Jack Rendall Memorial Cup Match – Kirkwall v Kirkwall 27-1-18

​Saturday 27th January saw 25 hardy girls and boys play last weeks postponed Jack Rendall Memorial Cup match on the back pitch at the Rugby Club.  The coaches had set out the pitch in damp conditions but within an hour and by the time the first kick-off took place there was a river of surface water coming down off the fields. 
 
The primary 4 and 5’s were first to play so it was Kirkwall Whites against Kirkwall Reds.

​Youth Coach: Shannon Pasotti.
Whites: Cailynn Williamson, Morven Brown, Callum Leslie, Kieran Gray, Jack Innes & Finlay Flett.
Reds: Peyton Dunnett, Jamie Rorie, Christopher Wishart, Jacob Reed, Cameron Boyd, Tom Hamilton & Lewis Moncrieffe.
 
The Kirkwall coaches Neil and Thorfinn were assisted by Shannon Pasotti for this match which was refereed by Stewart Spence.  For the adults that braved the conditions this match was an absolutely fantastic spectacle and well worth the uncomfortable conditions.  From the outset, both sides were showing grit and determination and clearly wanted to play the style of rugby that the coaches are trying to encourage.  Throughout the match the players were fully committed to the tackling, off-loading and support play.  All of the players were trying to keep the ball alive by running directly but also looking to avoid contact.  The following players scored tries but each and every player in the team contributed to the entire match:-
 
First Half-

• Jack Innes (Whites)
• Cameron Boyd (Reds)

Second Half –

• Cailynn Williamson
• Finlay Flett (Whites)
• Lewis Moncrieffe x 2 (Reds)

 
Final Score: Whites 3 : Red 3.

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​The second Jack Rendall Memorial Cup match of the morning was between the Kirkwall Greens and Kirkwall Stripes.  Thorfinn and Neil continued their coaching role and Stewart Spence retained his refereeing position.  Jamie Hutchison stepped in to offer coaching tips to the teams throughout the slightly longer matches.
 
The primary 6 and 7’s were second to play so it was Kirkwall Greens against Kirkwall Stripes.

Youth Coach: Jamie Hutchison.
Greens: Iestyn Craig, Kadyn Harcus, Alfie Copland, Brogan Russell, Angus Brown & Murray Flett.
Stripes: Craig Morris, Declan MacLeod, Jake Ross, Ryan Linklater, Scott Craigie and Millar Harcus.
 
The weather eased a little from the earlier match but by now the surface conditions were slightly more greasy.  The Primary 6 and 7’s are now starting to show signs of maturity during the game play and while Thorfinn, Neil, Jamie and Stewart were offering handy tips during the live play, the players themselves were pretty much up to speed with where and what they should be doing during the match.
 
 In previous matches, players of this age have tended to ‘honeypot’ to the area where the ball is situated and as a result, areas of the pitch are devoid of players.  However, during today's match, the players on both sides were able to cover areas of the pitch in both defence and offence which resulted in tremendous support play and encouraged strong running, good off-loads and increased communication.
 
The following players scored for the teams but as with the P4/5 match, each and every player contributed to the full game time:-
 
First Half -

• Brogan Russell x 2  (Greens)
• Jake Ross (Stripes)
• Murray Flett (Greens)

Second Half -

• Angus Brown (Greens)
• Jake Ross (Stripes)
• Brogan Russell (Greens)

 
Final Score: Greens 5 : Stripes 2
 
Next week will see the Mini players having their training session outside (weather permitting) as Thorfinn and Neil have chatted with the players and the consensus is that outdoor training is the preferred format.  We would ask that the adults keep an eye on the FB page for weekly updates and that all kids come to training with multiple spare layers, mouth guards and their own water bottles.
 
Many thanks
NM & TR