Scots College – Learning. For Life.

(26 June 2010) A game dubbed "the Battle of Broadway" provided Scots an opportunity to go 'head to head' with closest geographical Premier Trophy rivals Rongotai - another Top 4 team - in the ugliest of conditions.

After last weekend’s dizzy heights and all the attention heaped upon the team and school, it was a decent reality check. Our inclusion into this grade is all about learning and doing and we felt a scoreline of 3 - 22 was a fair reflection of the game.

This is a tough competition week in week out and it is a game of small margins. Those small margins are the difference between winning and losing. Rongotai presented with 4 opportunities took them all. These opportunities were taken through poor defensive alignment and attitude to the conditions.

Both teams did hakas which was a demonstration of the respect they had for one another.

Playing in a strong & cold southerly on a field that by the end resembled trenches, Rongotai had the slight advantage of the conditions in the first half. Although not electing to use the wind with the kick and chase they elected to move the ball by hand with results. Putting pressure on a Scots defence that did not move forward to initiate a physical contest. Rongotai were able to dominate with their main ball runners carrying the ball strongly and into gaps. They kept the momentum going with good offloads and maintaining a physical presence at the tackle contest. It was in the 5th minute that Rongotai scored when they achieved an overlap in the backs after grouping the Scots forwards on the tryline after several cracks at the tryline.

Rongotai scored 2 more tries at regular intervals in the half and in a rare visit to the Rongotai half Scots converted a penalty through Jackson Garden-Bachop, to go to the break 3 - 17 down.

Halftime: Scots 3 Rongotai 17

The next 35min was a display of positive rugby from both teams and given the ground conditions, one that truly lived up to a battle of intensity. Both teams need to be commended for their second half efforts. Scots with territorial dominance and a better physical forward display than the first half which resulted in a good supply of ball which was at times lost at critical moments when individuals got white 'line fever' - instead of being patient and continuing to break down the defence and Rongotai for their stout defensive display. The second half deadlock was broken when Rongotai kicked long and Scots failure to control the loose ball served up Rongotai with their only real opportunity in the stanza. Rongotai 22 Scots 3.

This was the try that broke the back of the sterling forward effort and from here on with 12 minutes to play Rongotai were never going to lose and Scots were never going to win. The game concluded with both teams covered in mud from head to toe and in actual fact players were only identifiable from their body shape - some easier than others!

You know if someone had of said to us that in 2010 Scots would be playing Premier Trophy College rugby, draw against Mana, beat Wellington College, battle with Rongotai 3 -22 and for Mick Williments grandson to present his granddad’s trophy to Rongotai Captain Ardie Savea I would have said you were dreaming.

Scots is on the pace physically and technically however we lack some basic individual skills under pressure and opposition teams open that door of opportunity and walk through it. We also lack a little mental toughness at the beginning of games. We tend to be in awe of our more reputable opposition and take a while to realise that they are just like us, by then we are generally chasing games to win.

We are adding value to this competition and there is no easy fix. Mental toughness comes from continuous 'struggle' and the ability to keep getting up. We need to do more of it to achieve our goal.

Congratulations to the Rongotai boys on their performance and winning the Mick Williment Trophy and on their aftermatch function. The word was out about the scones and Rongotai certainly threw out the challenge – there were plenty.

Maybe – a bake off “The Battle of the Scones”

Fulltime Scots 3 Rongotai 22

Points Scorers

J.Garden-Bachop Pen

MVP

3.H.Prescott

2.G.Breese

1.J.Kora