28th Apr'10: Derby 21 -
00 Chesterfield (NLD Cup Final at Matlock RFC)
The date for the U15`s NLD Final
had been set, and then changed, on six occasions and so, at
the seventh time of asking, we found ourselves at Cromford
Meadows, the home of Old Baileans RFC (Matlock RFC to you
youngsters). An already eagerly anticipated match was to be
enhanced by playing on a mid-week evening under floodlights.
Derby kicked off proceedings and for the next ten minutes
found themselves under pressure inside their own half.
Chesterfield enjoyed a considerable amount of possession but
instead of carefully going through the phases they chose to
kick too much ball away over Derby`s midfield.
After a “mark” was taken in the Derby 22, George Tresidder,
spotting space out to the right, took a quick tap and set
off running at the Chesterfield defence. This lad only needs
half a gap and off he went sprinting all the way to the
touchline for the first score of the match. With George
Castledine converting Derby were 7-0 up leaving Chesterfield
wondering what had happened.
For the next ten minutes Derby went on the attack with the
game spent mainly in the Chesterfield half. After Adrian Hex
had stolen the ball it was quickly worked back and moved out
to the right where Myles Costello found himself with a run
to the try-line. Again Castledine converted….14-0 to Derby.
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The final third of
the half was more of the same resulting in a third
try. Derby won a ruck on the Chesterfield 22 line.
The ball was fed back to fly-half Tom Kent who
caught out the Chesterfield defence by going right
instead of left as expected. He ran at the defence,
stepped through a gap, handed-off the last man and
touched down….minus a boot! With Castledine
converting, Derby ended the half at 21-0.
In these
circumstances it is usual to expect a backlash from
the opposition and Chesterfield definitely stepped
up in the second-half. Not only did they prevent
Derby from scoring again but they came very close
themselves. One particular effort saw almost ten
minutes spent battering away at Derby`s defence,
twice being held up on the try-line. When it seemed
that Derby would crack, Ollie Fewtrell came away
with the ball allowing Derby to re-group and clear
their lines.
The final whistle blew to end the game with both
teams having contributed to an excellent contest.
For Derby there had been huge efforts from both
their backs and forwards but ultimately it was there
defence that stood out….proof that all that hard
work on the training pitch was worth it. If further
evidence were needed it comes with these figures for
this NLD campaign….155 points scored with 5 against!
Well done boys….NLD champions for the fifth year
running!
Squad: Adrian Hex,
Jack Waggett, Will Skeates, James Brentnall, Declan
McManus, Myles Costello, Max Pywell, Jamie Twigg,
Rhys Falconbridge, Danny Lawson, Tom Doyle, Charlie
Menzies, George Tresidder, Tom Kent, George Clugston,
Ollie Fewtrell, Ben Cooper, George Castledine, David
Eades, Joe Mansfield, Nick Rigg, Alex Barbour.
Pictured right are
U15s Captain Jamie Twigg receiving the NLD Cup, the
Derby U15s celebrate their win and the U15s Team
Coaches.
Match Report by Mr T of the A Team Weekly News
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14th Mar'10: Lichfield
10 - 07 Derby U15s A
These two teams had last played
each other three years ago and had got back together in the
hope of finding a tougher test for both. On paper it looked
a pretty even match and that is just how it turned out on
the pitch too.
What we got may have been a low scoring affair but it was
certainly an interesting and entertaining contest. The
first-half was rather odd in that Derby spent almost the
whole 30 minutes in the Lichfield half of the pitch but with
excellent defence the home team only conceded the one try.
However, the small amount of time they spent in the Derby
half also provided a try, giving a half-time score of 5-7.
The second-half brought just the one score and again it was
Lichfield going over from short range to breach the normally
water-tight Derby defence for a second time. In the final 10
minutes Derby went for the winning score but with several
chances wasted it wasn`t to be.
Both clubs agreed that it was exactly the type of game that
they need more of but if Derby are to win these games then
they will need to be more patient when going through the
phases and they will also need to be more clinical when
opportunities arise. Well done Lichfield….on reflection your
performance just shaded ours and you deserved the win.
Squad: Jamie Twigg, Jack Waggett, Will Skeates, James
Brentnall, Declan McManus, Danny Lawson, Tom Antrobus, Myles
Costello, Tom Doyle, George Castledine, Tom Kent, Alex
Barbour, Ollie Fewtrell, Joe Mansfield, Nick Rigg, David
Eades.
