Shore v. Scots by “George Smith”
Scots 23 – Shore 13
Scots travelled to Northbridge to play an underrated Shore team. The crowd was treated with an engaging and at times entertaining game where the final score reflected equitably the tenure of the two teams.
The Scoring
First points came in the 6th minute when Shore won a scrum 40 metres out, but Emery was pounced upon by Kamp who passed the loose ball to Scots’ no. 8 Angus Crichton. He scored the try and a conversion by Andrew Kellaway gave Scots a 7-0 lead.
At about 22 minutes Andrew Kellaway was sin binned for foul play but even with a player short Scots tried to run the ball. Crafts bobbled a pass and it was snatched away. Harvey Duncan scored in the corner for Shore. There conversion missedonversion and Shore trailed 5-7.
Scots replied when their scrumhalf Short picked up the ball from a Shore scrum and darted over. With Andrew Kellaway still in the bin, brother Nick attempted the conversion but missed.
The half-time score was Scots 12 — Shore 5
Shore came out looking to bustle their bigger counterparts. Through excellent perception by their fullback, Nic Clancy, who slid past the centres and held his pass back to draw more of the opposition before he gave it wide to his winger, Charlie Oldham, to score next to the corner post. The kick floated past the posts keeping Scots ahead by just two: 12-10.
As Shore desperately tried to compete with the big Scots forwards they gave away penalties within range of Andrew Kellaway to slot two good kicks into the wind. Then Jack Clancy got one back for Shore and with 10 minutes to go Scots were ahead 18-13.
Shore won a scrum in the 27th minute and Jack Clancy attempted a short kick over the top but it hit Kellaway on his body. He reacted quickly to regather on half way, fended off Toby Cooke and raced away for meat. With his kick floating to the right Kellaway could not convert his own try. In the remaining minutes the two teams pounded each other without success.
Full time: Scots 23 – Shore 13
The teams
Scots
Played like a team of champions. Each of the Scots players behaved as though they have trained the house down all pre-season, dealt out a thrashing to a hapless opposition in Round 1 and thought they would do so again this Round. Their warm-up lacked focus and this showed on the paddock.
Although too many passes were pushed, balls dropped or players running away from their support they had the firepower through bulk and skill to keep in front of Shore.
Shore
This small team of players play as though they (along with their coaches) have trained to a game plan, and although some of them were daunted by the size and speed of the opposition the team continually thwarted their fancied opposition.
They defended very well. In particular Harvey Duncan (No13) showed his team mates (and those watching) how to run a player down and execute the tackle around the ankles; which he repeated several times much to Scots anguish.
Teams will get caught out underrating this well coached team who will go through the season making sure every opposition has to work hard if they want to win.
The players
Scots:
3 Angus Crichton (No8)
2 Nick Kellaway (No4)
1 Matt Crafts (No11)
Special mention:
✓ Hamish Dunbar; during his after-match speech for wishing the Year 12 boys good luck with their HSC!
✗ Andrew Kellaway: will want to forget a couple of actions leading to his yellow card and resolve to improve his behaviour in the future.
Shore:
3 Jum Woodhill (No7)
2 Harvey Duncan (No13)
1 Nic Clancy (No15)
Wrap-Up
Scots forwards dominated the set pieces but their backs squandered the many opportunities. They lacked structure and purpose.
Shore meanwhile never gave up and made Scots earn all their points. The hardness of the Shore boys defence was reflected by the number of injuries to Scots’ forwards and backs, many of whom needed replacing.
The final score reflected correctly the overall game. Well done to the Scots team but they will need to take the lessons from this game if they want to challenge for the premiership.
Safety was a real concern during the scrums. Scots were dominating and were allowed to engage early and push the smaller Shore scrum back 2-3m or wheel the scrum at will. Frequently the Shore half was on the deck alongside his locks! Other times the No8 as he tried to pick up the ball on a retreating scrum found himself with a pile of players on top of him. At times these scrums bordered on outright safety concerns by those on the sidelines with the match officials seemingly oblivious to the U19 Law variations prohibiting these situations.
Match details
Scoring
[one_half last=”no”]Scots — 23
Tries: Andrew Kellaway (2), Mitchell Short
Conversion: Kellaway
Penalty Goals: Kellaway (2)
Cards: Yellow card – Scots
[/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]Shore — 13
Tries: Harvey Duncan, Charlie Oldham
Penalty Goal: Jack Clancy
[/one_half]
Photos of Crichton and Oldham courtesy of ACM Photography
Click on the >> arrow for the match report of Newington v. Shore by “GPSrow”
