Ravens Survive First Half : Report by Peter MacDonald
Ravens 33 – UVic 21
With young Kiwi referee Cole Northcote presiding on a cool but thankfully drying afternoon at Jericho U Vic had no sign of ferry legs and brought the heat early. A UVic forwards try at 5 minutes woke up the Ravens who answered with two tries of their own through their forwards and #9 Billy Wickham by the 15-minute mark, 14-7 Ravens. But then UVic took over the game, dominating territory and possession till the half.
UVic’s pace put the Ravens under pressure. The Ravens were unable to turn over ball in contact and were being penalized for offside, not releasing the tackled player and dissent amongst other offences. Fly half Cooper Coats’ kicking, including a 50/22, high balls, angled kicks to the wingers and penalty kicks to touch, kept the Ravens pinned in their own end continuously. But for all that pressure the students only had one further try to show for it by the half. No 8 Ryder Heaney-Corns who was strong all day tallied from a no 8 pick when the Raven flanker had his head down trying to shore up the set.
The students will be rueing the gilt-edged scoring chances that they failed to convert. A knock-on ended a series of dangerous phases, a penalty tap attack from 5 metres out was held up, a high angled kick appeared to send the right winger in but his knock-on after the bounce ended that, Don Carson made a great open field tackle at the line, rolled the ball carrier and held him up, and finally Wickham and Ruga forced the right winger out at the corner flag. UVic were attacking to the right through their backs giving the Ravens plenty of trouble but the hosts escaped with a 14-14 score at the half.
The Ravens needed a spark, and the substitutions of front rower Louis Kassapian and lock Frank Carson did the trick. Kassapian from a quick tap near the UVic line drove forward with energy and flanker Jake Tierney capitalized with a dive in near the posts, 21-14 at 42 minutes. Frank Carson pounded in at 53 minutes as the Ravens size and strength started to wear down the visitors, 28-14. Then from an attacking 5 metre scrum the Ravens had the push on and Wickham darted in to put the game away, 33-14 at 65 minutes. A late UVic try brought up a final score of 33-21which flattered the hosts. For UVic to claim no bonus points seemed unfair.
Next week it is off to the Island to face James Bay but it will unfortunately be without captain Hamish Janes whose hamstring injury just at the half saw him walk off to the side for what looks to be a good long while.