INSTONIANS BEAT BUCCANEERS 52 – 24 WITH A BONUS POINT IN OPENING MATCH IN AIL DIV 2A

Photos from Buccaneers facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/100063566471422/posts/1050338867094986/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

 

On Saturday 21 September 2024 Instonians travelled to Dubarry Park to play Buccaneers who are celebrating their 30^th birthday this season. President Lorna Stuart Trainor is the 1^st female president of Buccaneers and she was a fantastic host and mentioned a link between the clubs that this Instonian did not know. One of our British Lions captains Stanley Walker (1934) had a spell with the Athlone club when he worked there.

The pre match lunch in the lovely clubhouse was superb as new Instonian President Peter Russell mentioned in his excellent post meal speech (with the 3-pint joke now put out to pasture, if you know, you know….) and it was clear that there was an immediate rapport between the two clubs with genuine rugby people enjoying each other’s company.

It was now time for the main business of the day with Buccaneers looking to put their disappointing results from last season behind them while Instonians were starting afresh after a hard earned promotion from 2B last year.

14:30 – Buccaneers 0 – Instonians 0

Buccaneers kicked off towards the clubhouse with the breeze in their favour and whereas the forecast sunshine did not materialise, it remained dry overhead.

14:33 – Buccaneers 3 – Instonians 0

Instonians failed to regather the kick off and Buccaneers immediately showed their intent to move the ball infield and go through the phases and when Instonians were penalised at the breakdown the Bucaneers 10 had no hesitation pointing to the posts just 10 metres outside the Instonians 22 in centrefield. The ball sailed high between the uprights and the home side was up and running.

14:37 – Buccaneers 10 – Instonians 0

Buccaneers kicked long from the kick off and Instonians fullback Bradley McNamara fielded and then returned well to Instonians 10 metre line into the breeze.

Buccaneers took the first line-out comfortably and again showed early intent to move the ball infield. From the 2^nd phase the out-half broke clear into open space in midfield and showed good pace to eat up the ground in front of him before giving the prefect pass to his supporting centre to beat the last defender and score near the posts giving the out-half an easy conversion.

What a start for the home side and Instonians were now 10-0 behind without having their hands on the ball yet.

14:42 – Buccaneers 10 – Instonians 0

From the next kick off Instonians did manage to secure possession and went through a good series of phases themselves taking play well into the Buccaneers half but a good jackal by the home side won them a penalty which they kicked to touch on halfway.

Buccaneers moved the ball infield and went through their phases but Instonians this time got the jackal to win a penalty. Instonians missed touch however with the kick and Buccaneers kicked long into the Instonian 22.

Instonians decided to keep the ball in hand and counterattack from deep with good continuity between forwards and backs before putting in a grubber kick which Buccaneers failed to gather cleanly and we now had the 1^st scrum of the match to Instonians 10 metres outside the Buccaneers 22.

Instonians moved the ball swiftly along the backline but lost possession in midfield and Buccaneers immediately ran the ball back at Instonians up to the halfway line where it was Instonians turn to win a relieving jackal.

14:53 – Buccaneers 10 – Instonians 5

From the next line out Instonians moved the ball wide on the right and then snapped back left but were penalised at the breakdown for not releasing and Buccaneers put in a great kick for a line out on the Instonian 22.

Instonians had to be very careful now as 10 points into the breeze was manageable but another score now from the home side and that gap would start becoming a concern for sure. The sight of Buccaneers knocking the ball on in the line out will have been just what the doctor ordered for Instonians as they used their powerful scrum to win a penalty and cleared to their 10 metre line.

It got even better for Instonians next as a great driving maul off the line out saw them march Buccaneers back to eventually concede a penalty and their captain was called across to receive a warning from the referee.

Another driving maul and penalty saw young out-half Josh Eagleson find touch 10 metres out from the Buccaneers line on the right and once hooker Neil Saulters had found his captain David Whitten in the line out there was only one result and ‘Salty’ grounded the ball at the back of the maul. Josh missed the conversion from the touchline but Instonians were on the board and now only 5 points behind playing into the breeze and with their set piece now starting to dominate.

15:06 – Buccaneers 10 – Instonians 12

Instonians were now using the possession they were getting from their strong set piece well and only very good Buccaneers defence and work at the breakdown were stopping Instonians from adding to their score and also there was still a tendency for Instonians to lose the ball in contact.

On one such occasion however, Buccanneers chose the scrum option near halfway and Instonians attacked the scrum and moved it backwards to win a scrum penalty which Josh kicked to touch 10 metres inside the Buccaneers 22. From the resultant driving maul Buccaneers were penalised again and the referee went to his pocket to give a yellow card to a Buccaneers forward.

When Josh then kicked for touch only 5 metres out another try looked odds on but a rare, crooked throw from Neil Saulters spoilt that script. With a man down in the scrum, which was under pressure anyway, Buccaneers astutely chose the line out option. They won the line out and the 9 found his half back partner to kick to touch behind his own line and clear the danger. They had not budgeted for captain David Whitten who was on the 10 in a flash and tackled him behind his own line.

