Prep School
Last Saturday, the U11 boys travelled to West Buckland for their first rugby festival of the season. Despite the challenging weather, the boys displayed steady improvement throughout the day, and both they and their coaches were pleased with their progress.
Rain has become the norm for the Prep School, especially for the girls, who endured a very wet training session on Monday. However, this did not dampen their spirits as they put on a determined display against Wells on Wednesday. The girls played with tenacity, leading to several goals, with the U11C team showing remarkable enthusiasm and competitive spirit in only their second hockey match—impressive even to those with more experience.
The U10 teams performed well in their first full-sided matches, beginning to effectively use space on the wings. The U11A and B teams both impressed, scoring a combined total of nine goals. Special mention goes to Megan in goal for the B team, who confidently came out to challenge every ball.
In rugby, the U11A team faced a strong Wells side, but they improved in the second quarter, showing better support for one another. The U11B team delivered a superb performance, mixing well with the depleted Wells B team. George and Oliver stood out with their fantastic tackles and also added to the scoreboard.
Meanwhile, the U10 boys began their transition to U10 laws, learning to compete for the ball at the breakdown. They showed hunger to gain possession and looked to ‘jackal’ for the ball and looked comfortable with the ball in hand, passing and offloading well.
Senior School
Rugby
1st XI
Despite a tough encounter against a powerful and well-drilled Wells 1st team, there were positives to take from the game and improvements made in certain areas from last week’s encounter with Plymouth. The match started well for Queen’s who defended Wells’s initial thrusts with resolute defence, then stole the ball at a ruck. A quick counter-attack down the blindside led to us scooting over in the corner for an early lead. Wells’s big ball-carriers then started to make their presence felt and proved difficult to stop. Whilst the effort was there, the half-finished 22-5 to Wells. The second half saw us exert lots of pressure on the Wells line. Unfortunately, this only resulted in one try during the half. Wells scored three more tries but were made to work hard for them. This effort in defence is to be commended along with much better retention of the ball at the ruck when attacking. Continuing hard work on the training pitch will stand us in good stead for our next match.
U15
In a dominant display, Wells U15 overpowered Queen’s from the first whistle, setting the tone early with two tries. Their well-drilled pods consistently broke through Queen’s defensive lines, showcasing impressive cohesion. Although Queen’s were spared further punishment due to uncontested scrums, they found themselves trailing by a considerable margin at halftime, needing a collective rally to avoid a total collapse.
The second half saw Queen’s show some fight, with Kamto delivering a standout moment. Bursting through Wells’ defence, he weaved and powered through tackles to score Queen’s first try of the season. Captain Jo confidently added the conversion, lifting the team’s spirits.
A yellow card offence deep in Wells’ 22 gave Queen’s another chance. Seizing the moment, the ever-impressive Jo caught Wells off guard and dived over the line for his first try of the season. Debutant Fedil also made his mark with a lightning-fast run down the touchline, rounding off Queen’s second-half resurgence. Despite the tough loss, Queen’s showed flashes of brilliance and will take key lessons forward from this encounter.
U14
The U14 boys travelled to Wells for what was to be a thrilling display of ‘end to end’ rugby. Queen’s were first to score following some surging runs from Max and Kirk. Josiah slotted the conversion. Wells responded with a converted try, and this is how the game continued. Queen’s powering up the pitch with runs from Munesu and Jayden, ferocious tackling from Ptolemy all led to three more converted tries. Wells would respond each time with a converted try of their own. However, it was Wells who finally took the lead in the dying stages of the match to clinch the game. A wonderful match to watch and the Queen’s boys played magnificently!
U13
This Saturday the U13s welcomed Wells to Queen’s in a fixture that highlighted their rugby ability both in attack and defence. Setting the standard from the off was Maurice Speyer showcasing his strong ball carrying ability to dot over the line within minutes of kicking off. This strong ball carrying was a theme throughout the first half from a number of players such as Henry Wensley, Tom Pawley and Harry Williamson as well as some mesmerising interplay between the forwards and backs this resulted in queens finishing the first half 20-5.
A tightly contested second half enabled Queen’s to highlight the defensive ability of the group with everyone working hard for one another tackling low and turning over ball in crucial moments of the half whilst battling against strong Wells ball carriers. The team should be proud of each and everyone’s performance throughout the game and I look forward to seeing the team push on throughout the season.
U12
The U12 boys had their first competitive match of the season at home v Wells Cathedral. With a large squad full of enthusiasm, the Queen’s boys started strong and soon started to dominate the match with their relentless attack and devastating defence. The Queen’s players found themselves running tries galore without much response from a wilting Wells team. This dominance and power was fantastic to watch and we all hope it can continue to be a successful season for this team of talented rugby players.
Hockey
2nd XI
This match marked the first full showing of the Senior squad this year, with some of our new students and Year 11s making their season debuts. The girls put on a determined display, battling hard throughout the match and showcasing their feistiness. They were strong in tackles, winning the ball back on several occasions.
Meg scored a fantastic goal, swiftly carrying in from a long corner and striking into the bottom corner. Tash made several key saves in goal, keeping the team in contention, while Lily’s skilful, mazy runs forward repeatedly opened up the Wells defence.
U15B
The U14/15B team delivered a strong performance in a thrilling match against Wells. Combining year groups for the first time, the team quickly formed new connections on the pitch, committing players forward and closing the gaps between defence and midfield. Their goal-hungry and positive play was evident throughout the game.
While the team was occasionally exposed to counter-attacks, the defence remained formidable, with Talya making several crucial stops. Despite Wells taking the lead, Queen’s maintained confidence and created numerous chances through effective passing, positioning, and attacking intent.
Molly eventually found the back of the net, beating the keeper to equalise. The match ended in a well-earned 1-1 draw, capping off a determined and cohesive team effort.
U14A
The girls faced tough opposition in their latest match, but the way they started, you wouldn’t have known it. After withstanding constant pressure for the first 10 minutes, they broke through and converted their efforts into a brilliant team goal. The rest of the first half remained tight, with Wells managing to equalise just before the halftime whistle.
In the second half, the team aimed to move the ball more fluidly to conserve energy, as a few players were battling head colds. This strategy led to several promising opportunities. However, a setback occurred when Ava took a hit to the head early in the second half, which understandably impacted the team’s momentum. Despite continuing to fight hard, they held back slightly, and Wells capitalised, eventually securing a 4-1 win.
U13A
The U13A team came away triumphant with a 3-1 victory in their fixture against Wells. Queen’s started fast, scoring two early goals within the first five minutes. Wells soon found their rhythm, making the match more even, with both sides creating scoring chances. Aurelia made several crucial saves to keep Queen’s in the game.
Queen’s added a third goal to make it 3-0, seemingly putting the match out of reach. However, fatigue set in during the final five minutes, allowing Wells to score a well-worked goal. Despite tired legs, Queen’s held on to secure the 3-1 win.
13B
The team secured a hard-fought 2-1 win, showing immense progress and determination throughout the afternoon. It was their sheer willpower that ultimately won them the game.
Willow put in a tireless performance in midfield, while Cora impressed on the wing, playing with great intelligence. She also stepped into defence for five minutes, contributing to a solid all-around team effort.
