On what was a gloriously sunny autumnal afternoon in Crieff, the 1stXV ended the first half of term with another excellent and dominant team performance, running in a large number of well constructed tries, with the ball moving through countless pairs of hands, dominating the breakdown to produce very fast ruck ball, and the speed out wide was far too much for the brave Ardvreck boys today. It was lovely to watch and despite putting on a number of replacements (and leaving some regulars back at school), these boys fitted seamlessly into the pattern of play, and we continued to run the ball confidently from all areas of the pitch with our off loading and support play, once again, very impressive. We look after the ball, our confident in our skills and know we will have support if we need it – the commitment on show, the desire not to make mistakes and our ability to go for the jugular was there for all to see today.

It is difficult to pick out individuals to be honest, but the way this group of boys have worked so hard for each other shows just what a tight team unit we have been since the beginning of term. I look back on those first three weeks with no match as an important part of our success, with the opportunity to work on our skills, the way we want to play the game, and to allow lots of competition for places before any selections were made. To then see the way in which we fought back against Dollar to deservedly win what was one of the best U13 games I have seen at this level, with no one panicking because we fell behind but playing controlled and confident rugby until the opening presented itself a few minutes from full time, was a key moment and we have never looked back.

Yes, far sterner challenges lie ahead after half term and we will undoubtedly be tested over the next few weeks, and we also head south on tour to Yorkshire for the 15th time which is always the highlight of the season: Giggleswick, Aysgarth, Sedbergh, Sedbergh, Loretto, Aysgarth, Dollar and Merchiston: that is some second half of the season ahead but I know that this group of boys will relish the challenge and continue to improve and work hard for each other. The sense of togetherness, the absence of a star player and yet the absolute desire not to let anyone down has epitomised our play so far; it is this which will come to fore when the opposition gets tougher. I can't wait!

First up though, on the final Sunday of half term is the Ardvreck Sevens. With a full team available, we could go close…..well done, rest up, and return ready for the business end of the season to start.

On what was a gloriously sunny autumnal afternoon in Crieff, the 1stXV ended the first half of term with another excellent and dominant team performance, running in a large number of well constructed tries, with the ball moving through countless pairs of hands, dominating the breakdown to produce very fast ruck ball, and the speed out wide was far too much for the brave Ardvreck boys today. It was lovely to watch and despite putting on a number of replacements (and leaving some regulars back at school), these boys fitted seamlessly into the pattern of play, and we continued to run the ball confidently from all areas of the pitch with our off loading and support play, once again, very impressive. We look after the ball, our confident in our skills and know we will have support if we need it – the commitment on show, the desire not to make mistakes and our ability to go for the jugular was there for all to see today.

It is difficult to pick out individuals to be honest, but the way this group of boys have worked so hard for each other shows just what a tight team unit we have been since the beginning of term. I look back on those first three weeks with no match as an important part of our success, with the opportunity to work on our skills, the way we want to play the game, and to allow lots of competition for places before any selections were made. To then see the way in which we fought back against Dollar to deservedly win what was one of the best U13 games I have seen at this level, with no one panicking because we fell behind but playing controlled and confident rugby until the opening presented itself a few minutes from full time, was a key moment and we have never looked back.

Yes, far sterner challenges lie ahead after half term and we will undoubtedly be tested over the next few weeks, and we also head south on tour to Yorkshire for the 15th time which is always the highlight of the season: Giggleswick, Aysgarth, Sedbergh, Sedbergh, Loretto, Aysgarth, Dollar and Merchiston: that is some second half of the season ahead but I know that this group of boys will relish the challenge and continue to improve and work hard for each other. The sense of togetherness, the absence of a star player and yet the absolute desire not to let anyone down has epitomised our play so far; it is this which will come to fore when the opposition gets tougher. I can't wait!

First up though, on the final Sunday of half term is the Ardvreck Sevens. With a full team available, we could go close…..well done, rest up, and return ready for the business end of the season to start.

The 1st girls travelled to Bede’s School to play in the IAPS qualifiers. We left Edinburgh just before lunch time and flew to Gatwick where we picked up our hire bus. After a brief pit stop at the hotel, we headed out to the bowling alley where the girls had great fun; I’m not sure any of them are destined to be international bowlers however they laughed a lot!  A lovely meal at an Italian restaurant in Eastbourne followed, and we headed back to the hotel, tummies full and ready for bed.

