U17 Match Report

Anand Chitnis

The team photo from today. If it looks as if there aren't many in it - that because there aren't - just the 14 who played the whole match undefeated.

I have watched SCRFC rugby matches for many years. Travelling 90 mins to the far reaches of Shropshire is not particularly inspiring. Some seem to have travelled by time machine to get there for kick off! And over those years I seen some great games and some dreadful ones - usually with a long journey home afterwards with quiet, sad lads in the back of the car nursing wounds.
However for those of us who witnessed today's achievement, it will go down in annals of SCRFC history. A 14 man side playing a quarter final, with no substitutes; they didn't let that diminish their commitment against a 15 man opposition with multiples substitutes on their home ground.
Every lad played his part brilliantly. It would be difficult to pick anyone out as everyone tackled ferociously and put their bodies on the line.
At times it wasn't pretty but when faced with some huge opposition and the constant worry of an overlap, they never flinched. Pain showed after tackles and rucks, but they got up again without hesitation. The pick and drive by the forwards was relentless. The backs swerving and barging their way forward constantly. The defence can only be described as awesome.
The 14-14 final score tells how close it was - and it truly was. Oswestry could have snatched it with a bursting break in the last minutes to score a try but were confounded. The resulting penalty kick was fortunately missed. Prior to that at the other end of the pitch SCRFC were in the ascendency for 10 minutes and had tried tirelessly to score the winning try, and could, perhaps should, have taken a penalty kick when available, but they were determined to show how their 14 men could do it.
They win of course on the competition away rule, and no doubt Oswestry will be bitterly disappointed. They in turn deserve respect for a great game. But no-one could deny our U17s this win today. Played in fantastic spirit, they showed what a great side they are when they all pull together and play to the game plan.
I was truly proud to be a member of the green army today.
Well done lads - a match story for the bar in years to come.

Anand Chitnis