By Les Tan/Red Sports
Jay Koh of ACS(I) feels the full brunt of a tackle by Ahmad Ibrahim of St Andrew’s. (Photo 1 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Padang, Wednesday, April 22, 2009 – St Andrew’s Secondary put together a 3-try performance to beat defending champions Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) 17-10 to capture the B Division Rugby Championship title this afternoon at the Padang.
While some ACS supporters will take issue with the referee for his calls, the Saints forward pack was the dominating factor in the match and ACS(I) composure was missing on the day.
The Saints shocked the watching ACS supporters when they drove straight towards their opponents try line and scored through Jia Jun (#17) in the 3rd minute. Though the try was not converted, the early 5-0 lead was a psychological booster shot for the Saints.
Jia Jun then earned himself a yellow card from the referee for a dangerous tackle as ACS(I) came storming back. ACS(I) pressure paid off with a flowing move which ended with Nazryn (#12) going over near the corner flag to make it 5-5.
But ACS hopes came crashing back down to earth when Nicholas Yau (#7) scored an unconverted try in the 15th minute for a 10-5 Saints lead.
Yet again, ACS(I) came back with an answer from their backline when Marah Ishraf (#7) dove over for a try in the 23rd minute after a good penetrating run by Joshua Quek (#9).
The teams walked off 10-10 at half-time and the underdogs Saints knew they had a chance to cause an upset against an ACS team that had scored 101 tries and conceded only one before today.
The second half was all Saints. Chong Yao missed a chance to put three points on the board with a missed penalty kick in the 4th minute but ACS relief was short-lived when Ahmad Ibrahim scored a try in the 9th minute. This time, Chong Yao converted to give Saints a 17-10 lead.
ACS(I) were struggling and it took them 15 minutes before they finally got past the Saints’ 22m line in the second half. ACS(I) then elected to go for a penalty kick near the 22m line but James Morgan’s attempt was wide and that was the last the boys in blue and yellow would ever see the inside of the Saints 22.
From then on, the ACS composure on the field started falling apart slowly, with Nicholas Tan (#15) dropping the ball twice as he failed to catch the long upfield punts of the Saints backline.
Despite having a perfect 8-wins-0-losses record so far and outscoring their opponents by a combined 593 to 13, including a 35-0 thrashing of Raffles Institution in the semi-final, this was the one game that meant the most to ACS(I).
For Saints, the victory was sweet.
“We feel good! We’ve been waiting for this for a long time!” said captain Bryan Lim. “The highlight was when we scored the first try because it lifted our spirits.”
“The first try was important psychologically,” said Saints old boy Gue Kit Wan, 26, a school captain and ex-rugby player from the 1999 batch. “The Saints are strong in forwards while AC is strong in the backline. But AC mistakes and composure killed them. Saints confined the play to their forwards.”
“The hungrier team won,” said Crosby Ong, 48, an ACS supporter. “The game lacked fluidity with insignificant technical calls. The ref should have let the play go, especially when it James Morgan had a clear advantage in the second half and the ref called it back.”
“It was the human drive, the tiger in them,” said another Saints old boy, Yee Teck Peng, 76. “Both sides are even but the side that was hungrier won. The Saints forwards played extremely well.”
Saints Lineup
Forwards
Props: Ashidiq n Daniel Tan
Hooker: Benedict Tan
Locks: Wang Ren n Mohan Singh
Flanks: Ahmad Ibrahim n Nicholas Yau
8 man: Jia Jun
Backs
Half back: Peeranin
Fly half: Tang Hon En
In centre: Bryan Lim
Out centre: Hendricks Tan
Winger: Taufiq(#14) n Chong Yao(#11)
Full Back: Jonathan Loo
ACS Lineup
Chiew Jun Leong (#1)
Jay Koh (#2)
Amos Tan (#3)
Daniel Chong (#4)
Leon Song (#5)
Kenneth Ang (#6)
James Morgan (#7)
Saul Joseph Ong (#8)
Joshua Quek (#9)
Marah Ishraf (#10)
Md Nazryn B Md Jaffar (#12)
Daryn Sit (#13)
Joey Wee (#14)
Mattias Chia (#11)
Nochlas Tan (#15)
Low Zhende (#19)
Abel Khoo (#16)
Qamarul Bin Arifin (#28)
Julian Chang
Mark Wong (#18)
Leonard Wee
Gideon Chan
Calvin Ying
Jaira Koh
Tan Yuan Ming
lee Jen Wei
Ng Chun Lung
Nazryn of ACS(I) tries to run past a tackle by Taufiq of St Andrew’s. (Photo 2 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Nazryn of ACS(I) goes over for a try to even up the score at 5-5. (Photo 3 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
James Morgan of ACS(I) attempts but fails to convert the first try. (Photo 4 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Chong Yao of St Andrew’s looks to pass the ball while Mattias Chia of ACS(I) bears down on him. (Photo 5 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Hargaven and Wang Ren of St Andrew’s try to bring Nicholas Tan of ACS(I) down. (Photo 6 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
James Morgan of ACS(I) tackles Jia Jun. Jia Jun scored the first try for Saints. (Photo 7 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Hendricks Tan of St Andrew’s chases Marah Ishraf of ACS(I) but can’t catch him as Marah eventually goes over the try line to make it 10-10 in the first half. (Photo 8 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Mara of ACS(I) scoring ACS(I)’s 2nd try. (Photo 9 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
A Saints player protects the ball as he pushes past Mattias Chia of ACS(I). (Photo 10 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
It takes 3 ACS(I) players to bring down a Saints player. (Photo 11 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
A Saints player gets trapped as players from both sides fight for the ball. (Photo 12 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Both team’s player reaching high to try and catch the ball. (Photo 13 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Ahmad Ibrahim of St Andrew’s tugs at Saul Ong of ACS(I). (Photo 14 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Joshua Quek of ACS(I) tries to stop a Saints player from getting to the ball. (Photo 15 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Ahmad Ibrahim of St Andrew’s goes over for the winning try in the 2nd half. (Photo 16 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Saints supporters cheering on their school. (Photo 17 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
The Saints breaks out in celebration at the final whistle. (Photo 18 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
WE ARE NO 1!!! screams the Saints. (Photo 19 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
A Saint player overwhelmed with emotions hugs his Rugby teacher. (Photo 20 © Marvin Lowe /Red Sports)
A Saints player shouts to the heavens. (Photo 21 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
A Saints player hugs a team mate with tears of joy streaming down. (Photo 22 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
Every Saints player stretching out their hands to touch the holy grail. (Photo 23 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
The Saints singing their school song with pride and gusto. (Photo 24 © Marvin Lowe/Red Sports)
you do not think so? are you so immature to think that your claims of ill sportsmanship from the rival school will be so widely accepted and noted by the rest of the readers? they are but mere claims you fool. to consider yourself from old boy from such a noble institution as ACS is a disgrace. SA won. AC lost. deal with it.
