Travels with Dinno update

After literally one request I have found the time to update the blog. When last I wrote we had just visited the place where my rugby journey really started, Huddersfield RUFC.

The following week we started our Yorkshire Cup campaign against Castleford. In previous years I have come up against them with Huddersfield and they have been competent but nothing special. This match was something of a rout. By half time we were 27-0 up. The curse of the kicker had struck again. Three tries from forwards and two by the backs gave us a solid position. The second half saw three more tries but we allowed Cas to get a try on the board. Again two tries from our backs and one form the pack. Final score 42-7.

For the next two Sundays the family and I were in Culdaff in Donegal. We missed a defeat to Wath.

Next up were Grimsby. Again we were at home and as usual the food was excellent. The rugby was also excellent. This was a team I had never come up against before. The game started well with Dinno going to tries up. Then Grimsby hit three tries in return. Dinno pulled it out of  the bag with two more tries. Final score 22-15.

The next week was Yorkshire cup. Yet again we were at home. Doncaster were at this stage one of only two teams to beat us this season. This is also something of a local derby. This was a tightly fought encounter. Tries from Alan, Jake, Angus(3) and Smirnoff helped us to a 32-24 victory. However, our lack of a kicker is becoming an issue. This could have been much more comfortable if we had a strong consistent kicker.

The following week Tom was out in the middle of Sherwood Forest on his DofE. The final score was 15-15.

Last week we went to another new ground for us, Paviors. It was a beautiful ground hidden in the forest. The food and hospitality was excellent. The match started badly for Dinno and by the end of the first period we were 22-0 down. Paviors found a weakness and ruthlessly exploited it. If their kicking game had been better they might have put the game out of sight. In the second period our increasingly multinational team kicked up a gear. Tries from Smirnoff, Dick (2), Ronan and Angus along with 5 conversions saw the situation change. Despite two tries from Paviors the final score was 35-34. The difference was the kicking. Four out of our five tries were under the posts. Silky hit four from four. Paviors scored more tries but we were more efficient. It was an excellent game of rugby. The after match was marred slightly by a parent from our opposition but the president of the club was a pleasure to speak to.

Today Dinno got a lesson in rugby. The lesson was support your runners, don't give away silly penalties and learn from your mistakes. Also don't miss tackles. Selby comprehensively punished mistakes and despite two tries from Dick and Angus we were well beaten. 34-10

Travels with Dinno: Huddersfield – A Sort of Homecoming

A glorious autumnal day greeted our journey north. We were travelling back to where our rugby experience began – Huddersfield RUFC at Lockwood Park. I took the decision to leave Huddersfield, the town, nearly two years ago and I don’t regret it for one instant. I do, however, miss the friendship and camaraderie of my fellow travellers at the club. We shared, joy and agony, ecstasy and heartbreak. It was the best of times it was the worst of times. Leaving HRUFC was emotional fo me as a coach and a parent. Tom missed his friends but moved on and is still working his way into the Dinno experience. He feels a lot more out of place than I do as Huddersfield is all he ever knew.

We arrived early so that we could catch up with some old friends and get the feel of the place into our bones again. It is a breathtakingly beautiful ground nestled in the hills of Huddersfield with the Penistone line crossing overhead on the viaduct. The weather added to the beauty of the place. The rushing waters of the River Colne were an assault on the senses which few grounds I have visited have been able to capture.

We watched the u9s for a bit and chatted with their coach who was Tom’s first coach. Thirty plus players have joined his ranks this season and he has the luxury of putting out three teams. We then went over to watch the u15s who Tom trained with occasionally. Their rugby was stunning and they destroyed Driffield. Their weakness, if they have one, is that they are a bit cocky and can tend to coast. Then we watched one of Tom’s school friends and playing pals from u7s referee an u11s game.

We went for some food and I am pleased to say that the bacon sandwiches have improved since we left and as I understand it plans are afoot to improve the facilities further in coming months. Slowly the players, coaches and parents of our old club started to appear. There were lots of handshakes, smiles and hugs. But, despite all this bonhomie, I felt a little unsure of where to be and so I sat alone, an island unto myself lost in my thoughts and memories.

The boy started the match at No 8 and for the first ten minutes Huddersfield held back Dinno. Dinno built on a platform laid by their pack and it was a matter of time before an opportunity would present itself. The match was played over three periods. By the end of the first period Dinnington were 17-0 up. Huddersfield didn’t know what hit them and even if they did they didn’t appear to be able to counteract it. Their star players in the backs couldn’t do anything to stop the flow of the Dinnington pack who were aggressive in the tackle, the ruck and at set pieces.

The second period continued in much the same vane and ended 4 tries to 1. Huddersfield have the players who given the space and the ball can do damage. Whenever they made a mistake the ball was handed to the Dinno pack. Some words about this group of players. There are two full packs available to Dinnington. They can select any 8 of these and put them in any formation in the pack and they will dominate. They are far from the finished article and can dominate opponents for years to come if they choose to.

The final period saw Huddersfield grab another try but Dinnington pile on further pressure. The final score was 58-12 to Dinnington. If we had had a better kicker the margin would have been greater. The Huddersfield coach remarked that we have an outstanding side and that he has not seen forward play like that for years. After it was all over we retired to the bar to swap stories and to catch up. They are due to visit us in February . They tend to start slowly and then find consistency later on. It was heartbreaking for me to watch my old team be demolished like that.  The Dinnington coaches and parents enjoyed the day and hopefully it will be the first of many visits.

