Post by dag on Apr 24, 2023 17:30:39 GMT
Here are my thoughts on the Friday night final U16's fixture against Stourbridge on Friday evening.
Moseley U16s V Stourbridge U16s
Friday evening 21st April 2023
Counter rucking, quick hands and a flying winger win the match for Stour’.
On a chilly, end of season Friday evening match Moseley under 16’s took on Stourbridge in their final junior match before becoming young Colts. The final score of 19 - 38 did not accurately reflect a defiant Moseley effort which did well to contain the much bigger Stourbridge pack. The main difference between the teams was that Stour’ had an Exocet missile out on the wing.
My thoughts were that although the Moseley pack had the edge on Stourbridge in the tight, Stourbridge, without question, had the better of Moseley at the rucks where they constantly drove the Moseley players off and over the ball. The cumulative effect of Moseley trying to stem these drives often concentrated their defence in-field which enabled Stour’ to create some clear overlaps.
To Moseley’s credit they soon latched on to this danger and with some good midfield defence, began to negate the danger and create their own chances. One opportunity after 10 minutes or so had the Moseley faithful behind me yelling their heads off. Following some sustained pressure, a Moseley half break on the far side had Stour’ scurrying back to cover and with a clear out-wide overlap with only yards to go it had a try written all over it. Sadly, in the excitement the chance was missed.
However, it was not the threat from the wings which created the first clear scoring opportunity but a kick ahead and chase by Stour’ which won them an unexpected and converted try under the posts to open the score 0 - 7 to Stourbridge. But Moseley had their own line-breaker in the form of a number 13 centre. He made a clean break shortly after to score an unconverted try in the club side corner to narrow the score to 5 - 7.
The main part of the game was midfield where the Moseley lads stood toe to toe up with their much bigger Stour’ opponents and in the process, gained a fair share of the thrust and counter thrust loose play advantages.
Both sides were guilty of enforced handling errors and whilst Moseley could hold their own in the tight and the resultant scrums, they began to lose ground to the powerful Stour’ rucking. It was during one of these rucking phases near the Moseley line which rewarded Stour’ with an unconverted second try to increase their lead to 5 - 12.
But Moseley were not downhearted, far from it as they took the game back to Stour’ with some powerful drives winning a penalty in the process. This was quickly turned into a converted try just left of the post to level the score 12 - 12.
It was at this point that the Stour right winger demonstrated his natural talents. Picking up a loose ball in acres of space around the Stour’ 10, he soon found himself out on his own on the half way line and, before Jack could say Spratt, he was under the post for a converted try to make the half time score 12 - 19.
In the first half I felt Moseley, in the tight were better than Stour’ but then Stour’ without doubt were by far the better at rucking, particularly counter rucking. That aside both sides made impressively evasive runs and some clear breaks with ball in hand but both sides were also guilty of some poor handling at crucial times.
The main Stour advantage throughout the game was out-wide where their innocent looking F1 fighter pilot - a younger version of Aquille Smith - loitered with intent on the right wing. And whereas Moseley were more elusive looking for gaps in the Stour’ defence, Stour’ were more direct, sucking in the defence to create the overlap for their star winger to burst into action. If he was at the end of a well-rehearsed three-quarters overlap - and he was, all too often in the second half - and with Moseley running out of “patriot missiles” to down him, then he would switch on his after-burners and create mayhem at every opportunity. And that he did with about 10 minutes to go to score his third try and increase the score to 12 - 33 against Moseley.
However, Moseley did not give in, rather they mounted one last raid into Stour’ territory to score an unconverted try of their own in the far corner and make the score a more respectable 19 - 33. It was also around this time that Stour’ picked up a yellow card to finished the game with 14 players.
Even so Stour’ still had enough possession to spread the ball out-wide to their speedy winger for one final hurrah when he completely outpaced the Moseley defence to score yet another converted try under the Moseley posts to effectively end the game.
The final score of 19 - 38 suggests Moseley had been completely out played when in reality they weren’t, never took a step backwards and gave as good as they got. I felt that there were two key factors though which swung the game in favour of Stourbridge. One was their very effective counter-rucking; and the second was their flyer out on the wing. He scored at least three superb, blistering, under the posts converted tries which alone accounted for 21 points. But first of all Stour’ had to get the ball out to him. And that they did.
I felt it was here that Stour’ had a third marginal edge over Moseley as all too often quick, safe hands were able to spin the ball out-wide to their star winger. And although he had the ball any number of times during the game Moseley were often on hand to snuff out the danger but when he had a clear overlap - at least three times - he was gone. Moseley had their moment spinning the ball wide but Stour’ with their strong midfield defence all too often found an extra man to cover out-wide.
It was a super game with a fair number of players demonstrating their person skills, be they defensive or creative and here the Moseley 13 and the Stour’ winger - whomsoever they both were - stood out for me.
I feel many of these Moseley players have a lot going for them. If they continue to dedicate themselves to improving their natural flare and learning more about game management skills then they will have a good future at Moseley. Well done lads.
