League campaign starts with a win for Heath Under 13s

The first league match of the season for Heath U13s had been scheduled as a home fixture but, with torrential rain throughout Mid Sussex making all pitches at Whiteman’s Green unplayable, the match was subject to a last minute switch to Heathfield & Waldron RFC, giving home advantage to the opposition.
Haywards Heath u13s v HeathfieldHaywards Heath u13s v Heathfield
Haywards Heath u13s v Heathfield

Expectation was high for the Heath squad who had being playing well in friendly matches and are the reigning Sussex Champions in their age group, having won the title for the last three years. They were looking to make a real statement of intent in their first league game of 15 man rugby.

Straight from the kick off the Heath team came under a lot of pressure from a very determined and physical Heathfield pack, with a number of basic mistakes meaning they struggled to clear the ball from their own half. Whilst a series of Heathfield drives from penalties conceded close to the try line were repelled by some fine defensive work, the home side was eventually able to put sufficient phases together to create space wide and touch down for a try out on the left .

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Stung by this score Heath came back strongly with the forwards able to win quick ball, allowing the backs to move it through the hands quickly to winger Owen Ratcliffe who picked up the ball just inside the opposition half before beating three men on the outside to score under the posts. Rafe Liebers converted to make the score 5-7 to Heath.

Heathfield tore straight back into Heath from the restart and after good work at the breakdown were able to move to a dangerous position near the posts from where their number 8 crashed through the middle to make the score 12-7. Although Heath started to gain some control of the game with their backs regularly looking like exploiting line breaks, in slippery conditions the final pass would not go to hand and, despite constant Heath pressure, the score remained unchanged at half time.

Urged on by Head Coach Glen Jones to step up a level and execute to their ability, the Heath U13s responded positively and started playing their rugby at the right end of the pitch. Further good work from the Heath three quarters led to a chip kick through being gathered and passed to inside centre Hugo Cordeschi, who beat his opposite number and the full back to touch down, allowing Heath to regain the lead 12-14. Five minutes later a strong drive from the Heath forwards on the half way line sucked in the Heathfield defence, allowing the ball to be moved to the blind side where Owen Ratcliffe again scorched down the touch line, beating the entire covering defence before cutting in to score under the sticks. Liebers drilled the conversion through the uprights to make the score 12-21 - a healthy lead for Heath.

After digging deep when behind, Heath were now beginning to show their strength in depth throughout the squad and gained the upper hand in the forwards battle. A Heathfield scrum on their own 22 allowed the Heath pack to turn the screw with the ball popping out to scrum half Evan Herbert who scooted through a number of Heathfield defenders on the blindside and scored a fourth try in the corner to secure the bonus point and make the score 12-26. Even a bizarre yellow card for offside from a clearance kick could not dampen the Heath spirit and it was the away side that remained dangerous with only 14 men. In the last minute right winger Rory Adams jinked through a host of defenders in the middle of the park before sealing the game with the final try of the game which again Liebers converted.

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After a tough opening half the Heath U13 squad showed with this gutsy victory why they are the current champions of Sussex, with the eventual scoreline 36-12 reflecting their superiority and commitment. Coach Glen Jones expressed his pride and satisfaction with the result commenting on the performance of his squad that it was “…a massive effort by all… they earned that win today.” The squad has plenty of work to do moving forwards this season but with the bonus point banked and a good opening league win, this was a great competitive introduction to 15 man rugby for the U13s.

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