Temasek Polytechnic, Monday, July 21, 2008 – Singapore Polytechnic (SP) beat Republic Polytechnic (RP) 19-5 to start their POL-ITE Rugby Championship campaign on a winning note. RP are this year’s POL-ITE dark horses after their impressive first game against Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

In a game played in wet conditions, there were many fumbles with both teams contented with putting the ball high up into the air. SP started off the match brilliantly, scoring the first try of the match through their lightning quick scrum-half when he burtst through the line after a good build up. He remained dangerous throughout the match. He converted his own try to give SP a 7-0 lead.

RP woke up after the first try and started to put pressure on SP. With their forwards setting up good balls for their backs to put it high up in the air, they started to become dangerous. RP then replied with their first try of the match this time through #12 Zahid who outpaced the SP forwards on the wing through a counter attack.

RP launched a high ball into the SP half. The SP fullback caught the ball and punted it back down field. RP then launch a counter-attack which led to Zahid scoring. The conversion was missed by their #9 Eugene. SP now had a 7-5 lead.

SP however, scored their second try of the match, with their #9 Joe Seng yet again bursting through RP’s defensive line to score through the middle. He made no mistake with his conversion to make it 14-5 for SP. RP worked hard to try and get back into the game and received a penalty after an SP offside offence at the breakdown just inside the SP half. Instead of going for a lineout, they took the option of getting the three points and up stepped Eugene from 48 metres out. However his ball went left and missed to bring the half to an end.

In the second half, the same tactics were used by RP but they however could not find a way through the SP defence. SP then increased their lead with another try, this time through their #12, after he broke through some weak RP rush defense. The conversion was missed by #9 Joe Seng but SP had done enough to secure the win with a 19-5 scoreline.