And so what your saint’s boys did is excuseable? I applaud your reasoning.
Jeering and stomping and related incidents happen on field and are dealt with by field officials and referees and the related personnel.
Your saint’s boys targeted acs boys younger than them outside of the field, on a plain walk way in city hall.
Punching an opponent’s player right in front of my own eyes during a match. This is just naming a few. Furthermore, these were done by the ruggers, not to even mention the supporters.
sad to say. Yes. And it was done as a school. Jeering at St Andrew’s when they were making conversion kicks in the many past rugby finals, B and C division. Bitting opponent’s year, stamping on opponent’s head.
photo 14&16 : Ahmad Ibrahim of SA
Also ACS Old Boy,
I would like to point out that a certain member of your B division team, a certain boy who USED TO be from SAJS, carried the your schools flag and purposely waved it in our faces 2 years ago in the B division finals. The name would not be disclosed. it seems neither school is capable of being perfect, so don’t whine
acs old boy : i can say ,many things abt ur ac pupils…i saw it wif my own eyes…
to passerby,
so are you saying that what the saints boys did is excusable?
Did you see acs boys doing so any of the previous years when they beat saints in the C, B, and A division finals?
I do not think so.
ACS old boy: try not to find faults after ur loss like wad lol pointed out… jus accept the loss…
Dear ACS Old Boy,
I would like to point out that such a thing has happened before to me myself in the last 2 years YOUR ALMA MATER has won the B Division title. I decide not to bring this up at first as it is inevitable that such things will happen and as you know BOYS WILL BE BOYS, i hope you do understand that this is part and parcel of life and that the whole world does not revolve around you or your alma mater.
So please be mature and tolerant
there’s already extra time
All schools have good and bad students. Stop being childish and judging the whole school just cse of a few students. You do not want to know what shameful things ACS(Independent) students do.
Forwards
Props : Ashidiq n Daniel Tan
Hooker: Benedict Tan
Locks : Wang Ren n Mohan Singh
Flanks: Ahmad Ibrahim n Nicholas Yao
8 man : Jia Jun
Backs
Half back : Peeranin
Fly half : Tang Hon En
In centre : Bryan Lim
Out centre: Hendricks Tan
Winger : Taufiq(#14) n Chong Yao(#11)
Full Back : Jonathan Loo
It has been reported that several Saint Andrew’s upper secondary boys were harassing a few of the younger ACS(I) Rugby players as they were making their way home from the padang. They filmed the boys and made mocking remarks such as “how do you feel about your defeat”, “don’t worry, your mother still loves you”, and “ACS Rocks, my C***”.
What kind of sportsmanship is that, Saint Andrew’s?
Several Saint Andrew’s upper secondary boys were sighted harassing a few of the younger acs rugby players as they were making their way from the Padang to City Hall, filming them and making a mocking interview using a cell phone. They made snide remarks and jeered at the boys. The handphone used was a white Sony Ericsson w910i.
What kind of sportsmanship is that, saint andrew’s?
Good job to team SAS. well played.
For those who thought that ac could have done better. dont you think sa would have done even better? so stop with the attacks on the saints
wow!!!amazing match!!!!did not expect saints to win.they really prove the whole of singapore wrong!!!they really improve alot!!CONGRATS ST ANDREWS!!
photo 1, Ahmad Ibrahim of SA tackling Jay Koh of ACSi
photo 2, Chong Yao of SA tackling Nazryn of ACSi
photo 5, Chong Yao of SA
photo 6, Hargaven and Wang Ren of SA
photo 8, Hendricks of SA chasing Marah Ishraf of ACSi
tats all i noe…
“OMG saints pls la . It was just luck . U know if ACSI hadnt made the mistakes they would have probably won easily . Like u guys shud enjoy it while it lasts . Cos it wont last long with saints . Just watch out . This rare occasion will not happen again, at least not any soon”
ac deserve the win i must say or the match should at least go to extra time