The season started at Rugby School and saw the boys play all the rugby, winning 64‑0. Whilst it was fantastic to watch, it was nothing more than a light session in comparison to the game against Monmouth School the next weekend. A bitterly fought game was played out on the guests’ XV pitch. The scoreline of 12‑22 did not necessarily reflect the opportunities College were denied or indeed the run of play, and a salient lesson was learned. Losing a game was tough and the mantra had to be how the boys would respond to losing. The following three games against Abingdon School, Pate’s Grammar School and Malvern College saw yet more champagne rugby played by College, scoring 162 points and only conceding 15. Whilst a run of wins was pleasing, another stern test was needed and that came against a strong and fired-up side from Sherborne School. The team lost 14‑26 but it was undoubtedly the game of the season. The boys needed to string together a series of wins but they stumbled against Radley College (who played ten-man rugby) 5‑10, and St Edward’s School, Oxford, produced the defensive display of the season to defeat the boys 5‑21.
game against a Bromsgrove side bolstered by their strong U14s. Needless to say, true College character emerged in the face of a big powerful Bromsgrove side. It was a pleasure to see the joy on the muddied faces of the College JCA XV at the final whistle as they won the game 17‑5. That left the last game of the season: the Natwest Cup competition took the side to play Northampton School for Boys. On a chilly day in the Spring Term we found ourselves losing 7‑8 and ruing the missed penalty in front of the posts. What could have been? It was a total pleasure to coach the team and they will go on to provide the mainstay of a very successful XV in a few years time. My thanks also go to Mr Oli Morgan who imparted a great deal of knowledge and passion to the season.
Mr Richard Moore
Junior Colts B
Record: played 10; won 5; drew 1; lost 4; points for 222; points against 120; points difference 102
One thing that the U15s still had was a run in the Natwest Cup and they demolished Dean Close School 36‑0 on the smallest pitch in Cheltenham which gave them some real impetus. The fixture against Marlborough College, a cracking 19‑14 win, was defined by fantastic defence and moments of collective and individual brilliance that put the direction back into the season. The season started to come to a head with a Natwest warm-up match in a regular College fixture against Bromsgrove School. The boys were exemplary and played with real discipline, executed their chances with aplomb, and won 38‑0. Clifton College provided little opposition being dismissed 58‑0 as the boys looked at the final game of the Autumn Term: the Natwest
Squad: Jack Mitchell, (captain, 4th, NH), Jimmy Daly (vice-captain, 4th, H), Lev Ovchinnikov (4th, H), Sam Cook (4th, NH), Benjamin Hilditch (4th, S), Oliver Pritchard (4th, Xt), Theo Taylor (4th, Xt), Harrison Campbell (4th, L), Charles O’ Bryan (4th, BH), Edward Winstanley (4th, S), Euan Bourhill (4th, S), Roger Mortimore
(4th, S), Oliver Ferris (4th, NH), Benedict Sutton (4th, H), Rodrigo Peralta Martin (4th, L), Joshua Berry (4th, BH), Tunku Latif Tunku Nasiruddin (4th, Xt), Eduardo Capelastegui (4th, BH), Jago Skelding (4th, BH), Freddy Horlock (4th, L), Killian Hughes (4th, S), Dougal Rees (4th, Xt), Henry Johnson (4th, H) The statistics, as always, only tell half the story. Judging the season by its averages, it was a success – with 38 tries scored overall.
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a number of schools. As it was pointed out from the outset, a College scalp is always highly prized and therefore the need to outplay and outperform the opposition certainly had added emphasis.
The first match, away to Rugby School, set the tone. An insatiable desire to attack, and resilience in defence, gave Cheltenham a 22‑5 victory. Victories against Abingdon School (14‑5), Malvern College (56‑7), St Edward’s School, Oxford, (34‑0), and Clifton College (57‑0) would follow. That said, it was not how prolific the group was that was so impressive, but rather how much they clearly loved to play the game; how much they appreciated being part of, and contributing towards, a team. They rarely needed extra motivation but were always positive, always staunch, and a pleasure to watch. That was evident in their defeats as much as in their victories, with the losses against Radley College (narrowly!) and Marlborough College (our heaviest defeat at 5‑32 against an extremely accomplished outfit) standing out. The defeats at Monmouth School and Sherborne School were also hard-fought, those opponents being particularly strong in this age group. Neither side was happy with the 17‑17 draw against Bromsgrove School, though in truth it was a fair result in a brutal match. Too many errors cost Cheltenham the win against a Bromsgrove side that was low on confidence. By contrast, Bromsgrove’s side was well-drilled and alert enough to capitalize on our mistakes. Therein lies the lesson: if the team can learn to be more technically proficient (something that unfortunately only comes through application at training), they may well become a force to be reckoned with. They are not far off!
Mr Beren-Dain Delbrooke-Jones
Junior Colts C
Record: played 8; won 4; lost 4; points for 235; points against 151; points difference 84
Squad: James Lewin (4th, NH), Max Chan (4th, H), James Webb (captain, 4th, H), Petr Porkhun (4th, Xt), Theo Taylor (4th, Xt), Benjamin Kinsman (4th, S), Henry Johnson (4th, H), Felix Stevens (4th, Xt), Jago Skelding (4th, BH), Freddy Horlock (4th, L), Jack Gibson (4th, L), Kieran Brown (4th, Xt), Kieran
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