Story and photos by Joash Chow/Red Sports
Ames Leung (AC #1) breaks off from a lineout maul and takes on RI’s Gregory Wee (#30). (Photo 1 © Joash Chow/Red Sports)
Jurong West Stadium, Thursday, 25 April 2024 — Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) have made it to the National School Games (NSG) B Division Rugby final after a commanding 46-7 defeat of RI in the first of two semi-finals.
The game was held scoreless for the first quarter despite Independent spending much of that time in the Raffles half. It was a resolute Raffles defence that prevented ACS(I) from scoring when the boys from Dover Road came within a metre of the try line on two occasions.
ACS(I) eventually settled for three points through an easy penalty kick taken by Iestyn John (AC #15).
The decision to kick for points turned out well for ACS(I) as it relieved their frustrations on attack.
Within five minutes of the restart, ACS(I) went in for two quick tries from Ethan Kuah (AC #23) and Iestyn John (AC #15) to take the score to 13-0.
Raffles had all to play for as they were handed an attacking opportunity following a poor kick from ACS(I) that went directly into touch.
After a few phases of attack, scrumhalf Iain Chong Chow (RI #9) found the tryline from a pick and dive. Captain Daniel Park (RI #10) successfully converted, bringing the score to 13-7.
Unfortunately, RI’s comeback efforts were blunted as RI lost the ball from the restart.
ACS(I) capitalised with a try from Jeremiah Lee (AC #12) while Iestyn John (AC #15) managed a difficult conversion from close to the sidelines. The first-half concluded with ACS(I) leading 20-7.
“It was a slow start from our team but we eventually found our rhythm and started to play better,” said ACS(I) head coach Mr Adrian Chong.
ACS(I) continued to put up the points as the second half unfolded. A brilliant solo run from Iestyn John (AC #15) extended ACS(I)’s lead as he received the ball at the halfway mark before sidestepping his way through four Raffles defenders. Iestyn John (AC #15) added the extras with his conversion.
Raffles found themselves with 14 players on the field as Aden Chong (RI #12) was shown a red card for a shoulder charge that made direct head contact.
Yet the Rafflesians did not relent, even as ACS(I) looked to score from a strong lineout-formed maul. Brave tackles from Gregory Wee (RI #30) and Ashton Yong (RI #06) paid off, causing hooker Ames Leung (AC #1) to knock the ball on just shy of the Raffles try line.
RI came close to scoring when Gregory Wee (RI #30) contested an attempted kick from the AC side. The ball did not find the intended target cleanly and Wee (RI #30) chipped the ball towards the ACS(I) try area. However, a try-saving tackle by Ryan Lee (AC #27) brought Wee (RI #30) down.
In the final quarter, ACS(I) pulled away as Raffles continued the fight 14-men strong.
Leon Loh (AC #7) scored a try off a line break by Isaac Kong (AC #8). Iestyn John (AC #15) converted, taking his individual contributions to the score line to an admirable 19-point haul.
Ethan Lim (AC #2) made an incredible 65 metre run to score, which Christian Hunter (AC #28) converted successfully.
In the last minute of the game, Zachary Chua (AC #26) scored a final try to conclude the match 46-7 to ACS(I).
“It was a bit of a wake-up call for us in the first half because we had made many mistakes and unforced errors,” said ACS(I) captain Jansen Ling (AC #9).
“But in the second half, we did well to turn those mistakes into great outcomes like long-range tries.”
RI captain Daniel Park (RI #10) said: “Despite the setbacks that we faced… no matter how much we were down, we kept our heads up, we kept each other going.”
“Everyone knew that this was going to be a tough game, but it’s a challenge that we didn’t back down from.”
Raffles ‘B’ Division Coach Mr Faizal Ahyar added: “We did really, really well on defence. It’s just the few key moments that we were not connected… that’s when we let them punish us and score the tries.”
“I think we’ve progressed really well, from the first game against Barker… each game we got better and better.”
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) will play Saint Andrew’s Secondary School in the NSG ‘B’ Division final at the National Stadium on Monday, 6 May 2023 at 2.00pm.
The final will be live-streamed at the following link.
Raffles Institution would go on to finish 3rd in the division after beating Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 17-10 in the 3rd/4th placing match held on 29 April 2024.
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) v Raffles Institution
Scoring by half
Half-time: 20-7
Full-time: 46-7
Scorers
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)
Ethan Lim (#2) – 1 try
Leon Loh Shu-Juin (#7) – 1 try
Jeremiah Lee Wei Han (#12) – 1 try
Ethan James Kuah Qing (#23) – 1 try
Zachary Chua Kai En (#26) – 1 try
Iestyn David Gareth John (#15) – 2 tries, 3 conversions, 1 penalty
Hunter Christian John Kusmuljadi (#28) – 1 conversion
Raffles Institution
Iain Chong Chow (#9) – 1 try
Daniel Howard Park (#10) – 1 conversion
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) Roster
Ames Leung Man Hon (#1), Ethan Lim (#2), Parith Avasadanond (#3), Erick Tio Ding Fan (#4), Tran Zhen Wei, Nathaniel (#5), Callum Stuart Morrison (#6), Leon Loh Shu-Juin (#7), Kong Hoe Wah Isaac (#8), Jansen Ling Qing Xian (#9), Jaryl Lee Jianming (#10), Harry Irfan Curran (#11), Jeremiah Lee Wei Han (#12), Tyler Law Hon Ray (Liu Fengrui) (#13), Low Ying Xiang, Joshua (#14), Iestyn David Gareth John (#15), James Cheng Jinhui (#16), Quinn Adrian Young Xiang Hong (#19), Pang Kae Ler, Jovan (#18), Ashton Wong (Huang Yichang) (#19), Tyler Wong (#20), Han Eii Kuang (#21), Tay Shi Kai, Oscar (#22), Ethan James Kuah Qing (#23), Quentin Thales Wong Shi Jie (#25), Zachary Chua Kai En (#26), Ryan John Lee (#27), Hunter Christian John Kusmuljadi (#28), Dion Lee Jikai (#31), Li Parone Avasadanond (#32), Nicholas John Lee Wei Cheng (#33)
Raffles Institution Roster
Huang Yihan (#1), Bhaskar Mall (#2), Tian Kaiwen (#23), Khoo Kai Ren Ascensius (#4), Andrew Foo Don Xiang (#5), Gong Hanrui (#16), Xiao Nianxing (#17), Yeo Zhi Xian, Ethan (#18), Wang Tianwei (#19), Gu Hao Gen (Wu Haogen) (#20), Joseph Benjamin Poon (#25), Ashton Yong Hao Ming (#6), Kyran Yeo Zhen Yu (#7), Muhammad Rayyan Anaqi (#8), Iain Chong Chow (#9), Daniel Howard Park (#10), Yong Chai Jinghen (#11), Aden Chong Chow (#12), Chaw Sheng (#13), Joseph Paul Lee Wei Cheng (#14), Isaiah Ng Ding Heng (#15), Kwa Rei Kai, Daryl (#21), Fang Keyi (#22), Muhammad Zuhri Setiawanggsa (#33), Dang Yu Tien (#24), Young Shang Lok (#26), Darius Lee Jun Sheng (#27), Josiah Ezra Menon (#28), William Ng Xinjie (#29), Gregory Wee Shao Heng (#30)
*** NOTE: Names and jersey numbers are based on official team sheets.
More photos next page. Please let us know if you recognise any of the players in the photos by leaving a comment, so we can edit the captions to include their names.
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