The professionalism of club youth rugby athletes and coaches is superb! Professional in all that they do, courteous, friendly, focused on practicing their development of rugby union, superb athletes.
Mental Health = Staying in a good place in order to make better decisions while playing.
Nutrition = Extra consumption of Fruit & Veg & well thought out nutritional plans.
Conditioning = On the training park opening the lungs out in rugby specific training regimes.
Skills = Practicing Off Loads, passing of both hands, side steps of both feet.
From minis to SNRS, the ethos of the athletes and coaches is inspirational.
What is the model in these conditions to play smart rugby? In the opening exchanges the teams could look to see what sort of opposition are we up against. Approach to opening gambit of the game (chess!) 1) we are scoring in the first 30 seconds if we receive kick off, were gonna take a forwards punch up the left hand side, were gonna open the lungs and make a smash for that line. If were kicking off were gonna get in their faces tackle and force the turnover. Whatever happens once the opening gambit is finished we move into the meat of the game and in these conditions you will generally have one team with the majority of position and one team therefore without the majority of possession. What is smart in attack is field position, and making that field position. For example we have guys who’s job is to carry the ball into the opposition line and make 2 3 meters maybe 4 maybe 5, say 3-5 meters, goes to ground scrum half is in and we have another pod taking it up another few meters setting the position deep into their 22 and 10 meter line, if another pod gets it to their 5 meter then your attacking that line from the forwards, ball then to the centers. Playing the game in this slowish clinical fashion sets the the field position well into the 22/10/5, from here solid tackling and pick and go will lead to scrums, to lineouts, and the more we have there the more opportunity we have to cross the line. All of this is built on well secured rucks, a scrumhalf who literally lives at the back of rucks passing and distributing, crashing up, pick and go, pick and go, lineouts, mauls, scrums, PRESSURE!
What a weekend of youth club rugby! Literally outstanding, all of the skills as these professional teams, in mindset, in their nutritional awareness, pyschological health, passing game and forwards game a healthy mix all moving forward, the number of passes per game is actually reaching 30+ per 60 seconds and more!
We caught 2 games at Enniskillen RFC U16s & U14s v Coleraine RFC + a catch up with Coleraine U18s, weekend results are below and a few match reports below those!
Fortunate enough to catch two awesome games on Saturday past between Enniskillen U16s & 14s v Coleraine U16s & 14s, plus a training session by Coleraine U18s, we got loads of images for free circulation to local papers no copyright required or credit
For the U18s CLIC HERE
For the U16s CLICK HERE
For the U14s CLICK HERE
InTouch TV also got a range of moving image interviews with players and coaches from the teams which are live on the home page. looking forward to covering youth rugby again next Saturday morning. We have grown 37000+ social media connections and all the items are shared to those including for example the recent installation of the Youth Registration Pod at Rainey Old Boys RFC which we have shared on linked in also!
Qualifying U18 06/12/2014
Finn Valley vs Clogher Valley
Instonians vs Portadown
U18 League Section 1 06/12/2014
Ballymena 5 vs 33 Carrickfergus
Monaghan vs Banbridge
Randalstown 0 vs 47 Rainey Ob
U18 League Section 2 06/12/2014
Donegal Town vs Letterkenny
Omagh vs Dromore Alan Wilson
Enniskillen vs Coleraine
Malone 24 vs 10 Ballyclare
U18 League Section 3 06/12/2014
Newry vs Ards
Ballymoney vs Cavan
City Of Derry 35 vs 21 Ballynahinch
U18 Friendly 06/12/2014
Larne 15 vs 33 Civil Service
Qualifying U16 06/12/2014
Finn Valley vs Clogher Valley
Civil Service 16 vs 14 Ophir
U16 League Section 1
06/12/2014
Ballymena vs Carrickfergus
Monaghan vs Banbridge
Randalstown vs Rainey Ob
U16 League Section 2
06/12/2014
Donegal Town vs Letterkenny
Enniskillen 65 vs 5 Coleraine
Malone vs Ballyclare
Omagh vs Dromore
U16 League Section 3
06/12/2014
City Of Derry vs Ballynahinch
Newry vs Ards
Ballymoney 43 vs 0 Cavan
U16 Friendly
06/12/2014
Civil Service 16 vs 14 Ophir
Qualifying U14
06/12/2014
Armagh vs Virginia
Finn Valley vs Clogher Valley
Portadown vs Limavady
Strabane vs Portadown
Instonians (win for inst) vs Civil Service
U14 League Section 1
06/12/2014
Monaghan vs Banbridge
Randalstown vs Rainey Ob
Virginia vs Lurgan
Ballymena 7 vs 35 Carrickfergus
U14 League Section 2
06/12/2014
Donegal Town vs Letterkenny
Enniskillen 5 vs 5 Coleraine
Malone vs Ballyclare
Omagh vs Dromore
U14 League Section 3
06/12/2014
Ballymoney vs Cavan
City Of Derry vs Ballynahinch
Newry vs Ards
U14 Friendly
06/12/2014
Civil Service vs Ophir
VIRGINIA RFC
Virginia RFC U14s ‘A’ stay top of Qualifying League
