The fantastic firsts grinded out their lowest-scoring victory of the season with a blue-collar performance against the Nor'Westers on a wet and windy Saturday afternoon. “We had lots of great effort from the forwards and backs.
The fantastic firsts grinded out their lowest-scoring victory of the season with a blue-collar performance against the Nor'Westers on a wet and windy Saturday afternoon.
“We had lots of great effort from the forwards and backs. It wasn't individual efforts, it was team efforts all the way,” said forward Brett Kelly after the workmanlike 20-7 decision at the St. Albert Rugby Football Club. “It wasn't a high-scoring game but the boys buckled down and toughed it out right to the end. It was great to see.”
The battle of attrition was hard fought from start to finish.
“It was a real tough game. Both teams are very physical,” said Clay Panga, head coach of the 4-1 firsts in the premier men's Alberta Cup. “Our guys stuck to their guns, which was great, to win it. When it started getting tough out there they kept going, which was really positive to see.
“The win also says a lot about the character of the guys and how bad they wanted to win this game.”
The firsts held the edge in play in the first half as Lucas Albornoz scored two forward-driven tries eight minutes apart and Chad Monai-Brophy kicked one conversion to lead by 12 before the Nor'Westers replied before halftime with a converted try.
Tempers flared early in the second half as players ramped up the physicality.
After a series of missed penalty kicks by both teams, Monai-Brophy split the uprights from outside the 40-metre line to make it 15-7 with 16 minutes to play.
The firsts closed out the scoring with a late try by Jason Gagnier to cap off a lengthy push for points.
“We played the territory better than them. When we got down there we were lucky enough to score,” Panga said.
The loss dropped the Nor'Westers to 1-3-1 as the third highest-ranked north team for seventh place in the Alberta Cup table.
The win was the third in a row for the Labatt's Cup provincial champions.
“As a team it says we're getting better,” said Panga, the first-year SARFC coach who has filled in at forward when needed. “I'm looking forward to next week against the Irish. That's who we lost to and we'll play them at home too.”
The firsts are still bitter over the 43-7 loss to the Irish (3-1) in Calgary after trailing 15-5 halftime in the second match of the season.
Kick off is 4 p.m. Saturday at SARFC.
The tug-of-war with the Nor'Westers was the grand finale in Saturday's tripleheader as SARFC celebrated the re-opening and 30th anniversary of its fields.
“Today is something we've been waiting for for a year and a half. A lot of the guys and a lot of the old boys, it's a new generation of old boys I guess, are out and it definitely gets you pumped up for the match,” Kelly said. “It was really exciting to be part of it.”
Kelly, 26, and his sister, Sabrina, captain of the SARFC women's team, served as flag bearers, along U13 juniors' Kirra-Jean Howell and Reese Butlin, during the opening ceremonies prior to the premier match.
“It's just such a huge honour for me. I've always been a No. 1 St. Albert first kind of guy who bleeds blue and red and I won't stop. I will be like Eric Wynychuk (SARFC's oldest player this year) when I'm 49 or 47 or however old he is. I will be that guy if my body will let me and I have enough cans of tape,” said Kelly, the John Wayne of the firsts who played on one leg as a second-half sub in last year's provincial final, 39-5 over the Calgary Hornets in the Cow Town.
Kelly was among a handful on seasoned veterans on Saturday's 22-man roster that included an impressive mix of newcomers from outside the province, a sprinkling of imports and products of the SARFC junior program.
“There is so much young talent coming through it's awesome just to be part of it,” Kelly said. “In my opinion we have probably one of the best junior programs in the province and it sure is paying off seeing some of these young guys come up and filter in the first div and third dive. Their skill level is amazing,”
Kelly is easing his way into the first 15 as his battered body slowly heals itself. He was thrust into action in the first half when Khaleb Whitehurst, an Australian import at flanker, suffered a broken rib.
“I'm just trying to help the boys out.”
Terrific thirds
Earlier in the day, the third division men hung tough to defeat the rough and tumble Parkland Sharks 12-7 in the rain at SARFC.
“It was scrappy and fun,” said captain Luke (Aussie) Richardson. “They were very intense but our guys stepped up and didn't fall into their traps.”
Jake Robinson scored a try in the opening quarter and the Sharks replied with a converted try late in the third quarter.
With nine minutes remaining, and the thirds attacking in waves, scrumhalf Jon Anderson smartly pulled off a quick penalty play from outside the five-metre line and Trent Bennett cracked the try line. Neil Coghlan's conversion attempt was good.
“It was a smart move by Jon. We had good support for Trent to finish it off and for Neil to do the conversion in these kind of conditions was good,” Richardson said.
With a few minutes remaining the frustrated Sharks tried to goon it up near their touchline and one of the combatants throwing punches was a Parkland coach.
Panga described the incident as “shenanigans” by the Sharks, while Richardson shrugged his shoulders and said, “That's rugby.”
The thirds raised their first-place record to 4-2 with six bonus points while the Sharks sunk to 2-1 with three bonus points.
“Those few early bonus points in the start of the year really helped us and has kept us on top. It was a shame we didn't get one this game but we'll take the big W for sure,” Richardson said. “As a squad we're starting to develop a bit better and we're putting stuff together. It's good feelings in the change rooms and at training right now.”
The thirds fielded another lineup that was double the size in numbers of their opponent and featured players barely old enough to drink to those in their forties.
“It's exciting. For the older boys on the team it brings back a lot of good memories and for the younger guys it's all new to them,” said Richardson, a standoff by trade.
Panga said the success of the thirds and firsts starts with SARFC's depth of talent.
“With the thirds as a team there is a lot of those older guys but it's also a developmental team. We have these young guys coming up and I'm impressed with how well they're doing so as a club it bodes well for us.”
The thirds scrum down Saturday against the Grande Prairie Centaurs (3-3, four BP) at 12:30 p.m. at Ellerslie Rugby Park.
