🏉 Match Day Report: Yate Men’s 1st XV v Southmead

yateyouthrugby
1 day ago
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🏉 Match Day Report: Yate Men’s 1st XV v Southmead

Final Score: Yate 37 – 17 Southmead

Reported by Try-Line Tilly

Well, well, well… a friendly, they said! Nobody told the Yate boys that, because this was a performance packed with big tackles, flowing rugby, a little bit of magic and one final flourish that would have made Matt Le Tissier himself raise an eyebrow!

Southmead welcomed Yate for what was an important friendly fixture against an established side from our new league. Southmead arrived with a squad of more than 30 players, all bringing plenty of quality and fresh legs.

Yate? Just 18 players.

No problem. 😏

The warm-up may have been a little slow and quiet, with a few nerves floating around, but once the whistle blew, those nerves quickly disappeared. Yate settled into the game and produced a solid, confidence-building 37–17 victory.

💪 Defence Wins Games

One thing was clear throughout the match: Southmead were not getting through the middle easily!

The Yate forwards put in an enormous defensive shift, repeatedly shutting down attacks and forcing the opposition to look elsewhere.

In fact, some observers compared Yate's defence to the Welsh team of 2008.

Now, Try-Line Tilly isn't saying we've got Warren Gatland hiding somewhere in the clubhouse… but I'm also not not saying it. 😂

The forwards worked tirelessly, while the backs made the most of their opportunities in attack, producing some strong running and exciting rugby whenever space appeared.

The opening 20 minutes were particularly encouraging as Yate began putting their new structures into practice. There is still work to do, of course, with lineouts, getting into structure quickly and those all-important 1% improvements firmly on the training agenda.

But the foundations? Looking very promising.

🔥 Bish Brings the Boom!

One of the moments of the afternoon came courtesy of Bish, who absolutely smashed into Southmead's sizeable Number 13.

Not only did he stop the attack, but he stripped the ball and helped turn defence into attack. From there, Yate earned an attacking scrum and made the opportunity count, powering through the Southmead defence and finding their way to the try line.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is what we call making a statement! 😝

🎩 The Final Play Magic

And then came the final act.

With the clock winding down and the final play of the game underway, Danny decided it was time to unleash his inner Matt Le Tissier.

A cheeky chip.

A perfectly timed chase.

A try.

Absolute scenes! 🏉🔥

But the entertainment wasn't finished there.

Up stepped Manning, who calmly slotted the conversion from the touchline to put the perfect finishing touch on the afternoon.

Try-Line Tilly's verdict? Cheeky. Brilliant. Worth staying until the final whistle for.

🌟 A Debut to Remember

A special mention must go to Ben O, who made his debut for Yate Rugby.

Ben brought leadership and direction to the game, settling into the side and making a positive impact on his first appearance for the club.

Welcome to the Yate Rugby family, Ben! 💙

🏆 Match Awards

A huge congratulations to this week's award winners:

🏅 Forward of the Match: Starry🏅 Back of the Match: Ev

Both putting in performances that helped Yate secure a well-earned victory.

💙 Looking Ahead

Southmead provided exactly the sort of challenge Yate needed ahead of the league campaign. Despite their large squad and quality across the team, Yate's work rate, defensive determination and ability to take their chances proved the difference.

The boys leave this one with confidence, plenty to work on and momentum building nicely for what comes next.

And finally, a special thank you to the supporters on the sidelines…