By Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports

National B Division Rugby Bowl Championship Northbrooks vs Evergreen

Riduan Sulaiman (#10) of Evergreen in action against Northbrooks. He scored a try, a penalty and made three conversions. (Photo 1 © Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports)

Republic Polytechnic, Tuesday, February 17, 2015 — Evergreen Secondary survived a second half scare to beat Northbrooks Secondary 29–15, recording their third straight victory in the preliminary round of the National B Division Rugby (Bowl) Championship.

Evergreen had previously defeated Bukit Batok Secondary 42–7 and Damai Secondary 16–10. This is Northbrooks’ second loss.

Faheem Faud (#8) led Evergreen with two tries, both of which came in the first half. Riduan Sulaiman (#10) added a try, a penalty and three conversions, while Ian Fonseca (#16) scored the final try for Evergreen. Northbrooks’ Xavier Kang scored two tries, while teammate Lim Jing Yuan added one.

Despite missing four key players in this game, Evergreen were strong on their attack in the first half, as forward Faud (#8) scored the first try after a momentary defensive lapse by Northbrooks near the 10-metre line. Faud (#8) also scored the second try in similar fashion, after a scrum near the 10-metre line. Sulaiman (#10) converted to give Evergreen the 12–0 lead.

However, on the ensuing possession, a sloppy pass by Faud (#8) just beyond the halfway line was snatched by Northbrooks’ Kang (#24), who sprinted all the way to the try line to reduce the deficit to seven points at the end of the half.

In the second half, the speedy Kang (#24) repeated his earlier feat, this time from about 70 yards away, to trim Evergreen’s lead to just two points.

Unwilling to be outdone, Evergreen managed to push through Northbrooks’ defence and extend their lead off a try and conversion by Sulaiman (#10). Northbrooks responded through a try by Lim (#11), off a well-placed pass by Imran Imtiaz (#4).

In the dying minutes of the half, Fonseca (#16) put the game out of reach for Northbrooks with the game’s final try. Sulaiman (#10) scored a conversion and a subsequent penalty to help seal the 29–15 victory for Evergreen.

“We were not able to use their mistakes against them. They kept dropping the ball but no one took advantage of it,” said Northbrooks’ Lim (#11).

Kang (#24) added, “To be honest, it’s a winnable game. Our team wasn’t composed towards the end of the game.”

Evergreen captain, Faud (#8) said, “I think we definitely could have done better. We started off alright, but after the break, we didn’t do so well. We need to focus and work on our technical skills such as our scrums and passing.”

Evergreen will next play Greenridge Secondary at 4.30 p.m. on March 3.

“We’re going to try our very best. We’ll work on what we lack, our scrums, our line-outs, and our defence. By then, our key players should be back with us to play. We’re really looking forward to the game,” added Faud (#8).

Northbrooks will face Damai Secondary on the same day in the earlier game at 3 p.m. Both games will be played at Republic Polytechnic.

Scoring by Half
Evergreen vs Northbrooks
1st half: 12–5
2nd half: 17–10 (29–15)

Scorers
Evergreen
Mohamed Faheem B Md Faud (#8) – 2 tries
Riduan B Sulaiman (#10) – 1 try, 1 penalty, 3 conversions
Ian Andre Fonseca (#16) – 1 try

Northbrooks
Xavier Kang (#24) – 2 tries
Lim Jing Yuan (#11) – 1 try

Evergreen Roster
Muhammad Hazim B Subari (#1), Muhammad Shahir B Mazlinan (#2), Shafuliqbal B Shamsudin El-Yum (#3), Tan Cheng How Lloyd (#4), Heilman Rusydi B Suhaidi (#5), Muhammad Danial B Jamaludin (#6), Seah Qi Hua Matthew (#7), Mohamed Faheem B Md Faud (#8), Danial Hadi B Affendy (#9), Riduan B Sulaiman (#10), Lional Tan Yi Hong (#11), Aslamshah B Budinshah (#12), Khairiz Haikel B Khairul A (#13), Muhammad Dinie Matin B Yusham (#14), Ian Andre Fonseca (#16), Muhammad Zhulfadhli B Hanapiah (#17), Is’han Syaqir Bharoocha B I B (#19), Muhammad Laili Muharam B A (#20), Ong Qi Bin (#21), Hadyff Irawan B Kamsari (#22), Ng Cheun Han Kyles (#23), Priyadarshan S/O Kanniapalan (#24), Muhammad Azrul B Ali (#24), Ahmad Ilyas B Azhari (#25), Danny Lim Leong Boon (#26), Abdullah Bin Abdul Rahman (#27), Muhammad Amir B Mohamad Ali (#30), Quek Chui Hong (#31)

Northbrooks Roster
Qin Ze (#1), Randall Ong (#3), Imran Imtiaz (#4), Ong Zhong Yew (#6), Adam Yahya (#7), Is Alif Syahriza (#8), Chung Zhi Sheng (#10), Lim Jing Yuan (#11), Tay Soon Xie (#12), Sam Tan (#14), Bannin William (#16), Ammirul (#17), Joshua Lim (#18), Orazen Dalz (#20), Aqid (#22), Jordan Goh (#23), Xavier Kang (#24), Khairul (#25), Sean Tay (#27), Smith (#60)

National B Division Boys Rugby Championship — Fixtures and Results

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