Under 9's Won Cambs County Festival

and

Under 11's won the St. Neots County Festival

Hi, I would like to congratulate you all on a fantastic match against St Neots which was played in the true spirit of the game. This was a joy to referee (as were your previous matches). A special thank you to your coaches & all the parents who always make me feel welcome whenever we meet at various competitions. Finally a great big WELL DONE!! to the fantastic effort put in by the kids & a good win against a great team. Finally I like to think we gave you something to think about in our game against you as there was a lot of buzzing amongst the coaches at half time when we had you pinned at your end for most of the first half, but you came out strong the second half & showed what a very good team you are. (Revenge next season!!!). Hope to see you all in the summer for a spot of training at Biggleswade. Well done!!

Best regards Mark Jabri Club Coaching Coordinator Dunstable Rugby Club

Both sides had chances to score from penalties, and Ampthill had the majority of the play, being camped in the Bedford half for most of the match, but failed to cross the 'Blues' line. At the final whistle, referee Andy Pratt from Luton noted that both sides had played to the maximun time allowed for U14s, so the game was tied, even though Biggy offered to switch 'extra time' to the floodlit pitch.

Both teams praised Biggleswade for hosting. Club Chairman John Thoday presented the trophy, to be held for six months by each team.

12:45 KO Biggleswade 2s take on Local Rivals Potton in the Green King Plate Final

Click here for rules and fixtures

France

Click for further details

Players awards and Dinner

4th May 2007

SUNDAY APRIL 29TH

K.O. 2.30

Midlands 4 East (South)

Biggleswade 10 Oadby-Wyggestonians 34

This game like so many this season promised much but in the end went the same way as most of the others. Biggleswade competed hard for much of the match but a lack of pace out wide was ruthlessly exploited. Oadby had a couple of tries which made all the difference.

After pressing hard in the opening salvo Biggleswade finally opened their account. Picking up a stray Oadby pass on the half way line Adam Sewell broke free. Hacking on a the ball he won the race for the touchdown under the posts. Mark Rastrick added the two points for the conversion.

Oadby, who claimed to have forty players unavailable quickly struck back with a converted try. They added three more before half-time exposing the serious lack of pace by Biggleswade on the wing. Not really unexpected when a prop cum flanker is put up against quick centres.

Biggleswade’s only response was a Mark Rastrick penalty from forty metres.

Fearing a massacre in the second half in the broiling sun (10-26 at the break) Biggleswade tightened up considerably. The defence was much more robust and the tackling better.

Matt Keen as always was awesome with one crunching effort after another. Karl Marshall too did his bit to atone for unwise comments in the first half that cost Biggleswade considerable ground. 

Unfortunately not available every work because of work commitments Martin Matthews had a good match with some determined running.

Finding no way through Oadby added a drop goal to their tally and then another try on the stroke of full-time.

With just the Chairman’s game on 29^th April left the curtain is almost down on a dismal season. But the next chapter might bring better things as Biggleswade go into East Midlands / Leicester 1 and the play the likes of Wellingborough OGs, Aylestone St James, Queens and St Neots.

Team: A Burke (D Tyson), D Rogers, R Collarbone, S Barker, T Griffiths, K Marshall, I Jones, P Shea, R Taylor, M Keen, J Young, M Rastrick, A Sewell, M Peace, M Matthews.

lost the game but won the drinking!

Stockwood Park 39 Biggleswade 10

Midlands 4 East (South) 31/03/07

Despite competing hard for much of the match Biggleswade were again second best. Late changes disrupted the team again. The late call ups included 46 year old Colin Abraham making his league debut for the 1^st XV. Colin’s only other previous first team game was in a scratch Sunday XV against the same opponents.

As usual Biggleswade had a much better second half after getting some way behind in the first forty minutes. Biggleswade started well and defended hard against the slope, wind and crowd swollen by VPs.

But after an early exchange of penalties Stockwood’s strong running backs scored tries at frequent intervals. By the break Biggleswade were 3-29 down and a large defeat looked likely.

Matt Keen a contender for captain next season made a marked difference at fly-half. His tackling rate in defence was immense. Matt’s explosive burst of speed often created holes in the Stockwood line. He scored Biggleswade’s only try. It came after a period camped in Stockwood’s “22”. Mark Rastrick added the conversion and slotted home the early penalty.

Other players to shine included Tom O’Connor at full back who covered immense amounts of ground in defence. He made several last gasp tackles in the corner to save certain tries. Also catching the eye was the lively Damian White who chased everything. His enthusiasm was infectious.

In the forwards Darryl Rogers’s fitness meant that he too was able to get quickly about the field. Either side of him he had Dave the Bar Tyson and Colin Abrahams so the front row was solid.

On Easter weekend the team have a rest in preparation for the last league match at home to Oadby-Wyggestonians. Before the match there is a luncheon. The only game this week is away to Datchworth.

Team: D Tyson, D Rogers, C Abraham, T Griffiths, R Collarbone, I Jones, P Shea, K Marshall, R Taylor, M Keen, M Peace, M Rastrick,  N Thoday, D White, T O’Connor.

On a fine day Biggleswade Colts put in a sterling performance against powerful opponents who had beaten them 36-0 in the reverse fixture. With a couple of over-age players allowed Biggy made good use of the extra experience and pace provided by Sam Churms, Aaron Robertson-Cowley and Tom Chalk. With a welcome return for Leo Churms, too, some very constructive rugby was played. The only down side was that there was no warm-up due to coach Churms forgetting the kit!

Early territorial advantage was gained by the visitors with Chalk, Tom Farren, Chris Mills and Robertson-Cowley to the fore. New boy “James” certainly made his presence felt, too, in the face of some fierce intimidation. The loose play was excellent and with a little more luck Biggy would have turned this into points. An early penalty miss from Leo Churms was followed by some powerful breaks from his brother Sam and Chalk but the final pass and support was not quite there and Stockwood defended well. The scrums were getting looser, though, and this, too, needs work in training. To be effective the eight in the scrum have to work as one but they were split too easily and Chalk had to work with poor quality ball. Lineouts, too, need more work but until everyone trains together this will be difficult.

The general standard of play has improved immensely, though, and despite a try conceded before half-time, Biggy might easily have scored a couple themselves. As usual James Matthews put in some huge tackles, bringing down giants twice his size and he deserved his Guinness after the game.

In the second half some great drives by Scad and Farren were spoilt by the final presentation and lack of support but the general play continued to be impressive. Despite being on the wrong end of some interesting decisions, all the boys fought hard and defended superbly – Sam Churms and Robertson-Cowley added some real grit in this area. A little more pace on the ball will see the tries coming – hopefully against Swifts on Saturday – but there was much to admire this week. Leo Churms made some good breaks and tried varying his options, whilst “JB” and “Rojer” counter-attacked very effectively.

A late try after weak defending when the line was too slow in coming up gave the opposition an undeserved two-try victory. As the pack tired, so the possession became slower and the lineout suffered but the Colts did not give up. On the attack right to the end, who know what might have happened if the coach had remembered the kit and done a proper warm-up!

Team: Ross Taylor, Jamie Griffin, Adam Wuestner, Ben Dackombe, Chris Mills, Tom Farren, James, Tim Wilkes, Tom Chalk, Leo Churms, Sam Churms, Aaron Robertson-Cowley, James Brown, James Matthews, Rojer Patki.