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)
Is winning THE most important thing at the end of the day?
I feel that the players in both teams have played to their best ability. They have shown passion and hunger. One team has to win and the other lose at the final whistle. But both are trully winners in they own ways. We should celebrate their wonderful moments and not be bitter over the outcome.
I have total respect for the players who had played their hearts out for their school.
photo 2: saints player number #11 is Taufiq
lol. in the end does it really matter who played? or who didn’t play? does it matter if it was raining or it was snowing? no! in the end what matters is the scoreline. and it read 17-10 to the saints. so just grow up! lol. only losers whine…
saints hooker benedict foo not tan.
picture 5,10,11 the acsi is Mattias Chia
Picture 6 is Nicholas Tan
picture 14 is saul ong
picture 15 joshua quek
we only got one sec 5 guy that played…y are u complaining???
in 2006, u guys uses IB pack that lost to Saints hu fielded only 2 sec 5 players and one of them is a substitued another one is half-back fu rarely used his physical strength….
Saints Says:
April 24th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
To Anon(post 126):
Come on man. How can you say that it’s unfair when ACS(I) , half of the team were sec 3s had to play against the Saints Sec 5s. As long as players from both teams belong to the U-17 category , they are allowed to play in the game. This is getting more and more ridiculous such that you are comparing the number of players in respective secondary lvls!
Excuse me? Maybe you don’t know, but we don’t have Normal Academic here. So our IB ruggers are not allowed to play because apparently they’re not from our ‘school’.
Zach Says:
April 24th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Come on la…. If you want to talk about unfair let talk about the 500k you spend on your rugby programme while we spend what barely over 10k? Pls la… 1,2 years diff is no big deal…. Plus 3-4 of the acs(I) players where x-saints!
You’re kidding right? Obviously you’re not an athlete. One or two years makes a BIG difference. And what does them being ex-saints have to do with anything?
Dei Spirit da! Says:
April 24th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Bila Bil a saints la!Hey all u AC fans,admit defeat da!Lose then lose la!Your school just sucks la babe!ANON:You school was so scared that you complained to the RUGBY association that one SA’s rugger had a tagging!& u know why ur school complained?SO that he wouldnt play in the finals against you all!AC fans = sorelosers!And one more thing ANON,u dont need to be old to be good!its all abt the winning. All AC fans Ask your school quit the rugby la!dun waste time.
I never insulted SAS. Go look at the wins last year. You guys didn’t admit any either. Obviously if he didn’t play in the finals that means he did have a tagging right?
Saints did well,
ACS(i) people , please do not judge SA boys only by their bad behaviour.. we also have good behaviours on our side and same can be said for yours.. but you all just have to bring up this matter on this website for no reason.
It is really just down to a matter of hunger and desire on that day of game. ACS(i) seems to have lost it, and i will not be suprised if they lose it over the next few years too.
dei SA power la
Bila Bil a saints la!Hey all u AC fans,admit defeat da!Lose then lose la!Your school just sucks la babe!ANON:You school was so scared that you complained to the RUGBY association that one SA’s rugger had a tagging!& u know why ur school complained?SO that he wouldnt play in the finals against you all!AC fans = sorelosers!And one more thing ANON,u dont need to be old to be good!its all abt the winning
anon how many sec 5s did SA field?
ONE.
the rest are sec 4s.
you need to do your homework before you need to start sprouting accusations.
i also realize you love to start .. you love to see cyber fights eh? …
Come on la…. If you want to talk about unfair let talk about the 500k you spend on your rugby programme while we spend what barely over 10k? Pls la… 1,2 years diff is no big deal…. Plus 3-4 of the acs(I) players where x-saints!
To Anon(post 126):
Come on man. How can you say that it’s unfair when ACS(I) , half of the team were sec 3s had to play against the Saints Sec 5s. As long as players from both teams belong to the U-17 category , they are allowed to play in the game. This is getting more and more ridiculous such that you are comparing the number of players in respective secondary lvls!
I think it was quite unfair for ACS(I) since they had to play against Sec 5s. More than half of their team was only Year 3s.
talking abt acs being arrogant n cocky n so full of themselves….
JOKERS… look first b4 u fire, or u WILL be burning yourselves.
Read how u guys, 1 of many unexamplary examples, saints456 post.
“Let those who have no sins cast the first stone” ….
otherwise lets maintain “world peace”…….hahahaha….
To Admiration you have commanded my full respect. God bless your soul.
Hey guys, enuf of personal attacks. i think e players hav mutual respect for ea other. Yes they slug it out on the field, but i knw some party tog 2.
My frenz hav buddies frm SA n viz a viz.
e ruggers themselves r not doing e poisoning.
Im almost certain the ‘114 rugger’ is not an ACSian, thats not our ACS spirit.
To e Saints fans, tis cyber, any1 can pose n post. Tis r e stirrers, why be so enraged?
To my ACS comrades, losing is sad, but shud not be bad. We learn frm failures, without which there will be no success.
Defeat maketh a man stronger, resilient n more resolute, n i know ACSians (n all true sportsmen ) embrace tis with understanding.
Wudever e deciding factor for SA’s win, we give them the credit for playing their hearts out. They played their best n we did not.
Kudos to Saints ruggers.
Truth is: its NEVER a level playing field for school rugby when most in d union, its referees, and d school convenor are ‘..saintly???’related!
From an objective observation of the B finals, it seems to me the acs team was playing agst 18 men, of whom 3 decide the outcome.
D shocking revelation of the ex-saints linesman from 1 reader confirms it. And it brings to bitter memory how not 2 long ago, my alma mater suffered the same cruel fate.
Having said that, i must qualify that saints put up a good play, they were v hungry for the win.
But whether d win was thru ‘undivine’ intervention, your guess is as good as mine.
It leaves me to wonder why d acs officials should accept such unfair arrangements.
The game of rugby can only be as good as its referees.
Great pictures, good report and the comments given by a few parents and non-players are certainly telling. But it was good to observe excellent sportsmanship from players of St Andrew’s and ACS. That’s what it is all about folks..
To rugger:
Is your comment necessary? Where is your moral standard? U R rich? Maybe but Spiritually you are a real loser! May God Bless your soul!
Ed’s note: Comments edited