Sideline Sam Reports: Yate 1s Dig Deep Against Dings 3s

yateyouthrugby
Dec 23, 2025
2 min read

As Rose covered the first match, I get to cover the second; Sideline Sam on duty for Dings 3s vs Yate 1s. And just as Rose mentioned… two Yate teams at home, both celebrating victories!

This one, though, was tight. Really tight. A proper arm-wrestle of a game that finished Yate 1s 14 – Dings 3s 12, decided by grit, heart, and a refusal to give in.

Standout Moments

There were several moments that all felt the same heroic goal-line defence. Time and again, when it looked like Dings would eventually force their way over, Yate held firm. A knock-on here, a turnover there, bodies on the line everywhere. Those moments don’t always make highlight reels, but they win games and this one was built on them.

Mindset: Before & After

Coming into the game, form had been a little mixed, and the squad were keen to find their rhythm again. Everyone knew Dings would be a strong outfit even more so with their 2nd team fixture falling victim to the weather. This was always going to be physical.

At full-time? A huge sense of pride. The lads knew they’d been through something tough together. A lot of hard, honest work and the reward to match.

Team Effort on Show

While there were strong individual performances across the park, what really stood out was the collective effort. This was a proper team performance, with everyone stepping up from recent weeks and buying fully into the task in front of them.

What Yate Did Well

Effort. Heart. Determination. Simple words, but absolutely spot on. The team showed exactly what they’re capable of when they dig in and back each other.

Looking Ahead

It’s very much one week at a time. This game was built on defence, and having delivered that today, the focus moves on lessons learned, confidence gained.

Respect to Dings

This was a bruising affair for both sides, but played in true rugby spirit. Dings travelled with great support, adding to what was already a cracking afternoon of rugby. On another day, they could easily have come away with the win which makes the return fixture in the new year an absolute mouth-watering prospect.

New Faces, Big Impact

As the season has progressed, new players have joined and others have stepped up from the 2s and today really felt like a whole-club effort, especially with the 2nd team playing alongside on the adjacent pitch.

A special mention to Matt Cook, who made his league debut. Before injury unfortunately forced him off, he showed exactly why he’s such an exciting addition experience, physicality, and plenty more to come.

Sideline Energy

The sun was shining, the club was buzzing, and with two home fixtures side by side, the atmosphere was spot on. That sideline energy kept spirits high and legs moving right to the final whistle.