Excellent Youth Rugby

Tries: Jon, Stan, Billy and Joe. Conversions: Ben F, 3.

Unusually for our team we started with real intensity and were camped in their 22 from the outset. But despite a combination of buzz balls, rolling mauls and quick breaks a few fumbles and strong Woodbridge tackles denied us a score. After 20 minutes a backs move using Stan as a dummy runner opened up their defence giving us an overlap and, with show and go, Jon finally crossed the line to everyone's huge relief.

But we were all very aware that Woodbridge had a strengthened team and they weren't going to lay down. Indeed a few of their players, including the boys who joined us in Torquay, had outstanding games. Fortunately our structure was good for the majority of the match which provided ample chance for the backs to run at the opposition earning us a second well deserved try in the first half. Stan's first for Southwold. With both tries well converted by Ben F and despite an unconverted try from Woodbridge, we went in to the half time break relatively comfortable and confident.

Woodbridge came out of the blocks in the second half and any complacency was short lived. But despite some missed passes and further fumbles we composed ourselves and our structure returned. Some excellent rucking and clearing out, especially from a much-missed Ben S, along with some real power from the front five and support play from the rest, Southwold stayed on the front foot.

The pack's overwhelming power helped us in the scrums and line-outs, whether our ball or their's, denied Woodbridge clean ball so their only tries resulted from the few occasions when our structure fell apart and some indisciplines set in.

A nasty shoulder injury ended Jack C's comeback but fortunately nothing broken. Unfortunately Woodbridge succumbed to numerous injuries and we hope that none proved to be too serious.

We always looked dangerous when we got the ball down the line thanks to some excellent passing and Billy gratefully ran in our third try which Ben F again converted. This gave us some breathing space. Joe then broke from the back of the scrum and, despite being stopped on several occasions earlier in the match by a very resilient Woodbridge pack, powered over putting us out of reach.

Apart from the encouraging structure and sheer power of the squad the palpable team spirit both in matches and training sessions is really exciting. This alone will carry us through the tougher contests in the future and may prove to be the key difference between us and the bigger clubs.

Well done boys.

My man of the match was Tom C who stepped in for James at fullback, didn't put a foot wrong. Great catching, running, passing, tackling and vision.