OMBAC
RUGBYhttp://www.ombacrugby.com
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OMBAC Score Nine Tries In Win Over
The Lions (Will Face The Kansas City Blues In Semis) |
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19 May 2001 - San Diego, CA - The OMBAC rugby team exploded for 40 unanswered points over the final 20 minutes to rout the Chicago Lions 62-15 in a Rugby Super League semi-final match today at the Little Q. OMBAC came into the match as the Western Conference’s #1 seed with a perfect 7-0 record including last week’s ten-try performance in the spanking of the Denver Barbarians. The Lions, one of the country’s storied clubs, carried a 4-3 record into the contest and the Eastern Conference’s #3 seed. This was Chicago’s first visit to the Super League postseason while OMBAC lost to eventual champions, Life University, in one of last year’s semi-final clashes. Although the Lions had lost three matches during the regular season, they were 3-0 in matches away from the Windy City and were not to be taken lightly. And it was the visitors who struck first as an early barrage of penalties called on OMBAC for hands in the ruck gave Chicago flyhalf Duncan Blowers five shots at goal in the first 15 minutes. Blowers was successful on two of his early attempts but the three other shots were off the mark. Soon after a Chicago second row was sent to the sin-bin to cool off for 10 minutes, OMBAC scored the first of its nine tries on the day. It was an OMBAC throw-in five meters from the Chicago line. A clean take off the top looked as if it was going to the strong side but instead the ball was brought down to hooker Pat Wallace who sliced in to give OMBAC the 7-6 lead. OMBAC increased the lead to 14-6 just five minutes later as Dave DiSorbo and Bobby Linder hooked up on a beautiful weakside counterattack to get it close before a finishing pass to fullback Johan Claasen sealed the deal. The rest of the half belonged to the kickers as OMBAC’s Alistair Steele tacked on a penalty kick to go with his two earlier conversions while Blowers added two more penalties to bring the halftime score to 17-12 in favor of OMBAC. OMBAC moved the scoreboard first in the second half as dynamic prop Dan Dorsey took on a couple of Lions before setting Jason Harper free to the try zone. As it was throughout the day, the Lions response was another Blowers penalty to make it 22 to 15. OMBAC got some breathing room near the midway mark of the half as replacement lock Robb Denney punched it in from in close to increase the lead to 29-15. The Lions weren’t ready to call it a day however as they spent the next five minutes camped out on OMBAC’s line knowing they needed a try to stay in the hunt. The assaults at the OMBAC line varied. When the Lions spun it wide they were cut down with first time tackles. When they tried to crash it through with their forwards there was always two or three OMBAC defenders on the ready. Every move was halted by the OMBAC defense until a Lions’ knock-on allowed the hosts to clear. The turnover knocked the wind out of the Chicago sails as they never again threatened to score. In fact, they spent the rest of the game trying to keep OMBAC out of their try zone, without much success. Captain Conrad Hodgson was the recipient of good lead-up work to score a short-range Yahtzee. That was followed by Ryan Rebell’s 10-meter dash to the Promised Land. Fourth-phase possession at the 72nd minute saw Blair Cashmore dot down for his first on the day. Another long counterattack entitled Claasen to his second on the afternoon. And reserve scrumhalf Ghian Snyman ended the scoring going weak in the game’s final minute to score in the corner. Steele converted five of the six and for the second consecutive week OMBAC broke 60, this time a 62-15 victory over Chicago. "That second half defensive stand was the key to the victory today," said Bing Dawson, OMBAC’s coach for the past 25 years. "The Lions didn’t have much left after putting so much effort into finding the try zone then. It also took us some time to figure out the referee but once we did that, we got it together." OMBAC will host the Kansas City Blues, who defeated San Francisco Golden Gate earlier today 28-15, on Saturday, June 2 at the Little Q. The kickoff will be at 3:00 p.m. In other Super League quarterfinal action, Life University downed Old Blues Griffins 27-20 and the Gentlemen of Aspen crushed Boston 61-8. In a rematch of last year’s finalists, Aspen travels to Atlanta on June 2 to tackle Life in the other semi-final. OMBAC Lineup
-15-Johan Claasen |