SKOLARTANS 2015, two equally strong teams matching up on the lush surroundings of Westcliff RFC on a perfect Saturday morning for the Greatest game of Rugby Football League in SS2.
The post game debate from last weekend was but a distant memory. The Boys from N22 had outperformed their opponents but had been denied. The heads could be held high in the knowledge that we had just pushed one of the best teams to their limit at this age. This would lead us into a midweek Battle of U12s Brutality and Beauty as we travelled to the Fortress of the St Albans Centurions.
Yet another Great turnout from the Black Red n Green upon arrival at Drakes Drive, after a 90 minute journey of 5mph the Viking would arrive upon his Chariot of Destiny and after a tour of the Schools grounds finally made it to the game albeit a little unhinged. Not a countryside Gent just yet!!
Arranging, arriving and playing these midweek games is a massive ask at any age let alone U12s but these Skolarions matchups have given all of the younger lads a great opportunity to really get stuck in and the Coaching Combo Of the Viking and McNeil couldn’t have been prouder as the boys really unleashed the Black Red n Green east and played some great rugby.
Controversy will always be around the corner in any sport but it did not detract from the great spectacle both teams would display in front of a roaring populous. Some great tries scored by both teams, some great defence on show too but, and as agreed by the coaching team, our final try would be the Phil Clarke pick of the Day as the Boys from N22 worked the ball upfield, to then work it through the hands for young Owen to dive in the corner for the perfect team try.
Rugby league played in the Vision of the McNeil and Viking, the perfect evening aperitif!!
Two games down and the mouth-watering Saturday U13s matchup would await us at Westcliff RFC where the Spartans of Southend would be in wait for the Momentum building Skolars of N22, a Game not to be missed!!
The entire team had arrived en masse and before time. A great start for the coaching team. This would allow us to get those all important hands warmed up and into a jogging pace game of touch stretching the skill set so early would set the mind for what was to come.
Having done the homework on our opponents this was always going to be an ultra competitive matchup and from the off neither team would disappoint. We would take the early initiative but couldn’t quite open up the Can of Whoopass we were looking for.
The hosts would unleash their many beasts and our Goal line defence was so tough we repelled them at every turn then we caught a break. After being held to our set of 6 still in our own half, they blocked our clearing kick only for it to be caught by our halfback who pounced and locked it up. This would give us a second opportunity for redemption and it didn’t take long before our forwards unleashed their electrifying power and speed and burst through for the first of our scores.
This set us on our way, some more amazing defence would see us once again hold firm and unleash the Freight trains, again we found the speed and the space and would bury a second try, a carbon copy run of the first. The boys were right up for it now and were beginning to get into their stride only for some lacklustre defending before the halftime hooter would allow their big runners to work the ball into space and dive in at the corner. What a first half!!
The Referee would come over and complement us and a few Coaching adjustments would give the boys a new lease of purpose for the last 25 minutes. From the kick-off we looked quicker on attack, our forwards making even more metres, our backs passing the ball a little crisper. As we would gain the upper hand our hosts would hit straight back. We needed to tighten up the proverbials and unleash our attacking Beast and did just that, some great forward running by the pack allowed the hooking hands to unleash pass on pass to incoming backs right along the line and into corner did Alex dive. A Great team try, all in, one in!!
To quote Coach McNeil, “The best try I’ve seen us score this season”. Well done lads!!
The game wasn’t finished there though for our valiant hosts would give it one more roll of the dice and found a mismatch in our line, Prop Forward against u12 halfback. Best efforts held onto his shirt for dear life but over two metres it was no contest but would see us to victory and a hugely enjoyable morning at the home of Southend’s Spartans.
This was a great advert for Rugby League in the Southern Heartland and shows that when it’s played in the right spirit everybody buys into the philosophy of the Viking that this is truly the Greatest game!!
Therefore, on that note of joyful happiness and calm I now bid you good afternoon and look forward to seeing you all for training at the Home of Rugby league in N22 on Tuesday evening from 6.45pm as we look to build on this, another great performance, as we welcome St Albans Centurions to N22 next Saturday.
I for one can’t wait and neither should you. My thanks to Coaches Fraine, Kelly and McNeil as together we are one Impenetrable Dominational Unit of Rugby League Football.
I LOVE THIS GAME!!!!
Viking Rugby 