Teams 
Bideford 34 – Tavistock 12
Try’s – Dave Evans-Pearce, Dec Smale x2, Dean Folland, George Terry, Sam Olde
Con’s – Reece Pearn x2
Bideford welcomed Tavistock for the return leg of their league clash, having edged the first meeting by a single point in a tightly contested encounter.
With strong winds and heavy conditions playing their part, the first half proved a scrappy affair. The elements dictated much of the play, and while Bideford did their best to manage both wind and rain, it disrupted their usual rhythm. Despite this, Bideford started brightly, creating several promising line breaks. However, a lack of precision in the final pass, whether through depth or execution, meant it took 10–15 minutes to register the opening score.
That breakthrough came via a well-executed catch-and-drive, with Dave Evans-Pearce peeling off the back of the maul to score. Tavistock responded quickly, though not from structured attack. A pass to Dec Smale was juggled and inadvertently offloaded to a Tavistock winger, who ran in the try and added the conversion.
The wind continued to wreak havoc, making kicking duties extremely difficult for both fly-halves. Tavistock missed several attempts to find touch, while Sam Griffin was forced to vary his approach, either drilling the ball low to avoid it being held up or sending it high and hoping it would carry far enough.
Tavistock’s second try came from a Bideford error, as a dropped ball from Sam Olde on the try line gifted them the opportunity to score. Despite this setback, Bideford’s backs, Fred Fishliegh, Charlie Stevenson, and Mitch Harris, continued to make strong carries. It was the forwards, however, who brought the scores level. Dec Smale picked from the base of the ruck to score under the posts, with Reece Pearn converting to make it 12–12 at half-time.
The introduction of Ash Crouch and Jack Balsdon added real energy to proceedings, both making an immediate impact with pace and intent in open play.
Tavistock came out firing in the second half, using quick tap penalties and efficient recycling to pin Bideford back in their own half. However, Bideford’s forwards maintained their dominance, repeatedly executing catch-and-drive phases that began to wear down the Tavistock pack.
A well-worked blindside move saw Ash Crouch deliver a perfectly timed pass to George Terry, who glided over just to the right of the posts. Bideford’s final try showcased excellent interplay between backs and forwards. Reece Pearn fed Dean Folland at pace before receiving the ball back, breaking a tackle, and committing the defence. The ball was then moved to Sam Olde, who dummied and powered through to score under the posts, with Pearn adding the extras.
The Bideford pack continued to assert their dominance, earning penalties through a series of powerful mauls. Eventually, another catch-and-drive led to a collapse from Tavistock, and from the resulting ruck, Dean Folland powered over in the corner.
Joey Faulkner made a strong return to the side, keeping the defence guessing with sharp runs and varied attacking play. Unfortunately, late in the second half, Fraser Priest suffered an ankle injury initially feared to be a break, though it was later confirmed as ligament damage. Everyone at the club wishes him a speedy recovery.
From the resulting scrum, Bideford executed a set move, with Dec Smale picking from number eight to score his second try of the match. The fial try of the game came form some great interplay between Folland and Pearn and with the Tavi defence all over the place quick ball to Sam Olde gave him the space to throw a dummy and brush off a tackle to score under the posts with Pearn converting.
Attention now turns to a tough away fixture against Exeter Sarries next week.
Under 12
Today saw us welcome Launceston to home turf under what can only be described as suspiciously perfect rugby weather – sunshine, a full squad of 15, and not a rain cloud in sight (someone check the calendar, this is still the UK, right?).
We were also joined by guest referee Tom Skelding, who bravely took on the role of keeping order among 24 highly enthusiastic U12s and one very vocal touchline.
The game itself started a little like a diesel engine on a cold morning – slightly spluttery – as Launceston came out strong and put us under pressure early doors. That said, once we got going, we showed some excellent defensive effort, tackling well and beginning to move the ball with real intent. Encouragingly, some of the training ground magic made an appearance, with “hot” and “cold” calls and strike runners starting to look like we actually planned it. By the end of the first quarter, we’d edged ourselves 1 try ahead.
Rotations came thick and fast (as is becoming our trademark), ensuring everyone got stuck in, and the second quarter saw a bit more back-and-forth. Launceston deservedly pulled one back, but we responded well, adding a couple more to go into halftime with a narrow but deserved lead. Due to a few injuries for the opposition, we switched to 11-a-side – which, if anything, gave everyone even more space to run… dangerous.
The third quarter is where things really opened up. We started to find gaps, support lines improved, and the tries began to flow. The highlight of the day (and possibly the loudest noise heard within a 5-mile radius) was Gubby crashing over for a try, which was met with a cheer that suggested we’d just won the World Cup. In a rare (and slightly awkward) moment of dominance, the referee had a quiet word suggesting Ronnie might fancy a breather, as things were getting a touch one-sided. A proud coaching moment…
The fourth quarter followed a similar pattern, though credit to Launceston who kept battling and managed to cross for a couple more tries of their own. Final score: a strong 15–6 win.
