Sevenoaks Rugby Club Academy U16s/17s played Bromley RFC Under 16s/17s on Sunday 16 May 2021 and enjoyed a compelling tussle in the northern reaches of the county. Although Bromley had a heavier weighting of Under 17s the two teams were very evenly matched and a 17 all draw was a fair scoreline on the day.
From the get go and with a significant slope in their favour Bromley took the game to Oaks. The direct nature of the Bromley game plan almost immediately paid off in the form of a relatively soft Bromley try on the left flank following a sequence of carries. The try served as an early wake up call for the mainly younger Oaks in just their second outing since the opportunity to play competitive rugby under a modified format kicked in (namely no scrums and no mauls but everything else that's fun about the game including tackles, rucks, and contested lineouts features).
Although Bromley had physical intensity, Oaks were undaunted and struck back swiftly. Having established some field position, Logan Caroline-Hines jinked through the Bromley defenders and found Luca Crowcroft running an excellent support line to put him in for the Oaks riposte. The game was very much afoot and Oaks knew they were in a scrap that they could match up to.
With only a couple of forward reserves, each Oaks player on the park and especially the Sevenoaks pack put in an enormous shift to keep the Bromley pick and go at bay. Elliot Wright, Dom Stangroome and Robbie Hayes-Scott to name a few seemed ever present in keeping the Oaks try line in tact, as Bromley went close on a number of occasions only to be repelled by ferocious tackling. Another positive for the Oaks was the lineout. Tom Hunt's excellent throws meant that Oaks secured all their own lineout ball for the second week running, Romeo Mihalas and Robbie being among the safe hands plucking the ball from the air to set the Oaks backs on the move.
Eventually, however, the home side's pressure told and following a line break Bromley scored a converted try to take a 12-5 lead into the half-time break. Oaks had the slope for the second half but it was Bromley who hit the third quarter of the match hard, battering the Oaks line with countless carries that eventually led to another try for the Bromley forwards. Oaks were 17-5 behind and time was running down but there was no holding these lads at bay, and excellently marshalled all day by Billy Boyd the Oaks back line struck back and an outstanding running line from Louis Bouverie saw him score under the posts with Billy slotting the extras.
Oaks had their tails up now and with Sam Keenan for the forwards and Toby Goodman on the left wing making significant inroads, Bromley had to scramble hard to keep the navy and golds out. Following another Goodman carry Sevenoaks found themselves 10 yards out from the Bromley try line. Ollie Smith then somehow barraged his way through the imposing Bromley defensive set to level the scores with an excellent try. There were still a few minutes for both Oaks and Bromley to have a crack at victory before the match ultimately ended all square.
Huge thanks to Bromley for hosting and well done to everyone involved. This was a proper game of rugby where the work ons for Oaks are to secure possession at the breakdown more solidly to avoid the tackle/jackal, and to be a little more composed in their attacking shape but those are very marginal observations following a cracking display of rugby. This Sunday the Academy squad goes again away at Tonbridge Juddians.
Sevenoaks Rugby Club squad: H. Corsini, D. Stangroome, E. Wright, T. Hunt, H. Fulcher, R. Hayes-Scott, S. Keenan, A. Davies, B. Boyd, L. Bouverie, F. Good, T. Goodman, L. Caroline-Hines, L. Crowcroft, R. Williams, R. Mihalas, H. Lynch, J.Barnard, O. Smith