Ravens and Rowers Match Up in Good Spirit
Ravens 47 – Rowers 19
Report by Peter MacDonald
With four weeks and a bunch of turkey, ferry travel and elections since the last home game, it took a while for the supporters to roll in and for the Ravens prems to sharpen their game against a solid Rowers squad who hadn’t visited Jericho for a few years. A light rain contributing to a slick field and ball was another factor limiting crisp execution on the day. But despite some messy early lineouts, a second-best set scrum and some poor handling the Ravens prevailed with good defensive play at the breakdown and a strong forward attack with ball in hand.
Hooker Louis Kassapian was in on all three first half tries: first, he stripped the ball from a VRC player and took the ball forward sharply to give the backs good quick ball left sending winger Nick Andrianos into the corner. Then he scored the next two tries finishing off pick and go sequences and diving in from close range himself. The Rowers first half try was down to field conditions and a risky decision as Raven scrum half Paddy Kirwan tried to run blind from a set near his own line and slipped, was tackled and spilled the ball in one motion allowing a walk-in try to the Rowers, 21-5 at the half.
Despite the Ravens having the upper hand in the second half as well, scoring four more tries to the Rowers two, the Rowers continued to play positive rugby, asserting themselves in the pack, testing the Ravens and playing through to the final whistle with heads held deservedly high. Ball carriers Frank and Don Carson, Joe Locke and Lucas Rumball all caused problems for the Rowers’ defence with Rumball finding two surprisingly big holes in the Rowers’ centres from lineout ball.
The Rowers front row was giving the Ravens trouble for much of the game and won the only scrum penalty with a big surge in the first half. Flanker Thomas Parry was active all day and fly half Jack Usher ran the attack well with his early kicks testing the Ravens’ back three. Fullback Jordan Wilson-Ross was brave in the air and well spoken in the after-game ceremonies.
The Ravens had a memorable day at Jericho with three victories, apparently for the first time in thirty-five years, with the Women’s Premier team winning 48-12 over the Vancouver Thunderbirds and the Rippers winning their first of the season 40-12 over the Rowers.