Match Report by Mr T of the A Team Weekly News
7th Mar'10: Ilkeston
U15s 17 - 55 Derby U15s A
With overnight frost threatening
yet another cancellation it was a relief to find the pitch
playable on a beautifully sunny Sunday morning. Ilkeston are
a great bunch and these encounters are always eagerly
anticipated not least of all by the Trent College lads with
four playing for Derby and at least six for the home team.
In a display of scintillating rugby Derby ran in six tries
in the first-half. Their forwards had been outstanding and
their backs ran and handled in great style. Five of the
tries had seen the ball going through umpteen pairs of hands
before Alex Barbour (twice), Ben Cooper, Jim Brentnall and
Danny Lawson touched down…..the other try from Tom Antrobus
was a steal at a line-out. The score of 0-38 to Derby at
half-time did not actually reflect Ilkeston`s contribution
to the game…..they had quite a bit of possession with
Derby's defence having to work hard on numerous occasions.
The second-half was a completely different affair. Ilkeston
had wanted to get the remainder of their squad into the game
and Derby had lost their fly-half and inside centre to
injury during the interval and so were down to fourteen men.
The half actually ended as a seventeen points a piece draw.
Ilkeston`s dangerous winger, Ryan Tomlin, scored two tries
and the referee scored the other with a penalty try! With
Derby`s backs and forwards swapping roles they still managed
to play some superb rugby with three more tries scored. Tom
Antrobus completed a hat-trick with two long range efforts
and Tom Doyle capped a good days work on the wing with a
well deserved try.
Lichfield next week and Derby will need to be back to full
strength with their normally watertight defence restored!
Squad: Adrian Hex, Jack Waggett, Rhys Falconbridge, James
Brentnall, Declan McManus, Jamie Twigg, Danny Lawson, Tom
Antrobus, Myles Costello.
George Castledine, Tom Kent, Alex Barbour, Ben Cooper, Joe
Mansfield, Tom Doyle, David Eades
Match Report by Mr T of
the A Team Weekly News
28th Feb'10: Derby U15s
A 32 - 00 Lincoln U15s (NLD Cup Semi Final)
This years NLD Cup semi-finals
were being held at Sleaford…..again! Fortunately the bad
weather that had been promised didn`t materialise so
hopefully we would get a decent game of rugby unspoilt by
the conditions. Derby`s opponents today would be Lincoln.
The last time these two teams met was in the qualifying
rounds during November of 2007 with Derby runaway winners at
0-52. The news on the grapevine was that Lincoln had
improved greatly since then so Derby would be treating the
opposition with the utmost respect…..as is always the case!
Lincoln started the game and for the first 5 minutes it was
stalemate in the middle of the pitch as the two teams sized
each other up. George Tresidder then saw space down the
blind-side and set off down the left touchline. The cover
came across but the inside pass went to ground with the
tryline in sight. However, from the resulting 5m scrum,
Derby took the ball against the head and as the ball popped
out Max Pywell was on hand to go over from short range.
Derby were now starting to play more in the Lincoln half of
the pitch and were also moving the ball around when the
opportunity arose. This soon led to two more tries after
good interpassing between Derby`s midfield three put George
Castledine over in the right-hand corner and shortly after
George Tresidder picked up an offload from Ben Cooper to go
over under the posts. With Castledine converting one of the
tries and adding a penalty, Derby were now 20 points ahead
with half-time looming.
Lincoln had persisted with their tactic of trying to run
from anywhere on the pitch but had constantly been thwarted
by Derby`s well drilled defence. Just before the end of the
first-half they found themselves with a rare opportunity to
attack in Derby`s 22. The defence was solid but the referee
had seen something and blew his whistle to award a penalty
to Lincoln, which they opted to kick. From a relatively easy
position the ball hit the post allowing Derby to secure
possession and clear their lines.
The second-half started well for Derby until Max Pywell
received a yellow card for a late tackle on the Lincoln
fly-half. Even the watching Lincoln supporters thought it
was a bit harsh but the referee is always right! Against 14
men Lincoln could expect a little more space and possession
but Derby continued their dominance. Some lovely passing by
the backs saw the ball move both ways across the pitch only
for it to be dropped inches from the line! A try soon
followed though when Tom Kent put Ollie Fewtrell through a
gap with a lovely short, delayed pass.