Moseley U16s V Stourbridge U16s
Friday evening 21st April 2023
Counter rucking, quick hands and a flying winger win the match for Stour’.
On a chilly, end of season Friday evening match Moseley under 16’s took on Stourbridge in their final junior match before becoming young Colts. The final score of 19 - 38 did not accurately reflect a defiant Moseley effort which did well to contain the much bigger Stourbridge pack. The main difference between the teams was that Stour’ had an Exocet missile out on the wing.
My thoughts were that although the Moseley pack had the edge on Stourbridge in the tight, Stourbridge, without question, had the better of Moseley at the rucks where they constantly drove the Moseley players off and over the ball. The cumulative effect of Moseley trying to stem these drives often concentrated their defence in-field which enabled Stour’ to create some clear overlaps.
To Moseley’s credit they soon latched on to this danger and with some good midfield defence, began to negate the danger and create their own chances. One opportunity after 10 minutes or so had the Moseley faithful behind me yelling their heads off. Following some sustained pressure, a Moseley half break on the far side had Stour’ scurrying back to cover and with a clear out-wide overlap with only yards to go it had a try written all over it. Sadly, in the excitement the chance was missed.
However, it was not the threat from the wings which created the first clear scoring opportunity but a kick ahead and chase by Stour’ which won them an unexpected and converted try under the posts to open the score 0 - 7 to Stourbridge. But Moseley had their own line-breaker in the form of a number 13 centre. He made a clean break shortly after to score an unconverted try in the club side corner to narrow the score to 5 - 7.
The main part of the game was midfield where the Moseley lads stood toe to toe up with their much bigger Stour’ opponents and in the process, gained a fair share of the thrust and counter thrust loose play advantages.
Both sides were guilty of enforced handling errors and whilst Moseley could hold their own in the tight and the resultant scrums, they began to lose ground to the powerful Stour’ rucking. It was during one of these rucking phases near the Moseley line which rewarded Stour’ with an unconverted second try to increase their lead to 5 - 12.
But Moseley were not downhearted, far from it as they took the game back to Stour’ with some powerful drives winning a penalty in the process. This was quickly turned into a converted try just left of the post to level the score 12 - 12.
It was at this point that the Stour right winger demonstrated his natural talents. Picking up a loose ball in acres of space around the Stour’ 10, he soon found himself out on his own on the half way line and, before Jack could say Spratt, he was under the post for a converted try to make the half time score 12 - 19.
In the first half I felt Moseley, in the tight were better than Stour’ but then Stour’ without doubt were by far the better at rucking, particularly counter rucking. That aside both sides made impressively evasive runs and some clear breaks with ball in hand but both sides were also guilty of some poor handling at crucial times.
The main Stour advantage throughout the game was out-wide where their innocent looking F1 fighter pilot - a younger version of Aquille Smith - loitered with intent on the right wing. And whereas Moseley were more elusive looking for gaps in the Stour’ defence, Stour’ were more direct, sucking in the defence to create the overlap for their star winger to burst into action. If he was at the end of a well-rehearsed three-quarters overlap - and he was, all too often in the second half - and with Moseley running out of “patriot missiles” to down him, then he would switch on his after-burners and create mayhem at every opportunity. And that he did with about 10 minutes to go to score his third try and increase the score to 12 - 33 against Moseley.
However, Moseley did not give in, rather they mounted one last raid into Stour’ territory to score an unconverted try of their own in the far corner and make the score a more respectable 19 - 33. It was also around this time that Stour’ picked up a yellow card to finished the game with 14 players.
Even so Stour’ still had enough possession to spread the ball out-wide to their speedy winger for one final hurrah when he completely outpaced the Moseley defence to score yet another converted try under the Moseley posts to effectively end the game.
The final score of 19 - 38 suggests Moseley had been completely out played when in reality they weren’t, never took a step backwards and gave as good as they got. I felt that there were two key factors though which swung the game in favour of Stourbridge. One was their very effective counter-rucking; and the second was their flyer out on the wing. He scored at least three superb, blistering, under the posts converted tries which alone accounted for 21 points. But first of all Stour’ had to get the ball out to him. And that they did.
I felt it was here that Stour’ had a third marginal edge over Moseley as all too often quick, safe hands were able to spin the ball out-wide to their star winger. And although he had the ball any number of times during the game Moseley were often on hand to snuff out the danger but when he had a clear overlap - at least three times - he was gone. Moseley had their moment spinning the ball wide but Stour’ with their strong midfield defence all too often found an extra man to cover out-wide.
It was a super game with a fair number of players demonstrating their person skills, be they defensive or creative and here the Moseley 13 and the Stour’ winger - whomsoever they both were - stood out for me.
I feel many of these Moseley players have a lot going for them. If they continue to dedicate themselves to improving their natural flare and learning more about game management skills then they will have a good future at Moseley. Well done lads.