🏉 Rugby Rose’s Match Report: Old Sulians RFC vs Yate Rugby MenFinal Score: Old Sulians 28 – 29 Yate

What a Saturday! Yate Rugby Men came away with a thrilling one-point win in their friendly clash against Old Sulians, and let me tell you — it was a game that had just about everything.

The first half was pretty cagey, with neither side finding much rhythm. But then came the moment of magic. A clever kick into the Yate half gave Evan Ridley-Demonick some space to work with. He linked up beautifully with Gary Cornish out wide, who popped the ball back inside to Evan. With the last defender drawn in, Evan set up the flying Ryan Holloway under the posts — a try straight from the training ground and my standout moment of the match!

Heading into the game, both teams knew it would be a bit of a mix-and-match selection, but a solid warm-up pulled everyone together. By the final whistle, the overriding emotions were relief and pride. Old Sulians threw everything at us in the closing stages, but the boys held firm to secure the win.

There were plenty of standout performances. Captain Brad Mears was immense — tackling anything that moved and running the lineout with authority. In the pack, Neil Olive put in a real shift both in attack and defence. In the backs, Jonny Graham was a wrecking ball at 12, carrying hard and creating space. But it was Evan Ridley-Demonick who walked away with Man of the Match, scoring twice and pulling the strings in midfield.

What did we learn? Well, this game showed that Yate have plenty of grit and fight to hold their ground under pressure. Still, there’s work to be done — particularly around breakdown discipline and decision-making, which cost us some field position and points.

A big shoutout to the travelling supporters who braved the wind and rain. Your cheers make such a difference, and the lads felt every bit of your encouragement.

If I had to sum it all up in three words?👉 Grit. Determination. Promise.

This was more than just a friendly. It was a valuable chance to test new combinations, give players game time, and build towards what looks like a really exciting season ahead.

Credit to Old Sulians too — they were physical, organised, and never went away. On another day, the result could easily have gone in their favour. I’ve no doubt they’ll be a real handful this season.

For Yate, though, it’s a confidence-building win on the road — and a great platform to kick on from. Bring on the next challenge!

💙💛— Rugby Rose