Preparation pays off,

The Ravens prepared well with a mid-week training session for their fixture against Twickenham as a curtain raiser for the 1st XV's League game. They needed to because this would be their first fixture playing the full U13 Rules rather than the Pilot Rules that Hampshire has chosen to impose upon its clubs. The session focused on contested 6 man scrums, instead of 3 man uncontested, and lineouts. The squad thrived on being given dedicated positions and roles within the team. The session built on forwards and back play linking up off of the set pieces, interchanging in open play and at all times retaining possession. It all came together in an unopposed game that the squad didn't seem to want to end when time was called.
So Saturday arrived and coaches were impressed from the outset as the team all arrived early and began a warm up as if it was still Wednesday night. The squad have never seemed to be so focussed before a game and each could be seen to be developing into their positions and responsibilities in the team. Twickenham seemed confident with some very large players and a casual approach to the warm up. Twickenham kicked off and the Ravens began their first attack holding their shape and putting them under pressure. Small errors saw the game ebb and flow for 5 minutes until Ravens Centre Joe Slamaker went in in the corner to score. In the scrums Ravens kept on out performing expectations and matched Twickenham up front. Line outs were won and despite some good possession for Twickenham Raven kept a clean score sheet. Ravens built up several phases of attack and Centre Ethan Hammond broke threw to score. After another balanced period of competitive play Fly Half Harry Rabjohn crashed over. A very solid first half for Ravens where the rucking over at the breakdowns was making them the dominant side.
Twickenham came out strong from the half time break and only solid tackling by Ravens stopped a couple of good attacks. Then Ravens settled into their patient and structured play. Good breaks by Full Back George Smith and quick recycling by Scrum Half Gregor House put Winger Aidan Jarvis in in the corner. Big tackles by No.8 Findley Daly and Lock Jonathan Lewis kept Ravens dominant and Tom Archer was stopped short of the line by strong defence by Twickenham. Ravens were in control of the game and Fly Half Harry Rabjohn ran in a brace of tries to complete a hat trick and round off a great game for the Ravens.