Colts: Eastern Counties Cup Final  

Shelford 49 Sudbury 6

Two pieces of history were created yesterday, Shelford won its first Eastern Counties title on home soil and at the same time, retained the Colts Cup it won for the first time, last year at Colchester.

After the early exchanges it soon became clear this was to be a Shelford performance of the three P’s :- Pace, Power and Performance. Shelford were just too good in most areas with man of the match Edmund Rawe outstanding.

After an early Elliott Mepham penalty, Shelford scored 4 first half tries through Ned Brown, Ed Rawe, Sam Till and Sachin Booysen. Sudbury’s only points came from a long range penalty. At 27-3, the game was won at half time and despite Shelford using their entire bench, the tempo of the game was kept up, resulting in a further 4 tries to a solitary Sudbury penalty goal.

Shelford’s tries came from a searing George Newnham break, two more from Ed Rawe to complete his hatrick and a second Booysen try. Replacement fly half Lewis Cracknell added one conversion.

Team:- Lachlan Finlayson, Paddy O’Reilly, George Sewell, Iowan Thomas-Mathieson, George Newnham – Captain, Will Brown, Lewis Cooper, Sam Till, Ali Paterson, Elliot Mepham, Alex Poirier, Ned Brown, Ed Rawe, Fungus Snell, Ryan Hunter

Reserves:- Lewis Cracknell, Nathan Taylor, Connor Denton, Lewis Green, Sachin Booysen, Tom Franklin, Harry Beasley, Louis Rawlings, Sam Porter, Callum Miller, Olive ‘Luvvy’ Newnham

U17’s: County Cup Final

Shelford 32 Cambridge 7

The game started with Shelford on the attack and pressuring the Cambridge 22,  and as was the case throughout the  first half, the Shelford flankers Sam Porter and Louis Rawlings closed the No10 down every time and all he could do was spot the ball. It was from one of the 5m scrums that the ball moved wide and Louis Rawlings crashed onto the ball to make it 5-0.  Play then became scrappy with possession bouncing around between the 2 sides, eventually Shelford broke from the half way line and a series of off loads saw Callum Shaw dive over 10-0. The game got bogged down as both sides fought hard for possession and the Shelford backs tried to find their rhythm, at this stage it could have gone either way, however Alex Flynn collected a loose ball and headed for the line showing the opposition a clean pair of heels. Shelford continued to pressure but couldn’t add further points before the break. The half ended 15-0.

 Thankfully despite a few changes Shelford got back into attack early in the 2nd half and managed to add a forwards mauling try with Callum Miller sticking an outstretched arm over the whitewash. 20-0. From the restart Connor  Denton collected the high ball and got Shelford immediately onto the attack. Shelford moved the ball through the phases and a good break saw the ball reach Toby Poirier and he dotted down in the corner 25-0. More changes were forthcoming and the heat also started to take its toll.

 Shelford now started to make heavy weather of the Cambridge centres and they worked their way upfield. Only a clearance from George Teeboon relieved the Cambridge pressure on the Shelford line. However it was only a matter of time before Cambridge’s growing confidence saw the big centre take advantage of sloppy Shelford defence and dart through the dogleg and dot the ball under the posts 25-7.

The best way to answer a revival is to hit back, and the best try of the game was created, scored and converted by Ross Ferguson. Coming off the back of a Shelford ruck Ferguson collected the ball, Alex Flynn came charging on to create a dummy run, then James Murdoch did exactly the same, Ferguson now straightened up, picked the gap and ran clean through. A wonderful effort. 32-7. With no further score the 2 teams played the game out to jubilant cheers from the stands.

Under 16's

Shelford 24 Eton Manor 10

Under 14's East Coast Festival of Rugby