Story by Koh Yizhe and Ng Enna/Red Sports. Photos by Vanessa Lim/Red Sports

B division rugby semifinals

The ACS(I) player gets tackled just as he passes the ball. (Photo 1 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)

CCAB, Thursday, March 31, 2011 — It took Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) just 53 minutes to score 82 unanswered points and invoke the mercy rule against St. Joseph’s Institution (SJI) in their National B Division Rugby Championship semi-final.

This win sets up a repeat of last year’s B Division final after St Andrew’s edged past Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 13-7 in the other semi-final.

ACS(I) had already defeated SJI 82-0 in a first round match, so SJI, who finished third last year, were looking to make it a closer game. However, ACS(I) had an explosive start, scoring four tries within the first 15 minutes. There was not much doubt of the result from that point on as SJI had no reply to the defending champions.

By halftime, the score was 49-0 with ACS(I) scoring seven converted tries.

Much of the same followed in the second half with ACS(I) scoring another five tries and converting three of them to seal the match at 80-0.

The top try-scorer was Shi Cheng Hao with three tries while Samuel Teo and Geoffrey Lee grabbed two each. Barry Ann Jie, Harvey Mercado, Sam Becker, Sebastian Seow and Panuvich all got one try each.

Panuvich and Sebastian Seow were also in hot kicking form as they made four and five conversions respectively. Ngen Ge Liang made one conversion.

“I think we just enjoyed the fluency of the game,” said ACS(I) vice-captain Harvey Mercado after his team’s victory. “SJI were pretty good. We expected them to give us some difficulties but we played to the game plan.”

“The crowd and the level of competition from SJI provides good preparation for the final. Despite the score, some of them did not give up. So we pretty much expect the same thing from SA,” added the 16-year-old.

The final will be played on Thursday, April 7th, at 4.30pm at Home Team Academy.

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