We arrived at Bede’s early, and after a good warm up, faced Westbourne House in our first match. We had a shaky start, losing 2 penalty corners within the first 2 minutes. We were punished by our slack concentration, and they scored. This was enough to rile the team, and we attacked pretty much for the rest of the half. Two excellent strikes from Sophie followed, with one skimming the post. With the score still at 1-0, we finished the half.  We started well, and Sophie dribbled through the opposition. This resulted in a strong shot from her which was saved well. Further pressure from us saw us win 2 more short corners which were defended well and the play turned. We lost 2 short corners later on in the half but kept the ball out. The game finished a disappointing 1-0; not really a fair reflection of the game in which we pressed hard and had a lot of opportunities.

We knew we had to really give our all in our next match against Dulwich Prep. We started with the centre and attacked from the start. Ellie made a lovely pass through to Saphira who turned and shot but was saved by the GK. A strong early ball through from Sophie soon followed and Saphira got on the end of it and turned well and won a shirt corner. We used our straight strike option and Sophie scored a cracking low ball. Emma and Ellie played very well in defence and cleared the ball wide. We had a passage of play where we played some lovely balls through to our high player, and this style of play was rewarded from a goal by Saphira from Sophie. With the seconds ticking away, we lost a soft goal in the last 10 seconds however we headed in to the half time 2-1 ahead. Izzy came in to her own in the second half and quickly won a short corner. We used our no 2 option which broke down so Sophie took a strike and scored. Further pressure from us followed, and another hard ball from Sophie up to Izzy resulted in a terrific goal and a 4-1 win.

Our last pool game was against Vinehall. We piled on the pressure throughout the game but it ended up being a frustrating match, as we found it hard to score. Izzy and Sophie linked well together and read each other’s play well. We won a long corner but just couldn’t manage to score. Another good break followed with Amelia crossing the ball in well but again we failed to connect. Ellie dominated the defence and cleared the ball well time after time. She saved a would-have-been goal with a lovely reverse tackle and cleared it away wide. The p,at swung to the other end quickly and Sophie passed a great ball through to Izzy who pulled it on her reverse and hit it hard in to the top of the net for what must be the goal of the day! Vinehall hit back and narrowly missed our goal but we hung on with our 1-0 lead in to half time. Vinehall started well and attacked our goal straight away. The play swung back and we had narrow misses from Katie and Sophie who were both well positioned. Amy had a great save to keep their goal out however we stupidly stopped playing when the ball hit our foot and no whistle was blown, and Vinehall utilised this and somehow managed to score. With only 9 minutes per half to play with, we simply ran out of time and the match finishes 1-1.

Our morning scores saw us finish in second place which meant that we progressed through to the Cup semi final against West Hill Park who won their section.  After a nervous wait we set up against Westhill Park ready for an important 18 minutes of hockey. Ellie won the toss and we started with the ball. We lost a short corner early on but Izzy ran out well and got the ball away. The play switched to the other end and Sophie was tripped up; in true Sophie style she got up, dusted herself down and proceeded to get the ball in the circle for Izzy to win a short corner. The ball was struck well and saved then Izzy popped it in the goal. We really looked like a very slick team and the next few minutes produced some really good hockey. Izzy sent the ball to Sophie, passed it through to Saphira who neatly slotted it in the back of the net. We held strong and finished the first half 2-0 up.

Westhill Park had the centre at the start of the second half, but we stole the ball quickly from them and won a corner after only 15 seconds. We used no 3 option and Amelia cracked a hard ball in to the goal to take us 3-0 up. Amelia continued to dominate the match and seemed to be everywhere, making very strong tackles and strong leads. Izzy also ran her socks off and played some outstanding hockey. We lost a short corner with 2 minutes to go however Amy saved yet mother shot with only 2 mins to go and we held off to progress to the Cup final against Bede’s. This match was probably the gutsiest performance from the girls all day and their determination and drive was amazing.

