It's been a busy week for rugby at St Birinus, with fixtures for Year 7, 8, 9 and 11. 

 

In their first ever rugby match for SBS, the Year 7 squad played some fantastic rugby to make a great start to their Reading League campaign.  In near torrential rain at times, the team first played and beat Little Heath by a score of 30-0 with tries from Daniel Jones, Jacob Lako and Sam McDermott.  A second victory then followed, this time against Blessed Hugh Farringdon 20-10.  Squad - Daniel Jones, Sam McDermott, Will Carr, Jonas Whymark, Thomas Rice, Harry Pratley, Finn Williams, Ben Matthews, Rowan Smith, Jake Curtis, Jacob Lako

 

The Year 8 squad faced Prospect School and Bulmershe in their opening games of the league and also acquitted themselves well beating Bulmershe 20-0 and Prospect 25-0 with tries from Kai Wiblin, Jacob Marks and Ryan Sheppard. Lucas Dixey and Daan Cohen were in particularly impressive form, making some excellent tackles and turning possession well. Squad - Kai Wiblin, Finlay McMillan, Jacob Marks, Ryan Sheppard, Henry Mabey, Harry Wratton, Joe Burke, Jack Parsons. Lucas Dixey, Jake O'Connor, Sam Oxley, Harry Herbert, Arif Siddique and Daan Cohen

 

Year 9 played on both Tuesday and Wednesday this week.  Tuesday saw them play in the South Oxon 10-a-side tournament where, despite playing some positive rugby, they were beaten by Wheatley, Icknield and Wallingford.  Wednesday's matches were more successful however, and saw the team rewarded for their positive play with wins over Langtree and Maiden Erlegh Reading.  Jake Prior and Dylan Madge, who also scored a penalty, played very well and the squad beat Langtree 15-0.  This was followed by a much more scrappy match in which the team maintained their discipline well to win 26-5.  Jacob Townsend scored a hat trick of tries, there was a lovely solo try by Liam Madley and 3 conversions by Sam Burchall. Squad - Harry Levell, Liam Madley, Jacob Townsend, Sam Burchall, Angus Timblick-Statham, Joe Sykes, Dylan Madge, Dylan Jones, Alex Darling, Jake Prior, Jacob Marks, Kai Wiblin, Henry Mabey

 

Last year's County finalists were beaten 36-21 by a very strong Highdown team.  In a game played in challenging circumstances, the SBS boys demonstrated outstanding spirit and composure to stay in the game.  Squad - Billy McDermott, Charlie Walthall, Tyler Harvey, Harvey Miller, Finlay Harrison, Alfie Bumpass, Isaac Hall, Johnson Rabuku, Luke Hayward, Samuel Massie, Callum Madley, Zach Wiblin, Jamie Staples, Robert Maroney 

 

All of the teams have played some wonderful attacking rugby this week and should be commended for demonstrating excellent Care, Courtesy and Commitment throughout with outstanding displays of sportsmanship.