Orkney RFC U16s 5 – Highland U16s 57

Match Report

On the 6th October Orkney travelled to Highland RFC in Inverness for their next Caledonia North fixture win high expectations of a win with confidence from sitting at the top of the table with 4 from 4.

In recent games Orkney have been plagued by slow starts and this was once again the case. Highland took an early lead within two minutes with an unconverted try after the Orkney players failed to have any intensity at ruck time and then get caught out by slick handling from the highland backs which saw them score in the corner. From the kick off Highland were straight back at Orkney and mounted pressure which led to another quick try. The pressure continued from the Highland team who were very well drilled and used their big experienced players well to score another five tries before half-time.

Half time score 36 – 0.

After half-time Orkney kicked off with a fresh attitude and started to get into the game with a good strong tackle from Chris Munson who drove the player backwards which lifted the Orkney boys again. For the next fifteen minutes no scores were made by either team with strong defences on both sides and half breaks snuffed out. Highland were awarded a scrum forty metres out and soon advanced up the pitch but good tackling from Taylor Pilkington-tait and Andrew Shaw halted the defence. Continued pressure from Highland lead to another three tries with one in reply from Cammy Gray, who shrugged off the highland centre and ran around the full back to score a well deserved try. Highland scored another three tries to rub salt into the wounds off the Orkney players in a game that the players underperformed and were bitterly disappointed in losing so heavily.

Coach Bruce Ruthven stated;

”Highland were a good team with some very strong players but we did make it fairly easy for them with poor tackling and generally having a lack lustre performance. I hope the players learn from this and take the defeat on the chin.”