A tough afternoon for our U13’s today as we welcomed a very strong Stockton side to West Mills.

Stockton were deserved winners and gave us a good lesson in what happens when a team plays with confidence, physicality and real intent.

They had several powerful ball carriers who consistently got them onto the front foot, and for too much of the game we allowed their size and direct running to knock our confidence. Our defensive structure suffered as a result and we struggled to settle into the patterns of play we’ve been working on.

There were still positives.

When we got defenders into close quarters, our tackling technique was actually good. We also showed glimpses of what we’re capable of with some really nice passing through the hands and movement down the line.

Cameron and Owen deserve particular mention for continuing to front up physically when the pressure was on.

And despite a difficult afternoon, we still crossed the line three times.

Harry — 1 try
Leon — 2 tries

Heath captained the side today and kept the lads going through a challenging game.

The biggest lesson, though, is one we can take straight back onto the training pitch.

Rugby requires courage.

That doesn’t mean being the biggest or strongest player on the field. It means making the decision to go forward, make the tackle, support your teammate and trust what we’ve practised — particularly when the opposition are coming at you.

Stockton showed us today the level of physical confidence and organisation we need to develop. That’s valuable for this group. We don’t hide from difficult games; we learn from them.

A poor day at the office doesn’t define this team. How we respond to it does.

We’ll get back to work.

Thanks as always to our team sponsors Admire Fitness and The Loft for their continued support.