Sunday 1st Mar.... TRAINING ONLY AT UNDERHILL PARK

The Wildcats will have to wait until next year to play Waun as they are not yet ready this season. Training instead at Underhill. Meet 9:45 for a 10:00 start.

Penlan and Loughor

At the windswept highlands of Mynydd Newydd we had a great welcome from Penlan. Thanks go to Keith for hosting us unexpectedly at the last minute and letting us join in their fixture with Loughor. Happily with only a little waiting around we managed plenty of rugby for the 50 boys and girls in the 3 teams. Jamie led us onto the field and we started with some trepidation against the big and well drilled Loughor team. The ref was excellent and kept tight control of the game (though he let us get away with a few hand-offs! No more next week please) and although Loughor had the pace, Mumbles controlled the ball for long periods and we patient enough to wait for the openings. Tries came from Luca and Dylan and Lloyd rounded off a great move for what turned out to be the winner in the corner. 7-6. A remarkable performance from the team who managed to concentrate throughout. They also fought for every ball, none more than Georgia who wrestled the ball over the line but was just held up.

After the break, it was back into action against Penlan. Everyone (ref included) was tiring and the game was more disjointed. Still Mumbles managed to just stay ahead in a full blooded encounter. I think Dylan was facing his cousin, and it showed with his determined tags and runs. Final Score 7-5. Well done everyone. Thanks to parents for excellent support for all the teams.

Wednesday Training 4:30 Underhill Park.

Coached comment for the week: NO HANDOFFS. If you carry the ball in two hands you will not be able to hand off and you will also be ready to make the pass if tagged. At the moment most referees are being lenient. But they will not for much longer. They will soon be keeping more of an eye on it and will give a penalty (not just a tag) against the hand off, so our team will lose possession of the ball.

Penlan Match

Sunday 22nd Feb. We have a challenging match for the Wildcats AWAY at Penlan. Meet at 10:30 at the Penlan playing fields. Quite easy to find - especially if you know the Penlan Swimming Pool. Drive up through Sketty and Cockett to the Fforestfach lights (at Carmarthen Road) go straight on up the road towards Penlan. Keep going through the lights at the shops and turn right at the sign for the Leisure Centre (Heol Gwyrosydd). Go over the roundabout and take the next left into Mynydd Newydd Playing Fields, where Penlan RFC is based. It is a few hundred metres before the leisure centre turning.

Swansea Ups Report

An almost Springtime morning at Underhill and the the boys turned up for training to find Swansea Uplands warming up. The game was organised last minute by the 8s, but the ever keen Uplands brought their 7s with them and the Wildcats were more than happy to oblige. The boys seemed to thrive on the unexpected challenge and it brought out their best performance of the season. Uplands have just got the better of us in the two encounters so far this season, so it was a great effort to turn the tables this time. Any one of the boys could have been man of the match. Luca captained the side, on account of having a birthday 'quite soon', and led from the front as always with tries and tags. Tries came from Matz, Duncan, Ike, Tom Rees and Arthur as well. Players of the week are Tom Rees for his support play and try and Ike for his tagging and try. Owen picks up Champagne Moment for gallantly giving up a certain try opportunity by carefully avoiding a toddler who wandered out onto the pitch. What a gent. The coaches can confirm that he is not so forgiving with opposing players when they are in his way.

A half term training session will take place on Wednesday 10:00 at Underhill for those who are around.

Next Sunday Morriston Match OFF. Another fixture is being sought.

Sunday 15th Feb

No match this weekend. Training at Underhill Park. Keep and eye out for weather updates. If we can assemble at about 9:45 for a 10:00 start then we'll be finished before the older age-group matches start and there should still be parking spaces.

For next week. We have finished with the Astroturf for this season, and training will move to Underhill Park. It will usually be the same time as astroturf (4:30), but as it is half term next week we will run a session on Wednesday morning at 10:00.

Friday night Rock. For those of you interested in live, unadulterated, high voltage Pub Rock with classics from the 70s and 80s and even some recent stuff, then get up to the Rock and Fountain pub in Newton tonight from 9:00 and witness local Mumbles RFC favourites The Contenders.

Some Admin...Please Check

I am finalising the team subscription records for this season (for the Crusader / Pirates / Wildcats who run a joint account) as most (but not all!!) the money is now in. There are two standing orders that I can't match to specific players. Both were set up in Oct/Nov. One under the name of Fitzgerald and one under the name Christopher. If you recognise these standing orders can you please e-mail me on m.b.gravenor@swan.ac.uk and just confirm the name of the player for whom you are paying (and the team). Thanks for listening. When I have this info I'll finally be able to finish this year's admin, and hopefully next year will be alot easier. MIKE.

Also - any Green 6 Nations competition forms still out there please bring along to Astroturf on Wednesday (completed and with money if possible!)