The final was a very tense affair and both teams were clearly keen to win. We won the toss and like our first game, were a little slow off the mark though for the first couple of minutes. Once again Sophie battled hard in midfield and Ellie had some cracking tackles. We won a short corner and Izzy had a great reverse strike but sadly we didn’t manage to score. Sophie played a good ball through to Saphira but once again we were denied a goal. Bede’s then came crashing through and slotted one in the goal. We gained possession quickly and won a couple of short corners however we just couldn’t get it past their efficient goal keeper. Amy made a good save and which kept us in the game and the match ended 1-0 to Bede’s at half time. The second half was a little flat at the start and the girls were getting a little frustrated at times. The time was ticking away however it was Sophie who saved the day and scored a cracking goal, literally in the last few seconds of the game. The ball didn’t even have enough time to get back to the half way, and the final whistle blew.

Golden goal beckoned, and the girls knew that they really needed to score quickly. Bede’s pressed hard but the play swung back in our favour and there was a mad scrambled in front of their goal with the ball practically skimming along their goal line however despite a late reverse strike from Izzy, the match stayed at 1-1 and the dreaded penalty strokes beckoned.

The format was 3 penalty strokes and Sophie, Izzy and Ellie all stepped up to take one each. Sophie went first and her shot was saved well by Bede’s. Amy looked determined and stayed big and got a stick to the Bede’s first attempt at goal, however the ball flew past and in to the net. Izzy then stepped up and scored with a high ball to the left. Bede’s second player made a good attempt but Amy was not letting anything past her and saved the shot. Captain Ellie scored with a hard, low stroke so it was all down to the last stroke from Bede’s. Amy was today’s hero and saved the third attempt from Bede’s which meant we won the tournament! The girls were absolutely thrilled and I am so proud of the massive team effort. Good luck at Millfield next month girls; both Cuan and myself and really looking forward to it!

The 1st girls travelled to Bede’s School to play in the IAPS qualifiers. We left Edinburgh just before lunch time and flew to Gatwick where we picked up our hire bus. After a brief pit stop at the hotel, we headed out to the bowling alley where the girls had great fun; I’m not sure any of them are destined to be international bowlers however they laughed a lot!  A lovely meal at an Italian restaurant in Eastbourne followed, and we headed back to the hotel, tummies full and ready for bed.

We arrived at Bede’s early, and after a good warm up, faced Westbourne House in our first match. We had a shaky start, losing 2 penalty corners within the first 2 minutes. We were punished by our slack concentration, and they scored. This was enough to rile the team, and we attacked pretty much for the rest of the half. Two excellent strikes from Sophie followed, with one skimming the post. With the score still at 1-0, we finished the half.  We started well, and Sophie dribbled through the opposition. This resulted in a strong shot from her which was saved well. Further pressure from us saw us win 2 more short corners which were defended well and the play turned. We lost 2 short corners later on in the half but kept the ball out. The game finished a disappointing 1-0; not really a fair reflection of the game in which we pressed hard and had a lot of opportunities.

We knew we had to really give our all in our next match against Dulwich Prep. We started with the centre and attacked from the start. Ellie made a lovely pass through to Saphira who turned and shot but was saved by the GK. A strong early ball through from Sophie soon followed and Saphira got on the end of it and turned well and won a shirt corner. We used our straight strike option and Sophie scored a cracking low ball. Emma and Ellie played very well in defence and cleared the ball wide. We had a passage of play where we played some lovely balls through to our high player, and this style of play was rewarded from a goal by Saphira from Sophie. With the seconds ticking away, we lost a soft goal in the last 10 seconds however we headed in to the half time 2-1 ahead. Izzy came in to her own in the second half and quickly won a short corner. We used our no 2 option which broke down so Sophie took a strike and scored. Further pressure from us followed, and another hard ball from Sophie up to Izzy resulted in a terrific goal and a 4-1 win.

Our last pool game was against Vinehall. We piled on the pressure throughout the game but it ended up being a frustrating match, as we found it hard to score. Izzy and Sophie linked well together and read each other’s play well. We won a long corner but just couldn’t manage to score. Another good break followed with Amelia crossing the ball in well but again we failed to connect. Ellie dominated the defence and cleared the ball well time after time. She saved a would-have-been goal with a lovely reverse tackle and cleared it away wide. The p,at swung to the other end quickly and Sophie passed a great ball through to Izzy who pulled it on her reverse and hit it hard in to the top of the net for what must be the goal of the day! Vinehall hit back and narrowly missed our goal but we hung on with our 1-0 lead in to half time. Vinehall started well and attacked our goal straight away. The play swung back and we had narrow misses from Katie and Sophie who were both well positioned. Amy had a great save to keep their goal out however we stupidly stopped playing when the ball hit our foot and no whistle was blown, and Vinehall utilised this and somehow managed to score. With only 9 minutes per half to play with, we simply ran out of time and the match finishes 1-1.

