The Year 6 rugby players enjoyed what would be their last ever competition for CHS Junior School when they played with flare at the U11 AJIS Rugby Festival.
CHS’s U11s travelled to Merchant Taylors’ School in Crosby and showed true grit and determination in cold, blustery conditions. They won all of their group games against strong opponents The Grange, St Mary’s, the home side.
The festival followed a waterfall format and each team played the teams in an equivalent position from the other two groups.
CHS went on to face their old rival Stockport Grammar as well as St Ambrose in their final round and brought with them some fast-flowing rugby, combined with hard tackling in defence. CHS continue their winning streak and make it to face St Ambrose, both teams unbeaten at this point.
CHS kept the ball alive for long periods, maintaining possession and recycling it out of contact to avoid the threat of St Ambrose’s well developed counter rucking.
Making the most of their opportunities, CHS’s Pimlott crashed through a high tackle to score in the corner at the mark of half time.
CHS saved their best until last; Iddon fed the ball into the CHS scrum in the St Ambrose half and Woolf successfully healed the ball back to Iddon who produced an outstanding flat cross-field kick out to the wing, in the style of Quade Cooper. Pimlott received the pass and outpaced the St Ambrose defence to make the final score 4-2.Junior School Rugby Coach, Mr Jonny Cartwright said: “This group of boys have grown together, they have all been regular faces at Mr Mason and I’s Thursday rugby club. Although they are not short of natural talent their success can be attributed to their work ethic at clubs and in games lessons. Some members of this group have only been playing rugby for 12 months or less but they have all shown a desire and hunger to improve and get better.”
He continued: “There is nothing better than watching a team you have coached ‘click’. The players in this team have all had to work hard but the brilliant thing is they all want to. They celebrate great tries together and support each other through mistakes. They’ve been a pleasure to coach! Special thanks also to Mr Mason, Mr Cooke and Mr Heagerty for their part in coaching the team over the last two years in Games and rugby.”
