Lady Manners School.................19

MANNERS notched up a famous victory in this match against the Uruguayan national under 18 squad in Montevideo.

This was the third time in recent years that the school has come up against a national side in one of its long-haul tours but it is the first time they have won.

The Bakewell lads looked nervous in the first quarter and while they seemed a match for the Uruguayans they were missing first-up tackles and attacks lacked structure.

The second quarter began badly.

A Manners’ clearance kick was charged down, stranding them in their own 22 where they were penalised.

The resulting lineout, ten metres out was followed by the Uruguayans driving the maul to the visitors’ line.

The recycled ball went to the threequarters and in less than six minutes Manners were five points down.

Seven minutes later they were a further five adrift.

Another penalty, following a series of Uruguayan drives which had been held at bay by some solid defence, gave the opposition the ball on the school five metre line.

The offer was too good for them to turn down.

With the start of the third quarter there was a distinct change. Led by the half-backs Tobin and Bell, the visitors took the fight to their hosts.

They forced their way into the Uruguayan half.

One attack forced the defending fullback to touch down in goal for a 22 drop-out.

Another run stopped when the ball was spilled in the tackle.

A Manners penalty on the Uruguayan five metre line was thrown away by an over-anxious prop taking a quick tap and knocking the ball on.

A kick ahead went dead forcing another 22 drop-out. Broadley’s incisive run was stopped on the home 22 when the ball was thrown forward.

Finally, after much to-ing and fro-ing in the Uruguayan half, Manners won a free kick thirty metres out.

The ball went to Bell and the stand off scythed through the defence for a try under the posts. Tobin’s conversion put Manners just three points behind at the end of the third period.

As the third quarter had shown, Manners were still snatching at opportunities. And if this game were to be won they needed nerves of steel; especially as after just five minutes of the fourth period they were eight points down.

The ball was gifted to the Uruguayans from a scrum in the Manners’ 22 and they were in for the unconverted touchdown out wide.

Now back to two scores behind, Manners took the restart and the forwards piled into their opposite numbers, shaking the ball loose and allowing Bell to release Ward who crashed through the defence from 25 metres out for an unconverted try.

Determined not to lose their narrow lead the South Americans stepped up the pace and for the next ten minutes kept the visitors penned in their own half. But it was the home side that blinked first.

A loose Uruguayan kick upfield was gathered by Broadley who took play to around ten metres from the opposition line.