Lincoln kept pressing but an aimless kick only found
Castledine in his own 22. His clearance kick was long but
didn`t quite find touch. However, the Lincoln defender
fumbled the ball and Tresidder was on hand to scoop it up
and run it home for his second try. In the final few minutes
Lincoln went all out for a consolation try but came up
against the brickwall that is Derby`s defence. Superb
tackling and defensive organisation kept their tryline safe
until Lincoln coughed up the ball and it was cleared into
touch allowing the final whistle from the referee.
Considering the abject lack of rugby these lads have had
recently it had been a good performance with the hint of
more to come. The scrums had been solid with numerous takes
against the head. The line-out functioned well, again
stealing opposition ball. Both the midfield and the back
three combined well together. Above all the team`s
discipline had been excellent and alongside their superb
defensive work this highlighted what a great bunch of lads
this is.
Squad: Adrian Hex, Jack Waggett, Will Skeates, James
Brentnall, Jamie Twigg, Myles Costello, Max Pywell, Tom
Antrobus, Rhys Falconbridge, Declan McManus, Danny Lawson,
Tom Doyle, George Tresidder, Tom Kent, Joe Mansfield, Ollie
Fewtrell, Ben Cooper, George Castledine, David Eades, Nick
Rigg, George Clugston.
Match Report by Mr T of the A Team Weekly News
7th Feb'10: Derby U15s
A 32 - 05 Newark U15s
With no rugby played since mid
December this re-arranged NLD Cup pool game was approached
with mixed feelings. Relief that finally the bad weather had
retreated and allowed us to play, and apprehension after
such a lengthy lay off.
The first-half was not very encouraging at all with Newark
being allowed to dominate through some sloppy play by
Derby….poor handling and kicking, uncharacteristically bad
defending and an all-round sense of a lack of urgency
coupled with the inevitable rustiness.
Newark had looked threatening from the kick-off and
eventually opened the scoring in the left-hand corner
following some smart handling. Derby had their moments but
they were few and far between. To go in at half-time with
the scores level at 5-5 was a major achievement….Joe
Mansfield going over in the corner after getting a fortunate
second chance to score.
The half-time talk centered on how we could improve things.
It hadn`t been bad but every player realised they could all
do better both individually and collectively. They knew they
had to start the second-half with a bang and this is exactly
what they did. George Tresidder darted blind before putting
Myles Costello in at the corner. It was obvious Derby had
changed up a gear with both forwards and backs performing
better and thinking more clearly.
A further four tries were scored with no reply from Newark.
Tresidder again went blind, this time scoring himself and
shortly after a poor kick was collected by Ben Cooper who
put Max Pywell away with a well timed pass. Next up was the
try of the match. Starting on the halfway line the ball was
moved right to left by the backs, quickly recycled by the
forwards, then moved swiftly across to the right again for
Cooper to put Nick Rigg in for the score with another
excellent pass. Tresidder completed the scoring with a
breakaway run down the left.
A much improved second-half performance but with areas that
need tightening up. Well done boys….the semi-final awaits on
the 28th.
Squad: Adrian Hex, Jack Waggett, Will Skeates, James
Brentnall, Jamie Twigg, Myles Costello, Tom Antrobus, Max
Pywell, Danny Lawson, Declan McManus.
George Tresidder, George Castledine, Joe Mansfield, Ollie
Fewtrell, Ben Cooper, Nick Rigg, David Eades, Alex Barbour,
Harry Young.
Photographs
of the game can be viewed within the
Photograph
Galleries
Match Report by Mr T of the A Team Weekly News
13th Dec'09: Derby U15s
A 50 - 00 Nottingham
With planned opponents Market
Harborough involved in a cup match, Nottingham kindly filled
the breech and agreed to play the Derby A team for the
second time in a month.
Following a below par performance at Spalding, the Derby
team took the pitch determined to make amends and
immediately took the game to Nottingham who provided stout
resistance before Jamie Twigg found a gap in the defence to
score.
Derby continues to look to put pace and width on the ball
with both wings Castledine and Rigg looking threatening
while David Eades, back after a seven week lay-off, put in
an exemplary performance at full back mixing telling kicks
with audacious counter-attacking.
