Exmouth -- - -- Exeter Chiefs

Having beaten a Cockles subsidised Chiefs team already this season, the U9’s squad naturally felt confident of success once again. The Chiefs however had other ideas and with 2 key members of the squad and 2 dads/coaches away things did not quite go all Exmouth’s way. Due to a late start, the remaining coaching squad put the U9’s through an exhausting 2 hours coaching session before the game even got under way. Lashing rain and a cold westerly wind soon made the pitch resemble the Somme battlefield and ever minded of safety, the referee agreed to play only one match. With the Chiefs squad unusually meeting its quota of nine players, no U9’s from Exmouth were needed this time and so the game got under way just in time for the sun came out.

Battle was fierce from the outset and with the Chiefs supported by a couple of heavy guns upfront and the wet soapy conditions, it was paying dividends as they managed to hold Exmouth off for a tense first 3 minutes. The Cockles however soon dug in, to the mud that is and slid over the line for their first try. The Chiefs closely followed, despite a hard tackling Exmouth side determined to not let them equalise, they fought every muddy inch of the way over the Exmouth swamp to cross the line.

A big game ensued with Exmouth substituting players to give the whole squad a match. Morgan Wright (player of the match) was fierce in attack and Langstone-Justice performed a trophy winning tackle that was so hard everyone in Exmouth probably heard it! Not bad for boys who had only 3 days previously been sunning themselves in the Gambia. Jake Devine, a star for the future, brought his massive driving power to what was becoming a muddy, mauling, rucking, scrum led game.  With little back play there was a magnificent display of mud gorged tackling by Ieuan Kidd and Callum Cross on the wings which stopped the Chiefs dead in their tracks.

Ollie Toomy, Will Tidball and Lawrence Knight all made breaks that would have made the News at 10 if England had performed them and by half time Exmouth were only one try ahead. Finn Urmston and Hugo Flynn then came on to push the side forward; the new players giving the team more options when challenging the tactical decisions made by the chiefs.  Despite injury, Zak Higginson as always set an example in the pack although it soon became difficult to tell the sides apart as players looked more and more like mud-miners. Even the normally timid players seemed to relish the conditions and only one tackle was missed all match. With the whole Cockles team putting in a shift, the action was seamless and fierce and a pleasure to watch. Exmouth won by 3 tries, proving they were the only Chiefs round here! They are growing into a squad to be reckoned with and of course as with all boys, they love a mud bath! Great team work lads!