Giants RFC 1. AJ Parker 2. SA Flack 3. AC Funkotron 4. DG Dafter 5. TA Miokovic 6. SDR Laing 7. MC Burridge 8. BJ Gemmell 9. RG Cribb (c) 10. E Ames (k) 11. AJ Son 12. C Golding 13. C Kovas 14. AP Farnsworth 15. K Fung Chiefs 1. G Shriram 2. B Dover 3. BS Read 4. JR Denton 5. J Torres 6. AX Kirikiri 7. WC Welker 8. S Humble (c) 9. LA Pilgrim 10. MJ Johns 11. DRP Taylor (k) 12. HJ Bots 13. GJ Weaver 14. BG Herd 15. MD Dorn Post Game Injuries: None
Update: 0 mins Well, what a big occasion this is. No-one really knows who is going to win this. It is the first match of the first season of Seasonal Rugby. Plenty of possible rep players playing today, and it looks to be a good encounter. Both these teams have most of their players in their primary positions, but the Giants Fly Half situation has led them to play C Golding at inside centre. Let’s see how he goes. The inexperienced and low posting Chiefs front row looks to be put under immense pressure by the mainly rep front 5 of the Giants. The crowd is roaring and E Ames has taken the ball to take the kick off.
Update: 20 mins E Ames has lofted a high one and has given his forwards a real chance to get to that one. But that is a lovely take from JR Denton after solid lifting from AX Kirikiri and S Humble. The Chiefs have formed a maul. LA Pilgrim takes the ball and hands it to Johns. He steps back inside and is tackled by Ames. At the breakdown, Pilgrim pops it up to Dover who knocks it on from the pass. Scrum down to the Giants. RG Cribb feeds the ball in and Flack hooks it back with good support from Parker with a solid push. Gemmell steadies the ball and it looks like he just farted in Cribb’s face. Cribb regains composure and passes the ball to Ames who cuts across. He dummies to Golding and pops to Kovas. C Kovas passes to Farnsworth. Ah. Forward pass from Kovas and the ref has called another scrum in 5 minutes. Pilgrim takes the ball off Farnsworth and gets ready to put the ball in. The Chiefs pack is put under immense pressure by the Giants but Dover just manages to hook the ball back as they are being driven backwards. But Pilgrim takes it from the back and passes to MJ Johns. He miss passes to Weaver and he cuts across, running a scissors move with Herd. WEAVER HAS DUMMIED TO HERD AND HE IS THROUGH! ONLY THE FULL BACK IN HIS WAY! A brilliant last ditch tackle by Fung has held Weaver up. Giants forwards get to the ball first and turn it over. The ball is passed back to Ames by Dafter covering at Scrum Half and it goes over the touch line for a lineout.
Update: 40 mins Just inside the Chiefs half, Dover demands the ball for the lineout. It is a wobbly throw and Dafter claims the ball with ease. Good take, but Dover just gave Torres no chance there. Giants form a maul, but Chiefs slam the breaks on, and don’t let them get past. Cribb makes a quick pick and go and gains 5 metres down the blindside. Ames fills in at Scrum Half and pops the ball up to Funkotron. Ouch! Funkotron has just completely piledrived his way through AX Kirikiri there. He makes at least 10 metres before 2 men manage to take him down. Kirikiri is still on the ground, and it doesn’t look good. He waves the physio away and just manages to get up. But Giants RFC play on while this is all happening and Ames sticks a chip over the top where Farnsworth is pounding on. But the kick has gone just too long and bounces into touch. Dover now has the ball on the Chiefs 5 metre line for the lineout. The Giants will be looking to heap the pressure on from this set-piece. Dover gets a quick throw to the front and Shriram claims it. And taps the ball back to Pilgrim. LA Pilgrim tries to get a kick away but knocks the ball on and gives away a scrum. The Giants pack and scrum half get into a little huddle and get ready. Cribb taps SA Flack on the arm and puts the ball in straight away. Brilliant communication from the Giants. GEMMELL HAS TAKEN THE BALL AT THE BACK AND NO ONE IS GOING TO STOP HIM FROM HERE! TRY GIANTS. The score is now 5-0 to the Giants with the conversion just to the right of the posts. Ames slots the conversion coolly and jogs back to his half. 7-0 Giants. The 40 minutes is up and the ref blows for half time.
Update: 60 mins DRP Taylor is readying himself for the kick. Nice kick and Burridge takes it into the Chiefs forwards. On the half way line now, Cribb dummies to E Ames and passes the ball to AP Farnsworth. MASSIVE HAND OFF FROM FARNSWORTH! HE HAS ALMOST TAKEN TAYLOR’S HEAD OFF! HE SPRINTS, AND STEPS DORN! THAT IS THE TRY OF THE SEASON FROM FARNSWORTH! The score is 12-0 to the Giants. A try just before and just after HT for the Giants! Another easy conversion under the posts gives the Giants another 2 points. 14-0 now. Taylor takes the ball again. The Chiefs will be annoyed they let the Giants score so early in the second half. That is a reverse kick and goes to AJ Son. He passes inside to C Kovas and he takes the ball into contact with good support from his forwards. They drive over well and retain possession. Cribb directs play and hands the ball to TA Miokovic who towers above Herd. Brilliant tackle from Herd there and the Giants forwards get over the ball. Cribb hold play up, no rush for the Giants, they are 14-0 up. Eventually passes to Ames who chips one over the top. WHERE WAS DORN THERE? HE WAS IN THE LINE! KOVAS AND FARNSWORTH ARE BOTH NEAR THE BALL AND KOVAS TAKES IT CLEANLY! Easy try under the posts for the Giants. Ames isn’t missing that conversion. 21-0 Giants.
