U18s cruise to win on back of pack performance

Linlithgow 40 – 5 Peebles

Saturday 24th August 2024

Report by Phil McCavish

It was a game for the non-festival goers at Mains Park on Saturday as the remnants of the Linlithgow and Peebles squads who hadn’t gone to Leeds to do battle with storm Lilian took to the field. The absences meant that there were a lot of changes from the first game and the replacements bench had a distinctly South African feel with an 8-2 split.

The Reds got the upper hand in the early exchanges with some typically strong carries from the forwards and Lewis scored the first try after 5 minutes. Alex added a second after 12 minutes with Callum adding the extras from the tee. The Reds struggled for possession for the next 10 minutes after finding themselves on the wrong side of the ref through a series of infringements. Peebles tried to get a foothold in the game through some strong forward carries, but the Reds were more than a match to the threat from the bigger Peebles ball carriers. Ethan made a long range break down the left wing to score the third try but appeared to injure himself in the act of scoring the try, Callum again added the extras from the tee to ensure that the Reds finished the first half 19-0 ahead.

The second half saw the first of the replacements taking the field, but there was no let-up in the Reds’ forward dominance in the set piece and the loose. Lewis again opened the scoring in the second half and Callum again added the extras to take the score to 26-0. Callum scored a well-deserved try under the posts after making a break from his own half and again adding the extra points from tee – just reward for a fine display in his first start at fly-half. Peebles scored a try from close range to get some reward for all of their hard work to take the score to 33-5. Finn managed to get onto the score sheet, and he wasn’t for stopping until he went under the posts ensuring that Callum had the simplest of kicks to take the final score to 40-5.

Stiffer tests will undoubtedly lie ahead, but it was a much improved performance over the first warm up game and it was great to see that there was no drop off in intensity due to inevitable disruption from the number of replacements that were made. Special mentions to Angus and Alfie who were playing their first and second games of rugby and it was great to see Rory back on the pitch again after a long injury lay off.