U20 Match Report: Blackrock College R.F.C. 34 – Old Belvedere R.F.C. 33
Friday 2nd October, Stradbrook Road.
KO: 20:00
The rain was sheeting down sideways when the boys assembled in Stradbrook. The hose-pipe ban felt like a distant memory as the team trudged down the hill avoiding the flooded potholes to the waterlogged pitches. At the rate the rain was falling, the Poulaphouca Reservoir would fully replenished by midnight.
This felt like one that got away. Belvo almost overturned a 17-point deficit but fell short by one point. History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes. In the corresponding fixture last year, ‘Rock prevailed by two points after Belvo had fought back from 19 points down.
Old Belvedere chose to play with a diagonal wind at their backs, but it was Blackrock who opened their account in the fifth minute. From a huge garryowen that got swallowed up by the night sky, the ‘Rock fullback fielded well just inside his half and moved the ball wide and into space. From a chip and chase the ball bounced fortuitously into the winger’s arms and he dived over to score 10m from the left-hand touchline. The conversion was good. 7 – 0 Blackrock.
Belvo struck back in the 16th minute from a lineout on the ‘Rock 22m line after a defender kicked out on the full. A clean take at the front of the lineout set up a solid maul. Sensing a gap in the defence around the fringes, the alert Jake Dolly came off his wing and picked from the base. JD had a lot of work to do, but his pace and strength took him past the remaining defenders to score under the posts from 20m out. Outhalf Zenon Chambers slotted the conversion to bring the scores level: 7 – 7.
Blackrock scored again in the 29th minute from a well-worked first-phase move that put their outside centre through a gap in the Belvo defence. He was eventually brought down deep inside the Belvo ’22, but the ball was recycled patiently and Rock touched down in the corner. The conversion was missed and Blackrock led 12 – 7.
In the 35th minute Belvo kicked a penalty deep into Rock’s ’22 to set up a lineout. The ball was caught cleanly and the maul was set. The Black & Whites were patient, and powerful hooker Joe Kennedy bulldozed over from short range to score. Zenon Chambers kicked the difficult conversion to give Belvo the lead for the first time: 12 – 14.
There is a saying in rugby that you’re most vulnerable after you score. In the 38th minute, from the restart, Belvedere knocked on. Playing with a scrum advantage Blackrock moved the ball quickly into space but were halted inside Belvo’s ’22. The Blue & Whites went through the phases before eventually scoring 15 metres in from the touchline. The conversion was successful, giving Blackrock the half-time lead 19 – 14.
The Blackrock scrum was solid all evening and they managed to win one against the head in the 49th minute. The Belvo defence scrambled to reset, but ‘Rock put three phases together before crashing over under the posts. The simple conversion was successful: 26 – 14.
Belvo suffered a punch to the gut straight after the restart. A Blackrock kick deep into Belvo territory was kept in play, but unfortunately the relieving kick was charged down by a hard-chasing Rock attacker and the ball bobbled favourably for him to touch down in the corner. The conversion was missed, but Belvo were now facing an uphill climb and a 17-point deficit: 31 – 14.
The boys in Black & White dug deep and played some of their best rugby all evening. In the 65th minute, from a penalty, Chambers kicked into the corner to set up a lineout. The maul was eventually stopped, albeit illegally. Playing with a penalty advantage, Belvo continued to build patiently before finishing second-row Shaun Mitchell crashed over the whitewash from short range. The difficult conversion was missed, but Blackrock were penalised with a yellow card, and Belvo smelt blood as ‘Rock’s lead was reduced to 31 – 19.
Time was ticking, but the Black & Whites won a penalty turnover on the half-way in the 69th minute. Chambers found an excellent touch on the Blackrock ’22. From the line-out and ensuing maul, finishing centre Paddy O’Gorman took matters into his own hands, carving outside then inside before storming under the posts. Chambers added the simple conversion to bring the score to 31 – 26.
In the 74th minute, Blackrock were awarded a penalty inside the Belvo half. Knowing that one more score would mean the Black & Whites would have to score twice, they signalled for the posts. Their out-half struck the ball well to increase the lead to 34 – 26.
Still Belvo refused to throw in the towel. In the 77th minute and down to 14 men due to back-chat, the Black & Whites moved the ball wide off an attacking scrum and punched up the middle. The ball was moved out wide, but the alert Chambers took a great line and cut back “against the grain” to touch down beside the posts. The conversion was added, bringing the final score to 34 – 33. Although there was time for a restart, the boys in Black & White just fell short to give Blackrock the bragging rights on this dank, damp night.
Man of the Match: No. 10 Zenon Chambers.
