Many CHS players put forward a convincing argument for NSW Schools’ selection at the Cranbrook School yesterday when the 1st XV beat CAS 25-10 and the 2nd XV ran neck and neck before going down 26-33.
1st XV — CHS 25 – CAS 10
The scoring
CAS had most of the play in the first half but their faulty ball work and sketchy combining with each other spoiled a lot of chances. In contrast CHS took the few opportunities they had when they broke out occasionally. Rambunctious 8. Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco (Endeavour SHS) created possibilities with bruising runs and 11. Jake O’Brien (Kincumber HS) was always dangerous.
The score was 3-3 when CHS made one such incursion and 10. Adam Delore (Whitebridge HS) went over in a tackle. 12. Josh Cook (Lisarow HS) converted it from a handy position.
The second CHS try was scored by the classy O’Brien, and it meant that they had an impressive 17-3 lead at oranges.
In the second half it was the other way around. CAS scored from one of their few chances when Jackson McLean (Trinity) barged over early, and it was the turn of CHS to have the wobbles when they had several opportunities.
But they succeeded once when 5. Andrew Vatuvei (Sarah Redfern HS) managed to get the ball down over the line for a 22-10 scoreline.
Cook put the icing on the cake with a booming 45 metre penalty kick to make the final score 25-10.
The teams
CAS
Unfortunately they lost three forwards early in the match. They had a small pack whoever was on the park, and the individuals were not as robust as the CHS lads were, whatever their size. They faded at the end but full marks to them for keeping the score down despite that.
They will be better against the GPS boys because they were coming off just one training session together before they played CHS. And hopefully some of their good players can get fit again in time to have a full game, and then everybody stay on the field longer.
CHS
They are a good CHS side and their pack was bigger, and also stronger (not always the case). Besides that, they were fitter than their 2nd XV was, and lasted the distance better than the CAS fellows did. They had a bit of class in the backs also.
The players
CAS
One CHS insider told me that some of the CAS backs would have bruised egos – but to be fair they were at a disadvantage because their opponents got better quality ball, especially in the second half, and they were able to slow down the access of CAS to their ball.
The usually electric fullback Harry Jones (Barker) was out of sorts; enough so to give credence to reports that he had health issues the day before, but put his hand up to play. The most effective of the reputable Barker back three was winger Eddie Elwood-Hall, who was the most accurate of them when taking opportunities; not that he got many.
Young 10. David Smerdon (Barker) had a fine first half and made a telling break, but he will be hard-pressed by Ben O’Donnell (Waverley) for selection next time because O’Donnell was was very slick for CAS in the 2nd XV.
Similar remarks could be made about 9. Stephen Kirkby (Barker) from Sydney Juniors Under 16 last year, in the CAS Ones, and his Twos’ rival from Trinity, Brent Whicker, who had a commanding performance on both attack and defence. To be fair: Kirby got more pressure and rubbish ball than Whicker did.
With so many reserves on, for so long, the forwards were pushing it uphill for a long time but but Fa’aopi Satui (Trinity) stood up all day.
CHS
I always like watching the CHS lads because each year there are a few good rough diamonds that haven’t been discovered before.
There wouldn’t have been too may CAS players who compared more favourably to CHS fellows having the same numbers on their jerseys.
O’Brien, mentioned above, was the best winger in any XV on the day, despite being called in from the CHS 2nd XV. He mixed up his game with good runs, backing up to score a try, and adding some intelligent chip kicks.
My man-of-the match was flyhalf Delore, who broke the line and made opponents watch him and not drift. This helped his supporting players when he dished the ball out. I haven’t seen a lot of flyhalves who are candidates for NSW Schools this year, but I don’t think I’ll see too many better than this young man.
Not far behind him as MOTM would have been Vatuvei, the 2012 NSW Schools Under 16 lock, who had several punishing runs through traffic; one for a try.
Their backrow was superior: 8. Warren-Vosayaco, 7. Brandon Paenga-Amosa (Endeavour HS) and 6. Damien Fleming (Woy Woy) were all effective in different ways and balanced each other nicely.
2nd XV — CAS 33 – CHS 26
This was a cracking game of rugby in which the lead kept changing. It was like watching the ball in a tennis match as both sides had a crack after being under pressure not long before.
Neither side wanted to attempt a penalty goal either – even though the biggest lead was only five points (until the winning converted try was scored).
The bigger CHS forwards tired as the match went on, and this helped the faster and niftier CAS to cross for two tries at the end of the game, to win.
One of the features of the contest was the strong performance of the small fullbacks Rihann Barkley-Brown (Trinity) and 16 y.o.Riley Manwaring (Murrumburrah HS) [see photo] who both meandered through opponents trying to tackle them.
Ben O’Donnell, mentioned before, and Tyler Tamou (Endeavour SHS), both had strong games for their respective sides at flyhalf and, as noted earlier: 9. Whicker was influential for CAS.
Photos by Lee Grant
