Tag: Lanna Rugby CLub

Write up by Pat Cotter:  CLICK HERE for all the Lanna Rugby Tens League match reports of the day.

Lanna Rugby Club Vs Payap Rugby Club

Stanton (Prop), Dave (Prop, Captain),  Brian (Hooker), Stubs (2nd Row), Brave (2nd Row), Bomber (Scrum Half), Ted (Fly Half), Boom (Centre),  Michael (Right Wing), Dtun ‘The Destroyer’ (Left Wing)

Subs:
Jack, Ong

Referee:
Kit

Chiang Mai University was the venue for the penultimate round of the 2020 Lanna Rugby 10’s League and it was hot. Not just the weather but the games had a lot riding on them with Lanna Rugby Club claiming top sport with a win and any of CMU Rugby, Payap Rugby Club and TNSU CMI Rugby, all in the hunt for that second spot, and a place in the 12th December final.

The first game of the day was Lanna Rugby Club taking on the surprise package of the season Payap Rugby Club in a game that Payap needed to win to guarantee that coveted second spot and a place in the final. Lanna were boosted by the return of stalwarts Brien Grieve and Louis “The Pickle” Stanton to bolster the team. Khun Kiattichai “Kit“ Noptakul was welcomed back as the official in charge and, with Lanna winning the toss, blew the whistle to get proceedings under way.

It was a nervous start as Payap knocked on from the kick off and from the resulting Lanna scrum a back move broke down midfield when a slight knock on gave the advantage back to Payap. As Lanna attempted to put pressure on at the scrum the Payap No 9 saw space down the blind side and leaving the cover in his wake sped down the line. Mike Cresswell came across to close him down but Boom, coming up in support, continued the move before passing back inside to the No 9 who was held up just short before ever present Rowan Carroll claimed the ball and drove over for the first score of the afternoon. Payap made the kick to give them that all important early advantage 7-0.

Again nerves were jangling and Lanna knocked on from the restart, handing back a great opportunity for Payap to attack the line. From the scrum the Payap backs found some space down the far touchline but as the move broke down some fine poaching by McRitchie saw the ball given out to Ted Guggenheim who found a gap to drive up the centre, before some fine cover defense hauled him down. Brien Grieve was on hand to take possession from the ruck and set in motion what was probably the move of the match. He Drew in the cover before passing out to centre CM Boom in space, who thrust deep into the Payap half, before offloading to a supporting Grieve who, continuing the move, threw a no look pass out the backdoor for a rollicking Stanton on the loop, to steam onto the ball for an unstoppable charge to the line. Guggenheim made it 7 all with a fine conversion. Breath-taking stuff by both teams so far.

Payap claimed the restart and their pack drove up the middle before recycling ball to the backs who, looked to be in for the score, before Stanton robbed possession, to turn defense into attack and, with Stubley taking the ball into midfield, it looked like Lanna would increase their lead but a Payap turnover saw them race away with some slick passing of their own only for Stubley to put in a fine saving tackle and get the ball to Dtun who galloped away to score and with Guggenheim missing the kick it put Lanna back in front 12-7 as the ref blew for the break.

From the restart Payap threw everything at Lanna with some enterprising forwards play and interchanging backs moves but they couldn’t breakdown a resolute Lanna defense led by Brave, with Ong and Jack putting in some big hits. Payap were awarded a penalty on half way but one of the players was shown a yellow card for dissent and, when the resulting lineout went astray, Lanna got the chance to relieve the pressure. Being a man down, there was always going to be space, and as Guggenheim fed from the base of the scrum Stubley called the switch and went down the blind side, then it was a footrace with only one winner, and Stubley scored under the posts which was duly converted by Guggenheim. Although Payap kept up the pressure they couldn’t get that all important break and went in 19-7 down.

As the final period kicked off Payap knew it was all or nothing and as Lanna kicked deep they would have to do it from their own line. Payap came back hard and with a superb carry from Robin getting them on the front foot, the No 9 chipped over the top for centre Boom to gather and race towards the line and although he was hunted down just before he got there he still had the power to get the ball down and get Payap back into the game. The try was converted and the score was back to 19-12.

Lanna just weren’t in the mood to let this one slip and, holding possession through multiple phases, eventually found a gap for Stubley to once again exploit and handing off his opposite number he broke the line to score under the posts which Guggenheim once again converted to give Lanna a 26-12 lead.

Lanna again kicked deep and once again Payap were up to the challenge first setting up the ruck then spinning the ball wide to wing…..who sped away and, side stepping Stubley, cantered in under the posts to set up an intriguing finale after Santhiti “Aom” kwuangwaen converted to make it 26-19. Payap pushed hard for that fourth try and it almost came with the last play of the game but the ball was knocked on in the tackle close to the line and the whistle went for the end of the match. Bonus point win for Lanna and a losing bonus point for Payap. Will that be enough to see them through? Their game against CMU Rugby next week becomes all important now!

