Following a number of match postponements, due to the weather, Monmouth U15 continued their campaign at Caerleon today, with a game against their up and coming Academy team. The windy conditions were going to affect both teams and the intermittent rain and sleet showers wouldn’t help but the Monmouth team, captained by Ed Wheeler, started the brighter. With the wind at their backs, the Monmouth forwards went through their phases of play and Tyrone Thomas and Richard, at prop, working tirelessly at recycling the ball. This enabled Daniel Caldicot, the Monmouth scrum half, to get quick clean ball, and with clever kicking skills kept the opposition pinned in their own half. A classic scrimmage, enabled the backs to move the ball along the line and Lewis Powell, the Monmouth winger, playing out of position, evaded two tackles to score in the corner. Monmouth were off to a good start. Caerleon came back aggressively from the kick off and more forward and backs interplay followed which enabled Monmouth to gain a scrum just outside the opposition twenty two. Ed Wheeler, the Monmouth captain and number 8, picked up at the base of the scrum, charged forward and with the opposition trying to bring him down, he evaded all tacklers placing the ball under the posts. The try was converted by Tom Garbett and the dream start was now 12 to nil. The Caerleon team, now had more purpose, and after pressuring the Monmouth line for some period of time, with fine tackles being made by Ed McCord, James Brierley and Didar Batayev, playing his first game at fly half, they finally scored just under the posts, closing the score to just 5 points. Monmouth, with great runs from Giles Matthews, Josh Merriman and Ed Wheeler tried to get the advantage back and a fine solo run from Aaron Alexander, the Monmouth Centre put another score over just before the half time whistle, giving Monmouth a deserved lead 17 -7. The second half, with the wind against them, Monmouth had everything against them when Caerleon scored straight from the kick off. A high ball hanging in the wind, was not claimed by any Monmouth player, two missed tackles and Caerleon scored, reducing the score to 17 -12. The odds were now against Monmouth, as with no substitutes, all the players had to dig deep. Ed Wheeler, duly stepped up to the plate, leading from the front and ably supported by Ed McCord, Tom Garbett, and the Monmouth forwards won phase after phase. Keeping the ball in hand, as the wind was the against them, they pressurised the opposition line and if it wasn’t for some refereeing decisions, and some back chat, they would have scored earlier than they did. With just five minutes to go, a srummage on the opposition twenty two, saw Ed Wheeler pick up, through 9 phases of play whereby everyone in the team recycled the ball, over the gain line, and Tom Garbett went over and also sealed the conversion. The Monmouth team, then managed to play out the game, in the opponents half, ending up as winners, a deserved 24 -12. A good game, played in good spirits by both teams. Anyone wishing to play for Monmouth U15’s need to contact Mel Wheeler on 07966 021583 or turn up for training on Chippenham Fields on Thursday evenings at 7pm.
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