Raffles hold off ACS(BR) 13-7 in C Division rugby semi-final

Story by REDintern Gladys Wee. Photos by Vanessa Lim/Red Sports

Co-Curricular Activities Branch, Friday, July 30th 2010 — Raffles Institution maintained their unbeaten streak with a 13-7 win over Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) in their C Division Rugby Championship semi-final match-up.

Raffles got on the scoreboard early with a penalty within the four minutes through Park Chang Kyu (Raffles #11).

From then on, there was no clear idea whose game it was with both teams equally matched. However, it was Raffles who moved further ahead when Chang Kyu converted another penalty for a 6-0 lead which was how the game stood at half-time.

Five minutes into the second half, Samuel Goh (Raffles #15) made his way over the try line for the first try of the game.

The position of Samuel’s try left Chang Kyu to try his luck with a 45m conversion but he managed to convert for a 13-0 lead.

However, lady luck deserted Raffles when Chang Kyu missed two subsequent penalties. To make things worse for Raffles, Lu Chuanyi (ACS(BR) #8) scored a try from out of nowhere in the last few minutes of the match. Ahmad Zuhri (ACS(BR) #9) added to the pressure when he successfully converted the try to narrow the deficit to six points at 7-13.

That was when the real game started.

With ACS(BR) needing only one try and one conversion to win the match, both teams pit their minds and body against each other without holding back. ACS(BR) had a scrum 5m from the RI try line but could not capitalise as time ran out to the relief of RI.

On the final try, Ahmad Zuhri shared that they were relieved they could score a try and because of that, it spurred them on to doing more in the last few minutes of the game.

He added: “We will work harder and bond more as a team. We will improve, and do our best to win.”

ACS(BR) will play St Andrew’s for third place on Tuesday, August 2nd, 4.15pm, at CCAB. RI will face Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) in the final on Thursday, August 5th, 4.15pm, at CCAB.

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