Single Point Separates Colts

The Junior Boys Rugby team suffered a devastating loss to SMUS after a grueling 60 minutes that tested the team physically and mentally. We brought intensity to the game straight off the blocks by scoring a series of early tries. Torren K, Privett ‘20 used his speed to break the line to score his first of four tries under the posts. We continued to succeed in the first half by retaining possession on offense and fronting up on defense by making positive tackles. The boys continued to beat the gainline and finished the half with a strong 33-12 lead.  The tides turned and SMUS got on the front foot early in the second half by scoring two early tries. The team’s defensive efforts were put to the test as we were deprived of possession in the second half due to ill discipline at the breakdown leading to several costly turnovers. Jordan D, Privett ‘20, a late edition to the team, having arrived only three weeks ago on exchange from South Africa, proved to be a decisive tackler and breakdown specialist. Despite our defensive efforts, SMUS stretched the ball and scored a sequence of five tries, breaking our early lead and bringing the score to 41-33. With 30 seconds left to play, the team showed real resilience by finishing off the game with a brilliant set piece try scored in the corner by Jack NG, Ellis ‘21.  The team just fell short losing 41-40. Although it was a competitive test match, it left a sour taste in everyone's mouth. “Fair credit to SMUS, they found momentum and controlled the tempo of the game in the second half. We faded as we became fatigued and lost a few key players to injury. This week we will focus on defensive structure, which will help us improve in next week’s Island semifinals - against SMUS”, Mr. Smith reflected after the game. The boys learned a lesson after experiencing defeat which will motivate us to train harder and smarter in the upcoming practices. We will play SMUS again in the qualifications for provincials tomorrow, where are hoping to redeem ourselves and come out on top. It was a gutsy effort by the boys who showed plenty of character in the face of adversity.  Callum BC, Privett ‘20