The U16's started the day with some difficult news, unfortunately 3 of the 12 man squad had to pull out due to illness & injury. Never mind, on we go with 9 lads, we know they will put a shift in.
The first game against New Milton was a high energy, tense affair. Having lost to New Milton in the league earlier in the season E&R were desperate to get the victory. A hard hitting first half ended 0-0 and it was all to play for. There were a few more tries in the 2nd half. Each team exchanging 2 scores, but given the scoring in Rugby X, E&R were 12-10 up thanks to a 7 point score. The rest of the half continued at a frenetic pace, with E&R sustained pressure getting them the final score on the whistle, making them 17-10 winners.
Our next game did not happen, one of the teams in our pool had withdrawn at the start of the competition, so every team got a walkover win.
The next game was always going to be a harder match up against Winchester who had finished Div 1 as runners up, and so it proved. While there was no lack of effort or commitment from the boys they unfortunately lost (by quite a bit, so we don't need to put the score here).
And so to the final game, a win would almost certainly put us in the top 8 and the chance to play for a trophy. However the boys started tentatively and Petersfield scored the first try. This kick started the boys and they began to exert some pressure on the opposition, however the fluid rugby from the first 2 games deserted them and nothing they tried seems to come off. But we had all the possession and eventually this told. E&R were able to go over for 3 x 7 point tries ending up 21-5 winners, and so to a final, but which one.......
After much complex maths by the organisers that would have put an IBM mainframe to shame E&R were confirmed as currently in 5th place in the standings, and so to the Plate final for a match against Totts. The boys started this one with a bang, the fluid rugby that had deserted them in the last game came back with a bang and they started to run in tries from all over the place, with an interception try in there as well. Totts did not lie down, and scored some good tries of their own, but E&R managed to keep ahead on the scoreboard all the way through ending up 47-31 winners of the Plate Final.
What a fantastic way for them to end their Junior Rugby journey at Ellingham & Ringwood, and now to Colts!!

Well done boys, you did us proud!!