Great game of running rugby played in the right spirit.

 

Final Score line: LRC 26 – 19 PAY

TRIES: 4
2 Stubley, 1 Stanton, 1 Dtun

CONVERSIONS: 3
3 Ted

Man of the Match: 

Ted

Ted put in a stirling effort at scrum half. He controlled the attacking line well, giving nice ball to the backs and forwards which opened up the Lions game, allowing us to dominate for the majority of the match. Top work!

 

Write up by Pat Cotter:  CLICK HERE for all the Lanna Rugby Tens League match reports of the day.

Lanna Rugby Club Vs CMU

Opart (Prop), Dave (Prop, Captain),  Paul (Hooker), Stubs (2nd Row), Brave (2nd Row), Bomber (Scrum Half), Brian (Fly Half), Ted (Centre),  Dton (Right Wing), Dtun ‘The Destroyer’ (Left Wing)

Subs:
Fook, Boom, Jack

Referee:
Rush

Its coming to the business end of the season and although it looks like Lanna Rugby Club have all but booked their spot in the final, their opponents in the December 12th showcase are still yet to be decided, with both CMU Rugby Club and Payap Rugby Club still in the running.

The pitch at Sankhampeng Kanta Anusorn school was in excellent condition and, with brilliant sunshine and no hint of rain in the air, CMU kicked off with the intention of putting pressure on Payap for that all important second place.

Eager and quick out of the blocks CMU came up against a brick wall as Lanna, who’s battle hardened old boys have got better as the season wears on, snuffed out any early attacks from the CMU. As the period wore on they began to dominate at the breakdown and put CMU on the backfoot. For all the possession and territory that Lanna suddenly found for themselves, they couldn’t force a score and it was only as the clock was ticking down to the break that Stubley drove for the line only to be held up short and scrum half Mark Harris burrowed over from the ruck to get his first try for the club and finally, put Lanna on the board, which all their dominant play deserved. They should have been two up minutes later when new recruit Mike Groark barged his way over the line, but being unsighted, mistook the deadball line as the try line. Unfortunately in the buildup Mike, who had been instrumental in Lanna’s dominance in the early exchanges, took a blow to the head and had to leave the field.

From the restart it seemed that the Lanna boys were still coming to terms with losing Mike and a couple of weak tackles left the door open for CMU to equalise through Josh. As Lanna pressed for another score Harris was sin binned when adjudged to have taken down his opposite number with a dangerous tackle. Referee Rush blew the whistle to end the first period all square. 5-5

The start of the second stanza saw CMU capitalise on uncertainty in the Lanna ranks to immediately get on the board again with a breakaway try by Jed. Maybe it was the heat, maybe the loss of an influential player, but whatever it was suddenly Lanna were in complete disarray. Dropped balls, missed tackles, letting kicks bounce, it was a litany of errors and CMU are too good a side not to take advantage and they duly ran in two quick tries, a penalty try for which Dtun received a yellow card for a high tackle and by Pung to go 22-5 up.

It needed someone in the Lanna team to stand up and be counted and it duly arrived when Tom Stubley took the game by the scruff of the neck and, breaking from his own half, ran the length of the field to score and breath some life back into those Lanna legs. From the kick off CMU were guilty of letting the ball bounce and Opart was in position to knock the ball back to Stubley who immediately set off on a galivanting run through the CMU ranks to score his second and bring Lanna back into the match. 22-15 and it was game on.

The final period was a more even battle with Lanna back on their game with Captain McRitchie leading from the front and Paul Bolwell being his abrasive self as Lanna looked to get another score. Ted Guggenheim was becoming more influential as the game progressed and only some desperate defense stopped him from getting a score. It looked like CMU had scored again when a break from a mistimed kick saw them run clear only to knock the ball on over the line. From the relieving scrum a clearing kick by Guggenheim took play to the halfway and taking the lineout against the throw saw Lanna surge into the CMU 22. Harris fed the ball to Stubley who drove for the line to score but being taken high when going over the referee blew for a penalty try which tied up the game and denied Stubley a well deserved hat trick.

CMU had the chance to win the game in the last minute when they broke down the touchline. A desperate tackle by Harris was brushed aside but it was enough to force the CMU player to knock on in grounding the ball. All square at the finish with both teams getting a try bonus point. A fascinating game that swung first one way then the other and on reflection was probably a fair result which keeps CMU in contention for second spot in the league and a shot at the final.

With TNSU CMI again unavailable to field a team Payap Rugby Club got the walk over and four points.

