Story by Joash Chow/Red Sports. Photos by Bryan Foo and Joash Chow/Red Sports.

Independent's Elliot Ng (AC #15) attempts to score a try in the semi-final as Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) beat Raffles Institution 67-3 (Photo 1 © Bryan Foo/Red Sports)

Independent’s Elliot Ng (AC #15) attempts to score a try in the semi-final as Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) beat Raffles Institution 67-3 (Photo 1 © Bryan Foo/Red Sports)

MOE (Evans) Stadium, Thursday, 15 August 2024 — Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) will compete in the National School Games C Division Rugby final after a 67-3 win over Raffles Institution in the semi-final.

The defending champions finished the game with eleven tries collectively, including two tries from captain Asher Pei (AC #12) and a hat-trick from number eight Kyler Tay (AC #8).

ACS(I) got to an early 12-0 lead with tries from Asher Pei (AC #12) and Caleb Seah (AC #19), as well as a conversion from flyhalf Abel Lie (AC #10).

Number eight Kyler Tay (AC #8) then scored his first try after brilliantly taking a gap and sidestepping two more defenders on his way to the try line. Flyhalf Abel Lie (AC #10) converted from between the posts.

Tay (AC #8) could not be stopped as he ran in for his second try in as many minutes, after a pick-and-go from the back of a scrum, giving his side a 24-0 lead.

Independent were soon within 10 metres of the Raffles’ try line again and were awarded a penalty. The Raffles defence was caught unprepared as centre Pei (AC #12) feigned kicking for the touchline, but he instead opportunistically took a quick tap to score his second try untouched.

Raffles then got themselves on the scoreboard after an offside offence from ACS(I) in the following kick-off.

Opting to kick for goal, flyhalf Elgin Lim (RI #10) struck the ball well to bring the scores to 29-3.

On his team’s performance, Raffles captain Onith Senaratne (RI #8) said, “I think we really pushed, at the end we could have pushed a bit more… but [for] the way that we performed and pushed through, I’m really proud of that.”

Before the half time whistle, Kyler Tay (AC #8) completed his hat-trick after storming through several Rafflesian defenders. Abel Lie (AC #10) converted for a 36-3 lead as the game went into halftime.

In the second-half, the ACS(I) team executed an effective counter-attack as Asher Pei (AC #12) took a gap before giving the offload to teammate Gordon Allan (AC #5) who finished with the try. Abel Lie (AC #10) added the extras.

Independent’s Yap Kuan Teng (AC #13), however, seemed to prove a difference for ACS(I), as the centre managed to create an opportunity for himself to score a try through several defenders.

ACS(I) then scored two more successive tries through wingers Evan Lim (AC #6) and Ashwyn Wong (AC #47), while Abel Lie (AC #10) made a conversion for a score of 60-3.

The Rafflesians did not throw in the towel and continued to battle until the final whistle, putting on a commendable defensive display once more to push ACS(I) back repeatedly beyond their half.

Despite the eventual scoreline, Raffles C Division Coach Mr Ismail said: “For the season so far, [the team has] gone through a lot and the performance has improved leaps and bounds.”

“There is still room for improvement definitely. [We will] go back to our blackboard and see how it goes.”

A stand-out individual effort from Ashwyn Wong (AC #47) closed out the game, as the AC winger beat no less than four defenders in a 70-metre run to the try line.

The match was brought to a close following the successful conversion from Lucas Kaufmann (AC #27) to make it 67-3, with the mercy rule applied following the greater than 60-point differential.

“I’m definitely very happy that we have come this far… the team has worked really hard,” said ACS(I) captain Asher Pei (#12). “We’re quite excited… we’ll definitely look forward to it and play our best there.”

Looking toward the final, ACS(I) head coach Adrian Chong said: “Finals being finals, we can’t predict. It’s not so much how we start but how we end, so just hoping that we will end well.”

“Just happy that this is probably our 30th [C Division rugby] final in a row, so just happy to have done that and hopefully we can cap it off with a win,” added coach Chong.

Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) will play Saint Andrew’s Secondary School in the final at Jurong West Stadium on Monday, 26 August 2024 at 3.00pm.

Raffles Institution will play Saint Joseph’s Institution in the 3rd/4th placing match at Jurong West Stadium on Monday, 26 August 2024 at 9.00am.

 

Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) v Raffles Institution

Scoring by half
Half-time: 36-3
Full-time: 67-3

Scorers

Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)
Asher Pei (#12) – 2 tries
Seah Yi Kai Caleb (#19) – 1 try
Kyler Tay Zi Ying (#8) – 3 tries
Gordon Alexander Allan (#5) – 1 try
Yap Kuan Teng (#13) – 1 try
Evan Lim (#6) – 1 try
Ashwyn Wong (#47) – 2 tries
Abel Sebastian Lie (#10) – 5 conversions
Lucas Heinz Kaufmann (#27) – 1 conversion

Raffles Institution
Elgin Lim Shunwen (#10) – 1 penalty

Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) Roster
Tham Ye Heng Zachary (#1), Nathan Tan Yok Hon (#2), David Soh Jun Ler (#3), Edred John Tan Teng Yeong (#4), Gordon Alexander Allan (#5), Evan Lim (#6), Oliver Nicholas Iskandar Cocks (#7), Kyler Tay Zi Ying (#8), Raphael Peter Chew McEwin (#9), Abel Sebastian Lie (#10), Elijah Choo Zhong Yi (#11), Asher Pei (#12), Yap Kuan Teng (#13), Koh Zechariah (#14), Elliot Ng Shi Rong (#15), James Christian Ng Tze Feng (#17), Tay Jun Heng Timothy (#18), Seah Yi Kai Caleb (#19), Low Rui-Kai Julien (#20), Jayden Lim Choon Jay (#21), Wee En-Kye Kieron (#22), Lester Ang Weizhi (#23), Patrick Matthew Goh Wei Jie (#25), Ethan Samuel Ang (#26), Lucas Heinz Kaufmann (#27) Jeshurun Varma (#28), Joseph Thomas Loi Chuan Khai (#30), Liu Yichen (#35), Tyler Seth Tay (#40), Ashwyn Wong (#47)

Raffles Institution Roster
Goh Tian Le (#1), Cao Hanjin (#2), Jayden Peter Lo Khye Ler (#3), Mohamed Muzammil (#4), Koh Li Hom (#5), Jayden Teo Chi Wun (#6), Xu Jiayi (#7), Onith Insita Senaratne (#8), Yamazaki Shinzo (#9), Elgin Lim Shunwen (#10), Ang Hern Khai, Kai (#11), Jayden Lee Zheng Rui (#12), Asher Ng Yu Xiang (#13), Nathan Ho Zhexian (#14), Varshanth Arun Kumar (#15), S Sundareshvara (#16), Fu Bowen (#21), Nor Rizqin Eshan (#22), Nathan Wong Wen Yao (#24), Jason Yang Hanbo (#25), Darryl Foo Sheng Jie (#26), Wu Yufeng (#27) Ivfan Raziq (#28), Muhammad Shahir Mifzal (#29), Wesley Tan Kyle Yik (#30), Howard Pang Yean Khai (#31), Chin Jin Yee (#32), Yu Hong Rui Hardy (#33), Du Jingkang (#34), Kyle Yang Shunmugam (#35)

*** NOTE: Names and jersey numbers are based on official team sheets.

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