Our morning scores saw us finish in second place which meant that we progressed through to the Cup semi final against West Hill Park who won their section.  After a nervous wait we set up against Westhill Park ready for an important 18 minutes of hockey. Ellie won the toss and we started with the ball. We lost a short corner early on but Izzy ran out well and got the ball away. The play switched to the other end and Sophie was tripped up; in true Sophie style she got up, dusted herself down and proceeded to get the ball in the circle for Izzy to win a short corner. The ball was struck well and saved then Izzy popped it in the goal. We really looked like a very slick team and the next few minutes produced some really good hockey. Izzy sent the ball to Sophie, passed it through to Saphira who neatly slotted it in the back of the net. We held strong and finished the first half 2-0 up.

Westhill Park had the centre at the start of the second half, but we stole the ball quickly from them and won a corner after only 15 seconds. We used no 3 option and Amelia cracked a hard ball in to the goal to take us 3-0 up. Amelia continued to dominate the match and seemed to be everywhere, making very strong tackles and strong leads. Izzy also ran her socks off and played some outstanding hockey. We lost a short corner with 2 minutes to go however Amy saved yet mother shot with only 2 mins to go and we held off to progress to the Cup final against Bede’s. This match was probably the gutsiest performance from the girls all day and their determination and drive was amazing.

The final was a very tense affair and both teams were clearly keen to win. We won the toss and like our first game, were a little slow off the mark though for the first couple of minutes. Once again Sophie battled hard in midfield and Ellie had some cracking tackles. We won a short corner and Izzy had a great reverse strike but sadly we didn’t manage to score. Sophie played a good ball through to Saphira but once again we were denied a goal. Bede’s then came crashing through and slotted one in the goal. We gained possession quickly and won a couple of short corners however we just couldn’t get it past their efficient goal keeper. Amy made a good save and which kept us in the game and the match ended 1-0 to Bede’s at half time. The second half was a little flat at the start and the girls were getting a little frustrated at times. The time was ticking away however it was Sophie who saved the day and scored a cracking goal, literally in the last few seconds of the game. The ball didn’t even have enough time to get back to the half way, and the final whistle blew.

Golden goal beckoned, and the girls knew that they really needed to score quickly. Bede’s pressed hard but the play swung back in our favour and there was a mad scrambled in front of their goal with the ball practically skimming along their goal line however despite a late reverse strike from Izzy, the match stayed at 1-1 and the dreaded penalty strokes beckoned.

The format was 3 penalty strokes and Sophie, Izzy and Ellie all stepped up to take one each. Sophie went first and her shot was saved well by Bede’s. Amy looked determined and stayed big and got a stick to the Bede’s first attempt at goal, however the ball flew past and in to the net. Izzy then stepped up and scored with a high ball to the left. Bede’s second player made a good attempt but Amy was not letting anything past her and saved the shot. Captain Ellie scored with a hard, low stroke so it was all down to the last stroke from Bede’s. Amy was today’s hero and saved the third attempt from Bede’s which meant we won the tournament! The girls were absolutely thrilled and I am so proud of the massive team effort. Good luck at Millfield next month girls; both Cuan and myself and really looking forward to it!

The Under Nines were pleased to be on astroturf today. We played two teams of under nine girls and enjoyed playing hockey in the autumn sunshine. The A team were captained by an on form Savannah. She scored four of the total eight goals. We went ahead fairly quickly as we have had more experience than the Ardvreck girls. We have been working on a strategy of pass wide, pass long, pass in and shoot and it was lovely to see it in action with some nice passes. Ardvreck came back with two goals in the second half but we added another four to our total. Issy, Bea and Lucy were the other goal scorers. I was particularly pleased with Maddie who played brilliantly in midfield and kept on feeding great balls to our attackers. Final score Cargilfield 8 Ardvreck 2.

