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OMBAC CRUSHES BOSTEN; FINISH REGULAR SEASON UNDEFEATED: Will face Old Blue New York in Quarterfinal match
(San Diego, CA) 27 April 2003 -- The OMBAC rugby team closed out its 2003 Rugby Super League regular season schedule the same way it kicked off the season, with a lopsided victory. In between there were some close matches but the end result was always the same – an OMBAC victory. For the first time since the competition started in 1997, OMBAC went through the schedule undefeated. The Boston Rugby Club was never really in Saturday’s match as OMBAC got off to a quick start en route to a 67-7 victory. Not only did the loss drop Boston to 4-3 for the season but the bonus point they never secured would have given them a fourth place finish in the Blue Conference and a place in the postseason. OMBAC’s lightning quick center, Siaa Taveuveu, got things rolling in the 4th minute of play. From an unsettled OMBAC scrum 20 meters out from the Boston line, flyhalf Rocky Matatumua delayed his pass just long enough to find the flying Taveuveu bursting through the gap and he went untouched for the first of OMBAC’s 11 tries on the day. Boston had a chance to close the gap but two missed penalties by Boston winger Stan Ruda kept the score at 5-0. OMBAC dotted down its second try 12 minutes into the match. The play started with a nice lineout take by Bob Knoephel. The ball was then shipped quickly down the backline with Alistair Steele filling in the line from his fullback position to do the honors. Another good play by the OMBAC backs, in particular Dave DiSorbo who had three touches in the movement, created a try for #8 Henry Schaaf to make it 15-0 midway through the first half. Following Schaaf’s try, OMBAC came right back on the restart as Man of the Match, Dan Payne, ran over three Boston defenders to free up space for Riann Hamilton. Hamilton, who also had a blinder, dished off to Matt Wyatt and the hooker spotted Steele coming up the guts and put him away for OMBAC’s fourth try. Matatumua, taking over the kicking duties for Steele, slotted his first of six successful conversions to make it 22-0. The backs, brilliant all day long, created another try just minutes later. Steele was hammered twice near the touchline but managed to stay in the field of play. He offloaded to Hamilton who punished more Boston defenders. DiSorbo was cut down just short of the line but referee Fred Thomas detected Boston players not allowing the ball to be released and awarded OMBAC a penalty try. OMBAC quickly returned to the Boston end of the paddock and an OMBAC steal in the lineout turned into more points. A quick dash down the weakside by Ghian Snyman created the opportunity for Tim Omi to get his name on the score sheet. Omi was the table-setter on the last try of the half as he and Taveuveu played a little give and go before Taveuveu outpaced the defense to the try zone. At the half, OMBAC found itself comfortably in front, 43-0. Hamilton opened the second half account with a try at the 44th minute. Boston managed to get their only score of the match at the 55th minute mark as the forwards drove a maul over the OMBAC line for the score. Ruda’s successful conversion made it 50-7. The backrow was instrumental in the next OMBAC try. From a scrum deep in Boston territory, Schaaf picked up from the base, passed to Payne, Conrad Hodgson pounded ahead for more yards, Kenny Wilson had a quick touch before Schaaf thundered over for his second on the day. Schaaf and Wilson combined from a scrum in OMBAC territory to get the go forward in attack. A Wilson dummy down the shortside created all kinds of space for Payne. Mike French, who had just come on the field before the scrum got set, finished off the move. Hamilton finished off his and OMBAC’s good day with a try near the end. Final score, OMBAC 67 – Boston 7. “Although we were already assured of a spot in the playoffs, I did not want to see a let-up,” said OMBAC head coach Joe Leota. “We want to keep playing better every week and we continued to do that today. I was pleased with the effort and the execution. Now we can focus on the playoffs and our next opponent.” That opponent will be New York Old Blue, which lost to San Francisco Golden Gate. That quarterfinal match will take place at the Little Q on Saturday, May 17 at 3:00 p.m.
Source: OMBACRugby.com
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