St. Albert’s second division men are playing the waiting to game to see if they are in or out in the Edmonton Rugby Union playoffs.
The second 15 regained the fourth and final playoff spot in Tuesday’s 39-12 victory over the Nor’Westers but today’s result between the Grande Prairie Centaurs (4-7) and the Pirates (2-9) in Edmonton will determine if the seconds (5-6-1) will play the Leduc Crude (11-0) in the Sept. 20 semifinals.
“We really wanted to win this one today because we had a tough loss in Grande Prairie (47-17 last weekend) and we really want to make it through to the playoffs,” said Alastair Lillico, a mainstay for the seconds, after the team’s second win of the year against the defending provincial champions. “We got the bonus point (for scoring four or more tries), which was really good. It leaves us in a good spot when Grande Prairie plays the Pirates. Hopefully we’ll get into the playoffs.”
It was a must-win game Tuesday after the loss in Grande Prairie dropped the seconds two points back of the Centaurs in the playoff race.
The first win after four setbacks in a row put the seconds three points up on the Centaurs. A win is worth four points in the table.
“There is always a little more pressure when you’re trying to get into the playoffs,” said Lillico, a prop who played hooker against the Nor’Westers. “It’s a really great win, especially at home. It was our last game in the regular season so it’s a great way to end the year if there are no playoffs.”
The seconds tacked up 20 unanswered points in the first half against the over-matched Nor’Westers.
Antony Fitch kicked penalties from in front of the 40-metre line and a daunting effort near the touchline on the 22 to open the scoring.
Fitch also converted scores by Byron Elliott, a thunderous run from the 22 for a try under the post in the 27th minute, and Jon Anderson in the 35th minute with both teams short a player because of sin-bin infractions.
Matt Herod made a key pass leading up to Elliott’s try and Neil Coghlan also had a big assist on Anderson’s run.
In the 56th minute the Nor’Westers capitalized on a turnover for a converted try.
Matt Jarvis, a former standout running back with the Alberta Golden Bears, hauled in a kick from in front of the halfway line and bolted down field before passing the ball off to Aaron Wicker for the try in the 64th minute. Fitch made the conversion.
The firsts replied with a forward-driven try by Nolan Shaw that included some heavy lifting by Rory Mitchell.
After the Nor’Westers scored an unconverted try, Jarvis finished off a run by Coghlan and Fitch’s conversion ended the game.
“It was a really good, well-played game. We were able to push it out to the outside quite well and we had really good runs by the backs,” Lillico said. “We also played with much more physicality. Everybody took ownership of the game. We worked together and had a lot communication. There was a lot more phase play than in our previous game. It was just very swift play compared to Grande Prairie.”
Regardless of how the match between the Centaurs and Pirates unfolds, the seconds were series playoff contenders after last year’s fifth-place showing of 5-8-1 (minus-196 PF/PA, compared to a minus-186 last year).
“We’ve really stepped up as a team throughout the year and it culminated in this win. It sets the tone for next year and I think it sets the tone for the club as well. When guys are winning quite a bit you want to be part of that. It’s definitely a great way for the second div to end the year,” said Lillico, 24, a sixth-year club player and high school rugby product of the Bellerose Bulldogs.
