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Sin bin decides fate
By Barry Rollings
Volume 50, No. 16, September 06, 2007 |
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THROUGH THE GAP: SMN Diri Nasalo makes a break in the Navy v Army game at the 2007 Australian Servcies Rugby Championships at Manuka Oval.
Photo: ABPH Jo Dilorenzo |
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The sin bin proved the ultimate adjudicator of Navy’s fortunes when it lost the pivotal game to Army at the Australian Services Rugby Union Championships in Canberra in mid-August.
Navy scored three tries to two against Army in the opening game only to lose 24-21 thanks to the trusty boot of LCPL Chey Bird, who landed four penalty goals. The decisive one came with a Navy player sin-binned.
“We scored three tries to two but the three points from a penalty and the sin binning was critical in that game,” Navy coach WO Geoff Stokes said.
Perhaps Army’s summation of the game was the best testament to Navy’s steely resolve, with the observation that the final scoreline accurately reflected a tight, hard-fought match – in which Navy led 16-15 at half time.
Army mentor LEUT Damien Cahill, coaching for the first time, felt his side had to work too hard to “put them away”, after leading 15 – 0 midway through the first half.
“‘It was frustrating, as we had Navy in both the lineout and the scrum – yet we struggled to finish them off,” he said.
“I guess credit should go to the Navy – just when you think you have their measure, they seem to find some way of coming back into the match.”
Navy was luckier in winning 12-11 against Air Force. It began stylishly for a 7-0 lead after nine minutes when winger LS Jason Cook scored under the posts, after re-gathering a chip kick over the defence, with the conversion by LEUT Dean Brown.
Navy conceded an easy try to Air Force which was not converted but closed the half-time score to 7-5. LAC Stuart Johnson put Air Force a point ahead with a penalty goal five minutes into the second half but Navy hit back with an unconverted pushover try to LS Jason Harrington for a 12-8 lead after 12 minutes.
With Air Force enjoying increased possession through more scrum and lineout ball and a series of penalties, it pressured Navy more in the second half.
An incisive run by FLTLT Andy Foster from the scrum base put Air Force on the attack and when LAC Johnson landed a second penalty goal at 27 minutes, Air Force trailed 12-11.
It was Navy’s turn to defend desperately over the closing stages of the second half, being reduced to 13 men for about the last 10 minutes when two players were sin-binned.
But despite its depleted numbers, Navy was able to mount a last attacking effort which took it out of its own half and into attack for the closing stages.
A good clearing kick by Navy from inside its own territory by LS Cook took it out of danger once and then an inspired run from speedster LS Damien Tanaka from a scrum also gave Navy much-needed breathing space.
WO Stokes described the Air Force match as a very tough encounter, which had been expected.
“Air Force were very good,” WO Stokes said. “They have some very good forwards but, I’ll be honest, they were a bit stronger in the backs than we expected.
“We knew we would struggle against them in the forwards; they have improved over the years immensely.”
He was disappointed Navy was reduced to 13 for the last 10 minutes. “You like to play with a full 15 but that was not the way it turned out in both games this year.
It proved costly against Army and it could also have been costly again today.”
Though Air Force enjoyed more lineout ball and more possession in the second half, Navy’s defence in the backs had improved to nullify that.
LS Cook had played well and provided Navy with good field position until red carded.
“Because we were struggling in the scrums, we could not get any good attack going from those set pieces and, as a result, the abilities of our seven (AB Daniel Robertson) and 10 (LEUT Brown) did not present themselves as I would have liked,” WO Stokes said.
Best against Army was captain LS Matt Hillyard, well supported by MIDN Peter Waring, AB Robertson, LEUT Brown and SMN Diri Nasalo.
Army’s 64-0 rout of Air Force on the final day allowed it to retain the trophy.
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