U16 Boys' Rugby - The Perse Floodlit 7s Tournament

The boys arrived determined to put in a strong performance. Having won all of their games at this tournament last year as U15s, they knew they would need to be at their best and ready to play some fast, attacking rugby. With the matches played on a 4G pitch and under the floodlights, there is always something special about the atmosphere. Although the evening began cold but dry, the rain soon arrived - but this did little to dampen either the boys’ spirits or their performances.

Our first game was against Bedford Modern. The boys started well and it was clear they were beginning to gel quickly as a team, playing with confidence and securing a good opening win. The second match was against a physical Wymondham College side. The boys responded superbly to the challenge, using quick ball movement and high-intensity 7s to move their opponents around the pitch and earn a comfortable victory.

By the time of our third game against New Hall, the rain had intensified, meaning we had to adapt our style of play. The boys did this well, focusing on more direct running and strong support lines. Their discipline and teamwork paid off as they ran in two well-worked tries to win the game — always a pleasing result against local opposition.

Our final match of the evening was against a strong Bishop’s Stortford High School side who, at U15 level, had reached the semi-final of the Vase competition. With several players on both teams knowing each other, there was an added competitive edge to the fixture. Both sides defended well throughout and opportunities were limited. Each team managed to cross the line once, and in truth a draw was a fair reflection of a closely contested match.

I was extremely proud of how the boys approached the evening. They stuck to the task, adapted well to the conditions and played some quick, exciting rugby. Across the four games they scored eight tries and conceded just two — a very pleasing return and a great way to spend a Friday evening under the lights.

Well done to the squad of 

Jack B, Freddie D, Charlie F, Austin H, Alfie H, Harvey M, Max O, Kabir S, Stefan S, Seb J, Jack R & Louis W