1st XV vs Amersham & Chiltern
In what many observers have judged to be our best performance of the season, the 1st XV made a clear statement, dominating third-placed Amersham and Chiltern RFC in a 42-19 win.

There were dominant performances all over the pitch. First and foremost, the pack commanded the game. Although Amersham came out with clear purpose and determination it didn't take long for our front 8 to wrestle control of the game. Once again, the front row of Joe Reid (later Alex Mitchell), Rhys Hartley and loosehead prop Joe McMillan were absolutely in charge. The scrum has become a real weapon this season and there were times when you couldn't help but feel some sympathy for the Amersham pack who were hopelessly outgunned for large parts of the game. Amersham showed resilience and kept plugging away; their openside flanker George Bartlett was consistently strong around contact and in the loose, but he was left without a great deal of support.

Our loose forwards Harrison Pickett, Dan Whiteman and Oliver Pickett never gave their opponents time to re-group or consolidate their possession. In attack and defence, the back row was at it's aggressive and tenacious best - when they are on their game there can be no better back row in the division. Harrison Pickett has been a crucial addition to the side this season. As a genuine 8, Harrison gives the pack an edge. Since returning from a preseason ankle injury he has added mobility and strength to an already dynamic pack. Harrison's presence has also enabled Oliver Pickett to move across to the flank and exploit space in the blindside channel. Opponents rarely see him coming and his growing try-count is a clear reflection of his drive and commitment on the pitch.

The backline always looked dangerous. Colchester legend Damien Brambley was in breathtaking form; every time he took the ball on one of his characteristic mazy runs a try looked a distinct possibility. Damien's pace and ability to turn a game with a moment of magic was a clear edge and the collective pace of Brambley, Crozier and Brown clearly unsettled the Amersham defence. James Crozier's consistency was once again a major contributor to our victory as he converted every one of our six tries and bagged a score for himself.

Our Man of the Match was Rhys Hartley. Obviously, as hooker, Rhys is a key component in set pieces but also carries well and plays a vital role in the overall implementation and organisation of our 'game plan' - Rhys is a very focused player, he's nearly always first in the changing room, prepares fastidiously and takes his rugby very seriously and he brings a great deal to the side.

Sadly, it was Will Brown's last game in a Colchester shirt for the foreseeable future. Will is off to New Zealand before he starts University in September. Although Will has had a long connection with Colchester, this was his first senior season. He has been virtually ever-present this season and has given absolutely everything to our cause. Will's skills are obvious to see. He has blistering pace and superb handling skills, but one of his greatest attributes is his tackling; he has nailed every single tackle this season, often as the last line of defence. Thanks for everything Will, good luck from everyone at CRFC and enjoy your travels!

Colts vs Bury
On Sunday our Colts XV took on local rivals Bury St Edmunds and put in some good work to finish convincing winners 49 - 15. In the pack, Jack Harvey made a significant impact. Jack put in a genuinely dynamic display at openside flanker. He worked tirelessly and his ferocious work around the tackle and breakdown meant that the Bury forwards were never able to establish any sort of grip on the game. In the back division, Jonah Varela posed a constant threat to the Bury defence with a series of searching midfield breaks.

Bury's Colts showed great resilience and rallied early in the second half, but our strength in depth was crucial in the final third of the game as we stretched an already substantial lead. The Colts have made definite progress this season. The regular starting side consists of mainly first-year colts led from the front by Senior Colt Sam Lines who has put in a great deal of hard graft this season shepherding this young, developing side.

This week's rugby
There's rugby on Thursday and Friday this week. On Thursday the "Old Colts" will take on our Colts XV under the Mill Road floodlights for the Pritchard Cup. It's a great way to start the Easter weekend and a good opportunity to see some of our young and developing players. Then, on Good Friday, the 1st XV will finally get the opportunity to face Fullerians RFC in a game rescheduled after the 'beast from the east' snowfalls!

There are some minor changes to the side that trounced Amersham and Chiltern on Saturday. With Matt Wadling unavailable, Brett Cutbush returns to start at scrum-half. Brett came on as a second-half replacement against Amersham after Wadling had led the charge in the opening exchanges. With Will Brown on his travels, there's a re-shuffle in the backline. Damien Brambley will switch to cover the fullback role and there's more experience added to the side as Joe Flexman shows his versatility and makes a welcome return to the starting XV on the wing. We are delighted to be able to field a pretty much full strength side on a Bank Holiday. We are very fortunate that at short notice our players and staff were able to juggle their commitments to make sure that we have the best possible opportunity to bag another home win and maintain our proud 100% home record.

Alex Mitchell retains his place on the bench to cover the front row after another solid scrummaging display. Depending on the side Fullerians can field this weekend, observers of the away game will recall that they possessed a very competitive front row including two experienced and awkward prop forwards - our scrum will be tested this week but we are confident that our big boys will get the job done like they have in every game this season! The remaining spots on the bench go to two young developing players who graduated from our Colts - Rory Mitchell and Lewis Williams. Both Rory and Lewis quietly go about their business in an impressive manner. They have regularly turned out for the Ravens this season against quality opposition and their progress is a reflection of the commitment and the support they have received from their families and coaches over the years.

We hope to see you at Mill Road over the weekend. Keep an eye on our social media for up to the minute information and don't forget that the 1st XV kick off at 3.00pm on Friday and that Dawn is serving Fish and Chips with a pint for £10.00 from 1.00pm - so don't spending all day cooking or watching rubbish TV, get down to Mill Road and see some rugby!