Reminders for the New Year

Welcome back and Happy Christmas (and New Year if you have just found the computer again).

Here are a couple of reminders for the second half of the season:

1. Cold weather "attitude" - please read the guide above.
2. Training starts on 6th January at 9.30am sharp. We will finish promptly.
3. When you arrive at training, can you get your son to be "tagged up".

Cold weather "attitude"

Cold weather can affect youngsters in different ways and at different times. Once the player has "gone over", it is rare to get them warm again.

Here are some tips to keep them warm so we can keep them warm too:
1. Wear a hat.
2. Wear gloves - a cheap pair of goalie gloves are fine and a worthwhile investment.
3. Layers - lots of thin, peelable layers. When they peel off a layer, encourage them to give the layers to you though - we will.
4. Wear tracksuit trousers, sometimes two pairs.
5. Two pairs of socks, with say school socks underneath rugby socks.
6. Warm the boots by the radiator before coming out and put the boots on in the car before coming onto the field.
7. Don't let them onto the field until the practice is about to start.
8. Encourage them not to "fall over" which might mean they get wet or their hands get wet.
9. Don't let run them around with a ball with bare hands - a cold ball will make the hands feel cold.
10. Though the boys are not wimps and we don't want to create a sense of being pampered, if you are watching on the sidelines and feeling cold and would prefer to be still in a nice warm cosy bed (with perhaps George Clooney or Cheryl Tweedy or even both), then the boys are only few steps away from this themselves. Therefore double check that you only have one more layer than them.

Reports are ready

I have sent out four reports to those who emailed.

I will keep the others on file and can either send them out once I am back at the office computer or print them and hand them over at the next training session.

Thanks to Mike for providing the extra details and writing a report on the parents.

He did not use the terms "pull your socks up", "disruptive", "worrying noises", "smell of drink", "needs earlier nights", or "please try harder" when talking about the parents.

Happy Christmas.

Dan

Half season reports for Under 8s

I have nearly completed the reports for the Under 8s.

Please email me and I will send your son's report back by Saturday morning.

dan.cottrell@rugby-coach.com

U7s Report

Piecing together Rob's report with the scores kept dilligently by the South Gower coach, Mumbles edged it 6-5. Great tries from Tal, Jake, Matthew, Tomasz and Thomas. (Let me know if I missed anyone). Talking to one of their coaches after, South Gower really enjoyed the fixture, with their U7s having the chance of a match. So if games are a bit scarce after xmas we can always arrange another local derby.

Well done to all the U7s in their first term of rugby. In the new year they can look forward to smart new jerseys at last! They have been on order for a couple of weeks and with the unexpected numbers we are very lucky that Max's dad stepped in with extra sponsorship that will sort them out the rest of the season and next. Thanks John.

For the record, the U8s final score was 8-6.

Nadolig Llawen!

Freezing conditions don't deter U7 and U8s

On a bitterly cold December Sunday morning, both the U7s and U8s played against South Gower.

In particular this was quite an occasion for the U7's under their new coaching team of Rob and Alex. They trained vigorous before playing some excellent flowing rugby. Two or three very fine passes along with strong and straight running meant that the final score was a one try win over South Gower. Both sides did extremely well in the circumstances.

The U8's played after. It was great to see such a strong turnout, with only four players missing from the normal line up.

Again we just prevailed in a very even match, though it was not about winning but playing with some style. Defensively, we were a little ragged at times, though some players pulled off some of fantastic tagging. For example, James tagged their strongest runner five metres before line.

In attack, we looked more like a team, despite the cold conditions.

Rhys scored a couple of early tries, stepping through defenders, and Ben M scored one from a kick off with some very mazy running. Some good passing led to tries for Ben C. As usual Ben H supported well and offloaded quickly, forming a nice partnership with players like Matthew and Jack. Both the Tom's were close to the ball, and made good runs, both unlucky to score.

Try of the match was Aled's spinning effort as he tiptoed up the touchline for a 20m uphill effort.

The four C's Cam, Cian, Connor and Ciaran were all involved in try scoring moves.

In such a short game, sometimes it likely some of the players will more be active in attack. However in the practice I was glad to see all the players getting involved, moving the ball amongst themselves effectively.

In the maelstrom of the U8 game I might have missed a name for a try. Please tell me if so.

I am going to compose reports for the Under 8s this week and will post when to email to get them.

In the meantime my thanks go to Lyndon for refereeing the U8s game, Mike and Adrian for running the show from the sideline.

For U7's: Rob and Alex did a great job.

More later.

Dan

South Gower Game On - At Underhill Park

This Sunday (16th) is the last match of the term. The local derby, South Gower, at home.

Everyone (U7s and U8s) meet at Underhill Park at 9:30. That will give time for a quick practice, before the 7s then the 8s play. It will be cold - but at least it's dry.

There was some confusion earlier in the week about the venue - but its definitely now at Underhill.

Wednesday 12th: Training under the lights at Ashleigh Road

For all those starved of rugby during the monsoon, we have booked the astroturf at Ashleigh Road for this Wednesday (12th) at 4:30 till 5:30. We tried it last week with the U8s and it worked really well. No need for rugby boots - just trainers. No mud! And there is a dugout for parents to sit and shelter in.

Just drive up the narrow lane that turns off Mumbles Road and go up between the middle of the University playing fields. There is a free car park at the top of the lane and the astroturf pitches are just next to it.

All U7s and U8s are welcome.

News for next week: If the sun really does shine all week, then the South Gower match may be reorganised for next Sunday - so please keep and eye on the Blog for updates.

9th December: Match Postponed

No surprises this week. No match or training this Sunday.

IMPORTANT: RAIN STOPS PLAY

Underhill Park is waterlogged and ALL matches and all training are called off this weekend. We will hopefully re-arrange the Tonmawr match for another time.

Next week the arrangements have been made a bit easier, as South Gower will be coming to play us at Underhill Park, rather than Away as originally planned. The South Gower match will be for both U7s and U8s, and so hopefully see everyone down the park next week at 9:30. As long as it stops raining.