Sun 2 Oct 2022, 12:00
Hornets Chargers U16 boys entertained Old Reds at the Nest on Sunday 2nd October. Missing 6 players due to injuries and illness the chargers took to the field with a re-jigged pack. Ellis Roberts in at tight head prop, Tom Crane at hooker, Max Milsom and Ethan Havinden in the 2nd row and Rohan Conroy moving to number 8 with Jack Cockayne at scrum half.
Fired up the hosts, playing against a large physical team, put the pressure on the visitors from the start and after several minutes of end to end rugby Hornets had a scrum in Old Reds 22 which they lost but then the ball was ripped from Reds and inside centre Will Kane scored the first try with Charlie Roberts converting it.
From the re-start Old Reds put the pressure on Hornets and from a line out 10m out they scored and converted it. The play was again fast and furious with huge tackles going in from the chargers. The visitors then had a scrum in Hornets 22 but a forward pass resulted in a scrum to the hosts at which a free kick was awarded. This was taken quickly and the ball found full back Oli Thorne whose pace and strength out paced the opposition and he scored out wide taking the half time score to 12-7 to Hornets.
Half time saw the only sub Hornets had, Jake Marsh, in his first club game ever on at second row.
Old Reds brought on their 6 subs which made a difference but the hosts battled on putting pressure on when they could but the visitors were too strong and put 4 more tries on the score board, although Hornets had the last score of the game from huge pressure from the forwards.
Final score 17-29 to Old Reds although a huge team game for Hornets playing with passion and for each other.
Report by Jenny Cockayne
