The Year 9 Rugby Team played their first fixture since the Cumbria Rugby Tour. They played against a powerful and well-practised Wellington High School squad who displayed alertness and smooth passing from the start and throughout. 

After two halves of 18 minutes, Yiannis Poulikakos scored Stretford’s only try. The full-time whistle blew, and we lost 11 tries to 1. On the other hand, a key positive to take from this experience was that several players had good individual games because of their tackling efforts and tenacious runs with the ball. The score line reflects how the team needs to train more, so they can learn how to use tactics more effectively. Player of the Match was awarded to Stan Hodgett for his defensive work rate, kicking, and leadership. Other stand out performances to highlight include Ted Mather’s, Yiannis’ and Tomos Newell’s.