The Under Nines were pleased to be on astroturf today. We played two teams of under nine girls and enjoyed playing hockey in the autumn sunshine. The A team were captained by an on form Savannah. She scored four of the total eight goals. We went ahead fairly quickly as we have had more experience than the Ardvreck girls. We have been working on a strategy of pass wide, pass long, pass in and shoot and it was lovely to see it in action with some nice passes. Ardvreck came back with two goals in the second half but we added another four to our total. Issy, Bea and Lucy were the other goal scorers. I was particularly pleased with Maddie who played brilliantly in midfield and kept on feeding great balls to our attackers. Final score Cargilfield 8 Ardvreck 2.

Having lost the last 3 matches in a row, it was important that we worked hard as a team and looked to use the pace we’ve got at this age-group. Seb and Kyan came in to give us this and Matthew was employed to give us some tough tackling and positive energy that we had perhaps lacked before.

The boys played with a terrific attitude today and supported each other well. There was some great tackling and ball winning at the breakdown from Ollie, Hugo and Cody and Rory ran the show in the first half with his forward running and off loading to the centres.

It wasn’t perfect and we missed some tackles and other opportunities to offload the ball before the tackle but we didn’t let it get to us and kept our heads up. In the end we ran out winners by 10-6 with Seb putting in a man of the match performance by scoring 4 good tries from the wing.

It was great to see the hands working hard to get the ball out wide, especially from Matthew who just made the back line come into play by looking to get the ball out as soon as possible. Well done to him and Seb for stepping up today from the B team and showing they have much to offer but to all the boys, huge congratulations for coming back from what has been a difficult  few weeks on the pitch.

Thank you to Ardvreck for travelling south to see us and for competing well and making it a terrific game to watch. We look forward to seeing you again after half term at our Sevens competition on Saturday 3rd November.

Having lost the last 3 matches in a row, it was important that we worked hard as a team and looked to use the pace we’ve got at this age-group. Seb and Kyan came in to give us this and Matthew was employed to give us some tough tackling and positive energy that we had perhaps lacked before.

The boys played with a terrific attitude today and supported each other well. There was some great tackling and ball winning at the breakdown from Ollie, Hugo and Cody and Rory ran the show in the first half with his forward running and off loading to the centres.

It wasn’t perfect and we missed some tackles and other opportunities to offload the ball before the tackle but we didn’t let it get to us and kept our heads up. In the end we ran out winners by 10-6 with Seb putting in a man of the match performance by scoring 4 good tries from the wing.

It was great to see the hands working hard to get the ball out wide, especially from Matthew who just made the back line come into play by looking to get the ball out as soon as possible. Well done to him and Seb for stepping up today from the B team and showing they have much to offer but to all the boys, huge congratulations for coming back from what has been a difficult  few weeks on the pitch.

Thank you to Ardvreck for travelling south to see us and for competing well and making it a terrific game to watch. We look forward to seeing you again after half term at our Sevens competition on Saturday 3rd November.

It is always lovely to welcome touring sides from south of the border to Cargilfield, and on Saturday we were visited by St Hugh’s, a prep school from Lincolnshire. On what was a very, very wet and dreich morning, it was a very one sided game of rugby to be honest, although credit to St Hugh’s who never once gave up and kept going right to the end. However, the rugby we played was quite exceptional given the conditions, with some superb handling, the ball moving down the line with real pace and power, whilst the forwards once again dominated the breakdown and so starved St Hugh’s of the ball, which allowed us to score a lot of very well worked tries. I have a job thinking of a dropped ball if truth be told, and that says something about the concentration and skill level of this group of boys. Yes, there will be sterner tests to come, but to be so relentless, in such atrocious conditions, says a lot. Well played indeed!

Special mention to Harry for his piping before the start of the game: it is always a highlight for visitors south of the border, and today it was no different!

It is always lovely to welcome touring sides from south of the border to Cargilfield, and on Saturday we were visited by St Hugh’s, a prep school from Lincolnshire. On what was a very, very wet and dreich morning, it was a very one sided game of rugby to be honest, although credit to St Hugh’s who never once gave up and kept going right to the end. However, the rugby we played was quite exceptional given the conditions, with some superb handling, the ball moving down the line with real pace and power, whilst the forwards once again dominated the breakdown and so starved St Hugh’s of the ball, which allowed us to score a lot of very well worked tries. I have a job thinking of a dropped ball if truth be told, and that says something about the concentration and skill level of this group of boys. Yes, there will be sterner tests to come, but to be so relentless, in such atrocious conditions, says a lot. Well played indeed!

