MHRFU Sharks U12’s Joules Cup – Sunday

The Sharks made an away trip to Olney RFUC to contest the annual Joules Cup with MH club versus Olney club for a winner takes all format with the runners up getting nothing. It was a fresh but dry Sunday morning with the conditions perfect for rugby and the MH boys chomping at the bit to compete against one of the toughest oppositions we will face all year.

Game 1

Our first game started a full pace with both sides trying to take an early domination in the game with plenty of crunching tackles and hard fought rucks. The first 10 minutes of the game was deadlock with both teams showing excellent defensive skills however, MH were finally broken. Just before the break MH secured quick ball and worked an excellent move down the left-hand side for Toby Gower to cut back inside and score to level at half time. Olney started the brighter in the second half and quickly run in two tries and from then on we played catch up. A brilliant forward move starting in our own half saw the ball moved left and right before finally giving the ball out wide to Simo who jinked and jived his way over the line. In a similar move, right towards the end of the game saw Simo come up just short on this occasion.

MH 2 – 4 Olney Tries – Toby Gower 1, Matt Simpson 1

Game 2

The boys were determined to make sure they left Olney with something and started very aggressively with crunching tackles and ruthless rucking to show their opposition that we meant business. Despite all of the pressure we went behind with a very well worked overlap move from Olney, this only fired the boys up more and some super link up play and quick ball saw us get back terms. An exchange of very physically play ensured and both team were battling hard to keep or win possession with both teams scoring a further try each to go in evens at half time. A quick team talk and intake of rehabilitating substances saw the players return for another bone crunching half of rugby with both teams putting everything on the line. Despite all our efforts we went behind again to some simple but effective play from Olney, this gave the boys a wakeup call and they battled even harder with a quick taken penalty and some direct running saw us go in for a match drawing try.

MH 3 – 3 Olney Tries – Fergus Gilligan 1, Toby Gower 1, Elliott Powell 1