Holt Rugby Club’s members were delighted to see their most distinguished old boy, Ben Youngs, take the field in the Calcutta Cup game against Scotland. As a second-half substitute he produced a fine display of controlled kicking in blizzard conditions at Murrayfield, steadying an England side that was under pressure. Ben demonstrated the critical importance of a good scrum-half to any team in modern rugby.
Ben was one of many successful products of the extensive Colt and junior rugby structure maintained by the Bridge Road Club. This season Holt’s long-standing scrum-half, Bruce van Poortvliet, a former Norfolk County captain, has been side-lined due to long-standing injury. Fortunately the production line has seen the emergence of yet two more players developed through the Colts and junior systems
Holt’s starting scrum-half in the most recent game against South Woodham Ferrers.was Paston College Sixth-Former, James (JP) D’Amery, whose father Peter combines the role of assistant coach for senior rugby and head coach or the colts. Another Colt’s product Will Allen plays for the First XV at both scrum-half and outside-half.
Before the South Woodham Ferrers game Holt’s head coach Phil Sharpe invited several promising Colts to join the First XV in their pre-match preparations giving them the opportunity to get used to both the routines and the atmosphere. Current First XV captain, Henry is positive about the future and offered the following comment on the emerging scrum-halves:
“Over recent games ‘JP’ has proved himself as a very capable 1st XV player, his speed and accuracy of pass are a great asset to our playing style. Any scrum half coming into our first team set up at Holt has big boots to fill. Despite this both JP and fellow Colt graduate Will Allen have really stepped up to this role and are showing extremely promising signs for Holts future”

Text and picture Martyn Sloman
Picture is of James (JP) and Peter D’Amery