ARCHIVED NEWS
2002 | 2001 | 2000
OMBAC SHUTOUT OLYMPIC CLUB IN SUPER LEAGUE OPENER: Earn bonus point in abysmal conditions
(San Diego, CA) 1 March 2003 -- I think it was Albert Hammond who wrote that it never rains in Southern California. He’d been singing a different tune if he was at the Little Q in San Diego today. In conditions that started bad and ended worse, the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club (OMBAC) rugby team got its 2003 Super League campaign off to a good start with a hard fought 24-0 victory over San Francisco’s Olympic Club. Rain wasn’t the only thing falling to the ground as bodies were strewn about the Little Q’s flooring throughout this ill-tempered match. It was 10 minutes into the match before either team registered a scoring opportunity. OMBAC was called for a penalty about 35-meters out and the O Club’s Tim Dymmel attempt at goal sailed wide of the mark. Alistair Steele had a chance to give OMBAC the lead but he too sent a penalty attempt wide and the game remained scoreless. OMBAC finally put together a string of possession deep in the Olympic Club’s half of the paddock and were rewarded with a nicely timed try by the inside backs. Rucked ball was delivered by Ghian Snyman to his halfback partner, Rocky Matatumua. As inside center Riaan Hamilton drifted wide, outside center Siaa Taveuveu came at pace through the vacant channel and sped in under the posts. The easy conversion was slotted by Steele to give OMBAC the 7-0. It turned out to be the only score of the first half as defensive stands at both ends of the pitch and dropped passes all around prevented further scoring. Scoring was replaced by hard tackling and off the ball altercations and three minutes from halftime OMBAC’s #8 Henry Schaaf was pulled aside by referee Pat McNally. The man in charge saw something he didn’t care for and pulled out the yellow card, sending the powerful backrower to the sin bin. OMBAC held on for those frantic few minutes and went to the break with the seven-point lead and the wind come the second half. With Schaaf back in the fray and with the wind at their backs, OMBAC slowly started to take control of the match. A nice team effort contributed towards OMBAC’s second dot-down. A good interchange between forwards and backs gave OMBAC a numbers advantage out wide. Steele made the telling break and although he was cut down just short of the line his momentum and a good second effort enabled him to reach across the line for the try. The conversion was no good but on a day when tries would be scarce, a 12-0 lead brought some relief to the OMBAC coaching staff. OMBAC continued to have the territorial edge and the pressure paid off at the 60th minute mark. From a scrum five meters from the visitors’ line, Schaaf picked up and as he’s done throughout Southern California divisional play, plowed right through a posse of defenders for OMBAC’s third Yahtzee of the day. The difficult conversion from the right hand touchline gave Steele a bit of confidence and extended the lead to 19-0 and the outcome looked safe. What wasn’t yet secured was the four-try bonus point and OMBAC threw everything at the O Club in search of it. In fact, both teams continued to look for tries but the conditions deteriorated to such an extent that just holding onto the ball in the tackle seemed a mighty accomplishment. With 10 minutes left in the match, OMBAC achieved its objective. A stolen ball by Dan Payne was driven close to the O Club line by prop John Tarpoff. With the blue and white forwards providing Snyman excellent possession, the ball was sent down the backline to where Schaaf just happened to be located and he barreled in for his second try of the day and the bonus point was in the bank. The rest of the game played out with a few more flare-ups, a few more dropped balls and a few more fans getting soaked to the skin but it was a result that OMBAC wanted — a 24-0 victory and five points in the standings. “The rain made it a pretty sloppy affair,” said OMBAC’s Bing Dawson. “It was obvious that both teams wanted to run, it’s just unfortunate the rain made handling so difficult. We were happy with the defensive effort. The Olympic Club was down near our goal line a few different times but we managed to hang on. It’s always nice to start with a win and we’ll take it.” OMBAC’s Super League team travels to our nation’s capital next weekend with a Sunday start time against the Potomac Athletic Club. OMBAC’s next home Super League match is Saturday, March 29 against the defending champion Gentlemen of Aspen. There will be plenty of rugby at the Little Q on Saturday as OMBAC’s Southern California Division I team plays two against Newport Beach Back Bay in the season’s last regular week of play. The seconds kickoff at 1:00 p.m. while the main event gets underway at 3:00 p.m. The Oxy Olde Boys also make a visit to San Diego for a doubleheader against OMBAC’s Division II side. The first XV kickoff at 10:00 while the seconds take the field at 11:30. Admission at the Little Q is $5.
Source: OMBACRugby.com
(top)