Rugby Minor XV
(1971-72)

Played 17: Won 8: Lost 9: Scored 297: Conceded 234.

This was an encouraging season for the team, very firmly captained by K. Price to 8 wins in 17 matches. As the points score suggests, when they won they usually won well, on occasions scoring 50 or more points, and when they lost it was normally by a small margin.

The forwards played very well individually and, as a unit, hardly ever met a pack that could hold them in the set scrums. The front row was exceptionally strong and Blundell won many strikes against the head. In the line-out Earwood was outstanding and won a great deal of good possession. The back-row forwards were devastating in the tackle and they set up and won some excellent rucks. In fact, the rucking was the best phase of their play.

The loss of Orlans, who broke a collar bone, disrupted the three-quarter line and it rarely played as well as it can do. This injury did, however, give chances to Lane and Jones, promoted from 'C' XV Rugby, to show their paces in the team and both were regular choices at the end of the season.

Next season I hope to see the excellent attitude continue and produce even more victories.

P. Gibson