Year 10/11 RUGBY

If anyone would like to know what it is like to go from manic depressive to euphoria twenty times an hour, may I recommend the position of head of rugby at Greendown school. The emotional roller coaster is giving my poor heart trouble. If I had a single hair on sprouting from my bold dome, it has certainly gone now. The teacher at Highworth nearly had one over on me. Firstly he said that he only had Five Y11 players to choose from, (the rest being made up by Y10) and secondly he said they have never played. Imagine my joy when 10 minutes into the game we were 12-0 down with half the Highworth team sporting beards and having driven to the game!! Looking at the Y10 side I had fielded in sympathy, thinking of a motivational team speech, whilst applying cotton wool to broken noses. Luckily, like all great masterminds I had a plan. This one was in the shape of Blond Bomb Sell Joe Shepard. Who played like a man possessed. Despite his girly looks and peroxide hair. Joe Shep played like a man on a mission. Rallied the troops and dug out the win.
The Highworth boys were big and strong and the 12-0 start really took the wind from our sail. With the Bassett defeat from last week fresh in the memory, the boys had two choices. Roll over and take a drubbing or man up and take the big boys on. Some inspirational tackeling from Ben Woodly and Joe Shepard planted the seeds of belief in the team. It was not long before Josh paradise had worked some magic and found a hole in the defence, only to stumble and face plant into the ground 5 yards short., with the opposition looking miffed as no one was within 5 yards of him. It did not take him long to make amends the this comedy error, whereby he scorched through under the sticks for 12-7. Dignity restored. Braedon Cleverly got in on the act shortly after. Taking the ball hard and fast off Shep deep into the opposition 22 and grounding to the left of the posts. 14-12. Greendown. The introduction of Dequan Barrow was an eye opener. His aggressive poaching of the opposition lineout and strong running brought the next score and with it the heart of the Highworth team. Greendown started to play some tactical rugby and ran the Warnford side ragged for the remainder of the half. Moving the ball freely from all sides of the pitch. 24-12 half time
Second half was much the same with Highworth chasing shadows. Shep scored a brace. Paradise bagged another and some fine footwork allowed Jerome Dodson to speed down the touchline to score his first try in a Greendown shirt. With the floodgates now open, captain Matty Johnson scooped up a loose pass from the defence and scored under the posts to seal the win. Highworth made a fight of it in the last quatre but strong scrumaging from Ethan Cook , Steph and Scafee allowed scrum half Jack Birch to send the ball into the crowd for the final whistle. A good game, a lot of new players blooded (literally). The Greendown Train is back on track and rolling n to Dorcan next week. Lets go win us another match!!!!!
(Team mascot Luke Hynd was a credit to the school binging on the kicking tee and water bottles, he clearly a lucky charm) Mr A Buchalik 01/10/2009