Virginia RFC U14s ‘A’ side travelled to Armagh to face their ‘A’ side in the 9th round of the Qualifying League. They knew they were in for a tough game against a good home side, but started brightly putting early pressure on the hosts. As with their last game v Instonians though some loose tackling out wide allowed their opponents to score an early converted try. Virginia regrouped however with their forwards securing the team plenty of possession with a dominant display at both the ruck and scrum. Jake Sullivan, Killian Collins, Robert Lochaden, and Michael McKeon-Boyle provided the power at the set piece, whilst a resurgent Luke Brodie, ably assisted by Jamie Osbourne and Thomas McGearty harried and hassled Armagh in the loose. Despite all the pressure though Armagh as usual proved to be a well drilled and tough tackling team. Another slip out wide again allowed them space to exploit, and they ran in a second try to give themselves a 12-0 lead. Virginia needed something to show for all their work, and once again brought the game to the visitors. Adam Sherriff and Cian Doughty were having excellent games at half back, and the backs were not slow to get the ball wide with Jack O’Brien, Jack Vaughan, John Dolan and Cormac Brown all running great lines at Armagh. It was Paddy Gordon who finally broke the hosts defence with another incisive run setting up John Smith to power over for a try cutting Armaghs lead to 12-5 at the break.
The second half brought much of the same from Virginia. Niall Branagan was added to the pack, bringing his usual aggressive and disruptive skills to the team. The backs too were refreshed, with Sean Erikkson making his debut, Billy Burke returning from injury, and Adam Charters and Conor Hetherton bringing their attacking prowess to the side. More pressure in midfield gave Niall Carolan some space, and his mazy run broke the home defence again, with Jamies conversion levelling the score at 12-12. Again Virginia attacked as their forwards secured more possession, and the momentum seemed to be with them. A fumble in the Armagh twenty-two though was punished as they ran in a try under the posts, the conversion again giving them a seven point lead. It seemed what ever Virginia did they just couldn’t get in front. Again they attacked but the hosts continued to defend well. Eventually though their lines cracked, and John Smith went over out wide for his second try, but the missed conversion meant they still trailed by two points. Having spent much of the game in their opponents half they still trailed going into the last minute, but they continued to push for the win. Adam Sherriff picked the ball up at the back of the breakdown, and quick hands from Cian put Niall Carolan into space again, he picked his way through a tiring Armagh defence to score his second under the posts, with the conversion from Michael making the final score Armagh 19 Virginia 24.
A great win against good opposition, means they’ve now won eight from nine and continue to sit top of the Qualifying League. The Premier 1 game v Lurgan was called off earlier that day as Lurgan couldn’t field, so Virginia also sit top of that league with eight wins from eight. Next week sees the Premier side welcome Armagh to the Deerpark, whilst the Qualifying League side visit local rivals Cavan.
Finn Valley MINIS RUGBY BLITZ
Our fabulous under 12s/u10s u8s and u6s took on teams from Ballyshannon Rfc, Donegal Town Rfc, Tirchonaill Rfc and Inishowen Rfc in a rugby Blitz this morning in cold and wet conditions…. However that didnt deter any of these young players as they give their all in the games played… its amazing to watch the skill level develop through the age grades!! Rugby in Donegal is in Good hands indeed!!
Many thanks to the coaches fron Inishowen, Donegal, Tirchonaill and Ballyshannon for their help with running the Games…very much appreciated!!
Thanks to all the kids that turned up to take part today! Also the parents that made sandwiches and brought food!!
Finally thanks to Gerard Doherty , Dermot Mccrory,Ben Curran,for helping with running the Games and Elma Morrow and Michelle Curran for helping with the Catering Duties!!
Newry Youth Match Report
5th December 2014
Newry 5 Ards 27
Newry welcomed Ards to Telford Park, with the visitors sitting on the top of the table expecting to steam roll their opponents who are languishing mid table. They would not have expected the excellent display the entire Newry side produced, and despite loosing the game, had more than enough chances to score on a number of occasions.
A soft couple of tries conceded at the start of the game due to missed tackles, was followed by a twenty minute section of play where Newry were camped inside the Ards 22, with wave after wave of pressure, and phase after phase of continuous play. After Ards held Newry out after a ninth phase, Newry’s pressure was rewarded with a penalty which was unconverted and not the result deserved…….. see more at https://www.facebook.com/Newry.Rugby.Club.Youth?fref=ts
