🏉🔥 Sideline Sam’s Match Report

yateyouthrugby
2 days ago
2 min read

Yate Rugby Academy vs Southmead

“Skills for days… rugby the Lions themselves would be proud of.”

Hey team, Sideline Sam here, still buzzing after watching one of the most complete, skilful, high-tempo Academy performances I’ve seen all season. This wasn’t just kids playing rugby… this was rugby played properly — width, support lines, offloads, tackling, rucking… you name it, Yate put it on display.

Let’s dive in.

⚡ Warm-Up: Setting the Tone

The session started sharp:

Quick warm-up to get the blood pumping
Straight into ball-ripping drills
Followed by pad collisions

By the time kick-off came, the whole squad looked dialled in eyes up, shoulders on, absolutely ready to go.

🥇 First Third – Blistering Start

Yate came out like a lightning bolt. Southmead barely had time to blink before the tackles started landing and the support runners arrived on the money.

The rugby on show? Stunning. We used the full width of the pitch, kept our shape, and unleashed our speedsters, Harry, Phoebe, and Ollie who tore down the touchlines to grab three brilliant tries.

The rucking from both teams showed real promise, but the tempo Yate played at was something special.

⚔️ Second Third – Southmead Bite Back

Southmead woke up and targeted key playmakers — and fair play to them, they crossed the line a few times to close the gap.

But Yate’s response? Defensive steel.

Big hits from Oscar and Jayden changed the tone. The line speed, the communication, the bravery, it was superb.

At the breakdown, Ollie was a menace, ripping, stealing, and turning messy moments into Yate ball. Scrum ball movement was slick, fast, and controlled.

🦁 Final Third – Yate Hit Their Peak

Both sides lifted their game, but Yate found another gear.

More tries flowed, this time from Joey, Harrison, and Lewis, who finished with pace and confidence.

Southmead felt the pressure, frustration crept in, and mistakes came — but credit to both teams for keeping their heads and making some huge tackles right to the end.

One thing stood out above everything else:

👉 There was always support. Always. A Yate player on their own was rare. That shows teamwork, trust, and rugby intelligence, far beyond their years.

🔧 Technical Takeaways

What Yate Did Brilliantly

Support play: Best seen all season
Wide attacking shape: Outstanding
Offloads & passing: Brave and accurate
Ball stealing: Elite for this age
Ripping skills: Clearly improving
Defensive line: Strong, connected, committed

Next Steps

Tackling is improving massively — but the team knows there’s another level to reach so every player is on the same page defensively.

🌟 Standout Themes

No player isolated
Constant communication
Relentless work rate
Seriously good fundamentals
The kind of running rugby that makes coaches, parents, and Lions fans smile

🎤 Final Thoughts from Sideline Sam

What a game.

What a squad.

What a future.

110% effort. Awesome rugby. Absolutely smashed it. 🏉💛💙