An Action-Packed Week of Sport

Tuesday 12th November 

U8 Rugby Festival at RGS Springfield

The U8 rugby team enjoyed a competitive and action-packed triangular fixture at RGS Springfield, taking on teams from RGS and King’s Hawford. The boys showed great effort, skill, and teamwork throughout the afternoon. In the first game against RGS, the boys put on a strong attacking display, scoring several well-worked individual tries. Their determination and running lines were a highlight of the game, as they navigated through the opposition defence with confidence. The second game against King’s Hawford showcased the team’s growing development. Alongside scoring a number of tries, the defensive effort truly stood out. On two occasions, the team’s improved coordination and tagging skills resulted in six tags and turnovers. Looking ahead, we’ll focus on improving awareness of space, encouraging the boys to spot opportunities to pass or run into open areas more effectively. This will add another layer to their already impressive game. 

POTM – Hugo F; brilliant performances in both games set the tone for the team. Hugo was a constant presence in support of his teammates, always ready to back up the ball carrier, and he capped off his excellent day by scoring some superb tries. 

Well done to all the boys for their effort and skill!

U9 Rugby Festival at King’s Hawford

The U9s had their third festival of the year at King’s Hawford this week. We played teams from the hosts, Bluecoat Hereford and RGS The Grange. The afternoon started well against Bluecoat, scoring some good team tries. Some good passing by Dylan put Matthew and Haadi into space, allowing them to show their finishing prowess. In the 2nd game, against The Grange we carried on with our good attacking play, which saw Bertie go over in the corner. Our defence also improved in this game, with Jack and Monty, in particular, leading the way with some strong tackles. Another strong game against Hawford saw us finish the afternoon well, happy with an excellent day’s work. The team are going from strength to strength and can be pleased with their efforts. 

U9 Rugby Festival at King’s Hawford

The boys from the U9 B team also took part in the rugby festival at King’s Hawford on Tuesday (12th) afternoon. Despite only four boys being able to play, the team were unperturbed by this and enjoyed the opportunity to show the spectators the progress that they’ve made since their last festival. With four matches against RGS The Grange and Blue Coat School, the boys showed good speed and strength when running with the ball. George, Harvey, Daniel and Max all scored some really good individual and team tries, much to the delight of Rudi, Jeremiah and the onlooking spectators! The boys also showed improved confidence and understanding when playing their matches, which is obviously really pleasing to see. The festival did highlight a few areas for development, including concentration and focus when warming up and in between matches, as well as supporting the player with the ball. Well done to all of the boys for showing good effort and teamwork skills throughout the afternoon and thank you to the parents who came along to support the boys. 

 

Tuesday 12th November 

U8&9 Hockey v Winterfold House

On Tuesday, we took all of our Year 3 and 4 girls over to Winterfold for an exciting hockey festival. The afternoon began with matches between our girls and the Winterfold team, and it was wonderful to see the progress many of the girls have made over the term. Their skills and confidence on the field were truly impressive! 

After the initial matches, we mixed up the teams, combining players from both schools. This gave the girls a fantastic opportunity to meet new teammates and quickly adapt to playing with unfamiliar players. They rose to the challenge brilliantly, building new friendships and showing excellent teamwork. 

The girls had a full hour of hockey, during which they put in their best effort, showed great sportsmanship, and played with enthusiasm. 

Well done to everyone involved! 

Wednesday 13th November 

U10 Rugby v Hereford Cathedral

Another fantastic game from the U10 boys! This week, the team travelled across the border into Herefordshire to take on Hereford Cathedral School. The match started evenly, with both teams scoring well-executed tries. However, Hereford gradually pulled ahead to lead by three tries. 

After halftime, the team displayed incredible resilience and defensive grit, fighting to win back possession and scoring some impressive individual tries. Key turnovers were created by Ben D and Henry I, who were relentless at Hereford’s rucks. The defensive line speed from Josh B-R, Zack L, and Max G put constant pressure on the opposition, allowing the U10s to run in six tries in the second half. 

An inspiring comeback and a brilliant performance from the entire squad! 

