Match Report double feature, Tsunami AND ORSU
Match Report – Pigs @ Tsunami, 10/22/11
First off, please let your humble narrator pass along his sincerest of sincere apologies for the dearth of match reports since our Snake River (!!) win allllll the way back on September 24th. Our next match was a shellacking of a young Chuckanut squad that didn’t really require a report, other than to say that all of a sudden all of our backs and forwards seemed really incredible at passing after the tackle, and that both Ben Ream (winger) and Travis Dunn (flanker) got called up from D3 and managed to score excellent tries.
Then we had two weeks off, and then the Tsunami match plopped right into an incredibly busy time for your humble narrator, and here we are.
But what about that Tsunami match? It certainly showcased some of the best play from our local Piggies all season, it’s just that that play started at about the 65th minute and lasted till a game-sealing try at the 82nd minute. The first 65 minutes were hard-fought, but your boys in red and black did not charge across the defensive line like they needed to when playing a team as big and strong as the Tsunami. Time after time Tsunami pick-and-goes and crash balls rocked the Pigs back on their heels for three to five meters a pop, and besides a very, very close miss at the end of the first half by speedy winger Ream, the only positive offense came from the boot of fly half Steve Bernson, who notched three penalties for nine points before the half. The Tsunami, on the other hand, were able to charge in for three tries in the first sixty minutes, converting one and adding a penalty to get relentlessly to 20 points.
At sixty minutes the Pigs were able to call on a deeper (read: older) bench than their counterparts, however, with a grizzled Patrick Donaldson relieving Steve Boger who limped off with a high ankle sprain, and grizzlier Dan Bush coming on for prop Ross Goffard. I’m sure there were other subs as well, but they don’t fit into my narrative arc. The Pigs turned up the effort to the max, led proficiently by new scrum half Miles Gardiner, and soon they’d crossed the strip with a beautifully designed forward move, Tim Garcia faking a crash and then popping back to a bursting Cory Wiltshire, who ran through the middle of the Tsunami defense for a 60-meter score under the posts. Bernson converted, and with 14 minutes left the comeback was on.
Down by 20-16, the Pigs had to score and had to do it soon, but nonetheless the possession seesawed back and forth frustratingly. Finally the Pigs were able to get a lineout deep in Tsunami territory, took it cleanly, and began a lighting round of crashes, pick and goes and back balls. The Pigs frantically rucked, the Tsunami doggedly defended, the Pigs lost a scrum on the 5 meter line but then Donaldson ripped the ball from his counterpart during open play and the phases continued. Time expired, but the Pigs kept pushing, with replacement flanker Seth Terrall making multiple crafty runs that nearly reached the try line. Finally Seth was in space again, but was tackled just as he was to get to the line – and he dropped the ball, but it fell straight downwards and then slightly backwards into the hands of Pigs winger Tony “Barry” Eckles, who launched himself into the whitewash for the game-winning try.
Bernson’s conversion was off, but the Pigs took the 21-20 victory in extra time vs the tough Tsunami happily, shaking their heads at their luck.
Match Report – Pigs @ ORSU, 10/29/11
Sadly, such luck was not to stay with the Portland Pigs all the way through the end of the Fall season. Before the match with ORSU, the Pigs learned that they would be without starting strongside flanker Steve Boger (high ankle sprain) as well as physical 8-man Seanny Boy Williams. A bit weakened in the forward pack but vowing to make up the difference with guile and effort from replacements Patrick Donaldson and Seth Terrall, the pack took another huge blow in the first 15 minutes of the match when starting lock Taylor Sorem and blindside flanker Tysen Gray both had to be helped from the field after sustaining blows to the head while tackling the gigantic ORSU packies.
Despite the injuries, the first twenty minutes seemed to be clicking for the Pigs, who stole the opening kickoff and had early success around the set-pieces. Within ORSU territory (just before the first concussion), the Pigs strung a particularly good backline play together, with quick phases and great forward support, to put a looping center Tim Garcia in at the corner posts for the first 5 points of the match.
Fly-half Steve Bernson missed the conversion, and sadly the Pigs would not be able to get on the scoreboard again. ORSU picked up their work rate immensely, the Pigs had a good bit of steam lost with the injuries and ORSU put up quick points in the form of a penalty and a converted try under the posts. The Pigs turned to winger Ryan Boltman to attempt a long penalty kick, but it was short and ORSU pushed it back into Pigs territory efficiently.
Despite the best efforts of replacements like Travis Dunn, Robert Ling and others, the Pigs were hard pressed to slow down the powerful pick-and-goes and crashes of the ORSU pack as the day went on. Lineouts were a weak spot as well, with many balls for both ORSU and Portland both going over the entire line and bouncing frustratingly in midfield.
Coach Andrew Edmundson exhorted his team mightily at the half, and looked to his deep bench of Dan Bush as well as veteran flankers Andrew Garrett and (new guy!) Bailey, but the answer wasn’t to be found. ORSU continued to dominate in and around the ruck, and were not to be slowed down even throughout the backline, and pushed over back-breaking try after back-breaking try.
When the mud finally settled, ORSU walked off the pitch of The Farm as clear winners, 26-5. This leads to a three way tie in the southern PNRFU books over the winter break, with ORSU, Portland and Boise all having one loss. It certainly leaves a lingering bad taste in the mouths of your Pigs, who can be counted on to push hard throughout the snowy months to come back this Spring ready to even the score with ORSU and push hard for a Northwest championship once more.
Regretfully transcribed,
Alex Johnson
Secretary, Portland Rugby Club
