
edged it to book a
place in the final.
Tries Callum Bell 2,
Sam Puddephatt, Toby
Muscat-Baron, Corey
White, Kian
Sutcliffe.
The Final Old
Rishworthians 4 - 5
Sandal A
The
final was against
Sandal
A was an absolute
cracker.
This was an
impressive team
display from both
sides showing no big
occasion nerves
with
excellent runners,
scissors and switch
moves that created
gaps at will in the
Rishworthian
and
Sandal lines to
score tries.
But throwing the
ball around New
Zealand style, every
time Sandal scored
the Rishies somehow
scored one back to
keep in touch
with Callum
Bell
using his speed
topping the
try scoring tally.
Corry
White, Toby
Muscat-Baron
and Emma
Bower hunting
as a pack to secure
ball and
Sutcliffe brothers
Kian and Finn
chasing and catching
anything that moved.
In the end
Rishies came up one
try short
at the final
whistle. But
in the spirit which
typified the whole
team,
Sam Puddephatt
scored the last try
of the game
in a team
effort topped off by
some solo brilliance
that had the whole
crowd
both Rishies
and Sandal
applauding at the
final whistle.
Tries Callum Bell,
Sam Puddephatt, Emma
Bower, Corey White
Coaches awarded the
following :
Awards for
effort
Kian
Sutcliffe and Finn
Sutcliffe
Player of the
Festival awards
Callum
Bell and Corry White
Harrogate Minis
Festival
slideshow
Click on arrows to view more photos, click on photo to enlarge.
Under 7's Squad Runners up Under 7's with the trophy Under 8's Joint winners with Sandal
Under 7's Squad Runners up
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Rishworthian RUFC 
