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(San Francisco, CA) 7 June --
Belmont Shore have been crowned the new USA
Rugby Super League champions with a 23-15 victory over long-time
rivals OMBAC in the 2003 championship game in San Francisco.
Like a heavyweight title fight,
both teams sparred and jabbed at each other in the opening rounds,
before Belmont Shore dealt the winning blow late in the game to clinch
the title that they’ve been focused on for so long.
In a game marked by outstanding defense on both sides of the ball,
Belmont scored three tries to OMBAC’s two to carry the day. Shore also
forced numerous OMBAC turnovers to help set up the triumph.
Belmont got things rolling first when Mike Hercus, who started the
game at fullback, slotted a penalty goal at the 16-minute mark.
However, OMBAC’s Alister Steele leveled the scores just three minutes
later with his own sweetly struck conversion.
The next ten minutes featured intense defense with neither side
prepared to give an inch, that is until Belmont winger Alex Hammill
intercepted an OMBAC pass on the halfway line and scorched down the
touchline to score the game’s first try. The Hercus conversion was
good and Shore was out in front 10-3.
In the 33rd minute, another Hercus penalty goal increased Shore’s lead
to 13-3, then four minutes later, the US Eagle pivot was knocked
unconscious when he took a heavy hit from his Eagle teammate Conrad
Hodgson. The game was delayed for six minutes while medics from both
teams treated the injured player. Hercus took no further part in the
match and was replaced by Ray Pua.
As time wound down in the first half, OMBAC was knocking at the Shore
tryline, but couldn’t penetrate the wall-like defense and the half
closed with the 13-3 scoreline.
The second half opened with sustained Belmont Shore pressure and the
team from Los Angeles was rewarded with a try to player/coach Matt
Webber. The Kiwi eightman crashed into the try zone from five meters
out following a series of rucks and mauls.
At around the 55th minute mark, OMBAC began to find some of the form
that had carried them through an undefeated regular season and were
able retain multi-phase possessions. That, combined with a string of
penalties in their favor, allowed the Stingrays to work themselves
down field and winger Dave DiSorbo capped off the continued pressure
by slipping a couple of tackles to score. The attempted conversion was
wide, but OMBAC was back in contention with the score at 18-8.
At that point, both teams started to make substitutions as the
pressure built and time was becoming crucial. Then, in the 75th
minute, Belmont Shore put one hand on the Super League trophy when
outside center John Pua scored the try that turned out to be the game
winner.
It followed several scrums and sustained pressure and eventually the
OMBAC defense succumbed. Again the attempted extras went begging, but
Belmont had jumped ahead 23-8.
With around two minutes left in the game, OMBAC surged one last time
and grabbed a consolation try when outside center Siaa Taveuveu was
able to shed a couple of tacklers to dot down close to the posts.
Steele’s conversion was good and Shore’s lead had been cut to 23-15.
OMBAC desperately tried to regain possession for another throw of the
dice, but another turnover gave the ball to Shore and scrumhalf John
Roller booted it into touch to end the match.
“Despite starting slowly, I think we ended up getting out there and
taking it to them,” said victorious skipper Mike Hercus. “This was one
of the goals I set out to achieve this year and I’m just glad that the
boys really came together and helped me achieve it.”
OMBAC skipper Conrad Hodgson, who was voted the Pepcid Complete MVP,
paid tribute to Belmont, saying the best team won on the day. “No
doubt about it, Belmont had an outstanding game. To my guys, a very
hotly contested match, but there’s always next year.”
Belmont Shore winger Alex Hammill won Michelob MVP honors with another
‘Hollywood’ performance on the field. “We had twelve months of that
rock in our back and the passion was definitely there. You have to
OMBAC credit, they were undefeated this year, but we hung in there and
we wanted it more.”
The championship victory was Shore’s second in the Super League. The
club previously won the title in 1998. They also made it to the
championship game in 1999 and 2002.
The USA RUGBY Super League is the premier men's rugby competition in
the United States. The Super League was established in 1997 and is
proudly sponsored by Michelob Lager, the official beer of the Rugby
Super League, Pepcid Complete, the heartburn solution of the Rugby
Super League and by Kooga, the official supplier of jerseys for the
Rugby Super League. |
OMBAC
RUGBY