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| OMBAC Crush Old Puget Sound Beach 57-10 (Eight Try Outburst Keeps Team Unbeaten) |
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7 April 2001 - San Diego, CA - In what one spectator called "the best half of rugby OMBAC's played this season," the Super League Western Conference leaders scored four tries in the first 40 minutes of play and cruised to a 57-10 victory over Old Puget Sound Beach. Despite the driving rainstorm that was prevalent throughout much of the match at the Little Q, the local team went on to score four more second half tries to claim the bonus point along with the four points for the win. OMBAC captain Conrad Hodgson showed his teammates the path to the try zone just seven minutes into the contest after relentless OMBAC forward pressure. Flyhalf Alistair Steele was again charged with the kicking responsibilities and his extras gave OMBAC the 7-0 lead. As would become the pattern throughout the afternoon, OMBAC's tight five completely manhandled the OPSB pack. This led to an OMBAC try by big second rower Mark Day just three minutes after the Hodgson putdown. Steele was good to bump the lead a further two. Center Blair Cashmore kept up his fine form when he broke clear from midfield. His pass found Jason Harper who looked to put Johan Claasen away. A high tackle prevented Claasen from the try but the referee awarded the penalty try for the dangerous tackle. Steele again tacked on the conversion and followed that up with a penalty to give OMBAC a commanding 24-0 lead with a further 15 minutes still to play in the first half. Day was instrumental in OMBAC's next try as he poached an attacking ball near midfield, the ball was swung wide for Cashmore to make another incisive break. Claasen ended up with the ball again and this time managed to ground it as OMBAC took the 29-0 lead into intermission. Things continued to go well for OMBAC in the second spell. At the 10-minute mark, reserve loose forward Mike Stanaway made the initial break through the Puget Sound midfield defense before putting Harper into space. Five minutes later Stanaway decided he'd see his name on the score sheet from 15-meters out. Steele was good on both conversions and the lead ballooned to 43-0. Old Puget Sound averted the shutout midway through the second half with a 20-meter penalty kick but OMBAC's response was a converted try by Harper with Paul Jennings and Nelu the table setters. OPSB scored their lone try of the match minutes later as an OMBAC miscue deep in their own end handed the visitors an easy try. The play looked promising as OMBAC had a 3-on-1 in the shadows of their own goal post. But instead of executing the 90-meter break, OMBAC's Eric Stewart threw an errant pass to the lone Puget Sound defender who waltzed in for the try. OMBAC closed out the day's scoring with a brilliant individual effort by Malakai Delai. The speedy Fijian winger, who a week ago was on the United States Hong Kong Sevens Plate winning side, stepped between two OPSB players just 10 meters from his own line and then for the 90 meters of ground in front of him, grubbered the ball on three different occasions to dot down. Steele ended the match with his seventh successful conversion as OMBAC won big 57-10, extracting a bit of revenge for last year's defeat in Seattle. "Our tight five was awesome," said OMBAC assistant coach Lin Walton. "They were more than a handful for the Old Puget Sound pack. And even though the conditions were not conducive to running rugby, I thought overall our hands were great. The ball seemed to stick to our hands like glue." In other results from the fourth round of the Super League, Aspen continues to rack up the points as they pounded Denver 53-3; the Dallas Harlequins squeaked past Belmont Shore 30-28; Boston defeated Old Blue 18-16; PAC won for the first time this season beating local rivals Washington 34-13; Life downed the Kansas City Blues 32-14; and the Chicago Lions won big at home 52-5 over Philadelphia-Whitemarsh. OMBAC heads up the Western Conference with 18 points followed by Aspen's 14. In the East, Life leapfrogs Old Blue to sit on top with 13. The Little Q will be rocking again this Saturday with a full day of rugby action. The day gets underway at 10:00 a.m. with the IIIs taking the field. The II's kick off at 11:30. Rancho Bernardo High School plays in the Super League curtain raiser match at 1:30 p.m. against a Canadian touring side. And at 3:00 p.m. OMBAC will look to keep their unbeaten streak intact as they take on San Francisco Golden Gate at 3:00 p.m. It's going to be a full day of action, hope to see you at the Little Q. OMBAC Lineup -15-Johan Claasen |