Next up Castleford in the cup.

It's September so it must be the rugby season again. Travels with Dinno - Doncaster

On a glorious sunny day in September we trooped off to Doncaster. This was a minor miracle as a few hours before my car had broken down. This is a new ground for me and I was impressed with the stadium and grounds and let's get right to it the bacon sandwiches were good as was the hot chocolate. But as these blogs are loosely based on rugby I suppose we had better talk about the day's events.

Throughout the summer and the pre-season the lads have been showing promise after the somewhat strained end to the season. In training the lads are focussed and are showing a willingness to move the ball around and to work as a team. The forwards in particular have impressed. There was a diverse set of views about what people thought was going to happen but my thought was always that this season was always going to be more about rebuilding and if we could show the pre-season form we stood a good chance.

For the first fifteen minutes of the match it was something of a wrestling match with lots of mistakes. The scrum was excellent and we were driving Doncaster backwards. We nearly scored but the try was held up. Neither side was showing any signs of dominance. Dinno continued their dominance and from a ruck the ball came out to one of the Chessie boys, Richard and he passed out to Harry who ran in a try which Jacob then converted. The team was showing strong tackling going forward and was winning a lot of ball and had Doncaster under control. Unfortunately it didn't last and a missed pass in midfield let Donny in and then some poor tackling let them in for a second.

The team worked themselves back in and moved the ball around and the ball worked itself out to Evan on the wing who ran in a try. At half time it was Doncaster 14-12 Dinnington.

The second half of the game started with a number of changes but in a similar manner to the first half. Another missed tackle and Donny ran into score. We struck back with a debut try by Jack which was converted by Brendan. 19-19. Doncaster then ran in two more tries in the corner due to missed tackles. Despite a 'sin binning' the team was good going forward and made chances. Following a penalty Jacob ran in a try which left Doncaster wondering what had hit them. But yet again our tackling let us down and Doncaster put the tie out of reach. Final score Doncaster 38-26 Dinnington.

There were a lot of positives to build on from this performance as the last time these teams met Doncaster demolished us. There is work to do. But a good positive day.

Travels with Dinno end of season festival

About a year ago my son and I made our first visit to Dinnington RUFC at the invitation of the head coach for Tom's age group. It was the festival and Tom was made to feel welcome by those he met. A year on and there have been many ups and downs along the way. Today was the festival. The first problem was arriving unfeasibly early and the depth of my mistake can be felt in two ways. One my face has rather caught the sun. However, like many people of a goth background I do not feel the need to show flesh  and so I was well covered up (thank God for that I hear many of you cry).

I loitered around viewing the stalls and eating the copious food that was on offer throughout the morning. I'm waiting for the botulism to kick in as open air cooking tends to not be the most inspired way to cook.

Whilst waiting for our match to start I watched a team of Under 12s from Wymondham who were presumably on tour. The first match I saw was against Dinnington who I had watched earlier and who had played well. Wymondham took them apart.  Wymondham then appeared to struggle against Sheffield. Last up for them was Sandal. I am no great fan of Sandal. They appear to have a win at all costs mentality and this on occasion descends to bending rules past the point of breaking in order to do it. The first half was a tight affair with both sides playing expansive running rugby. They moved the ball from one flank to the other. Neither side could break the other down. Half time score was 0-0.

In the second half Wymondham had to go uphill. This did not stop them and they managed to get over in the right hand corner. After about another ten minutes they started a move on the right flank and then by force of numbers and by moving the ball they drove over in the middle of the pitch. Final score 14-0.

Then we were treated to Dinnington u11s beating Sheffield 35-0.

Then came the u13s game against Scunthorpe. Through the season our results against them had been mixed. This was always going to be a tight game. The first half saw a lot of effort by both sides with Dinno's forwards stealing ball and making yards. The problem was that the ball wasn't really getting to the backs to do any damage. Half time score 0-0.

In the second half some changes were made in Dinno's team. The pack lacked some of its power from the first half and the backs didn't quite have the ability to break Scunthorpe down. Scunthorpe only got two chances in the whole match. Unfortunately for us they took them. Final score Dinno 0 - 12 Scunthorpe.

There is a lot of promise within the team and the future looks good if the progress that has been made thus far is continued.

Travels with Dinno Update - Wath, Doncaster and Moortown

Well here is the latest fix for all my readers. The reason for the delay is that I was waiting for some information to come through. That is my story and I'm sticking to it.

Since my last post there has been lots of rugby, lots of nonsense (mainly off field) and lots of positive steps forward in rugby terms despite the results.

On our travels with Dinno we recently visited Wath Upon Dearne. My father in law described it as the last place God made. Other less kind commentators have described it as the arse end of creation.  The snow by the roadside on the way in looked like industrial waste which had spread across the land in some industrial accident. The  sat nav guided us to Moor Road. Unfortunately the location was on the other side of a wall and a two lane highway.

We arrived safely. This is in spite of having to stop and talk to some suspicious looking locals. My advice is when seeking guidance to rugby clubs is only stop somebody who is wearing  walking gear such as Regatta, Berghaus etc. This people will proportionately be more likely to be rugby folk and so be able to help you.

