Fixture

Oakdale RFC | Under 8s 21 - 8 Risca RFC | Under 8s
Joshua Johnson
Try 2
Josh Bowen
Try 2
Elliott Hall
Try 1
Brody Baker
Try 2
Harri Williams
Try 4
Oliver Morris
Try 2
Mac Baldwin
Try 2
Griff Tovey
Try 4
Kian Davies
Try 1

Match Report
13 February 2018 / Team News

I Said Hayman, Take A Walk On The Wild Side

1004 days ago we played our first game, May 13th 2015 was the day that the nucleus was formed of what we now affectionately know as the Crazy Eights. That game was against Risca RFC and once again we travelled down the Sirhowy Valley to face our friends and neighbours on Sunday. Before the players went out onto the pitch they were told to keep onside, not hand-off, enjoy themselves but also show the other team how much they had developed into a crack team of rugby assassins destined for greatness.

With Hannah Benger suffering from an over-working of her drinking arm after an all-dayer with Shay’s old man (sorry Greg) both Hannah and Shay were not available. They were joined in the treatment room by Olly Bish and Poppy Crewe who were both laid low with a bout of the abu dhabis.

After travelling all the way from Tredegar last Sunday and not getting a touch of the ball, Harri Williams was declared Captain. He duly lost the ‘guess which hand the piece of grass is in?’ and this riled Mr Williams so much that he decided that he would exact revenge on the poor home side with a hat-trick of tries within the first four minutes to storm his Apples side into a strong lead.

Risca came back with a try of their own before Elliot Hall was asked to take the ball deep inside his own half. No matter how much he is told to run straight Elliot’s direction of travel always seems like he has one leg longer than the other and that trademark arc-ing run was underway. He ran close to the touchline where the Dale’s parents were cheering on their side and Elliot’s Dad shouted that loud, encouraging his son to run fast, that he scared the life out of the back peddling Risca defenders and Elliot crossed for a fine try.

Alfie Short was looking menacing all morning. He ran for the gaps just like he was told to do by the coaches, making some good yards and putting the home side’s defence on the back foot. Risca clawed another try back but from the re-start the ball was handed to Kian Davies and he showed no regard for the defenders as he shot past them and pushed the Crazies further into the lead with a try of his own. Even though he is always there in support Griff Tovey hadn’t managed to get a run of his own in the first nine minutes but with time running out he got the ball yards from his own line and with his speed no-one was going to catch him and he got his first of the morning (and the Crazies 200th try of the season) to make the score at the end of the first period, 6-2 to the Dale.

After a quick drinks break for the home side the Bananas were let loose onto the pitch and it wasn’t long before Brody Baker got the ball in his hands side-stepped a couple of defenders (more than once) and got the period into full swing. Risca had brought on some of their Big Guns and they scored a try straight from the restart but Kingsley Parry Lewis was showing everyone just what a fine runner he is developing into with a try of his own. Kurtis Maggs was finding the ball in his hands on a number of occasions and he looked like he had been playing for some time with his deft handling and silky running.

Risca scored again but Josh Bowen was finding space and looking dangerous with every run until he got a try of his own. The home side wouldn’t lie down and made it 3-3 for the period with only a minute left but El Blondie, the Brodester made sure that the Bananas took the spoils with a fine solo run to score his second and end the period at 4-3.

The Risca coaches were happy to play on for two more periods much to the delight of the Crazies and the Apples stepped onto the turf a second time. Playing the same side as they did in the first period suited the Apples and within a heartbeat they were back on try street with a mazy run from Max Baldwin to get his first of the morning. Griff was hungry for more and with his first touch of the period sailed through a number of taggers to cross the whitewash. Aimee Locke did what Aimee does and ran straight continually setting up her boys with room and opportunities to score.

Max, after a quiet first period, was looking for tags and more tries and he got his second of the morning with some daring running through gaps which did not appear to be there. Harri got his fourth try of the morning after a good pass from Alfie and he was a happy soul after last week’s barren spell.

Risca got their first and only try of the period with some well worked passing but the highlight of the morning came with Griff’s next try. After Max was tagged there seemed to be nobody in support and as he looked left he saw the mop-topped Tovey screaming for the ball out wide. Max wound it up and threw a Terry Holmes-esque pass which landed right in his friend’s grasp. Griff had the legs and the speed to run away with everyone coo-ing on the side. With time running out and the home side’s resolution to go with it Griff decided it was time to get his fourth of the morning, AND HIS 50TH TRY OF THE SEASON, to make the score 6-1 to the Apples for the period.

The final period saw the Bananas get their dancing shoes on and it seemed that all of them wanted to side step their way to try time. Josh Johnson was first but he spotted a gap in the home side’s defence and burst through to get his first score of the day. Olly Morris fired off a quick fire brace with an excellent display of touchline dancing and intricate swerving through a flailing defence. Risca came back with a try of their own before Zayn Hayman showed everyone that he had learned his trade quickly after only a couple of training session with some fine runs and offloads.

Josh Bowen finally got rewarded with a try after some forceful running all morning and he had his best game in a number of weeks. With time running out there was time for JJ to get his second with some close quarter evasion before Risca got their own try with the last play of the game to make the period score 5-2 to the Bananas.

Phew!! What a morning. We asked the players to show us how far they had come and they certainly showed us in bucketloads. Great with ball in hand and tenacious in defence and on the floor, there were no complaints from the coaches and parents only lavish praise for everyone who took to the field. They were asked to concentrate and they certainly showed that when the whistle goes they switch on and become one team with a passion to do well for each other.

The Player of the Match award was between every player on the morning such was the performance but both coaches agreed that Zayn Hayman was a worthy recipient as he had showed not only what is his capable of but also what we can expect in the near future which we are all looking forward to. The smile and surprise on his face was priceless but the award was thoroughly deserved, well done Zayn.

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