Thursday 26 September 2019

GAME 1 - LANGTON SCHOOL


23 September 2019

Having had a great start to the tour the boys were very keen to get on the paddock and have a good hit out. Playing on a very impressive synthetic 4G field we were blessed with fine weather, for at least the majority of the game.

Receiving the kick off we managed to make a meal of it which resulted in a scrum to Langton on the 20m line – result, grubber kick and down seven nil due to the resulting converted try. Poor start but a chance to regroup and put this behind us. Matching it well up front and willing to throw the ball around both sides played some exciting and expansive rugby. While IPC was doing well by trusting their systems and defending well we were not protecting our own ball at the breakdown causing us to turn the ball over on several occasions cheaply.

These cheap turnovers made the boys work extremely hard to weather the storm but at the same time made them sit up and assess the situation. Realising what needed to be done IPC shortened up their support lines and accuracy at the attacking breakdown and began to make large inroads into Langton’s defence. Having adapted well the boys managed to dominate field position and came away at half time in front by two tries, Ethan Woods and Terrence Rooney, to one.

Starting the second half well, IPC found themselves up against a new look Langton team which was prepared to shift the ball from edge to edge to challenge our defence and really put us under the pump, having to scramble in defence on several occasions. Another challenge was just around the corner with the weather deciding to test the skills of the Townsville lads and challenge them it did.

With the wet weather came the call from coaching staff to tighten it up and be direct, something that did not happen straight away. Still playing as if it was a bright sunny day, IPC backed themselves out wide which resulted in a number of more than pleasing outcomes. While there were moments that were quite comical the boys worked extremely hard and ran in an additional three tries to two in the second stanza to come away eventual winners 31 to 21.

Tries: Ethan Woods, Terrence Rooney, Zac Thomson, Darcy Walters and Harrison Keir.

Conversions: Nic Pearce (6)

MVP’s: (3) Zac Thomson – (2) Ethan Woods – (1) Harri Keir

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