The first tournament of the year for the Orkney S1/S2 players proved to be a great success with five victories from six games. The tournaments between the clubs across the north of Scotland was, as usual, very competitive with the players in eight teams striving to play attacking rugby in very poor conditions. The wind, rain and cold didn’t seem to dampen spirits and talent shone through.

Orkney had twenty-six boys to chose from so entered two thirteen a-side teams. Playing thirteen against fifteen in some games was a challenge but one that the boys responded to and still managed to secure victories.

The boys were playing as Orkney but there was a team from the west (Stromness Academy plus one player from KGS) and an East team (K.G.S.
players).

The west’s first opponents were Gordonstoun school’s B squad. They were a bit disorganized and it enabled the quick passing of the Orkney backs to create space. Alan Stanger at scrum half doing particularly well.
Euan Dunnett playing at prop was storming about, making big tackles and generally causing havoc in the loose play, emerging from several mauls with the ball in hand charging towards the Gordonstoun try line. He did just that to create the first score, by running at the Gordonstoun winger and timing a perfect pass to Jamie Bruce. Jamie out sprinted the defending players for the first try.

Gordonstoun tried to rally and a break up the wing looked dangerous but Liam Sharpe, the full back, produced one of several crunching tackles that he was to make throughout the tournament, and stopped the Gordonstoun player in his tracks. Orkney disrupted Gordonstoun play and it enabled Jamie Bruce to score twice more by kicking the ball through, after Gordonstoun players dropped the ball in tackles, he controlled the ball well to be able to dive over the line for tries. The final score fifteen points to nil to Orkney.

The next opponents were Ross-Sutherland and both teams had thirteen players but it was evident that Ross - Sutherland didn’t have the experience or power to match the Orkney squad. Euan Dunnett again creating the first score for Jamie Bruce by picking up loose ball and when tackled off loading a good pass to Jamie. For a few minutes after the re-start Orkney were in their own 22m area and failed to clear the ball. Patrick Henderson and Joseph Fischner were quick in the loose play but despite good drives the ball didn’t come out cleanly. Again it was Jamie Bruce who kicked the ball clear after Ross - Sutherland lost the ball, he followed up his kick to score another break away try.

At half time the coaches emphasized the need for quick passing so that the backs could run into space. This worked and three tries were scored in the next ten minutes, Aaron Harvey and Aidan Wishart scoring their first tries and Jamie his third try of the game. Final score twenty-five to nil for Orkney.

The west’s final game was against Highland who were fielding fifteen players and had several subs. So a few players from the East team were drafted in to help. The first ten minutes were all about Highland who had been defeated by Gordonstoun A in their previous game. They were determined to get back to their winning ways and played some great rugby, overpowering the Orkney players in both ruck and maul. Then their backs passed the ball very quickly, their wingers scored three times and Orkney were looking reluctant to get to the re-start.

After the halftime talk and with a couple more changes of position Orkney began to play with more conviction and pushed Highland back into their own half. It was a Highland winger who broke clear up to score again. Orkney realized that they had to take the game to Highland and good tackling in the backs created a chance for Jamie Bruce to break up the wing to score. Highland ended the game with another try to take the game twenty five points to five. Highland were the only team to score against either Orkney team and the coaches were eager to arrange a full fifteen a side game for the teams later in the season. Jamie Bruce scored several tries but the overall team play was excellent. The tenacious tackling of Colin Sinclair, Graeme Bain, David Hourie and Alan Stanger stopped many attacking players. Joe Fischner, Finlay Hall and the powerful props, Euan Dunnett and Patrick Hardcastle kept a good supply of ball to the backs. Aidan Wishart learnt a lot in his first serious games, Aaron Harvey and Liam Sharpe are now playing with confidence and will soon be ready for Highlanders trials. Owen Walker an
S1 player from the east guested for the west team and thoroughly enjoyed his rugby , especially as he scored two tries for the east team in their last game.

The east played Nairn’s fifteen in their first game and recorded a good win to start their tournament off. They remained undefeated and didn’t concede a try in any of their games.

