The Bermuda Men’s National team defeated visiting Bay Street RFC from Toronto 26 – 12 at the National Sports Center.
It was a very physical start by visitors playing tight rugby and dominating scrums, against the run of play a deep kick by Dan Cole put Bermuda in a good position to attack and from the lineout drive it sucked in the defense and Tom Healy darted in from fringes to give Bermuda a 5-0 lead, but Brain Archibald missed the difficult Conversion.
Bermuda picked up their tactical game with the wind behind them, Bay Street RFC made some errors and Bermuda took advantage with some good phase play- which saw the ball go from one side and back to see winger Scott Clarke go over in the corner and Archibald this time connecting to make the score 12-0.
Bay City responded with some strong tight driving and second row John Pigozzo would go over to make the score 12-5 at the half.
In the Second half Bermuda opened the scoring with some fantastic rugby a recycled ball saw the ball spun wide Mikel Dill put Mike Brown in space who beat his opposite number around the outside and cantered through, with Dan Cole in support took the off loaf and scored between the posts and with Archibald kicking the Conversion it extended the lead to 19-5.
Bay Street up the physicality and as fitness waned they found gaps in Bermuda’s defense and they found themselves back into the match when Anthony Mickey worked a two on one putting him in for the score 19-10 and with the Conversion good it made the score 19-12.
Bermuda then played enterprising rugby and some good pick and drives off an attacking scrum saw Tom Healy dart in for his second try, and Cole converted to make the final score 26-12.
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Toms & Bedwas Defeat Neath Rugby Football Club
IslandStats.com
Two Try’s in each half saw Brynley Toms and his Bedwas teammates earn the winning bonus point they required which briefly saw the side occupy 11th position in the table before Llanelli defeated Bridgend 25 - 20.
Toms and his Bedwas teammates defeated Neath Rugby Football Club 28 – 3.
With a keen breeze the game started with both sides vying for supremacy, strong tackling saw no scoring until the 12th minute when from a close range scrum Luke Crane fed Nathan Hudd who saw Deon Smith in space out wide to cross for a try.
Joseph Scrivens picked up where he left last time out and confidently slotted the conversion into the wind.
Bedwas upped the pressure and came close to adding to their tally but Nathan Hudd was stopped inches shy of the try line on two occasions.
Just before the half hour Neath’s Callum Hall notched a penalty goal to close the gap to four points. Bedwas continued to battle away and Tom Benjamin came close before being tackled close the try line but Neath’s Gavin Evans was sin binned for slowing the ball down. Bedwas used valuable energy from the forwards with a series of pick and drives before the ball was spread wide to Adam Williams who made no mistake. Scrivens added the extras, there was still time before the half time whistle for Mike Dacey to crash over the try line but unfortunately he knocked on as he dabbed the ball down.
With the breeze at their backs for the second half Bedwas sought to put the game to bed, again the forwards kept the ball in close quarters and from a close range drive it appeared the referee awarded a try only to then rule it out after a consultation with one of his touch judges. Bedwas did not let their heads drop and two minutes later Lewis Bowden broke through for his side’s third try. Scrivens added the conversion to increase the lead.
Eight minutes later Bedwas had the bonus point in the bag when Mike Dacey was driven over for try which was embellished by Scrivens’ successful conversion.
With the bonus point in the bag Bedwas made a raft of substitutions between the 59th and 67th minute.
On occasions Neath posed a threat with the ball in hand but the Bedwas defense was in no mood to conceded anything and for the first time this season Bedwas prevented their opponents from crossing the try line.
Neath worked hard in an attempt to get on the board but to no avail as Bedwas despite the late sin binning of Jordan Rees for a high tackle held out for the win.
The battle to avoid relegation continues with the likelihood of a few more twists and turns as the season comes to an end. Bedwas have three games to play at Eugene Cross Park Ebbw Vale, followed by Aberavon away and a season closing home game against Swansea on May 4th. With a points tally of 52 points and 12th place in the table all eyes will also be on the fortunes of Llanelli and Bridgend. Llanelli occupy 11th position with 53 points and two games left to play both at home to Swansea and Neath. Meanwhile Bridgend sit in 13th place and five games to play with home ties against RGC, Cross Keys and Swansea with away trips to Bargoed and Pontypridd as they seek to add to their tally of 45 points.
Saturday, April 13, 2019
Scully Cup & Nichol Shield Champions Crowned
IslandStats.com
It was Cup Final Day at the National Sports Center in Bermuda Rugby Football Union action as the Police Ladies are the Scully Cup Champions and the Renegades Men are the Nichol Shield Champions.
Scully Cup
Police Ladies 15 Renegades 5
The Police Ladies score 3 early Try’s to take control of the match, the Police Ladies got single Try’s from Melisa McBee, Jessica Wagner and Jo Murray, while the lone Renegades Ladies Try scorer was Sarah Maybury.
Nichol Shield
Renegades 24 Police 12
This match started out with the two teams looking to gain an advantage, but after some five minutes the match was halted as a Police player Mike Halbert had his leg broken in a tackle.
When play restarted the Renegades took the lead when Tom Healy went over for a Try and Robin Bricknel kicked the Conversion making the score 7 – 0.
Minutes later Mike Brown scored a Try and when Bricknell kicked the Conversion the score was doubled by the Renegades 14 - 0.
