UUC RFC 1stXV defeat CIYMS 17-15 at Belmont
UUC got their first win and points of the season as they defeated CIYMS at Belmont. The students got off to a poor start as CI scored an early try in the first half. Try was unconverted. At the restart the students switched on and challenged the kickoff. Unfortunately the ball was knocked on by UUC leading to a CI scrum. Ross Hackney picked at the tail and was put back by UUC’s John Dillon and Jonathan “Taff” Brown.
The students managed to string a number of phases together and looked extremely dangerous playing with the wind at their backs. It wasn’t long until UUC got on the scoreboard. Glenn Baillie broke the CI line and he managed to get over the try line for a touch down. Calum Rowden stepped up and slotted the conversion. UUC lead 7-5 at half time.
The students had to play into the wind during the second half. It wasn’t long before CI conceded a penalty for ill discipline in the 22. Calum Rowden stepped up and slotted his kick making the score 10-5 to the students. The two teams battled hard against each other until CI scored a try against the students. Try unconverted and score 10-10. The students hit back from the restart and soon regained the ball. A number of phases through the forwards battered CI back towards their line and the pressure eventually told as Gareth Millar spotted a gap and squeezed over the line for the students second try. Calum Rowden calmly slotted the conversion. Score 17-10 to the students. The students regained the ball from the restart. An unfortunate error allowed CI to score their third try of the day. Again CI’s out half missed his third conversion.
The game finished 17-15 to the students. Big congratulations to the students for their outstanding performance and great win away from home. Man of the match was a very tough decision as everyone in the team played extremely well. Glenn Baillie who had a fantastic game managed to clinch man of the match.
UUC RFC Power NI 2nd XV Continue Away Form after there win over Ballymena 5’s last week.
Conditions were perfect, cool but dry with a difficult low sun facing the UUC Power Ni 2’s in the first half at the Maynard Sinclair grounds in the surroundings of Stormont.
The first 10 minutes we were painfully slow to get started, a high ball was dropped under a difficult sun with their number 10 scoring from the consquenting lineout unopposed under the posts. 7-0 to the home team.
UUC Power Ni 2’s regrouped with Jamie ball slotting over 3 points from a penalty for offside at the breakdown, though missed tackles were the main problem facing the student side. This led to Civil Service’s second score in the corner scored by their number 14. Then as phases were being put together by the students an as play after play and gradually crept their position into Civil service territory, the Lineouts and scrums were becoming dominant you could see momentum was shifting. A charge for the line by a moving pack in the lineout with Jamie Ball sneaking out the back door to put ball over the line, conversion from the try scorer was successful. Service came straight back and scored a try through the forwards with some tight play. Conversion missed.
Final play of the first half saw UUC camped in the Service 22 a charge down from Outhalf Chris Elliott and in his motion of picking up the loose ball was taken out but Ball was gathered by the ever present Phil Mclean with an easy pick up and dive over the line for a try. Ref deemed the tackle without the ball to be a try scoring opportunity and sent the left wing to the bin for 10 minutes.
Half time score of 17-17
Second half saw a rejuvenated UUC side. Try saving tackles were being made and the lifting moral was gaining speed and confidence, an overlap in the home sides 22 saw debutant Jonny Harding placing the ball on the line under difficult pressure. Jamie Ball converted. Pressure was placed on the opposition backs and mistakes were made, the resulting pressure led to turn over ball and Nigel Irwin popped up on the wing to place the ball down.
10 minutes later a scrum on the 10 meter line inside the home teams half, Jamie Ball intercepted from the oppositions 10 leaving a 2 on 1 with the fullback. Nigel was there again to run in close to the post leaving the score 34-17. Play was scrappy towards the end with UUC’s defence the difference. The ref blew the whistle with the away side glad to be leaving with 2 points after a poor performance leaving them in 2nd place in Junior 6.
Man of the match was hard to pick but Nigel Irwin a veteran of the student side deserves this title.
