The SJRFC Devils lost a tough and scrappy match to a much improved from 2005 Morris RFC 24-8. The SJRFC B’s fell 17-14 in a match that was decided on the final play.

A-side:

First Half

As usual, the Devils started the match strongly and got on the board first with a Bill Stom penalty kick at 4:00 minutes. Things were looking dead even until Morris received a scrum at midfield and their #8/#9 easily beat our back row on an 89 play and put the Morris backs down the right side. Morris took the ball 40 yds down the field on the movement. Luckily, Morris was penalized for diving over the top. The tone of the first half was set, however. Morris continued to pressurize on offense holding play deep inside the Devils own end. All the Devils could do was pattern defend (and they did it well) and keep kicking to touch into the wind. Morris just kept winning their own line outs and turning the screw with the wind and slope of the field to their advantage. The first result was a Morris penalty kick at 11:00 minutes. At 25 minutes Gene Graf and a Morris forward were threatened with red cards for punching. The ref backed down to yellows after some serious lobbying by both skippers. Morris just picked up where they left off and wouldn’t let the Devils out of their own end. Morris added a drop goal at 36 minutes and another penalty kick at 39 minutes. Just before the half ended the Devils finally got out of their own end and got something going with a nice break in the forwards. This ended with a forward pass. Tom Diaz ended the half with a crushing hit on an unsuspecting Morris winger.

Half time score Morris 9-Devils 3

2^nd Half:

Now with the slope and the wind, the Devils began to even things out and threatened several times over the first 15 minutes of the second half. Unfortunately, at 58 minutes, the Morris #8 (easily the best player the Devils have faced all year) picked up a Devil’s ball lost in the scrum on the Morris 15 meter line, went left untouched about twenty yards and put the winger away. The winger broke a series of Devils of tackle attempts and kicked ahead. With no corner flagging cover defense, he outran the rest of the Devils and touched down for an 85 yard converted try making 16-3 Morris. At 66 minutes, Morris struck again with a winger try after a prolonged stand by the Devils defense inside there own 22. This made it 21-3 Morris. Morris got some help during the onslaught from the refs quick whistle on a wheeled Devils scrum, a missed call on a Morris forward pass, and a questionable sin binning–flyhalf Bill Stom and a Morris flanker twice his size. Without a flyhalf, things got tough for the Devils. They didn’t give up though: At 75 minutes, skipper Chris Midgely stole a ball out of a maul and broke free down the sideline. He executed a perfect wide pass to streaking winger Nchimunya Hazwetzwe. Nobody was going to catch Nchim on a 60 yard dash to the end zone. At 78 minutes, Morris added a penalty kick.

Final Score Morris 24- Devils 8.

Comments: Gaining possession with minimal pressure a few times in a match is what generates breaks that can lead to scoring. Morris was tough, skilled, a little more experienced and we take nothing away from them; however, all they did was create some opportunities off our poor play and execution. Specifically: Back three tackling, producing quick ball and winning/disrupting lineouts were done better by Morris. Stop the attack with solid tackles in the open field, produce your own ball quickly to get the backs moving forward before the defense resets, and on a windy, short, thin field with lots of balls out of bounds-you must win most of your own lineouts (we were 7 of 16) and not allow them to win theirs easily.

SJRFC Scoring :

Trys: Hazwetzwe (1)
Conversions: none
Penalties: Stom (1)

Graf
Peligrino
Diaz, T
Martinez (Lina)
Midgely
Wright
Eykyn
Band
Diaz, A
Stom
Hazwetzwe
DiRomualdo
Sauter
Blauvelt
Rimositis

Man of the match-Alex Diaz

Killer Bs

Both teams agreed to play 22 minute halves. Most of the Devils played two games with the exception of Joe Lynch, Joe Scharf and Scott Thenewguy. Morris had about 10 fresh B-side players. Mike Rimositis scored a nice tackle breaking try that was converted by Pete Ferrari at 16 minutes. Morris answered back at 19 minutes to make it 7-5 at the half.

Morris punched one in try to make it 10-7. The Devils came roaring back with a converted try to make it 14-10. It stayed this way for the remainder of the half . Then the Morris coach ref decided to add 4 minutes to the match by this writers watch-just enough time for them to score. This didn’t really help the 12 Devils playing their second game and on fumes at the end. He basically allowed for Morris to score then he called the match. Oh well-our B’s beat them 55-0 last Spring, maybe it was a payback

Final score Morris 17-Devils 14

SJRFC Scoring:

Trys: Rimositis, one unknown
Conversions: Ferrari (2)
Penalties: none

1. Midgely
2. Peligrino
3. Diaz, T
4. Lynch
5. Lina
6. Scharf
7. Eykyn
8. Band (Sauter)
9. Diaz, A
10. Ferrari
11. Hazwetzwe
12. Martin
13. Barry
14. Scott
15. Rimositis