COLLEGIATE 17 - 0 EAGLE 2

After 2 weeks of unfortunate and close defeats, Collegiate 3rds bounced back with a strong win; defeating Eagle 17 – 0. This result was the proof Collegiate needed to realise their improvement from the earlier months where at the time they lost 82 – 0 to the same team.

Collegiate quickly set the tone of the game when they occupied Eagle's territory with the forwards overpowering the scrums and lineouts. Eagle's defensive line was good, and despite Collegiates' great efforts, they could not reach the tryline for the first 40 minutes.

The away side tried to put pressure on Collegiate by utilising their fast backs, however they were stopped in their tracks with some great tackles by the defensive backline.

Early in the second half, Collegiate's efforts were paid off after a penalty was awarded where the trusty boot of Paul Walsh allowed the score to finally open. These 3 points fuelled Collegiate's confidence and they were soon settled in Eagle's 22.

The forwards muscled through the scrums and pushed the opposition backwards; and eventually a clear try opportunity was missed when one of Eagle's players decided to come round the scrums and dive over the ball with half a yard away from the try line. This resulted in a penalty try to Collegiate with Paul Walsh converting again.

With minutes left, Collegiate's pack pushed the scrum forwards bringing it a yard away from the opposition's tryline; this allowed Si Price to pick the ball from the scrum and score under the posts.

This was the perfect ending for Collegiate as they finished the game on a high. They are now looking forward to face Prenton away.

With only 2 points separating these two sides, Collegiate are determined to win Saturday's game through the same great rugby with a positive attitude and communication between the players.

Man of the match for this week goes to Si Price.

COLLEGIATE 10 - 13 PRENTON 2

Collegiate 3rds experienced a narrow defeat against Prenton in the Plate with the game ending Collegiate 10 – Prenton 13.

Despite being knocked out from the cup, Collegiate continue to show strength and determination on the pitch and keep delivering fast and organised rugby. Collegiate started well and the forwards bounced the opposition off to score in the far corner.

Collegiate kept on pressurising Prenton; unfortunately a quick turnover by Prenton allowed their scrum half to kick the ball resulting in an awkward lucky bounce which allowed their winger to score under the posts.

Prenton tried utilising their fast backs but this time they were faced with equal strength and could not penetrate Collegiate's defensive wall. The pressure mounted on both sides, however it was Collegiate who gave 2 penalties first; Prenton took this opportunity (with the help of strong winds) to kick for goal bringing the scoreline 5-13 at half time.

Collegiate knew they needed to open the score early in the second half, however, despite their great efforts they were denied any points until the 70 th minute. There was great believe within Collegiate's players, and every player fought till the last second and were very unlucky not to gain any more points considering the pressure applied on the opposition. .

Collegiate will be facing Prenton again in 2 weeks in the League, they are determined to get the full points during this rematch.

gain, Collegiate 3rd team is getting stronger every week and now they will be focusing on making progress within the league with some great wins to follow.

COLLEGIATE 24 - 33 MOSSLEY HILL 2

Table topping Mossley Hill managed to halt Collegiate's winning run on Saturday within the last 15 minutes of the game with a score of 33 – 24.

Within minutes of the game, Mossley Hill utilised their fast backline to create an overlap in the far corner. Collegiate responded immediately with a fine try from Simon Price. However, Hill fired back twice again within minutes, bringing the game to 19 – 5 just after 15 minutes!

However, Collegiate's pack pushed forward and dominated in the scrums and competed well in the lineouts; the size and power of the away side dominated Mossley Hill's forwards. Collegiate had some of the best ball retention and ball recycling of the season; with patience and determination, they managed to break Mossley Hill's defensive wall three times bringing the game to 19-19 at half time.

