"I have loved watching every week and have been very
proud of each of them. It really is a superb club."
BRFC Academy parent 2011-12 (The family are relocating
and we wish them every success in the future)
Bulldogs and U7-U12 teams celebrate the end of the
season
Sadly the poor weather meant that the traditional
final day celebrations were relocated to the clubhouse. The venue was soon
buzzing to the sound of chatter and trays of bacon sandwiches flowed from the
kitchen to keep everyone well fed. Though not all players made the presentation
event, it was a really good turnout on a wet day.
Thank you to all who
worked in the kitchen - the bacon sandwiches were a great treat, to the
coaches, committee and parents for all the support this season. Why not have a
look back at all we have done on this web page?
Hope to see you all for
beach rugby on Sunday May 20th!
Below are a selection of pictures for
you to enjoy.
BRFC ACADEMY AWARDS 2012
And finally.....
A huge thank you goes to
Louis Minchella for his dedication to the Academy over the last two years.
Louis will stay on as Vice-Chair with Jason Bowerman taking the reigns as
Chair.
Louis was presented with a framed shirt and tickets to an
international.
U7s and U8s End of Season Report
Both the U7's & U8's teams have come on in leaps
and bounds from the start of the season.
U7's
The under 7's have developed their ball skills,
support & follow up play and most noticeable their communication between
each other. At the beginning of the season you hardly heard a word from them.
Now they are shouting for the ball and working well as a team. This has been
seen with all players but most noticeably with the girls Christina, Catherine,
Niamh and Erin. Whilst solo efforts have seen tries from all players. This
gives a good base for the U7's to move onto U8's and home their skills.
WELL DONE TO YOU ALL
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Noah
Most improved
player: Jacob
U8's
Moved from U7's as a more than capable team.
Unfortunately during the season the numbers dropped so only left the dedicated
team of 5: Anna, Rhys, Finlay, Josh & Isaac
They continued to develop their skills and showed
throughout the season outstanding team work and support play. Whilst playing
matches they have all been very professional in their approach!
You now move onto to a different phase of the game
which we know you will adapt to, take on board and play to the best of your
ability. Enjoy your new challenge.
WELL DONE TO YOU ALL
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Isaac
Most improved player:
Rhys
Lastly please can we thank your parents for whom we
would not have a team if they did not bring you each week and taking you to
matches. THANK YOU
Wishing you all a restful summer. We hope to see you
at the beach rugby, if not, for the first days training in September.
U7s and 8s in triangular at Dorchester
The last game of the season saw us travel to
Dorchester to be part of a triangular game with Bridport. Due to prior
commitments our numbers were low so mixed teams were made up with Bridport and
Dorchester players
U7's
After a warm up with both teams we took
part in several games. The Blandford team was made up of Noah, Jacob, Rufus,
Keelan and 3 players from Bridport. The first game saw Dorchester settle
quickly and put over the first try. This was followed swiftly by a solo try
down the touchline by Jacob. This type of run saw Noah, Jacob and Keelan score
in this way during the matches. The games were very much end to end playing and
finished in a draw. The games that followed were evenly matched and saw tries
from both teams. Tries for Blandford put over by Jacob, Keelan , Noah &
Rufus. In the third game we introduced the rule where the ball carrier was only
allowed 3 paces before having to pass. This worked really well and meant that
the players not just running with the ball, they were having to think about
pacing and their about their follow up play, communication & support. By
the last game players were feeling a little jaded and the Bridport players went
home so our numbers were made up with Dorchester players. Again this was a very
even game with every player on the pitch scoring a try! There were solo and
team efforts from Rufus, Keelan, Noah & Jacob. A really good morning of
rugby to end the season.
U7 player of the week went to Rufus
Chris Minchella U7 & 8's coach
U8's
The last match of the season was at
Dorchester where we met Bridport. Again in this age group we were a little
light on numbers and our team was made up from members of the Dorchester team
.We had 4 players for the U8 section, Isaac, Josh, Finn and Rhys. Although rain
threatened we managed to avoid it until the last game and the ground stayed
quite dry. Although we lost against both teams, all 4 played very well with
some excellent tries, team work, support play and scourging runs at both the
Dorchester and Bridport defence. Well done the U8's. U8 player of the week went
to Finn
Nikki Rich U7 & 8's coach
Dinner Dance: May 12th 2012
Beach Rugby date
change: May 13th cancelled New date Sunday 20th May at 10am
Season Ends in triumph for U15/16s
As the season's end approaches, the U15/16s win the
shield at the NDRFC 7s tournament, the U11 and U12s find themselves playing
'Barbarians style' at Dorchester on Sunday. The Academy is now gearing up for
presentations on Sunday 29th April before beach rugby starts on Sunday the 20th
May at 10am (rearranged from the 13th).
The U11s lost in thought as the season draws to a
close.
No, you are not dreaming.... and there is an Academy
shirt under the Bridport one!
U15/16 Shield win at the NDRFC 7's
Full breakdown of all the games below:
Game 1 - A vs North Dorset
Superb
interchange from inside own 22 leads to break up near side and try for Scott.
