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Weekend Review 180218.  In a tough weekend for Ellon Rugby, U16 come out on top!

Weekend Review 180218. In a tough weekend for Ellon Rugby, U16 come out on top!

Gareth D Kemp22 Feb 2018 - 03:13
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Ellon First XV played Garioch in Inverurie Saturday in a top two teams in the table battle.

Selecting four players from the U18 team to play in the squad (who all played excellently), Ellon continued with a very youthful team. Garioch started well using the low sun in Ellon’s eyes to kick some high ball. The first 20 mins was Garioch pressure and Ellon recovering to clear. This kept up as the Inverurie based team used strength and brute force to push Ellon back. Ellon played the better rugby, passing wide and using the backs to great advantage, but on 23 minutes Garioch scored first, out wide on the wing. 7 minutes later they went over again with the forwards to score a converted try. Ellon hit back straight away with an Ali Addy penalty, and a half time score of 12-3. Ellon score early from the penalty, but were caught napping from the restart as Gairoch gathered their own kick and went in to score a converted try untouched. 19-6. This was then followed up with a 4th bonus point try as again Ellon were not prepared. This is the point Ellon took control of the game. Young Angus Craig took a short ball at the front and started a short maul. The ball was spun to the centres, where Brad Fraser was standing in, and he broke the line at pace to score an Addy converted try. 24-13 with twenty minutes to play. Garioch then felt the pressure and committed multiple penalties and were lucky not to receive a yellow card for repeated infringements. From this pressure Ross Greig scored on the wing, for an unconverted try. Ellon were within 7 points now and piled on the pressure. But Garioch held out to win 24-18. Bonus point win for Garioch and a losing bonus to Ellon. Ellon still remain top by two points and a game in hand.
A rest weekend for the 6 Nations, with next game home on the 10th to Highland seconds.

U18 travelled to Inverness with a largely development squad, using a number of U16 players to make up for the loss of players to the First XV. In a game of two halfs, Ellon were blown away by Highland in the first half on the 4G pitch as they got used to the pitch. Ellon won the second half, but lost heavily over all to a strong Highland team. U18 drop to the Shield.
U16 had the performance of the weekend against Howe of Fife. Winning a very close game that they were behind in for 50 minutes. Coming very strong and gaining momentum at the end, the squad (with a few U15 in it) dug deep and with great crowd support, won 28-17, scoring twice in the last 8 minutes. They now travel to Inverness to play Highland in the Cup Semi final on the 4th March.
U15 lost out to a very strong Howe of Fife team, whose backs were unforgiving as the scored repeatedly, winning the game in 40 minutes. Ellon U15 who were weakened by players at U16 and key injuries, now play in the Plate Final (so a top 4 placing in Caledonia) on 29th April on finals day in St Andrews against Stirling County.
Finally Ellon U18 Girls made up over half of a Grampian Girls fixture held at Ellon. They took on Tayside and Fife in the National Cup preliminary rounds. Tayside came with low numbers so the game was awarded to Grampian Girls, but played as a game of 10s. Tayside won the fixture on the day, but both teams progress to the next round.
No fixtures this weekend due to Scotland playing England in the 6 Nations.

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