Cumnock P1 and P2 Away 16 02 2020

Cumnock Away - 16/02/20

Despite the below average squad numbers, the P1/2s travelled to Cumnock on Sunday 16th February for 4 excellent quarters of rugby finished off by a joint game of Bulldogs. The recent poor weather combined with an early start for the travel down hit the numbers hard but we are hopeful that this changes over the next couple of weeks. On the plus side, the team that took the field produced a great performance and the individual skills on display were really encouraging. The tackling and evasive running was a particular highlight, with a little more work needed on concentration and structure.

The quarters were high scoring and it was notable that each time a new quarter commenced, the kids were putting into practice the key points covered during the breaks. By the end of the match, we had began turning the ball over by completing 6 tackles in a row which was something that was lacking in the first quarter.

The following moments/performances stood out to the coaches:
- Ruairidh will be pleased with his performance, crossing the white line to score a try which was well deserved given his hard work throughout the game and the number of tackles he was making. By far his best game to date and was always hungry to get involved.
- Jack also capped off a great performance by getting some points on the board. Worked his way into the match well, offered support to the ball carrier and make some really important tackles. Another pleasing performance and certainly knows how to cross the white line.
- Matthew took a knock early on in the game but showed great determination to come back on and influence the game. Some good runs, great passing and most pleasing was his encouragement to his teammates, a real team player.
- Iona was glad to be back and despite not quite managing to get over the line, she provided the quickest double assist I’ve ever seen – both were almost identical breaks down the pitch and as soon as she got tackled, she put the ball on a plate for Ruairidh to complete the score. I think Calvin scored the other one, but on both occasions it was Iona who done the hard work.
- Giulio was again punching above his weight with regards to his experience. His continuing improvement every week resulted in some excellent try saving tackles and great running with the ball. Always works hard and listens keenly to the coaches.
- Greig provided the performance we’ve been waiting for since the first time he came to training. His tackle count was it his usual incredibly high standard – this is a major part of his game but this was the first time we’ve seen an equally strong offensive performance. Can be really proud of his morning’s work and was rewarded with a number of tries.
- Calvin made a debut to remember and has set his standards at an exceptionally high level. A combination of pace and evasive running produced a glut of tries – and there was no holding back in defence either. A great performance and led the team through the handshakes at the end of the match.
- Findlay had a wardrobe malfunction (thanks to his dad!) however joined in after the games were already underway. Always keen to get involved and putting his heart into everything he does, it won’t be long until he becomes a big influence during the matches. You can already see his rugby awareness developing already and combined with his strong will to get involved – I’m sure there will be some big performances in the near future.

As you will see from the above, individually everyone performed to a high standard. We hope to take this into next week’s matches with Biggar and aim to provide a more polished team display. Lastly, I thought the facilities at Cumnock were excellent – given we have missed numerous sessions/games this season already, it hard not to be slightly envious of their setup.

David & Craig