Harlequins Colts 50 - Plano HS 7

Match report by Michael Engelbrecht

The Quin Colts, building on last week’s cup season opener, beat the Plano Schools Rugby team by a score of 50–7. 

The first score of the day was a result of a penalty move executed well inside the Plano 22m. With #1 Jarrod Greene launching the play and the good cleaning out by #3 Benton Krause and #2 Max Paganini a 2nd phase platform was set to allow #8 Sam Britton to power through for the opening try. Keegan Engelbrecht converted: score 7-0.

Next up was a try for #7 Jason Engelbrecht off a perfectly executed blind side play from a scrum on the Plano 22m. K. Engelbrecht had his kicking boots on and converted from the right touch line: score 14-0.

The third try of the day demonstrated the Colts desire to relentlessly attack as a penalty kick by K. Engelbrecht bounced off the upright and into the hands of a chasing #13 Victor Cadena. The ensuing maul was a bit messy with the ball falling to ground and being pounced on by #14 Grant Holden. Quick ruck ball was moved through the hands of #10 K. Engelbrecht and #8 Britton, and into the hands of an at-pace #15 Michael Hesseler who made the dot down. K. Engelbrecht again converted: score 21-0.

Plano, always under pressure, botched a lineout on their 22m with a severe overthrow – right into the hands of Colt #8 Britton at the tail of the lineout. Britton, quick off the mark, charged up field and then through the attempted tackles of the Plano inside backs and over the try line to score his second of the game. K. Engelbrecht duly converted; score 28-0.

The final try of the half came from another messy lineout with the ball again claimed by #8 Britton. Britton was able to neatly offload in contact to #6 Jason Greene to set up a ruck about 20m in from the left hand touch. #9 Drew West quickly moved the ball back to the left sideline to #2 Max Paganini who deftly drew the defense and passed out to #11 Tich Jangano. The ever cheeky Jangano evaded a number of would-be Plano tacklers in the goal area to touch down under the posts. K. Engelbrecht converted and was relieved of his kicking duties for the rest of the day. Halftime score: 35-0.

Much like the week before, the second half saw mass substitutions within the Colts ranks, both to get playing time to the rest of the squad, but also in part to the toll on the boys by the hard Glencoe Park (recently renamed “CementCoe”) field. #8 Britton reached his hat-trick off a well executed “hold and drive” maul from a lineout inside the Plano 22m. Cadena missed the attempted conversion: score 40-0.

Plano answered back with a converted try of their own. Plano caused a Colt turnover just outside the Colt 22m line – some sloppy Colt defense, caused in part by the loss of team continuity following substitutions, allowed the opportunistic Plano team to score under the posts: Score 40-7.

Plano, again having their line pressured, directed the relieving kick right at substitute winger James Daniel who quickly offloaded to a counter attacking #15 Hesseler. Hesseler neatly sidestepped past a number of Plano defenders to score his second of the day. Again the conversion went astray: score 45-7.

The final try of the game was by far the best. A Colt lineout just short of the Plano 10m line was deftly handled by a number of Colt players. #9 West took the tapped lineout ball up field and passed to a supporting #8 Britton who passed to new #10 Jangano who passed to straight running #12 Brian Goad who then passed to #13 Cadena to out pace the cover defense and score in the corner. With the conversion again going awry, the Colts walked away 50- 7 victors.


Forward of the Match: Max Paganini
Back of the Match: Drew West

Team
Jarrod Greene (Rob Mosman), Max Paganini, Benton Krause (Alex LaBarba), Scott Watters (Ryan Terry), Taylor Mokate, Jason Greene (Luke Montgomery), Jason Engelbrecht (Daniel Bemenderfer), Sam Britton, Drew West, Keegan Engelbrecht (James Daniel), Tich Jangano, Brian Goad, Victor Cadena, Grant Holden (Chas Hanke), Michael Hesseler

Scoring
Tries: Britton (3), Hesseler (2), J. Engelbrecht, Cadena, Jangano
Conv: K. Engelbrecht (5)