Remembrance Sunday saw Southerners take on Kasetsart Old Boys in the final round of games in the 2008 TRU pool. The southerners support was minimal consisting of the few substitutes, spuds Mum and his missus.
It was indeed a memorable game (for most) for a back to full strength southerner’s outfit that had benefited from a strong team training session earlier in the week. The domination began after a few short minutes when the university back line was savaged in the tackle by the southerners back row pairing of Toby and Ritchie (or pinky and perkins as they have now been affectionately named). The ball popped loose and the opportunistic mustachioed lock, Pape, was on hand to scoop up the loose ball and drop over the line for the first score. Here began a calamitous afternoon of goal kicking with one silver lining.
The ensuing forward domination led to a typical barnstorming drive and break by the Spud, who powered over the line for the second score of the game. A couple of near tries followed accompanied some great breaks from Will and Dave Church and great tackles from the likes of Gearing and the Skindog who continued in the same vein throughout the afternoon.
More forwards tries were added by Perkins and “The thing” following good work at the base of the ruck by Sod before the backs got involved via the slick hands of late arrival Reed “pass less” Passmore who combined with the sprightly Church to go in under the sticks a rare conversion was added and the southerners went in at the break with a commanding lead.
Minor Biffo only briefly marred the play as Passmore ensured the ref that if he had in fact kneed the opposition number 10 as indicated by the touch judge, said player would not have been able to continue into the second stanza.
The second half began well for the southerners with a shift in emphasis from forwards ground and pound, to backs play as the game became more open. Tries were added by Passmore, and Church and the southerners began to relax and collapse respectively. A couple of choice kicks from the opposition flyhalf were fluffed by members of the southerners back three whom up until this point in proceedings had been relatively untroubled. Noise levels increased as the southerners conceded two tries in quick succession and the opposition rallied. Calm was quickly restored by skipper Perkins after coming round from a 30 minute “absence” after a first half clash of heads aided by fullback Callum stopping the third and final breakaway with a great one on one tackle.
Injuries began to hit the southerners seeing Toby leaving the field with a minor back problem. Subs had time to adjust to their new positions and the status quo returned. Passmore powered in for a try down the right touchline promptly followed by the goal kicking silver lining mentioned earlier as Pape stroked home with aplomb with a field goal that would have graced Twickenham. Moments later the forwards won great lineout ball yet again and from the ensuing maul hooker Nick Klein (who had been outstanding all game) got in for the final score. A game well won for the boys.
Adam Pape