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News Article |
| MORAY U18 V HIGHLAND 09-11-13 |
| Mon 11th Nov 2013 |
Moray u18’s met Highland at Morriston on Saturday a mid- season friendly which gave both teams the opportunity to keep players focussed through the international break.
This was also a chance for the Moray lads to gauge how they measured up against a team in the top three of the Scottish u18 National league and they came through the test with a gutsy performance leading the visitors 15-12 at half time only to lose by 27-40 in a game that was a great advert for youth rugby in the north of Scotland
Highland kicked off and Moray quickly got themselves into the game with a penalty kick to touch setting up a lineout which the Moray lads used to then set up several phases of play in the 22.
A break by winger Cameron Beattie was stopped 10 m out with a tackle into touch.
Moray continued to play well rucking with great purpose and controlling the set pieces with strong scrummaging.
They opened the scoring with a penalty kick from 25 m, by Calum Gaffney on 12 minutes after Highland were caught offside.
Highland began to compete more after this and worked their way into the Moray 22. They won a penalty 5 m out for offside and sucked in the defence with a couple of ruck phases from their forwards before going down the blindside and scoring in the corner to make it 3-5 after 18 minutes.
On the half hour Highland extended their lead when a Moray clearance kick from the 22 was picked up by Highlands’s full back who put in a clever kick up the touch line and followed up well. The bounce beat Moray’s full back Kieran Young and Highlands no 15 went in near the posts for a converted try.
Undaunted Moray attacked straight from the restart and put Highland on the back foot in their own 22.
After a couple of penalties for offside Moray pulled in the Highland defence before prop Niall Ward drove over in the corner for a try to make it 10-12.
Highland then lost a player to the sin bin for repeated offsides. From the penalty Moray scrum half Lewis McDonald broke well and offloaded to centre Stuart who split the Highland defence and won another penalty on the 22 for a high tackle.
Moray kicked to touch for a lineout which they caught and drove before no 9 McDonald broke through the Highland defence to go over near the posts for a converted try to give Moray a deserved 15-12 lead at half time.
Highland enjoyed the early pressure in the second half and retook the lead after using penalties on the Moray 5 m line to pull in the defence before they passed the ball down the backs to score out wide.
A difficult conversion gave them a 15-19 lead after 5 minutes.
Another converted try was added 5 minutes later when their centre broke through Moray’s midfield to score under the posts making it 15 – 26.
The game continued to be evenly contested and on 25 minutes Highland extended their lead to 18 points with a converted try.
Moray however would not give up and they were helped with another Highland sin binning for a high tackle. They were camped in the Highland 22 and took a lineout suing the ball to set up a couple of rucks before passing it down the back line and flanker Will Davidson finished the move with an uncoverted try in the corner.
Highland put Moray back under pressure and only desperate try line defence kept them out after a couple of attempted forward drives.
The visitors then took a quick free kick and rumbled the ball over for a try by the forwards.
Not to be outdone Moray took play straight back to Highland and from a scrum in the Highland 22 they set up a ruck and from the second phase prop Warren Greaves stormed over from 10 m and gave Gaffney a simple conversion in front of the posts to make the final score 27-40.
This was a great game of rugby to watch with both teams contributing some fine play.
The Moray team were focused on their task and the forwards put in their best rucking performance of the season. The backs always were looking for opportunities to attack and were constantly in the face of Highland when defending.
Moray u18’s now await the draw for the second phase of their league and the opportunity to build on their successes to date.
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Caledonia 2 North |
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| Aberdeenshire |
12 |
46 |
| Highland 2nd XV |
11 |
46 |
| Moray |
12 |
40 |
| Ross Sutherland |
10 |
22 |
| Banff |
12 |
19 |
| Mackie |
10 |
10 |
| Aberdeen Grammar 2nd XV |
9 |
1 |
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Last 1st XV Game |
| 1st XV Season (2021/22) |
| Banff 33 - 39 Moray |
| 5th Mar 22 - KO: 15:00 |
| Venue: Duff House |
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