Man of the Match: Ben D 

 

U11 Rugby v Hereford Cathedral 

The U11 A team took to the pitch against a strong team from Hereford Cathedral School at Slingpool Walk playing fields on Wednesday (13th) afternoon. The boys were keen to put in an improved performance, after a slightly disappointing team performance the previous week. The team had focused on how to field the ball and the different ways to play out of their own half from a kick off/restart during their Games lesson and rugby club. The boys showed that they had taken this on board as they showed improvements in this aspect of their game. Despite a noticeable difference in size, the boys demonstrated great effort, strength and determination when running with the ball, as well as good commitment in defence. Captain Ben continued to lead by example, with a fantastic solo effort to score the team’s first try. Luca, Uriah, Charles, Will and Archie all showed good agility when running with the ball, whilst Harry, Arlo, Leo and Jake all worked hard at the ruck to try and secure the ball. The game proved to be a useful experience to play a tough match against a very physical team, which will help the boys in preparation for their tournament when they take part in the annual I.A.P.S. Rugby tournament at Ratcliffe College on Wednesday (20th) as well as identifying a few areas for development, in preparation for this. 

Well done to all of the boys who represented St. Alban’s so well and displayed a range of impressive sporting values throughout the afternoon. 

 

U11 Hockey ‘The Down’s Hockey Tournament’ 

On Wednesday, our Year 6 hockey team participated in The Downs Tournament at Malvern College. Taking this team to any fixture is always a joy—they bring so much energy and excitement, and this tournament was no exception. 

Our team played six games overall, achieving a mixed set of results with one win, three draws, and two losses. Despite the varied outcomes, I was incredibly proud of the girls’ determination and effort in every match. 

We had several near misses throughout the afternoon, mostly off Georgia’s stick, so it was thrilling to see her score a goal in our final game against Winterfold. On the defensive side, Sophia displayed tenacity, making crucial tackles even after receiving a painful knock on her hand. Florence demonstrated her versatility, playing across the pitch and consistently delivering quality passes into the circle. Meanwhile, Madie was kept busy in several games and put in a commendable performance as our reliable goalkeeper. 

Overall, it was a real team effort. Each player should feel proud of their contributions, and it’s clear that they are developing well both individually and as a team. Well done, girls! 

 

U10 Hockey v Hereford Cathedral School

The KSA U10 A team put in a strong team performance against Hereford Cathedral School. The whole team worked incredibly hard and demonstrated superb teamwork. From the start of the match, they made lots of excellent runs and well-timed passes to put pressure on the Hereford defence. They demonstrated great energy and determination in chasing down the ball and made lots of strong tackles. Thea and Hannah worked tirelessly and created lots of scoring opportunities early in the first half. Following a brilliant bit of teamwork and some super passing, Nell opened the scoring with a close range goal. Not long afterwards, Romi scored the second goal of the match. She finished confidently, helping to extend KSA’s lead and keep the pressure on Hereford. In defence, Millie and Elizabeth were solid, always quick to close down Hereford’s attackers and prevent them from getting near the goal. Martha, in goal, made two excellent saves to keep a clean sheet, showing great composure and skill under pressure. In the second half, Nell managed to break away and dribbled the ball over half the length of the pitch before slotting in the third goal of the match. KSA’s 3-0 win was well deserved, with every player contributing to the victory. The team’s performance was a great example of hard work, good communication, and solid teamwork. Well done to Nell for getting the Opposition’s Player of the Match. 

U11/U10 C and D Hockey v Hereford Cathedral School

The girls had a great afternoon over at Hereford. We had two new additions to the teams today and both Daisy and Emily thoroughly enjoyed the matches, putting in maximum effort on the pitch. Well done to Tilly, Emily and Izzy for setting up a goal and Izzy nipping it past their keeper. Unfortunately, Hereford managed to get one back in the second half. Spacing, we will continue to work on and using the sides of the pitch, however tackling was superb. Final score was 1-1 on the C match and 0-0 on the D match. Well done to Tilly and Hannah for getting the opposition’s player.