St Ninian’s Year 9 rugby teams enjoyed two highly competitive fixtures against Ramsey Grammar School on Friday afternoon, with both games played in difficult and windy conditions.
The A team took control early, with aggressive defence and strong, direct ball carrying consistently putting Ramsey on the back foot. St Ninian’s caused particular problems when moving the ball into the wider channels, crossing for three tries before half-time. There could have been more, but a tendency to force the offload and some inaccuracies with the final pass led to a number of missed opportunities in challenging conditions.
Defensively, the boys were excellent, with strong line speed and some dominant tackling. L. Purvis powered his way over the line out wide, while N. Nicholson carried strongly through the midfield throughout. Captain N. Ferns led by example with an excellent all-round performance. The boys continued to dominate after the break and ran out convincing winners.
The B team fixture was an absolute cracker, with both sides fully committed and producing some outstanding tackling and powerful ball carrying. Several players who are relatively new to rugby really stood out, with W. de la Cruz and Z. Fajardo making some superb tackles and carrying the ball with real intent. St Ninian’s built a three-try advantage by half-time before Ramsey produced a spirited fightback. The boys responded brilliantly, finished strongly and deservedly came away with the win.
Over 40 Year 9 boys have attended rugby practice so far this year, and this year group continues to demonstrate tremendous teamwork, commitment and enthusiasm for the game. Most importantly, the boys represented St Ninian’s High School superbly, playing with determination, physicality and respect for their opponents.
Two excellent performances, two strong results and another very positive afternoon for St Ninian’s rugby. Well done to everyone involved!