5-0
ND break from kick off try under posts plus conversion 5-7
wide
play from scrum after promising attack. Try under post from right wing plus
conversion 5-14
offside in the ND centres, quick tap and score under posts
by Joel - 12-14
half time
good attack from kick off try for ND no conv
12-19
Dropped pass in centre won by ND try in corner good conv. 12-26
Great win in scrum and wide break by Joel, cut inside and pass to Blake to
score under sticks good conv. 19-26
good ND break from KO. Score under
posts and conv. 19-33
Joel breaks from KO supported by Blake try Under
posts conv good. 26-33
End of game.
Game 2 - B vs L Minster
wide break by LM
try under posts good conv 0-7
Poor tackling created pressure - try under
posts. 0-14
Poor kick and ever worse defence try under posts plus conv 21-0
Rubbish clearing from kick-off leads to try in corner... 26-0
Half time
poor pass crook leads to pick up and try under sticks. 31-0
sub George
on for Browner after next try. 36-0
break from penalty give consolation try
36-7. Ollie.
End of game.
Game 3 - B vs Swanage
2 missed tackles and
try under post for Swans. 7-0
charging run from Aaron, but lost ball and
poor tackling gives try under posts... 14-0
poor play from Aaron gave
penalty, quick tap and try 21-0
28-0 from ripped ball.
Wide break an
recycling gives try for Luke 28-7
quick hands from KO and poor tackling
give swans 35-7
scrappy start to 2nd half, but swans score 42-7
scrum
and try 49-7
End of game
Game 4 - A vs Minety
Brilliant break by Fin
followed by Blake breaking and scoring under posts. 7-0
good break and full
length of pitch try missed conv. 7-5
try from quick pen good conv. 7-12
great SH break followed by quick tap score by Christian plus conv. 14-12
Thank you Rob for the reports on the games - and a
huge 'well done' to the U15/16 team for a superb effort and result!
Good run continues for U16s vs Lytchett
Blandford 25-0 Lytchett
Blandford U16s good run continued today with a game
against Lytchett Minster. This was a game that the young reds dominated both in
terms of possession and territory. Better decision making, a better final pass
and a more ruthless approach would have easily added 20 points to this score.
Our pack dominated the early exchanges up front and a superb line out catch by
Ryan Browne followed by a powerful drive and set lead to Hayden getting his
first run at the suspect Lytchett half backs. A try was the only outcome. (5-0,
conversion missed).
For the next 10 minutes Blandford pressurised and
another scrappy line out lead to Hayden crossing the line but he was judged to
have been held up. From the resulting 5 metre scrum our scrum half picked up
from the base and seemed to have the pace to score down the blindside but for a
strong defence which bundled Finlay into touch, the following lineout was
scrappy again and Lytchett cleared.
Further heavy pressure inside the opposition 22
lead to an offside in the centre which Christian slotted inside the right hand
upright. 8-0. Towards the end of the half Lytchett started to win some ball and
built some good platforms inside the Blandford half. A powerful break followed
up by strong rucking from the fowards and an explosive drive from Hayden in
midfield led to his second try 13-0. Christian hit the post, no conv. Half time
The second half started with a very poor passage of
kicking from both teams. A dreadful clearance by Lytchett gave the ball to
Blake in the centre of the pitch. Deadly from that position he used his pace
and strength to beat several defenders and score 18-0. Conversion missed.
Blandford dominated the rest of the match and came
close to scoring on a couple of occasions. Good defence and poor choices
stopped the boys from building a commanding lead. Lytchett could not cope with
the power of the Blandford forwards and resorted more and more to their kicking
game. After one poor clearance Oli and Joel ran the ball back into the Lytchett
22. Good recycling resulted in Blake being given another chance to weave his
magic. Despite a 14 player overlap he chose to spin on his heels, slap away a
few defenders and race to the line for his second try of the game. 23-0. This
time Joel makes the conversion good 25-0.
Both teams tired in the heat and a small exchange
of tantrums broke up the remainder of the match. It was nice to see the
Lytchett No8 try to remove some smudged makeup from Hayden face. Also good to
see our skipper respond with more power and aggression in his rugby. Good
control. The last minute saw Lytchett's best passage of play and some good
drift defence from our backs to secure the whitewash. A solid victory against a
bett team, with much more still to come.
Great game men!
Thank you to Rob for the report
Beach Rugby Returns!
Following the success of last year, the BRFC Academy
is pleased to announce the return of beach rugby.
Studland proved a
successful venue and we aim to run the sessions on the second Sunday of May,
June, July and August.
That will be: Sunday 13th May - Sunday 10th June -
Sunday 8th July and Sunday 12th August.
Bring a picnic, friends and make a
day of it!
U9/10 pictures vs Bridport
Well done to all who played and thank you to John and
Claire for the pictures
The 'well oiled U11/12 machine' powers on!
U11/12s Blandford vs. Bridport 18/3/12
Mother's Day saw Blandford host Bridport on what
turned out to be a perfect day for a game of good open running rugby. Blandford
welcomed Will, a new addition to the squad, who after a brief introduction to
his team mates was able to fit snugly into this "well oiled machine" that is
the U11/U12s squad.
The game started in a competitive nature and a good
forward "battle" ensued with neither team dominating up front. Blandford
managed to work the ball out to their backs and a fine run down the wing
resulted in a try for Harry. This try was soon followed by another before half
time and Blandford went into the interval 14 points to nil in front.
