2022: 3rdXVSchoolsCupFinal: RBAI 3s v RBAI Colts: 11 Feb 2022

RBAI Seniors 15-19 RBAI Colts
EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS
This all-RBAI final at Osborne took place on a dry day with just a light crosswind.
The game started with the 3s (or Seniors) playing good possession error-free rugby. Off a scrum on the Colts 22 (resulting from a Colts knock-on) Jack Gardiner at 9 sold a dummy and split the Colts' 9 and 10 to dot down under the posts. Ben Gray converted for 7-0.
The next period was marked by the Colts dominating possession and territory. Good ball pressure on the Seniors' ball forced a number of chargedowns. When Colts had possession they showed some good phase play but ultimately their discipline let them down as they conceded penalties (holding on or in from the side etc). These penalties allowed the Seniors to clear their lines but they struggled - with their line out misfiring - to get out of their half for substantial parts of the first half.
It was off another Seniors poor lineout (called not straight) that Colts finally converted their pressure. Off the scrum the 9 passed to the right wing standing in the 10-position who took the ball and gave to the inside centre who made a centre-field break before passing to his partner. The 13 scored beside the posts. Jamie Beattie converted for 7-7.
The game re-commenced as before with the Colts playing all the rugby. But again penalties conceded in their opponents' half kept allowing the Seniors to reset and clear the ball. The Colts were to concede 8 penalties in this half alone!
It was then the Seniors who took the lead very much against the run of play. The Colts lost their lineout on their halfway line. Ben Gray kicked into the Colts 22 and under pressure in the tight the Colts conceded a penalty giving Ben Gray a straightforward kick to make it 10-7.
The last 15 minutes of the 1st half was again a story of Colts dominance of possession and territory and they did put some good moves together. Only some decent D from the Seniors and yet more Colts indiscipline kept them at bay.
The halftime score didn't reflect a game in which - if the Colts had kept their discipline and handled the ball better at key times (they had 5 knock-ons in the period) they should have been leading by a couple of tries at HT.
Bar the first few minutes the Seniors hadn't got into the game. 5 chargedowns of their ball, 3 knockons, 5 lost line outs and four penalties conceded against a Colts side that applied good pressure - ensured the Seniors weren't going to thrive in open play.
The Seniors had the physical advantage - as they showed in the first few minutes - but they never could get enough phases in the right parts of the pitch to use that advantage.
The second half began with yet more of the same - Colts possession and territorial advantage and playing what rugby was played in a stop-start beginning to the half.
Finally ten minutes in - off the back of a scrum - the Colts worked the ball both ways out the backline and it was when it was swung back to the right playing up to the Malone Road end that the Colts 13 put the hooker into space for him to touch down. A well-worked try. Conversion missed. 10-12.
From the kick-off Jack Gardiner at 9 made a good break for the Seniors and earned a penalty for his side. They kicked to touch but lost the lineout. However the Colts 10's kick long was gathered by Clarke Simpson - in from the left wing - and he made a cutting run beating four defenders before timing a pass to Jack Gardiner on the outside who ran in from the 22 to score tight in the corner. 15-12 as the difficult conversion was missed.
From the kick-off the Colts were penalised. Again the 3s kicked to touch and lost the lineout. A good kick by Freddie Clark to the right wing put the 3s under pressure and they were forced into a knock-on in contact.
To the right of the posts and 25 metres out the Colts pack cleverly wheeled the scrum clockwise taking the Seniors' back row out of the defensive line and a quick ball from 9 to 10 to 12 allowed the centre to test the midfield defence. The tackling was too weak and the centre broke the line and dotted down under the posts. Jamie Beattie converted for 15-19.
The Colts started to defend their lead and the 3s spent some time in their opponents' half but too many errors (the 3s had 9 knock-ons in this half) prevented sustained pressure in the Colts 22.
The Colts with 5 minutes to go had a good maul rumbling in the Seniors' 22 but conceded a penalty in a resulting ruck. From here the 3s made slow but steady headway to the Colts 10m line where they won a penalty. But in the last play of the game the kick for touch was kicked long - and the ref blew for full-time and the game finished Seniors 15-19 Colts.
A game with 22 knock-ons, 8 lost line outs, 22 penalties and 23 scrums was never to be a classic but the Colts thoroughly deserved their win.
MVP: A shoutout to the Colts centre partnership - especially No 12 but my MVP would go to the Colts No. 8.
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