RUGBY: Old Boys impressive away form continues
Sunday's Well 8 Rainey Old boys 19
WITH both sides desperate to break clear of the relegation zone there was a lot at stake in Cork where Sunday's Well met Rainey Old Boys.
While they would no doubt have settled for this result before the match, Rainey will be a little disappointed not to have picked up a bonus point.
Conditions underfoot were perfect for running rugby at Musgrave Park but a swirling wind looked likely to cause problems. It soon became evident that the wind was favouring the Munster men but Rainey did not let them settle with hard-tackling flanker McGinnis in the thick of everything.
Botha made a neat little break and some good handling gave wing McMurray the chance to test his opposite number.
Seventeen minutes had elapsed before 'Well reached the Rainey '22' for the first time, but they were soon defending desperately as Rainey squandered a glorious opportunity. Kerr broke through after intercepting with McCrea and Botha making further ground and three quick ruck balls created an overlap but Jacobs chose to cut inside five yards out and his offload went forward.
The home side threatened briefly when Suiter's offload went astray, but after 27 minutes a debatable decision enabled them to take the lead. No.8 Tasola broke from a five metre scrum and fed Hickey, who was dumped into the corner flag by a crunching McCrea tackle. After consultation with his touch judge referee Brian Montayne astounded even the Sunday's Well supporters by awarding a try.
McMurray was then yellow carded for backchat as another bad decision put Rainey back in their own half.
Right on half-time Richard Paul was dispossesse d just outside his '22' and Jacobs was penalised for not releasing. O'Regan's kick left 'Well 8-0 up at the interval.
Attacking the Dolphin end of the ground, Richard Paul found a good touch and after disrupting a 'Well lineout to move into the '22' Rainey stretched the play for out-half Martin to send flanker Kerr through with a delayed pass. Botha converted. Three minutes later a Martin grubber kick gave Rainey a great field position and after a series of scrums and penalties they were awarderd a penalty try.
Thoughts immediately began to turn to a winning bonus point, but they were unable to put 'Well to the sword due to some very poor kicking and strange decision making.
The three points they needed to put two scores between the sides did not come and with Tasola always a threat, Rainey started to look nervous. Botha was wide with a kick at goal as the wind suddenly became blustery.They were awarded another kickable penalty,but the decision was reversed and Rainey hooker Hawkins sin-binned for retaliation on the intervention of the touch judge.
Three 'Well players required treatment as Rainey continued to hit hard and another fine piece of play by McCrea enabled Martin to put them under pressure again. When McGinnis blocked a kick, the loose ball was snapped up by Kerr who clinched the points with a last minute touchdown.
Team: R.Paul, J.McMurray, N.Suiter, R.Botha, J.McBride, G.Martin, R.Paul, N.Amos, P.Hawkins, P.Boyle, D.Dawson, W.Jacobs, A.Kerr, R.McCrea, S.McGinnis. Replacements: S.McDowell, C.Brennan.
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Weather for Belfast
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