During half time it was decided that the ball
needed to be passed out the back line as neither set of forwards were proving
to be dominant. After the restart Blandford pressed their advantage but
Bridport scored a break-away try much against the run of play (14-7). At this
stage the match could have gone either way, but soon after the restart
Blandford stuck to their principals of getting the ball away from the contact
areas and spreading it along the back line. This team soon got its just rewards
and the tries started to flow. Blandford scored four more tries without reply
and all conversions were successful. The final result was 42-7 with the try
scorers being Will (4), Harry and Ollie. This was a brilliant all-round team
performance which went into the match with a game-plan and decided to run the
ball at every opportunity. The result was one very happy team, one proud and
delighted coach and no doubt many of the parents who turned up to watch were
equally as thrilled. My thanks to you all...
Just as a foot note we had received notification
from the R.F.U. that 2 of our squad are too old to participate in matches
involving this age group. We know that this has resulted in 2 very disappointed
players who have been stalwarts throughout the season, but as a mark of their
maturity and the togetherness of this squad they both turned up on Sunday to
warm up with or support the team. On behalf of the squad I would like to thank
both Aaron and Brandon for being there even though they were not allowed to
play.
Thank you Ian (U11/12 coach) for the report.
The Academy Celebrate Mother's Day in style
The Academy embraced Mother's Day (or Mothering Sunday
for the purists) with flowers, cakes and drinks down at the clubhouse. Mothers
from all teams were treated to flowers, chocolate and cake to say a big 'thank
you' for all the support we are given.
Thank you to everyone for making this event such a
success!
Photos and memories from our season so far
Here are a few Academy images from our season. More
to follow soon.... enjoy!
A big thank you to Kate for these great photos.
Success in the sun at Weymouth
U11/12s shine and surprise at Weymouth
Blandford has a very successful and enjoyable morning
down at Weymouth. The U11/12 matches were highly entertaining and spoils were
shared at one game each. The first game was a triumph with Blandford running in
some excellent tries, the result of teamwork and good ball handling. The
forwards did their part too, keeping the Weymouth scrum at bay and driving
forward to great effect with support from the backs. The ball travelled quickly
along the line to the supporting players who used their pace to pressurize the
Weymouth defences.
The final score in the first game was an well deserved
14-26 to Blandford. There appeared to be some genuine surprise from the local
supporters, at the pace and quality of the Blandford team.
Weymouth then made some changes and came back at
Blandford with real determination. The hosts threatened to dominate and took a
10 point lead only for the Blandford boys to come back them. With one minute to
go and the hosts all but out of sight, Blandford made one last charge at the
Weymouth line... having the final say with a great try.
The second game final score: Weymouth 31-16 Blandford
(I think!)
Thank you to Weymouth for hosting a great morning of
rugby and well done to the whole team for their effort, teamwork and spirit.
Man of the Match: Ollie - for being everywhere and getting stuck in! (I hope to
have a few pictures to add soon.)
U7s Impress on the coast
Today found us at a sunny but cold Weymouth. With half
term ending the teams were a little short due to prior commitments.
The U7's were Christina, Catherine, Noah and Keelan.
We had William from Weymouth to make our numbers up who played with the team
for the whole morning. After a warm up I took the U7's to start playing games
and what a morning of rugby we had. The U7's played several games using
'shaping the game' rules with each team having the numbers plus a sub.
Blandford started well with good supporting play and
tries being scored by all team members. As the game progressed the support play
improved, ball handling had less mistakes and try scoring increased by both
sides as their confidence grew. Notable tries came from Noah and Keelan who ran
in solo efforts from there own half. Also combination tries from Christina and
Catherine, which saw Christina run almost the whole length of the pitch to be
tagged 2 paces from the line. Catherine followed up in a supporting role and
was able to shout for the ball and find the gap for the try. The morning saw
some impressive tries from both sides. The games were played in good spirit
with everyone getting lots of play and a good time, if not a little tired by
the end! Well done the U7's. Player of the morning went to Christina for her
support play, always being in the mix and her try scoring.
U8's player of the morning was Rhys - for his
leadership and game play in the throughout the match.
U9/10 shots of the day....
Thank you to Claire from some great action shots from
the U9/10 matches.
If anyone has a match report for this or any of the
games that took place, then please send it through to:
brfcacademynews@ymail.com
Wrap up warm on Sundays
A reminder for all parents of Academy players to wrap
your children up in warm clothes when playing or training.
The current
cold spell is set to last so your child needs to stay warm whilst having fun
playing rugby. Use layers so that as they warm up they can peel them off, and
when they stop they can put them back on. It’s not vital that they wear
shorts to play in either, they’ll get used to that as they get older,
tracksuit trousers work well. It’s more important that they keep warm from
the elements so that they can fully enjoy themselves.
England 7s legend returns to coach the coaches at
BRFC Academy
As promised, Ben Gollings returned to BRFC Academy
with the specific aim of working with our coaching team. Darkness had barely
lifted from Milldown when a hardy bunch was seen through the Stour mist.
The Academy coaching team with Ben
Gollings
From 9am 'til lunch the IRBS points record holder
worked with children and coaches alike, inspiring us all to bigger and better
things. We have had a fantastic association with Ben since he arrived at the
start of the season to officially launch our Academy. We are proud to have
Ben's BG10 logo on our shirts and we hope that our connections continue into
the future.
Ben has already Tweeted that it 'was good to be
coaching at Blandford'.
We thought so too.....