The weather was pleasantly warm after the recent weeks. There was a breeze but for the first time in months we were able to dispense with the winter gear. The clubhouse though small served excellent bacon sandwiches and had an excellent vending machine which served quality coffee and hot chocolate.

We then trooped off onto the rugby pitch and were treated to an excellent game of rugby. Both sides moved the ball around. Both sides had periods where they threatened scores. The team in the first half were ahead but there was no coherence in the forwards. At the changeover a new forward line up came on and was more structured and effective. The forwards not only won the game but they also determined the size of the score as most of the points were scored by forwards. Final score Wath 20 – Dinno 36

Home v Doncaster

Another bright spring day beckoned only the force ten gale seemed likely to affect things. The prior week had seen a clear the air meeting of the parents and the coaching staff. Balance having been restored to the force and having partaken of a bacon roll and a hot chocolate ( maybe I am addicted to this delightful combination)we moved out onto the pitch.

The game did not start well. Through a combination of poor tackling, high winds and Doncaster’s fast back line they went four tries to nil up. Dinno then woke up and brought the score back to 22 – 17. The problem the team had was that a team with players such as Doncaster possess you can’t allow them that sort of lead. Despite Dinno playing well Doncaster added  another try and conversion 29 – 17. Dinno managed to get over for another try and conversion. 29 – 24.

There were positives from the performance. The team continues to bond better. With a better judgment they might well have brought the score back level at least with a scrum move.

The future whilst being uncertain looks bright if the team continues to progress in this manner. Next up for the Dinno treatment is Moortown.

Home v Moortown

When I arrived today the weather was delightfully spring like. I had dispensed with a coat altogether. But that is the kind of life I lead on the edge. I went into the clubhouse to see a stressed looking Val dealing with a parent from the opposition whose little darling did not have a gumshield. The mother seemed intent on trying every gumshield in the place and I feared for her ability to escape the clubhouse intact. 

Having had my regular nourishment (bacon roll and hot chocolate) I ventured out into the 'warmth' (only a force 5 gale today). I went round to the top edge of the field and waited for the match to start. Beforehand having come up against Moortown I was relatively upbeat and confident that a win was on the cards. Unfortunately somebody had merged Moortown with Yarnbury. Moortown were not great but Yarnbury usually were. As with last week's match the opposition went 22-0 up including a 60 metre interception try. The lads then woke up and started to drag things back. The set pieces were better and by half time the score was 22-12 to Moortown.

After half time Jake came on and ran in a try - 22-17. Unfortunately 'Moortown' had worked out how to deal with him. They then ran in a number of tries. Final score 17-41.

The result does not flatter Moortown. There were positive signs in development terms. There is now just a Festival match against Scunthorpe in a couple of weeks.

During the close season I will be working on some other posts and also a team management tool.

Forking hell that's a bad idea

Well that got your attention. So, now that I have you in my evil grasp I will tell you a tale that will leave a chill in your soul. Well, alright cold hands, ears, noses and other assorted extremities which are the lot of the travelling rugby parent.

Today the mighty Dinno were scheduled to play Dronfield. But before we could have all the excitement that rugby brings we had a job today. I arrived pitchfork in hand (well boot) and I went in search of a baying mob to join. This turned out to be a not particularly well coordinated mob and Pete Morley and I decided that as fine upstanding British workers, who had been asked to come and fork the pitches to remove stones, we would survey the job first from the comfort of the clubhouse with hot bacon sandwiches and drinks. After a few minutes of surveying we set out and found some like minded simpletons and started prodding the ground with the forks.

Very quickly we decided that this was a thank less task and went over to the pitches where the actual rugby was taking place.

Dronfield came out on to the pitch with a couple of players who looked a little big. You know the type tall, lanky and with long flowing locks. So needless to say during the game they were dealt with.

The match was refereed by Mark. It was a spirited effort and he tried his best to encourage equally but he did miss some more obvious penalties - accidental offside, knock ons etc.

The match started badly for Dinno when a pass was intercepted from just inside their own half and Dronfield ran in a try and a conversion followed 0-7. Dinno have been working on a new team structure for the last couple of weeks. It paid dividends. Yet again Luke and Rupert and Jacob took apart Dronfield. At half time it was 27- 7.

The team were moving the ball about and the result was never in doubt. The egos had gone from the team. One player who was brought back on midway through the second half opted to directly replace a player and play at flanker rather than move his team mate who was playing in his normal position. Work needs to continue on decision making and judgment on the pitch but the signs are good.

The final score was 53-12 to Dinno. Our only scheduled game this season is against Moortown. But no doubt something will come up between now and then.

As a footnote. Whilst the turnout was good for the forking session. The job needs to be done with more appropriate equipment like a JCB for example.

Travels with Dinno - At home versus Sheffield

Hello again as we take our latest steps on the mighty journey around Britain with Dinnington Rugby Club. Last weekend the club sent half the team off to Old Brodleians in Hipperholme (near Halifax for the geographically challenged). This was the first XV. They beat their opponents in snowy conditions at least 32-5. I don't have any details of scorers etc.

Meanwhile, back in sunny Dinno, the development team took on local rivals Sheffield. Regular readers will recall, and if you can't the details are in this blog and you clearly haven't been paying attention, that the development team have played Sheffield twice this season and had a draw and a win under their belts. After an early shock try from Sheffield the development forwards kicked into overdrive.

