A Steep Learning Curve for Grade 9 Rugby

The Brentwood Grade 9 rugby team set sail for Vancouver last Saturday to meet St. George's School, always a tough prospect, given the experience the St. George's players have in playing rugby since Grade 5 or 6. Although the scoreline favoured St. George's (52-12), there were several milestones the Brentwood players achieved. Most important of these was the invaluable experience the boys gained from playing against a very competent team. As the match unfolded, the Brentwood players started to understand their roles more clearly and as a result gained some confidence.  Indeed, St. George's have several very large (and thus physical) players on their team and, not surprisingly, some of the Brentwood boys new to rugby were a little intimidated. Early in the second half, however, the very powerful St. George's prop was tackled very effectively, and this created some self-belief and enthusiasm within the Brentwood team.  As a result, the boys started to play rugby with true determination and grit (another great lesson from the day) and scored two great tries. Listening to the boys after the game, it was clear that they learned some valuable lessons and are looking forward to playing St. George's on the return match later in the term. Brentwood players who deserve special mention are Stuart Wylie, Cam Villanueva, and Evan Thompson, who played hard throughout the match.  Watch for more Grade 9 rugby exploits to follow!