Derby created numerous chances but the Nottingham defence
was proving a stubborn opposition but shortly before half
time Tom Antrobus took advantage of some quick ball to power
over. With Castledine converting both tries Derby turned
round 14-0 ahead.
The second half continue in the same vein with the Derby
backs making good use of a steady stream of ball provided by
the forwards to launch a series of attacks and as the
gallant Nottingham defenders tired so the tries came with
Alex Barbour, Joe Mansfield, Castledine, Danny Lawson, Eades
and Ben Cooper all crossing for tries. Castledine added
three more conversions.
Nottingham fought hard to get on the score sheet but Derby
were determined to keep a clean sheet with their commitment
typified by one crunching tackle by Lawson on the Nottingham
full back.
Our thanks to Nottingham for filling in at short notice and
putting in a determined performance with the score perhaps
not reflecting their hard work and commitment.
All in all a better performance but there is still room for
improvement. With several injured players due back in the
New Year players need to realise that competition for places
is hot and performance levels need to continue to improve.
Squad Nick Wesson, Matt Rowley, Will Skeates, Jamie Twigg,
Tom Doyle, Danny Lawson, Jack Waggatt, Tom Antrobus, Charlie
Menzies, George Tresidder, Ollie Fretwell, George
Castledine, Ben Cooper, Joe Mansfield, Nick Rigg, David
Eades, Alex Barbour.
Report by Murdock for The A Team Weekly News
29th Nov'09: Spalding
00 - 46 Derby U15s A
Derby's U15 A`s travelled to
Spalding for their second game of this season's NLD Cup
campaign.
It isn't often that a team turns round at half-time with a
22 point lead and then gets a “ticking off” from the
coaches! It had been a sub-standard performance and if the
forwards and been more committed and the backs more clinical
the lead could have been doubled!
The tries came from Nick Rigg, after being put away into the
left-hand corner, Myles Costello, stealing the ball and
racing in at the opposite corner, Ollie Fewtrell, taking a
short pass and breaking free into space, and George
Castledine who was given the chance to score after slipping
in the Spalding 22.
In the second-half Derby`s forwards upped their efforts but
I`m afraid there were still too many chances not taken which
against tougher opposition could prove costly! Further tries
were scored by George Tresidder, after breaking free inside
the opposition half, Ollie Fewtrell, who pounced on a loose
ball out wide and two scores from Tom Antrobus after several
good passages of recycled ball.
Full marks must go to Spalding who came off second best
today but played with passion and pride right upto the final
whistle. Well done boys and thanks for the hospitality.
Squad: Adrian Hex, Jack Waggett, Nick Wesson, Will Skeates,
James Brentnall, Jamie Twigg, Myles Costello, Tom Antrobus,
Danny Lawson.
George Tresidder, Ollie Fewtrell, Nick Rigg, Ben Cooper,
George Castledine, Alex Barbour, Joe Mansfield.
Match Report by Mr T of the A Team Weekly News
22nd Nov'09: Nottingham
07 - 27 Derby U15s A
With another round of County
matches taking place in the afternoon Derby travelled over
to Nottingham missing five regulars but with those places
filled by some impressive B team boys they still had high
hopes of giving Nottingham a good game.
Derby started the game playing into driving wind and rain
and proceeded to ignore all the usual conventions by trying
to play out of their own 22 area on several occasions
resulting in an interception try for Nottingham under the
posts….7-0.
After a brief “talking to” they began to play more sensible
rugby, given the conditions, and spent most of the remainder
of the half further down the field. Derby did well with what
possession they had and good passages of play resulted in
tries for George Tresidder, a blind-side solo effort, and
for Joe Mansfield from a lovely pass from Ben Cooper.
Nottingham too had their fare share of ball but Derby`s
defence was well organised and they snuffed out the threat
with one tackle in particular, from Cooper, standing out.
In the second-half the poor conditions continued but at
least the wind and rain were now in the faces of the
Nottingham players. Derby became more dominant as the game
wore on and secured plenty of ball resulting in three
further tries…..Tom Doyle was on hand to finish off a super
passage of play that had started 60m away on the left hand
touchline. George Castledine scored next after the
Nottingham full-back spilled the ball in his own 22 and then
Doyle went over again from 5m out.