Again Collegiate started the second half with some of the best lines ever, with the forwards weakening the opposition's defensive wall and the backs utilising the created gaps and getting closer and closer to the try line. With only 15 minutes to go, Collegiate powered through with a maul and scored again to bring the score Mossley Hill 19 – Collegiate 24. Further tries came from Andre Vassallo, James Widnall and Richard Jones with Paul Walsh converting two.

Despite Collegiate's constant pressure on the home side, Mossley Hill managed to snatch the ball a yard away from their try line allowing the winger to make a great run to the other side and scoring under the posts. With 5 minutes to go, Collegiate suffered another break away try bringing the game Mossley Hill 33 – Collegiate 24.

Despite the defeat against the league holders (with only 1 defeat all season), the atmosphere in Collegiate's changing room was very positive as they knew that the quality of rugby played on the day will certainly push Collegiate forward within the league.

It was also great to see James Widnall back on the pitch following 12 months of recovery from his injury.

Man of the Match for this week goes to Peter Noble who brought some real pace and guile on his addition at half-time.

Next week Collegiate 3rds take a break from the league to face Prenton 2nds in the plate at home!

Collegiate 3rd team is getting stronger every week and with more competition for places (with last week 4th team having 25 players); it's another reminder to make an effort for training.

COLLEGIATE 24 - 0 ORMSKIRK 3

Collegiate 3 rd team started 2012 with quite possibly the best performance of the season so far as they defeated Ormskirk 3 24 – 0 to obtain their 8 th successive win.

The home side occupied Ormskirk's territory within minutes and were determined to hold ground and obtain some early points. Their persistence paid off when they were awarded with a penalty, where despite the heavy winds; Paul Walsh opened the score line by a great kick.

Ormskirk tried to utilise their heavy forwards by running several crash balls, however Collegiates' line of defence was impenetrable and disallowed the opponents from entering their territory. The forwards were at every breakdown and managed to overturn several rucks giving the opportunity for Jay Lee and Kevin Dunn (2) to score 3 tries within 15 minutes (Paul Walsh converting all tries). These tries resulted in the first half ending Collegiate 24 – Ormskirk 0.

The second half was a defensive test for Collegiate; it was Ormskirk's time to occupy the home sides own 22. Despite Ormskirk's various attempts, Collegiate's communication and determination managed to stop their opponents from going away with any points.

It was near to impossible picking man of the match for this game. There were various contenders such as Jay Lee at scrum half, Paul Walsh and his 100% successful kicks, Kevin Dunn with his 2 tries, Matt Walker and his solid runs and tackling and really any other player who played on Saturday. James Peare is man of the match for the game whose fast running and solid tackling were outstanding.

The team also welcomed Mike Deane (his first game this season), Paul Tracey and Keith Jones (straight in at second row).

The attitude, determination and bravery during the entire 80 minutes awarded Collegiate a well deserved win as they see their team binding even stronger together.

Collegiate will be facing Mossley Hill on Saturday and Collegiate are certainly looking forward to this clash between the 2 local teams.

COLLEGIATE 20 - 8 PARKONIANS 2

Collegiate obtained another important win on Saturday against a very strong Parkonians 2nd team. It was a great performance by the away side who finished the game Parkonians 8 – Collegiate 20.

After a couple of frustrating cry offs minutes before the game on Saturday, Collegiate had to travel with 16 players; in addition, unfortunately one of the players got injured during the warm up drills. As a consequence, a quick re-shuffle of players was necessary resulting in couple of players playing in a different position to what they are used to. The remaining 15 players managed to obtain a well deserved win which saw Collegiate move to 6th place on the league table.

Collegiate gave away a feast of penalties in the first 20 minutes; allowing the home side to gain ground and put Collegiate under pressure. Despite Collegiate looking the most dangerous, they could not move into Parkonian's territory due to their own infringements. Eventually, Collegiate were punished with a try in the far corner. This early try certainly taught the away team a lesson and suddenly started playing with more discipline and a positive attitude all round.

