Game Report: August 19, 2006

U16s Sweep Opening Play-off Round
Saturday at Fletcher's Fields the ABRFC U16s defeated Oakville Crusaders 17-7 and the York yeomen 22-5 to advance to the seni-final round of the Ontario Rugby Union U16 provincial championships. Both games were difficult wins for the U16s.

Aur. Barbs 17 - Crusaders 7
Aur. Barbs 22 - Yeomen 5

In other weekend action ABRFC hosted the Llandaff Youth Rugby Club from Cardiff, Wales for two matches. In the U16 game the ABRFC side were no match as the Welsh visitors ran in 12 tries to win 80-0. The visitors had two Welsh internationals in their side while the ABRFC U16s were mainly players who did not play in Saturday's important play-off match.

In the U18 match played as the second part of the double header the local side gave the Welsh club a much better game , but ultimately losing 15-7. The visitors scored first but ABRFC came back to take the lead on a try by Andrew Perry and convert by JD Otten. The second half was very close and saw lots of tough tackling and contact by both sides. Aurora was unable to add to their total while Llandaff added one more try to make the final 15-7.

This marks the final game for the ABRFC U18s this summer. The U16s are looking forward to a game this coming weekend in Alliston against the Timberwolves with the winner moving on to the provincial finals.

Senior Mens 1st Team
When all is said and done a win is a win and at the end of the season that is all that counts. But last Saturday's outing against a greatly improved Brampton Beavers squad has left a number of questions on the park - questions that must be answered over the next four games. Other than the mid-week defeat by Crusaders, this was the first time that Aurora Barbs have been outplayed in the first half of a league game.

Brampton demonstrated that they had come to play with a rousing display of aggressive back-row play, with #8 Chris Mooney storming at the Barbs and off-loading to his support. The consistent theme of Saturday's performance by the Barbs was a lack of aggression and a failure to make first up tackles - frankly, Aurora did not appear to be physical in either the line-out or in open play. In the opening 40 minutes, the Barbs were out-muscled in the loose by a well prepared Brampton pack. Having re-grouped at the half, Aurora took full advantage of a man advantage in the first ten minutes of the second half when Mooney had a 10 minute rest in the sin bin for persistent killing the ball. Although Aurora scored 22 points in an improved second-half performance, rugby is an 80 minute all-out effort. The first-half problems will need to be examined by Coaches Drew McPherson and Bart Hennessey and a harder, more aggressive edge must return to the pack.

The tale of scoring illustrates some of the problems. After an equal opening 10 minutes, Aurora opened the scoring through a penalty by #10 Alisdair Piercy, (making his starting debut for the club). A few minutes Robbie Ashwood scored Aurora's first try of the afternoon on a clever move from the base of the scrum and Alisdair was successful with the conversion for a 10 - 0 lead after 20 minutes. Momentum in the game completely changed when Aurora took a couple of bad penalties and Brampton significantly raised their game with Mooney dominating the open - either Aurora were lulled into a false sense of security or the sight of a large and aggressive Brampton back row gathering momentum made the Barbs forget how to follow through on their tackles. Brampton scored a converted try to bring the score to 10 - 7.

Brampton took the game to Aurora and continued to dominate rucks and loose play, and Mooney scored an unconverted try to push the Beavers into a 12 - 7 lead, and at the half hour mark, Brampton scored their third try, (Chris le Blanc), and with the conversion extended their lead to 19 - 7. At 35 minutes Aurora #10 Alisdair kicked his second penalty of the game to start the Aurora comeback - half time score Brampton Beavers 19 - Aurora Barbarians 10.

The half-time pep-talk by the Aurora coaching team worked wonders and the Barbs began the second half in a more aggressive and physical frame of mind! The Barbs set-up inside the Beavers 22 and the consistent pressure resulted in a Yellow card to Mooney - without Mooney the Brampton pack looked limited and after a series of 5 meter scrums Aurora were awarded a Penalty Try, converted by Alisdair to close the score to 19 - 17 for Brampton. At 10 minutes of the second half a quick chip ahead by Aurora scrum-half Robbie Ashwood resulted in a penalty when Brampton failed to release the ball at the ruck, and Alisdair kicked his second penalty to finally put Aurora into a   20 - 19 lead. Immediately after the Brampton kick-off, Aurora pounced on a Brampton mistake and centre Ivan Barron hacked the ball 60 meters down field - this set-up a ruck at the Brampton 5 meter line and Robbie Carter blasted over for Aurora's third try, converted by #10 Alisdair, Aurora 27 Brampton 19.

Aurora's tactics continued to put Brampton back three under pressure as Alisdair Piercy placed a number of well struck kicks behind the Brampton cover defence, and at 32 minutes Aurora scored their fourth try, (bonus point), when Shaun Allen made an initial break, linking with second row Simon McEacheran who put centre Steve Shortly over for an unconverted try to extend Aurora's lead to 32 -19. At this point, Aurora had scored 22 second half points to establish a clear margin - but this Brampton team are tough and do not quit. Aurora's Mark Franklin, filling in for Nolan Ott at #8, earned a Yellow card and Brampton mounted their best attacking sequences of the second half. From a penalty at the Aurora 22, Brampton elected to kick for touch and set-up a lineout drive. During this move, Brampton switched the ball out wide and then back inside and an errant Aurora hand deliberately knocked the ball forward to prevent a Brampton score - referee Dan Berry had no option but to award a second penalty try, converted by Brampton.

Immediately, Dan blew up for full time to finalise the score at Aurora Barbarians 32 Brampton Beavers 26.

Brampton will take a great deal from this performance - they are an improving team and have established themselves as a club that belongs in the top half of the Marshall Division. Good rivals with excellent supporters including the bevy of knowledgeable fans ably led by my fellow scribe Hedley Benyon!!

Aurora will be pleased to gain five points and a greatly improved second half performance. The most satisfying part of the Aurora team outing was the play of debutant starter #10 Alisdair Piercy - he demonstrated an excellent feel for field position and his kicking from hand, particularly in the second half, was excellent - he consistently put the ball back behind the Brampton defence and allowed Aurora to move down the park into good attacking positions. Alisdair scored 12 points on his debut with two penalties and three conversions - all in all, a good afternoon's work.

And so a tale of two halves - there is work for Aurora Barbs to do in practice as the team prepares for the final four games of the League season and the Cup. Teams will now see the Barbs as a team to beat and the Barbs must improve in their first-up tackles and rucking - basically Aurora must become more physical and the return of Nolan Ott, (Canada Under 21 camp) and Steve Bowie, (injury) will strengthen the overall performance of the pack. But that is what practices are for, and the Barbs demonstrated that they can significantly raise their game with a greatly improved second half performance against Brampton.