MHRUFC Vs Derby U15s

Hinckley RFC cancelled the weekends game which would have been at home, and instead we took on an away game at Derby RFC, well actually Derby University’s 4G pitch to be precise. Player availability had become something of an issue, half term holidays took some out, a few were ill and a further eight were selected to play in a Tigers DPP festival in Oakham. However, our age group is about player involvement, so we took all fourteen available players to the match and were offered additional players by Derby to make up a team.

Derby were pretty much at full strength, and they presented a formidable opposition. The Harborough lads stepped up though and played bravely. At first things were fairly even in open play, but Derby had strength in the scrum and ruck and with the persistent rain a forwards biased game was inevitable. Derby scored fairly early with neat offloading exploiting a gap in the Harborough backs. Clearly the stronger side they were able to keep play very much in Harborough’s half, and pile on the pressure. Within the first half Derby managed to rack up four converted tries, but that’s not to say Harborough were being overrun. During the last ten minutes of the first half Harborough’s lads actually put in some clever backs work moving the ball wide at pace and edging forward, which seemed to rattle the Derby players. Handling in the very wet conditions was tricky, and cold hands lead to some loose ball which Derby were not shy to capitalise on.The pack had put in some great work, Thomas Dyson was particularly effective single handedly driving Derby off the ball at rucks, Connor Jenkinson caused all sorts off mischief with his darting attacks. Flanker Oli Hoare played his socks off as Captain and pulled the lads spirit up in the face of a daunting opposition. The other pack members, Matt Robinson and Sammy Stamps were right in amongst things too.

At half time Derby had a 28- 0 lead

Harborough were still up for it despite the score line and took the game to Derby from the restart. Derby were now very confident and made it very hard work and before long had run in two more tries but without conversions. The effort was taking its toll, and Scrum Half Geordan Bedford had to retire with an injury, a shame as he had been doing a great job. He was closely followed by Fullback Oscar Spiers with a head injury, Oscar had put in some quality try saving tackles and can be proud of his efforts. The players shuffled around again and a few of the Derby reserves put on Harborough shirts to make up the numbers. Harborough still kept in the game and found themselves putting Derby on the back foot. Some solid rucking gave space for Dillon Hamlyn to work the ball out to Fly Half Will Dawson and then through the hands to Joe Harrison and Tom Wainwright and finally out to a particularly speedy winger on loan from Derby. His pace was quite extraordinary and he ploughed forward toward the Derby try line. The defenders managed to catch him just short of the line but Flanker Dan Hands managed to match his pace and was in close support at the tackle, scooping up the ball he dived over the bodies to land a well earned try for Harborough, tidily converted by Dawson. Before the game ended Derby managed to score two more with conversions, but that try had been all the lads needed to feel good.

Outgunned on this occasion for sure, but never lacking courage or effort the Harborough boys have everything to be proud of.

Final score
Derby 50 - 7 Market Harborough

We would like to extend our thanks to Derby RFC for setting up the fixture at short notice and the loan of several Players. Notably Louis who propped for Harborough the entire game.