Blacks and SRC draw first blood

by Wang Shao Ing

The third annual national women’s rugby championships kicked off at Saint Andrews School on Saturday.

This year, the Guinness Singapore Women’s Rugby XV 2009 sees the inclusion of the Royal Selangor Club, Malaysia (RSC) Dingos who took on Singapore Recreation Club (SRC) in the first of the two games last weekend.

RSC, who are playing their first year of 15-a-side rugby held off SRC well considering that the Dingos were defending entirely within their own half for the first 20 minutes but it was not long before SRC found the try line. Several defensive errors and turnovers at crucial lineouts cost the Dingos five more tries in the first half.

SRC’s indiscipline presented RSC an opportunity to venture into SRC’s 22m through a break by the lively Felicia Adele Ng. RSC would rue the lack of support off Ng, as it was one of the two opportunities they had in the match to put some points on the board.

The visitors tidied up their defence in the second half and SRC were able only to put in one more try after the half time through lock, Sophie Ngin Gollifer, who found the try line for the second time in the game, to bring the final score to 39-0. RSC put up a valiant defensive effort and are certain to improve when they face Bucks next week at home with a full strength squad.

In the second game of the evening, Blacks wasted no time as Derelyn Chua, who had a fine evening at full back, scored within minutes of the kickoff. Bucks were unable to contain Chua whose penetrative runs sliced through the scattered defence three more times that evening. Blacks scored a total of fourteen tries capitalizing on clean possession from the breakdowns and several turnovers at the scrums despite having a smaller pack.

Bucks may have conceded 78 points to put Blacks top of the table after the first weekend of games but they had a full squad and improved markedly as the game progressed. They will have plenty to look forward to as they travel to Kuala Lumpur this weekend to face RSC in the second week of the Guinness Singapore Women’s Rugby XV 2009.

Related Links:

Singapore Rugby Article

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