Story by Iman Hashim/Red Sports.
Dan Yuet Yau of ACS(I) goes over for the first try. (Photo 1 © Adrian Tan)
Evans Road, Thursday, May 12, 2016 — Two-time defending champions Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) (ACS(I)) easily beat Anglo-Chinese Junior College (ACJC) 45–5 to qualify for the National A Division Rugby Championship final for the third year running.
Going into this semi-final, ACS(I) had a perfect 6-0 win-loss record, while ACJC had won three and lost three of their preliminary round games.
When the two sides met earlier in the preliminary round, ACS(I) had seen off the tie 57-10.
It was pretty much the same story in the semi-final as ACS(I) were on the front foot from the first whistle, scoring the first try as early as the third minute via Dan Yuet Yau (#8). Centre Alexander Seow (#12) had no problems with the central conversion, making it 7-0.
The match was then briefly halted for half an hour due to lightning risk.
Shortly after play resumed, ACS(I) scored their second try. From a scrum in the middle of the field, Jeremy Choy (#9) went on a great run into ACJC’s half. Metres from the try-line, he then decisively passed the ball out right to teammate Edward Hui (#25), who easily threw himself forward for the try.
Alexander Seow (#12) stepped up to convert again for 14–0, which remained intact until half-time.
Business resumed as per usual in the second half, as ACS(I) claimed their third try a mere 20 seconds from the restart. Scrum-half Glenn Lee (#23) collected a loose ball and after evading a few tackles, powered himself over the try-line for 19-0.
Alexander Seow (#12) this time failed to convert, as his kick was blocked at close range by an onrushing Jared Tang (ACJC #12).
ACJC tried their best to salvage the game afterwards, as they continued rallying forward determinedly. They got their reward six minutes later when Michael Leong (ACJC #6) scored a try via a driving maul to reduce the deficit (19–5). Scott Tan (ACJC #10), however, missed the conversion.
Minutes later, ACS(I) began to pull away after another converted try (26–5). ACS(I) were committing players forward on the right flank, and several tackles and rucks later, prop Lee Tat Wei (#3) brought the ball over the try-line.
Before ACJC could catch their breath again, centre Edward Hui (#25) clinched his second and ACS(I)’s fifth try of the game on the right side of the field. From the tight angle, Alexander Seow (#12) failed to convert (31–5).
Thereafter, ACS(I) put the game to bed with two further converted tries via number eight Kitiarsa Tantham (#21) and prop Joshua Lim (#1), ending with a comfortable 45–5 victory. For the last conversion, Roy Woo (#10) took over kicking duties.
On his team’s performance, ACS(I) captain Ethan Ho (#15) remarked, “I think it was a good improvement from our last group stage game against them. Today’s performance was good but it could be better. Nonetheless, I’ll take the win as we have entered the final. We’re not going to rest on our laurels, we’re just going to keep moving forward.”
In the final, ACS(I) will go up against Raffles Institution (RI), who beat Saint Andrew’s Junior College 11-5 in the other semi-final. ACS(I) had easily dispatched RI 36-0 in the preliminary round.
When asked what mentality his ACS(I) team will bring with them ahead of the final, Ethan added, “I think we’re not going to take anything for granted; the Raffles we played back then is totally different from the Raffles we’re going to face next week. So we’re definitely not going to assume anything, we’re just going to stick to what we do best, and we’ll just play our own game.”
The final will take place at 4pm on Thursday, May 19, at MOE, Evans Road.
Score By Half
ACS(I) vs ACJC
1st Half: 14–0
2nd Half: 31–5 (45–5)
ACS(I) Roster
Joshua Lim Jun Yi (#1), Tuang Rui Shan (#2), Lee Tat Wei (#3), Nunis Mikael Keith (#4), Daniel Chris Lee Zi Ern (#5), Roy Woo Ming En (#10), Glenn Lee Jia Song (#23), Daniel Ho Chia Chun (#14), Jason Goh Jien Feung (#7), Lucas Tay Yi-En (#11), Joshua Goh Kiat Jwei (#13), Edward Hui Xian Wei (#25), Dan Yuet Yau (#8), Darrell Ou Wai Yan (#6), Alexander Seow Kai Liang (#12), Bryan Foo (#16), Philip John Duggan (#24), Ethan Ho Teng Yang (#15), Jeremy Choy Yi Xiang (#9), Eithan Irwan Jahja-Loo (#19), Kai Kiran Gosian (#27), Siew Hao Ren (#26), Darren Chia Minjian (#18), Kitiarsa Tantham (#21), Lim Shern (#22), Joshua Lee Keng Yong (#20), Joshua Chia Teck Yeung (#29), Thomas Michel Lim Zhixiang (#28)
ACJC Roster
Chia Zhi Xuan (#1), Evans Chong Aruldoss (#2), John Alec Mendoza Branzuela (#3), Park Gun Ha (#4), Richard Ng (#5), Michael Takaaki Leong (#6), Anders Quah (#7), David Teo (#8), Fathurrahman B Muhammad Faizal (#9), Scott Tan (#10), Keefe Cheong (#11), Tang Jared (#12), Ryan Loo (#13), Thomas Tong (#14), Daryl Ng (#15), Dominic Chan (#17), Shaun Ang (#18), Mahankali Srikar (#19), Jereld Lim (#20), Zechariah Tay (#21), Siaw Jonathan Michael (#22), Nicholas Phang (#23), Kaizen Koh (#25), Jamie Tan (#24), Nickolas Tan
National A Division Rugby Championship – fixtures and results
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