Sports Review – Week 8
8 November 2024
U11A vs Dragon School (5-3)
In a truly epic showdown, The Beacon School’s U11A rugby team took on The Dragon School with the spirit of legendary dragon-slayers. After a gruelling Monday training session focused on rucking, the boys approached Wednesday’s match with passion, energy, and an intensity reminiscent of Ireland’s famously fiery teams from the 1980s—though, unlike those Irish teams, they managed to keep their pace up right until the final whistle.
From the outset, The Beacon boys charged onto the pitch with the confidence and unity of a team determined to tame the Dragon. Every ruck was hit with the force of a thunderclap, leaving Dragon School parents murmuring that our boys had practically “rucked them off the park.” Their hard work in training had clearly paid off, and by halftime, the boys had surged ahead to a promising 3-1 lead.
But the Dragon School wasn’t about to go down without a fight. Shortly after halftime, they levelled the score to 3 tries apiece, as if taking a cue from that same 1980s Irish playbook, threatening to stall Beacon’s momentum. Yet, as fans of modern rugby know, Ireland’s game has come a long way since the 80s, and so too had The Beacon team, proving they could maintain their intensity for the full 40 minutes, just like the current Ireland team. The boys kept their heads up, made smart decisions, and answered back with two more tries, clinching a thrilling 5-3 victory.
Every single boy played a crucial role in the win. Henry Sarahs threw himself into the rucks like a bulldozer through a wall, driving back the opposition and setting the tone for Beacon’s aggressive play. Oliver Kedzlie was back in top form, launching himself into tackle after tackle, showing remarkable resilience. Matteo Philbert was unstoppable both in attack and defence, darting through gaps and fending off defenders as he worked tirelessly to secure field position.
Alex Sarwar-Wells delivered his finest performance of the season, defending with courage and landing enormous hits that stifled the Dragon’s attack. Sean Edmondson, making his debut in the A-team, looked like he’d been there all season, powering through tackles for a debut try that had everyone wondering why he hadn’t been picked sooner. Oliver Fundell worked tirelessly in defence, taking down opponents with his unyielding tackling technique, while Alex Yeo made wise choices at each ruck, keeping the team organized and on point.
The team’s leader, Sam Westmacott, captained with calm authority, encouraging his teammates to maintain their focus and energy levels. Hanish Palanivelu also had a breakout game, surging forward with newfound power to score an exhilarating try after a perfect pass from Arki Braden, which helped Beacon regain control and secure the lead.
As the final whistle blew, the boys of The Beacon School had conquered the Dragon, celebrating an unforgettable 5-3 victory in what was easily their best game of the season. This wasn’t just a win; it was a testament to their hard work, growth, and the unbreakable team spirit they’d built together.
Mr Robinson
U9A vs Dragon School (9-2)
As soon as the whistle blew, you could see the focus on the boys faces to make a tackle on the Dragon, after some monstrous tackles by Barney F, Teddy S-S, Quinn R and Herdrix H. Which caused a mistake from Dragon for a well deserved turn over. After some great passes through the hands by Edward B, Sebi W, Macsen T, Quinn R and Bertie H, we finished off in the corner by Teddy SS.
In the second half we made a mistake in our 22 which was well taken by Dragon who had an easy try in the end. Sebi W with some brilliant running who then off loaded it to Edward B. It was a 2 on 1 in the corner who then passed it to Macsen T who finished it in style. Very good performances from the boys.
Team consisted of Edward B, Bertie H, Hendrix H, Sebi W, Quinn R, Masen T and Teddy SS. End score of 9-2 win against Dragon School.
Written by Teddy S-S
Wednesday 9th October seems like a long time ago and in U13 rugby terms – it was (the last time we played together). So, we jump forward four weeks, and the boys headed over to the Dragon in Oxford for a triangular fixture with Cokethorpe thrown in the mix too.
Our first game was against the Dragon, and it was very evident very quickly that we were off the pace of the rugby we were used to playing before half term. That said, the boys slowly got into their stride and actually finished the game stronger but playing catch up all the time was tough against a very good Dragon team. It finished 3 tries to 2, in favour of the Dragon and this was one of those games where we would have loved to have a second half…
Our ‘second half’ was against Cokethorpe, who were also formidable opposition, but the Beacon boys had momentum now and used it to their advantage and we finished winning that game 3 tries to 0.
Sometimes you learn more from a defeat and I know the boys were all disappointed to let that game against the Dragon slip, but it also shows when you are slightly off the mark with your performance, good teams will punish you. Lots to learn though – namely the speed of play, taking penalties and work rate at the breakdown.
Next week, our game against Moulsford is clashing with the IAPS football, which Moulsford are also involved in so it will be an A/B team playing but a great chance for others to shine.
Thank you for the support from all parents and grandparents – I hope the journey out of Oxford afterwards wasn’t too painful.
Mr Powell
