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The Daily Mail Vase quarter final was played at Woodhouse Grove in Yorkshire, we travelled up the day before and prepared for a tough encounter.
Woodhouse Grove started strongly and it took Hereford Cathedral School 16 minutes to get into the opposition half. The Cathedral School defence was being severely tested but held firm against a large pack. Eventually we managed to create some pressure and play the game in the opponents half.
Woodhouse missed a penalty kick and from the re-start we turned the ball over, Olly Cross chipped the ball over the opposition backs, collected the ball on the bounce and managed to hand off the full back to score a spectacular try in the corner. The score remained the same at half time, 5-0.
The second half started well for us and after a chip through from Cross, we were awarded a penalty, Cross kicked the points, 8-0.
Woodhouse came back strongly and after a kick through, they retained the ball and the full back went over in the corner, 8-5.
Woodhouse Grove scented victory and hammered away at our line, the defence was magnificent and all the players put their bodies on the line to keep Woodhouse out. The referee was awarding penalties against us for various misdemeanours but still, we held on, tackle after tackle went in and still they couldn’t cross our line.
We managed to clear the ball up field but were penalised again and the referee announced last play, somehow we pinched the ball, Johnston kicked the ball out and we thought the match was over, but the referee allowed the line out, another penalty against us resulted in Max Foster being sin-binned and the ball was passed wide, with our defence stretched, the full back managed to shrug off a tackle and dive over in the corner, heartbreak, 10-8 and the game was over.
The boys played heroically and couldn’t have given more, the defence of the squad was awesome and they should all be proud of their achievements. They have played and conducted themselves to the highest of standards and Hereford Cathedral School should be proud of what the boys have achieved.
To visit the Daily Mail Vase website please CLICK HERE or visit http://www.schoolsrugby.co.uk/tnt_DailyMail.asp?R=3
Report by: Mr R Skyrme, Hereford Cathedral School’s Director of Games
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