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Action from Fez by
Aphrodite Jakarta Rugby XVs
Championship – Round II
By TITO VAU, prUi GenerAl MAnAGer
The hot Jakarta weather
added to the scorching
atmosphere of the second
round of the “2011 Fez
by Aphrodite Jakarta
Rugby XVs Championship” held
Saturday, 2 April at the International
Sports Club of Indonesia (ISCI) in
Ciputat.
The scheduled first match between Jago
Dulu and Bandung Rams had to be
postponed due to player unavailability
but to everyone’s delight, the second game
between Jakarta Komodo against Jakarta
Banteng delivered all the sizzling action
one could hope for in a Rugby game.
Banteng began proceedings with
the kickoff and thunderously chased the
ball to maintain pressure on Komodo.
Some very good and tight defensive play
managed to keep the Komodo from
scoring in the early part of the game
until the offloading experience of the
Komodo finally managed to make a
difference with Dan McNally scoring in
the seventh minute of the first half. Daly
Stead converted the try to give Komodo a
7-0 lead and Banteng some time to think
about their game-plan.
For the next twenty minutes, both
teams exhibited tenacious character,
combining phase play with territorial
kicking before Michael Bavin broke
through the Komodo defense to score
under the uprights and convert his own
try to tie the game up at one converted try
a piece.
The Banteng celebrations had hardly
subsided when Komodo winger Coleman
scored for Komodo in the corner,
followed not long after by a try by No. 8
Tom Elliot. A conversion by Stead had
Komodo up 19-7 at the break.
As the sun set and the lights came
on, the game just got hotter with Banteng
No. 8 Scot Joyce scoring a try by busting
through the middle of the Komodo line
from a well executed rolling maul. M
Thompson of Komodo would have none
of it and was soon crossing the line for yet
another display of Komodo experience
over the Banteng pack. Sebastian Sharpe
scored a try immediately after the return
PHOTOS: PRUI
kickoff which was converted by Alexander
to give Komodo what looked like the
beginning of another thorough mopping
over of the Banteng.
Play was slightly disrupted with a
sending off of Banteng player Fendy in
the 25th minute of the second half but
rather than dampening their spirits,
Banteng managed to keep the pressure
on and score a try through flanker John
Taylor which he himself converted to keep
Banteng in the chase.
A heavy tackle by Chris McCarthy
forced the referee to award a second
yellow card, this time to Komodo and
with nine minutes to go, both teams had
only 14 players on the field.
With five minutes remaining however,
Komodo fly-half Gareth Rae snuck in a
try against the Banteng which Sebastian
Sharpe converted to take Komodo safely
ahead and take the game 38-19.
The action continued on Saturday 9
April at ISCI Ciputat as Jago Dulu faced
Bandung Rams in the delayed game.
Both teams had yet to win a match in
this year’s competition and the encounter
promised some tenacious action ahead.
Bandung held their own in the early
part of the game and through some
excellent and opportunistic offloading
and phase play managed to score the first
try through No. 8 Florian. Heeding their
wake-up call, Jago pounded away at the
Bandung line until last minute addition
Ed, playing at fullback, bobbed and
weaved his way to score the equalizer in
the 27 th minute.
Despite matching Jago phase for
phase in the next few minutes, Bandung
conceded another try when Jago outside
Warren Wilcox crossed the line six
minutes later. Not to be outdone by the
new edition to the team, Jago winger
Matthias added a try to the tally to have
the Jago leading Bandung 15-5 at the
break.
Following the break, both teams made
major changes to their line-up including
Jago scrum-half Mark Manderson, playing
his first game in his fifth decade of play, an
admirable achievement by any measure.
Having a bench full of relatively
inexperienced players, Bandung tried
to take the game into the realm of the
physical forwards but Jago matched
them ruck for ruck and maul for maul,
finally scoring a try in the ninth minute
of the second half through their flanker
Emmanuel.
With a comfortable 20 – 5 lead, Jago
let down their guard to let Florian of
Bandung score his second try of the day
six minutes later. 20 – 10 Jago lead, but
Bandung were still in it.
Some brilliant quick support play and
devastating speed and agility of Jago new
player Antoine led to Rizky scoring a try
in the corner in the 19th minute of the
second half. This followed some avenging
play from the Bandung backline through
outside centre Martinus & winger Frans,
but with no luck adding to their point
tally.
Jago Dulu closed the scoring with
supportive play and excellent offloading
to lock Pim Vandercloser who crossed the
line for his first ever Rugby try in the 23rd
minute.
Despite some promising breaks and
continued gutsy performance from both
teams, the score stayed at 30 – 10 for a
Jago Dulu win.
The Fez by Aphrodite Jakarta Rugby
XVs Championship 2011 will continue
throughout April and May and culminate
in the Final Round on 4 June 2011 in
Jakarta. The Championship is also used as
a selection for the National Men’s Team
– The Rhinos – that will be competing in
this year’s HSBC Asian 5 Nations Division
3 Tournament against China, Guam and
Pakistan.
The Fez by Aphrodite Jakarta Rugby Championship is one of the selections for the Indonesian Men’s National Team, The Rhinos.
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