U14's Yorkshire Plate Final Match Report

After a 4 month campaign Ripon RUFC under 14 boys arrived at West Park Leeds on Sunday to take part in the final of the Yorkshire plate competition. Their route to the final had included victories at Doncaster, Rotherham and Bradford; and had seen teams such as Wharfedale, Selby and Sandal exit the tournament. As the other finalists, Beverley RUFC had overcome equally strong opposition in the competition, and they travelled from the East Riding to meet Ripon in this, the final contest for silverware.

The cold and wet weather didn’t dampen the spirit of either team on the day, although it was hard to see how the conditions could favour Ripon’s expansive running and passing game which had served them so well throughout the season and brought them this far.
The game began in explosive style with Beverley making good use of strong forward running and intelligent kick chases, playing to the advantage of the pitch slope and putting pressure on Ripon to minimise mistakes in the danger areas close to their 22 under difficult conditions. Ripon were equal to the test however, and attacking up the slope they narrowed Beverley’s defence with punishing runs from the forwards before moving the ball wide through the backs to score 2 tries in the left hand corner within the first 10 minutes.

Beverley rallied and retained possession for large parts of the first half, continually battering Ripon’s lines and making progress towards Ripon’s 22; but with Ripon’s strong and organised defence resetting quickly after each attack as well as pressuring Beverley at each phase, Ripon turned positive defence into attack by stealing possession and then quickly moving the ball back up field, where strong runs from the forward pack saw them cross the whitewash for a third time.

Half time saw Ripon three tries to the good and with the advantage of the slope in the second half they quickly took hold of the game. Powerful and repeated forward play punched holes in Beverley’s defence and quick ball recycling at the breakdown saw Ripon’s backs create serious problems for Beverley’s stretched defence which led to an unassailable lead on the scoreboard. Beverley to their credit had come to play a part in the final and would not lie down and roll over for Ripon; they contested strongly at the breakdown and their backs endeavoured to make inroads through Ripon’s defence, but that defence was too strong. In possession of the ball, Ripon’s style of play and their energy in support of the ball carrier meant that when Beverley’s defence attempted to stop one Ripon player, the ball was quickly moved to another and Beverley were relentlessly moved around the pitch, ever backwards, which in the end proved too much for them to handle.

Ripon’s full squad of 23 made a telling contribution to the final; their tight five forwards were powerful at the set piece and destructive at the ruck; their back row forwards were relentless in defence and attack, providing a supportive link between the forwards and backs, ensuring possession was retained at the breakdown; and their backs played with intelligence and pace, creating havoc within Beverley’s defence and repeatedly finding holes within it.

The game showcased Ripon’s ability to play an attractive but extremely effective and ruthless style of rugby, even under difficult and wet conditions against a determined and strong opposition. It was a fantastic spectacle for both sets of supporters and the neutrals within the crowd, leaving Ripon coaches and parents extremely proud. At the end of the game the scoreboard recorded a Ripon win of 48 points to nil.