AGE GRADE REVIEW
As 2017 draws to a close our Age Grade is in a very healthy state. Under the chairpersonship of ‘Wonder Woman’ Tracy Davis junior rugby has gone from strength to strength. I asked Tracy to gather some information to go in an end of year feature in the match programme. True to form her dedicated band of coaches and managers produced a prompt and interesting summary of the progress of the teams in their age group. So detailed were the responses that space in the programme doesn’t allow for their publication and I found it impossible to do them justice by editing them down. So here they are in full for members to read. An Age Grade feature will appear in the Sale match programme as well.
Richard K. Sykes (President HRUFC)
Rascals -Hi Tracy
Every week I always have very enthusiastic, energetic and cheeky little rascals who have played happily in all conditions. Noisy little bunch and great fun!! They are improving their catching and try scoring skills and will now move on to ‘1 on 1’ activities.
Regards Dan
U6s -Hi Tracey,
We’ve had a great start to the season!!
We started the season with 12 under 6’s and numbers have now grown to 21.
Although we don’t play matches yet the boys and girls continue to improve and impress every week.
The main thing for me is that all play with a smile on their face from the minute they arrive to minute they go home
.
Cheers Charlie
U7s -Hi Tracy
The under 7’s continue to make good progress and are very much enjoying playing plenty of games. The away trip to Sheffield Tigers saw some great rugby on a cold day with great support from our committed parents and family members. We are looking forward to leading out the first team and the half time mini game on the first team pitch.
Thanks Graeme
U8s – Tracy
Struggling a bit for the U8’s as non-competitive! B here goes! It’s been a great start to the season for the U8s with six new starters increasing the squad to 24. The players have been improving in their technique, game awareness and confidence with particular significant matches at the Old Brods and Moortown Festivals.
Thanks Elizabeth
U9s – Hi Tracy
Well! What start to the season! U9s players have taken to tackling like a rugby ball to Owen Farrell’s boot. They love it! There have been so many highlights in such a short space of time, but scoring full length of the pitch team tries, and at Old Brods festival, nailing the opposition against Bradford, making opponents sit down due to their agility and excellent 1:1 tackles. Great coaching team and managerial effort as well!
Richard Wareham.
U10s -Hi Tracy,
See below regards U10’s…hope this is what you were after…feel free to cut some out if too long.
The U10’s have embraced the new skills to the game this year, namely scrums, rucks and mauls and are starting to develop as a team, even managing to string a passage of free flowing passing rugby together on occasions!
They are fast carving out a reputation as one match specialists who on their day can compete with any opposition put in front of them….tournaments are more of a challenge come match 4 or 5 when tiredness sets in but what can’t be faulted is the dedication of the boys who have been fully committed to the training and matches to date.
We go into the New Year full of optimism as the boys continue to develop their teamwork and rugby skills and look forward to the matches to come.
Keep up the good work boys!
U10s coaches
U11s – Hi Trace
An intense training programme in the September pre-season meant the lads
started the season proper in good shape, and grasping the new rules
requirements very well. Some excellent ‘ball in hand’ running rugby has been
witnessed since. Festival wins at both Moortown and Old Brods has
demonstrated the strength of our squad, with 29 registrations we have depth
of talent and can guarantee putting out competitive sides. Hosting the
District Festival on 12 November gave us the opportunity to measure our
progress against a number of strong clubs and with 4 wins out of 6 matches
played (with the 2 losing matches only being decided by a single try) showed
we are on track to develop a very strong rugby side in there coming years.
Tim
U12s Hi Trace,
The lights have been switched on for our U12s! Having started the season poorly the lads have now realised that it is a team game and by playing as a team they can win. A lot of very hard work on the training ground has seen us turn around disappointing performances at the Moortown and Brods festivals into a magnificent unbeaten streak. Turnout at both training and match days is almost 100% and if we continue this progress we will be well on track for a formidable Yorkshire Cup team next year. Amongst our recent successes we take pride in the progress of a number of the boys who have really improved their effort and commitment to keep some of our stars on their toes. Onwards and upwards!
With best wishes, James .
U13’s Hi Tracy
We got off to a great start commencing the season with the commemorative match against Crossley Heath in memory of Danny Beal. A great curtain raiser for the start of the playing season allowing every boy a chance to play. This was then immediately followed by a first round of Yorkshire Cup away at Guisborough. Having good numbers at U13’s selecting the team was an unenviable task, but a strong side meant a win for Huddersfield which put us through to the next round.
Then followed a succession of games, some against old rivals Morley and YM, others with new opponents Rotherham Phoenix and Pocklington. A convincing win against Morley was one of the highlights of the early season followed by a fiercely contested local derby against YMCA, resulting in a broken arm for our Captain, Fraser Morrison. Wilf Heppenstall has stepped up as VC and steadied the ship and we welcome Fraser back this month. A 35-35 draw against Pocklington ensures that we look forward to a rematch next year. The parents were particularly impressed with the full English on offer at Pocklington so it may have to be another away game!
Almost without having chance to catch our breath we were paired with our nemesis Sandal in the second round of the Yorkshire Cup. Whilst not a win for us that day, we are through to the plate and face Sheffield on the 10th December.
This age group has had fantastic player retention over the years and currently have around 28 players. We continue to play mixed ability teams where we can to give all the boys plenty of experience and game time. We have exposed the players to bigger and stronger clubs this year and although not successful against York or West Park Leeds who play their “A” team there has been real improvement on last year’s performances. The boys now also believe in themselves and that they are capable of competing at the highest level.
U14s – Hi Tracy
The U14s have had a few new players this season taking us to 18 players altogether. One of our best games so far this season was against Keighley. The boys really played together as a team at the away ground leaving with a score of 43-7. Our most recent game v Airborough shows how we are improving finishing 28 – 17 to Airborough. Very happy with the result as when we played them earlier in the season they won us by 50 – 0.We are in the quarter final for the bowl next week at home playing Selby.
Lindsey
U15s – Hi Tracy
The U15’s started off the new season with four new starters and a couple of long term injuries already in place so after two initial wins, the team was consistently tested against stronger opponents. Disappointing defeats in the early Y Cup rounds compounded the situation and the boys could easily have become despondent and insecure. There were signs of this in the match versus Rotherham where the boys were in the lead in the first half only to concede in the second half. However, most recently, a convincing win at home against a Stocksbridge / Cleckheaton combination, demonstrated that we have a team with great potential, who are able to work together well, with strength, skill and determination. We look forward to seeing how the season unfolds.
Louise
U16s – Tracy
The Under 16s have a tough fixture schedule playing the top sides in the North Off the 11 games played to date they have won 9 and Lost 2. One of these was unfortunately the Yorkshire cup losing 25 -23 to West Park Leeds in the second round. The squad has increased to 25 and it has benefited from the coaching of 1st XV players Frances Entressengle and Lewis Bradley They have a Yorkshire Plate semi-final away on 10th December against Hull Ionians and the tough fixture list continues after Xmas
Simon
