NLD U18s – Midlands Champions 2023-24

With all to play for the top two ranked & unbeaten sides from the previous two Midlands Super Sundays NLD and Warwickshire played the last fixture of the 2023-24 U18s season at Warwick School.  The previous season in a trial game honors were even so both sets of coaches were hoping for a cracker and boy did they get it.

NLD stormed out of the blocks and were soon rewarded with a direct run to score from Ollie Parry which was converted.

Followed up soon after by cleanly won line out in the Warwickshire 22 the ball was spread wide where our full-back Matt Cahill crashed over and followed by the conversion.

Whether NLD rested on their laurels remains to be debated by Warwickshire came back at them with two converted tries of their own.

A stern talking too under the posts by the skipper led to a resurgent NLD side tear up the pitch for the Skipper Noah Marshall to finish off a team effort and this again was converted.

With the clock ticking down to the break NLD raised their game again and following some try line pressure Harrison Brown crashed over with a nice tight line, again converted.

Half Time NLD 28 Warwickshire 14

Whatever was in the Warwickshire water bottles at halftime they came out renewed and soon scored two well worked tries but importantly only converted one so with 12 minutes to go NLD narrowly led 28 – 26.  Setting up a grandstand finish with both sets of coaches nervously checking their watches.

Fittingly it was the man who started it all who scored the final try Ollie Parry, and capped off an amazing game for him and the rest of the team, but as the conversion fro out wide narrowly missed could Warwickshire score a converted try to level.  They threw everything at NLD including the ubiquitous kitchen sink, but having got into the NLD 22 knocked on, and the resulting Scrum ended with them being penalised for an early engagement, which after checking with the Ref NLD kicked the free kick into touch.

Final score NLD 33 Warwickshire 26

Both Managers agreed it had been the best game of the season and though one side lost both teams left the field with heads held high after giving the crowd a real show of excellent running rugby.

The following twelve players have been selected for the 2023/24 Midlands Training Squad:

Alex Germany
Archie Tagg
Dom White
George Sparkes
Harrison Brown
Joe Bunting
Joe Doubell
Ollie Anderson
Ollie Cross
Ollie Parry
Ted Coen
William Day

A big thank you to all the players who represented NLD U18s this year and a big thank you to the parents for their support.

The clubs who provided facilities without which none of this would be possible.

And lastly the Coaches Chris, Pete, Dan, Adam and Gary who have helped me by putting on an amazing program.

Adrian Taylor

NLD U18s Manager