Minutes later, Collegiate's backs ran the ball through the hands only to be tackled a yard away from the tryline. A quick ruck was formed and Tom Vipond quickly picked the ball and scored in the corner. Despite the wintery conditions with very high winds, Paul Walsh converted the try.

Seconds before the half time break, Parkonians were awarded a penalty and they ended the first half Parkonians 8 – Collegiate 7. Collegiate stepped up a gear in the second half and put forward several attacks against the home side. A scrum, few metres away from the Parkonians tryline allowed the scrum-half (James Peare) to pick the ball and run around the scrum to score another try with no Parkonians players trying to tackle him; Paul Walsh converted the try again.

Collegiate tried over and over again to reach the tryline and were unluckly not to achieve that! However, as the pressure was mounting on the home side, Collegiate were awarded two further penalties and Paul Walsh took the opportunity to obtain 6 additional points.

MOM goes to Paul Walsh who yet again perfectly organised the back line and had 100% successful kicks. The team would like to thank James Peare (backrow) who stepped in at scrum half on Saturday and gave a great performance.

It was another great performance by Collegiate who also saw Richard Jones coming back from his previous neck injury. Playing conditions are getting tougher with boggy wet pitches; these will be testing the teams' fitness and rugby skills. It is essential to attend training and keep playing with the same positive attitude the team developed in the past weeks.

Collegiate are looking forward to Saturday as they face Hoylake 2nds in the second round of the league.

COLLEGIATE 23 - 7 WIRRAL 4 (PLATE)

Collegiate's winning streak extended further after another great performance at home with the game ending Collegiate 23 – Wirral 7. After last week's comfortable league win against Wirral, Collegiate were prepared for a tougher encounter against the same team on Saturday's cup game.

Collegiate 3s must have scored the quickest try of the season when the first kick of the game saw Tom Vipond catching the ball and setting a ruck; a quick ball to the backs created an overlap which allowed Collegiate to reach the tryline in the corner. This early try gave Collegiate a confidence boost and soon after the first try, pressure on the visitors was mounting at a steady rate. A penalty was awarded to Collegiate seeing Paul Walsh awarding another 3 points for Collegiate.

Wirral reorganised their defence and once settled they were frequently in Collegiate territory. Wirral utilised their forwards strength in the scrums and mauls and were eventually awarded with a try to bring the scoreline to 8 – 7. However, Collegiate responded back and after a stolen lineout, the backs found a gap and scored again in the far corner. Minutes later, another stolen lineout which turned into a maul opened a gap on the blind side. Theo Tsiolas saw this gap and took the opportunity to run most of the pitch before committing Wirral's fullback and offloading with perfect timing to the supporting players.

Despite various try opportunities in the second half, only one try was scored thanks again to the Collegiate's backs to see the game ending Collegiate 23 – Wirral 7. The second half was stamina and fitness test, Collegiate held up Wirral's attacking efforts well, however should the home side's fitness levels were slightly better, they could have obtained an even higher score. However, it was another great performance by the home side, and Collegiate put in a huge effort in this game and the communication and positive attitude on the pitch was something the team will ensure to retain throughout the season.

As expected, it was a tough encounter but Collegiate's determination awarded them with an important win which see them proceed to the second round of the cup.

Dom Hoban had another good game and his strong lifting helped in winning many lineouts. MOM for this week goes to Theo Tsiolas who had a solid performance for the second week running.

Next week Collegiate are back in the league and they will face Parkonians 2nds away.

Do not forget training on Tuesday 9:00pm (on astro) and Thursday 7:00pm (on pitches).

COLLEGIATE 59 - 0 WIRRAL 4

Collegiate 3rd team keep hold of mid table after gaining another well deserved win at home against Wirral; with the game ending Collegiate 59 – Wirral 0.

The home side were on the pitch 30 minutes before kick off; the warming up period was intense and the players were ready for a big game. From the start, Collegiate were aggressive and set the tone early for 80 minutes of fast flowing rugby.