The development pack have always been strong but sometimes can be off the pace. Not last Sunday. They were winning scrums and rucks and were driving and controlling the game. Sheffield had an injured player who couldn't scrum but got stuck in at everything else. Within minutes Travis built on excellent work by Josh and Ronan and just dived across the line to score the first try.

Dinno scored again before half time thanks to Will (apologies if it wasn't and I'm sure somebody will let me know if that's wrong). After half time the team kicked on. The team broke forward and the ball came out to Richard (aka Ches) and he started to run laterally. The air was blue around head coach Dave but it all worked out in the end and he scored the try.

I used to coach rugby for a couple of seasons (u10-u12) and so had to be a little bit restrained when watching the boy play and do well. A ruck formed in the middle of the pack and then all of a sudden Tom appeared from the back of the pack about 20-30m out. He broke one tackle and pushed off another and then broke clear and headed for the line. He was almost caught but given the conditions he chose to dive in and score just by the posts. This was converted. The score was 17 - 5. Sheffield got another back.

Then James S got the ball on the wing. The thing he needs to do is back himself. Once he believes he can do it he will be fine. He burst down the wing and fended off a couple of tackles and then burst into the clear. He then crossed the line and ran round under the posts. His dad was swearing at this and the swearing got worse when James missed his conversion. Final score 27 - 10.

The team as a whole performed excellently. There is a truism in rugby that forwards win you games and backs decide by how many. On this occasion the forwards did both. Afterwards in the bar coach Kev made it clear that the team as a whole was a credit to the Dinnington badge and that they should not feel inferior to anybody.

As ever the food was excellent.

Next week there may be a game against Sandal. So see you soon.

The festive season and Travels with Dinno 2013: Scunthorpe

Well greetings from the Costa del Worksop. The weather in these last few weeks since my last post has been a balmy barely getting into single figures and the heatwave is set to continue into the weekend.

My daily sojourns to work in Sutton In Ashfield, cultural hub of Nottinghamshire, have been interrupted by rain, floods, vanilla drivers[1], the festive season, a lethal dose of flu and work.  I survived the festive season by entering that state of my being known as ‘grumpy old bastard’.

Despite my illness I cooked and entertained over two weekends and also survived the annual visit to the in laws and the reactions to various seasonal offerings.

Due to the weather rugby finished early and due to the illness the planned visit to the club on Boxing Day was shelved.

Last weekend I revisited a place I have not been for probably 13 years. The club’s first fixture of 2013 was in ‘sunny Scunny’. Well if we are being strictly accurate ‘misty, cold Scunthorpe’.  I used to visit the place a couple of times each year when my sister was in Irish dancing tournaments every weekend. I have always visited it either in the dark or on a train and so this visit was a new experience, actually visiting for something I enjoyed. My previous visit was for business purposes. I attended a business conference where the person delivering it said that ‘If your friends don’t support your business get rid of them and get some new ones.’ Shortly after this revelatory conference I decided where they could stick the business.

In this life you will encounter many people a few of whom will become friends. Of these, a handful will become true friends who may not always agree with you but will be there for you. I decided that these people were more important to me than wealth, which was by no means guaranteed.

Anyway back to the rugby. The journey up the motorways was relatively uneventful, apart from the police car at the entry to the M180 and the unmarked police car a few miles further on which had pulled over a motorist. The weather drifted from beautiful sunshine right through to full blown mirk.

Scunthorpe have a nice little set up. The clubhouse is well maintained and the pitches had held up well in the weather. I was missing the staff and bell around my neck. The gentle banter of the Dinno parents was a joy as I announced that I was recovering from flu.

The match started with the development team. The boy was at fly half again. The game started at a fast pace and quickly Dinno started to dominate with strong passing and driving runs. We soon went 7-0 up with a try from Olly and a conversion from Will (I think). The referee was praised because he clearly explained his decisions to the players even if those decisions left the spectating parents somewhat baffled at times. The development team maintained their style of play but were unable to make another breakthrough and Scunthorpe despite their pack appearing to tire early on managed to get the ball out to their backs who had plenty in the tank.

The development team lack the devastating pace of some of the first XV and so could not catch their opposition. That being said they played rugby in the right way. At half time the score was 15-7 to Scunthorpe. In the second half the first XV turned things around and the score finished 38-20 to Dinno. 

Normally I would go into detail about scorers etc but I didn’t keep a track of what was happening. I would also normally comment on the refreshments available at the club but due to the delicate state of my constitution I didn’t sample the delights on offer, maybe next time.

The weekly awards went to Kieran, Jake, Ben and, much to my surprise, the boy. He seems to have taken to the position of fly half and he at least went home happy. I remarked to the coach before I knew this that he had come off and for the first time had had no complaints[2].

The boy is starting to settle within the team and is starting to enjoy his rugby more. He now has a rowing machine to train on and is at least thinking about his fitness.

Weather permitting this weekend we are against Old Brods a blast from the Huddersfield days. They like to grind out the results through the pack and if you don’t try and blast down the middle and use width you should beat them.

See you beside a rugby pitch soon.

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[1] Drivers who are physically incapable of driving at any speed other than 40mph

[2] The boy has a tendency to overanalyse his performance and that of his teams and be a bit hypercritical. We are trying to get him to lighten up a bit but he is a teenager and so there is little danger of that.

