RUGBY
Kiwi Cup
St Andrew’s Combined XV vs Raffles Combined XV
Saturday, 30 June 2007 at Raffles Junior College
Story by Red Sports reader, flyingoverinahelicopter. Thanks!
It was a great day for the die-hard fans of rugby from schoolboys to adults. This was what rugby is all about – true competitiveness on the field, and light hearted banter and drink off it.
The 2007 Kiwi Cup was trimmed to one game this year, with logistics and practicality cited as reasons. It was a hark back to the old ethos of rugby – the best Raffles had to offer versus the best of St Andrews regardless of division. The best players from Sec 1 to second year Junior College players would be on show.
Raffles headed into the game still brimming with confidence from winning the 2007 Police Cup National ‘A’ Division Championship. As predicted, a very strong RJC team came out representing Raffles, with only one Secondary 4 forward representing Raffles Institution.
St Andrew’s came in as underdogs, their ‘A’ Division team losing semifinalists whilst the ‘B’ Division team were losing finalists. They fielded a more mixed team, an extremely strong pack. It helped that most of the Saints played together in three ‘B’ Division winning teams, and that experience proved the difference.
From the start, the Saints looked hungry for the ball, and ran the ball wide in attack, off solid forward dominance. Raffles backs looked menacing, but their forwards seemed to be over-matched by the Saints.
Captain Lee Chee Meng and centre Stuart Ho of Raffles looked dangerous, but the Saints had the hard defense of Jesse Quek and Robert Lim to thank for shackling them. Great forward momentum from the Saints and brilliant reading from scrum half Chan Ming Qi saw standoff Robert Lim score halfway in the 1st half. Unconverted, the saints led 5-0.
The rest of the game was a see-saw battle that saw Raffles slowly edge back into the game with power running from John W and brilliant open play running from Chris Fang, Anwar and Kevin Neo.
The last 20mins of the game was a nail-biter, with the saints scoring off a penalty move, backrow Mark Sim staying strong in the tackle to unload for winger Abel Teo to score. Unconverted again, the Saints led 10-0. Raffles awoke from that and came storming back with a try of their own, but in the end, the clock ran out, and the Saints had beaten a predominately RJC side on their home ground 10-5.
All in all it was a great experience, not only of school boy rugby, but also a walk back in time. The old boys from each school squared off in two games – Open category and Veterans. It was an array of current and ex-national players, club players and old warriors mixing it up. It was great to see the ‘master of the kick’ Gilbert Soh from Saints work his magic against old foe and national team mate Terrence Koh in the veterans game. What a sight, to see them play against each other and see their magic still evident despite jobs, kids and age!
Ah it was like a bit of the old days. Back in 1972 Raffles beat SAINTS – who had won the 7s and 15s national titles – by just 1 point. Final score over 2 legs = 17-16
And as far as i know the ruling/selection policy still exists!
Hi Saint1862 –
As far as I know (from a very trusted source), it has traditionally been such that each school will be able to select ANY player it deems fit to play in the kiwi cup, from sec 1 onwards. In the past, there have been a few outstanding SA players at the age of 14 who played in Saints Kiwi cup teams, as have some from Raffles.
Hence my report as such.
“The best players from Sec 1 to second year Junior College players would be on show.”
it should be
“The best players from Sec 3 to second year Junior College players would be on show.”
Saints family – No 3 on that day for Saints was DAVID Tambunan, not Daniel, J1
author lim? haha
yes indeed saints lineup includes almost half from bdiv.here is the lineup i saw from the game.
1)andrewchua(sec5)
2)Author Lim(j2)
3)daniel(j1)
4)shawn(j1)
5)sam(j1)
6)j1
7)edwin(sec3)
8)mark sim(j2)
9)ming qi(j1)
10)robert lim(sec5)
11)izuan(sec4)
12)jesse quek(j2)
13)hasif(sec4)
14)abel teo(j1)
15)teo boon rong(j2)
Saints,
I watched the above Kiwi Cup game. In the evening afterwards, I was lookng at a video of the A Division Semi-Final game between RJC and SAJC. I was able to notice the difference, many different players, between the team that played for SAJC that day and the one that played in May.
Putting aside my reasons why the RJC team lost, my first conclusion was that if these SAJC players are available for A Division Rugby in 2008, then Saints will have a very good team.
As usual, Saints were well-prepared and ready to play.
isnt there any more photos of kiwi cup?or where can i get those from?
Well random, its not a new thing for the Saints.
Although its much better now. Of those that do qualify for Jc, around 90% go back to SAJC, and as I know, from the last 4 years, only 1 sa rugger has decided to chose another JC.
I remember in 1994 – The Saints had just won the police cup B div in 1993 with a largely Sec 4 team. In 1994, 3 quarters of those starters when to ACJC, and if i recall correctly, they won the A div police cup, or at least got to the finals. Beofre that period, ACJC rugby was not that strong.
Perhaps this might imply that Saints rugby has always been strong, just that most of SAS ruggers do not manage to enter into SAJC while others choose to pledge loyalty to other schools, which is a huge loss to the Saints’ family. On the other hand, Raffles (and probably AC too) is blessed with outstanding rugger-students. Sigh
Thanks for the correction, saint1862.
“Kiwi Cup
St Andrew’s Junior College vs Raffles Junior College
Saturday, 30 June 2007 at Raffles Junior College”
I think it would be better reflected this way…
“The Kiwi Cup
St Andrew’s Combined XV vs Raffles Combined XV
Saturday, 30 June 2007 at Raffles Junior College”
as both teams are officially known as the Combined XV Team of their schools since the start of the Kiwi Cup in 1967.
Anyway, here’s the results of the 2 Jim Weir Cups… another 2 cups that are played together with the Kiwi Cup, solely between Saints and Rafflesians…
Jim Weir Cup (Under 35 Alumni)
Saints : Raffles
0 : 0
0 : 5 (Try, not converted)
(Penalty) 3 : 5
3 : 10 (Try, not converted)
Half-Time
(Try, converted) 10 : 10
Jim Weir Cup (Over-35 Alumni)
Saints : Rafflesians
0 : 0
(Penalty) 3 : 0
(Try, converted) 10 : 0
10 : 3 (Penalty)
Half-Time
10 : 6 (Penalty)
17 (Try, converted) : 6
17 : 11 (Try, not converted)
Saint Andrew’s WOOOHOOO SAINTS!! HUAT AR!