The season began in late August with a series of pre-season sessions in order to ascertain the ability and levels of the players prior to the fast approaching season. These sessions really helped me build a relationship with a group of pupils who I had not coached before.
With a squad of approximately 35 players, I had high hopes for the upcoming season ahead. We discussed the season and came up with a number of challenges to try to achieve. The main one being to win the Devon Cup, and as this is being written the ‘dream’ is still alive. We are in the semi-finals and are waiting to find out who we will be playing.
The season started with two very good wins against Blundell’s (40-0) and QEH (24-0). In between the Saturday fixtures, we embarked on the West Devon Cup matches, the first one against DHS. We narrowly won 14-0 due to a postage stamp-sized pitch, but still we adapted and ground out a result. Unfortunately this was quickly followed by a significant loss to Kings Taunton (47-0), which saw us 28-0 down inside 5-minutes!
A steep learning curve and we went on to face a tough week with matches against old rivals Ivybridge in the West Devon Cup and then a trip to Truro. We went to Ivybridge without our leading fly-half Olly Clenaghan, but George Haslam stepped into the breach with a quite outstanding display of dominance at fly-half. The forwards were immense and a 28-0 win resulted. Awesome! Then it was the mighty trip to the depths of Cornwall where we knew that a tough battle was instore. Although we dominated, the main thing that undid us was a couple of moments of indecision and a couple of individual tries from Truro, which saw us lose 21-10. However, another stirling effort. There were two more wins before half-term against Ridgeway (West Devon Cup 43-0) and Exeter School (41-0).
The second half began with a Saturday match against Kelly College, which resulted in numerous ‘B’ team players playing their first ‘A’ team match - the A team had to save themselves for the West Devon Cup final against Kelly three days later. We lost the Saturday game 26-10, but credit to those who stepped up as we were very close to winning. Then the final against Kelly under floodlights, at Brickfields. Playing under lights at a stadium, in front of a large crowd with many of their heroes from the Albion team witnessing it, was a dream come true for the players. The enthralling game ended up going to extra-time and still nothing could separate the teams with a final score of 12-12. The title was shared pending a replay, which we went onto win 18-10, after some quite outstanding play. West Devon Champions!
Of the last 3 games we only managed to beat West Buckland, losing again to Truro and then finally Taunton School.
I would like to say what an absolute pleasure it has been to coach these boys who have a promising future in the game if they carry on. I’d like to thank the parents for their support throughout the season, many who follow us to away games as well as matches at home. There are too many names to mention but one special thanks must go to a captain who is ‘rugby mad’ and lives and breathes for his team, Tom Mumford. He is an asset for any team and a credit to the school along with the other players.
SPARKY, U14 Rugby Coach
After eight years, Mark ‘Sparky’ Portass leaves Plymouth College at the end of this term to take up a PE post at a sports college in Rugby. A former pupil of Plymouth College, Mark has been an invaluable sports coach to many rugby players in his years as a member of staff at the school.
