Match Report – Rovers @ Pigs, 9/17/11
Match Report – Rovers @ Pigs, 9/17/11
**I’ve since been corrected, the final score of the Rovers game was apparently Pigs 20, Rovers 10. That invalidates some of the scoring in this match report, but hey — if you want the absolute truth you probably shouldn’t be reading a rugby match report, anyway. –AJ**
The dawn of the 2011-2012 Portland Rugby Club Men’s Division II season saw the Pacific Rovers of Seattle travelling down to Northgate Park in Portland OR. With the field freshly widened to regulation size, the Pigs and Rovers kicked off the inaugural Northgate Park game in the misty drizzle that is known as “late summer” in Portland.
Our porcine heroes started crisply, recovering the opening kickoff on the right sideline and immediately drawing a Rover penalty. South African Scrummy/Winger Ryan Boltman, a new addition to the Pigs side, stepped confidently to the tee and nailed the penalty points from the right sideline. While the Pigs forwards continued to outwork their counterparts following the restart, a mishandled pass by fullback Tristan Dowrie to winger Tony Eckles resulted in a frantic kick-and-chase by a bursting Rovers winger, and the ball was finally kicked out of touch on the Pigs’ 5-meter line. The Rovers took the ensuing lineout and mauled through for the first try of the match, leaving the Pigs shaking their heads at their carelessness. The Rovers did not convert the try, so the game came to 5-3 at 10 minutes of play.
The Pigs were able to pin the Rovers deep on the kickoff, with play bubbling around inside their 22-meter line, with the Pigs winning a penalty and electing to run a play for the try. Big Tim Boyd was uncharacteristically held up, however, and a massive Rovers lock (with help from his friends) pushed Boyd out at the Rovers 5-meter line. The Rovers hooker quickly opted for an extremely long throw-in, aiming for his fly-half, but master tactician Tim Garcia pounced on the throw, intercepting it cleanly and touching it down without being tackled or touched by the opposition. Boltman converted to swing the score back to the Pigs, 10-5.
A physical, forwards-dominated game developed, with the Pigs forwards time and again making darting surges into Rover territory but often time conceding silly penalties, typical of early-season rugby. The Rovers were characteristically prone to run the ball out of their own 22-meter line, but the Pigs played generally stout defense, if slightly too high at times. Ten minutes before half time, the Rovers put together a frenetic, rumbling sequence which started from a Pigs penalty and concluded with their stout fly half powering in under the posts for yet another Rover try. The points were missed yet again, and the score was tied at 10. Play then battled back and forth, but Boltman booted in 3 more penalty points to bring the score to 13-10 at the half.
Captain Alex Johnson entreated his side at the half to play composed, intelligent, hardworking rugby and the game would be theirs. The Pigs came out to the second 40 minutes and did just that – and the Rovers did not score again. Newcomer Miles Gardiner, formerly with Eastern Washington University, stepped in at scrum half which bumped Boltman to wing – and both performed very ably. As the Rovers tried to turn up the intensity and pace, they also started to concede more penalties, and Boltman knocked through 2-of-3 in short succession to get the Pigs out to a more comfortable 19-10 lead.
After a bit of movement, the Pigs retained commanding possession of the ball and fly half “Samurai” Steve Bernson called for quick ball from the ruck, seeing plenty of open pitch in front of him. He kicked deep towards the Rovers try zone, and winger Boltman raced his opposing number for the ball. The Rovers winger bodily shoved Boltman before kicking the ball from the endzone, and the Sir ran under the posts to give a penalty try to the Pigs. Anger boiled over for the Rovers winger, who shouted his thoughts about the call and was subsequently red-carded. Boltman calmly converted the try to bring the score to 26-10.
The last 20 minutes of the game was a messy, scrum-heavy affair, with the only things of note being some shifty plays by new winger Ryan Huserik and one last penalty converted by Boltman. The game finished out at the score of 29-10… well, the Sir said it was 28-10 but your humble narrator can’t figure out how that score could have happened. So I just changed it in the narrative. Deal with it.
Ah – I forgot one point of note! Dan Bush, who last was a Pig TWENTY-FOUR YEARS AGO, finally returned after decades of non-rugby life and played a full 80 minutes at prop. He played hard and well, and his contribution was tremendous. Especially for a really old guy.
A great day for the Pigs, as the DIII and Lady Pigs side also rolled up dominating wins over Coos Bay and Snake River, respectively. Plenty of work to be done, but a three win Saturday is a great way to start a season!
Respectfully submitted,
Alex Johnson
Secretary, PRFC
September 18, 2011