Soon enough, a lineout awarded to Collegiate gave an opportunity to the back line to run their moves which created an overlap in the far corner. Wirral certainly did not sit back, they utilised their heavy forwards to push the home pack backwards, creating pressure on Collegiate. However, Collegiate defended well and as soon as they snatched the ball off Wirral, the backs reached the try line again following a sequence of excellent passes.

The game slowed down in the last 20 minutes of the first half, with play taking place in mid field; these 20 minutes tested Collegiate's forwards with several lineouts, scrums and mauls taking place. Collegiate's forwards managed to steal most lineouts from the opposition and were quicker at getting to breakdowns giving the backs an opportunity to attack. Collegiate were outmuscled in the scrums as Wirral had a heavier and more experienced pack; lessons were learnt throughout the game which will be addressed at training.

The second half saw Collegiate's fitness taking over Wirral's when the backline created several overlaps and tries started to accumulate. Wirral fought till the last minute, their determination allowed them to put Collegiate on the back foot, having to defend the tryline for the last 5 minutes following several offside infringements. The home side's defensive wall stood strong and disallowed Wirral any points on Saturday.

Again, it was very difficult to give MOM for this game. Dominic Hoban had a great performance and played really well at front row, James Howarth's running, ball handling and kicking were fantastic on the day; in addition Theo Tsiolas was probably at every breakdown on the pitch stealing several balls from the opposition's hands.

MOM for this week goes to Dennis O'Neil (John Bishop's son, or nephew or third cousin) who also scored his first try on the first game with Collegiate!

Next Saturday, Collegiate will face Wirral again in the Cup at home.

COLLEGIATE 28 - 12 ORMSKIRK 4

Collegiate 3rd gained their 4th successive win of the season after facing Ormskirk 4th away, with the game ending Ormskirk 12 – Collegiate 28.

Collegiate started the game well and straight away the forwards set the tone of the game with some big hits and turning most of the scrums over and winning lineouts. Pressure was mounting steadily on Ormskirk, however couple of knock-ons and off-sides by Collegiate allowed some breathing space for Ormskirk.

Collegiate were shocked when Ormskirk kicked the ball in the far corner and an awkward bounce allowed their winger to put the down ball in the far corner (failed conversion).

However, Collegiate soon equalised when Dave Fraser picked the ball from the back of the scrum and drove forward to reach the try line (with Paul Walsh converting). Collegiate's pack dominated in the scrums and lineouts for the full 80 minutes and this allowed a good platform for the backline to set their lines with Peter Noble at scrum half for the first time with the club. The backs had another great day and looked very strong both in attack and defence; however, the second try came from a forward as Dave Fraser again picked the ball from a ruck, going blind to score in the far corner.

Ormskirk certainly never gave up and their determination allowed them to come into Collegiate's territory and score under the posts with 20minutes to the final whistle. Within minutes Collegiate responded with an excellent individual try by Tom Vipond after utilising few dummy moves and creating gaps within Ormskirk defensive wall.

Due to several infringements by both teams on the day, the game was a relatively slow game, allowing Collegiate's good fitness levels another fast paced try minutes before the final whistle. After minutes of constant pressure on Ormskirk, their centre kicked the ball into touch. Kevin Dunn quickly noticed the forwards metres away from the line, so he was allowed to quickly pass the ball to Dave Fraser who took the ball in field and then passing the ball to Paul Walsh who offloaded to Si Collins who scored under the posts.

It was a great performance by all Collegiate's players; the MOM goes to Dave Fraser.

This 4th successive win moved Collegiate to 8th place on the league table. The league is very volatile and every game is a must win game for Collegiate. They need to keep on improving on their performance and fitness levels through training and positive play.

Competition for places is getting tougher with the club now fielding 4 teams every week. Training on Tuesday and Thursday will be taken into consideration during selection.

Collegiate are now looking forward to meeting Wirral 4s on Saturday.

