Amesbury School's 1st XV completed their season with a remarkable record: not a single point was conceded in the seven matches played.

The same group of boys won every match two years ago as Under 11s, but to maintain a clean sheet for the season was a new feat.

The season started with a 31-0 win over St Edmund's before Barrow Hills were overcome 50-0.

Then the team faced two very tough games on consecutive days; Edgeborough at Frensham, despite the 33-0 scoreline, was a tough, bruising match, and in the last play of the game, Amesbury's captain, Daniel Cochrane, was concussed.

With Titus English on the long-term injury list, both first-choice centres were out and Mowden Hall, a Northumbrian school which plays rugby for both winter terms, was in town the next day.

Somehow Amesbury held on for a 0-0 draw against physically imposing opponents.

It was a tense struggle, much enjoyed by both teams, and was followed by a celebration dinner.

At this point, the squad departed on residential trips to Wales and France and no practising was done for a week.

 Thus the visit of Highfield was a considerable challenge immediately afterwards.

Luckily, Amesbury started well and two early scores were enough to secure a 14-0 victory.

Just before half term, Aldro were defeated 19-0 to leave the team on edge for a fortnight before the final game at Belmont, Holmbury St Mary.

There was an early threat to the line, but the team rallied and ran in 10 tries for a convincing win by 60-0, meaning that seven games had been played without conceding a point while 207 were scored.

Normally, one would expect such a record at this age group to be compiled by a group of large boys who had matured early and physically dwarfed their opponents but that was not the case at all.

This was a small team which frequently struggled to win possession, but which made good use of the ball it did win and which defended with a swarming intensity which denied all opposition.

In attach, Amesbury had pace and handling skill throughout the XV and 33 tries were scored by 12 different players with loose-head and pack-leader Eddy O'Hare tope of the list with six.

However, this was very much a team effort and flankers David Martin and Will Rocke, who did so much to oil the wheels of continuity, never featured on the score-sheet but made a vast contribution, as did hooker Matthew Arnold and halves Toby Finneran and Harry Rudd.

Nico Worrall was nigh infallible at full-back and Sholto Van den Bogaerde and Rory Skeoch quick wingers, while Christian Jason ably slotted into several positions in the back-line and Richard Landers proved a solid centre partner for the outstanding Cochrane.

In the pack, Freddie Clarke showed potential and Simeon Gready, Tom Gillen and Freddie Hooper, converted backs to a man, played splendidly throughout, with Tom Weake a sound deputy.

To mark the team's achievement Harlequins have kindly laid on a trip as special guests to the Gloucester match in February.

Haslemere Herald
3rd December 2004