All MACs U16s V Notts Casuals

This week saw the All MACs play host to Nottingham Casuals for the return fixture after securing a thrilling win at Casuals in November. It was a bitterly cold day but the Coalville pitch provided an excellent surface for some flowing rugby in spite of the recent wet weather. Casuals were still suffering from injuries from our previous fixture and so Maisie volunteered to play in the front row for them in the first half to even the numbers.

It seems that the All Macs New Years resolution is to provide a fast start to games having previously done the opposite and allowed teams to get ahead on the score card, so it was encouraging to see them follow on from last weeks effort after gaining territory through runs from Bella, Lottie B and Kira gave field position for Georgie to bulldoze her way over the line and through the desperate defence to record the first try under the posts. Sadly injuring herself in the process we wish her all the best for a speedy recovery. After a short delay for the injury; Kira calmly and confidently delivered a successful conversion to take the score to 7-0 at the 10 minute mark.

The second score came from a haring run down the right sideline by Anneliis from inside her own 22 metre line to dot down under the post after a Casuals attack had faltered 5 metres out as Maisie (playing for the opposition) couldn’t cling on to the ball with the try line at her mercy. The resulting scrum saw the ball shipped outside for the All Mac winger to do the rest. Kira making it 2 from 2 from the kicking tee as the lead stretched to 14-0.

But Casuals responded in the best way as a scrum just inside the hosts half released their powerful number 8 who took the ball well inside the 22 before shipping the ball wide for the winger to eventually dot down in the far right corner. 14-5

All Macs came straight back from the kick off as Kira recovered a loose ball inside the visitors 22 and found great support from Evie Parker who took the ball a full 5 metres with a tackler draped around her neck to score her first try of the day. 19-5

The final play of the half started with Immi collecting a clearance kick from the halfway line, flooring a would-be tackler around the 22 before being pulled down a couple of metres shy of the line but Amele was quick in support to pick and dive over the line for her first of the day as the halftime whistle blew with the scoreboard showing the All Macs leading 24-5.

Having put in a solid shift for the visitors; Maisie returned to the All Mac front row as Molly kindly leant her talents to the Casuals team.

The second half started as the first had with All Mac drive and determination matching their skills. Darcy charging at the defensive line to make a solid 15 metres most of which was covered with tacklers hanging off her but a knock on soon after gave the ball back to Casuals. Before they could get the ball moving Kira sniped the ball from the floor before the visitors forwards could get there and she managed to almost get to the line before being cut down and it was left to Evie P to take the ball over the line for her second. 31-5

Darcy again proved the catalyst for the All Mac try machine as the defence struggled to bring her down before getting deep into their half. Casuals momentarily regained possession but the clearance kick again found Immi who took the ball back into the 22 before shipping outside to Amele who found Anneliis only to be stopped just short by a high tackle. But such was the support that the ball was dotted down in the far left for the sixth All Mac try. 36-5

The kick off was returned up to the 22 by Casuals before a superb tackle from Immi stopped the attack in its tracks only for a penalty to go against the home team for not releasing. A few phases later and a lapse in concentration allowed Casuals to score under the posts for the second time which was duly converted to close the lead at 35-12

The All Mac scrum had been in the ascendance all game so it seemed only fitting that the next score came off the back of one as the ball was taken down the short side and up to the 5 metre line where Evie Parker was on hand to complete her hattrick- a fantastic effort from the loosehead. Kiras third successful conversion taking the score to 48-12.

All credit to Casuals for showing great spirit despite the scoreline as they managed to hold up the ball over the line twice in the space of 10 minutes of sustained pressure as first Darcy and Emi and then Immi and Amele couldn’t get the ball down to register a score. And they were rewarded for their resilience a short while later as a ball won on the floor was taken from inside their own half through a couple of phases at the 5 metre line before the ball touched down for their third try. 48-17

The final act came, fittingly, from the All Macs as a ball won on their own 22 was taken up by Maisie before a rampaging Darcy, with the whole field in front of her took the ball up to halfway only for her rampage to be cut short by severe cramp that appeared like a trained sniper. But the support that had been ever present all game remained as Kira took the ball into the opposition 22 before Emi and Anneliis advanced to within a few metres as Casuals defence did well to stop them short only for Rose to deliver the final blow and touch down in the left corner.

A fantastic and skilled performance by both teams who produced some entertaining rugby from start to finish and played the game in the right spirit. Well done to both teams.

Many thanks as always to the coaches, managers and parents as well as Coalville RFC for hosting the game.