Cinderford U9s enjoyed a fantastic Sunday morning of rugby as they welcomed Widden Old Boys to Bell Sports & Rugby Park following a late cancellation earlier in the week.
With an excellent turnout of 18 young players, the Cinderford squad was split into two teams of nine to ensure everyone enjoyed plenty of game time. The match was played over four quarters, with each group taking to the field for two quarters each.
From the opening whistle, Cinderford’s young players showed great energy and teamwork. The first quarter in particular saw the home side in superb form, with strong tackling, excellent communication and some impressive teamwork on display. The coaches were especially pleased with how the players supported one another and worked collectively across the pitch.
For this match the coaching team deliberately stepped back slightly to give the players more freedom to make decisions and solve problems for themselves on the field. The approach paid off, with the young players showing great confidence, trying new ideas and backing each other up throughout the game.
As the match progressed, Widden Old Boys responded strongly in the third and fourth quarters, producing some powerful running and determined play. One of their players in particular caused problems with some strong straight running that tested the Cinderford defence, but the home side showed excellent resilience and continued to work hard for one another.
Despite very foggy and misty conditions, both teams produced some impressive rugby and the morning proved to be a fantastic showcase of youth sport, with great effort, teamwork and attitude displayed by everyone involved.
⭐ Players of the Match ⭐
Nolan Brittain – Nolan delivered an outstanding performance with both his tackling and running. The highlight came when the opposition were right on Cinderford’s try line and Nolan produced a brilliant try-saving tackle, driving the attacker backwards to deny what looked like a certain score. It was a superb moment of determination and defensive effort.
Darcy Lewis-Powell – Darcy continues to grow in confidence despite being relatively new to the team. He impressed with his running, tackling and passing, but most notably with his attitude and willingness to learn. After a couple of small mistakes, Darcy took on feedback immediately and returned to the game with renewed determination.
A huge well done goes to all the players involved for a fantastic team effort and a brilliant example of what mini rugby is all about.
Match report – Jade Marfell