Here is a report from Niamh (U7's)
Today Ben Gollings (a famous England rugby player)
came to training, to teach us some new rugby skills. It was great fun and I
liked it so much.
He showed us a skill, which we had to do with a
partner, where we had to go one way then change direction. The other player had
to see if they could copy our moves. We then had to try and trick our partners
to see if we could get past them.
It was lots of fun and we all really enjoyed
ourselves.
Below are a few pictures from the morning (thank you
Katie for these).
Thanks to Ben and everyone who made the morning such a
success.
The coaches being put through their
paces!
The coaches share their morning....
It was a cold, early start for the ten Academy
coaches, who were challenged by Ben Gollings on 29th January. Louis made us all
feel very welcome with hot coffee! The hour session revolved around making,
finding and exploiting defensive gaps. Ben quickly settled in and started with
some fast drills in pairs. At each stage, he created a scenario for us coaches
to solve, rather than providing lots of instruction. We were soon working as
teams, learning from the mistakes that we made and thoroughly enjoying the work
out. The time was up much too quickly, but I found the experience really
rewarding. Thanks to Ben and the club for providing us the opportunity to take
part.
(Thanks Doug)
Ben Gollins visited BRFC Academy on Sunday. I took
part in the 'coach the coach session'. This was an informative hands on session
that saw us practise the break down of drills.
Once this was finished the
morning session started with the 2 teams. It was a really cold morning, so
keeping warm was most important. Ben came over and lead a 1/2hr session with
the players. He took them through 'happy feet' movements, this involved copying
the side stepping movements of your partner and then how to use this in attack
and defensive moves. This was followed by a drill where they worked on their
defensive & attacking skills, trying to score when the attacking player had
the first move, then followed by the defensive player been able to move first
and limiting the options of the attacking player. The teams really enjoyed this
session and got a lot out of it. At the end of the session the said a BIG THANK
YOU to Ben, which was followed by a team photo.
(Thanks Chris)
Do you have pictures and a report from Ben's visit to
share?
If so email me!
brfcacademynews@ymail.com
U11/12 face tough test against North Dorset
U11/U12 v North Dorset 22. 1. 12
North Dorset came with a strong team who have
enjoyed a very successful season . Using the wind to their advantage , they
started strongly and as hard as a we tried, three first half tries put them in
a commanding position.
Blandford played with more belief in the second
half and put North Dorset under pressure but were unable to score . A further
three tries from North Dorset in the second half resulted in a final points
tally of 38 points to nil. The second game followed in a similar vein .
Action from the U11/12 games against
North Dorset
There were good individual performances for periods
in the games but we needed more belief in our abilities and the strength that
comes from team work. Overall the games proved a strong test and identified
areas where we can improve.
Thank you John for the match report.
U7 win two out of three fast-paced games against
North Dorset
Players match report
On Sunday 22 January, we played against North
Dorset at home.
In the team were me (Niamh), Anna, Robert and Tor.
Photo of U7 Team
We played three games, we won two and lost one.
They were all fast played games. We passed the ball a lot, scored lots of tries
and tagged the other team well. We played well as a team but Robert was the
player of the match from our team. Tor scored a good try at the end of the last
match. Well played everyone and thank you Chris (our coach) for refereeing our
matches.
Match report by Niamh (U7 Team)
Thank you Niamh. This is the first player report we
have had since the Academy was launched. We would love to have more reports
from players so get writing!
U9/10s take on strong North Dorset Squad
The New Year has seen Blandford Academy shake off
the Christmas break with a trip to Wimborne and a home training session. The
22nd January saw the arrival of North Dorset to Milldown.
Blandford U9s took on the might of a strong North
Dorset squad this morning, in fine winter conditions at the Mildown. After a
punctual start with some excellent training routines and kick-off drills, the
teams got the first of two 9-a-side matches underway at 10:30.
Training under way before kick-off
against North Dorset
Blandford opened the play and immediately showed us
what they had practiced, with strong running from the off, excellent support
play and passing straight to hand time after time until running out of space on
the right. From Dorset's line-out, Blandford followed up with a strong and
speedy defensive line to put Dorset under pressure on their own line, leading
to a turnover and attacking scrum on Dorset's line. Unfortunately Blandford
were turned over, handing Dorset an opportunity to show their own strong
attacking moves and score a first try, three minutes into the match. This
pattern of play continued through the first half, with Blandford showing good
handling in attack, but not having quite enough penetration to break through
Dorset's strong defence. Blandford showed us some heroic tackling, with big
Harry making a try-line stop on Dorset late in the half, and turning over the
ball to put Spencer into space for a cracking break up the left wing ......
pulled down just short of the line. Dorset struggled with the Blandford defence
but ultimately wore us down for a second well-worked try on the right. Tight
play from the kick-off led to a Blandford scrum (Ben and Big Bob playing prop,
Jasper hooking) with Harry Nye and James combining to put Owen into space for
what might well have been a try but for the half-time whistle.
The second half was tightly fought for the most
part, with crunching tackles from Owen and (big) Harry, and no openings for
Dorset until a blind-side opportunity from their scrum seven minutes in,
leading to a walk-in try for the lucky scrum half. Some great direct running
from Rose, with support from James, Harry Nye, Owen, Jacob, Oliver and Spencer
showed promise but couldn't quite penetrate. Dorset kept up the pressure to
score a well worked try on the right, with Spencer's big tackle holding up
progress only for a skillful inside pass to find the gap in Blandford's line.
