Wisbech Grammar School provided the backdrop for a festival of ‘Fast and Free’ rugby on Sunday, as the Lambs held their U16 National Trial with their U18s playing Yorkshire.

The U16s game kicked off early in the morning with the selectors facing the task of whittling 75 players down to 28. A day of conditioned games, skills workshops and finishing with a round robin of games left the Lambs U16s staff with plenty of options. Their final selection saw 15 forwards and 13 backs selected for just the second ever Lambs U16 National Squad. In all 21 schools are represented, with Shebbear College and Norwich both having three representatives, and Millfield, Tonbridge, and Shiplake College having two each.

As the U16s selection came to a close, the U18s kicked off against a passionate Yorkshire side. Led once again by Matt Harris (Berkhamsted), who also claimed the Man of the Match award, the Lambs started with speed and intensity.

Within five minutes they had taken the lead through Millfield openside Tom Wood. Not long after Jamie Thorley (Cheltenham College), making his debut, made a 40m break from a tunrouver scrum down the blindside, before feeding Didi Videl-Adegun (Bishop Stortford) to score his first of two.

Louis Fraser (Woodhouse Grove) then produced a midfield break before releasing Will Tyrell (Perse), also making his debut, to finish and take the Lambs 17 – 0 up after 20 minutes. Yorkshire then replied with a try of their own before two more Lambs tries at the end of the first half took them in 29 – 7 at half time.

A number of changes at half time saw the game increase in intensity, Matt Gallagher (Kirkham Grammar) leading by example and getting himself on the scoresheet at the same time. James Peachey (Stamford) did similarly, ghosting through a gap to add to the tally as the game began to break up.

At 43 – 7 and with lots of broken play Wood, who had started the scoring, made a fine break and fed Raef Yewdell (Sherbourne) who finished, the last act for them both in the game and a fine way to round off two excellent performances. The final score was from Ben Waddington (Woodhouse Grove) who ran clean through from a ball from Peachey, who had moved to 10 at this point, to take the score past the 50 mark and wrap up an excellent Lambs performance. The final score was 55 – 7.

Speaking following the day’s action, Lambs National Director Alex Laybourne said:

“It has been a superb day of rugby all round. The U16s selectors have had a tough day with some real quality on display and the U18s produced an excellent all round performance, bouncing back well from last week and showing how quickly they have learnt from their experiences. The neutrals should be excited for next Sunday’s double-header against Boys Club of Wales at Aylesbury RFC with both the 16s and 18s playing back to back.”

Full Time: ISRFC Lambs 55-7 Yorkshire

Images via Colin Peachey