Travels with Dinno: Yorkshire Cup: Cleckheaton

The day started early  - like most days. I felt like crap but rugby is a harsh mistress and so after dragging the boy out of bed we set off for West Yorkshire. The night before I had stood on my glasses and so I was having to make do.

First stop was the boy's home town where we met up with the Williams family and spent an hour discussing rugby, school and life in general. We set off for Cleckheaton just after 11. When we arrived the chaos at the club was matched only by the chaos that is the M62. I think not having to deal with that on a daily basis is worth moving to Nottinghamshire for.

The hospitality at Cleckheaton was as good as ever. I have been coming to this club for many years and the welcome is always good and the refreshments are excellent. An added bonus was to see Huddersfield U11s and their coach Martin Leeming. Also good to see Gill and Tommy from the U13s.

We went down to the stand to prepare for the day's entertainment. The time came for kick off. Dinno set off out of the blocks very quickly and it looked like a rout might be on the cards. Luke drove across for a try and shortly after Brandon went under the posts for try number 2. Both of the conversions were missed but the second only because it hit the post.

At this point I joined the general hunt for the team's water bottles. This meant that I missed Brandon's second try and the subsequent conversion. Half time arrived and we led 17-0.

The second half did not go to plan. The team lost two players to injury. But the remaining players did not seem to have any idea how to kill the game off and Cleckheaton demonstrated that tenacity I have seen before and scored twice through breaks down the right and converted both. This brought the score to 17-14. The last few minutes were tense and nervous for everyone but the team got away with it.

The boy wasn't happy but this is a team game and you have to do what you think is right to try and win.  Weather permitting next week is Wetherby.

Travels with Dinno (18/11/12): Harrogate

Well on a bright frosty autumnal morning we set off for the frozen north in search of Harrogate. I went there once or twice before to the convention centre but always by train. Everything was going well until we followed the directions provided by Google maps. We left the A1 at J45 and drove into Wetherby (I think). At this point it said to go through two roundabouts which we duly did and then ended up back at the A1 at Wetherby services.  Having retraced our steps and found a sign directing us to Harrogate we quickly made up for lost time.

We were not actually playing at the club but rather at the High School down the road. The pitch was not so much a pitch as a swamp. There were no facilities on the site. Note to the general organisers of such things. If you are shipping people half a mile down the road it would make some sense to ensure that there are adequate toilets and some food and hot drinks might be nice. Particularly since these are the facilities that you get at virtually every other ground. Rant over.

The first XV were simply unable to cope with Harrogate's style of play. They kept the ball moving and there was always support. They were well drilled in everything they did. Even with the Harrogate ref apparently doing his best to penalise his own side our lads just kept doing the same things and didn't seem to be able to work out that they had to try something different. At times they kicked away too much possession. The final score of 26 - 0 (which included a penalty try) didn't flatter Harrogate. Harrogate were able to pass the ball out in the tackle all the time.

Next up were the development team. Boy was playing at centre as the regular stand off had returned from the first XV. This was, as ever, a much closer match. Dinno took the lead through a try by Josh. After a brief period of domination Harrogate went over for a try which they converted. The score was now 7-5. There was plenty of effort and commitment, even if the Boy didn't think he had contributed. In once encounter he lost possession but got up and tackled the guy who had taken it and then pursued and caught the guy he passed it to. Harrogate scored again 12-5. After some good work the ball went out to Kieran who went in at the corner to score a try. 12-10. The referee called it as 12-12 and that would have been a fair result but Harrogate won.

Everybody watching agreed that it had been a fantastic game of rugby and the only difference was a conversion. If the development team need to learn anything it is to take their chances. They could have been out of sight at half time. They tackled hard, passed well and had better decision making. They keep the ball in hand and make it do the work. They are becoming adept at getting the ball out in contact areas. If as a very biased observer I have one issue it is that I would have liked to see Boy carry on at stand off as he has performed well there.

The development team are developing very quickly. It is noticeable that even in training the gap between the teams is closing.

Next week we have a training session I think and then a home fixture against Goole. Well see you at pitchside soon.