Blandford lost concentration right at the end, with Dorset scoring three more
times in quick succession for a final score that didn't really reflect
Blandford's improvement, skill and passion.
After a training break, the two sides got together
for a match of three 'halves' in which both teams showed improvement. Again
Blandford demonstrated their intent with strong running from Robert at the
kick-off. A turnover cost Blandford a well run try up the right wing, with
their defence out of position following the first attack. The highlight of the
half came from Jacob, with successive tackles in the middle of the pitch to
bring his men to ground one after the other, to roars of appreciation from the
parents. Great running from Harry Nye at the kick-off led to a penalty in
Blandford's favour, through which Spencer was released for a searing run
through Dorset, supported by Jasper who almost made the line before being held
up. A Blandford scrum followed the ruck, with Owen and Spencer combining in one
of Blandford's strongest runs, but with a foot in touch just short of the try
line, Blandford were once again, by the tightest of margins, unable to convert
pressure into points. To repeat the pattern of the games so far, Dorset took
advantage of Blandford's disappointment in attack to score a break-away try
from deep inside their own half, adding a fourth just on the stroke of
half-time.
Blandford regrouped in the second half, putting
more muscle into their defence and holding the Dorset side well after an early
first try to Dorset from their kick-off. Jasper showed us his pace with another
scorching run up the right to be stopped short once more, but working the ball
back through Blandford hands for a dart up the left from Oliver, then back up
the middle through Owen. A second break away try for Dorset followed, but the
remainder of the half was all Blandford with jinking runs from Owen and Harry,
who showed us all exactly how to lay the ball back for a quick recycle.
Dorset's defence held up and again time ran out for Blandford.
After a quick pep talk from the coaches, the third
half got underway and as before Dorset took advantage of early confusion to
score in the corner. The Blandford defence stepped up a gear for the rest of
the final half, with everyone holding position and crowding the Dorset players.
James and Ben harried Dorset in the middle, with Harry Nye and Rose pushing up
strongly on their flanks. In two phases of play, the Dorset attack was pushed
backwards by Blandford's herculean effort in defence, ending in a strong tackle
from Oliver, pushing his man heavily into touch on the left and winning
possession for Blandford. More end-to-end play followed, with no side breaking
the deadlock. Owen's darting pressure to follow-up some Dorset confusion nearly
led to a solo try as he gathered the ball deep into their ranks, but ultimately
this was not to be Blandford's day. The match ended with a forward's try for
Dorset, pushing the ruck over Blandford's try line right on the whistle.
Plenty for the team to be proud of here despite the
score-lines - the squad are really knitting together, supporting one another in
attack and organising themselves well in defence. Looking forward to next week
and some 'evasive' coaching from Ben Gollings.
Report by Mark, BFRC Academy Parent
Happy conclusion to 2011 for U15/16 team
Blandford 36-14 North Dorset
I would like to start by wishing you all
as Players and Parents a Merry Xmas and a Winning New Year, and by all accounts
if today's match was anything to go by then we as a Team have taken a massive
step forward.
Today's match was against North Dorset,
KO was at 1100hrs on the dot, Dorset kicked to us and Rob Mallison received and
ran the best part of 60M whilst breaking several tackles to set up a wonderful
try in the bottom right hand corner, this being one of 3 inside the first
10min. What a fantastic start. Christian Flavell was successful with his second
conversion and put some well deserved light between us and Dorset.
Haydn was his normal self getting around
the park and putting in some thunderous hits, and was instrumental in the way
the team performed, the cries from Dorset get that man to ground and hurt him
to stop him running at us was laughed at by all.
Scott and Blake this season have proved
to be a pairing all teams would love to have. Their set piece work in the 1st
half and ability to get around the park to make the tackle was awesome to
watch. The pair, with ball in hand and in loose play, linked up well with the
backs and got the team on the front foot from the start.
The front 3, Brown, George, and Aaron
played with determination in the scrum and at the breakdown.
Rob Mallison normally playing at outside
centre had to step up to the plate and act as open side Flanker for the 1st
half. He played with real enthusiasm once he realised that by running straight
forward at Dorset, he would create gaps out wide - the deserved Man of the
Match.
Finley and Christian as a partnership are
something to watch. Their understanding and strength with ball in hand, coupled
with the ability to spot a gap and give our team the go forward whilst under
pressure, was great to see.
Ryan Miller normally at full back stepped
in at inside centre and was heroic and herculean in defence and in attack.
Never one to shy away from taking the ball forward and also comfortable to step
in as 1st receiver when Christian was caught up in the ruck.
Joel stepped in at full back and made
some cracking runs from deep and kept Dorset thinking and on the back foot, and
although small in stature never ever missed a tackle.
Jon and Luke played on the wing
respectively and proved how vital they are as players. Between them they got
their hands on the ball more times than I have ever seen. They also put in some
cracking tackles.
In total we scored 6 tries and 3
conversions. Unfortunately I can't remember who scored them due to me being
completely ecstatic by their performance.
I am now stepping down as head coach and
handing over to the new coach in the New Year. However, I will act as his under
study until I leave in March to allow a smooth transition for both players,
club and coaching staff alike.
