Under 15's are County Cup Winners

Home to Wymondham 16th March 2014

Diss 21 Wymondham 7

On a fine sunny day in September in the year of 2005 a small and dismal band of snotty nosed children (boys and girls), soon to be brothers-in arms (and sisters-in arms) met each other for the first time in doleful silence at the grassy area furthest away from the Diss Rugby Club clubhouse and observed each other forlornly.

This was to be tag rugby, the very lowest rung of the rugby ladder, but a start at least. Over half of the originals were in today’s team or supporting the team.

The girls were lost along the way (shame as they were often at least the boys equal) and things progressed over the years with many players joining and leaving, enjoying good sport and making friends along the way.

Over the years and through the progression to contact and full pitch rugby, characters have been formed that will always remain.

The coaches for this Diss team have always had the philosophy that all who attend training or matches play. All parents have been aware of this from out set and therefore the problem of elitism has been avoided.

Today saw our boys lined up against an opposition who have proved a problem in the past, ever since a draw as the under nines teams, at the Ely festival.

A lovely spring morning saw Wymondham kick off and battle commenced. Good work by Diss saw Joseph Hegarty on the wing set free to score under the posts, after avoiding three of the opposition. Luke Burridge converted and Diss were 7-0 to the good after less than 2 minutes.

Wymondham came back with a vengeance after the restart and good forward play from them, resulted in 10 minutes of intense defending by Diss, which was to no avail, when Wymondham scored in the corner, following on with a superb touch line conversion to tie matters up.

The next period saw a well contested tussle, much of it played in the Diss half but Oscar Seaman broke free just before half time to score between the posts. He converted himself to make it 14-7 the Diss at the break. Prior to this it could have gone either way.

If the first half was fairly even, the second half was all Diss. Attack after attack was repelled by the well drilled Wymondham defence. Wymondham always looked dangerous on the counter but Diss kept them within their half and eventually Joe Boom broke through several defenders to put things beyond doubt with a try under the posts. Seaman converted and the victory was assured. 21-7 not too shabby!

Diss celebrated victory like the gentlemen that they have become, in a sportsmanlike manner. No show-boating for these guys!

Diss must be disappointed to have taken so long to secure the result on the day, as after half time there was only going to be one winner, but a win is as good as a big win never the less, and this was a convincing victory. With Luke Miller looking dangerous on the other wing to Hegarty and being unlucky on several occasions, it could have been an even greater score.

So the best team in Norfolk become the Norfolk champions, who would have thought it? Just about anyone who has ever met them I should imagine.

Men of the Match: Adam Whayman, for fantastic attack and crunching defence and Oscar Seaman for doing what he has been doing at every match since he joined. Old and new, all brilliant.

The coaching staff over the years should and I know, will be delighted with this result. Christopher (Sooty) Smith, Simon Burridge and Simon Palmer have been stalwarts for years, and also Roger Carter, who started us on the road to success, was the main man in the early years and gentleman we, as parents, thank you all!

Many thanks also to all the other Diss players, whether supporters or unused substitutes for turning up and helping your mates win this Cup. It belongs to you all!

Diss parents also continue to support the boys with their efforts, which include fundraising at a Ninja level!

See you all at the curry night on Friday.

Many thanks are due to our good friends at Wymondham for the game and we look forward to seeing you all in Holland next month.