Travels with Dinno (11/11/12) Yorkshire Cup Round 2: Morley

On a cool, crisp, bright November morning we arrived at Lodge Lane for this vital match. A win would see us continue to storm on towards the finals. A loss would leave us with a few Sunday's spare in the months to come.  The Remembrance Day part of the morning was observed impeccably by everybody. The bugler playing the last post was haunting as you could hear and feel the wind blowing across the ground through the silence.
How was the team feeling in the build up to this important fixture on the back of two relatively poor performances in recent weeks? Were there doubts that we could see off Morley? Well actually to be truthful there weren't. Morley had announced midweek that they couldn't put out a team and so by default we won.
Morley did bring a combined twelves and thirteens team down. During our spell with Huddersfield we had played them three times and the record was won 1 lost 1 drawn 1. It was planned that this would be a chance for the development team to get some match time together.
The boy was starting at fly half again. By the way, in case you haven't worked it out yet my blogs are entirely biased. I support the team I am playing for wholeheartedly and am like any other parent I want my kid to do well.  The first half was a tight run affair. The boy was involved in at least two of the tries. The air was turning blue on a regular basis as he kept taking the ball into contact areas. This was a problem that the first XV seemed to have a couple of weeks ago. The boy was getting the ball out of contact and creating space. Morley were first to score. However, the reply was quick. Brad scored a try followed by another from Olly. Morley then brought the scores level again. Then after an impressive backs move where all of the backs were involved the ball came out to Brendan on the wing who went in to score. You could hear the groans from his dad's wallet. Half time Dinno 15 - Morley 10. The feeling was that over the second half the development team could win this comfortably purely because of the way they played the game. Driving forward play supported by backs at the breakdown and then strong team work from the back division who were playing flowing creative rugby.
At half time the coaches decided to change everything and put on the first XV. Naturally the parents of the development side wanted to see them play out a whole game. That is because there are the makings of a strong team and they are starting to gel as a unit. We wanted them to win but were more interested in the performance. To quote Monty Python's Spanish Inquisition sketch there was trouble at t'mill.
After half time it became something of a rout. At times the scene reminded me of the final battle scene from The Last Samurai where a group of noble warriors are being cut to shreds by a mechanical army. The first XV weren't in a merciful mood and the sight of Morley players on the ground wasn't great. They gave a great effort but ultimately the introduction of the first XV and then the return of Ben on kicking duties told. The second half saw 5 tries (2 from Rupert, 1 each from Harry, Will and Todd) along with 3 conversions lead to a final score of 46-10. The boy was named man of the match.
Other results from the 2nd Round saw Cleckheaton, Rishworthians, Otley, Middlesbrough, York, Harrogate progress. There are still two results I haven't been able to track down. The more mathematically gifted among you will have noticed that with those two results to come there will be 9 teams in the next round. Enquiring minds are keen to know what the hell is going to happen to get down to an even number.
This weekend we are either away at Harrogate or playing Otley or Wath.
By the way the bacon rolls and hot chocolate at Dinno are excellent.

Travels with Dinno (4/11/12): Sheffield Part 2: The Revenge

Hello again rugby fans. It is that time of the week when I regale you with my travels around the country in support of Dinnington u13s. This week's fun and frolics were at Sheffield RUFC at Abbeydale Park. This was our second visit of the year and as ever the ties were much anticipated. Local bragging rights were on offer.

The weather was dull and icy cold. The boy had goosepimples on his goosepimples. Like a typical teenager he just stood there shivering. He refused the offer of hot chocolate (which was very nice by the way especially with the bacon sandwich). It didn't occur to him to keep his tracksuit bottoms on. He stood there like a typical teenager grunting when asked questions and trying to convince the world that he is tough and that the icy cold didn't bother him.

So on to the match. First up with the two first XVs. Sheffield quickly set about their business of getting revenge for the absolute thumping they got last time. They went 12 - 0 up. Shortly after a try was not awarded to Dinno but we couldn't see why but then Adam shot down the wing and got one back. The difficult conversion was missed and the score was 12-5. After that we didn't trouble the scorers and Sheffield ran out 29-5 winners. The first XV did not seem to be up for the match and there was possibly a hangover from last week's match. Their usual fluency was just not there and Sheffield made the most of it.

While all this was going on the second XV were spending their time periodically running laps around the pitch to keep them warm and limbered up.

The match started and as with the match a few weeks ago this was a tight affair. The forwards were pumped and were driving and mauling and stealing possession. The thing they did differently this time was that they moved the ball out to the backs. The boy was playing at Fly Half (his fourth position of the season) and seemed to thrive. He is not a natural there as he has no kicking game at all. What he did do was keep things moving. He worked with Sam at scrum half dictating moves and with Kieran and James in the backs. They were communicating with each other. When they got the ball they ran it. The icing on the cake was that they passed the ball early after drawing in the man and created space.

After an aggressive forwards move the ball came out to the boy who popped up a pass to Brad who ran it in  for a try in the corner 5-0 at half time.

The performance continued after half time as before. The boy got into a position near the try line and could probably have run in the try himself but he gave the ball to Kieran who scored near the posts and then Brendan put the conversion over. After that Sheffield started to feed in their first team players partly due to injuries (all three hookers were injured in the matches). They scored two tries due to speed and pace on the break.

Personally I think the draw flattered them a bit. Dinno were worthy of the win. The most pleasing aspect was the all round display. There were forwards running down the wing, making driving runs through the middle of the pitch. When it came to picking the awards after the match the award could have gone to any number of players.

It was rugby at its best. Next week Dinno face Morley in the Yorkshire Cup 2nd round.

PS any suggestions of bias in my reporting of matches is entirely justified because like everybody else involved I am biased. Happy rugby.

Travels with Dinno: Aireborough

Greetings fellow travellers. This week's installment takes us up the road to Leeds. Dinno visited Aireborough RUFC. Despite them being relatively local to Huddersfield where I coached and where the boy played our only meeting with them had been at Keighley festival a couple of years ago. For the record Huddersfield won comfortably.

We set off slightly later than planned and the rushed back because I had forgotten to bring the directions. I tend to travel using the force. The dark side is strong within me and I can go somewhere once and more or less find the way there again even if I take a wrong turn.

Aireborough is based in Yeadon which is the next 'town' along from Rawdon where I used to work. For the record I don't much like Leeds as a place and went there very infrequently. As a driver the place is a nightmare as the road signs are terrible. But that is by the by.

