Royston RFC round-up

Herts/ Middlesex 2

Pinner & Grammarians 23-3 Royston RFC

A DEPLETED Royston lost away to Pinner & Grammarians on Saturday.

Pinner opened the scoring with a penalty and added to their score when a missed tackle allowed their powerful centre to burst through to score a converted try.

Royston hit back with some mazy runs from Rob Turner and Jason Deards but in the searing heat the support runners were not quite keeping up for the offloads. Pinner added another penalty score just before half time to take their lead to 13-0.

The second half started brightly with both sides using the ball well and half breaks were made by Jamie Green and Paul Lawrence but again there was no end product for Royston.

Michael Schurch struck a well taken penalty to add three points but Pinner’s strong centre made another burst through a tackle before offloading for his winger to add a converted try.

Royston fought on but in the searing heat it was only a matter of time before their pack tired, and Pinner slotted home another penalty near the end to seal the win and leave Royston to reflect on defeat.

Royston U9s kicked off their first full contact rugby tournament of the season on Sunday morning at the Cambridge County Cup.

The Grantchester venue had proved a happy hunting ground last year as this team won the tag tournament, but 12 months on, tag belts had been replaced by mouth guards, shoulder padding and scrum caps as Royston were drawn in a tough pool against the larger squads of Cambridge and Saffron Waldon.

They began against Cambridge and scored two quick tries from the impressive Nikhil Gorantla.

The second half started more cagily as Cambridge tried to claw their way back, but the Royston trio of, Reid Beauchamp, Oliver Habergham and Ben Ebberson , making their competitive debuts, held firm and slowly began to push Cambridge back into their own half.

Royston continued to attack and Caitlin Donnellan scored a third try after good work from Evan Till.

The next match against Saffron Walden was far tighter but Royston went ahead through a try from centre Alfie Pocock. However they couldn’t hang on for the win as Saffron scored a late try of their own but Royston had still done enough to top the group.

They faced Wendens Ambo in the semi-final but three tries put an end to their tournament, but it took nothing away from what had been a confidence-boosting day.

The U8s travelled to Ely for the Cambridgeshire Cup and they reached the final after Matthew Depetrillo’s last-gasp try saw off Newmarket in the semi-final.

Royston couldn’t go one better, though, as they were beaten by Wendens Ambo in the final.

Head coach, Jess Lleveslesy, said afterwards: “

“I was so proud of the team today, it was clear that they were struggling in the heat but they kept digging in and ground out some brilliant result in their seven matches, pulling off moves that we have only just refined in training.”

The U8s train on The Heath, Royston, this Sunday from 10.30am and new players are always welcome.