Saxons Strike Back!

Well done for today, you were outstanding. Today was the evidence that you have made real progress this season and are playing whole team rugby. You are starting to do everything we have asked of you – tackling low and hard, rucking quickly, powerfully and together in numbers and moving the ball away from the contact area, You have a plan of how you want to play your rugby and you are doing it. You are moving the ball into space, giving the ball something and then giving it.

When we last played Fareham Heathens they ran rings around us and won 35-20. Not so today, in both matches you were far more dominant and the games and the games were much closer and Heathens were closed down. You didn’t allow Heathens to play their rugby and put them under pressure. A good example was the kick chasing you did, putting the catcher under real pressure and securing territory – it was the Zach and Freddie F chase that set up Alfies try for the Kings.

What I most liked about your game was that there are so many of you that are threats with the ball in attack. Your attacks flow and your support play has really improved.

There were lots of good performances today, Liam, Josh, Alfie, James Diamond, and Freddie B all made good breaks in attack, supported by Alex and Ben B. James Taylor was exceptional again, cleaning up dirty ball, keeping attacks going, tackling and being a nuisance, great support play. Connor and Alfie won all their scrum put ins at hooker, the half backs worked well with the two Matthews and Jamie and Ollie. There was good work in the rucks and mauls with Callum, Tom, Ben Price, Reese, Kien and Toby. You played well as a team. For me one player stood out with his performance, determination and skill. He was chasing kicks hard and the first player up, tackled really hard, ripping the ball in the mauls and was a willing ball carrier, making hard yards time and again. It was great to see Zach in his first competitive match for the Saxons and he was a great Player of the Week. Well done.