We regularly passed the club on our way to Ilkley or Otley. When we arrived we had difficulty finding anywhere to park. We headed towards the clubhouse then up to some rugby pitches where we ran into Kev who said we were on another pitch. We headed over in the direction we had been sent and just about managed to avoid the people doing the orienteering. The pitch we were on was reached by going down a bank with some very dodgy steps carved into it, over a bridge which was slippy beyond belief and up another bank.

The track was saturated and the mud was deep. It felt like some kind of endurance course just to get to the pitch.

The match started and straight away Aireborough put us under pressure. They preferred the kicking game and it seemed to work for them. We had most of the territory, most of the possession and looked more likely to produce something. However, we didn't play with our brains and we lost a game we should have comfortably won. The score finished 5-0 to Aireborough. Our problem was that we kept running into contact when we didn't need to. As a team we need to learn that individuals cannot beat 15 players on their own and the support needs to be better. There is no faulting the effort and work rate of the team at all.

On a slightly irritable note the referee did appear to be a bit of a 'homer'. Three times in the first half he gave Aireborough (he was an Aireborough coach) the put in at scrums which should have gone to Dinno and when a similar thing happened in Aireborough's favour in the second half he made the correct call and gave them the scrum. I don't like criticising refs because they do a hard job and even the top refs make mistakes but such obvious oversights only fosters resentment amongst young players and supporters alike. That being said even if the ref had been from Dinnington it is by no means certain that he would have favoured them over Aireborough.

It is a bit difficult to judge the food on offer as it had taken so long to actually get to the club and with the state of the ground I didn't actually go and get anything to eat until after the match. By that time the bacon was cold but appeared to be well cooked. The players meal was pasta which seemed to go down well by and large.

This weekend we were due to operate a dual site policy with half the players going to Sheffield and the other half back up the M1 to Moortown in Leeds. However, last night Moortown cancelled the fixture and so everybody is now going to Sheffield this weekend.

Wherever you are enjoy your rugby and glory in this marvellous sport which we support week in and week out.

Travels with Dinno: Back Home Again

It was a cold sharp but bright and sunny morning as we set off to Dinnington for this week's festivities. We were to play in a 5 team round robin tournament against teams from Ashfield, Wath and Barnsley. Dinno were split into two teams and were wearing black armbands in memory of a former player, supporter and coach at the club Rob Hurdley. Before the match began all the teams lined up on the first team pitch and observed a minutes silence, The only sounds that could be heard during the minute was the tweeting of the birds and the sound of cars in the distance. All the teams were a credit to their clubs and to the game of rugby.

Reporting duties were split between myself and Pete whose son, Brendan is in the development team with my boy. We looked at the fixture list and worked out that the first couple of matches were OK as there was only ever one Dinnington team on at a time. The last scheduled game was the two Dinno teams against each other. So only for two rounds of matches would we have to split up to cover the game.

First up was Dinno's first team against Barnsley. This was something of a mismatch. Early in the game our flanker, Rupert got over to score and then it might have been Kai who converted to give us a 7-0 lead. The reason for the uncertainty is that just before the match a mist came over the pitches and a hazy sun ttried to break through. So in the stygian gloom it was a little difficult to see who was actually doing anything. Shortly afterwards Sam, who was playing at scrum half scored another try and following a missed conversion Dinno led 12-0 at half time. In the second half the team ran riot. Kai ran over for a try shortly followed by another for Elliott 22-0. Kai scored another with a conversion by Jake who as the morning progressed showed that he was a pretty good place kicker. 29-0. Centre Harry ran over for another. If he could add passing to his game he would be brilliant. 34-0 . At the end Adam ran over for another score which was converted. Final Score 41-0.

On the other pitch Ashfield beat Wath 14-7. Apparently the boy who played at flanker helped set up a try.

My next match was Dinno development v Ashfield. The Dinno first team supplied the extra players. The morning was planned as a chance for everybody to get plenty of game time and to help develop confidence among the development players. It backfired in this match. Ashfield scored 5 tries 4 of which were scored by Dinnington players and their confidence was gone. There were some good things but the damage was done. Final score 29-0 to Ashfield. On the other pitch Wath beat Barnsley 29-0.

My boy had aggravated an injury sustained running cross country at school. He was unable to play in the development team's next game against Wath. Wath were convincing 31-0 winners. The second half display by the development team was good and for most of the half they contained Wath but they were playing without confidence. One of Wath's tries was controversial. Their smallest player was tackled. He did not release the ball on the ground there followed a ruck and general melee and out of the side emerged the same player with the ball who played it off the floor and Wath scored. The first team beat Ashfield 44-0.

I then went to cover the first team versus Wath. This was a tightly fought affair but Dinno always looked the more likely winners. Wath were tough players but they were unable to cope with the aggression and the expansive play shown by our team. Jacob scored a try but missed a conversion. There was a heated debate as to whether or not he had been held in the tackle or not. The referee awarded the try end of debate. 5-0. Shortly afterwards Rupert ran over for another try and Jake converted the try 12-0. Connor added a third try under the posts on half time and it was not converted 17-0.  Just after the break Wath got a try and brought the score back to 17-7. Jake scored another try and added an excellent conversion which hit the bar and bounced over. 24-7. Kai  added a final try in the mist and Jake added the points. Final score 31-7. On the other pitch Dinno Development lost to Barnsley 33-12.  After what had been a torrid morning. some pride was restored. 

