Coventry Schools’ Rugby Union U16 Final

Coundon Court 10 – 0 Bablake. On an evening primed for running rugby, with a vociferous crowd backing both teams, Butts Park Arena was ready to witness the CSRU U16 Robert Askill Memorial Trophy. Both teams were also enjoying their final opportunity to play at Butts Park Arena in their school career as age group teams, so there was much to celebrate.

Alas the expectations and the importance of the match seemed to restrict the players and the teams did not quite deliver what the large crowd wanted.  There was plenty of honest endeavour and sweat, and both teams played with total commitment, but there were just too many handling errors and too many poor tactical decisions made, and with a healthy number of penalties awarded, mainly against the Coundon XV, the game did not flow.

The first half was evenly balanced, with play in both halves to roughly equal proportion.  A rare kickable penalty to County Court saw fly half Rob Knox kick a three-pointer and, as the second half began, officials' heads were being scratched and record books checked as it looked as though the final score could be 3-0.  The second half progressed, and Bablake spent 18 minutes camped in their opponents' 22 without breaking Coundon's defence.  The turning point was probably a spurned penalty opportunity during this period of pressure, when Bablake chose to run a very kickable penalty.  Coundon Court then broke the stranglehold, and, in a sweeping handling move, the best of the night, Coundon No 8Joe McCracken touched down after receiving a great offload on Bablake's 22m.  Rob Knox drop kicked the conversion, as the kicking tee didn't arrive in time!

Well done to both sides and ‘all the best' in their rugby futures.       

Many thanks, as always, to Coventry RFC for hosting the match.  Also to the Warwickshire Society of Referees for providing the officials.  

The Askill family were also represented with John Askill presenting his brother's memorial trophy to the winning captain, Andy Stevenson.