Starting Team Positions
Backs :-Dan(wing), Oli (centre), Fintan(scrum half), Jack (centre), Finlay(full back ), Ruari(wing), Leo(fly half), Gabriel (wing), Chris (centre), Harrison (wing)

Coaches : John (Gyllenhaal) Lynch, Sean and Rob

Forwards: -Finbar(prop) , Sonny(hooker/2nd), Mathew(prop), Callum(2nd row), Ryan (2nd row),Ellis (prop)

Its November, its cold, its dark and our fair warriors from the leafy Shires of Liverpool have to travel to the border lands of Mordor and onto the wrong side of the M6.
Today is the first taste for John’s U-11 team in the Lancashire cup. The format would be two games of 20 minutes, One against our arch rivals and closest club, Sefton. The other against the unknown quantity that is Trafford MV.

I’m not sure if it was the mancunians playing tricks on us poor scousers, but we were given the registration time as 9:30. Dutifully we crawled out of bed and headed East to arrive present and correct for registration.
The only problem was we were the only team there and the rugby club was still closed. Life would have been pretty miserable if it hadn’t been for the burger van who supplied brandy snifters with tea at no extra charge, much to the delight of Finbar’s Mother.
John turned up fashionably late, but still an hour early for actual play still suffering with a very sore and disabling back complaint, caused by a 40 something year old thinking he was still in his teens. With his” John Wayne” waddle and handle bar moustache, (Movember), John was looking more like an extra from Broke Back Mountain than our esteemed head coach.

Liverpool Collegiate versus Sefton
It’s groundhog Sunday. Last match versus Sefton, this match versus Sefton. Two differences, less rain and more forwards for us.
Unfortunately, Sefton picked up where they left off and tore into us with a fervour reserved for their favourite local rivals. First half and 14 points to nil down we weren’t beaten yet , but we were on the ropes. 1st half positives included great tackling and a solid scrum.
Second half didn’t bring us any points and we restricted sefton to a solitary score, but truth be told Sefton were strong in all departments and I can’t argue with the result. Sefton 19, Liverpool 0. The game did give us a fantastic interception by Jack and some hard scrum work but no Collegiate Champagne moments.

Liverpool Collegiate versus Trafford
Having watched the Sefton versus Trafford match we knew that Trafford were competent and large but not as sharp as Sefton so hopes were high.
The whistle blew and Collegiate gave it all. Trafford were immediately pinned back and after some great forward work Finlay gathered the ball and surged forward for a great try in the corner. Fintan converted to give us a 7-0 lead.
Collegiate continued to pressure spending most of the half deep in Trafford territory, only to foul up in the last minute and allow Trafford to canter the full length of the field without a tackle in site and level the scores.
The second half picked off where we left it, Collegiate rampant and Trafford on the back foot. Collegiate had to score, but didn’t! Once again the gods of rugby dictated that collegiate should forget tackling skills and once again allow a Trafford lad a free run the length of the field to score. 12-7 to Trafford.
We now entered the final 5 minutes of the match. Collegiate were ahead in all the positive match stats apart from points. We were the best at scrums, lineouts, rucks, mauls, territory etc etc etc and were firmly camped in the Traffords 22. Collegiate pushed pummelled and willed Trafford back to score a great forwards try…….No!…..The ref could not be sure of a grounding. Scrum 5 yards out. Collegiate bossed the scrum once again , Fintan span the ball out and Jack scampered in for an easy try, not a finger on him…..No!….The ref adjudged the ball to be grounded behind the indistinct dead ball line!
Whistle blown, Trafford elated and amazed they had won, Collegiate literally crying.
Lesson learnt, It doesn’t matter how much you know it was a try , if the referee doesn’t give them! They don’t count.
As has become a constant this season, good turn out by kids and parents and plenty of positive energy all morning. Good effort boys.

Man of the Match Leo. Excellent in attack and defense.
Match correspondent, (and Dan’s dad),Aitch