The sun was shining for the U12B team’s trip to Orwell Park. Straight off the bus and into the warm-up: there was no time for first game nerves for a lot of players who have never played a competitive game of rugby before. Orwell Park got off to a blinder scoring off the first play of the game, but this didn’t deter Woodbridge, first-timers Kai Hoang, Rufus Davis and Abhiram Durbakula in particular responding well. Woodbridge managed to get themselves on the scoresheet before half time with a barn-storming run from James Williams to score the try.
Orwell Park came out with all guns blazing for the second half, scoring twice to take the score to 3 tries to 1. The experience of Jonny Evans Lombe, Josh Turner, Daniel Jones, Oliver Laxton, Joe Wray, Jimmy Glendinning, Jack Gathorne-Hardy and Charlie Royal-Dawson had a telling effect as Woodbridge got themselves back into the game. Obi Ihenacho then scored two fantastic solo efforts, jinxing from side to side to bring the teams level. Orwell Park came back hard, and thought they would secure the win but for the most incredible try saving tackles by Barnaby Gibbon not just once but thrice to keep Woodbridge in the match. And then… the crucial moment! Hector McLean-Spruce scored the decisive try for Woodbridge to run out deserving winners.
