🏉 Sideline Sam: U11s Show Organisation, Grit and Great Rugby Values Against Hornets

Yate U11s take on the mighty Hornets

Well, it was an early start for the U11s this Sunday as the team made the trip to Hornets on a beautiful sunny morning. And despite arriving with a bare nine players, the boys were ready to get stuck in from the very first whistle!

💪 A Brilliant Start

Right from the opening exchanges, the U11s showed fantastic organisation and defensive discipline. They worked hard for each other, holding their shape and putting pressure on Hornets.

Eventually, that pressure paid off as Yate won the ball back and turned defence into attack, scoring the first try of the game.

With Ollie controlling the pace and some excellent support play around him, Yate found plenty of success in attack. The boys were moving the ball well, supporting the player carrying it and showing some really encouraging rugby.

⭐ New Players Making Their Mark

A special mention has to go to a couple of our newer players.

Edward picked up Player of the Match after an excellent performance, while Charlie showed some fantastic tackling and rucking skills, putting into practice everything the team has been working on during Wednesday training.

It's brilliant to see the work being done during the week coming through on match day!

🔥 Relentless Defence

Going into the second half without any substitutes was always going to be a big ask, and understandably, there were some tired legs beginning to appear.

But the defensive effort from Oscar, Luca and Logan was absolutely relentless.

They simply refused to give up, continually putting in the effort for their teammates and showing exactly what teamwork and grit look like.

🏉 Hornets Turn Up the Pressure

As the final quarter arrived, the combination of tired Yate legs and a fresh Hornets side made things increasingly difficult.

The pressure was definitely on.

But here's the thing — the boys never lost their spirit.

They continued to support each other, kept their heads up and showed fantastic rugby values right through to the end. With just nine players available, that was a huge effort from the whole squad.

🐶 And Then There Was Pete...

Finally, we have to give a very special shoutout to the travelling supporters.

Thank you to everyone who made the early journey to Hornets to support the boys. Your encouragement makes a massive difference.

But there was one spectator who may have had the biggest impact of them all...

Pete the dog! 🐶

A quick pat between games seemed to give the lads exactly the boost they needed. We're not saying Pete needs to be at every fixture from now on...

…but we're also not saying he doesn't. 😂

A brilliant effort from the U11s — organisation, teamwork, grit and plenty of Yate spirit.

Well done, boys! 💙💛🏉

#YateRugbyFamily #YateU11s #GrassrootsRugby #RugbyValues #Teamwork

🏉 Clubhouse Connor: Yate 2s Battle Hard Against St Bernadette’s

Yate 2s 24–45 St Bernadette’s

Right, Clubhouse Connor reporting in — and Saturday was one of those games where the scoreboard doesn't quite tell the whole story.

Yate 2s headed into the afternoon looking to make it back-to-back wins, but waiting for them was a physical St Bernadette’s side who were more than ready for the battle.

💥 A Physical Start

The opening 20 minutes were seriously competitive, with both sides putting themselves about.

St Bernadette’s found their way over the line for an unconverted try, while Yate responded with a three-point penalty to keep the scoreboard moving.

The visitors brought plenty of direct, heavy runners, particularly through the 10 and 12 channels, giving the Yate defence plenty to think about.

But the boys stood up.

Yate dealt well with the physical challenge and, when they had the ball, started putting together some really good attacking phases. Patient build-up created space out wide and gave the outside backs opportunities to get involved.

And it paid off.

Yate found more points and headed into half-time with the lead — exactly where they wanted to be.

🔄 A Different Second Half

St Bernadette’s came out quickly after the break and managed to take advantage of some broken play, shifting the momentum of the game.

Yate still had some really positive periods with ball in hand, but struggled to find the same consistency and composure that had been so impressive in the first half.

As the game opened up, Bernadette’s took their chances and began to pull away.

Yate kept battling, but eventually the visitors secured the win, 45–24.

👏 Two Big Yate Milestones

Now, despite the result, there was still plenty for the clubhouse to celebrate!

First up, a huge congratulations to Matt Davies, who made his 100th appearance for Yate Rugby. 🏉💙💛

That's a fantastic milestone and one that deserves a proper clubhouse round of applause!

And there was also a big welcome to Yate for Josh Shute, who made his first appearance in Yate colours. We hope it's the first of many!

🔥 Derby Day Next

So, the 2s don't have to wait long for another chance to put things right.

Next weekend it's local derby time against Chipping Sodbury.

The boys will take the positives from Saturday, look at the areas they can improve and get ready to go again.

Because that's rugby.

You win together. You learn together. And then you go again together.

Come on Yate! 💙💛

#YateRugbyFamily #Yate2s #GrassrootsRugby #RugbyFamily

First Game Down, Eyes on Sunday

What a feeling it was to see the Phoenixes back out on the pitch for real! Our first game of the season is in the books, the result didn't go our way this time, but honestly, that's not really the focus. The headline is how good it was to watch the girls back in action, putting the preseason graft into practice and building something that's only going to get stronger from here.

There were some brilliant moments out there, some real signs of the foundation we've been building, and plenty to take forward. One game does not decide the season, and this squad has the makings of a proper good one.

Next up: Sunday 11th October, home in Yate. If you're around, come down and get behind us, there's nothing quite like a home crowd to lift the energy. Bring a flask, bring a friend, bring your loudest voice!

Training: Locked In for the Season

We're well and truly into the rhythm now. Training stays put at Wednesdays, 6:45pm–8:30pm, and here's exactly what to expect when you turn up:

• Mobility & stretching: getting the body switched on and ready to work

• Drills: sharpening the skills that win games

• Game plays & run-throughs: putting it all together, match-realistic and match-ready

Same time, same place, same brilliant group of people. If you've been thinking about coming along, this is your sign.

Welcome to Our New Sponsors

Big news on the sponsorship front! We're thrilled to welcome Doggie Tails and Trails, and The Women's Wellbeing Club on board as sponsors of the Phoenixes this season. Having businesses back what we're building here means a huge amount, and we're so grateful to have them in our corner.

Keep an eye on next month's newsletter for proper sponsor spotlights, so you can get to know who they are and what they do. If you know a business (or you run one yourself) that would love to sponsor a Yate Phoenix, drop us an email, we'd love to chat.

Physio Wanted

We're on the hunt for a physio to support the ladies in and around match days. If that's you, or you know someone who might be a good fit, please get in touch, we'd really love to talk.

Menopause Awareness Month & Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is a big one on the health calendar, it's both Menopause Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A gentle nudge to take a moment and check in on yourself this month, whatever that looks like for you.

Our Female Health Lead, Nicole Askwith Williams, will be sharing resources and workshops through the Yate Rugby community over the coming weeks to help us all understand these topics a little better, so keep an eye out and get involved where you can.

Coming Soon: Player & Coach Spotlights

Ever wondered who's actually behind the scrum caps and whistles? We've got player and coach spotlights on the way, so you can get to know the faces (and the stories) behind the team properly.

Stay Connected

Don't forget to give us a follow so you never miss a beat:

Email us at Yatephoenixes@gmail.com

Instagram: @yaterfcphoenixes

Facebook: Yate RFC Phoenixes

See you Wednesday, and hopefully Sunday too!