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So very close
By Barry Rollings
Volume 49, No. 17, September 20, 2007 |
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NEARLY THERE: Air Force player AC Joel Nicholls from RAAF Base Tindal probes for an opening in the New Zealand defence during the Burn-Merz Shield in Canberra. Air Force was defeated by just one point.
Photo by LAC Aaron Curran |
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| GREAT CATCH: AC Ryan Birmingham from RAAF Base Tindal beats his Kiwi opponent to the lineout ball in the Burn-Merz Shield rugby match in Canberra. Photo by LAC Aaron Curran |
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OVER: OFFCDT Andre Holmes from ADFA scores a try for Air Force.
Photo by LAC Aaron Curran |
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For the second time in three weeks Air Force has been subjugated by the power of one in an inter-Service rugby match.
After leading 9-0 at half-time in the rain-affected match against the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) for the Burn-Merz Shield at RMC on September 7, the host side was beaten 15-14 in the dying seconds.
On August 15 in the Australian Services Rugby Union championships, Air Force just failed to overcome a depleted Navy side, which held on to win 12-11.
The loss against the Kiwis was even more agonising because the decisive try came deep into extra time.
A powerhouse effort from Air Force’s front row of captain FLGOFF William Scott, LAC Richard Falkenmire and FSGT Jason Ryan gave the home side plenty of ball from the rucks and scrums, supplemented by a good run of penalties and lineout ball, particularly in the first half.
Three penalty goals from four attempts by OFFCDT Peter Muller gave Air Force the advantage at the long break.
An unconverted pushover try to RNZAF vice-captain Bruce Bromwich after seven minutes of the second half closed it to 9-5.
Air Force made it 14-5 when OFFCDT Andre Holmes picked up the ball at the base of the scrum at 24 minutes and threaded his way over through heavy traffic.
New Zealand looked more constructive and able to attack more consistently in the second half with the host team a player down at different stages.
The visitors closed to 14-10 late in the game with a try in the corner to Alcide Gosselin with a big overlap created after a one-on-one strip and a penetrating break from Clint Fitzgibbon.
In the end, too much dropped ball and a run of penalties placed the home side under extreme pressure as the New Zealanders raided away strongly at the death.
A series of sorties were repulsed until Dayne Mozel found his away over in the corner to clinch victory amid wild scenes of celebration.
New Zealand coach Si Lamb said his team could not take anything away from the Australian team in a very close, good contest.
“We had come from our inter-base championships with a number of injuries and lot of very young lads, some of whom have really come of age [during this match].
“It was just a matter of them gelling.”
Better players for RNZAF were Clint Fitzgibbon, labelled man of the match by his coach, Brad Hughson, who was steady in the middle, and Mozel.
“You can’t give away that many penalties and that amount of dropped ball in those positions,” Air Force coach SQNLDR Ben Sweeney said after the loss.
“It was fairly average refereeing but that went both ways; we had our chances but just didn’t take them when we needed to.”
His better players were FLGOFF Scott, LAC Falkenmire and FSGT Ryan, whom he felt had controlled the rucks and scrums very well and had given some great drive, as well as OFFCDT Holmes. |
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