Hector
Frank Nicholson (4)
There's a bit of schoolboy stupidity going on from the Aloys boys on these pages, so reluctant to give them anything to be even more stupid about, but I can give a report on the Aloys v Pius game: and it might have the SAC schoolboy sledgers on this page wind their necks in a bit. They would be a long way from being competitive with previous Aloys teams from the last few years, and we all know their results.
The score itself flattered Aloys quite significantly. It's unlikely to be anywhere near that in CAS games. True, it is game 1 of the season, but after an overseas tour in December, there should have been some continuity and fitness, more so than in an ordinary year. There are also six of the forwards returning from the First XV last year, and there is only one Year 11 in the team. But things ought be concerning for any supporters this year. Pius were way, way too good for SAC.
Positives: (1) Didn't let it run away too significantly in the second half, (2) when the big guns get possession they look threatening, which is #3 and #5, the two kids who made bring CAS selection last year as Yr 11s.
Negatives: (I won't number these) can't win the breakdown, too many forwards hanging out in the wide channel hoping for something, but watching the ball get turned over; line out a disaster; scrums surprisingly unsold despite the #3; the position selections in the backs are a little baffling, none of 9, 10, 13 have had any real time in those positions, and it unfortunately tells. They probably just need to work on being a defensive team at the moment, given how porous it presently looks.
Hopefully a bit more time and training will do them well, at least from improvement from now, but if this was the result against Pius (who are an honest and hardworking team no doubt) particularly, where there was not much in it last year in terms of points, it's a concern for 2024. But, that is Aloys footy.
The score itself flattered Aloys quite significantly. It's unlikely to be anywhere near that in CAS games. True, it is game 1 of the season, but after an overseas tour in December, there should have been some continuity and fitness, more so than in an ordinary year. There are also six of the forwards returning from the First XV last year, and there is only one Year 11 in the team. But things ought be concerning for any supporters this year. Pius were way, way too good for SAC.
Positives: (1) Didn't let it run away too significantly in the second half, (2) when the big guns get possession they look threatening, which is #3 and #5, the two kids who made bring CAS selection last year as Yr 11s.
Negatives: (I won't number these) can't win the breakdown, too many forwards hanging out in the wide channel hoping for something, but watching the ball get turned over; line out a disaster; scrums surprisingly unsold despite the #3; the position selections in the backs are a little baffling, none of 9, 10, 13 have had any real time in those positions, and it unfortunately tells. They probably just need to work on being a defensive team at the moment, given how porous it presently looks.
Hopefully a bit more time and training will do them well, at least from improvement from now, but if this was the result against Pius (who are an honest and hardworking team no doubt) particularly, where there was not much in it last year in terms of points, it's a concern for 2024. But, that is Aloys footy.
