Harlequins Colts 50 - Jesuit RFC 12

Match report by Michael Engelbrecht

The Quin Colts stand atop the TRU North Division standings by comprehensively beating a very physical Jesuit College Preparatory team this past Friday night. Prior to kickoff Coach Michael Engelbrecht asked his team to put 50 points on the board – the team emphatically delivered with the final score being 50-12. “Jesuit are by far the best drilled team we’ve encountered thus far in our season. Fifty points in 70 minutes of play against them is something to be proud of. Our team has come a long way in a short space of time - the future really looks bright for this team as we begin to set out sights on post season play” states Engelbrecht.

Match Details
Three of the fifty points were put on the board shortly after the opening kickoff as Keegan Engelbrecht slotted a penalty kick for an offside infringement by a Jesuit defender. Play continued in a haphazard manner as both teams looked to settle down and build continuity. Outside center Victor Cadena scored while advantage was being played for another Jesuit defender being offside at a ruck – the ball was swiftly moved from acting scrumhalf #11 Tich Jangano to Cadena who shrugged off some desperate Jesuit tackles to score near the left hand touch line. Engelbrecht missed the conversion; Colts 8, Jesuit 0.

Jesuit quickly countered with a try of their own. Jesuit was awarded a penalty about 10 meters short of the Colt goal line for some undisciplined Colt defense. A well worked penalty play resulted in the try for Jesuit. Conversion failed; score 8-5.

Cadena again upped the Colts tally by fielding a pressurized and wayward Jesuit kick, weaving through Jesuit defenders, and touching down to allow for the easy Engelbrecht conversion; score 15-5.

Colt player confidence soared as the players could feel the game momentum firmly established in their court. #7 Taylor Mokate scored a wonderful try as the ball was moved from a ruck to Engelbrecht at pivot, giving a short inside pass to a storming Mokate, to score under the post from 40 meters out. The conversion was good; score 22-5.

As the half drew to a close, Jesuit answered with their last points of the day from a scrum near their left touchline and 5 meters out from the Colt line. Halftime score: Colts 22, Jesuit 12.

The Colts approached the second half with a goal of increasing the game tempo and cutting down on mistakes. Four excellent tries were scored and converted – all demonstrating the importance of the basic skills of rugby; catching, passing, straight running, and support.

The first was from a heel-against-the-head by #2 Max Paganini where the quick counter attack went from #9 Drew West to #10 Engelbrecht and out to #13 Cadena for the score.

The second was from a blocked Jesuit kick that saw good interchange between forwards and backs. The recovered ball went from #9 West to #8 Sam Britton to #10 Engelbrecht back inside to substitute #2 Pierce PcPherson and then to substitute #1 Shingirai Chifamba for the score.

The third try of the half was a thing of beauty, again the result of good interplay and support between forwards and backs. With the Colts retaining possession at a ruck the ball was quickly moved out wide from #9 West to #8 Britton to #10 Engelbrecht to #6 Jason Greene to #12 Nick Bendorf and eventually into the hands of #13 Cadena for his fourth score of the day.

The final try of the day was even better than the third. A Jesuit penalty kick to touch did not go out but instead was received by Colt substitute winger Steve Smith. Smith broke on a long counter attack leaving most of the Jesuit defense in shatters before offloading to supporting #6 Greene who then passed to winger Tich Jangano. Jangano got tackled just shy of the Jesuit goal line, setting up a quick pick-and-go by #12 Nick Bendorf for the score. Final score: Colts 50, Jesuit 12.

“Our scrums and lineouts were solid all evening. Special mention for this victory must go to our six front row forwards (Mosman, Paganini, Greene, Chifamba, McPerson, and Krause). Not only did they set a solid attacking platform but they put in heaps of work on defense and at the breakdown” concluded Coach Engelbrecht.

Forward of the Match: Taylor Mokate
Back of the Match: Victor Cadena

Team
Mosman (Chifamba), Paganini (McPherson), Jar. Greene, Watters, Terry (Krause), Jas. Greene (Bemenderfer), Mokate, Britton, West, K. Engelbrecht, Jangano, Bendorf, Cadena, Goad (S. Smith), Hesseler

Scoring
Tries: Cadena (4), Mokate, Chifamba, Bendorf
Con: K. Engelbrecht (6)
Pen: K. Engelbrecht