Virginia Rugby Football Club vs. Western Suburbs Rugby Football Club
1:00 PM, Saturday, March 21st, 2009
Charlottesville, VA
The Virginia Rugby Football Club continued its undefeated 2008-09 season with a win over Western Suburbs. The match between the champions of the Virginia Rugby Union and the Potomac Rugby Union was a good warm-up for the MARFU playoffs, where the two teams could meet again in the finals.
The two sides were evenly matched for most of the first half. Western Suburbs opened the scoring in the 31st minute with a short penalty kick. Right at the stroke of half-time, Western Suburbs extended their lead to 0-8 with an unconverted try.
After some tactical changes by coaches Kevin Crookes and Tom Oxenham at half-time, Virginia started the second half strongly and pinned Western Suburbs in their own side of the field. Their defensive efforts were rewarded in the 47th minute when they drove a poor Western Suburbs clearance in for a try. Captain James Fealey converted to bring the score to 7-8. Virginia continued to dominate the play, eventually scoring five minutes later with a wide move through the backs that was touched down by wing Pete Alonzi. The uncoverted try gave Virginia a 12-8 lead.
Western Suburbs took back the lead in the 55th minute with a try scored off of a set move from a lineout. The conversion put them ahead 12-15. Virginia quickly leveled the score three minutes later with a 25 meter penalty kick by Fealey. In the 65th minute, Virginia took advantage of a lineout near the Western Suburbs goal line, with flanker Matt Pawlowicz catching an overthrown pass and racing through the Western Suburbs defense to score untouched. The conversion by Fealey increased Virginia's lead to 22-15. In the last minute of the match, Fealey kicked a 35 meter penalty to bring the final score to 25-15.
Tries:
Pete Alonzi
Matt Pawlowicz
Conversions:
James Fealey: 2/3
Penalties:
James Fealey: 2/2
B-Side Match:
Western Suburbs opened the scoring in the B-side match, scoring two unconverted tries in the first 17 minutes. Virginia got on the board in the 19th minute when center Rob Christian bowled his way through multiple defenders to touch down. Christian successfuly converted his own try to bring Virginia within three at 7-10. Western Suburbs extended their lead near the end of the half with a converted try to make the half-time score 7-17.
Virginia struck quickly in the second half, with prop Daryn Curry scoring a try from a rolling maul only two minutes in. Christian converted the try to bring the score to 14-17. Five minutes later, center Ken Duvall caught a pass at mid-field and raced 50 meters through the defense to give Virginia the lead, with Christian's conversion making it 21-17. Western Suburbs struck back three minutes later with a converted try of their own, regaining the lead at 21-24.
Virginia dominated the final thirty minutes of the game, holding Western Suburbs scoreless in that period. In the 60th minute, flanker David "Shep" Shepro scored a solo try after taking a quick tap on a penalty near the Western Suburbs goal line. The unconverted try gave Virginia a 26-24 lead. Two minutes later, Christian sent a beautiful kick over the Western Suburbs defensive line, and fullback Michael Boyer chased it down to score in the corner. Kevin Crookes converted to bring the score to 33-24. Jimmie Newman scored in the 67th minute, with Crookes once again converting. In the 73rd minute, Virginia was awarded a penalty kick near the Western Suburbs goal line and the right touch line. Crookes sent a high kick to the opposite corner, which was caught and touched down by Aaron Peters, making the final score 45-24.
Tries:
Rob Christian
Daryn Curry
Ken Duvall
David Shepro
Michael Boyer
Jimmie Newman
Aaron Peters
Conversions:
Rob Christian: 3/3
Kevin Crookes: 2/4
Photos (taken by Vowels):
Center Johnny McNulty evading a tackle.
Scrum half Trey Packard retrieving the ball from a ruck.
Flanker Marc Breton about to make a tackle.
Center James Fealey passing the ball out wide.
Lock Aaron Franke looking to offload to center Johnny McNulty.
Hooker Aaron Peters releasing the ball after a tackle.
Trying to steal a Western Suburbs lineout.
Scrum half Ben Leach trying to dig the ball out of a ruck.