Hinckley edge win against visiting Welsh team
Leicester Forest RFC U14s V Hinckley RFC U14s V Dinas Powys
RFC U14s
1st Game Hinckley 20 Dinas
Powys 19
DINAS Powys were on tour for the Tigers vs Cardiff game at Welford Road in the afternoon.
They also came to play LFE and Hinckley RFC in a triangular tournament.
The game started and Wales came out of the blocks well, showing a number of strong hard runners in the squad. Organised, running straight and well supported the Powys lads scored first and second which put Hinckley on the back foot. Both tries converted, they had created a good lead.
Hinckley needed a bit of focus to get motivated and to play more together and it came from a great bit of individual skill. The Hinckley winger made a good tackle which knocked the ball loose, he then collected it, ran forward with speed and easily broke the game line. But, despite then being turned over himself in contact, he took it back and ran in a try under the posts. This changed the run of the game and although the conversion was missed it reminded the team of the pace on the outside. First half finished 5-14
The second half continued with this new momentum where once again quick ball through the hands and speed gave Hinckley a further 2 tries, again these tries weren’t converted. 15-14
From the next restart Hinckley received the kick and started to come forward. The ball was turned over to Powys just outside the 22m area needed to make a few passes with some direct running and support to get in at the corner. Fortunately the distance was too great for the kicker. 15-19
In to the last 8 minutes of the game and things were tight. With another good attack up the field, Hinckley needed to find a way through and with a short ball called, a gap appeared and they managed go through the opposition in the middle to score. This conversion was also missed, score 20-19.
The final 2-3 minutes remained tight, neither team was going to give in and the game finished with a narrow Hinckley win, but a great game to watch, well done all. Not every week you get to see an International.
2nd Game LFE 0 Hinckley 29
Playing two 30 minute games in the morning it always helps having a good size squad and fit players. With the tight win against Wales under their belts Hinckley started this game with a positive vibe throughout the team.
Within the first few minutes of the match Hinckley scored twice and it was looking like they were up for the challenge. Both tries came from open play, with several quick passes keeping the ball alive. But for the next 5 minutes LFE played with a real determination to get a score.
Hinckley had to dig in and from 10 meters out they pushed back several LFE attacks. With the last failed attack into the corner and over the touch line, Hinckley had the next line out which gave them a chance to get clear. A very quickly taken throw in, they then managed to get the ball through three pairs of hands to release the winger. He ran from within our 22 the length of the pitch. Half time 0-17 with 1 try converted.
Second half and a few legs were beginning to look tired but the squad numbers kept the pace at a good level. Again the ball was being kept alive and support from all areas of the pitch meant they could score at any time. LFE had a number of strong periods of play with attacks using the forwards carrying ball in hand. But the defence was still strong and quick to turn the ball around, two further tries kept the score board ticking over.
1 more conversion got the score to 0-29
Barker Butts RFC U16s V Hinckley RFC U16s
In their first game of 2020, Hinckley U16s took a significantly diminished squad of 17 players to Barkers Butts and ground out a fantastic away win.
Hinckley kicked off on the smallest pitch at the club, a postage stamp sized mud-bath after the overnight downpours, and defended a series of early attacks from the Butts through strong tackles by Barnes, Underwood, Drakeford, Fountaine and a monster hit by Mensforth-Grove, setting the scene for a physical encounter. The Butts kicked long and the black and ambers counter-attacked from deep in their own half, L. Whittingham, Underwood, Miller and Buckler all making good yards.
The first 10 minutes was a close fought, scrappy affair in the slimy conditions, both sides struggling to gain any momentum. Hinckley attacked following a superb tackle and steal by Hutton, with strong carries by A. Whittingham, Barnes, Wainde and Drakeford, keeping Butts within their own 22 for the first time in the match.
Hinckley were starting to get the upper hand and finally made the breakthrough, the forwards with some immense scrummaging taking one against the head and forcing a penalty 10m out. Hutton took a quick tap and go, with Miller in support, who piled over the line to give Hinckley a deserved 0-5 lead.
Hinckley went on the offensive again as the game re-commenced, breaks by Miller and Drakeford taking the visitors back into Butts’ half. The black and ambers won another scum against the head and kicked long, forcing the Butts to attack from within their own 22, which they did with some purpose, taking the game deep into Hinckley’s half. Hinckley’s defence held out initially, Barnes with a notable try-saving tackle, but the Butts maintained possession and scored the equalising try in the righthand corner. Game on.
The stalemate didn’t last long, however, as Hinckley regained the lead shortly after the re-start, powerful runs by A. Whittingham, Giles, Wainde and Drakeford taking the black and ambers to within 5m of the Butts line. The ball was quickly recycled and some superb handling from the backs put Dewfield over in the corner, reinstating Hinckley’s advantage to 5-10.
Hinckley then doubled their lead, scoring try number three, as the first period drew to a close. Initial breaks by Goodwin, Underwood, Drakeford, Fountaine and Smith forced the Butts back into their own 22 but they were let off with a penalty and tried to run clear...until ferocious tackles by Buckler
and Fountaine stopped them in their tracks. Hinckley regained possession and kicked downfield, Smith with a fantastic chase and pick up with A. Whittingham in support who glided over to take the score to 5-15.
The Butts launched a final attack in the last play of the half, but a bonecrunching tackle from A. Whittingham in midfield floored his opposite number, literally.
The Butts kicked off the second period and Hinckley launched an early assault, Smith, Duggins and Giles leading the charge. The ball was turned over and the Butts counterattacked, forcing strong tackles from Buckler, Barnes, Underwood, Duggins, Toon and Giles. Hinckley regained possession and kicked downfield, Smith and Dewfield putting in another great chase and forcing a scrum deep in Butts territory, which nearly resulted in try number four as number eight Barnes picked up the ball from the base of the scrum and galloped over, unfortunately spilling the ball over the line; another Butts let-off.
Fortunately, it didn’t matter, as Hinckley increased their lead to 5-20 soon after, Dewfield diving over in the corner for his second try after sublime handling by Hutton and Drakeford.
It should have been game over, but a defiant Butts side were not going to lie down, especially after a Hinckley player was sin-binned for an alleged armless tackle.
The Butts’ tails were up and Hinckley bravely defended a series of attacks through solid tackles by Hutton, Drakeford, Toon, Underwood, Buckler, Barnes and Fountaine, but the resistance eventually cracked and Butts crossed the whitewash, reducing the deficit to 10-20, setting up a nervy final 10 minutes.
But there was no need to panic, as this superbly disciplined and talented team, now back to 15 players, dug deep and took the game back to the Butts through powerful carries by Barnes, Wainde and L. Whittingham. The Butts were let-off with another penalty 5m from their own line and tried to run the ball out in a last ditch attempt for a consolation try, but terrific tackles by Barnes, Hutton, Giles and Buckler curtailed any threat and the ball was spilled to end the match, final score Barkers Butts 10-20 Hinckley.
This was arguably one of the performances of the season so far from a depleted squad in poor conditions against a big, powerful and fired up Butts side.