ACS(I) ruggers outplay SAJC 34-11

By Les Tan/Red Sports. Photos by reader Mr Wee Ban Bee

ACS(I), Friday, April 27, 2007 – Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) beat St Andrew’s Junior College 34-11 in a rain-delayed game this afternoon at ACS(I). This game was a replay of the game on Wednesday, 25 April which was abandoned due to lightning with ACS(I) leading 25-12 with 15 minutes to go. Today, lightning again forced the first half to be stopped with SAJC leading 6-5, the Saints scoring from two penalties and ACS getting their points from a try by Eric.

When play resumed, SAJC scored a try within two minutes but failed to convert to bring the score to 11-5 in their favour. But ACS came driving back at them with a try by #15 Shannon to bring the score to 10-11. Under continued pressure, an SAJC player then made a mistake when he dropped the ball in his own half on the wing. The ball was scooped up by  #11 Khairul Bunny of ACS who passed it on quickly to his team mate Shannon who ran the ball in for another try, leaving the SAJC players in his wake. The conversion was successful to put ACS up 17-11
before half time.

SAJC’s weight advantage and kicking game strategy helped them to put points on the board with their two penalties and a try in the first half but as the game progressed, they found the ACS defense line tough to penetrate. In the second half, SAJC’s #15 showed his running ability when he slipped through an initial wall of ACS players before he finally got ground down. Apart from that, SAJC seemed intent on using their heavy forward to pound their way through the ACS defense but they just could not find a weakness.

It was therefore a matter of time before ACS piled up the points and this happened when their speedy winger Khairul scored another try to put his school 24-11 up. Another try by his team mate soon after made the score 29-11.

In another display of speed and agility, Khairul caught a long punt from an SAJC player and started a run 15 metres inside his own half. As he began his run, the ACS supporters roared in anticipation. He slipped one SAJC player, then another, and then a third. The fourth SAJC player caught him and as he was going down, he dished the ball out to his team mate, #12 Justin Boey, who took off and had a free run to the try line. 34-11 to ACS.

In another moment which had the ACS supporters bench up and cheering was when #13, Blandon, of ACS lift-tackled SAJC’s #15. He lifted his opponent a clear two feet of the ground before dumping him down on the ground to loud cheering and hooting from the supporters.

In the last five minutes of the game, SAJC drove deep into the ACS half and got as close as 1 metre from the try line. But try as they might, they just could not put the ball over, always opting for their forward to drive it in and never once passing the ball out along the line, perhaps acutely aware that the ACS defensive line was disciplined and strung out all along the try line.

In a light hearted moment near the end, #8 David of ACS had his pants ripped by an over-enthusiastic SAJC player but he continued to play on to much laughter and hoots from the supporters.

Editor’s note: If you know the names of the players I’ve referred to only by their jersey numbers, please let me know their names. Also, if you recognise yourself or your team mates in the pictures, let me know the names so that I can update the captions too. Thanks.