COLLEGIATE 19 - 10 FORMBY VIKINGS

Collegiate obtained their second successive win of this league against Formby Vikings ending the game Formby 10 – Collegiate 19. This win dislodged Collegiate from last place of the table, landing them at a more reasonable place.

Collegiate arrived an hour before kick-off, this gave adequate time for a proper warm-up. With few individuals playing outside their normal position, this time allowed the players to tidy up the set pieces.

By kick-off, Collegiate were all fired up and were determined to bring home another victory. The first 15 minutes resulted in several attacks from Collegiate, and despite some early mistakes which gave the opposition some opportunities to attack, Collegiate soon turned this over and were again on the attacking side.

Formby were awarded two successive penalties; the first one allowed them to gain several yards and the second one was used to gain 3 points. After 20minutes of hard work and play taking place within the oppositions 22, Collegiate were frustrated to be behind. However, the visitors did not allow the frustration to distract them from the game, instead they sent a wave of attacks; eventually Formby defensive wall broke down and Tom Kelly scored under the posts, which was followed by another 2 points for the conversion by Paul Walsh.

This try brought more confidence to Collegiate; a lineout in Formby's 22 allowed Tom Kelly to crash in at the blind side, surprising Formby's forwards and allowing Tom to put the ball down in the far corner. This finished the game at half time Formby 3 – Collegiate 12.

Formby certainly did not give up and tried several times to reach Collegiate's try line; their persistence paid off when a couple of penalties saw Collegiate suddenly defending the try line and an overlap allowed Formby's to score under the posts, bringing the game to Formby 10 – Collegiate 12.

The last 20 minutes were stressful minutes for Collegiate as the game was played within Formby's territory; but no points. Rich Jones suddenly performed a quick chip and chase which caught Formby by surprise; one of Formby's players frantically caught the ball and was quickly tackled without release in time.

This allowed a penalty few yards from the try-line. Jay Lee tapped the ball and popped in into Richard Jones who crashed into the defensive wall and was unfortunately stopped inches away from the tryline. Dave Fraser spotted a gap next to the breakdown and picked the ball from the formed ruck and scored under the posts (Paul Walsh awarding another 2 points for the conversion). This ended the game Formby Vikings 10 – Liverpool Collegiate 19.

Unfortunately, Richard got injured during his run (neck injury); an ambulance was called and taken to hospital. On a positive note, the injury was not as bad as feared and he should be back within 4 weeks (once his brain (??) has stopped shaking). The club wishes him a speedy recovery.

COLLEGIATE 39 - 0 SEFTON 4

Liverpool Collegiate were finally rewarded for their hard work and commitment with a great win against one of their local rivals Sefton, ending the game Collegiate 39 – Sefton 0.

Collegiate set the tone of the game within minutes from the first whistle; they pressurised Sefton and the defensive wall was eventually breached with the home side reaching the try line.

This early try fired Collegiate even more and they were hungry for more; Collegiate stole several lineouts giving various opportunities to the backline to reach the try line. Communication certainly proved a vital ingredient for this win, with the forwards winning lineouts and rucks and gaining yards after yards through mauls.

The backs created several attacks which allowed the home side to score more tries, in addition, the tackling has improved dramatically and despite Sefton trying everything to put some points on the board, Collegiate's defensive wall and discipline was outstanding.

MOM for this week goes to Dom Owen; Kevin Dunn had another great game at wing and also scored his first try after only 3 games of rugby.

Collegiate's determination paid off with a well deserved win on Saturday. The team is certainly binding together week after week and are looking increasingly dangerous. However, there is still a lot of hard work to be done in order to use the full potential of the team and perform well within this league. Hence, training this week is important (as always) and will be held on Tuesday (on the astro) and Thursday (on the pitch).

On Saturday, Collegiate will be facing Formby Vikings away and they will focus on playing with the same attitude and will be looking for another win.

