Ladies Night Dinner

Places still available on an U10 table for the dinner: if you are going, and have an incomplete table please let me know, perhaps we can combine? If you would like to come, please join us - it's great fun
Steve

Animals at Middlesex Festival

Ealing 5 v Twickenham 5

On a bright sunny Sunday morning all the guys finally made it to Ealing after traffic jams, left at home boots and going to the wrong location.

Looking around the other teams it appeared that they had all decided to pick the biggest guys they could find for their teams. Twickenham lined up against Ealing in their first match. Ealing’s game plan as with all the other teams we seem to play recently is give it to the biggest boy on the pitch the ball and let him run. With precise passing from the back of the scrum by Ali L Twickenham attempted to play attractive passing rugby however the final pass just could not reach its destination. After Ealing scored with a (yes you’ve guessed) it a big boy crashing through try the guys woke up. A superb dummy by Sam then a break through the gap to score was the highlight of the game. Great defensive play stopped the Ealing boys in their tracks however we just couldn’t make the last pass count.

Finchley 10 V Twickenham 5

Again we lined up against another massive team with the same game plan. Both of their trys came from the big runner crashing over. Great line out work by Jamie the salmon helped Twickenham to have a much better game. Callum was involved in almost every maul and a massive try saving tackle by Thomas stopped Finchley going over for a third try. After a storming run by Ellis, Reece gathered the ball from the back of the ruck and slipped down the blindside into the corner for a try. After the break we suffered an injury, Jack carried the ball into contact taking 3 players to tackle him he received a dead leg ruling him out of the rest of the tournament. All we needed was one more try to top the group but it would just not come. With the coach (me) still suffering from my own disappointment at losing in the semi-final of the Middlesex bowl the previous day I think I was too harsh on the boys and for that I’m sorry. You are a great team if we carry on training and trying to play a passing game I think in the long run we will become the better team. If you watch the All Blacks they can all pass and run with the ball. It doesn’t just involve the biggest players hitting up and not passing and becoming a one trip pony team. I know I get emotional (the Staines coach words) at times but it’s because I care about the boys and the team so sorry.

Twickenham O V Harrow 0

The last game summed up the day. We played some great rugby but with the last pass not reaching its destination and a couple of wrong decisions (please stop running back into the pack) meant we just couldn’t near the Harrow line. Great scrummaging by Ali S, Reece, Jamie and Kieran gave us great platform ball against a massive pack. Our defence held strong with both Andy and Alex making a number of one on one tackles against their opposite number. With Ali S captaining the team for the first time he really stepped up to the plate with a massive game.

(Greg)

Twickenham Beasts v Harrow

What a day for the mighty Beasts!!!!

All the hard work throughout the season finally paid off.

Harrow lined up against our team with a number of players twice the size of our guys; however the Beasts refused to be intimidated.

Twickenham 15 Harrow 15

In a close game that demanded the Beasts put their bodies on the line all players came out with flying colours. From the start Harrow passed the ball to their prop who after a charging run met with the waiting bodies of Caio, Gareth and Thomas B as the guys wrapped the ball up and pushed the Harrow pack back the whole team realized that they could tackle Harrow’s big guys.

After Harrow scored first the Beasts heads did not go down, from the restart we took the ball into contact, after a short maul Luke spotted a gap, breaking from the back of the maul and with Harrow giving chase he ran half the length of the pitch to score in the corner.

At the start of the second half a searing run by Armand drew the Harrow defence; after a sweet off load, Ashley ran down the line sliding over the whitewash on his knees to score his first ever try. With the watching Animals shouting his name Ashley's huge smile said it all.

Again Harrow scored with a driving maul and one of their big guys breaking from the back to go over the line.

On the day the Beasts all-round play was out standing, this was evident in the last try with precision pass and great running and a final solo effort Toby crossed the line. Harrow scored with the last play of the game from another maul. However the Beasts knew what they had to do in the next game.

Twickenham 15 v Harrow 10

The second game started very much like the fist game ended with Harrow scoring from; yes you’ve guessed it a driving maul. From the restart William skinned the Harrow winger on the outside running half the length of the pitch he crossed the line with an impressive swan dive.

As Harrow came back twice as hard great tackling by Paul, Armand and Jack MCQ kept them out. After winning 2 scrums against the head the Beasts front row that consisted of Gareth, Thomas and new Sam, making his rugby debut, pushed Harrow off the ball with superb acceleration. Toby picked the ball up from the back of the scrum he crossed the line for his second try of the day. As Harrow once again came back Paul performed an outstanding try saving tackle. After a Harrow try Ollie was on the end of a well constructed team effort with still a bit to do he broke a number of tackles and powered over the line. From the restart The Harrow team once again mauled to our line this time the Beasts were wise leaving a number of players out of the maul as the Harrow player broke from the back. He ran into our defence as he trundled over the line the guys put their body under the ball (I can’t tell you who as the all dived in) with the ball held up the referee blew the final whistle. Unaware they had won Gareth enquired have we won showing that the boys had just concentrated on the game and nothing else. Unfortunately Steve could not make it today but I know he would be proud of you all.

A special well done to Newcomer Sam Bevan or prop Sam as he should now be called after competing in his first game and helping the pack to win 3 scrums against the Head also a welcome back to Toby who after an illness was back on form.

Well done boys.

Greg

Animals v Harrow

After a fine display from the Beasts the Animals also stepped up to the plate this weekend with 15-0 and 10-0 wins.

Tries from Alex, Ellis, Jack, Reece and Thomas rounded off a great day. However the most wonderful thing about the 2 Animal’s games was the passing, with the wingers scoring 3 of the trys. A first for the boys. They have realized that they play better as a team rather than individuals.

With a great forward pack consisting of Jamie the salmon, Ali S, Reece and Kieran they held the own on a scum that must have had 4 stone on them. Ali L slipped easily into his new position as scrum-half with Sam outside him it could be the start of a Peter Stringer, Ronan O’Gara partnership.

As always Callum was involved, wherever the ball was he was there ripping or driving over and making a nuisance of himself. With superb running lines by Jack, Andy and Ellis Harrow had no reply to our speed and passing. The Animal’s defence was outstanding with Andy, Thomas and Alex making a number of tackles on Harrow’s big props as they tried to bully there way down the wing. Harrow attempted the driving maul a number of times however Ali S, Jamie, Reece and Kieran stopped them as soon as it started as their players peeled off from the back the ran into some impressive tackles from Sam and Callum using the guard system well.

Well done boys lets keep it up.

(Greg)