[Archive] 2023-24 NLD U18(M)

The squad is managed by Adrian Taylor, who also manages the NLD U17s squad thus ensuring continuity as players progress.

Head Coach is Chris Conroy from Scunthorpe RFC – he has worked at NLD U16s previously and is part of the Tigers DPP program.

Forward Coach is Dan Coen from Newark RFC – also part of the DPP program and has coached at various levels for Club and NLD.

Backs Coach is Peter Haskell from Mansfield RFC – also part of the DPP program and has coached at various levels for Club and NLD.

If any other coaches want to come along and help at our sessions as part of their personal development, please contact Adrian for dates and venues.

NLD U18s warmed up for the 2023/24 Midlands campaign with a trials game against Staffordshire played at Moderns RFC, they kindly stepped in to host us two days before the match as first Newark and then Chesterfield succumbed to the down pours and with no 4G pitch in working order in NLD to fall back on.

The match was a great spectacle for the 100 plus crowd as Staff won the first half and NLD the second with some great free flowing rugby played by both sides.  The hospitality afterwards was excellent especially the Ragu sauce (chef made me include that haha).

The final result was 5 tries a piece.

Going from the downpours of the previous weeks we woke to a snow filled countryside on Sunday 3rd Dec for our first Midlands game travelling to Bourneville RFC just the other side of Birmingham, one of the coaches couldn’t get out of his housing estate (electric car) as no traction, but once on the M42 the snow cleared and at Bourneville hardly any was on the ground.

Playing a big East Midlands team size-wise proved a daunting first game, but NLD settled well and through 2 tries from Will Day on the wing both converted by Eddie Frear led at the half.

The 2nd half saw a lovely line by the NLD hooker Teddy Coen saw him score by the posts giving Ollie Anderson an easy conversion.

The 2nd game of this season’s campaign was held nearer to home at Leicester Forest RFC against North Midlands.

Due to unavailability and wanting to give other players a chance the team had  different feel to it, but a fantastic whole team try finished out wide saw NLD off to a flyer, but North Midlands fought back with some cracking tackling especially by their wingers.  They scored an equalizer and with the conversion led 5-7 at the half.

Stern words to themselves during the half-time huddle saw NLD come storming out of the blocks and scored with a perfectly weighted kick through.  This was followed by some strong running from inside our half and quick ruck ball saw our full back finish off the move, he then became creator with a strong run leading to our fourth try.

North Midlands then pulled one back from a catch and drive at the line out, but the final word went to NLD with a lovely inside ball from yet another quickly recycled ruck.

NLD Midlands Grand Slam 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

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

Congratulations to all players and coaches involved!

Seven NLD players were selected for the playing squad – our best numbers for several seasons: