Monday's Musings

Flukey photo- the writer's M-o-M caught in the same frame - Braddock & Fraser!

A good season ends in hard-fought contest.

Being the last game report of the season, the writer may just become a little verbose! UBC had been bushwhacked on their last visit to Windsor and they opened with authority, clearly making a statement that this would not re-occur. One of the very early forays saw big winger, Kulkhan, crash into Dobravsky and unfortunately, Dustin was gone for the game. Schellie came on at #15 and proved to be a constant sparkplug, fielding balls, running elusively and making his customary, big-hearted tackles. Sauder made an early break and after five or six recycles went nowhere, the backs were called upon and it was Sauder’s change of pace that sliced the defence to open the scoring, 7 – 0 after seven minutes. ‘Ice’ Povey slotted a penalty at ten minutes and at 7 – 3 this was to be as close as CW would get to The Birds on this day. Sauder was again, front and center, sending McQueen on a dummying break. The defense initially rose to the call but half a dozen retentions and a crashing good line from Weyell saw the score pushed to 14 – 3.

From the re-start, a super hard line and good “handles” saw Clironomos – a Lord Byng grad, who Spike would have been proud of; creating a penalty at the breakdown, 17 – 3. The game was getting out of reach very early with the hosts having little possession and the crisp passing and pace of UBC really asking some serious questions. CW had a brief, lively period and more may have come of it if an advantage had been given rather than being called back and receiving a scrum ‘put-in’. So, flurry over. A big factor on the day was the quality work of the UBC forwards at the breakdown. The ball got into Sauder’s hands again, a dummy or two and thirty-five meters later and he had crossed for his brace, 22 – 3. This all came from an unforced error after CW had lost a lineout on the attacking 22, following a penalty for touch. Worth a comment! CW did come on with a UBC player in the bin for a very debatable, ‘cynical’ knock-on. Polson made a good thrust; a further penalty against UBC, three or four good CW probes only to turn the ball over when questions were being asked. Again, hats off to the UBC pack as a unit, absorbing pressure then applying the ‘attacking tackle’ to reverse the pressure. Thus endeth the half.

The second stanza opened with a very useful period of sustained CW pressure. When two UBC players collided and were “out” (and subsequently substituted, Rees looking pretty serious), CW made hay. Wide ball got into The Magician’s hands and Anton was delighted to account, 22 – 8 after five minutes and one just wondered could another ‘Lazarus’ be performed? The tension ramped up as the home side called on all their resources, personal and collective, Thomas being on and running rampart, leading the way. Dan Moor was also very noticeable, constantly looking for work. Having seen this man at club and International level, today may well have been his best or one of his best outings. UBC did respond to the try with attack of their own, particularly as CW was deemed to transgress two or three times and ultimately, Braddock was ruled to have “bull-dogged” an opponent and was shown a yellow. To have highlighted this incident with a card was perplexing given the fact that players from both teams crashed into the tackle without wrapping and went in high to obtain a maul ruling, there was just all too much going on for such a specific to be adjudged, so like the UBC card, I use “debatable”. Further there is another point to be made however, I will save that for the summary.

A man down, led by great tackling, Fraser and Styles to the fore and credit to the pack, the boys repelled some ten UBC phases and Ceedub somehow, found itself on the attack about 35 meters out. Fingertip passing and pace tested the opponent’s coverage of width. From the eventual breakdown, first it was Burger, yet again – a willing runner on this day, then Polson and finally Turner who barrelled over to get the score to 15 – 22. With CW still at 14 men, UBC won two essential scrums – welcome to The Bigs, Grant Baird and drew a subsequent penalty, 15 – 25 – the final nail in the coffin. The rain and mist settled, providing an ephemeral setting. At this stage, The Birds’ possession produced another long penalty with the decision to find touch. The White Wave threw copious phases at a defiant defence. Then there was Sauder!! Shimmy and sidestep; his pace over ten meters wrong-footed defenders and a sideline conversion from Coe brought his tally to nine and the final, 29 – 15, two tries the difference and an accurate reflection. Well done, UBC.