Game of two halves!
With Whitchurch sitting on top of the league, and the stormy weather making for difficult playing conditions, on paper it looked like the home side had a difficult afternoon ahead of them.
However, despite playing against a gale, the CIAC’s hit the ground running and quickly claimed the first points of the game in the opening minutes with a successful penalty kick by full-back Duncan.
Unfortunately for Mahoney the team’s good fortune did not extend to the outside-half, who with his first tackle of the game, was literally left with poo breath after being smeared head to toe in dog mess. However, this proved to be a lucky omen for the CIAC veteran, who soon scored the first try of the match.
With Whitchurch sitting on top of the league, and the stormy weather making for difficult playing conditions, on paper it looked like the home side had a difficult afternoon ahead of them.
However, despite playing against a gale, the CIAC’s hit the ground running and quickly claimed the first points of the game in the opening minutes with a successful penalty kick by full-back Duncan.
Unfortunately for Mahoney the team’s good fortune did not extend to the outside-half, who with his first tackle of the game, was literally left with poo breath after being smeared head to toe in dog mess. However, this proved to be a lucky omen for the CIAC veteran, who soon scored the first try of the match.
A well executed practiced back move released the outside-half, who’s pace and a powerful stench managed to break through a couple of tackles to score just right of the posts. A successful conversion from Duncan extended the CIAC lead to 10-0.
The hard work put in the two training sessions during the week was clearly paying dividends as everything seemed to click for the home side, with both backs and forwards putting together successful passages of play that continuously threatened the Whitchurch defence.
However, it was an individual effort from the No 8 that soon led to the second CIAC try. With a decisive break from the half-way line, Jason Hori cut through the Whitchurch midfield before finally being brought down by a desperate tackle. From the subsequent ruck the ball found its way back into the hands of the kiwi, who stretched his full Maori physique over the line for a try. With Duncan making it 3 from 3 the CIAC’s were striving ahead at 17-0.
Whitchurch tried to fight their way back into the game with a few competitive phases of play in the CIAC half, but visitors repeatedly struggled to cope with the conditions and an unrelenting CIAC pack who didn’t give the opposition much space to create any solid platform for attack.
It was hard to believe that this young CIAC side had only previously played together for three games, as they looked like a well drilled outfit and showed game awareness beyond their years. It was therefore no surprise that it was one of the youngest members of the side, and a product of the CIAC youth academy, who went over for the third at the end of the half.
From a turnover hooker Kevin, much like his No 8 team mate earlier, counter attacked with break away run into the Whitchurch twenty-two, and with quick support at the breakdown, the ball was passed to Fordy who popped the ball to the back-rower Stretch who in-fitting with his name finished the move by extending his body over the line for his debut try for the club and took the CIAC’s into the half-time break with a 22-0 lead.
So good was the first-half performance, that the substitute James Emery judged it as one the best displays he had seen from any CIAC side. However, Coach Jack was not so carried away and asked his side to continue to stick to the basics, play a simple passing game, and continue to spread the ball wide across the back line.
With a healthy lead, the CIAC’s started the second half positively and continued to put pressure on Whitchurch with, as Head Waterboy, Matthew Phillips put it, “a well structured back line”.
The forwards also continued to be a nuisance around the breakdown area, and Whitchurch’s constant frustration finally reared its ugly head during another CIAC ruck, when their No 8 purposely kicked out at Mahoney’s head on the floor. Mahoney decided to respond in kind with a punch, which sparked a one-in, all-in bout of handbags which was quickly dispersed by the other players and the touchline assistance. Both of the key partakers in the incident were yellow carded for their efforts reducing both sides to 14 men.
The CIAC’s continued to push for another score, but the self-assured team of the first half were beginning to make mistakes at key moments denying them a few try scoring opportunities in the Whitchurch twenty-two. However, with the home side still dominating possession, the CIAC’s were finally rewarded with their fourth try and an all-important bonus point.
From and big clearance kick down field from Duncan, the CIAC’s pressured the Whitchurch final quarter, and from multi-phase drive from the CIAC forwards, the ball was picked up by Man of Match Simon Monk, who had been a key player all game turning over valuable possession for the CIAC’s, and deservedly went over for his debut try for the club just left of the posts. With Duncan’s kicking back on form, the CIAC’s pulled away from Whitchurch with a 29-0 score line.
As the rain came down on the hour mark, the game became scrappy with no constructive series of passes from either side. Whether it was, fatigue, or over confidence, the CIAC’s began to lose shape in the last quarter of the game, ignoring the simple instructions from Jack to simply pass the ball wide and hold on to possession.
However, by this time, thankfully for the CIAC’s, the game was too far out of reach for the visiting side who, despite having a short spell of attack at the end of the game, never really threatened the CIAC defence, and in the end held out for the 29-0 win.
In the first half, the CIAC’s for the first time this season looked like real promotion contenders with a confident back-line and a technically strong forward pack that would pose problems to any side in the league. It would be unfair to be over critical of the side after an impressive win against a team sitting on the top of the division, but if the CIAC’s are to go on to become a dominant force in the district and compete on a higher level, they will need to show that they have the discipline and resolve to get the basics right for the full 80 minutes. This was corroborated in Jack’s summation of the game, stating “A good win, but a frustrating afternoon due to a failure to get the ball wide.”
Rhodri Davies, Editor in Chief.
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