Special mention to Harry for his piping before the start of the game: it is always a highlight for visitors south of the border, and today it was no different!

This was another hugely impressive and dominant performance from the 1stXV as we played St Mary’s down in Melrose on the hottest October afternoon I can remember! 22 degrees it said in the bus, and we should brought taken our cricket gear with us!

For the first time for a couple of weeks, we had everyone available for selection and I was delighted with the ambitious way in which we played, looking to keep the ball alive, off load, move it at pace and keep changing the point of attack. It was good watch and we scored a lot of very well worked tries in the 40 minutes we played. St Mary’s had really tested us in the semi finals of the Loretto Sevens, so were no push over, but we never let them get a sniff of the ball in the first half as we made big holes in the midfield and had runners out wide to exploit the space.

The 2^nd half started a little scrappily as we made a few errors, and perhaps a bit of complacency had set in, but the final ten minutes saw us dominate once again, defending well as a unit, tackling, jackling and scoring some well deserved tries before the final whistle.

In that heat, the fast paced game we played was impressive. For two weeks running, we have played some outstanding rugby, dominated possession, not given the opposition a sniff, and come away with big wins. This group of boys are gelling into a terrific unit: they all work for each other, they are well led by the Captain, and are hungry for success. It bodes well for the tests to come, but all four teams we have played so far have been no push overs, yet we have played all the rugby, shown ourselves to be a real team and I cannot wait for the final two games of this half term, and then it's the biggies when we return after a break.

Very well done indeed, boys.

This was another hugely impressive and dominant performance from the 1stXV as we played St Mary’s down in Melrose on the hottest October afternoon I can remember! 22 degrees it said in the bus, and we should brought taken our cricket gear with us!

For the first time for a couple of weeks, we had everyone available for selection and I was delighted with the ambitious way in which we played, looking to keep the ball alive, off load, move it at pace and keep changing the point of attack. It was good watch and we scored a lot of very well worked tries in the 40 minutes we played. St Mary’s had really tested us in the semi finals of the Loretto Sevens, so were no push over, but we never let them get a sniff of the ball in the first half as we made big holes in the midfield and had runners out wide to exploit the space.

The 2^nd half started a little scrappily as we made a few errors, and perhaps a bit of complacency had set in, but the final ten minutes saw us dominate once again, defending well as a unit, tackling, jackling and scoring some well deserved tries before the final whistle.

In that heat, the fast paced game we played was impressive. For two weeks running, we have played some outstanding rugby, dominated possession, not given the opposition a sniff, and come away with big wins. This group of boys are gelling into a terrific unit: they all work for each other, they are well led by the Captain, and are hungry for success. It bodes well for the tests to come, but all four teams we have played so far have been no push overs, yet we have played all the rugby, shown ourselves to be a real team and I cannot wait for the final two games of this half term, and then it's the biggies when we return after a break.

Very well done indeed, boys.

On an unexpectedly warm sunny day for October, the Under 11B team travelled down to Melrose to play a rugby match against St Mary’s. The boys got off to a strong start with a try in the first minute. They then managed to execute some great tackles and win the ball back from the opposition but lost it through a knock on shortly after. This pattern continued for a few more minutes until the boys eventually settled down and the ball moved more easily through the hands. Cargilfield continued to attack strongly and by half time had bagged a number of tries. As good as the attack was, the defence was just as impressive with all members of the team contributing to the tackling and exerting pressure at every ruck. A wild kick allowed St Mary’s to build a successful attack which resulted in a try but the boys fought back to score three more times before the close of play. Tries were scored by Ollie, Harry and Matthew. The final score was 8 tries to 1.

On an unexpectedly warm sunny day for October, the Under 11B team travelled down to Melrose to play a rugby match against St Mary’s. The boys got off to a strong start with a try in the first minute. They then managed to execute some great tackles and win the ball back from the opposition but lost it through a knock on shortly after. This pattern continued for a few more minutes until the boys eventually settled down and the ball moved more easily through the hands. Cargilfield continued to attack strongly and by half time had bagged a number of tries. As good as the attack was, the defence was just as impressive with all members of the team contributing to the tackling and exerting pressure at every ruck. A wild kick allowed St Mary’s to build a successful attack which resulted in a try but the boys fought back to score three more times before the close of play. Tries were scored by Ollie, Harry and Matthew. The final score was 8 tries to 1.

