PNBHS NEWS

1st XV go down to Hastings BHS

 
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1st XV go down to Hastings BHS
by Dominic King - Monday, 10 June 2019, 9:32 AM
 

10

Hastings Boys’ High School Report.

The 1st XV travelled to Hastings to play the always formidable Hastings Boys’ High School. The game was played on a fine autumnal day and the field looked a treat.  
The game started with both sides testing each others defence out in the middle half of the field. Hastings were the first to grab the advantage through an overlap with their edge players profiting from too much space and time. The 1st XV then had a purple patch of its own and turned down some penalty opportunities by going for scrums in good positions. Held up over the line once and within inches another time, the play of both sides was noteworthy. We had clear plans and were executing them well, but the Hastings defence were equal to the task. A break down penalty to the home side resulted in them clearing the line and then, in what was to become a pattern for the match, they fed off an error and scored a second try, really against the run of the play. Again we enjoyed a period of sustained possession in the right part of the field and an excellent set piece strike saw Josh Ellingham cross the line for a try to make it 7-10. We had further opportunities as the first half wound down, but our first ruck work became an issue both in the carry and in the urgency of the cleaners to secure possession. 

The message at the half was to have the belief that we had the game plan to stretch the opposition and back our defensive line.

The second half started poorly with a quick try conceded. Again we kept stretching the Hastings defensive line with our confrontational approach only for individuals to then make dubious decisions. Breaches went unsupported, chip kicks and grubbers were used when carries were called for and we surrendered possession. On the other hand, Hastings were given limited opportunities and were extremely clinical in their finishing. As the game entered the last 15 minutes, they were 23-7 up and we started to chase the game as individuals, gifting them the chance to score a further three tries – chances this good side duly took. Final score line was a 40 – 7 loss. 

This was a hard watch. When we defended from set piece and phase play, we were very good. Their strength lay in their counter attack. Thus our attack plan was to deny them possession and be confrontational with them in the carry. When we stuck to these plans we were the better side but, as the scoreboard pressure mounted, we lost trust in our systems and made some poor decisions. With the mighty Hamilton 1st XV arriving next weekend for our first home game of the season, we will need to be better in the key moments and trust each other throughout the entire game.  
Points Scorers:
Try: Josh Ellingham
Con: Ruben Love

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