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1st XV
The 1st team squad made significant progress both individually
and collectively through the season. There were good victories
and some painful defeats; however, at all times the boys applied
themselves with great desire and determination.
In December we had a useful practice
game against a Dragon XV, followed
by a more competitive training fixture
with a Caldicott side that would become
national sevens champions at the end of an
undefeated season that had commenced
three months earlier. It was a tough game
in which
Thomas Russell
put in a captain’s
performance in an outstanding tackling
display.We also had periods of good
attacking play, featuring
Tom Capstick-Dale
and
Patrick Murray
. After the Christmas
break we moved on to the rest of the season
knowing that we had tested ourselves
against the very best in the country and
shown good ability.
In our opening match against Cheam
we started well, handling with accuracy
and attacking the breakdown.
Willoughby
Clarke, Jack Miles, Jago Gourlay
and
Joseph
Menell
played well in helping the team
achieve an early lead.We lost momentum
in the middle part of the game but finished
strongly in the final quarter to gain a very
pleasing win against committed opposition.
Away to Moulsford we looked capable
when we had the ball and scored two very
good tries.
Mark Spiridonov
and
Edward
Bingham
in particular played extremely well,
scoring through excellent judgment of which
space to attack. However, we frequently
gave the ball away at the breakdown and a
lack of possession (plus a number of missed
tackles) gave Moulsford a big victory.
Precision in the first half versus Lambrook
was hard to achieve, in part due to the very
strong wind against us.We conceded three
tries before scoring ourselves. In a much
improved second half performance
Charlie
Bell
and
Alexander Ershov
scored good
tries through great physical strength and
determination.
Jack Barrett’s
excellent goal-
kicking and general play made the game
very tight. However, we conceded rather a
soft try midway through the half which was
ultimately the difference in the final score.
Illness and injury resulted in a much
rejigged backline taking the field against
Cothill, with Russell moving from flanker
to inside centre and
Ayo Ajibola
making
a scoring debut for the XV.We played
very well through the first half and at the
beginning of the second, with further tries
(unconverted) from Bell and Ershov, but
then momentum swung in Cothill’s favour.
Two converted scores brought them right
Rugby Progress Prize
T.A.R. MacDermot
Tackling Cup
T.C.M. Russell
Kicking Cup
T. Capstick-Dale
Rugby Cup (for best player)
M. Spiridonov
Senior League Cup
Case & Maclaren
Rugby
1st XV
Opposition
Result
Score
Scorers
Us Them
St John's Beaumont
Cancelled
Cheam
Won 22 10
Capstick-Dale, ErshovA, Murray, Spiridonov: Cons -
Bingham
Moulsford
Lost
12 47
Bingham, Spiridonov: Cons - Bingham
Lambrook
Lost
21 28
Bell, Bingham, ErshovA: Cons - Bingham
St John's Beaumont Sevens
Finished 6th in the Group Stage
St John's Northwood Sevens
Finished 4th in the Group Stage
Cothill
Won 22 14 Ajibola, Bell, ErshovA, Spiridonov: Cons- Capstick-Dale
Ludgrove
Lost
5 12
Hu
Caldicott Sevens
1stVII lost in the Semi-Final of the Plate
National Prep. Schools' Sevens Lost in 2nd round
“There were good
victories and some
painful defeats”
S u m m e r F i e l d s
2 0 1 5 – 2 0 1 6
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