Teddy grab vital win
This brutal, physical game characterised all that is good about college rugby. Both teams brought along large sets of supporters eager to cheer their team on in what was billed as 'the game' for the league championship.
The pitch was in a good condition and the scene was set for these two mammoth teams to clash. Both teams started with a bang, Peter's utilising their large, strong pack in rolling mauls.
Surprisingly they turned away from their effective forward play and span the ball out wide resulting in an eventual loss of possession. This gave Dan Mendes the opportunity to show his kicking potential for the first time in the game.
The last occasion these two teams met, the Peter's no.10 Jamie Dalrymple, dominated the game and this was obviously an added incentive for Mendes to reclaim his title as the 'golden booted' wonder. Mendes kicked the first penalty to give Hall the lead, and this was further extended when as a result of clever kicking to the corner, the referee awarded a penalty try for a professional foul by St Peter's on their own try line.
This game was always going to be fought amongst the forwards, a situation that literally arose when tempers reached boiling point and fists were flying. Both teams had a front row forward sin-binned in different halves for dirty play at the breakdown.
With a makeshift front row the Teddy Hall pack managed to astound Peters by consistently turning scrums and winning turnover ball. For the first time this year the Peter's supporters were quiet until a well-worked move out wide brought them right back into the game with a try just before half time.
Peter's applied immense pressure on the Hall defence resulting in several penalties and Dalrymple consistently kicked for the lineout in what, with hindsight, might be seen as a tactical error as the pressure wasn't converted into points. The game that followed when both teams were back to fifteen men was a tense affair with fast back-row running from Peters countered with the awesome tackling of Teddy Hall captain Steve McMahon.
Peters managed to draw within two points of the Hall score but as they tired powerful running from Tom 'hit-man' Watkins resulted in a try in the corner for the man of the match Dan Mendes. Despite missing the conversion, Mendes had a superb game that set the platform for this impressive victory. Excluding a slip-up against a refreshed Keble side next week, Teddy Hall seems to have the league sewn up and with Cuppers looming they will be eyeing the prestigious double again this year.
31st Jan 2002