Coyote Match Report For the HKU Sandy Bay Raiders

Some days of rugby there are clear winners of games, there are those games where one team dominates for one half and not the other and then there are the arm wrestles and it is those games that really test you as a team.

The HKFC Sequins and Raiders both step up whenever they play against each other. With a long history of rivalry, brothers and friends on opposing sides, looking to get one over the other, these meetings always set the scene for a great game of rugby

The nerves were apparent from the kick off, with the ball failing to go more than 10 meters, playing into the hands of the Sequins giving them a scrum on the halfway line. Sequins looking to show their dominance in the pack early on, playing short ball after short ball, crashing with their juggernauts into the Raiders’ defensive line, with the obvious view if we smash them hard enough they will give way.

Raiders defence was strong, taking wave after wave, eventually winning a penalty and put us back into their half. After a good set piece, the forwards set up a solid platform for the backs who with some wonderful passing skills saw James "safe hands" Tuttiet dive over the whitewash to draw first blood. Tom "I am the kicker" Mckenzie doing to the honours and slotting the ball over the extras.

The Sequins came right back into the fray, once again pounding the Raiders defence with their big forwards. With back to back infringements at the breakdown the Raiders were now back in their 22 and being driven back metre by metre until defending on our own line. Tony 'Any means' Falso put his entire body on the line with some big hits, even using his face to take out one player. Eventually Sequins found the little gap they needed and bashed over the line to bring themselves within two points. Their kicker Matt "you're no Tom Mckenzie" Smith missing the all important conversion.

Clinging to their narrow lead, the Raiders took the game back to boys in blue and white gaining small victories with penalties but despite the accuracy from the tee it seemed none of the backs could find touch. With each of them one by one taking it in turn to kick and fail to make touch on almost all occasions. Various excuses of the wind, the ball not having enough air and I forgot to take my shirt off when practising could be heard.

So when Raiders found themselves 35 meters out instead of trying to kick the ball into touch Owen ‘Lightening McQueen’ Pescod did a quick tap and carved up the entire Footie Club defence with his dazzling display of fancy footwork before bouncing off a defender to dive over the line to put us 7 points ahead. Tom "I'm on too many in a row to count" Mckenzie once again adding the extras putting the Raider up 14-5.

The nice lead was short lived as Sequins won a penalty off the kick off, and Raiders were back on the 22 defending a lineout. With the unimaginative approach off slamming into a wall with the hope it will break, the Sequins pounded the line until their 10 spotted a hole in the defence that looked like the parting of the Red Sea.

Standing at the end of the defensive corridor was a flat footed Carl Chambers, his failure to go forward left on his arse, the Sequins flyhalf having run over a prop then popping the ball for one of their giant heavyweights to fall over the whitewash. This time getting the extras the score was now 14-12.

The momentum of game clearly shifted, Sequins scrums pushing our boys back, metre after metre gained with every crash ball saw them steadily march the ball up the pitch before once again falling over the line and putting themselves in the lead. After their conversion the score now 19-14 to the hosts.

If their forwards had the upper hand in strength, our backs had the upper hand in pace and skill. After a few aerial back and forths of rugby ping pong after the restart, the ball landed into the arms of Raiders’ debutant Alberic "Allez les Blue" Renividaud, running from the left wing to the right wing before sprinting down the far side leaving most of the opposition in his dust, then offloading out of the tackle to Owen “can't touch me” Pescod who ran rings around the last defenders before diving over the line to put us back on level pegging. Ed "I'll give this kick malarkey a go" Nethersole taking up the kicking responsibilities and getting the vital 2 points that took Raiders into the half time break up 21-19.

With Falso patched up and looking like a bloody pirate, there was everything to play for in the second half, both teams gunning for the win, but the defence from both teams were impenetrable, so when the Sequins were within 30 meters with a penalty kick opportunity, they seized it. The kick was good and Sequins were back into the lead 22-21.

It was good to see Tony "4 chats, same post" Scott up to his usual tricks, storming up and retrieving the ball off the restart, putting the Raiders back on the front foot in the oppositions half. The old phrase anything you can do we can do better, comes to mind when Raiders now found themselves with 30 meters with a penalty and despite being told to play for the 7 from some teammates, the Captain opted for the kick at goal. Ed “Mckenzie who?” Nethersole did the honours and put the Raiders back into the lead 24-22.

Carl was making up for his earlier miss with big carries until a calf injury forced him from the field. Hugo Denness and Ryan Miller took up the running duties supported by thunderous clearouts from Jeff Chin. Tiredness was affecting Sequins as the clock was counting down, they resorted to cheap breakdown tactics, but the ref was hot and pinned them for losing their discipline in front of the posts. Opting once again for the 3 points, the Captain called for the kicking tea and Ed slotted the ball perfectly between the posts.

5 minutes left to play and Raiders now 5 points up, all they had to do was play a clean game until the finish, but the rugby gods demanded a dramatic end to this game and they got one. But an infringement at the breakdown gave the Sequins a kickable opportunity but the 3 wasn’t good enough and so they went for the line. After a well-placed kick the Sequins now had a line out on the 5 metre line.

The throw was poor, but unfortunately for our heroes one of the Raiders had knocked it on giving the Sequins a scum on the 5 metre line.

The men in blue and white clearly happy with the try line in close proximity and this part of the game playing into their strength as they had dominated every scrum so far. Thinking they would simply put us on our arses and march the ball to the line they set themselves quickly up for the scrum. Our forward pack realising the game was all on them, put everything into the scum, with a massive heave from all 8, Hugo forced their loose head to the ground to gift us the ball, but another scrum was needed.

This time Jeff Chin’s powerful legs forced the Sequins to wheel the scum giving Raiders a penalty and almost for certain the game. Sequins now gobsmacked, biggest pack in the league, had lost two scrums back to back.

After a solid lineout (it must be added that Falso with one eye improved his throwing in remarkably) and secured maul, Ed took the ball from the forward pack and sent it into the stands to secure the win. HKFC had put up a good fight, but Raiders have got that monkey off their back, it has been a long time since Raiders beat HKFC on their home turf, it was a scalp well deserved. Falso could now pop to the hospital and get nine stitches to repair his face as all others have (both) eyes on next week when we face the other Footie Club team, Bulls.

Final score 27-22 to the Raiders.
MoM: Owen 'Try Machine' Pescod
DoD: Carl ‘Red Sea’ Chambers