Under-14s learn: win some, lose some

Take 24 teenage boys from various backgrounds and teach them the game of rugby, and what is the result? A successful team and long-lasting friendships according to Dave Crofts, tour manager of the Bermuda U14 rugby team that returned from a successful tour to Trinity College School in Port Hope Ontario, Canada over the weekend.

For some of the Bermuda players, this would be their first “real” game of rugby, so nerves were high.

The first half was a pretty even affair with TCS taking the game to Bermuda in the first 15 minutes of the 30 minute half but some strong play by the forwards resulted in tries from rookie Chakote Wainwright –Basden, Tadhg O’Shaughnessy and Will Collins.

In the second half, the Bermuda teams fitness, which was as good as we’ve ever seen for a touring side (thanks to Andrew Cook and the hills of the Arboretum!), paid dividends and they wore down the opposition with some great support play between the backs and the forwards yielding six more tries from Chakote Wainwright-Basden (two tries), Sanchay Bean, Will Collins and Rory Crofts — who has played many times for Bermuda walked off with a smile on his face as it was his first international try as Bermuda won 48-0.

Saturday’s match was against a strong club side called the Peterborough Pagans and the weather was a complete contrast to Friday’s match.

In the first half of the match, everything that could go wrong went wrong for the Bermuda team and 15 minutes into the game they found themselves 19 points down (three tries) and it wasn’t looking too promising.

 By half time Chakote Wainwright-Basden scored a great try leaving the score at 19-5 in the driving rain – wish we could have brought some back to Bermuda with us!

The second half was mostly Bermuda, again the fitness levels shone through and the great team effort led to tries from Elijah Richardson (rookie) and Sanchay Bean which brought the score to 19-17. The Peterborough side, to their credit, was defending in waves as the Bermuda team camped in their half for the last ten minutes of the game.

On a number of occasions, Bermuda came close to crossing the whitewash but the wet conditions didn’t assist and the last pass somehow agonizingly eluded them.