Despite the fact that all the Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Round 2 games, scheduled for Saturday 8th January, had to be postponed due to frozen pitches, a number of schools managed to get games played in the week leading up to Saturday 8th January. Despite the frozen conditions affecting rugby in most of the Province there were also a number of non-cup games played on Saturday 8th January.
Ballymena Academy hosted Wallace High School on Bank Holiday Monday with the home school hoping to overturn their defeat in early September. Wallace High School welcomed back Chris Taylor from Irish Schools’ duty and the Ballymena team was selected from a full panel for the first time this season. The early exchanges were closely contested with both teams struggling to dominate territory or possession. In the tenth minute, Wallace were awarded a penalty when a Ballymena player went off his feet at the breakdown and centre David Scott made no mistake with his attempt at the posts. David Scott missed a second penalty attempt moments later and, from the restart, Ballymena Academy regained possession. Ballymena centre, Peter Storey, made a decisive midfield break and Peter Wallace powered over for an unconverted try in the corner to leave the score reading 5-3 in favour of the home team. Midway through the first half, Wallace High had a player yellow-carded for killing the ball when it seemed certain that Ballymena would score. Ballymena re-started with a scrum and their captain, John Andrew, broke through the hesitant Wallace defence for his side’s second try. Again, this try was not converted but the home team now had a 10-3 lead. Just before half time, Ballymena moved the ball wide and Nicholas Stirling showed outstanding pace to break away from the Wallace High School cover to score in the corner. Caleb Morrison went close with the touchline conversion but the whistle sounded with the score 15-3 at the interval. Ballymena Academy started the second half strongly with Adam Mitchell and Timothy Patton winning important possession in the lineouts. After several quick rucks, Ballymena moved the ball wide and created space which enabled full back Caleb Morrison to finish superbly from forty metres. However, he could not add the extras but the Ballymena Academy team was beginning to stretch away from the opposition with the score now 20-3 in their favour. Ill-discipline from the home team allowed Wallace High back into the contest for the remainder of the match. The Lisburn boys enjoyed an extended period of possession on the Ballymena five metre line, but the Academy defence, in which Caleb Morrison was dominant, held firm under pressure. Just before the final whistle, Ballymena had another chance to put points on the board, but Peter Wallace’s pass to John Andrew was adjudged to have gone forward. It was a delighted Ballymena Academy team that was able to celebrate a well-deserved 20-3 victory at the end of the game.
Campbell College hosted a Bangor Grammar School team that was keen to get back to winnings ways following a recent sequence of losses. However, they met a Campbell College team that has started to show the type of form that should give them a realistic chance of a good run in Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup. The Campbell team took control from the start of the game with their pack dominating in the set pieces as well as controlling the breakdown areas.
CLICK HERE to enjoy 16 pictures from the game courtesy of Ken Best
The Campbell College backs made good use of the quality ball provided and the team went on to win the game by 33-0. Recent Irish Schools’ cap, Rory Scholes scored two tries with Chris Best, Mark Best and Jack Cooke touching down for one try each. Rory Scholes capped a fine personal performance with four conversions.
Regent House and Omagh Academy met in Newtownards in a very scrappy encounter. The Regent team had a number of players away on a ski trip but they were able to give game time to fringe members of their squad. The Omagh team was delighted to get a game in preparation for their Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Round 2 game against Rainey Endowed. The Omagh team made their illustrious opponents work hard for a narrow 5-0 win. The Regent House opened side flanker, Matthew Ramsey, scored the only try of the game when he scrambled over the Omagh Academy line following good work from his pack at a lineout. Nathan Burns was unsuccessful with his conversion attempt but his team had done enough to secure their victory.
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution Schools’ Cup squad took themselves of to the Barcelona area for five days of training and preparation as well as a game against opposition from the local San Boianna Rugby Club. The San Boianna Club has been a popular destination for school teams from the Province in recent season with players from Friends’ School, Grosvenor Grammar School, Royal School, Dungannon, amongst others, all having made the trip. The Belfast Inst squad was based in the Castledefells suburb of Barcelona where they made good use of the local facilities on the edge of the Mediterranean to work on their individual, unit and team skills. All the hard work seemed to pay off for the Belfast Inst players when they took to the pitch against the San Boianna team. In a very physical encounter between the two packs of forwards, the San Boianna team was very passionate in the opening exchanges. However, the Belfast Inst team was much more structured and this laid the foundation for seven first half tries. The pick of the tries was scored by Jonny Martin who, after a number of phases, cut a great attacking line to open up the San Boianna defence. Jonny took full advantage to touch down close to the touchline for the try. Belfast Inst wingers, Nathan Browne and John McClure, scored tries on their respective flanks wide spaces. Kevin McLean made a burst through the opposition defence and offloaded to Zach Welshman who was delighted to score the try. Last score of the first half was a forward affair with the Inst pack mauling over from 15 m out enabling Ben Alexander to get the touchdown. In the second half the Belfast Inst team made lots of changes which allowed the game to become much less structured. Two tries finished the game, the first from outside centre Andrew Roulston who made a powerful burst through the opposition defence with the other try coming from fellow centre, Kevin McLean . Nathan Browne, back up kicker to Matthew McGuigan was successful with one conversion attempt. The San Boianna team proved to be worthy opposition who made the Belfast Inst team work hard for every score. The Catalan hosts invited the Belfast Inst coaches, Richard Hedley and Gavin Monteith to take their squad for a one and a half hour coaching session which the Inst coaches were delighted to do as they had been so well received by their San Boianna hosts. It was a great experience for all concerned and the San Boianna squad trained with great enthusiasm. The Belfast Inst players would like to thank the Principal of Royal Belfast Academical Institution, Ms Janet Williamson, the Governors of the School as well as the Parents/Guardians of the players, for their support for the tour. In particular, the squad would like to thank Richard Hedley and Gavin Monteith for all their hard work in organising the tour and accompanying the squad on tour.
