Unbeaten in the Prima cup

The U10's travelled to Lutterworth for the preliminary rounds of the Prima Cup and were placed in a tough group with Hinckley, Market Bosworth, Loughborough and visitors from Suffolk, Bury St Edmunds. The day started cold and damp and then got wetter and wetter. The biggest challenge was keeping warm.
Squad selected were Will Earland, Sam Bullock, George Hallam, Will & Zack Green, Shea Harley, Jake Morris, Will Salvesen, George Hooper, Henry Joule, Joey Stamp, Tyler Smith, Thomas Kemp & Billy Stamp-Ellam.

First opponents were Hinckley. We had shared tight matches last season in the county cup so expected a tough encounter and that proved to be the case, although it was only fantastic defence from Hinckley that kept Harborough out. Committed forward play from Hallam, Earland and Bullock with support from the backs too saw them taking advantage at the breakdown. First half resistance however was broken by Tyler Smith who scored with a fine run to finish off a team move. Morris was distributing well from scrum half and Hooper was playing his normal intelligent game. Changes to the backs saw Stamp-Ellam come on for Kemp. Second half was much of the same, Harborough shading it and the pressure paid off down the right flank as George Hooper broke free. A fine switch pass saw Billy Stamp-Ellam cut inside from the wing to score the second try. Final score 2:0

The second match was against Bury St Edmunds. Front row changes saw Shea Harley and Will& Zack Green come in to rest Hallam,Bullock and Earland. Salvesen came in at scrum half. Again Harborough were stronger and a lovely backs move was finished off by Joey Stamp for a 1:0 half time lead. In the second half Will Salvesen cut through the heart of their defence to score a second, before Thomas Kemp finished another fine passing move to secure a 3:0 victory.

Third up were Loughborough. By now the cold was really having an effect and this was a tough encounter. All square at half time. This was a game dominated by the forwards. The superior Harborough pack of George Hallam, Will Earland and Sam Bullock saw them bossing the set piece resulting in several turnovers. In the end from one breakdown the ball fell to Will Earland who with a very strong individual run powered through to score what proved to be the only try of the game.

A nervous wait for a fourth game proved unnecessary as other results meant Harborough couldn't be caught, so they finished unbeaten and group winners.

Credit was due to all the boys in what were very cold, challenging conditions. Joule was outstanding, tackling way above his weight and never giving up, Stamp, Kemp and Stamp-Ellam made great runs from depth, Smith showed his trickery, the scrum halfs of Morris and Salvesen made great choices in distribution and Hooper bossed the squad from fly half. However the Harborough forwards were required to seal the win on the day, rucking out of their skins and bossing the scrum whatever the combination of Earland, Hallam,Harley, Bullock or the Green brothers.