COLLEGIATE 8 - 94 PRENTON 2

Collegiate third team are still looking for their first win after suffering another defeat against Prenton 2nds.

As the previous week, Collegiate started the game well and after 5 minutes they were awarded for their hard work with a penalty. MOM Paul Hardiman kicked the ball between the posts awarding Collegiate 3 points.

The first 20 minutes the game took place in Prenton's own 22, seeing Collegiate's forwards driving through the heart of Prenton. When the visitors tried to release some of the pressure by kicking the ball back into Collegiate's territory, Andy Lee and Paul Haridman quickly brought the ball back utilising their fast running. Unfortunately, Collegiate could not break Prenton's defensive wall and they deserved a better ending.

Prenton suddenly improved their game and utilised their back line to create an overlap in the far corner. This was the start of 60minutes Collegiate will quickly want to forget. Despite Collegiate's pack dominated in the scrums and lineouts, it was not enough to stop the visitors reaching the try line several times on Saturday. This scenario was exacerbated when couple of Collegiate's players suffered minor injuries which meant they could not finish the game. The team would like to thank the other players who stepped in to fill the required positions.

Despite the score line, Collegiate as usual never game up and 10minutes before the final whistle, they were awarded with a penalty few yards from Prenton's line. Richard Jones took the ball in and despite having 3 or 4 players trying to stop him, his determination and momentum bounced the players off and reached the line, awarding Collegiate another 5 points.

Despite this heavy defeat, Collegiate are determined to keep on fighting on, they are confident that their first win is round the corner! Saturday's score line does not reflect the attitude and the performance given by the players; there were a lot of positives to be taken out from this game and lessons were learnt. Training will keep on focusing on improving the team and getting used to playing together as a team.

On Saturday, Collegiate 3rds face the other local rivals Sefton. Collegiate are looking forward to this encounter and they will be training hard for this game and for the remaining games of the season!

COLLEGIATE 0 - 82 EAGLE 2

It was a Saturday to forget for Collegiate 3rds after travelling to Warrington to face Eagle 2nds where they got defeated 82-0.

Collegiate started the game well; the rucking was sharp and aggressive and were suddenly on the attack. However, a quick turnover from the opposition allowed Eagle's fly-half to kick the ball in Collegiate's territory and an awkward bounce provided Eagles winger an easy try under the posts. This exact try was repeated again within minutes leaving Collegiate a little shocked by these quick counter (lucky) attacks.

Collegiate went back on the attack and were superior in the forwards; winning most scrums and mauls, this allowed the visitors to come very close to Eagles try line and the last 20 minutes of the first half was played within Eagles own 22.

Collegiate were truly fired up at half time and were looking forward to get stuck in for the last 40 minutes and there were high hopes that the game could be turned over. Unfortunately, Eagle suddenly were the better team in the second half, they utilised their fly-half kicks to feed their fresh substitutes in the back line and caused severe damage in the Collegiate's defensive line.

Collegiate 3rds had another structured game and gave a good display of rugby, despite the score line; they gave 100% till the last whistle and never gave up and played with a positive attitude. The score line does not reflect the style of rugby played by Collegiate; they faced a strong second team on Saturday and clearly Eagle saved their best ammunition for the last 40 minutes of the game.

Collegiate are constantly improving every week and they will keep on pushing further and they will find their winning way soon! Man of the match goes to Si Collins who stepped in at number 9 who gave a great performance on Saturday.

COLLEGIATE 3 - 59 MOSSLEY HILL 2

Despite showing a great improving as the players start binding together, Collegiate 3rds suffered a defeat against their local rivals Mossley Hill 2nds.

Collegiate started well and within minutes they put Mossley Hill on the back foot with the visitors defending their territory. A penalty was awarded to Collegiate where Paul Walsh kicked in between the posts.

