With Saint Kentigern sitting in third place, one point ahead of King’s College, a win was vital for both teams as St. Peter’s College was sitting just two points behind King’s in fifth place waiting to pounce on the defeated team. Unfortunately, we could not take home the win, and lost 17-24.
The game started with quite a bit of kicking from both teams, trying to gain territorial advantage and force the opposition into making mistakes down their own end of the field. From a penalty awarded about 45m out, 1st 5/8, Ciarahn Matoe, slotted the goal and King’s led 3-0.
The game then to’d and fro’d until Saint Kentigern set up a couple of quick rucks inside the King’s 22m and when the ball was spun out to their 2nd 5/8, he placed a well-weighted grubber kick in behind the King’s backline and their fullback raced in to score their opening try.
Their goalkicker was unable to convert the conversion and Saint Kentigern held a narrow lead at 5-3. Not long after, King’s forwards rumbled the ball forward, the ball was swung out to our No 8, AJay Mua, who in the tackle, passed the ball out to centre Edward Vaeau-Mulitalo, who beat several defenders and ran 40m to score a wonderful solo try. Matoe kicked a fantastic conversion from near the left touchline and King’s suddenly led 10 –5.
Slowly, Saint Kentigern got back into the game and when the ball was spun out to their 1st 5/8, he beat several tacklers and raced in to score their second try. Their goal kicker once again missed the conversion to leave the match all tied up at 10 all. Upon the stroke of half-time, the King’s forward pack strung together a series of very effective pick ’n goes that saw Mua score to the right of the posts.
Originally the referee blew the whistle for half-time, stating that Mua had placed the ball on the ground short of the line. However, King’s Captain, Joe Johnston convinced the referee to ask the match official to review the action, which he did, and he confirmed that the try had indeed been scored. Matoe added another conversion and King’s turned around at half-time up by 17-10 and with a lot of momentum and confidence.
After the break, from a short kickoff to the left hand side, the ball was won by King’s. Several phases were put together and then the ball ended up in the arms of Mua again. With one man to beat and Millenium Sanerivi unmarked on his outside, Mua chose to try to run over the top of the defender and the opportunity went begging. However, the King’s pack then put together another series of effective pick ’n goes that saw Mua once again dive for the line. The referee was unsighted, so once again asked the match official to review the action, but this time he rules that Mua was just short of the line. This would have given us a 14 point lead, but unfortunately Saint Kentigern managed to claw their way back and from a couple of unforced errors from the King’s lads, Saint Kentigern pounced and scored two converted tries to lead 24-17 with about five minutes to play.
The game ended with Saint Kentigern winners at 24-17 and picking up the bonus point for having scored four tries. King’s picked up a one point losing bonus point for finishing with seven points of the opposition and drop back to fifth place in the Championship.
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