I have been truly blessed working with
some fantastic players and fine young men of the local community. Although I am
moving back to London, I will be back down this way every now and then and will
most certainly stop by and come and watch you guys play. It is always difficult
to step aside when you manage to build a good rapport with all players. This
has been a great experience and one I will never forget. The players have been
a pleasure to meet, work, and laugh with, and fingers crossed, you will go
forward as a team and from strength to strength.
Lads never forget the 5 P's
- P - Plan
- P - Preparation
- P - Prevents
- P - Poor P -
- Performance
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New
year.
With Kind Regards,
Geoff
U15/16s put up valiant fight against Weymouth
Blandford 10-33 Weymouth - Plate match
The U15/16s put up a valiant fight against Weymouth producing a storming
second half performance which kept the visitors in their own 22 for twenty
minutes.
A sterling second half performance was
not quite enough but the scoreline did not reflect the pressure and solid ruby
produced by the team. Well done lads!
A full match report will follow.
Academy in the winter sun
A hive of activity at sun-drenched Milldown 
Sunday the 27th saw a hive of activity at
Milldown. Louis welcomed everyone to the session and in particular the parents
of our new players. Parents stood in the beautiful surroundings and watched as
the coaches put the teams through their paces. The U9/U10s were busy working
the ball along the line in a game-based drill with Doug and Steve, whilst the
Bulldogs enjoyed a variety of drills in the sun over on the far side of the
field. The U11/U12s finished their session off with conversion practice in
front of the posts and all were treated to cake before, during and after the
session - thank you Zara and Claire!
Don't forget that we would love to hear
your thoughts, observations and reports on training and matches. Simply email
us at brfcacademynews@ymail.com
Academy match updates
We have had a good response for match reports and here
are two more from the weekend.
Proud coach praises U9 passion and
desire
I write this a very happy and proud
coach. This morning saw the arrival of Weymouth and with a large number of aged
10 in their group our lucky 10's happily volunteered to see how rugby was
taught in another club. I'm happy to say that the reports back from the
Weymouth coach was that they were very impressed indeed with the high standard
of skills, fitness, behaviour and effort, put in by the BRFC under 10's so a
massive well done to Rose, Oliver and Ben. On the 9's front we played 2 games,
I must admit to feeling a little uneasy with losing my influential and calming
under 10's, but my fears were swept aside, as I witness the under 9's tackle
with such determination led by the outstanding Harry (the one man team), and
supported by the new and ever improving Spencer who for his first ever
competitive game took the physical side of rugby in his stride.
Weymouth
had plenty of the early ball but found it hard work breaking a determined and
resolute Blandford defence, Robert (Big Bob) not only in the tackle but showing
the other side of his game with good hands and instinctive decision making,
ensuring that Blandford went through the phases, bringing the whole team into
play and leading to a try of the highest quality. The second game started much
the same as first with tackle after tackle been put in by every player, Harry N
(the tenacious) repeatedly in the middle of everything never giving Weymouth
any time and space in which to play, with time ticking away and the team tiring
Jasper suddenly decided to take on Weymouth with 5 minutes of lung bursting
rugby and Owen (The Lip) evading the whole of the Weymouth defence for a superb
solo try, which is quickly becoming his trademark try.
Unfortunately we
lost both games in the end, but with the passion, desire and commitment shown
from the whole team which is the part you can't teach, the rest we will work
on. From myself and the rest of the spectators thank you for a very enjoyable
and watchable games of rugby. WELL DONE
Report by Steve 
Teamwork and understanding the key for the U7s
This weeks U7's team was made up from
Jacob, George, Niamh, Catherine, Noah, Keelan, Robert & Christina.
Weymouth were short on numbers for
there U7's so we were able to loan them a player. Thank you to Robert and
Catherine who did this.
The first game was very much settling
time for both sides. Weymouth ran in two quick tries with the Blandford team
just missing tags by millimetres which allowed the opposition through. Once we
settled they were able to pass the ball around and move forward. Jacob again
used his speed to run in a touch line try followed by Niamh sooner after. This
game was very even between the two sides and ended in a draw.
Weymouth started the second game the
stronger and again ran in two quick tries. This time Blandford replied with
Jacob again running the length of the pitch only to be tagged on the try line
where George was ready to be passed to and score the try. This was then
followed by a great move from Christina & Niamh. Blandford had a throw in
very much in there own half, Christina ran the length of the pitch was tagged a
little before the line, Niamh was right behind her, shouted for the ball and
Niamh scored the try. What team work.
During both games there were really
good individual runs from Keelan, Catherine, Robert & George only been
stopped by been tagged.
The U7's are beginning to understand
the game a little more and in doing so are improving with every game. Well
done.
Players of the week; Niamh &
Christina U7's - Anna U8's
Report by Chris 
Supportive play by Blandford during evenly matched
games
The U8 players were Oliver, Isaac,
Josh, Anna, Molly, Rees and Noah.
We played two very evenly matched
games the first lost by one (5-6) the second draw (6-6). There were no subs
available so all players worked hard for both games. There was some extremely
good team work, keeping players supported and working together, along with some
super passing and excellent game play. The hard work put into training over the
last few weeks really showed.
Player of the week was Anna due to her
continued improvement - well done Anna keep up the good work!
Report by Nikki 
U8 possession vs Weymouth
Confidence builds on a wet day A report from the
first U7 against Dorchester
On a wet morning at the end of 1/2
term we played our first game at home against Dorchester. Dorchester bought
along a mix of U7's & U8's which allowed us to play each age group
separately.
