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Site by Seven9
Eagles Solid Performance Earns Tunbridge Wells In Next Round of National Bowl
Haywards Heath 5 – 55 Eagles
Juniors U17 • Cup • Sun 14th Mar 10, 11:00AM
Having received complaints, well one, concerning the quality of my earlier match report I thought I had better do a new improved version. Here goes.
Eagles U17 travelled to Haywards Heath for their National U17 Bowl tie and came away with a boarding pass for the next round. Both sides were missing key players but Eagles’ renowned strength in depth was to prove crucial.
The first twenty minutes defined the game. Three tries from a rampant Sam “worth the 400+ mile round trip” Saunders and a blistering technically accomplished try from Rich Munnery set the scene. Both the original complaint and description of his try come courtesy of Rich Munnery. Thanks Rich.
Haywards Heath mounted a prolonged attack during this opening phase with the Eagles pack constantly knocking down every incursion as it developed. Some Eagles indiscipline allowed HH to pile on the pressure but the stoical defence contributed as much to the result as did the four tries.
A period of to-and-fro was to be the prelude for what was arguably the (and there were some good ones) try of the match. The solid forward platform now allowed the backs to come more and more into the game. Quick ball was allowing smart distribution to bring both wings into the picture and Jack Haynes took his chance with a series of signature hand-offs to go over in the corner. Tom Gamble launched the conversion from the touch line for one of his five during the match, plus one that rattled the post and came out.
With the back line now in full flow, James Rowbotham strode through the defence for a converted try to bring the half time score to 0 – 40.
Ollie Crabtree went for a terrific run early in the second half to score with David Roberts contributing a determined charge to bring the score to 0 – 50.
About this time Coach Mellor received a mobile phone call from someone described by one of my sources as “one of the great thinkers of the modern rugby era”. It is not known what was said but Coach Mellor now started to roll on all of the players on his bench. Post-match Coach Mellor acknowledged the thinker’s contribution by commenting “I was about to do it anyway”.
A richly deserved try for Haywards Heath unit which simply refused to stop playing ambitious rugby preceded a final Eagles effort which saw the ball moved out wide for Alex Goddard to power over in the corner.
The match was played in a spirit reminiscent of Rimini/Bologna with every player, starter and sub, making a telling contribution.
Tunbridge Wells next. On the top pitch.