Coleraine Academical Institution was the only local schools’ team that managed to get playing on Saturday 8th January when they hosted the famous St Mary’s College team from Dublin. Included in the ranks of the St Mary’s College team was Mark Sexton, brother of the Ireland outhalf, Jonny Sexton. The Coleraine AI team started the game with a period of sustained pressure which kept the St Mary’s team pinned inside their half. Michael Poskitt and Stuart Caffery displayed great tactical awareness and used some pin point kicking to frustrate the St Mary’s attempts to break out. Twelve minutes into the game Coleraine AI took the lead when a poor clearance kick from the St Mary’s College defence was fielded by Alan Clarke, the Coleraine AI full back. Alan proceeded to outpace three despairing St Mary’s defenders on his way to crossing the line and touch down for the opening score of the game. Michael Poskitt added the conversion to put his team into a 7-0 lead. From the restart, the St Mary’s College team took the game deep into Coleraine AI territory and it took stubborn defence from Paddy Farrell, Ali Ashgar and Michael Poskitt to ensure the Coleraine AI line remained intact. The St May’s pressure paid off when they were awarded a penalty after twenty six minutes which was converted to take the score to 7-3. Paddy Farrell and Alan Clarke came close to scoring for the home team but their efforts were thwarted by excellent defensive work from the visitors. Having survived the pressure from the Coleraine AI team the St Mary’s team proceeded to put together a number of attacking phases which opened up the opportunity for Mark Sexton to get possession, just prior to half time. The St Mary’s player took full advantage of the space created to score an unconverted try in the corner to give his team an 8-7 half time lead. Shortly after the restart the St Mary’s team scored once again. Coleraine AI failed to protect the ball in contact enabling the opposition NO 8 to pick the ball up and power his way over the Coleraine line from 15 metres out for a try. The conversion was missed but the St Mary’s team had extended their lead to 13-7. From the kick off following the try, the Coleraine team regained possession enabling Paddy Farrell, David McIntyre and Stuart McCaffery to combine well together to put Paddy Farrell on a one on one with the St Mary’s full back. Paddy stepped inside the defender only to be hauled down by last gasp St Mary’s defence with the line at his mercy! The St Mary’s team reorganised quickly and scored their third try of the game when the Coleraine AI defence failed to deal with a wiper kick allowing a St Mary’s player to pick up and touch down for an unconverted try in the corner and give his team an 18-7 lead after forty seven minutes. With the last play of the game the St Mary’s team scored their fourth try when a missed tackle in the Coleraine AI midfield allowed the St Mary’s centre to run in for another unconverted try to leave the final score at 23-7 in favour of the Dublin team.
The Bangor Grammar School grounds at Ballymacormick Road were playable ensuring the game between the Grammar School team and Foyle and Londonderry College was able to go ahead on Saturday 8th. The Foyle and Londonderry College team started the game strongly and took a 7-0 lead when Simon Ho took advantage of some slack Bangor Grammar School defence to score a try. Chris Campbell added the conversion to put the Foyle team into a 7-0 lead. The Bangor Grammar School team responded positively to the early setback with a Stuart McCloskey penalty to reduce the arrears to 7-3. Philip Harper, a Year 12 winger, took advantage of good work from his Bangor Grammar School pack to outpace the Foyle and Londonderry College defence and score a try in the lead up to half time. Stuart McCloskey added the conversion to see the Bangor team into a 10-7 half time lead. Shortly after the interval the Bangor team extended their lead to 17-7 when Jacob Onykwelu, playing at outhalf, broke from his own 10 metre line. Jacob met little resistance from a hesitant Foyle defence and went on to score an excellent try. Stuart McCloskey added the conversion.
option 1 Bangor GS v Foyle College CLICK HERE for pictures courtesy of Ken Best
Towards the end of the game Bangor Grammar School sealed the result with a converted try from Stuart McCloskey to ensure a well-deserved 24-7 victory. Following recent a series of recent losses against Wallace High School, Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Campbell College, the Bangor team was delighted to record a win in the course of this match. After the game the Bangor coach, David Kennedy, with the assistance of parents from the school, displayed great culinary skills and provided a welcome Burger and Chips for all the players who had taken part in the game. Such was his ability to plan a menu; everyone got fed apart from David himself!!
The postponed Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup Second Round games, which were to have been played on Saturday 8th January, have been rescheduled to take place in the week ahead. Matches 1-5 have been re-scheduled for Saturday 15th January 2011. Match 6, Omagh Academy v Rainey Endowed, has been re-scheduled for Wednesday 12th January at 2.00 pm.
Saturday 15th January 2011
1. Royal School, Dungannon v Antrim Grammar School 11.00 am
2. Carrickfergus Grammar School v Belfast High School 10.30 am
3. Portadown College v Wellington College 11.00 am
4. Portora Royal School v Larne Grammar School 11.15 am
5. Cambridge House School v Grosvenor Grammar 10.30 am
Wednesday 12th January 2011
6. Omagh Academy v Rainey Endowed School 2.00 pm
The draw for the 3rd Round of the Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup and the 1st Round of the Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Trophy will now take place on Saturday 15th January following the completion of the Round 2 games.
All schools are reminded of the importance of trying to get all Medallion Shield Round 1, 2ndxv and 3rdxv games played as soon as possible. All IRFU Charitable Trust donations should be collected and sent to Mr John Wilson at Larne Grammar School, as soon as possible.
