All Whites Colts vs Teignmouth Colts

This week’s fixture against Teignmouth was against a redeveloping Colts squad made up largely of first years and only 14 of them at that. Squad selection called up 13 first year All Whites to support a core of experience. Whatever was to happen, a gutsy Teignmouth was going to make and take every opportunity they could.

Their intensity from the off kept Newton inside their own half for the first 5 minutes until they found their feet. Once they had, fast hands fed the ball both left to Sam Shillabeer and right to Charlie Coote, both testing the Teignmouth defence. It was Cox J that was to break it first with a nice step to create a gap he snuck through to open up the score sheet. Play between the 22s ebbed and flowed like the neighbouring Teign, hard charging from Juniper and a returning Frazer Mcmeekan making yards and thundering hits from Albert D and pack mates holding up Teignmouth’s advances. As a result of one such advance from Newton, Sam Higgs gathered the ball along with a couple of defenders and drive to the line for the second score of the match. By now the All White Colts could see the benefit of quick passing and offloading running rugby and tested Teignmouth once more. From a line out on their own 10m line a characteristic gladiatorial charge from Archie J handing over to Jacob D was foiled at the line. Teignmouth grew into the next 5 minutes of play and tested the Colts defensive skills to breaking point with their first score of the day under the posts for an easy conversion.

The next white advance came from Charlie Coote on the right wing, obviously delighted to be back with grass under his boots after a lengthy injury setback. Sadly, it was no fairy tale ending as his toe grazed the touchline, but a magnificent line out steal from James G turned possession over in All White favour for Cox T to gather. Two recycled phases later Juniper did it again, boring under the defence for another score. After a rest for injury and a restart with Ethan Pegley on for Teignmouth, the hosts swung play in their favour again. Fortune prevailed with a penalty to Newton just meters from their line enabling Ash G to exit kick to saftey. This initially looked problematic as it failed to reach touch, but a knock on by Teignmouth was gathered and recycled through 2 pods until Jacob Denwood slithered through the defence to canter half the length of the pitch to dot down number 4, this time converted. In a copycat display, Toby Pascoe broke through on restart running from the Teignmouth 10 meter line, dragging rent-a-winger Tom Curtis in Teignmouth colours over with him. And that was only the first half.

After the break, the boys handed a post half time pep-talk try (converted) out to the opposition just to wake themselves up again, which it did! Sustained attack and defence exchanges between the teams was broken when a failed clearance from Teignmouth was gathered and marched up the field first by Leo H and then Matt Juniper for the ball to be swiftly delivered to Toby P who covered half of the pitch with sprawled out defenders as he masterfully stepped them all to claim another try for himself and Newton Abbot’s 6th. Despite it looking an increasingly one-way game, Teignmouth reminded everyone that they have some star players too, with a well balanced grubber and chase from close to the Newton whitewash, the race won by them. In the final quarter, the lack of players showed for Teignmouth, as their hard work revealed increasingly empty tanks. Three quickfire Newton tries followed. A heavy knock-on upon restart was gathered and driven once by James G, then Matt J and then out to Archie J. He wasn’t going to be stopped by anyone! Then a line break by Jacob D for the 8th and a monster snaking long distance gallop by Toby Cox from inside his own 22 for number 9. Teignmouth thumbed their nose and reminded Newton they were still there with their final score from the base of a 5 meter scrum only for the whistle to seal the day after Leo H gathered a looping offload from James G from 10 meters out, driving through to give Jacob D his last conversion of the day on number 10. Shift of the day surly going to Matt J for more carries than Eddy Stobart’s busiest truck!

66 -28