season loss to CBHS, 65–7, the boys knew they could power back. The following week, College played St Thomas on Upper. All week, the coaches reminded the boys how special it was to play on Upper and the history of the ground. In response, the boys played their best game of the season, with plenty of praise from parents. In the last game of the round, College faced top-of-the-table St Thomas U13A in a tough game and was pipped at the end, leaving College in third spot going into the semi-final where the side was to meet CBHS. This year, every boy made a significant contribution to the Bombers’ success. The team had 17 forwards and eight backs at the start of the season, which meant there was only one back reserve each week. Tom Costley and William Gifford deserve special mention for putting their hands up and offering to transition from forwards to backs, providing more reserves. Obviously, both were out of place at first, since they were new to the position. However, by the end of the season, they had established themselves as key members of the backline. As under 14s, this is the first year lifting is introduced to the lineout. It was fantastic to watch the boys improve this skills throughout the
season. Hugo Sudell, George Young, Alex Fulton, Thornton Reid, and Jack Baker-Sherman all provided excellent lineout options. Matthew Geddes, Callum Kingsbury, Willie Ryan, and Bede Elkington all contributed significantly to the team’s lifting efforts. With coach Finn Hamilton’s hooker knowledge, it was fantastic to be able to help Sam Pye and Dan Flutey improve their quickly increasing skills. College was able to effectively conduct mauls by the end of the season. There were a lot of great players in the backs, with excellent ball runners. Euan McVicar and Oscar Compton- Moen were standouts, with Euan’s excellent ball running and defence and Oscar’s incredible right boot slotting kicks from the corner, along with a strong catch pass. Halfbacks Lucas Carr and Henry Hitchings both impressed. However, with Harry Hanson’s promotion to the As, Lucas shifted into the midfield, where he showed excellent defence and speed to the breakdown, winning several penalties during the season. With his passing and superb leadership, Henry was a very strong No. 9 and impressive captain, leading the boys extremely well. Co-Captains – Hugo Sudell and Henry Hitchings Best and Fairest, Jack Bristed Trophy – Willie Ryan
Most Improved Back – William Gifford and Tom Costley Most Improved Forward – Callum Kingsbury Most Valuable Player – Oscar Compton-Moen U75KG WHITE RUGBY Manager: Zac Knight Coach: Tom Burt, William Jones- Allen Team: Oscar Wells-Swann (captain), Joel Bailey, Dom Botherway, Harry Burt, George Cochrane, Max Cookeson, Tyson Crestani, Charlie Dalling, Thomas Douglas, James Dunlop, Joel Fulford, Archibald George, Will Gould, Jamie Ireland, James Kelly, Caden Lewis, Oliver March, Ryder McGuigan, Jack Mckenzie, Jack McKeown, Charlie Poulter, Jono Rookes, Fergus Ryan The 2021 season was a successful one for the U75kg White side. With a good portion of the boys graduating from last year’s U55kg team, this season served as a dynamic platform for strengthening prior relationships. New team members quickly acclimatised, resulting in a highly functional side characterised by the desire to do well. The boys enjoyed the season, had a dedicated support crew, and developed in their knowledge of the game. Although the scoreboard did not always go its way, the team’s win ratio was a marked improvement compared with last year.
It took a few games for the boys to settle in. In their first match, the boys faced a competent team from Christchurch Boys’ High School. Despite playing with tremendous heart, the opposition was able to exploit defensive errors. Although the first game was a loss, the close 22–17 score was a motivator for the future. Conceding easy points
in the early stages of play was quickly
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Christ’s College Canterbury
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