Nothing could dampen the mood of the B Division rugby boys competing in the first National School Games final after the Covid-19 pandemic enforced a suspension in the last two years. Not even multiple match postponements, playing their semi-final matches only the day before and a pitch decimated by torrential rain. In the end, ACS (Independent) beat ACS (Barker Road) 19-0 on aggregate.
Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) held off the challenge of St Andrew's Secondary School to reach its first Cup final in the National School B Division Rugby Championship since 2013. The Barker boys edged Saints 7-5 and 17-14 in the pair of back-to-back 7-a-side matches, involving different groups of players from each school. This is a change from the usual 15-a-side format in the first National School Games rugby competition after a two-year hiatus, due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation. ACS (Barker Road) will play brother school, ACS (Independent) in the final scheduled for April 21.
Anglo-Chinese (Independent) held on to beat St Andrew's Secondary School 19-7 for its fourth-straight National Schools Rugby Championships C Division title. ACS(I) had two boys sent off in the second half for dangerous play, but captain Tycen Yeoh's steady kicking helped his team ensure there was no repeat of the only loss they suffered against the same opponents in the preliminary round robin phase.
Tries from flyhalf Matthew Lim and hooker Tim Nijhof helped Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) claim its sixth-straight National Schools A Division Rugby Championship title with a 14-8 win over Raffles Institution.
Raffles Institution (RI) survived a late gutsy fightback from St. Andrew's Junior College (SAJC) to edge past their traditional rivals 17-15 and book their place in the final of the National A Division Rugby Championship. Raffles were headed for a flattering 17-5 win with only 10 minutes to go, before two unconverted Saints tries saw the boys in green-black-white having to hang on precariously in the dying seconds.
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) clawed back an eight-point deficit with just over 10 minutes left on the clock as they edged defending champions St Andrew's Secondary School 15-13 with a try in the last play of this year's National Schools B Division Rugby Championships final.
With a dominant first half and 11 points from Matthew Robinson [ACS(I) #9], Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) came out tops over Raffles Institution 26-14 for their fifth consecutive National A Division Rugby Championship title.
St Andrew's Secondary School beat Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) with a penalty right at the death to secure its first National Schools B Division Rugby Championship title since 2014. The score: 13-10, with flyhalf Nick Nijhof accounting for all of Saints' points.