This scoreline changed within minutes as Mossley Hill utilised their fast backline to create an overlap and score under the posts. Collegiate tried hard to defend against a well drilled side who are currently occupying the second spot in the league.

Collegiate did react by utilising several attacking line, but they were unfortunate on the day and did not manage to breach Mossley Hill's defensive wall. The last 20 minutes were painful for the home side as Mossley Hill's fitness was superior and they took advantage to add more points to the scoreboard.

Collegiate had a great game and they should be proud of themselves after giving one of the best performances so far. The opposition were the better team on the day; Collegiate will bounce back and find their winning ways once again.

This league standard requires training together and improving as a team, so an effort should be made by the players to attend training Tuesday and Thursday this week so they can face Eagle on Saturday and come back with a win!

Man of the match goes to John Wood who had a fantastic game at number 8

COLLEGIATE 10 - 38 ORMSKIRK 3

Collegiate suffered an away defeat against a much organised Ormskirk side on Saturday with the game ending Ormskirk 38 – Collegiate 10.

Ormkirk's pack dominated Collegiate's forwards and won most of the scrums. This put pressure on Collegiate which resulted in small mistakes which proved fatal on the day.

The home side scored within minutes of the first half utilising an overlap created at the far side. Collegiate's defensive wall was more organised than the previous weeks, however, this was not enough to stop an experienced side like Ormskirk. Collegiate's frustration soon turned into infringements which allowed the home sides to gain yards after yards taking the opportunity to increase their score line.

The second half started well for the away team, Collegiate managed to reach Ormskirk's tryline. This was followed by 20 minutes of play within Ormskirks' territory, however, the chance to turn the game over were soon shattered when Ormskirks' winger took advantage of a mistake by Collegiate and ran the entire length of the pitch scoring between the posts.

Despite the score line, Collegiate played with the usual positive attitude throughout the full 80 minutes. It was certainly a game of two halves, with Collegiate playing a much better game in the second half. Collegiate 3rds have great potential and are looking forward to find their winning ways once again. The second half clearly proved that Collegiate 3rds can play fast and organised rugby; this type of rugby needs to be played for the full 80 minutes. Collegiate cannot afford to lower their guard for a minute within this league.

Man of the match for this week goes to Jon Gill. It is a shame Jon injured his knee within the last minutes of the game, Collegiate wish him a quick recovery.

COLLEGIATE 11 - 53 ST EDWARDS OB 2

Liverpool Collegiate 3rds suffered an 11 – 53 defeat at home against St Eddies 2nds. The away team opened the score line early in the first half by utilising an overlap created at the far side of the pitch.

This scenario was repeated several times throughout the first 20 minutes of the game. However, Collegiate soon realised that their forward's strength was superior to the visitors on the day. Collegiate certainly dominated in the Scrums and turned over most of the scrums; there was also a significant improvement in mauls over the previous week. This was a huge positive to Collegiate and it shows that the hard training hours are helping the team bind together further.

Collegiate tried to keep the ball in the forwards and after several attacks they managed to reach St Eddies' try line. Despite the great effort given by the home side and keeping possession for the majority of the second half, St Eddies' fitness was considerably better and they used their speed and stamina to score couple of more tries in the last minutes of the game.

The scrums were fantastic on the day; the crash balls taken from the forwards looked dangerous and were unlucky not to break the opposition's wall more often! Man of the match goes to Richard Jones who had a great game and gave 110% on the day (proof is still on the pitch)…

It was also Denis Dautaj's last game for Liverpool Collegiate as he will be moving back home to Kosovo. The club wishes Denis good luck for the future and thank him for being part of Collegiate for the last year!

Collegiate 3rds are looking forward to next week's away game at Ormskirk and will remain positive as they look for their first win!

