The backs were fast-running and tackled well, but their position al sense was bad. In attack, there was the anxious over-running of the man about to receive the ball with the resultant poor or dropped pass. In defence, positioning was found to be at fault if the opposition tried any surprise moves. I hope that this was through lack of experience, and not lack of thought, for all the backs will be able to remedy this next season.

Opposing teams and the matches played against them stand out in the memory for a variety of reasons. The Burton GS forwards: big, good in all types of scrummaging, solid, efficient, were somewhat reminiscent of the All-Black play. The Newcastle HS team had a French touch about its approach; the forwards linked with the backs and, in the first ten minutes of the match, produced sonic dazzling movements; the second half, however, belonged to Cotton by a margin of 16 points to 5. The match against Ratcliffe was poor; both teams applied themselves as if they should have been ensconced in deep leather arm-chairs in the Gentlemen's Club. In the last match of the season, the team did well to draw with KES, Birmingham. They were lucky, because KES had at least six good scoring chances in the first ten minutes. The wins against Ellesmere, Trent and Old Cottonians were well-deserved, though bigger margins would have considerably eased the anxiety of Cotton supporters on the touch-line.

M J Barry was again Captain of the RV. He had a good season, his calm appearance belying his will to win and his example and quiet encouragement helping many of the team to become better players.

This report would be incomplete without mention of the death of Mr George Lamb, whom many Cottonians from 1935 onwards will remember for his urging the Newcastle HS team to further efforts, and who was such a generous and friendly after-match critic.

Team: M J Barry (captain), J J Killoran, R A Browne,

UNDER 16 FIFTEEN

The following boys played: AI Feeny, A Ethakpemi, J D Devenney, J Twomey, B O'Connor, D Deneny, J Moores, R Dillon, V Ford, M Borg, P Doohan.

RESULTS

v Mount St Mary's   Drew 3-3

v Newcastle HS   Won   14-5

v Nottingham HS   Lost   3-S

v King's School, Macclesfield   Won   19-6

v Trent College   Won   17-6

It was unfortunate that this year's team did not have more opponents, for by the fourth game the scrum finally contained the biggest, fastest, fittest and hardest forwards in this age-group. Consequently the backs had a lot of ball - even against far bigger schools. Hard running and tackling by these backs put the seal on the efforts of the forwards. The only loss was when the team was at the experimental stage and before it had realised that a powerfully and smoothly functioning unit is far more necessary than a few, though clever, individual efforts, Knowles, with a good penalty, was our only point scorer in this game.

Most of the team gained badges - a successful team merits this - but the two who first gained them set the example: the back O'Connor for his determined running, thoughtful moves and ferocious tackling, and the forward McEvoy for his being persistently on the ball or successfully challenging the man with it.

The first game saw O'Connor's hard running bring us a try; we then defended desperately as 'The Mount' used wind and slope to draw level, but not ahead. The second game, however, saw us using slope, wind, fitness, practised moves and Mgr Gavin's inspiration to take us from behind into a clear lead (tries by Ethakpemi, a dropped goal, penalty and conversions by Deneny). The last games saw the inclusion from the 1st XV of J Jeffries, J Barry and J Mott; and settled, solid play resulted in conclusive victories (tries by Ethakpemi, Moores, O'Connor, McEvoy, Mott, Feeny and Jeffries with conversions by Jeffries and Barry).

UNDER 15 FIFTEEN

The following boys played: A Kennedy, J D Devenney,

•   Doohan, J O'Regan, P Mott, G Knowles, P 0 and P M Byrne, S O'Malley, K Walker, J Rogers, J Battersby,

RESULTS

v Adams' GS v Ellesmere v Burton GS v Ratcliffe

v Trent College

v KES, Birmingham v Macclesfield

The bare bones tell a familiar tale of Cotton teams, but hide the fact that this was in some respects an unlucky season. On two occasions we lost matches after playing

RESULTS

v Adams' GS v Ellesmere v Sale RUFC v Burton GS

v Wolverhampton RUFC

v Mount St Mary's

v KES, Macclesfield v Old Cottonians

v Moseley Schools XV

v Newcastle HS t• Ratcliffe

v Nottingham Hs v Leek YC v Trent

v KES, Birmingham

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