U7's
I stayed with the U7's as this was
there first venture into match play without the guidance of the U8's. The team
was made was Jacob, Catherine, Keelan, Robert, Tor, George, Christina and
Niamh.
Each team took a little time to settle
and find there feet .
Dorchester were 1st to score followed
by Blandford and that was how the game played out, very much end to end play.
Jacob ran in two touchline tries, managing to stay on the pitch and dodge the
oncoming Dorchester players. There was also tries from Christina, Catherine and
George, although George's tries were whilst he was playing for Dorchester!!!!
There was some good play by the Blandford team and by the end of the game they
were realising that they needed to pass to the player behind them. During the
game there were times when the play was stopped and an explanation of where
they players had done something wrong was explained - off side, players in
front of the ball, pulling on shirts etc. Both sides had a good morning and
gained confidence in there match play. Well done U7's
Players of the week: Jacob
U7's
Finlay U8's
Report by Chris
BRFC Academy entertain Weymouth
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It was a misty start for everyone at Milldown
as the BRFC Academy hosted Weymouth. Over 100 children arrived with coaches and
parents to begin an energetic morning of rugby and the pitches were soon busy
with warm routines and players reading themselves for the matches
ahead. |
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On the far side of our Milldown ground the
Bulldogs were being put through their paces. Numbers have grown steadily since
the start of the season and it is always good to see a healthy group of parents
supporting the young players. |
Bulldogs in action |
As winter starts to draw in, Sunday
mornings for the Bulldogs mean MUD! Today's club day against Weymouth meant our
pitches were a hive of activity from 9.45 and all of our under 6's came in
great spirits. By 10.15 Matt had taken them all through their warm up and they
were all ready to start practising their swan-dives in all that glorious
mud!
Today was my first day as a parent
volunteer with the Bulldogs and I think I had as much fun as any of the kids!
Teaching the kids the skills they need to progress to tag rugby at the age of 6
in a fun and engaging way is something Matt, the head coach, is amazing at.
With a bit of help from me to round up the ever growing number of Bulldogs,
hopefully we can make what we do, the foundation to push the club forward for
the next few decades! Can't wait until next Sunday!
Submitted by our new parent volunteer,
Will. Thank you Will (pictured above with the Bulldogs). Will hopes to provide
a weekly update on our future stars in the Bulldogs.
Today the Academy invited parents to
submit reports via email. This initiative is designed to include our
parents/carers a little more with the club. It also helps our coaches, who we
have often relied on in the past for feedback, focus on the games they are
running. Reports can be sent from the pitch side via a smartphone or from the
comfort of the home using a computer. All you need to do is email
brfcacademynews@ymail.com with
your report.
Please see below for details:
We
are very happy to receive reports on the same match from different people - one
paragraph is ideal. Please mention the score but the important thing is to be
positive about the efforts of the children. We will only print first names in
any event. Please send match reports from your iPhone, iPad, iTablet, Mac or PC
to me, Richard, at: brfcacademynews@ymail.com. Smart
phone, pitch-side offerings are most welcome! Please include your name - you
will be credited (again first names only are fine) with anything we use! Emails
should contain only text reports, no pictures please. We look forward to
receiving your reports and reviews after every match and training
session.
The first parent report is in!
The U11/U12 squad have grown in
confidence since the start of the season and have steadily improved under the
watchful eye of their coach Ian. Today was a big test against a well drilled
Weymouth team.
 Today's under 12 rugby match against
visiting Weymouth was split into 3 smaller matches. The first game was very
tight and fast paced with Blandford scoring first after an intelligent piece of
play from young Rupert kicking the ball into his hands and running on to score
the first try. Weymouth levelled the game and just edged the win by kicking
their conversion. The second game saw Weymouth really find their stride scoring
two tries and kicking the conversions (one hitting the bar!) The game also saw
a great individual run from one of the Weymouth players that resulted in a try.
A good defensive display from the Blandford boys though.
The final game of the morning was
Blandford's best performance of the day. Again a very close match saw the home
team clinch 2 tries to win the game 10-7. A more attacking performance from the
home team gave them a deserved win.
Thank you to Carl (BRFC Academy parent)
for the match report. More reports will be added as we get them from parents,
carers and coaches - send them through to:
brfcacademynews@ymail.com
The Day in Pictures
U8s in Action |
U9 Team Photo |
U7 Tag Match |
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NEW ACADEMY RECRUITS GET A RUN AGAINST WEYMOUTH
The Academy has welcomed three new
members and it was good to see these new recruits in action against Weymouth. A
special mention goes to Harrison playing for the U11/U12s today. Harrison's Mum
mentioned that he had not played a great deal of rugby before, a bit of tag at
school. It is fair to say that the young man gave his all on the field in what
was a very competitive game of full-contact rugby. Well done Harrison and to
all our new players
Want to join but concerned about coming
after the start of the season?
Don't be.
We would love to see you just contact us
by email at: louis.minchella@sky.com
Academy enters the Blandford Carnival
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The Academy entered into this years Blandford
Carnival, and had a great time.