Orkney v Nairn were fairly even in the opening phases of the game, neither side being able to create good enough passes to break clear. The tackles were coming in very quickly and both teams were losing the ball in contact but from broken play it was Aiden Drever who saw a chance and using his pace he was able to swerve around the cover defense to break up the wing for the first try. Nairn had a couple of big players who were dangerous with the ball in hand but the Orkney players prevented them breaking clear by tackling well. Jack Siderfin and Darren McLean standing out for their tackling.

Darren was playing second row but was eager to get the ball in hand.
From half way he burst through the Nairn tacklers and headed for the try line, covering defenders were cutting off his route to the line so he changed direction brilliantly, wrong footing the defense to score an excellent try under the posts. In the second half it was Aiden who out paced everyone to score his second try. Orkney were playing well and not allowing Nairn to move the ball. The pressure and hard running of the Orkney forwards was rewarded when Toby Penwarden burst through two tackles to get clear. His spectacular dive to score the try was a great demonstration of how pleased he was but it also ended any hope of a Nairn recovery. Final score 20 points to nil to Orkney.

Gordonstoun A had defeated Highland and were Orkney’s next opponents.
Euan Dunnett and Patrick Hardcastle from the west team joined the squad to beef up the pack as Darren McLean went to play stand off as Aiden Drever was unable to play due to getting a knock on his hand in the game v Nairn.

From the kick off Darren burst through the Gordonstoun players to score a try. Gordonstoun then re-started from the center only to be driven back by some ferocious tackling before they had gained any ground. Good handling and support play drove the ball back to Gordonstoun’s try line and when Scott Russell was tackled by two defenders as he was about to score; after he had kicked the ball ahead he was awarded a penalty try.
Gordonstoun were trying to recover but conceded a penalty 10m from their try line. This was taken quickly and three good passes put Jack Siderfinn in the clear to dive over for a good try. Orkney scored ten tries in a twenty minute game simply by not allowing Gordonstoun to have the ball. Every time they restarted or made some ground Orkney won the ball. Toby had a field day with two superb breaks up the wing for tries and on his third attempt, when the cover defense was good an excellent scissors move with Duncan Gray allowed Duncan to cross the line for his first try for KGS.

After Ben Sutherland dodged through for a try and Darren McLean added his second of the game a few changes were made. Craig Russell went to scrum half, Paul Muir went to stand off and Darren was subbed.
Craig was nipping away with the ball from the breakdowns and from a scrum near the try line he passed to his brother Scott. Scott almost scored but a penalty was awarded against Gordonstoun and despite a high tackle Craig managed to dart in to score his first KGS try. Orkney were delighted with their win, fifty points to nil. It was a testament to the whole team’s performance rather than a reflection on poor opposition as Gordonstoun had beaten arguably the best team of the tournament.

The final game was against twelve players from Locharbour. A big pitch and tired legs were effecting all the boys and numerous mistakes were made. Orkney scored five tries despite the bigger boys being instructed not to score. Aiden Drever was running through the Lochaber players easily but unselfishly gave scoring passes to Owen Walker. Owen was supporting Aiden’s breaks and benefited for his effort. The biggest smile of the day was from Finlay Foulis who opened the scoring in this game by picking up the ball in the loose and diving over the try line for his first try in midi rugby. Robbie Firth who had done lots of work and captained the east team scored as did Craig Russell who was looking more and more confident in the position of scrum half. Twenty -five points to nil was the final score.

East team - Toby Penwarden, Finlay Foulis, Duncan Gray, Darren McLean, Jack Siderfinn, Aiden Drever, Paul Muir, Liam Moar, Ben Lacey-Brown, Craig Russell, Scott Russell, Ben Sutherland and Robbie Firth.

Thanks to Eileen Russell, Jennifer Faulkner and Bruce Moar for supporting the boys by traveling away with the teams. What was an excellent trip away was nearly spoiled by a stop for food on the way north. It certainly didn’t end up being fast food, and delayed our departure; but thanks to the driver from Rapson’s coaches and the consideration of the Northlink staff in Scrabster we made it onto the ferry with less than five minutes to spare.

A. Askew