Sports Update

Yr9 Netball v Stoke

12 players - 1 game. The girls organised the rotation of play themselves and really rose to the challenge. Outstanding teamwork play throughout, working for each other and applying key points from training.

Hard fight to the end ending in a close 10-8 loss.

PoM Jocelyn Cooper

Yr7 Rugby

A great mix of direct contact running and use of wider passing into spaces for our speedsters, led to 2 well-deserved wins. All played with a fantastic competitive mentality alongside sporting behaviour and enjoyment in playing well as a team.

v Plympton Academy. Won 15-0. ECC dominated the game with and started with an immediate score from debutant, JF, who caught and sidestepped nimbly down the wing to touch down in the corner. Constant line pressure resulted in crashing runs and 2 more tries for Ollie C and Archie S. PoM and best tackle – Reuben A. Most Improved – Finley B: much more confident and aggressive with the ball.

v Coombe Dean. Won 10-0. Sound tactical passing and more effective open tackling kept Coombe Dean out and the ball alive for ECC. Alex F matched Jesse’s try from the 1st game with a strong run and cool finish down the right wing. CDS changed players and came back in to it but staunch defence on our line them out. Archie S ruthlessly tackled, jackalled and stole the ball to score our second. Best tackler was Barney W and PoM was Alfie C. Most Improved – Noah L: debut game and rapid positional understanding.

Yr8 Rugby

So much improvement! This team are really listening to advice and starting to play some excellent open rugby to mix up hard hitting runs with clever offloads and wider passes to create space. They are also pressing in defence and tackling much harder!

v Coombe Dean. Draw 10-10. ECC had most of the play and were dominant but played tactically to develop players and give experience so all improved. Coombe Dean scored 2 long range tries to make it a draw but strong central running from Shay S and Ollie C combined well with the agility of Lenny E and Jude W, backed up by good support running from team-mates, would have taken the game if allowed to by Mr Piper, who refereed deliberately to make it an even contest. PoM – Shay S. Most Improved – Rory W.

v DHSB. Draw 10-10. A competitive match with some hard tackling and the ball switching teams and wings frequently whilst players tried to find space. Theo W showed class as tactical player and Captain, knowing when to crash or pass, Alfie P broke free but was chased down and Teddy B did his usual unnoticed hard work in the tight contact zone. With all players working hard every game it’s hard to pick out individuals; Shay S’s barnstorming runs feature every match but Jude W pipped him to PoM with a fast right wing break and cut inside to wrong-foot tacklers and zoom home. Tackler of game: Seb Bull. Most Improved: Sam G.

Yr9 Rugby v Coombe Dean

Yr9 players are now competing and playing tough rugby to pressure the opposition and to take on tacklers whilst showing strength to look after the ball in contact. Some great offloads, wider passes and fast feet kept us pushing for points and players are learning better positional play to hold width in attack and defence. Theo M was aggressive throughout, Henry N showed cool decision making under pressure to pass away, Henry S quick decision making and knowledge of the laws and Connor M with Tommy R again used direct running to make ground. With new and returning players quickly getting used to the higher intensity in Yr9 it was tough going against a well organised Coombe Dean but quicksilver Trey D scorched turf to score twice and keep it close. Huge defence showed our tenacity and mega tackles from Makai F and Charlie H kept them at bay until the last minutes.

Coombe Dean’s players know their team-mates from club rugby and it showed – they were well organised and patient so retained possession, as we tired, to run in 3 tries in the final ¼.

A 25-10 loss but huge potential for improvement in upcoming fixtures. PoM: Trey D. Most Improved: Makai F. Best tackle: Charlie H. (Most kamikaze moment – Tommy R)

Yr7/8 Girls Football v Ivybridge

Match report to follow next week as game on Friday afternoon.