The new strip had just arrived so was
brought out on show and as the world cup was underway, that was the theme. |
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| There were plenty of young players to assist in
the parade carrying the banner, handing out leaflets and car stickers to
everyone we passed. |
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The large inflatable rugby balls were a crowd
pleaser with the players passing them around. |
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All in all a really good night for the Academy,
and to top it off, we received a '”Highly Commended” for our efforts.
Well done to all. |
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Ben Gollings returns to coach the 14-17s at
Blandford's Rugby Academy
Rugby 7s international Ben Gollings returned to
Blandford on the 9th October to take a training session for the 14-17 age
group. The IRB top points scorer put the lads through their paces working on
ball handling, positioning and dummy running.
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24 turned up to train with the one-time England
7s captain and they were treated to a range of drills that tested and inspired
them. Ben, who is now a player-coach under Neil Back at Rugby Lions, began by
encouraging the players to run into the spaces and gaps. |
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Passing drills involved groups handling several
rugby balls together. This required sustained concentration and teamwork. The
lads formed groups of four and five as Ben moved around joining in as he went.
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Ben worked the lads well past the noon finishing
time concluding matters with a game-based drill.
It was an inspiring
morning that we hope to repeat in the future.
We hope to see Ben return
to the Academy in the near future to lead a session for the coaches. |
BEN GOLLINGS - England Rugby Superstar
and IRB Top Points Scorer World Record Holder Launches New Blandford RFC
Academy
Blandford RFC launched their new Academy with a bang
today. England Rugby Superstar and IRB Points Scorer World Record Holder BEN
GOLLINGS came down to officially launch the new Academy for the club.
The England Sevens Team is accountable for the majority of Ben’s
success and for which he is internationally acclaimed. He has been playing for
the England Sevens Team since the 1999-2000 Series. Ben currently holds the
World Record for Highest Points Scored, 2652 points - more than twice as many
as his nearest rival, and has won the prestigious Hong Kong tournament four
times, being awarded most valuable player in 2006. Ben has won a tournament in
every host country other than Scotland.He has played in three Commonwealth
Games, winning silver in Melbourne 2006, played in two World Cups, and over 65
IRB Tournaments.
Ben spent the whole morning with the Academy talking
to players and parents about the World Cup, key issues in world rugby today,
and his rugby career to date. Ben visited all age groups and was delighted to
see so many children and young adults taking part in the game. The formal
ceremony concluded with Ben cutting the ribbon to launch the Academy.
Afterwards Ben was introduced to last seasons winners of the Lytchett
Sevens from Blandford RFC Academy - he gave them some expert advice on how to
build their strength, speed and fitness. Ben is an advocate of functional
training and healthy eating explaining ways to improve core strength. Ben
stayed with the new Academy until training ended signing posters and rugby
balls.
The Academy launch also coincided with the unveiling of the new
Under 7's to U12's match kit, complete with Bens' own Academy logo emblazoned
on the front - BG10. Blandford RFC Academy are proud to wear the BG10 logo and
all it stands for. Ben is an inspiration to all the players and an excellent
role model for the children.
Blandford RFC Academy are looking for new
players and volunteers. If you want to be part of something special, contact
the Academy chairperson by email: louis.minchella@sky.com
For
further information about BG10 visit the website:
http://www.bengollings10.com
ENGLAND 7s Legend BEN GOLLINGS to
launch Blandford RFC Academy on 11th September 2011
During Blandford RFC's 35th anniversary year, the
Junior Section will be re-launched as the All New Academy, supported by the RFU
and run by qualified and CRB checked coaches.
ENGLAND 7s legend and all
time iRB points scorer, BEN GOLLINGS will launch the Academy on the 11th
Spetember, returning again in October to help run coaching sessions.
The
Academy boasts a friendly, safe, family orientated environment aiming to
support the development of future players and coaches in the local area.
It will be FUN all the way on the day - COME & JOIN US.
Shirts to Africa
New shirts will be presented to the Academy at the
beginning of the 2011-12 season. Once our new shirts have been presented, the
Academy has decided to package up all old shirts that remain in good condition
and send them to Africa where we hope they will be used to encourage the
development of rugby for children less fortunate than ourselves.
Coaches and referees wanted for the
Academy
Blandford Rugby Football Club are looking for dynamic
and enthusiastic people to join our coaching and refereeing team for the
Academy. We currently need people who are willing to take up Coaching and
Refereeing for the club and give a commitment to carry out training on Sunday
mornings throughout the season. You will need to be good with children, willing
to learn new skills, able to motivate, and want to be part of a team.
Playing experience is desirable, but not essential. No formal
qualifications are needed as suitable candidates will receive the appropriate
RFU training courses over the coming season.
All potential candidates
will be subject to Enhanced CRB clearance.
For more
information:
Contact Louis by phone - 01258 452410
Contact Louis by
email -
To find out more about coaching please visit the RFU
Coaching page which can be viewed
here.
Free Rugby Ready Coaching for School
Teachers
Free places will be offered to local school teachers
to participate in the RFU's Rugby Ready course. The scheme is open to all
teachers from the local area and the course will be hosted by the Academy at
our Blandford School ground.
Fun in the Sun. Beach rugby at Knoll
Beach
During the closed season, events are organised so that
players and their families can get together. This year coaches, players and
their families have enjoyed a get-together on Knoll Beach, Studland once a
month throughout the summer.
This light-hearted session has attracted
interest from members of the public with non-club members joining in on the
delightful Dorset beach. |
