Fixture

With the games split each team took it in turns to play their first half before returning for their second. The first team to play started with a straight run on the whistle to the try line,  this really was a game of even Stevens, both the squirrels and Llandaff north took it in turns on 4 occasions to score. The squirrels managed to go into the second half 1 try up. 

After a small training session our next team to play gave it their all, similarly to the first game the teams consistently took turns to cross the try line with the 2nd half finishing evenly matched.

 

On to the 2nd halves, our first team returned to play scoring 2 amazing tries with Llandaff North securing 3, finishing the full game on a draw. 

Then for the last half of the day. Rhiwbina set out to finish off the morning in style and did exactly that, scoring four tries. Llandaff North returned two. Finishing their game 1 try ahead. 

 

Out of the 13 tries scored this morning their was 8 try scorers, Andre, Logan, Fin, Morgan, Jake, William, Lewis and Joel. There was once again some incredible tackles! 

 

Taking time to reflect it is amazing to see how far this team has come from their first contact game in September, we had a number of players lacking confidence, not knowing what to expect, avoiding tackles or tackling, in this game we seen every single boy enjoying what they were doing, oozing confidence, scoring tries left right and centre, running with the ball, taking tackles and getting straight back up again and tackling hard. There was a tackle by Archie today that even Sam Warburton would be proud of and to think only 7 months ago these boys hadn’t played a contact game...wow just wow! 

 

With the current u8s shortly going through the transition from tag to contact and looking back at how much our u9s have progressed we asked a few of our players for any tips they would like to share to their fellow u8 club members and this is what they said....

“Always listen to your coach.”

“Lead with the shoulder before wrapping the arms into the ring of steel.”

“Remember to squeeze the knees.

“Just enjoy it.”

“Treat the ball as a precious jewel and keep hold of it.”

“If your team hasn’t got the ball keep tackling until they do.”

“After you tackle get straight back up ready to tackle again.”

To any u8s that are nervous, like us you have great coaches that will teach you how to play this game safely, listen to them, believe in yourself and enjoy your next chapter in your rugby journey!