Story by Ng Enna/Red Sports. Pictures by Vanessa Lim/Red Sports
An ACS(I) player is tackled by two SJI opponents. (Photo 1 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
Yio Chu Kang Stadium, Tuesday, March 8, 2011 — With three minutes to the final whistle, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) forced the referee to evok the mercy rule against St. Joseph’s Institution with a dominating 82-0 victory. Inter-school rugby games are called off once the score hits 80 points.
This is the first time a mercy rule has been evoked since the start of this year’s B Division preliminary group matches. ACS (I) scored a total of 14 tries and six successful conversions.
It took ACS (I) nine minutes to break down SJI’s defence and pass the ball down the backline before winger Panuvich (#27) made a dash for the try line to score the first try which was unconverted.
There was no stopping ACS (I) then. The team went on a scoring spree in similar fashion as SJI conceded seven more tries — averaging one try every three minutes — and two of which were converted. ACS (I) led 44-0 at half-time.
“The back line showed that they were able to find space and support each other,” commented ACS (I) coach Adrian Chong.
Even though SJI stepped up their game and made ACS (I) fight for their tries in the second half, they were no match for their stronger and faster counterparts.
Four minutes into the second half, ACS (I) stole the ball from SJI during the throw-in and passed it down the back line effectively before scoring their first second-half try, which was converted by Sebastian. ACS (I) were generally swift enough to pass the ball on before getting tackled and taken down.
After SJI conceded four more tries, Panuvich finished them off in the 27th minute of the second half, bringing the game to a slightly earlier end.
“It was a very smooth game,” said ACS (I) vice-captain, Harvey Mercado. “We go into every game without any complacency, no matter who our opponents are.”
The ACS (I) coach Adrian Chong felt that SJI is a much better team than that and said that “the score reflected was quite one-sided”.
He also added: “I won’t take the credit away from the boys. We were able to use the ball quite well. But I was a little disappointed with forwards because they were careless in the tackles. We gave away a few penalties which we normally wouldn’t have given.”
In the second game, Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) beat Pioneer Secondary School 12-3. ACS (BR) scored an unconverted try just before the first half ended.
Game play was halted five minutes into the second half due to lightning alerts but it resumed shortly after. ACS (BR) saw Pioneer off with a converted try.
SJI will play against ACS (BR) at the Co-Curricular Activities Branch (CCAB) on Friday, March 11, at 9.15am, while undefeated ACS (I) will meet arch-rivals St. Andrew’s Secondary, who are also on a three-game winning streak, at CCAB next Monday at 8.15am.
Match Statistics
ACS (I) 82 SJI 0
Try Scorers
ACS (I): Panuvich (#27) – 5 tries; Samuel Teo (#13) – 3; Geoffrey Lee (#6) – 2, Shi Cheng Hao (#11) – 2; Barry Ann Jie (#2) – 1; Sebastian Seow (#10) – 1
Successful Conversions – Sebastian Seow – 6
An ACS (I) player leaves his SJI opponent in his wake. (Photo 2 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)
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