View Here - Cranbrook School

Thursday, 25 July 2013 | Term 3, Week 2Sports pagesRugbyBattle of Bellevue Hill1st XVThe 1st XV had a fantastic week of trainingleading into their toughest but most excitingfixture of the year against Scots College. Thematch was being played for the Oasis Cupas part of a day long fundraising initiative tosupport the Oasis foundation. The biggestcrowd of the year was on hand to watch thetwo local rivals do battle for the first timesince 2011.The match started at a frenetic pace withboth teams throwing their bodies into everycontest. After twenty minutes, the scores werestill deadlocked thanks to the physicality indefence of the home side. Scots then beganto take the upper hand with strong work incontact and before long had established a 14 –0 lead. Cranbrook scored a penalty goal beforethe break to get the score back to 14 – 3 beforean intercept against the run of play, killedany momentum the home side built up. 21-3was the half time score but not necessarily anindication of the difference between the twoteams at that point.The second half saw Scots, one of thepowerhouses of schoolboy rugby in Australia,demonstrate its dominance at the breakdown.Their technique and physicality wore thehosts down as they began to turn over theCranbrook ball and take advantage throughslick ball movement. Cranbrook finally hadtheir moment in the sun during the finalmoments of the game with a try being scoredto back rower Nick Makas. It was too little toolate as a well-polished Scots outfit won 54 – 8.Despite the large difference in scores, the boysin white did not stop trying and can be proudof their effort against what is an exceptionalschoolboy side. The boys will no doubt bebattle-hardened for their upcoming fixtureagainst their local CAS rival, Waverley Collegeat Queens Park.Overall the day was a huge success for theOasis foundation, players and supporters alike.The local derby has a feeling all of its own andone that all the players enjoyed being a part of.2nd XVThe 2nd XV approached the Scots Collegefixture in good form with their last start beinga hard fought victory against a previouslyundefeated Barker team. Unfortunately, Scotscame out the more enthusiastic and it showedin the key aspects of the game. Before toolong, Cranbrook were in a 0 – 12 hole and outof the game. Things did not get much betteras the game progressed with Scots executingtheir skills at a higher level than the hosts.The fixture serves as a good benchmark forthe rest of the season and the challenge isfor Cranbrook to rebound against WaverleyCollege whom they beat in Round 1 of CASfixtures.Clockwise from top left: U14A kicking forconversion; 1st XV before kickoff; 2nd XV; U15Awinning the line out; U13s versus Scots27