Tavistock RFC U13s 14 Ivybridge RFC U13s 31 IN heavy going and wet conditions Tavistock were outplayed on the day by the physicality and disruption of a strong Ivybridge team determined to redress the cup defeat earlier in the season. The opening quarter showed two equally balanced teams with the first try and conversion going to Ivybridge from a strong run down the wing. The scoreboard was soon levelled when Jez Massey- Birch sprinted away from the opposition with a ball provided by Jonty Newton and Aidan Mason and placed it under the posts. The physicality of the Ivybridge forwards who were quicker on the loose ball appeared to unsettle the Tavistock team in the second quarter with a series of quickly executed but inaccurate passes allowing Ivybridge to turnover the ball. Ivybridge took full advantage of the self doubt and ran in three tries in quick succession. The scoreline was unrepresentative of overall play as Tavistock dominated set scrums with a smaller but technically more proficient pack and consistently cleared the ball into the backs under pressure. Both teams produced strong tackling but Ivybridge had the edge in accurate marking which halted a number of Tavistock forward drives. In the final quarter Tavistock regained their composure and began camping in the Ivybridge half. A penalty try awarded to Ivybridge for infringement in the Tavistock 22 fired up Tavistock's resolve and this determination was rewarded with a try from Sam Pluckrose who drove through a gap in the Ivybridge defences with a ball picked from the back of a ruck. Tavistock showed plenty of technical skill but on the day allowed a period of self doubt in the middle quarters to influence the outcome of a well matched contest.
