GMS Dominates County Rugby

In recent years, GMS has been blessed with some good rugby teams that have alerted the attention of the other rugby playing schools in the county. Consistent success has led the pupils to enjoy their team victories in many different competitions.

At present, GMS are beginning to dominate across all the year groups, and the plan is to continue.

Year 7 Team
This team was a little slow out of the blocks, but once the enthusiasts in the year group enjoyed the buzz for training numbers grew until there was a solid squad of twenty. The boys grew familiar with the demands of training and the wider expectation placed upon them as members of the Marlow School Rugby Squad. A good mix of typical stocky forwards, and lean good looking backs made up the twenty who wanted nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of last year’s 7s.

Focus was good and the boys were soon playing well enough as a team to take on the first of their fixtures. In the vast majority of these games the thorough preparation was reflected in the results. Being organised, being aware, and having a common understanding of how to gain ground and find the gaps saw the Year 7s win all but one of their league games. The only loss was by one try, to Sir William Ramsay, who had three boys of huge stature. These three couldn’t really play but their physical prowess made them very difficult to stop.

As the season continued so did the training, the main focus became the Emerging Schools County Competition. The team were very aware of that previous Year 7s had won this competition. The competition, as usual, was held at Aylesbury Rugby Club and attendance was strong with twenty teams from around the county pitching up to demonstrate their rugby ability.

The games in the group GMS found themselves in were tough: two grammar schools and some big schools from Milton Keynes. However, as a result of the solid league performances and the sustained preparation the boys had undertaken, the rugby ability shone through and counteracted the size and strength of the opponents. Captained by Philip Boland, the side played good quality rugby throughout the day, and, despite some very controversial refereeing, managed to qualify for the semi-final.

The semi-final proved to be the easiest game, as the forwards dominated the loose ball and the scrum, to give our nimble and hugely brave scrum half Freddie Noel-Baker some clean ball for the running backs. GMS were in the final.

The final was against Burnham Grammar. Beaten last year by GMS in the final, they were keen to settle the score and take home the silverware. Burnham had drawn with GMS in the pool games prior to this but, undoubtedly, this was due to some additional help from the ‘official’. The team were fired up and ready to rip into the grammar team and show how sport is a real leveller in this counties selective system. Grammar school or not when a whole squad are playing as one cohesive unit with a common goal to win, any school or team will struggle to beat them. Illusive running from the powerfully built Luke Mantle saw GMS score first; this was followed by a superb tap penalty from quick thinking 9, Freddie Noel-Baker. Burnham did manage one try but this was only to be answered by Captain Philip Boland, who had a taste for a trophy. Final score 3-1. Great Marlow Rugby had laid down another county marker showing themselves as County Emerging Champions for the fourth time in four years.

Further positive news was that Sir William Ramsay lost one of their league games, which meant GMS tied with them on points. However, as GMS had few tries against score and huge tries for we were crowned league winner too. What a way to start their Great Marlow School Rugby careers. Training starts in September!

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Year 8 Team
A semi-final knockout to RGS in the County Rugby competition left this trophy winning team keen to regain their County Emerging Tournament title. They had won their league, but this had almost become a formality as they had enjoyed wins in the Emerged Schools competition. A good example of GMS’s success was the 48-0 win over John Hampden Grammar back in November. The County Emerging competition is never easy. Due to the rules, after playing 15 a side, it is hard for the pupils to adjust to playing 12 aside on a half pitch. Furthermore, when schools do have freakishly large boys they can absolutely dominate on a small pitch, where you have no flankers or full back to stop their advance.

Typically the GMS Year 8 rugby team are small, whereas the boys from other schools appeared to have grown, meaning we appeared smaller than usual. Unperturbed, the professional minded and well-mannered squad undertook their usual warm up routine in preparation for battle.

The pool games were a good opportunity for the boys to show how really good they really were with ball in hand; and how all the players on the team supported the man with the ball to enable GMS to keep possession and dictate the play.

Risborough were first up. Their size did not make up for their lack of mobility, so GMS literally ran rings round them moving the ball from left to right and punishing them when they were out of position. Captain Kyran Townsend enjoyed finding space, whilst his co pilot and, best friend, Freddie Lewis dictated play, ball in hand after pin point deliveries from Ben Roddick and Oli Rees who shared the 9 shirt. The forwards were having a good day too, irrespective of their lesser weight the pack got low and won many scrums against the head.

GMS dominated all teams with their rapid response rucking capability. Things had started well.
The final pool game would see the Year 8s play last year’s runners up, Burnham Grammar, who were beaten in the final. This was going to be a great game. Their large boy from last year had now become a large man. They had one technique, which was in complete contrast to the Marlow team: ‘give it to the big kid’. With a bit of space he ripped right through the GMS team: they were the first team to score against GMS. However, the strength of the individuals and the team gave the Year 8s an advantage. In the words of Billy Ocean, or Westlife for the pupils, ‘when the going gets tough the tough get going’, and this is what the Marlow team did. Tackles got bigger and aggression levels went up, right up. GMS returned the score and scored again. As the battle continued, Burnham relied on the ‘big kid’ tactic. In a brave tackle captain Kyran was, unfortunately, concussed. The team became determined to win this pool game even more than ever. As usual, the referees were not pro-Marlow so they were marched back 20 yards (of a half pitch) for a tap penalty. As the big kid came steaming through he met his match in Oli Ress ‘the small kid’ from Marlow. Oli literally decked him with a textbook ankle tackle. This clearly wasn’t liked by Burnham or the ref, who marched GMS back another 10, as Oli wasn’t back 10, apparently. Burnham managed to score on the final whistle of the game, which meant the result was 2-2.

Both teams would be selected on points for the semi-finals. The big question was, would GMS meet them again in the final?
The semi-final was a breeze compared to the previous game which meant key players could be rested for the final. Unbelievably, it wasn’t to be against Burnham Grammar. The organiser later told the teacher leader that they were so exhausted from playing GMS they had nothing left to offer! The fitness of the GMS squad, who train every Friday night, had paid off: the boys all had plenty of energy left.

The final was against Ousedale, a solid rugby school from Milton Keynes. Well matched physically, the boys locked in for the last twenty minutes of the day. With Captain Kyran now in hospital the boys made it their duty to win for him, and that they did so in style. Dominating both halves in the forwards and the backs the team put on a display that wowed the crowd and proved why they are so successful. Passes were pin point accurate; scrummage was low and tight; and support play was relentless. The boys’ commitment to training resulted in a fitness level that led to success: they were once again crowned County Emerging Champions for the 2nd consecutive year. They won 3-0 in the final.

 

This competition proved to be another successful building block in GMS’s quest to be 15-a-side county finalists next year. The target has been set and the progress is being made.

Finally, Steve Goodright, teacher and coach, would like to thank all the parents who have supported rugby this year. He would personally like to congratulate both the Year 7 and Year 8 teams on an outstanding year of remarkable successes. Additionally, he wishes to thank Marlow Rugby Club for all the work that they do with the junior teams: it is the combined effort of the school and the club that has led to the continual improvement of the pupils in a game that requires fitness and tactical skill.

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