Story by Les Tan. Pictures by Ng Cheng Cong and Marvin Lowe. Additional pictures by ACS old boy. Catch game highlights and the hakas by both teams on RedSportsTV.
Padang, Monday, May 12, 2008 – The Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) beat St Andrew’s Junior College 21-8 to capture the National A Division Rugby Championship title. With this win, ACS(I) made up for their 10-13 overtime loss to Raffles Junior College last year. The win is also extra special for this bunch of ACS(I) ruggers, with the core of the team having experienced the loss of three consecutive B Division finals to St Andrew’s Secondary from 2004 to 2006.
At 3:45 p.m., the 1,500 Saint supporters had already turned up in significant numbers while their rugby team warmed up on the grounds of the nearby St Andrew’s Cathedral. The crowd buzzed with excitement as the two teams lined up to stare each other down. As the Saints launched into a rendition of their haka, the clueless DJ and emcee continued playing loud obnoxious music and making unneeded announcements, wrecking the occasion for the Saints team and their supporters.
By the time the game got underway, the ACS(I) supporters were still smaller in number but the game is won on the pitch and ACS(I) showed their domination by squatting in the Saints half from the whistle, hitting their opponents with wave after wave of attacks. That early pressure brought ACS(I) close to the try line but they just couldn’t go over. All they had to show for their early effort was a Blandon Tan (#13) penalty to put themselves up 3-0.
That lead proved short-lived. From the restart, the Saints supporters in turn had something to cheer about when a handling error by Ian Gan of ACS(I) gave the Saints the ball at a line-out deep in ACS(I) territory. From the ensuing attack, a drop-kick attempt executed flawlessly by Jesse Quek made it 3-3.
Whatever hopes the Saints had of moving ahead in the game were quickly squashed though. ACS(I) came back with another penalty through Blandon Tan and they added another five points with a flying try by Md. Khairulanwar, his ninth try of the campaign. Blandon Tan converted beautifully from an acute angle from the left sideline and both teams walked off with ACS(I) leading 13-3 at the half.
Early in the second half, a brilliant mazy run by Alexander Chuang Yi (#11) of ACS(I) led to a try after some good work by teammate Ian Gan (#9), a move which had ACS(I) supporters in ecstasy and neutrals applauding in admiration. The conversion was fluffed but at 18-3, the game was now getting away from the Saints.
But Saints still made a game of it. Picking themselves up, Saints drove deep into ACS(I) territory, and their supporters hopes rose in tandem. This was now the high point of the Saints attack and as the wave of blue and white shirts moved forward, the ACS blue and yellow line braced for the attack. Saints forwards hammered away at the ACS defensive line, picking the ball and hitting against their opponents time and again, looking, probing and searching for that one weak spot to score against their arch-rival. Saints’ pressure brought them to within metres of the try line, their formidable forward pack the vanguard of their attack. They could see it, almost touch it, but every pick-and-go hit an ACS(I) wall and they just could not go over it. ACS(I) repulsed everything thrown their way and survived. Their line held.
Regrouping, Saints came back again, never giving up, and this time their efforts were rewarded. Captain Arthur Lim (#8) broke through with a try down the left flank, right in front of cheering supporters. The score read 8-21. Would there, could there be an improbable comeback?
Whatever flicker of hope they had were snuffed out when first, Saints kicker Kenn Wong (#7) missed from 10m out, right in front of the goal post, then Blandon Tan of ACS(I) put another three points on the board for his team to make it 21-8. When Blandon’s ball sailed through the posts, the whistle went, and ACS(I) arms went up in jubilation.
Saints were outfought on the day, their cause not helped by losing more than their fair share of line-outs and handling errors that stopped their attacking waves in mid-stride. On their day, perhaps they would have been a match, but this was not that day.
“The boys played to instruction,” said Coach Adrian Chong of ACS(I). “We disrupted their (SAJC) possession because we knew that when their forwards get the ball, it’s dangerous. The highlight of the game for me was the first try because we worked to win as many phases before unleashing our wingers. The boys managed to carry that sequence out to perfection.”
As the ACS(I) boys launched into their haka and sang their school song, old boys recalled their day on the Padang. While both teams will only have present thoughts of sweet victory or bitter defeat, the time will come when both will recall with equal relish that they, and nobody else, had played this day on the Padang.
ACS(I) line up:
Eric Ong (#1)
Bryan Wong (#2)
Liu Yu (#3)
John Yeo (#5)
Leo Yi Shyen (#4)
Timothy Gay (#7)
Martin Butler (#6)
Arnold Chen (#8)
Ian Gan (#9)
Shane Gan (#10)
Md Khairulanwar (#14)
Justin Boey (#12)
Blandon Tan (#13)
Joshua Rene Jeyaraj (#21)
Alexander Chuang Yi (#11)
Subs:
Jared Hoon
Douglas Wong
Isaac Lim
Ben Chong
Victor Tan
Sankaran
Joel Lim
Tanaan Quek
Marcus Ting
Saints line up:
1 Carlos Tan (#1)
2 Arthur Lim (#8)
3 David Tambunan (#4)
4 Jegathesan s/o Thanebal (#24)
5 Samuel Thio (#5)
6 Darrell Low (#17)
7 Daniel Lum (#6)
8 Kenn Wong (#7)
9 Chan Ming Qi (#9)
10 Farid (#16)
11 Abel Teo (#15)
12 Daniel Chua (#12)
13 Jesse Quek (#13)
14 Roy Tong (#14)
15 Sirhan (#11)
More pictures in the gallery.
