Free Flowing Festival Fun

Pool 1:
MRC v Waterloo, Lymm, Bowdon and Trafford MV

Match 1: MRC 5v10 Waterloo Kick Off: 11:00
The boys faced the Red, Green and White giants of Waterloo in their first Pool match of the day. After a convincing win in last year's festival, the players were confident of a good start to the day. Unfortunately, no-one had told Waterloo the story line and with the visitors winning the toss, their biggest giant just ran right through the middle of the Manchester line and the game was on. Awoken by the shock of such an early try, Manchester came out fighting and though Waterloo were better at the breakdown to have the lions share of possession, Manchester tackled for their very lives, with Charles the stand out player, all match, as the last line of defence against the Waterloo onslaught again and again.

Manchester came in at half time just the one try behind and with Joseph making way for Ethan up front, the contest resumed with Manchester slowly gaining the upper hand in both possession and drive as the larger opposition tired. Ethan, along with Ollie and Myles began to break the gain line and secure second and third phase ball at the breakdown. Josh marshalling from scrum half was able to use his vision to spray the ball left and right to the backs, with Will really making a name for himself in his first tournament, with great hands and a well used turn of speed. It was Josh who took control though. After 3 or 4 phases of play, Josh saw his opportunity. He picked up at the back of the ruck and was off before the Waterloo defence had time to blink...Manchester were back in the game.

With maybe 3 minutes left on the clock, Manchester knew what was coming and Waterloo threw themselves at Manchester in a desperate attempt to break the thin red line. Again and again the giants were repelled with every Manchester player blooded but not bowed, battered but not flattened, Louis, James, Charles, William and Thomas making the bulk of the tackles, whilst Josh harried and sniped and the forwards rumbled on...and still the clock refused to run down. As the ref called last play Manchester must have thought that they had done enough, but that glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel was sadly snuffed out as Waterloo bulldozed over for the winning try as the final whistle sounded.

Match 2: MRC 0v35 Lymm Kick Off: 11:40
Having suffered at the hands of Waterloo in their first encounter, Manchester had a big change of players with, Bill and Dan joining Ethan in the forwards and Fin, Eddie and 'H' Bomb stepping into the fray with Charles, Louis and William in the backs. In the absence of Josh, Fin stepped up to Captain the side but with Manchester again losing the toss, especially against the Green and Whites of Lymm, it was always going to be a tall order to get anything from this match.

From the off it was obvious that this was a mismatch. Not from lack of effort or endeavour, but Lymm had been drilled well and their game plan was far superior to that of the Manchester players. Lymm passed the ball effortlessly and their organisation in their attacking play was plain for all to see. Manchester just had now answer to the cut and thrust of a speedy Lymm team and came in at half time four scores behind.

With yet more changes at half time, Manchester were hopeful of shoring up the defence and at least stemming the flow of tries against them. Sadly it was not to be and Lymm continued to threaten with every pass of the ball. Try as they might, Manchester could not hold back the tide and a further three tries followed for Lymm as they put clear water between themselves and the rest of the pool with an emphatic victory.

Could Manchester bounce back from this slow start to the festival....

Match 3: MRC 15v15 Bowdon Kick Off: 12:40
In their third pool game, Manchester faced their old friends from Bowdon. The Bowdon Black and Whites had been one of the games of the season at Under 9s and coaches and players alike were looking to this match to see how we had come on over the intervening months. With Josh back on as Captain, the forwards of Myles, Ollie and Joseph ably supported by a new look back line of Eddie, Ethan, Fin, H Bomb and William, Manchester were as ready as they would be for a closely contested game against worthy foe.

Three first half tries from Josh, H and James saw Manchester in at half time with a narrow one try advantage and with everything to play for. As they lined up for the second half there was a steely determination to come away with something from this game and with Bowdon throwing themselves at Manchester again and again in an attempt to level the scores, it would be down to fitness to see the Manchester boys home.

Indeed, with only a couple of minutes left in the second period it looked as if Manchester could do it. Both teams wrestled for the ball and showed each other the respect due of evenly matched teams. As the finish line came in sight Manchester were again unhinged by a bit of Bowdon trickery to end the game levelled at 15 all but securing their first points of the day.

Match 4: MRC 15v5 Trafford MV Kick Off: 13:40
Everything comes to those that wait and that was the plan when the Black, White and Blue of Trafford MV came to play the fourth and final game of the pool stages. By now Manchester could not progress out of the Pool, but the driving desire to finish with a win was enough to spur the young players of Manchester to one final push towards the summit of respectability.

Josh again led out his team and everything clicked into place from the first play of the game. Josh commanded his forwards admirably with Ollie, Bill and Joseph fighting for every ball in the close quarters of the ruck and maul. Every time one went in for the ball, the other two were there to support and wrestle the ball free for Josh to work his magic along the back line. A recognised back line of Ethan, Fin, H and William was joined by Dan who added raw aggression and determination into the middle of the park and instilled calm amongst his fellow flyers. Somehow, Trafford MV were still in the game at half time with the scores tied 5v5.

A big half time team talk saw a number of substitutions and again Josh rallied his players for one last thrust forward. Eddie, Charles, James, Louis, Myles and Thomas stepped up to the mark and as the whistle went for the second half, with William and H still on, they were all surging forward as one, with the victory clearly in the forefront of their minds. They began to dominate at the ruck, with excellent ripping work from Myles and Eddie. Josh, who had played his socks off throughout the day was still able to raise his game again and again to spur his team onwards...and then the breakthrough came. Great work at the breakdown saw Fin pop the ball up to Josh who, being caught for pace flipped a pass out wide to James, who pinned back his ears and, quite literally, took off. Trafford MV had run themselves to a standstill and couldn't cope with James' electric pace so late in the game and he was over in the corner to put Manchester into the lead.

Try as they might, Trafford MV were dead on their feet and with Manchester gaining the ascendancy in the scrummaging, it was left to H to burst onto quick ball from a lineout to secure the much deserved victory that Manchester's entertaining play rightly deserved.

THE OTHER POOLS & RESULTS

Pool 2: Wilmslow, Warrington, Wigan, Stockport and Chester

Pool 3: Warrington, Macclesfield, Blackburn, Altrincham Kersal and Sandbach

Pool 4: Wilmslow, Bowdon, Vale of Lune, Sefton and Broughton Park

Cup Semi Finals:
Lymm Lost to Wilmslow
Macclesfield lost to Sefton

Cup Final: Wilmslow 5v5 Sefton - Trophy is shared 6 months apiece.

A great day of exciting rugby, riveting to watch by all who attended this festival. It is rightly praised as a slick, professional, fun rugby festival and this is down to, in no small part, the planning and preparation as well as the delivery by everyone associated with midi and junior rugby here at Manchester.

I hope that you all had as much fun as the players and coaches had and that you went home tired but satisfied from a great day of entertaining rugby. Thanks to all who helped with the Under 10s from car parking, through marshalling, to marking, scoring, refereeing and feeding us all so that we could put on a show worthy of the Manchester Festival name and played in the true spirit of the game by all who entered the playing arena.

THANK YOU