Somerset Rugby Scores First Win in Club Land

The U17 Spartan Rugby team recorded their first victory in the newly entered Gold Coast Metro U17s Rugby Competition, Saturday 1 August. With many players backing up from the comprehensive 1st XV victory over All Saints Anglican School the day before, 13 weary and sore players took to the Griffith Knights Rugby field against a markedly bigger and 15 player strong Nerang Bulls team.

With several boys still making their way from Bond University training, the 13 boys on the field acquitted themselves well given their lack of field coverage due to having two players short. Needless to say, the first 10 minutes of the match was spent defending the larger bodies coming at them from the Nerang team. Nerang mounted several attacks and eventually dove over in the sixth minute. However, Somerset responded with a period of sustained attack and with approximately 10 minutes left in the half, our Bond University reinforcements arrived. This provided the much-needed impetus and Inside Centre, Sam Capel dove over just to the right of the goalposts. Callum Wilkins slotted the conversion and the Somerset Spartans led at the half 7 to 5.

The second half game plan was to run the bigger Nerang players off their feet and hopefully capitalise on having a fitter team. With limited numbers and the day before match against All Saints taking its toll this was easier said than done. Winger, Ashton Govenlock dived over in the right hand corner midway through the second half to take the score to 12 to 5 and give us some necessary breathing space. The Nerang Bulls attempted to apply pressure but the majority of the second half was played between the two teams 22 metre lines and few opportunities presented themselves for either team. A last-minute kick by Nerang in behind our defensive line provided some heart palpitations as we failed to regather the ball cleanly. But a hurried scramble of the ball into touch enabled the referee to blow his whistle for full time. Another history breaking moment as the team racked up their first Club Rugby victory, 12 points to 5.

Ben Gallagher had a good game in the unfamiliar position of scrum half, whilst both Kane and Cory Delaney were tenacious on defence. Sam Capel and Alex Miles controlled the midfield and Patrick Sowerby and Sam Liu also featured highly through their constant pressure at the breakdown.