Final Score line: LRC 22– 22 CMU

TRIES: 4
2 Stubley, 1 Bomber, 1 Penalty Try

Man of the Match:

Dtun the Destroyer

Dtun put in some massive try saving tackles in today’s physical competition. If it wasn’t for Dtun, Lions will have conceded far more tries.

 

Write up by Pat Cotter:  CLICK HERE for all the Lanna Rugby Tens League match reports of the day.

Chiang Mai University on a cool and cloudy Saturday afternoon was the venue for round four of the 2020 Lanna Rugby 10’s League. It was the first time this season that the games had been played on a pitch with posts and that would have a significant outcome during the days play.

Before the match got underway it was time for the unveiling of the new Rugby kit, which Sheryle’s Sports Bar and Restaurant had put the money forwards to Sponsor the team. Mike was down at the pitch and ready to see the Mighty Lions taken on TNSU. The new kit tops sported a triangular pattern, incorporating two new colours to the kit, a dazzling pink and solid black which was made by a local sports wear company Zasi Sport!  The infamous Pickle Inc. company which hails from Chiang Mai even got their logo on the back of the shirt. The team, looking pretty dapper, it was time to take to the pitch and show TNSU what we are made of!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lanna Rugby Club Vs TNSU CMI Rugby

Opart ‘O'(Prop), Dave (Prop, Captain),  Paul (Hooker), Stanton (2nd Row), Brave (2nd Row), Bomber (Scrum Half), Brian (Fly Half), Stubley (Centre),  Boom (Right Wing), Dtun ‘The Destroyer’ (Left Wing)

Subs:
Fook, Dton, Jack

Referee:
Pat Cotter

The second match of the day between TNSU Rugby and the Lanna Rugby Club turned out to be a contentious and at times bad tempered affair with the inexperienced TNSU team constantly infringing and at times acting more like football players than rugby players with their antics.

Despite all that the rugby that was played turned out to be hard, skillful and full of quality, with the Lanna Rugby Club stunning the younger, fitter and well organised TNSU team by racing away to a 14-0 lead by the end of the first period with excellent tries by Louis Stanton who, continues to impose himself in games with his rugby league background, and Thomas Stubley, an ever present thorn in all the teams’ sides this season. Both tries were converted by an ever impressive Brian Grieve to take the Lanna boys in at the break 14-0.

TNSU knew they had a fight on their hands and immediately hit back from the kick off with a breakaway try under the posts to cut the deficit to 7 points. It wasn’t long before they were level when a mix up in defense allowed the TNSU scrum half to dummy his way through the line to score that tied up the game.

As Lanna upped their game with some strong carries from props Opart & Brave and being driven on by Welsh scrum half Mark Harris, TNSU started to constantly infringe at the breakdown as they couldn’t contain the older and more experienced Lanna tight five which resulted in the first yellow card of the day. Although Lanna pushed hard for the line last gasp tackling prevented Lanna captian Dave McRitchie getting an all important score. Towards the end of the period Dtun finally managed to shake off his markers and dived over the line only to knock the ball on as he went in for the grounding.

A quick unconverted try by TNSU at the start of the final stanza gave the advantage back to them but their frustration continued to boil over and had visibly started to affect the Lanna side as well. A break down the wing was stopped by Dtun who slid up around the shoulders resulting in a high tackle. A TNSU player was then red carded after he kicked Dtun during a resulting altercation in a disgraceful unprovoked attack.

Lanna got back into the game and drove into the TNSU 22 but a turnover resulted in the TNSU wing receiving what looked like a forward pass which was waved on by the AR, to score under the posts. 26-14. Lanna were up against it but all the niggling and off the ball tit tat by TNSU had them fired up and Stanton made one of his trade mark breaks to carry over three would be tacklers to score under the posts with Grieve adding the extras. As the clock ticked down a Lanna try was disallowed by the AR for a slight knock on and the resulting scrum was the last play of the game. Instead of kicking the ball dead TNSU decided to run it out from their own line and ended up kicking deep into Lanna territory. Dtun gained possession and sidestepped the onrushing TNSU players to return with pace up the middle and link up with his forwards. They drove on from there with Paul Bolwell carrying into the 22 where Grieve took the ball to the line before slipping a fine inside ball to Stubley who went off on one of his meandering runs to the line to score. Grieve had the opportunity to convert what would be the kick to draw the game but the ball drifted wide and Lanna went down 26-24.

Final Score line: LRC 24– 26 TNS

TRIES: 4
2 Stubley, 2 Stanton
CONVERSIONS:
2 Brian

Man of the Match:

Big O

For his undying lust for victory in yesterday’s all or nothing match. He put in some huge hits and bulldozing runs. As well as his huge help in diplomacy to secure the last third be played.