Burnaby Second Half Keys Win Over Ravens: Burnaby 22– Ravens 20
Report by Peter MacDonald
It was a gumboot day for the fans but the pitch was in good shape for this anticipated tilt between two upper table hopefuls and long-time rivals. The first half was an even affair with the Ravens cashing in for tries at 15 and 18 minutes and the home team being held off the scoresheet. Ravens prop Louis Kassapian finished off a Billy Wickham quick tap and run for the first try and left winger Jean-Claude Koorsten put on a burst down the line after a long miss pass from Andrew Coe for the second score. Burnaby had its chances but after Napo Bolaca quick tapped and beat the line his long pass to send his support free was knocked on and at 40 minutes another threat ended with Wickham jackalling at the tackle near the Ravens’ line.
Taking a 12-0 lead into the second half the Ravens appeared to be in good shape but by the 55-minute mark it was a tied game and fullback Jack Carson was off with a yellow card. First centre Tevita Daugunu outran pursuit to score in the right corner and then right winger Lynden Duggan picked off a Raven pass and went 70 metres for the try under the posts, 12-12. An exchange of tries with the Ravens’ Kassapian again punching in from close range and Burnaby driving in left from a set near the posts brought the score to 19-17 Burnaby with 8 minutes to go.
It looked like the Ravens had iced it at 78 minutes when Coe hit a clutch penalty kick from left of the sticks for the 20-19 lead but Burnaby had one last possession and they slowly advanced through multiple phases with the Ravens defending and looking to force a knock-on or a Burnaby infraction. But it was a Raven hand in the ruck that brought on the whistle and Bolaca, faced with the same shot at goal as Coe, put it through calmly in the fading light to ring up the win and end the game.
It was a rugged affair with solid tackling off the rucks by both sides. Both teams favoured kicking the high ball with fullback Giuseppe Du Toit exchanging kicks with Jack Carson and Coe, with Coe being excellent in leaping to safely receive the high ball as well.
The Carson brothers, Frank and Don, Matt Chan, Jake Ikeda. Joe Locke and Tsugo Hirai were notable Ravens on the day. Burnaby had a well-balanced side with speed and flair in the backs, an energetic, mobile pack and a bench that kept the foot on the gas in the final minutes. Hard nosed lock Sam Tsoi, a former Hong Kong U20 and Trinity Western player who featured at flanker at TWU and was a Canadian University first team all star, made his mark as did his second-row partner Leo Chen (Canada U18 and TWU). Their skill and mobility gave the Burnaby pack a different look then in some past years. Lynden Duggan, also from the TWU program and a university all star, didn’t have a lot of ball but his finishing speed and power following the interception indicates a high ceiling.
Round one goes to Burnaby who were the better side when it really counted. Looking forward to a second half encounter.