b'THE ELLESMERIAN 92Rugby - U17Summary of resultsorganised and generally well disciplined and finally broke out to increase Wilmslow High School- Won036our lead. We were again called upon to defend wave upon wave of Wrekin College- Won 1233opposition attack and again we stood firm. We managed to turn over Rydal Penrhos School- Canc.ball and some good handling allowed us to get outside the opposition defence and run in another score. This was not an easy season. After almost 18 months of no competitiveWith a healthy lead intact, we maybe switched off a little and a series of rugby, it proved difficult to find fixtures for our team. penalties allowed the opposition to cross for their first score. Will Owen returned to the field and created havoc in the opposition defence. He The first game was against Wilmslow on a beautiful day in Cheshire. Asgot the try that his play deserved, which allowed us to bounce back and this was the first fixture for both sides after the pandemic, it was decidedadded a certain symmetry to our scoring.that there would be three mini games of 25 minutes. Our boys were raring to go and relished the chance to play again, having had noWrekin battled hard and finished strongly, scoring the final try of the competitive games for so long. We played a simple and effective gamegame. Considering that we had not played in two months we were plan, which suited the mobile and athletic players we had. We carriedpleased with the rugby we had put together. It was a shame that our strongly, recycled efficiently, and moved the ball accurately. Our decisionthird game was cancelled by the opposition. The boys had trained hard making was generally sound and we worked hard for each other. Wethroughout the season and were really starting to show how good they proved too strong for our opposition and we ended our game afterwere. There is no doubt that many of them would go on to represent twenty minutes. It was a positive first run out and there was a goodthe 1st XV the following year, if not before. foundation to build on going forward. Captain Will Owen went on to represent the England School boys who Our second run out and our first full game was away at Wrekin. Wetoured South Africa during the Summer. We all congratulate him on that. took twenty players of varying experience, one playing his first game for two years after injury and another playing his first game ever. We startedDespite the fact that there were only two games and no home fixtures, well. Our captain, Will Owen, was clearly a class above and he openedthere were many positives and to see the way that the boys improved the scoring. However, it was a tight affair, as it often is at Wrekin. Weand dealt with the trials of post pandemic sport was an indication of scored once more before the break to lead 14-0 at half time. how mentally strong they were as a group. Thank you to all those who supported, coached, and hosted the team. The hosts were determined to close the score gap and we spent much of the time defending as they threw all they had at us. We wereDJM'