| RCL hang on to beat RC Aachen
RCL 1st XV took on RC Aachen, recently demoted from the first division, at Josy Barthel this Saturday. In a tough and physical match, RCL were able to hang onto their lead and secure a win. Aachen started the game well, getting possession back after the kick-off and making their way into the opposite half. In a frantic first few minutes, with almost no breaks in play, Aachen dominated possession but couldn’t break through the home team’s defence. After several minutes on the back-foot, RCL started to get some possession and were able to relieve some of the pressure. Neither team looked like scoring at this point. Aachen couldn’t find any cracks in the defence whilst RCL struggled to keep possession long enough to build any momentum. It took fifteen minutes until the first score of the match. Centre James Clarke reacted quickly enough to a quick line-out to tackle the German full-back in the in-goal area as he caught the ball. Number eight Richard Marsden was then able to pick the ball from the back of the resultant scrum and crash over the line, unsuccessfully converted. Marsden unfortunately picked up an injury while scoring and had to be replaced. The home side quickly worked their way back up field and won a penalty off a five metre scrum which, had the referee played advantage, would have been a try for Jean-Baptiste Vert, converted by Stuart Logier. Aachen replied with a try of their own shortly after. A neat back-line move put the German full-back into space and over the try line, successfully converted.
RCL take control
The Luxembourgish team looked the better side after conceding a try. Winning a penalty after a good spell in attack, converted by Second-row Johnny Fitzpatrick from the touchline. Within minutes, the home side were threatening to score again and almost did. Starting a maul ten metres away from the line, they drove the ball over the line only for the referee to give the defence the benefit of doubt. The Luxembourgish outfit kept the momentum going in the second-half with a second try. Fly half Simon Horner finding a gap in the defence and running around the opposition fullback to score in the corner, unsuccessfully converted. Aachen rallied in the second half and started to put the pressure back on RCL. Eventually leading to hooker Christopher Dumont getting sent to the sin-bin for repeated offences. Taking advantage of their numerical superiority, Aachen shipped the ball out wide. The German winger rushed through a half-gap in the defence to score in the corner, unsuccessfully converted. RCL managed to restore their lead a few minutes later. Turning over the ball in the opposition’s half, the ball was quickly distributed out wide to Winger Adrien Timmermans who raced into the corner for RCL’s third, which was unsuccessfully converted.
Shaky ending
All the momentum was with Aachen following that try. RCL defended well but couldn’t seem to get their hands on the ball at all. Combined with indiscipline, Aachen were able to work their way into the Luxembourgish twenty-two metre area and score in the exact same manner as their second try, which was unsuccessfully converted. With RCL’s lead cut down to four points, the last ten minutes of the match were extremely tense and physical. Both teams desperate to win the game. The home side showed an enormous amount of determination to keep the German team scoreless and force a knock-on in the dying seconds of the game. The ball popped out of the side of the scrum and was scooped up by Aachen’s flanker only for him to lose the ball in contact and for RCL to kick the ball into touch and end the game. Honourable mentions go to captain James Clarke, flanker Jean-Baptiste and flanker Jesper Christensen who tackled their hearts out. Man of the match was awarded to second-row Johnny Fitzpatrick who seemed to be everywhere at once, hitting rucks, tackling and carrying well throughout the match.
By James Clarke |
