The Knox Old Boys continue to look determined to stamp their authority over the competition on the run into finals, with a convincing win over Brothers.
The Chatswood/Roseville Brothers are in their first season in the Kentwell cup, playing highly skilful, impacting rugby, yet their style is also characterised by elements of disorganisation.
An exciting game of counterattack and hard-running rugby was the product between two very proud teams.
Knox dominated the opening of the first half, winning every lineout, causing trouble at scrum time and throwing inside pop-balls off fly-half Vincent Byrne to props, Ezra Luxton and Gabriel Lloyd.
After an age of attack, Brothers had pushed the referee too far finally calling a full arm penalty against them for not releasing in the ruck. The old Boys opted for the shot at goal and got ahead early on in the game, 3 – 0.
The vast majority of the first half lingered inside the Brothers 22, the Old Boys attacking but the Brothers managing to hold them out. However, relentless attack and a quick run off a penalty allowed for prop Ezra Luxton to batter over a partially defended right wing for the first try of the day.
At half time, the score was 8 – 0.
The restart was kicked deep by the Knobs. Due to the wet conditions or possibly their inability to win lineouts on the day, the Brothers had tended to kick in field in the first half. The Brothers kick receiver returned the kick off to an expecting Knox winger, Andrew Dymock.
Dymock burst in field, allowing for the ball to be spread to the opposite winger, William Foster, who broke to the line for a try early in the second half.
Brothers didn’t let this affect them too much, rather building on intensity and attacking through their massive forwards, Charlie O’Connor and Jone Tagivetaua.
Finally winning a lineout, two phases was all it took to finally bust over the Old Boys line, prop Christopher Micali claiming the try, bringing the scores to 13 – 7.
Even play in the centre of the field resulted after the restart until a penalty for ruck infringements allowed for another shot at goal to the Old Boys. Slotting it successfully, Knox’s motivation was at a high-point of the game.
The Brothers kept attacking, winger Manasa Vuadreu making good ground and at one stage getting over the line but dropping the ball.
Ruck infringements from a lethargic forward pack lost Brothers another good surge, allowing yet another penalty for not rolling away in a tackle. Knox yet again slotting the kick, William Foster’s kick skimming the right post before ricocheting off the cross-bar.
However, the Old Boys ran away with the game in the final minutes, counterattack play enabling winger Andrew Dymock to switch with outside centre Joshua Horton off a picked up chip. Horton popped the ball off to winger William Foster 40 metres out; Foster managing to gas his competition in for a try under the posts.
The final score was 26 – 7 in what was a very lively and exciting game of rugby.
