Sussex "Canterbury Jack" Intermediate
This weekend saw St Francis host the team that sit one place above them in the league. With injuries to both regular wingers and the fly half, St Francis were forced to make significant changes to the backs line, with Matt McCormack running out for his debut on the wing for the first team.
It was St Francis who started the strongest from the kick off out muscling their opposition to secure the ball only 20 metres from the tryline. However as was to be the story of the game St Francis were wasteful in possession, with men running in isolation allowing Lewes to turnover the ball. Having let the opposition of the hook Lewes began to get back into the game using some clever kicking tactics to move into St Francis' half of the pitch.
In possession Lewes were more cultured in their play, throwing the ball out wide to use the pace and strength of their outside backs to keep St Francis on the back foot, but for some resolute defending from Tom Bruce and Guy Young and good work in the rucks from flankers Arjan Kersharvaz and Sam Singh St Francis may have gone in at half time more than just the 10 points behind.
Taking on board the words of coach Steve Silver, St Francis focussed more on the power of their forwards in the second half. Applying pressure on the scrum St Francis were able to turnover ball at will in the scrums. But for some great tackling from the opposition St Francis would have levelled the scores with a great break from Ciaran Mullen supported by fellow Irishmen Jon McShane, stopped just short of the tryline.As is the the case when trying to get back into the game, teams are vulnerable to the counter attack, with the Lewes scrum half spotting space behind St Francis winger Matt McCormack to kick the ball over his head, with the ensuing foot race won by the Lewes wing.
Team: Riley, I Singh, Arney, Porter, Roley, Kersharvaz, S.Singh, Norrie, Leonard, Harrison, Young, Bruce, McCormack, Mullen, McShane, Subs (not used) Sparks. |
