8-2-2020 – EZRC Oemoemenoe 1 vs. DSR-C 1
MATCH REPORT
| COMPETITION: | Ereklasse |
| HOME TEAM: | Oemoemenoe |
| VISITING TEAM: | DSRC 1 |
| VENUE: | Oemoemenoe Club |
| DATE: | 8 February 2020 |
| REFEREE: | Louis van Gerwen |
| TEAM: | Oemoemenoe Senior Heren 1 |
| CAPTAIN: | Deniel |
RESULT
| HOME TEAM | VISITING TEAM | |
| HALFTIME SCORE | 11 | 0 |
| FULLTIME SCORE | 22 | 5 |
| Tries: Rick 1 (5pts), Deniel 1 (5 pts). Penalty Goals: Joey 4 (12 pts) | ||
A must win game today. The pressure was on the boys to make sure we came away from the game victorious. The senior boys who were nursing injuries were committed to playing – knowing that we needed all the experience we could muster against Delft Students. The weather was holding and the atmosphere at the Club was thick with anticipation. With Andi injuring his knee earlier in the week, Deniel was given the mantle of Captain, which allowed Andi to retire to the bench. The team talk prior to the game focussed on sticking to the systems and keeping things simple. An easy game plan to follow. We had an unexpected loss against Delft Students last season, so the boys knew that they needed to respect them, no matter what.
The start of the match was slow. The boys were defending for the first 10 minutes but were solid in their defence. The Students couldn’t capitalise from ball possession and soon Oemoemenoe took control of the game. Rick was the first to score as he trampled his way through the defensive line to score in the corner. His try was unconverted, but it was a turning point for the boys. Poor discipline from Delft Students gave rise to Joey kicking two penalty goals. Highlights from the first half was Deniel’s on point kicking for territory and for the line. At the pause, Oemoemenoe were leading 11- 0.
Monty and Andi were positive during the half time break. There was a lot of discussion about fixing mismatches on the defensive line and to continue to kick for territory. There was a good feeling amongst the boys and it seemed they were ready to pick up the pace.
However, the beginning of the second half was slow and the boys were back defending for several phases. Then, a very controversial try was awarded to Delft Students. It was clear that Quinten held up the ball but despite his protestations, the referee confirmed that it was a try. Score 11 – 5. Fortunately, that was the only time the opposition would cross the line. The boys finally found their rhythm and showed some good rugby. Yedney and Deniel proved to be a formidable pair. Yedney linking up with Deniel on a number of occasions which really opened up the play. Soon, Deniel crossed the line for his 6th try of the season. More ill-discipline from Delft Students and Joey put another 6 points on the board with two successful penalty goal kicks. The final score, 22 – 5. A win. A win that meant we could still compete to come in the top four and a win that meant we will continue in the Ereklasse next season.
In general, there were a lot of memorable highlights from the game. Arsenio making a 40-metre run through several defenders, bone crunching tackles from Quinten and Luca knocking out the number 9 with his knee. There were a few unexpected moments too. During the lineout, Mikey was suspended in the air and the Delft Students’Hooker threw the ball straight to him and then the referee got smashed when he positioned himself in the direct pathway of a running player!
There was some difficulty in choosing player of the day. There were many worthy of the title, but the contenders were whittled down to Gabor and Devin. In the end, both were awarded the accolade as both players were outstanding in their roles and went that extra mile during the game. Gabor had an extremely high work rate, he pressedhard on the defensive line, created turnovers and strongly carried the ball. Devin hit some amazing angles during attack, tackled with conviction and defensively was unstoppable. Congratulations boys on a great game!
Next week we are away. It’s a game we want to win to maintain a place in the top four. With a light training schedule this week, we hope that injuries will continue to heal, and the boys will be fit and ready for the match.