BRAVING the winter chill, January was a busy month for Jersey RFC’s Minis & Juniors, who enjoyed several trips off-Island to face mainland opposition.
Jersey’s U12, U14 and U16 Girls teams joined Hampshire “Love Rugby” events at Eastleigh, Port-USfield and Trojans.
Two of the U12s joined in an all-weather-pitch session, where newcomer Bethany Millar was awarded player of the team in her first training game.
The fast-developing U16 team saw their biggest squad yet visit the newly combined PortUSfield team for a friendly.
Led by captain Maisie Kybett, they faced a very experienced opposition and showed continuous improvement as the game went on.
Although they finished with a 62-31 scoreline, the highlight was a hat-trick from Alice Williams.
Paige De Gruchy took on duties as kicker for the first time, scoring three of four conversions. Newcomers Amy McAllister and Olivia Winch showed off their newly found skills with excellent commitment to contact and some great running with the ball.
Cara Williams tackled ferociously, as did Iris Wilmett in only her second season.
The U14s visited Trojans with over 100 other players in a five-round tournament.
In the spirit of developing rugby performance and confidence no scores or rankings were recorded. The winner was rugby itself as Jersey’s team of eight with two débutantes enjoyed their first game together, joining with Basingstoke to make up the 15-strong team.
The improvement from the first game to the last was obvious with Alex Dimopoulos scoring her first try and being named player of the day.
Indie Holden displayed great tackling and captain Maggie Mann at fly-half paired excellently with scrum-half Megan de Gruchy.
Jersey U13 Boys 9-5 Pulborough
Jersey delivered an impressive attacking display to claim a decisive victory at Pulborough in an away fixture of end-to-end rugby.
Despite being low on numbers through squad illness it was a close first-half, where Jersey pulled away in the second to secure a 9-tries-to-5 triumph.
The match began at a blistering pace, with both sides trading tries. Pulborough capitalised on their home and downhill advantage, using strong attacking play and kicking to drive over the line three times.
Jersey responded with some strong running through the middle, showcasing their speed and ability to get the ball wide to score four tries and take a narrow lead into half-time.
After the break, Jersey shifted gears and dominated proceedings and used the hill to their advantage.
The Islanders added five more tries, exploiting Pulborough’s defensive gaps and tiring legs. Pulborough managed two more tries of their own.
Try scorers: Eli Harrison (4), Soren Tonsberg (2), Zach Nicolle (2), Henry Osmond
Jersey U14 Boys 22-22 Midhurst
In near freezing conditions, the U14s travelled to face old rivals Midhurst.
Despite the cold, they started strongly, scoring the first try almost immediately.
However, a series of defensive lapses and some impressive handling from Midhurst led to three quick tries, and Jersey falling 17-5 behind after 15 minutes.
Jersey regrouped and their steady determination was rewarded with a converted try shortly before half-time, narrowing the gap to 17-10.
The second-half began much as the first ended, with Jersey in the ascendancy.
Five minutes before time, Jersey thought they had done enough to win it.
A rare half gap appeared in Midhurst’s defensive line, which Jersey muscled through. Midhurst were not to be outdone, however, and, with barely a minute left on the clock, they span the ball wide through their dangerous backs to level 22-22.
Jersey U15 Boys 21-10 East Grinstead
In what can only be described as monsoon conditions with a strong chilly wind, with standing water on the pitch, Jersey U15s put in their best team performance of the season to date with a 21-10 victory away at East Grinstead.
With no access to the pitches before kick-off due to the conditions Jersey’s curtailed warm-up comprised of handling in a small swamp-like space to the sidelines.
This, along with the 6am departure, contributed to the now traditional slow start and allowed East Grinstead to take an early lead with an try on the left.
Restart kicking proved a lottery with no bounce off the drenched surface and not one kick travelled more than 10 metres through the air.
Both teams tried to be creative, but conditions didn’t allow any continuity and defending proved far easier than ball retention. However, Jersey began to wake up as their pick-and-go began to dominate with the occasional ball out to the backs providing good variation, all excellently managed by scrum-half Max Le Vesconte.
Some good recycling and tight forward play saw Aphonso Correia level the scores after 15 minutes.
Ryan Allen-Le-Bas converted to make it 5-7 to Jersey.
On 25 minutes, Jacob Watson made a line break in the centre following a series of quick rucks and managed to hand off some would-be tacklers staying strong to run in just to right of the posts, Allen-Bas obliged with the extras for a 5-14 lead at the break.
Both sides vied for supremacy between the 22-metre lines after the break, with forwards slugging it out in the extremely heavy conditions.
Fitness was tested. Watson again made a break in the centre taking the ball deep into opposition territory down the left, a couple of rumbles by the pack and the ball was moved out to the left where Archie Donnelly managed to cross on the right.
Le-Bas managed a huge conversion from distance to extend Jersey’s lead to 16 with 12 minutes to go.
East Grinstead never surrendered and replied with an unconverted try five minutes from time.
Despite the dire conditions, the contest was played in great spirit. Both teams were well appreciated for their efforts with East Grinstead awarding Jacob Watson player of the match.
Jersey U15 Boys 52-5 Uckfield
Conditions were a stark contrast to the mud bath experienced against East Grinstead.
Clear skies, no wind and good ground, albeit chilly, allowed Jersey to employ a strong running game which ultimately proved too good for their opposition.
That being said, hosts Uckfield started aggressively and appeared to favour the physical battle in the forwards with plenty of hard rucking and strong ball carries.
Jersey weathered the opening assault before starting to move the ball away from the breakdown area to find space along the backs.
However, it was a strong forward drive inside the 22 that led to Ollie Wiseman crossing on 19 minutes, converted by Ryan Allen-Le Bas.
Jersey, realising that quick rucking and moving the ball through the hands was most effective, created a nice gap in the opposition defence for full-back Archie Donnelly to join the line, exploit the hole & run in under the posts from just inside the opposition half for another converted try.
A similar approach allowed Donnelly to be the extra man on the end of the line as he scooted round the outside to dot down to the right of the posts, duly converted again by Le Bas.
With the Caesareans in the ascendency, captain Eoin Mann rounded off a strong forward drive by forcing himself over from eight metres, for a 0-26 lead at the half.
Jersey continued their domination in the second period, fly-half Le Bas finding space after forwards produced quick ball, got through the line and ran in near the posts.
It was a case of déjà vu from the restart with Le Bas adding a second, extending the lead to 0-40.
With the pack now dominating, they added a couple of scores themselves – firstly James Wiseman driving over, followed by Mann adding his second through a catch & drive line-out.
Uckfield kept pushing and managed their lone score which proved the last points of the game.
Uckfield selected Mann as Jersey’s player of the match. However, Le Bas’ distribution and goal kicking earned a special mention.
Jersey RFC Minis and Juniors thanked main sponsors Santander International as well as Jersey Sport for their travel grant funding.