I usually only chat with the winners cos the other teams are usually not in the mood to talk and the last thing they want is to talk to a media person.
I remember one poor girl was in tears after losing a national final and refused to talk to me. After that I decided I’d leave them well alone.
Thank you for your comment, ponger.
First, there is no such thing as an objective sports story. Every story is an opinion because a human is writing.
That is why, to counter and balance it, I have always stated that this is an open forum for anyone willing to tell their version of the game they watched.
Obviously, I cannot go to all games, and so for those games where I am not present, I always say, “You send it, I’ll post it.”
In this case, you are very welcome to submit your story and I will post it as your perspective of the game.
You will have seen the game through your own eyes and have your opinions too, likewise others. So feel free to send it in.
supporter said “um only 8 players on the first team squad have been playing together for 6 years. get your facts right please.”
come on man. thats like half a team which had trained together for more than twice the number of years the rugby team of any other jc would have to train together. half a “victory” secured, so to speak.
i’m not from any of the above mentioned schools but in my personal opinion, i think SAJC was the true winner cos acsi holds a very unfair advantage of being able to train together for 5 to 6 years at least.
to uncle les: hello uncle, i’m not trying to be a nuisance or question your abilities as a sports journalist, but i think that the report written above seems to be biased towards acsi and against sajc. the terms you used make me feel that you favour acsi more. i do recognise that this is not true for the whole report, only big parts of it. you did give credit to sajc for what they did but somehow it felt like “sajc made all the mistakes and acsi was too strong not to win”.
wasnt the score 21-8? it’s that a relatively close score? i was there and i thought both teams were almost evenly matched although yes i admit that i thought sajc made quite a few mistakes. i saw you there too, so this is not a case of ” you give me the info, i upload” thus there shouldnt be much of a slanted opinion, right?
plus, i see that you got the opinion of the acsi coach. how come you only mentioned acsi’s side and not sajc’s side too?
i’m just curious as to why i had these thoughts and so i ask you enlighten me, i’m not trying to create negative feelings between the schools and their supporters. =) i hope you’re not offended by this comment as well. i was “speak(ing) your(my) mind” afterall. =))
congrats to both schools, making it to the finals is not easy i know.
congrats to acsi for winning overall, i guess yall played the better game that day. i like your haka, it’s exactly the same as the new zealand all blacks one right? haha. i’m a fan of the all blacks you see. so watching the haka was really exciting. =)
to sajc, i admire your “never say die” spirit, i hope that in years to come you will have more opportunities to hold the championship title. =)
AC, respect…
english corection done.
haha.
actually the ACSi B divison team can be physically stronger than some JC teams. I have seen the team and they are quite tough, both physically and mentally.
When did the poly teams pull out?
You mean the 15-16 year olds at ACS(I)?
Yes, that would be quite interesting to see them play the older JC sides although they might take a physical beating.
I heard the poly teams stopped playing the IVP because the teritiary teams were beating them up physically because of the age gap.
No fun playing against outsized opponents, no matter how good you think you are. You might go home with one tooth missing and your organs reorganised.
And er…chaos, do you know you have been spelling the word “theory” “thoery”?
I take it you are doing it deliberately just to drive people up the wall? 😉
Hey les, the B divison acsi teams can give the JC teams a run for thier money. In fact, they would be able to beat many JC teams quite easily but with much greater difficulty against the Big 4. If They matched upto JC teams, it would be VERY interesting. The B Division is soild in ACS I.
I see. I presume it should be the same for SAJC. There is an argument going on about ACS(I) being the first secondary school to win the A Division in another post. While that may be technically correct and a historical first because of the quirk of the MOE classification system, it overstates the matter. After all, even though they are a secondary school, they (the IB boys) weren’t allowed to participate in the B Division.
IF the team were a bunch of 15-16 year olds AND they beat another JC in the A Division, THEN it would be not just a historically significant win, but a tremendous physical achievement.
I was just curious about their ages because of that argument. Thanks for satisfying my curiosity.
This comment is not meant to belittle the ACS(I) win of course. Congrats to them for lifting the trophy and commiserations to SAJC. You fought well.
yes, the year 5 and year 6 players in ACS(I) are either 17 or 18 years old
Are all the players in the ACS(I) squad 17 and 18 years old?
I presume for SAJC, that is the case.
Can anyone verify this for me please. Thanks.
les, editor
nice job acsi
um only 8 players on the first team squad have been playing together for 6 years. get your facts right please.
guy in photo 16 is liu yi, ACS(I)
Team list says he is Alexander Zhuang.
Unless Alex himself emails or calls me up and says it’s Chuang, I”ll keep that for now.
THanks for all the updates.
ed’s note: I got confirmation that it is Chuang. Thanks.
hats off to the saints who have played together as a team only since the start of this year to make it all they way to the finals. No shame in losing at all, for the team they faced, was one that had mostly been playing together for the past 5 to 6 years.
well dont saints,
n congrats to acs(ib) on their victory
it’s alexander CHUANG.
Great game guys. Kudos to both teams for putting up a good fight till the end!
photo3,6,13 saint is farid
photo5,9 saint is abel teo
photo7,8 saint is chan mingqi
Jessie Quek was the one who scored the drop kick.
The Saints old boy consoling Arthur Lim is his dad, who’s also a rugby player.
The ACSI (IB) intake is about 400 per cohort. That’s less than half of most junior colleges. Hence, the apparent lesser numbers for supporters .
Despite their smaller IB population, ACSI is challenging for a significant number of A Div titles. It speaks volumes of the wealth of sporting talents in the school and of school loyalty.
Well done, ACSI!!