It had been a good effort given the circumstances and there
had been some pleasing performances…..Jamie Twigg at No.8,
Ben Cooper at 13, George Castledine in the second-half at
scrum-half and Rhys Falconbridge who came on for the final
quarter and tied his opposite prop in knots!
Squad: Adrian Hex, Jack Waggett, Nick Wesson, Will Skeates,
Declan McManus, Jamie Twigg, Tom Antrobus, Charlie Menzies,
Tom Doyle, Rhys Falconbridge.
George Tresidder, George Castledine, Sam Tebbs, Joe
Mansfield, Ollie Fewtrell, Ben Cooper, Nick Rigg, Alex
Barbour.
Match Report by Mr T of the A Team Weekly News
8th Nov'09: Match
Reports for U15s A v Chesterfield A and U15s B v
Chesterfield B
Derby U15s
A 29 - 07 Chesterfield
Derby's B team had put on a superb
show in outplaying their Chesterfield opponents….could the A
team follow suit?
After barely two minutes of play the answer would have
appeared to be an emphatic yes! From a good Derby kick-off
they put Chesterfield under pressure in the visitor`s 22.
Derby went left before the ball was quickly recycled to
fly-half Tom Kent who spotted space down the blind-side. His
perfectly judged pass then allowed Nick Rigg to score
untouched in the corner. George Castledine put over a huge
conversion for 7-0.
However, Chesterfield then enjoyed a period of possession
but made little headway against a solid looking Derby
defence. They moved the ball from left to right and then
back again but could not break through. That is until
fly-half Ingledew forced his way over from close range….a
tricky runner but better Derby tackling should have
prevented him from scoring!
With the scores level Derby set about regaining the lead and
spent most of the remainder of the first-half in the
Chesterfield half of the pitch. Some lovely passages of play
from both backs and forwards resulted in tries for Declan
McManus and Myles Costello, and with Castledine popping over
both conversions and a penalty, Derby ended the half 22-7
ahead.
The scoreline could have been wider had Derby taken the
right option on a couple of occasions and that final pass
had been a little more accurate! The half also ended on a
sour note as two players, one from each team, lay injured on
the floor. Ambulances were called for as the players moved
pitches for the second-half.
Chesterfield upped their efforts in the second-half, and
with Derby becoming engaged in a wrestling match with the
visitors big forwards, the game became less of a spectacle.
Derby`s defence though was key in this period and it was
more than up to the task….well organised and with tackles
made….proof that their training sessions are working!
The only score of the half inevitably came from an error.
Chesterfield were trying their best to breakthrough and in
doing so lost possession at a ruck. Ollie Fewtrell pounced
on the loose ball inside his own half before winning the
race to the try-line….Castledine again converting.
This completed an excellent mornings work from both
squads….their coaches should be more than pleased with how
they are progressing and thankfully all the injured players
were later given the all-clear.
Squad: Will Skeates, Jack Waggett, Nick Wesson, Declan
McManus, Jamie Twigg, Myles Costello, Max Pywell, Tom
Antrobus, Danny Lawson, George Castledine, Tom Kent, Joe
Mansfield, Ollie Fewtrell, Ben Cooper, Nick Rigg, David
Eades, Alex Barbour.
Photographs
of the game can be viewed within the
Photograph
Galleries
Match Report by Mr T of the A Team Weekly News
Derby U15s B 55 - 07
Chesterfield B
Derby’s B team have now started to fulfil the potential they
have been showing. This was a team display that resulted in
a fine win. Right from the start the Derby team showed their
intentions by moving the ball and running at the opposition.
Results came within 2 minutes with Sam Tebbs scoring a try
and then converting his own touchdown.
The rest of the half was played almost exclusively in the
Chesterfield half, with only a handful of plays getting into
the Derby 22. The amount of territory that the Derby team
had was a reward for the efforts of the Derby pack, who were
arriving at breakdowns in numbers and showing the results of
the past few weeks training sessions. Further tries from Joe
Wright, Charlie Menzies, Joe McCaul and Luke Bland gave
Derby a healthy 27-0 lead at half time.
