Grey day for the 2s to match the weather!

Selby 2nds travelled to Wetherby RUFC in a typical November day, dull, overcast and miserable and this set the scene for the game.

As the players gathered in the changing room. The atmosphere was a kin to ‘clocking on’ in a factory for a 12 hour shift. Players seemed in a somber mood and preparation started quietly and methodically.

Looking back since the start of this season. Selby 2nd team have had a huge transformation from the previous season but the same circumstances and frustrations still remain. A solid and dedicated group of players allow Selby RUFC to field 3-4 teams week in week out and shows what a club Selby is.

Places in each team being constantly contested, making every selection meeting a difficult one and resulting in over 29 players, since the start of the season, representing Selby 2nd team.

The game began with Selby forwards dominating with the ball, finding the early holes in the Wetherby defence. Phase after phase, a Selby player wanted to make the hard yards and a furious attitude to recycle and go forward. All were involved in play and hungry for the ball writes Paul Gabel.

Over the first 15 minutes, Wetherby did not have a look in and resulted in two Selby tries by Oliver Weston and James Hunt, both converted by Harry Cruise. The first try came after only a few minutes. A couple of phases by the forwards allowed the backs to punch through the defence and Weston using his pace and power to break a tackle and go over the line. The second try was a great effort by the forwards. Creating a maul around 15 meters out and catching Wetherby off guard, they worked as a team and eventually Hunt could see the line and broke away to make the last couple of meters leaving the score 0-14 with 10 minutes gone and looking like a white wash for Selby…

Unlike football, rugby is a game that can change at the flip of a coin to one side of the other and can happen several times during a game. This was such a game but the coin only flipped once and never came back with a final score of 29-14 to Wetherby although the referee appeared to blow 10 minutes early in the second half.

After the first couple of tries. Selby seemed to switch off or alter the way they played. It was frustrating from the side lines as the spectators could do nothing but keep watching Selby retreat meter after meter until Wetherby scored time and time again. In response, when Selby had the ball it was played as individuals with very little team enthusiasm.

It should be said at this point that Selby never gave up, all players played an individual game that could not evolve into a team effort after the great start. Good performances by James Dugher who was everywhere on the pitch, Jack Hebden who was trying lead in both attack and defence, Kieron Sudron, who had one of his best games individually for the club this season and Ben Hodder, Ed Wake both fitting in the team well this season, with last minute tackles and pace on the ball.