Oaks Under 16s enjoy return to rugby in the sun
Sevenoaks Rugby Club Under 16s returned to competitive rugby on Sunday 9 May 2021 with an away fixture at Aylesford Bulls RFC. The two sides toughed it out during a compelling display under the modified laws. The sunshine and all available Oaks featuring in a 'one squad' run out, comprising four quarters of rugby against familiar opponents from down the A25, lent the day a festival feeling. These two sides battled it out in the final of the Kent Cup at Under 14s with Oaks edging victory. The emphasis on fun and participation encompassed an opportunity to put into practice everything that the Sevenoaks Under 16s lads are working on during lockdown as part of the Academy set-up.
The intense opening salvos included the minor errors you would expect from players returning from a prolonged lack of match rugby. Play centred on the middle of the pitch with both teams cautiously testing each other out. However Oaks began to edge the breakdown and make yards up the pitch. From a sequence of barraging carries Oaks put Aylesford under pressure on their own line before Louis Bouverie stole the ball from an Aylesford ruck and broke the line for Oaks. Bouverie followed this up with a well worked team effort that saw Oaks return the re-start through phase play before Bouverie ghosted through the Bulls back line for his second try.
The end of the first quarter presented Oaks, with 30 players in attendance, with the chance to pause and reflect. Despite the rotation of key personnel, the quality and continuity carried into the second, third and final quarters of the match. Oaks were abrasive whenever without the ball, and looked to move the ball quickly on the counter. The third Oaks strike saw Logan Caroline-Hines jink his way past several Bulls defenders in mazing his way to the line.
In total Oaks secured eight unanswered tries, six of them excellently converted by Finn Good, before Aylesford unlocked the Oaks defence with two tries of their own in the final quarter. Oaks need to focus a little more on defending around the rucks and looking after the ball into contact. Such quibbles are outweighed by the positives on display of a relentless press and constant desire to counter attack quickly. Tries for Jon Odeyemi and Luca Helden on the right and left wings respectively showed Oaks' ability to find wing men in wide channels where there was no match for Jon and Luca's pace.
Wing-forward James Kerton secured an excellent try for Oaks after a sequence of phase play on the Bulls try line, while Ben McClinton exchanged passes with winger Toby Goodman before romping 50 yards down the middle of the pitch for a score under the posts. However, it was Oaks' final try from a re-start that fully crystallised all the hard work in training. An excellent return carry from Gregor Pauling set up field position before a pass out the back through several sets of hands found Toby Goodman in space on the wing from where he secured Oaks' most impressive try of the day.
Full credit to Bulls for sticking to the task. The Aylesford pick and drive and jackalling capabilities give Oaks much to think about as they head into further fixtures. All told a gr eat return to rugby and thanks to Aylesford Bulls for hosting.
Sevenoaks Rugby Under 16s v Aylesford Bulls: A. Butt; A. Davies; A. Watkins; B. McClinton; D. Craig; D. Stangroome; F. Crispin; F. Good; G. Pauling; H. Corsini; H. Fulcher; H. Galloway; H. Lynch; J. Barnard; J. Kerton; J. Odeyemi; L. Bouverie; L. Caroline-Hines; L. Crowcroft; L. Helden; O. Smith; R. Hayes-Scott; R. Le Roux; R. Mihalas; R. Williams; S. Keenan; T. Goodman; T. Hunt, and T. Watkins.
Oaks U16s squad v Aylesford Bulls