Making several changes at half-time didn’t alter the pattern
of the game much. Derby scored 3 further tries, 2 from Kaan
Dalkic and one from Luke McNeilly. These were converted by
Joe Giles, Luke McNeilly and Sam Tebbs to push the score to
48-0. Chesterfield then fought back and scored a try of
their own, which they successfully converted, but Derby then
rounded the scoring off with a try from Tom Doyle and
conversion from Sam Tebbs.
Chesterfield were very unfortunate to be on the receiving
end of one of those games when everything seemed to work. As
for man of the match – the whole squad!
Squad: Joe Donohue, Matt Rowley, Rhys Falconbridge, Jake
Biggs, Declan McManus, Tom Doyle, Joe Wright, Charlie
Menzies, Kaan Dalkic, Max Cook, Seb Bubb, John Brunt, Luke
McNeilly, Joe Giles, Sam Tebbs, Joe McCaul, Luke Bland, Alex
Law, Tom Mellor.
Photographs
of the game can be viewed within the
Photograph
Galleries
Match Report by KT for The Mickleover Sunday Express
18th
Oct'09: Kesteven 00 - 24 Derby 'A'
Derby`s U15 A`s travelled to Kesteven to open the defence of
their champions status in the first game of this season`s
NLD Cup campaign.
The first-half ended scoreless! Derby`s pack had struggled
to provide any decent amount of possession at scrum and
line-out and although their talented backs had looked
threatening with the limited amount of good ball they had,
they were unable to get over the try-line.
With instructions given and tweaks made during the half-time
interval Derby looked more in control and with a better
supply of ball their backs began to make headway. Kesteven`s
defence held firm until at last, after several phases, Will
Skeates crashed over from short range. Dominant in attack
and sure in defence Derby now pressed on. Tom Antrobus broke
away just inside the visitor`s half and made it almost to
the line before off-loading to the supporting Jamie Twigg
who went over under the posts. Joe Mansfield was next on the
score-sheet after picking up a kick ahead and then rounding
the full-back. To complete the scoring George Castledine
added a third conversion to go with an earlier penalty.
It had been a pleasing display with the key being a well
organised defence with hardly a tackled missed. In attack
Derby had constantly looked to keep the ball alive and
ultimately their fitness and focus upon their game plan saw
them home.
Squad: Adrian Hex, Jack Waggett, Will Skeates, James
Brentnall, Jamie Twigg, Myles Costello, Max Pywell, Tom
Antrobus, Donald Inns, Danny Lawson, Declan McManus, George
Castledine, Tom Kent, Joe Mansfield, Ollie Fewtrell, Ben
Cooper, Luke Bland, David Eades, Sam Tebbs.
Match Report by Mr T of the A Team Weekly News
11th
Oct'09: Derby U15s B 26 - 15 Spartans Juniors
No match report but Photographs
of the game can be viewed within the
Photograph
Galleries
4th
Oct'09: Derby U15s B 14 - 54 Leicester Vipers
No match report but Photographs
of the game can be viewed within the
Photograph
Galleries
27th
Sep'09:
Melbourne 00 - 65 Derby 'A'
Derby`s U15 A`s
opened their account for this new season with a short
journey to Chellaston School to take on local rivals
Melbourne. With one eye on the NLD Cup, as ever, and the
other on a different style of play, it would be interesting
to see how these players performed.
What we got was an impressive display, individually and
collectively, and from both backs and forwards. We saw
plenty of instances of players trying to use space and avoid
contact….exactly what the coaches wanted. However, as usual,
they spotted areas that need working on!
Tries galore from….George Tresidder, Jamie Twigg, Max Pywell,
George Castledine, Adrian Hex, Danny Lawson, Ben Cooper x2
and Ollie Fewtrell x3. Converting the extras were….David
Eades, Ollie Fewtrell and George Castledine x3.
Thanks to Melbourne for their hospitality. Derby now look
forward to what should be a tougher test next week at home
to Old Northamptonians.
Squad: Adrian Hex, Matt Rowley, Will Skeates, Donald
Inns, James Brentnall, Tom Antrobus, Myles Costello, Danny
Lawson, Jamie Twigg, Max Pywell.
George Tresidder, Tom Kent, Ollie Fewtrell, Ben Cooper,
George Castledine, Luke Bland, Alex Barbour, Tom Mellor,
David Eades.
Match Report by Mr T of the A Team Weekly News
