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News
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Report by James Oliver
This Saturday Doncaster Academy took on a Connacht team over here on tour in an enjoyable if not slightly one sided match. The outstanding player of the match was Doncaster’s winger (number 14) who scored four tries in a 45-25 win.
The first half started with Connacht playing right to left. Straight from the kick off Connacht kept the ball and induced a penalty in the first minute which was converted by (their number 10) to take an early lead. Doncaster came into the game immediately after the restart with some good pressure down the left side of the field, scoring in the corner after the 2nd line out. Again straight after the restart Doncaster were back in the same corner with a line out but this time the ball was spread back across the field for (number 14) to score his first try of the afternoon, (number 10) converted the try.
After the two tries in quick succession Connacht defended better, but it’s not long before the ball was stolen by Doncaster’s winger (number 14) who goes over right in the corner, this time the conversion isn’t made. A bit of loose play by Doncaster in their own half allows the Connacht winger to steal who then makes a good run wide and managed to offload the ball in time for his team mate to steal away and score under the posts for their first try. Their stand off added the conversion. Following this score was a good 5-10 minutes of pressure by Connacht as they seemed to be getting into the game a bit more, but unfortunately their number 8 receives a yellow card for purposely trying to stop a quick play the ball, from this Doncaster break well and score right under the posts and (number 10) converts it. The first half comes to end in similar fashion to how it started with Connacht getting a quick penalty after the restart which is converted to end the half.
Doncaster started the second half and within a minute had increased their lead with a good break right from the start to score again. After this the ball seemed to go back ad forth from one team to the other in like a yo-yo fashion, with Connacht breaking well after the restart and being unlucky not to over in the left corner. Only for Doncaster to hit back and take the ball back into the Connacht half but loose it, Connacht then break well but then also loose the ball. This time Doncaster break well and the ball gets to (number 14) who break through a couple of tackles and runs in for his hat trick, the try is then converted. The game becomes a little even for a spell after the restart and Connacht begin to gain the ascendancy with a line out right on the Doncaster try line, they win their line out and spread the ball to (their number 13) who scores, but this time the conversion attempt is missed. Doncaster step it up a little bit after the latest restart with Connacht having to do a lot of defending in their own half for a spell, but eventually they clear their lines and have a line out on half way. Connacht replacement (number 24) goes on a good run with a kick and chase but Doncaster manage to snuff out the opportunity. Coming into the final part of the half Doncaster are appearing much the more attacking side and after good quick ball its spread wide for (number 14) to score his fourth try of the game and for the replacement stand off to convert it. Just as the game is coming to an end the Connacht winger (number 24) makes another good break down the line, this time his kick is good and a team mate touches down, the try is then converted to bring the game to its conclusion. My first impressions of the Connacht team in the warm up were that they looked younger and not a physically developed as the Doncaster team, which I found
out was the case as most of their team were 16-17 year olds, but never the less they gave a good account of their selves even if the score line shows otherwise.
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