St Laurence’s College win the AIC rugby First XV season opener against brave St Patrick’s College

There is an old saying in rugby that if you control the scrum, you control the match and so it proved when St Laurence’s College pushed off its 2019 AIC First XV rugby campaign with a 17-10 win against gutsy St Patrick’s College this afternoon.

There is an old saying in rugby that if you control the scrum, you control the match and so it proved when St Laurence’s College pushed off its 2019 AIC First XV rugby campaign with a 17-10 win against gutsy St Patrick’s College this afternoon.

Running into the wind St Laurence’s led just 7-5 at halftime as St Pat’s enjoyed territorial domination on their home ground of Curlew Park, Sandgate.

Into the second half and Laurie’s seemed to be ramping up toward a comfortable win when hooker Angus Sawtell mauled his way over to score and extend the advantage to 17-5.

The St Patrick's scrum battling away against St Laurence's.

But a thrilling 85m intercept try by St Patrick’s winger Tim Ryan with around eight minutes remaining breathed life into the contest.

It was appropriate St Pat’s were at least within striking distance when the referee blew his whistle because of the effort their players poured into the contest against the recent Ballymore Cup pre-season winners.

St Patrick's win lineout ball against St Laurence's at Curlew Park.

“I think we worked really hard,’’ said St Patrick’s College coach Josh Neilsen.

“We had a big focus on how we measure success and it was not necessarily wins and loses.

“It was through our effort, and I thought our effort was really good today and I am proud of that.

“I think the boys belief has also grown a lot because I think they are a team which does not really believe in their ability and how good they can be, and I think they lifted in that aspect today. I think we will continue to grow through the season.’’

St Laurence’s coach Welmar de Plessis sensed his side, with six players making their debut in the First XV, may have been nervous.

He said the wind meant his team was pinned down in the first half and they had to grind it out before expanding in the second 40 minutes.

“We said lets keep the ball, grind it out in the first half and in the second half we will play with the wind and try and pin them down and that is exactly what happened,’’ he said.

He said it was his team’s most modest performance of the season, but “I am still proud of the boys’’.

“If you play scrappy and come up with a win, that is a good character of a team,’’ de Plessis said.

St Laurence's coach Welmar de Plessis addresses his players at halftime against St Patrick's.

St Laurence’s needed the security of its scrum and its three to one lineout possession rate to overcome St Patrick’s.

It was a scrum against the feed, and then a left hand backline movement across the face of goal, which led to a long run by Laurie’s winger Enrique Umana early in the first half.

That run by Umana gave his side field position and enabled the forwards to pick and drive their way over the line for the first try of the game.

St Laurence's College and St Patrick's players at the end of the match.

Again it was the scrum which again indirectly paved a way for the critical second half try when St Laurence’s again won scrum ball against the feed.

Laurie’s No. 8 John Bryant rumbled forward, then prop Bryce Huddy went next for a run to earn a penalty.

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After the penalty kick to the sideline, St Laurence’s again won its lineout ball and rolled a maul to within touching distance of the line to enable hooker Sawtell to score.

St Patrick's coach Josh Neilsen addresses his players at halftime against St Laurence's College.

“I think we controlled the scrum. We pride ourselves on the scrum,’’ said du Plessis.

At 17-5 the match looked iced, but St Pat’s scored through Ryan and then refused to throw in the towel in the final eight of the match.

Both teams will be happy with their defence.

At stages St Patrick’s pounded away at Laurie’s but did not score, then up the other end of the field St Pat’s were waved three successive penalties in the first half, all within kicking distance.

On each occasion St Pat’s tapped and ran and on each occasion Laurie’s defensive line held firm.