Post-match honours were handed over to Tom, who had the unenviable task of picking standouts from a very good team performance where all players put their hand up for the award. Four players got a well-deserved mention:
• Ronnie for his all-action display in both attack and defence (before his enforced “early retirement”)
• Freddie for some seriously dangerous running from deep
• Charlie F for controlling the game and starting to work those training ground moves.
But Player of the Day went to Jack, for a brilliant all-round performance in both defence and attack. Well done Jack – thoroughly deserved.
Next week we welcome a touring side on Saturday. If today is anything to go by, more of the same please…
Under 11
Bideford U11s travelled to Park school to take part in the revel festival. 3 matches were played in total against Welsh giants Abercynon and local rivals Bude and South Molton.
Game 1 v Abercynon
First up were the touring team from Wales, who dispelled any tiredness from the travel and started rapidly scoring 2 quick tries. The Bideford team then kicked into gear and bought their physicality in the rucks and carries and scored 2 tries in response to tie it up. The game then ebbed and flowed as both teams went at each other trading tries each way with the final score finishing 6 tries a piece.
Game 2 v Bude
This is our 3rd game against Bude this season and we know they are a big side full of strong carriers so Bideford needed to bring their best tackling to this game.
To a player Bideford played amazingly and tackled their hearts out, stopping their big runners in their tracks and killing Bude momentum. With the space and turnover ball, we were able to unleash our speedy backs and ran in 6 tries against Budes 4.
Game 3 v South Molton
This has turned into something of a tasty local rivalry for us and always ends up being a physical game.
We carried on the momentum from the Bude game and quickly ran in 3 unanswered tries as South Molton struggled to compete with our line speed, hard tackling and, very pleasingly, our dominance at the breakdown which is an area the team have been training hard on.
The second half was a closer affair as the Bideford players began to tire and we slipped off some tackles but we still managed to run in some tries with some lovely offloading with the final score being 7-4.
All in all, 3 thoroughly brilliant performances from the U11s and as coaches we were very proud of the effort they all put in and for bringing the skills learned at practice to the fore in the games.
Next weekend we travel to Kingsbridge (yay!) for the Devon festival for what I’m sure will be another cracking day.
Under 13
Jones Scores 7 past the Cornish!
Bideford Under 13’s put on show in their last regular fixture of the season winning 14 tries to 4, the result making it even sweeter to have the privilege of playing on the hallowed main pitch.
Opponents Truro made the long journey across the border and although the scoreline flattered the home side, they had to play exceptionally well to keep the hard running Cornishmen at bay.
Right from the start Bideford worked incredibly hard at the breakdown and Eben Ball welcomed the visitors with a trademark big tackle that ensured the opposition knew they were in for a tough match.
From the resulting scrum the backs played a brilliant move wide and strong running winger Jack Hutchings ran 25 metres down the wing to score the first of his 2 tries on the day. Both teams were starting to work hard and were tackling well before Alfie Jones picked up a loose ball and ran round the Truro defence, dotting down for the first of his 7 tries, to make it 2-0.
Truro however didn’t lay down, full credit to their hard-working attack, their Flyhalf, Henry (given man of the match by Bideford) fed the ball to their impressively strong running inside centre and he bursts through four tackles to score under the post.
For the remainder of the first ¼ Bideford continued to step up their attack and added a further two tries by Jones before Brook Laycock picked and drove over the line from close range. Truro did add another try of their own, again making great strides through weak tackling.
The second ¼ continued as the first finished, full credit to the 9 Bideford players who came off the bench and slotted in with no drop in intensity. Carn Troke and James Chessum both made impressive contributions in defence with some big tackles of their own that resulted in turnover ball that the impressive home flyhalf, Edgar Fuller was able to exploit. Eben Ball showed that its not just Jones with speed on the team, running and impressive 60 metres, through 3 tackles to score a fine try that any player would be pleased with. The finish the ¼ Fin Corner- Hodges added to the scoreline running in from the wing himself.
The remainder of the match Bideford continued to work hard, their scrum was dominant throughout and Jones scored some fine tries! Highlight of the second half was seeing the hard-working scrumhalf, Reuben Wallwork, picking up a lose ball at the back of a scrum and running on his own at the Truro defence, out of a tackle he managed to feed influential captain Henry Dyer who ran in to score a fine worked try.
Bideford Player of the match went to Fuller for his full game management both in defence and attack, and in particular for several very impressive dominant tackles.
Next up Devon festival at Tiverton next week