An early goal for us against Fettes, set up by Cara and scored by Annabella, took us ahead in the first quarter. Despite not having a goalkeeper Fettes worked hard in defence to deflect the ball from their goal, but at the end of the first half we were 2 goals to 0 ahead. Fettes came back strongly in the second quarter but we managed to score again; Freya took the total to four after a super run up the wing and pass in from Cara. In the second half there was a lot of action at both Ds until Fettes broke through and scored. Fettes continued to drive forward and scored again before the final whistle making the final score 5-2 to Cargilfield. Well done, girls.

An early goal for us against Fettes, set up by Cara and scored by Annabella, took us ahead in the first quarter. Despite not having a goalkeeper Fettes worked hard in defence to deflect the ball from their goal, but at the end of the first half we were 2 goals to 0 ahead. Fettes came back strongly in the second quarter but we managed to score again; Freya took the total to four after a super run up the wing and pass in from Cara. In the second half there was a lot of action at both Ds until Fettes broke through and scored. Fettes continued to drive forward and scored again before the final whistle making the final score 5-2 to Cargilfield. Well done, girls.

Won 6-0

It was an unusually hot day in October for our game at Loretto. The girls played brilliantly as a team. Clara dribbled the ball as soon as the whistle blew. Cargilfield were dominant in Loretto’s D throughout the game and tried from very early on to score. However, the girls needed to be more accurate with their shooting. Georgia scored the first goal, which was set up smoothly by Lulu from the corner of the D. There were some great tries from Clara, which eventually paid off as she scored, using a strong hit from the top of the D. This was quickly followed by Lulu. After a drink and rest from the sun, the girls continued to play well in the second half. Matilda and Venetia dribbled brilliantly down the side of the pitch, passing the ball to Lulu to score the final two goals. Clara made a great try in the last few minutes but unfortunately just missed. Iona pushed up the pitch to dribble the ball forward several times, which helped Loretto to stay out of Cargilfield’s D. Well done girls.

Won 6-0

It was an unusually hot day in October for our game at Loretto. The girls played brilliantly as a team. Clara dribbled the ball as soon as the whistle blew. Cargilfield were dominant in Loretto’s D throughout the game and tried from very early on to score. However, the girls needed to be more accurate with their shooting. Georgia scored the first goal, which was set up smoothly by Lulu from the corner of the D. There were some great tries from Clara, which eventually paid off as she scored, using a strong hit from the top of the D. This was quickly followed by Lulu. After a drink and rest from the sun, the girls continued to play well in the second half. Matilda and Venetia dribbled brilliantly down the side of the pitch, passing the ball to Lulu to score the final two goals. Clara made a great try in the last few minutes but unfortunately just missed. Iona pushed up the pitch to dribble the ball forward several times, which helped Loretto to stay out of Cargilfield’s D. Well done girls.

Blues vs St. Mary’s: 6-3

Stripes vs St. Mary’s: 4-3

On a lovely sunny Scottish afternoon, the boys were excited to play St. Mary’s at home. Due to the opposition having a few U8 players, for safety reasons we played Tag Rugby. Despite their disappointment at not being able to tackle, the boys understood the rules and played in a professional manner. I was really pleased with both the Stripes and the Blues; their pressing of the opposition and good support play in the team led both teams to be able to score at will. One area that they can work on for next week is to keep their team shape in defence, which can sometimes fall apart and allow gaps to appear in the line.

Well done, boys!

Blues vs St. Mary’s: 6-3

Stripes vs St. Mary’s: 4-3

On a lovely sunny Scottish afternoon, the boys were excited to play St. Mary’s at home. Due to the opposition having a few U8 players, for safety reasons we played Tag Rugby. Despite their disappointment at not being able to tackle, the boys understood the rules and played in a professional manner. I was really pleased with both the Stripes and the Blues; their pressing of the opposition and good support play in the team led both teams to be able to score at will. One area that they can work on for next week is to keep their team shape in defence, which can sometimes fall apart and allow gaps to appear in the line.

Well done, boys!