It was decided not to play the final round of games as time was dragging on and Dinnington play each other every Wednesday in training. The morning probably did not achieve what it was designed to but much rugby was played and lots of commitment was shown by all players. The winner was rugby.

Travels with Dinno Yorkshire Cup edition: Hull Ionians

Apologies for the delay in posting this week but things to do places to be in my ever exciting life.  Last Sunday morning Dinno took on Hull Ionians in the first round of the U13 Yorkshire Cup.  The draw for the cup was intriguing as there were seventeen ties so at some point  there has to be a play off between two teams to get the numbers down. However, since that is a logical way to do things it is unlikely to happen.

The boy had not been picked in the first team but on my insistence had got his kit ready and was going up to support his teammates.  I then turned my mobile phone on at about 8.30 to see a flood of texts and voicemails from the coach. I rang back and spoke to Tracey who is Dave's wife and she said that two players had been injured the day before and would Thomas be able to play. I got Tom to change into his match gear and we set off on a bright autumnal morning heading towards Hull.

The traffic was light and we arrived in good time. This time we actually managed to find the club by using the directions rather than using the force which we did the last time we went there a couple of years ago with Huddersfield.  The ground is set in rolling countryside and the clubhouse at Brantingham Park includes a fitness centre.

After the usual pleasantries I went with my namesake, Jonathan and a guy named Phil to go and sample the delights of the cuisine on offer in the clubhouse. I had my usual, bacon sandwich and hot chocolate.

The bacon was OK but could have done with being cooked a bit more. The hot chocolate came with optional marshmallows. You will be very proud to hear that I resisted this temptation.

We returned to the pitch for the start of the game. Just as we reached the pitch the Hull team all trooped off to the changing rooms. As our coach put it 'Mind games won't help them.' The referee appeared and called the teams in. Unfortunately Hull had not reappeared at the appointed time. There were some anxious looks from the Hull contingent and the referee kept glancing at his watch. At one point there was a possibility that Hull could have lost there own home fixture because they weren't ready on time.  Hull eventually appeared and the game started.

Dinno have a tendency of not playing for 80 minutes. They will sometimes have a very strong first half or a strong second half but rarely both. This is partly down to making substitutions which affects the flow but which is also necessary for the development of the squad.  We got out of the traps very quickly. After a strong passage of play our winger Adam cut inside and went over for a try. Ben then converted the kick. a few moments later Rupert, a flanker burst through and went over for a second try. The conversion did not follow but within ten minutes we were 12-0 up. After some good defensive work from a lineout the ball got into the backs and the ball came out to Jacob who went over for a try which was converted 19-0. That was the half time score.

At the start of the second half we won a penalty. Rupert sold a dummy  and ran in under the sticks 26-0. Hull came back through their number 7 with a try and a conversion 26-7. From a scrum our scrum half Kai drove over the line. By this time we had lost our kicker Ben to injury and so the score moved to 31-7. The Hull team then came back with two tries but I am still not sure if they even attempted conversions or not. The match finished 31-17.

The boy was disappointed because he was on for 10 minutes hardly saw the ball and was substituted.

In the next round we face Morley. It will be a tough match but if we can neutralise their star player we should make it.  Next week we are at home in a 4 team something or other with Ashfield, Wath and Barnsley.

Travels with Dinno - Dinnington

On a glorious warm summer morning with the sun breaking through the clouds we set off for our first home match of the season. Most of the team's matches are away this year so it is nice to have a home game.  As I write this I am sitting on a bench looking across the first team pitch. I have just eaten a very tasty bacon sandwich and am sipping at my hot chocolate.  There are clouds of water vapour rising from cooling towers in the distance and there are farmers at work in the fields surrounding the club.

The more observant amongst you will notice that the accompanying picture is not of today's glorious scene. The reason for this is that my camera broke yesterday and I can't get the photos from my phone because I do not have the right type of memory card and so I am improvising. Hopefully you get the picture anyway.  So back to the glorious day that has enfolded before my eyes.

Today's visitors are Selby. They have a strong reputation. The last time we, Tom and I, came across them was in the Under 7s where they beat us in the final of our own tournament at Huddersfield.  Nobody was under any illusions that this would be a tough test ahead of our Yorkshire Cup match against Hull Ionians next week.

The match started and Dinno got the bounce of the ball and it came back to them from the kick off. They attacked but were taken into touch. Selby were penalised for not throwing a straight lineout and we took a scrum. Our scrum half, Kai, is something of a magician. He moved the ball out from the base of the scrum and the forwards advanced. The ball was popped up to Kai who dived over for a try. Then came the conversion. Ben struck the ball confidently and everything seemed to be going well until the ball hit the right hand upright. 5-0 Dinno.

Unfortunately the team went to sleep and Selby went straight up the other end and under the posts. Dinno 5 - Selby 7.  That was how the score stayed. Both teams were well matched and the general assessment from both sets of supporters  was that it was an excellent game of rugby and will help both teams for the struggles ahead. The boy came on as a second half sub and had an OK game.

The only downside was the attack of the flying spiders.  Dinnington is a nice little rugby club and we have been made to feel welcome from day one. So if you are ever down here call in and say hello.

Next week Travels with Dinno goes to Hull and back.