Southwold RFC Colts arrived several players short to play Woodbridge Colts but eventually 15 faced 15 for an exciting match that didn’t reflect the scoreline. Woodbridge Colts’ Marcus McMyn scored four trys joined by James Owens, Reef Edwards and Charlie Mayhew who got one a piece. Rene Ball scored early in the second half for Southwold. Some first class performances on both sides kept Colts Rugby the fast-paced spectacle it is – as exhausting to watch as it must be to play!
Gusty wind played a large part in this chilly local derby with Ipswich YM, causing kicks to go out on the full, lineouts to be lost and conversion attempts to stall in the air. Woodbridge started with the wind behind them and fly-half JP Hart and scrum half Angus Clogg used their boots to pressurise full back Barny Horsfield. This gave them a penalty for Clogg to take three points and then, after more penalties in YM’s 22, a forwards charge was fed wide and determined Tom Stokes shrugged off several tackles to score.
YM forwards successfully exploited a couple of Warrior penalties to maul and No 8 Kaselle Lee drove over to score. Five minutes later and the Warriors forwards charged from repeated YM infringements and it was flying wing Reece Monk who slammed down a diving try to get them into half time 15-5 ahead.
Woodbridge pressed hard but solid YM defence and wind-assisted kicks downfield kept them at bay, Clogg having to settle for another three points. YM weren’t done and it was the forwards again that countered strongly, Lee having a powerful carry which flanker Elliot Chilvers finished emphatically. Woodbridge continued to have the balance of play but Ipswich contained them with a durable and intelligent defence.
Saxons 15 v Stowmarket IIs 46
Woodbridge Warriors 17 v Fakenham RFC 27
Entertaining and frustrating in equal measure, both sides had moments of domination but squandered them with penalties, great defence or poor handling. Fakenham took an early lead with a penalty from Lloyd Marshall and then a try from Ashley Stewart after a Joseph Bane-Young charge which demonstrated why they beat Holt last week. Woodbridge fought back through flanker Aldis Salavejs back from injury and another from Ed Banthorp who stormed over like a battering ram. Just before the break boisterous flanker, Lyam Thorpe put Fakenham back ahead 10-15.
With the tension building and Woodbridge looking promising for an equaliser their defence became stretched and two runaway tries from wingers Tom Bane-Young and then Tom Howick got the bonus point and widened the odds against a Warriors comeback. Warrior centre Tom Stokes battled over and gave home supporters something to shout about but with insufficient time to challenge Fakenham’s hard-fought win.
An injury depleted Woodbridge held energetic Ely Tigers at bay by trading kicks for the first fifteen minutes, Tiger Jake Alsop putting in some great carries and Warrior Owen Scott worked hard at the breakdown. Predatory Ely full back; Matt McCarthy finished a 5m siege to score. Woodbridge failed to take advantage of Ely penalties and it was No8 Jacob Muncey that pounced next. Woodbridge Angus Clogg took their only 3 points before Muncey scored on half time to make it 15-3.
The second half saw a tiring Woodbridge defending against an ever livelier Ely who looked a co-ordinated and well coached unit running in six further tries through hooker Nathan Brookes and backs Paul Dewey (two), Luke Turner, James Buckland and McCarthy scoring again. Woodbridge defended hard but with many regular players missing and others playing out of position it was an achievement to restrict the tries to six.
Amazons 20 Swallows 29 – it’s been a wild three weeks for the Amazons. If having a huge 5 week break between games has been a challenge, then 3 on the bounce has proved even more challenging.
Two weeks ago a last minute try, and conversion by Christina Murgatroyd earned the Amazons a thrilling victory at Stanford le Hope by the score of 24-22. Then last week at Lakenham, after a superb hat trick of tries from Carmel Roisin Leak, another last gasp Murgatroyd try wasn’t enough to come out on top of a 24-27 reverse – and this week, hosting their local rivals from just up the A12 at Southwold, another nail biter ended up in a close 29-20 defeat.
In clear, but chilly conditions at Hatchley Barn, the Amazons kept up this seasons tradition of starting slowly, allowing their opponents an easy entry into the match. Jaye Ash, the most dangerous centre for the visitors opened the scoring after just 7 minutes after some good interplay with fullback Chantelle Gallagher.
The Amazons responded well however, and Beth Clapson returned a box kick with interest, setting up Kat Mead who ran through defenders for the equalising score.
The visitors were soon back in front when Jasmin Fisher took advantage of some poor tackling to ghost in under the posts but her score, and the 5-10 scoreline seemed to spur the hosts on. For the final ten minutes of the half, it was all Woodbridge. Pressure on the Swallows line was maintained, then cleared, reapplied, and cleared repeatedly until the halftime whistle.
