Saxons 2’s 29 – 19 Buccs 2’s

 

A heroic day from RJ Lacorte was not quite enough to rally the Super 2’s to a victory over Cobourg.

 

Having seen the horrific sunburn that number eight Kevin Anness had on display I somewhat doubt referee Scott Clarence would’ve agreed to officiate this game, but his loss was our gain. The match started in a taut back and forth, with Saxons direct running and one page rugby setting their stall out early. Were it not for some valiant defence from wing Lacorte it may have been a long day indeed for the Buccaneers.

 

The Buccs initially looked the more auspicious side with Lacorte and Terada linking early and often and some very neat hands from Sano at full back almost unleashing the trifecta down the wing early doors for a Buccs score. Alas it would be the Saxons who would open the account first with their centre dotting down under the sticks after some pedestrian defence from the visiting side. What would follow would be a spell of attack crashing against the Buccs D, time and time again being repelled either through good defence or a stroke of luck in a handling error.

The men from Sunnybrook would be the next to strike back however and who else but that man Brian Crothers finding the whitewash for the first try of the season. The captain crashing over from short range, albeit he was later heard to tell tale of a Usain Bolt-esque fifty metre run.

 

In spite of their back row picking up another score, frustrations would rise very quickly for the Cobourg men. Their seven lucky to not have been picked up by referee Clarence for a misaimed fist landing short of a Buccaneer head. They would add a penalty shortly before the half bringing us to half time Saxons 15, Buccs 7.

 

The half would begin with a double whammy for the Supers; Cobourg 20 getting a well deserved ten minute rest for some carry on and a penalty try taking us to 19-14 with it all to play for. The Buccs forwards were somewhat in the ascendancy by now, pack leader Sultan Butt opening up the defence with a spiralling mazy run and horrendously sunburnt Kevin Anness with a clever pick and go catching Saxons napping. It looked to all be coming together when Victor Sielei spurred a nice little break down the wing, opening up a two on one with winger Terada however an ill thought out dummy would leave the chance-a-begging with stand off Zulfi Sheikh rescuing the opportunity; a narrow run and a hard fought finish taking the score to 19-19.

 

The anticipation would be almost too much for some of the visiting support, however it was all in earnest. Some goal line fever from the Cobourg men left a chance or two a begging, however two late tries would be the difference between the two sides on the day. A chance at victory evading the Buccs, who must be kicking themselves at letting this one slip away.

 

Man of the match for the 2nd XV going to RJ Lacorte.

 

Saxons 1’s 22 – 19 Buccs 1’s

 

Missed opportunities and ill discipline left the Buccaneers to wonder at what could have been on a windy day in Cobourg.

 

The game got underway and anyone on the sideline hoping for a more expansive display from the Saxons men would be left disappointed, as their brutally effective style of play shown in the 2nd XV would continue. Scrum half Rex was the first to open the scoring for the boys in blue as a  little dart and a quick burst let him cross the whitewash. Not to be outdone his opposite man would equal the feat some minutes later, an opening volley tying the score at 5-5.

 

It was the usual suspects on show from the Buccaneers, Nthunzi, Viljoen and Miles going at nearly a hundred miles an hour across the park. Their hard work would be dashed as the Saxons full back would cut a line off a deep clearance, coming from as far away as Thunder Bay to nip through the Buccs line and in for a score. Clearly the Saxons thought the game was in hand at this point as their Eight would put in a clearance kick that should’ve immediately had him substituted at the coaches earliest convenience.

 

Whatever greased hands had affected the Saxons 2’s was clearly shared by the 1st XV, or perhaps it was the appearance of that man Lacorte replacing a temporarily waylaid Mulreid. The supporters were almost treated to an early appearance from Maguire as a temporary stoppage to play was brought about after Nthunzi was left winded in a pilfering attempt, but much to Maguires relief the eight man was back on his feet within a couple of minutes.

 

A tidy bit of play from the Buccs would  see them pick up the next score. An up and under from Pornaras coming down with snow on it, collected by openside MacCready before a hard carry and a neat link to centre Poulton putting the young jobseeker over the whitewash for his first score of the campaign. At this point the score sat at an even 12-12 leaving the nail biters amongst us very busy.

 

On the stroke of the half after some ill discipline from the Buccaneers, Saxons would take a shot at the sticks. However the blustery crosswind would make for a butchered attempt from the stand off and we would enter the half with it all to play for. Much to his chagrin Maguire would come on at the half, replacing prop Zhou.

 

With the changes rung the game was restarted and the hero of the initial half, Rex would make an auspicious heel turn with a yellow card coming shortly after the restart; a keen bit of linespeed and a tackle deemed to be somewhat below the standards requested by the IRB leaving him with ten minutes to cool his heels. Unfortunately Saxons would take the bit between their teeth against a 14 man Buccs side. In spite of the efforts of Watkinson and McLean, a cute front peel off of a line out on the Buccs five would leave them with a simple pick and go to cross the line. This would quickly be followed by their winger scoring under the sticks, the ensuing conversion taking it to 22-12 to the Saxons.

 

Rex would only bolster the team to full strength for a brief period of time before winger Simunivic would take his opposite man out in the air before completely failing to launch a career in boxing; the ensuing ruckus much more akin to a Jerry Springer episode than anything else. Referee Carmichael, however, not being much of a boxing connoisseur would issue Simunivic with his marching orders, a straight red reducing the visitors to 14 men for the remainder of the contest.

 

Who else would bring the team back into it but Rex again with a quick spurt of inspiration on a penalty finding a gap you could fit a jumbo jet through in the tired Saxons defense, motoring through and straight under the posts for an easily converted score, Anness hot on his heels in support. 22-19 and all to play for.

 

Sadly it was not to be. In spite of a good driving maul from the Buccaneers, referee Carmichael would deem a rather dubious truck and trailer to have occurred and the ensuing turnover would seal the fate of the Buccaneers.

 

Man of the match for the 1st XV was William Viljoen.