The Police got on the board minutes before halftime when Darren Richardson scored a Try, but the Conversion was missed leaving the score at 14 – 5.
Renegades missed a chance to extend their lead, but Bricknell saw his Penalty attempt sail wide.
Early in the second half the Police got a Try from Ben Green and when Dan Cole kicked the Conversion it pulled them within two with the score 14 – 12.
The Renegades would restore their 7 point lead when Sam Watters went over for a Try, but Bricknell missed the Conversion making it 19 – 12.
The Renegades would get a Try from Merle Cavagin to extend the lead to 24 – 12, which was in the end the final score.
Tuesday, April 09, 2019
Wainwright & Toronto Arrows Fall in Home Opener
IslandStats.com
From the highlight-reel tries and show-stopping tackles to the roar from the raucous, sell-out crowd, the first-ever professional rugby union match played in Canada was unquestionably full-value for fans, but a last-gasp try from the NOLA Gold dashed Marcello Wainwright and his Toronto Arrows teammates hopes of securing a win in the club’s 2019 home opener.
A sold-out crowd of 3,081 took in the match at York Alumni Stadium, and was treated to an engaging, back-and-forth affair that ultimately saw the visiting Gold steal a 35-31 win after NOLA lock Ignacio Dotti scored a try on the final play of the game.
Toronto enjoyed a dream start to life at home, with wing Dan Moor scoring less than a minute into the match. Outside centre Spencer Jones started the scoring play with a slicing run through NOLA’s defensive line, and after drawing defenders in, he sprung Moor with a deft pass.
The Arrows’ joy would be fleeting, as the top-seeded Gold wasted little time responding. Just minutes after Moor’s opening try, NOLA was awarded a penalty try and Arrows wing Avery Oitomen was sin-binned for what the referee deemed as a dangerous tackle in the corner. The Gold struck twice more with the man advantage, scoring back-to-back tries from fullback JP Eloff and outside center Tristan Blewett to put the visitors up 21-7 after 13 minutes.
Urged on by home supporters, momentum began to swing back in Toronto’s favor, and the hosts were rewarded after fullback Gaston Mieres went over in the corner in the 25th minute.
New Orleans hooker Eric Howard added to the visitors’ lead when he barged across in the 31st minute, but the Arrows answered back just before the stroke of the halftime whistle. After Gold lock Kyle Baillie was issued a yellow card for a high tackle, Mieres scored his third try in two matches following a pinpoint long-distance pass from fly-half Sam Malcolm.
Toronto regained the lead after receiving early second-half tries from scrum-half Andrew Ferguson and prop Morgan Mitchell, putting the hosts ahead 31-28.
While the opening 55 minutes of the match featured a nine-try scoring spree, the remaining 25 minutes became a defensive showcase. The two sides traded possession until late in the match, when NOLA slowly advanced into Toronto territory to eventually score the winner at the death.
Monday, April 08, 2019
Toms & Bedwas Easy Relegation Fears
IslandStats.com
Brynley Toms and his Bedwas teammates dug deep to hold off a late Bridgend fight back to claim a huge win 31 – 24 which will hopefully go a long way to staving off relegation at the end of the season.
Bedwas got off to a flying start, a break down the middle found James Richards who cantered into the corner for a Try with only two minutes elapsed. Joseph Scrivens added the extras against his former club.
Bridgend responded immediately when Bedwas were penalized for a high tackle full back Owen Howe slotted the resulting Penalty to reduce the arrears. Howe had a second opportunity ten minutes later after Bedwas were penalized at a ruck but this time his kick sailed wide.
Bedwas regained their mojo and a break down the left by Jordan Rees saw him break through a tackle and cross out wide; Scrivens added the conversion with a well taken kick.
Again Bridgend countered this time with a try on 29 minutes scrum half Chris Williams allowed space and time to cross under the sticks after the Bedwas defense momentarily switched off. Howe easily added the extras.
Scrivens’ 33rd minute penalty increased the Bedwas lead and was the last scoring of an entertaining half.
With the breeze in their faces in the second half Bedwas took the game to their opponents, the pressure turned into points as Scrivens notched a further three penalty goals on 49, 52 and 59 minutes to increase the Bedwas lead.
Just past the hour a break down the left by Jordan Rees saw him beat his marker to set up the supporting Tom Benjamin who sprinted in from 25 meters to cross by the corner flag. Scrivens’ accuracy deserted him on this occasion but his previous precision was enough to see him awarded Bedwas man of the match.
The 66th minute sin binning of captain Nathan Hudd for a no arms tackle on Bridgend’s outside half Jamie Murphy proved decisive as immediately the visitors sensed it could be their day. Replacement center Stuart Floyd-Ellis wasted no time in taking advantage of an unorganized Bedwas defence as he crossed for under the posts. Cai Evans quickly added the conversion with a drop kick.
Bridgend continued to press and with Bedwas still down to fourteen men took their chance via a try from outside half Jamie Murphy converted by Howe to reduce the arrears to only 7 points and vitally for the Bridgend cause as losing bonus point would be the least they would take home.
Bedwas had to dig in and with the return of Hudd from his 10 minute sabbatical some normality returned to the defense which to their credit was resolute as Bridgend threw the proverbial kitchen sink at them.
The final whistle eventually came and everyone of the Bedwas persuasion could finally breathe again after a nerve jangling last ten minutes.