In the second half the visitors engaged another gear, scoring three tries in quick succession. A short yardage trundle from Angela Wadham, before two tries by Gallagher, the first a long range burst straight after the restart, the second being handily placed inside winger Alex McKay, led to an unassailable 5-29 lead.
But just like the previous week at Lakenham, the Amazons refused to quit and they attempted another comeback. Roisin Leak, the Amazons leading scorer this season, maintained her scoring prowess to reduce the arrears, and her centre partner Anna Dewberry went over soon after with a direct line from the visitors 22. The Amazons kept their foot down and were unlucky when prop forward Toni Bell was held up over the try line. Time was running out, but when Charlotte Granger charged a clearance kick down, there was time for Roisin Leak to score in the corner bringing the scoreline back to 20-29. There was only time for the failed conversion attempt however, and another narrow defeat was underlined at the final whistle.
Another enthralling match then, which can only help the less experienced of this new look Woodbridge squad get better, means the future is bright for womens rugby in this part of Suffolk.
We used our new floodlights for the first time on Saturday in the League clash against Wymondham RFC.
The new lamps, from the Abacus Lighting Ltd Challenger Range, provide excellent forward throw of light with low light pollution. The lights were financed with the help of generous contributions from East Suffolk Council (Suffolk Coastal District Council) Play Space Fund, the Rugby Football Foundation’s Goundmatch Grant and three of our local SCDC Councillors’ Community Budgets.
The lights were installed and commissioned by local firm, Bayfield Electrical Contracting, just in time as the evenings draw in and weather-affected fixtures have to be accommodated. They will also enable evening fixtures that are a valuable source of Club income.
The lights were illuminated by our own Jan Ballard and Bob Double who braved the men’s changing room to, wait for it,,,,, turn them on ????
Chairman Rob Simpson commented “I am constantly and pleasantly surprised by the willingness of local donors to support our efforts to provide rugby to the Woodbridge area. These floodlights will not only extend the time that we can play rugby but also provide much improved facilities for use by our local community.”
A tough contest for the Warriors against 2nd placed Wymondham RFC who dominated the set pieces and first half scoreboard despite a cheeky 5 min try from Ryan Ramplin. We came back in the second half with Ryan scoring again followed by two late-game tries from capt Tom Stokes. However it was a tough call against some relentless running and forward work from Wymondham who’s star fly-half Charley Delaney scored 21 points.
5 mins try Woodbridge Ryan Ramplin unconverted by Angus Clogg
15 mins try Wymondham RFC David Blake converted by Charley Delaney
25 mins penalty Wymondham by Charley Delaney
38 mins try Wymondham Josh Cousens converted by Charley Delaney
SECOND HALF
12 mins try Wymondham Charley Delaney converted by Charley Delaney
20 mins try Woodbridge Ryan Ramplin unconverted by Angus Clogg
24 mins Try Wymondham Charley Delaney converted by Charley Delaney
30 mins try Wymondham Ethan Holmwood unconverted by Charley Delaney
33 mins try Woodbridge Tom Stokes converted by Angus Clogg
40 mins try Woodbridge Tom Stokes unconverted by Angus Clogg
Coach Steve Wilding writes “Woodbridge U10s played last Saturday 3/11/18 in the Prima Cup at Welford Road. Two very hard games against Wellingborough and Oundle, big big clubs!
We won our first games 5-0 and drew the second games 3-3, with Oundle scoring in the last few seconds. It is another success story not just for the 12 boys that played, but the whole squad. I attach a picture. Many thanks to Woodbridge School as they also sponsored us with water bottles, but also sponsor the whole minis section. I am hoping that we may be invited back again into the final of finals in March…..watch this space”.
Thurston 17 v Warriors 19: A match where doggedly persistent attacks were met by solid defences. Kicks flew back and forth in the gusty sunshine as the tackle count spun upward with both sides defending hard. Woodbridge dominated territory in the first half but the home defence was outstanding conceding only one try when Jeff Buchanan broke the tension and scored on 38 minutes.
The second half saw Thurston bash their way back when centre, Ed Ballam was finally rewarded for his hard work with two tries followed by another from fly-half Jamie Drury. For the second week running Woodbridge had to dig deep in the dying moments and this time it was wing Ryan Ramplin who scored wide before Jono Cooke rounded off a sustained attack, peppered with penalties, to win the tight contest with a try in the last play of the match.
Thurston Rangers 17 v Woodbridge Warriors 19
