The Hatchlings were back in action today for only our second ever fixture, slithering over to a very busy Ripon ground for another morning of rugby, chaos and hopefully remembering which way we were meant to run. It was brilliant to see 12 Hatchlings involved and even better to see just how much they are already learning about the game. Across three matches against Ripon, the improvement was there for everyone to see. The passing was much better, support play was improving and there was far more confidence carrying the ball forward. Most importantly, we saw a lot less running sideways, backwards or occasionally in a direction known only to the player carrying the ball! Our simple tactic is starting to sink in: “Attack the spaces, not the faces!” The tagging was, as always, excellent, and the Hatchlings are beginning to understand that once you pass the ball, your job is not finished. Moving into space, supporting your teammates and staying involved are all starting to become part of their game. There was also some fantastic footwork on show. Oliver Lee produced one particularly memorable run, sidestepping so many Ripon players that we are fairly sure half of them had been sent for a hot dog by the time he crossed the line.
Monty the Python Each week, Monty the Python is awarded to our Hatchling of the Day. Monty is not simply for the player who scores the most tries. He can be won for effort, improvement, teamwork, skill, attitude or showing the sort of rugby values we want to see from our Hatchlings. This week, Monty went home with Frankie Donnelly. When Ripon needed an extra player in the final match to make it six versus six, Frankie offered to pull on the opposition colours and help them out. Thankfully, we have decided not to treat this as a transfer request!!! Instead, it was a brilliant example of sportsmanship and exactly the sort of rugby spirit we want to encourage. It was also lovely to have our Club Chairman, Julian Tatlow, there to present Monty to Frankie. Well done, Frankie. Monty is now officially your responsibility for the week, so no pressure. Well Done, Hatchlings A huge well done to: Willow Wilson Phoebe Hutchinson Ivy Hutchinson Seb Evans Mabel Holland Phoebe Holland Ben Parkin Frankie Donnelly Curtis Bamford Arthur Boyce Oliver Lee Athena Glasswell Only two games into their rugby journey and the improvement is already obvious: more passing, better support, more confident running, better use of space and some top-class tagging. A huge thank you as well to our coaches Richard Vass, Sean Glasswell, Kieran Martin, Charlotte Robertson and Russell Robertson, who continue to create such a positive environment for the Hatchlings and their parents. It was also great to have our Director of Rugby, Tom Baxter, in attendance, offering a few tips and sharing some wisdom with the players. Whether they listened to all of it is another matter!
Another fantastic morning for the Hatchlings with plenty of smiles, improvement, teamwork and rugby spirit on show. Well done, everyone. Roll on Aireborough next week!