The 1st XV had a tough week with Oakham away and NSB in the space of five days, both were gritty affairs with Oundle really showing how to win.
Below is an excerpt from the Fifteen Rugby’s report of Oundle vs Oakham. Photos from the match are available on their website: Fifteen Rugby Photos
"The 24-10 scoreline in Oundle’s favour masks what was actually an incredibly tight game, with it really looking like it could go right to the wire. Only in the final few minutes did Oundle turn a 14-10 lead into that more commanding looking 24-10 final score.
If there were two players who defined this game though, it was Oundle’s twins, the Curry brothers. Tom (G) at number 8 and Ben (S) and openside. They were simply immense. Watching them is like looking at a throwback to the international back rows of the early nineties, or to any South African back row. It is abrasive and all action back row play. Neither is afraid to let a fly half know they are there, and they are always there, every breakdown, every play, every chargedown, they are always there.
It is to Oakham’s credit then, that in the face of that they could remain so much in the game.
Oundle opened up an 8-0 lead in the opening quarter of an hour after a Ben Curry (S) try at the tail of an Oundle maul and a penalty from wing Angus McRae (StA).
McRae pegged back a penalty though to give Oundle an 11-7 half time lead. Both sides had reason to be positive, Oundle had looked the better side on balance but Oakham had ridden the storm and seemed to be in the hunt again.
A huge second half seemed on the cards, and so it was. What followed was a brilliant, intense, rugged half of rugby from both sides. It probably was not the prettiest, but that really was not the point. This was school rugby doing what school rugby does, producing intensity that you can feel as a spectator.
Oundle gained the first points of the half, another McRae penalty, to go 14-7 ahead. Bagshaw was then sin binned for Oakham after over enthusiastically moving a player away at the maul, and there was a sense that with a man advantage and a seven point lead, this was Oundle’s moment.
Certainly they tried, Curry was right up in Riddington’s face as he started to use his boot more, while the breakdown was becoming like trench warfare, yet Oakham would not yield.
That tenaciousness paid off and, with just over ten minutes left and back up to fifteen men, Lewis landed a penalty to close it to 14-10. All of a sudden the game was anyone’s to win, and with the players from the earlier kick offs now surrounding the pitch, raising the atmosphere, the intensity seemed to lift another notch, impossibly.
Oundle had the running of it and began to really bang at the Oakham door. Captain George Chatterton (F) at scrum half was showing good composure to keep his side playing the way they wanted, but still Oakham would not let them through.
Broken field seemed the best bet, kick returns and grubbers through seemed to be looking promising for Oundle, as did turnover ball, and it was through one such broken field set of play that they eventually got the breakthrough with barely over a minute left to play as they swept over to the right hand side of the field to score a dramatic late try. It was heart breaking for Oakham, and a further blow to the chest, as McRae landed a brilliant touchline conversion to make it 21-10 with a minute left.
Straight from the kick off Oundle were back on Oakham’s 22, and when the home side conceded a penalty, Tom Curry’s natural instinct to get the game done and dusted kicked in. Straight away he put the ball down, forcing the referee to give the penalty and then pointing straight at the posts before Chatterton could raise an objection. As competitive a beast as there is.
McRae of course obliged, giving Oundle the 24-10 victory. It was a brilliant game, for which both sides deserve immense credit. Robbie Hayes (StA) looked promising on debut, controlling the lineout well. Curry (S), Keane (L) and Tusa (S) all scored from close range.
The second half was a brutal and intense affair that neither side’s bodies will forget in a hurry. Oundle deserved their win, and look set to cause real problems to teams all year.”
During the day, a total of 10 rugby matches were played between the Oakham and Oundle, who showed their class, winning 8 of the 10 matches.
Earlier in the season, there were 14 hockey matches against Oakham, in which Oundle won 12 and only lost 2. They scored an amazing 49 goals, conceding only 12.
For a match against another mighty opponent, Oundle’s 1st XI hockey travelled to Repton to play what would be their toughest match of the season. In the opening phases of the match Oundle managed to slow their players down allowing them to have more composed possession. Repton had a special midfield player who stuck the ball on our foot in the D all game long. They went through their slick short-corner routine in the early in the match and scored.
At times, Oundle were guilty of giving Repton too much respect yet the second half saw a far more aggressive performance. Often in sport, when you attack more you tend to be more vulnerable on the counter, and unfortunately for Oundle, this was the case. Two more short corners for Repton, lead to two more goals. The strength of the side was displayed in how clinical their set-piece was. Nonetheless, Oundle continued to be gallant despite conceding yet another. The final score finishing 4-0. The end result did not do justice to a strong Oundle performance.
In netball the U16 competed for the County Cup of the National Schools Netball Competition, and finished as runners-up, making it to the Regionals.
The first match was against Brooke Western and after a slow first two minutes they started to kick into gear, and won 6-1. The second match started straight after the first and was against Northampton High School which was won 5-0. Thirdly they played Wellingborough which was also won 7-0. Next they played the Weavers winning a strong 7-0.
They knew that the next match was going to be tough against Quinton House. They got quite flustered in the moment and unfortunately lost 1-4. After a much needed break, they played Pitsford and won 9-0.
Having made it to the semi-final, they were against Pitsford again. The previous win put their mind-set a mile ahead of their team and they won 9-1.
This meant that they qualified for the next round in the competition on the road to the Regionals, and just needed to fight it out for positions in the final.
They knew the final was going to be a very tough match, having previously lost to Quinton House. They fought especially hard and when the final whistle went, it was 4-4. The game went into extra time, and the team fought on and turned over many balls, but unfortunately Quinton House pipped them by one goal, making the final score 6-5.
Player of the Tournament was awarded to Lily Craven (Sn).
Doug Russell (Ldr)