Under a crisp blue sky and with pitch conditions as good as it gets, the Weybridge Vandals U14s delivered another spirited performance — and this one had everything: early panic, powerful comebacks, and great rugby all round.

The game was split into four 20-minute quarters, and the first belonged firmly to Old Ruts. The home team came out like a steam train, piling on the pressure and showing real physical presence near the Vandals’ line. Their relentless attack earned them an early try, and at times they looked like they might bulldoze through the Vandals pack altogether. But thanks to some fierce defensive performances, including Tom H consistently getting first into the rucks and tackling hard, the quarter ended only one try down.

Then came the second quarter — and the Vandals woke up. Better structure, quicker ball movement, and sharper line play saw a complete shift in momentum. Ben H and Jimmy found their rhythm, both crossing the whitewash with flair. One memorable passage saw Aidan gather a kick-off, sling it down the line to Jimmy, who handed off a couple of defenders, found top gear, and sprinted home for a brilliant try. Vandals also tightened up their maul defence and unleashed some crunching tackles — Ollie B’s being particularly seismic. The only blot on the quarter was a bout of over-enthusiasm that earned a yellow card for repeated offside offences.

The final half kicked off with a beauty — Logan collected the ball and set off like he was late for dinner, sprinting half the pitch to score a “catch-me-if-you-can” try. From there, it was a showcase of teamwork and individual sparkle. Marcelle put in some thunderous tackles, Casey picked up a loose ball and linked smartly with Alex, whose slick pass to Maj on the wing unleashed another electric run and try. Aidan produced a heroic stop, bundling his opposite number out to prevent a likely try. Then Charley pulled off a cheeky dummy that fooled everyone, including the ref’s dog (no, that can’t be right – dogs weren’t allowed), and finished with a majestic try to seal a physically demanding but highly satisfying game. Notable, once again, was Ben H’s kicking, with all but one try successfully converted yet again.

After a ropey start, the Vandals showed their trademark grit, adaptability, and humour — with several players swapping positions mid-game and just cracking on with it.

Head Coach Paul Hollingshead summed it up neatly:

“The early start meant a few cobwebs to blow away, and with players out of position against a fiery opposition, it took a while to settle. But once we did, the boys worked incredibly hard and produced 80 minutes of really competitive rugby. Ruts offered a great challenge and were excellent hosts. Their tight play was a new challenge for us and what these friendly fixtures are all about - giving us a problem that we can't get from the training field.”

It was teamwork, determination, and a touch of flair that extinguished the Old Ruts fire — and left the Vandals supporters grinning all the way home.