A NEW partnership between Malvern College and Malvern Rugby Club was heralded by an exciting youth rugby match at the College playing fields last Sunday afternoon.

MALVERN COLLEGE 1st XV 0, MALVERN PIRATES XV 13pts

Right from the off, the College XV were keen to make their presence felt and winning the ball back after the kick-off, the College forwards pounded on. The Pirates firmed-up their defence before stopping the College just inside their 22.

A penalty to the Pirates brought play back to half-way and then both sides settled for a period of probing attacks and count-attacks, with Chris Reed for the Pirates and Josh Hughes for College leading the way.

The College showed flair and determination and on occasions, they managed to break the Pirates line.

But excellent control in and around the tackle-zone, ensured turn-over ball, which was carried back into College's half by the Malvern pack, led by Ben Clewer and Mike Chandler.

The stalemate was finally broken mid-way through the first half, when referee Mark Tovey judged the College to be off-side outside their own 22. Up stepped full-back Ollie Rayner from the Malvern U16's and with a clean penalty goal, the Pirates were three points in front.

Despite the ambitions of both teams' backline units, neither could build up any steam to break through or round the opposing defence and therefore long-ranging kicks to touch were employed to gain territory.

With a promising attack from the Pirates' backs stalling only ten metres from the College line, the home-side regained possession and then forced the Pirates to back-peddle towards their own line with a massive clearance-kick.

The College speedsters on the wing sensed a try and it was only the actions of Ollie Rayner, who beat the chasers and skied the ball from his own goal-line safely into touch on half-way, that saved the day for the visitors.

In the second-half, both coaches ran the bench and with fresh legs on the field, the game began at pace.

The Pirates' back row of Wood, Taylor and Bowen were in dynamic form and a series of drives involving these three players, took play to the College 22.

From a set scrum, Taylor and scrum-half Sam Jones broke blind and with fly-half Matt Tighe calling for the return of the ball to the backs, the College defence was too stretched to prevent centre Phil Shore from crossing the line for a try between the posts, which Tighe converted to put the Pirates 10-0 in front.

Later in the game Tighe made way for Rayner at fly-half and with the experience of Jack Knowles and Sam McCoy either side of him, the young 16-year-old ran the Pirates game like an old hand.

A break from Sam McCoy, supported by Adam Diaz, was stopped by the College, but failure to clear the tackle-zone earned the Pirates a penalty which man-of-the-match Ollie Rayner pushed over for three points ahead of the final whistle.

Watching the game from the sideline, Malvern RFC's director of rugby Dave Robins was impressed with a number of players and when available, Adam Green, Adam Diaz and Dominic Taylor will be offered the chance to join the growing number of talented youngsters from the club's youth section in Malvern's 2nd XV squad.