The fitness levels have to increase as its causing problems when facing teams within the new league. Playing on a Saturday is not enough to improve the fitness levels and improve the team play, every player needs to make an effort and attend training on Tuesday and Thursday! There is great potential within Collegiate 3rd team, this has also been noted by the opposition teams; all its lacking it's the experience of playing together as a team and the stamina to play at full speed for the full 80 minutes! Two important points which will be worked on and improved through training; this will allow Collegiate to return to their winning way!!

COLLEGIATE 0 - 72 HOYLAKE 2

It was certainly a rough ride on Saturday for Collegiate as they suffered a 72 – 0 defeat to a more experienced side at Hoylake.

Hoylake set the tone of the game early with their winger scoring in the far corner after just 5 minutes. With regards to physicality, Collegiate were bigger than the home side, however this game clearly showed that within this league fast legs, communication and team experience is a great combination to go far. Hoylake managed to create several overlaps which gave them numerous opportunities to reach Collegiate's try line.

Collegiate had a 20 minute spell in the first half where they looked extremely dangerous and were unlucky not to put on some points on the score board. Despite the result, Collegiate never gave up and gave 100% on the day and in the midst of the constant attacks from Hoylake, Collegiate played with the same positive attitude as normal. MOM is Theo Tsiolas. This was also Theo's first game with Collegiate and they thank him for stepping in at playing outside centre (normally a backrow).

Collegiate know they can play better, faster, aggressive rugby; they have shown this in the past on several occasions. The main differences between the 2 teams on Saturday were fitness and the ability to work together as a team. Hoylake were clearly more gelled together as a team as they train together week in week out.

Saturday was certainly a wake up call for Collegiate and served as a bitter lesson that training is crucial in order to succeed within this league! It is still very early and there is a long road to go, Collegiate are ready to put this game to bed and forget about it; they are eager to bounce back with a great win at home on Saturday when they face St Edwards.

Collegiate need to take a step forward and make an effort and attend training on Tuesday and Thursday.

COLLEGIATE 3 - 26 BIRCHFIELD 2

Despite the loss suffered by Liverpool Collegiate 3rds on their first match of the new season, the team played well and gave a great performance with a lot of positives.

The first 10 minutes saw Birchfield 2nds applying pressure on the home side with play taking place in the Collegiate's own 22. Collegiate defended well, however the powerful boot of Birchfield's flyhalf, gave their winger an easy try in the far corner.

The remaining minutes of the first half was end to end play with no team reaching the opposition's tryline. Collegiate were awarded a penalty and took the opportunity to close the gap after Dennis Dautaj kicked the ball in between the posts.

Collegiate tried over and over again to break the defensive wall, the backs ran some powerful fast paced lines, however, Birchfield's tackling was excellent on the day and prevented the home side from breaking through the wall.

Birchfield pressurised Collegiate again in the first 20 minutes of the second half, despite the home side's great effort to keep the opposition away; eventually the tryline was reached.

Collegiate's attitude did not change, and as usual kept playing with a positive attitude and giving support to the other players. This caused some very dangerous attacking waves; unfortunately on the day they could not reach Birchfield's tryline.

The away team managed to score 2 further tries in the last 5 minutes of the game, ending the game Liverpool Collegiate 3rds 3 – Birchfield 2nds 26.

Due to shortages in some positions, some players stepped in to play in different positions to where they normally play. The team would like to thank Sam Coxbridge for playing at 9, Dennis Duatai at 10 and Paul Maylor at 15. Man of the match for this week goes to Paul Maylor.

The score-line certainly does not reflect the rugby played by Collegiate on the day. The home side lost to a more experienced side and gave Collegiate a flavour of the overall level of the teams playing in this new league.

This game is now history and Collegiate are looking forward to facing Hoylake next week. The team is ready to bounce back and move forward and are keen to bring back home a good result.

Special thanks goes to Sam Coxbridge who filled in at number 9, Denn

3rd XV Match reports 2010-11

3rd XV Results/Scorers 2010-11

All 3rd XV information will be updated on a regular basis, please click on the applicable buttons to view results/league tables and player stats.