The first round of the Super Under 20s started yesterday and the NSW Gen Blues scraped home against the willing Force Under 20s, 41-36.
First half
In wet and windy conditions at the Kippax Field, a few long punts away from Allianz Stadium, Gen Blue took the lead after six minutes. Hooker Phil Bradford doubled around the back of the lineout after throwing the ball in, to break through before passing to LHP Harry Johnson-Holmes, who dished the ball lightly for scrumhalf Theo Strang to score.
Ten minutes later Johnson-Holmes earned his own try with a thrilling one-metre dash for NSW to lead 12-0.
General play was random as the lads from both sides dropped the wet ball regularly because they tried to use it too much.
The game changed after NSW flanker Lachlan Swinton was carded for a dangerous tackle and the Force scored two tries while he was sitting down. Mind you, they were so well taken, they might have scored them against 16 men.
After a 5-metre lineout THP Shambeckler Vui was deceptive picking the ball out of the ruck and he hared over the line. Then from near halfway fullback Clay Uyen saw space down touch and after he drew and passed, flanker Evan Stafford was over also; then pocket-rocket flyhalf Anthony Hondros converted from near touch.
Eleven minutes before half time the Force U20s led 14 -12.
Gen Blue’s outside centre Esera Chee-Kam then opened up the Force with a 55-metre run and avoided three tackles to score under the crossbar. Then disaster for the visitors as they kicked the restart directly into touch and Strang picked up the ball from the wheeled scrum, weaved through tacklers and dished to his winger James Ramm to score. He converted his own try.
There was some symmetry to the half: NSW scored two tries, then came a yellow card, then two tries to the Force, the binned player came back, and NSW scored two tries.
Half time score: NSW Gen Blue 24 – Western Force 14.
Second half
Gen Blue struck again soon after the break. There was a big hole around the open side of the scrum and Chee-Kam ran straight to it, got the pass 15 metres out in a set play, and was soon between the posts. NSW 31-14.
You’d think the Force would be down and out but westerners don’t give up; so when Gen Blue dropped the ball, winger Matthew Lander sprinted 60 meters to dot down near the sticks. NSW 31-21.
Then replacement Naude Wessels slotted a penalty and the Force were within seven points – 31-24 to Gen Blue.
Both teams had scrummaged well in the game, with few collapses despite the heavy ground but when Cody Walker came on to to play loose head and Johnson-Holmes switched to tight head, NSW walked the 5-metre scrum up and Swinton scored. Converted; 38-24.
Some poor kicking from both sides ensued, but the Force were up the right end of the park when Vui did his trick of picking the ball out of the ruck again, for five points. Converted 38-31. Game on folks !!
Naude placed a grand penalty kick toward the corner to get a five-metre lineout and reserve forward Tahere Reha scored a carbon copy of the previous try. NSW 38 – Force 36 – and the conversion to tie the game…missed.
There was more drama at the end but Gen Blue finished the better and Ramm completed the scoring with a penalty goal.
Final score: NSW Gen Blue 41 – Force 36
Wow.
The coaches
The coaches were philosophical after the match, and it was a match in the true sense of the word. The Western Force Under 20 Head Coach, Dwayne Nestor said exclusively to Green and Gold Rugby:
I thought it went both ways: we played some really good rugby at times, then switched off sometimes, and I think NSW would think the same. 41-36 is probably a fair reflection of the game.
Our boys showed they can play some good footy.
He was pleased with the scrummaging especially in the first half and the shape that they had:
Shambeckler Vui on the right side and young Victor Harris on the left side were really good.
He was particularly rapt about loose head prop Harris as he was in his Under 18 year. As for Vui:
I think he showed us that he’s a Super Rugby player – that’s an out-and-out call there.
NSW Gen Blue Head Coach Pat McCutcheon mentioned how the inclement weather had affected the game but that it was good for the lads to handle those conditions
Our discipline was probably the thing that hurt us the most. You saw in the first half that we lost a player and they put on 14 points – that’s good work by them though.
As for his players: he praised his no. 8 Justin Cooper who was stretchered off with a leg injury and probably wouldn’t be seen again this year. Despite blindside flanker Lachlan Swinton earning a yellow card, McCutcheon liked his ferocity around the field – and also:
Ryan McCauley was impressive running the lineout and using his experience from the senior squad.
Winger James Ramm has been outstanding for us breaking tackles and kicking goals – everything needed.
Man of the match
Vui was outstanding for the visitors both in the scrum and dashing from the ruck. Hooker Samu Molola was hard to stop also. Flyhalf Anthony Hondra, who can kick the ball a mile, managed the game well when he was on. Fullback Uyen had some good moments and set up a try in a manner that Dane Haylett-Petty would have been proud of.
For the home team two brilliant runs by outside centre Chee-Kam cracked open the Force for tries. Locks McCauley and Tom Pirrodi were a good pairing of deftness and hardness – and Johnson-Holmes had the complete props’ game with dominant runs and tackles; and he also scrummed on both sides of the front row.
But the Green & Gold man-of-the-match award goes to NSW scrumhalf Theo Strang who ran the show like an older man and caught the Force napping with several bursts.
Scoring details
NSW Gen Blues U20s 41 (E. Chee-Kam 2, T. Strang, H. Johnson-Holmes, J. Ramm, L. Swinton tries; Ramm 3 cons, goal) beat Western Force U20s 36 (S. Vui 2, E, Stafford, M. Lander, T. Reha tries; A. Hondras 2 cons, N. Wessels 2 cons, pen)
Photos by Lee Grant
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