Seconds later the powerful Instonian scrum was marching towards the line and the referee was running round under the posts to award a penalty try and Instonians were now in the lead.

15:15 – Buccaneers 10 – Instonians 19

Having wrestled the initiative away from this young Buccaneers side, Instonians were now using their increased share of possession from their strong set piece to release their backs with Hugo Ellerby on the left wing and full back Bradley McNamarra combining really well up the left wing on one particular occasion with a good cover tackle by the home side keeping their line intact.

Just when Buccaneers thought they had weathered the storm and got through to half time only 2 points behind, they lost a scrum against the head (not words you read in rugby matches very often these days) and a nice long pass from scrum half Ruari O’Farrell was well taken by centre Bevan Prinsloo on the run and Bev went on one of his typical arching runs to dive over in the left hand corner for an excellent try. To add insult to injury, Josh nailed the touchline conversion with a great strike. The ref blew the half time whistle and all of a sudden Instonians had a 9 point lead with the breeze at the backs in the 2^nd half. You felt even then that that was a crucial score.

HALF TIME –Buccaneers 10 – Instonians 19

That score right on half-time will have changed the mood and half-time team talks somewhat in both camps.

For Buccaneers, their excellent start was a distant memory now and they were turning round to play into the breeze 9 points behind and with their set piece under huge pressure.

For Instonians, their slow start was behind them, their scrum was dominant as was their driving maul and the backs were starting to combine well.

The next score was crucial. For Buccaneers, it would bring them right back into the game and for Instonians it would be a bonus point try and put real distance between them and the home side.

15:20 – Buccaneers 10 – Instonians 19

Josh kicked off for Instonians and Buccaneers set out their game plan for the 2^nd half immediately by looking to keep the ball in hand and run from deep. They went through multiple phases but Instonians defence was watertight with some big hits going in.

15:24 – Buccaneers 10 – Instonians 26

Then the crucial moment in the game. With Buccaneers having run the ball at Instonians but failed to breach the defence, Josh got the ball just outside his 22 and shaped to kick but then stepped of his right foot and found open space. He made good ground and as ever had the willing and experienced Ian Whitten on his shoulder. Ian invariably does the simple things right and a perfect give and take of the pass from Josh saw his centre partner Bevan Prinsloo take off and scorch through from 10 metres outside the Buccaneers 22 to score in the far-right hand corner. Josh added the extras, Instonians had that crucial next score (which was also a bonus point score) and even with practically a full half to come, Buccaneers were now probably targeting a bonus point rather the unlikely win.

15:28 – Buccaneers 10 – Instonians 31

It was not long until Instonians were on the scoresheet again. Josh used the breeze to put in a raking long searching kick deep into Buccanneers 22. They say a kick is only as good as the chase and captain David Whitten made great ground to make a great tackle on the opposition full back who was attempting to run the ball back. Instonians got the penalty at the breakdown and moments later Neil Saulters was collecting his 2^nd try of the day at the back of the driving maul from the resulting line out. Josh missed the conversion from out on the right but Instonians were now 3 converted tries ahead and the bench was starting to empty.

15:32 – Buccaneers 17 – Instonians 31

Then out of nothing Buccaneers ended up with a penalty try. A break out of defence and a speculative kick up the touchline ended up with Ian Whitten getting a yellow card for obstruction and the award of the penalty try to Buccaneers.

15:37 – Buccaneers 17 – Instonians 38

Instonians immediately went back to their set piece and a super driving maul took them 30 yards down the pitch and a great spell of concentrated continuity amongst the pack saw them advance towards the line and eventually Robert Whitten got over under the posts with Josh adding the extras.

15:46 – Buccaneers 24 – Instonians 38

Instonians were still comfortable despite being a man down but when Schalk Van Der Merwe raised his elbow when driving into the tackler and got a yellow card, they were no longer comfortable being down to 13 and instead of clearing the ball to touch in their own 22 they decided to run the ball from their own line and promptly lost the ball allowing the Buccaneers 9 the opportunity to see the gap and cross for a fine individual try which was converted.

This not only brought Buccaneers to within 1 try of a bonus point but also made it just a 2 try game.

From the restart at least Instonians were back to 14 men as Ian Whitten now entered the fray.

15:51 – Buccaneers 24 – Instonians 45

Instonians had the whole bench on by now and the fresh legs paid dividends as they moved the ball quickly off the top of the line out and ran through the phases to encamp on the Buccaneers line. They turned down the penalty kick at goal and chose a scrum which resulted in a push over try with Bevan completing his hattrick from his new position of number 8. Josh added the extras.

16:01 – Buccaneers 24 – Instonians 52

There was still time for 1 more try. If Buccaneers got it then they would get a losing bonus point for their efforts and if Instonians got it then they would break through the 50 point mark.

Instonians used their driving maul to good effect and when they got another line out 5 metres out the travelling support were expecting another try but this time it was Oli Clarke’s turn to have a rare crooked throw.

Buccaneers somewhat surprisingly chose the scrum and not the line out and it backfired as Instonians pushed the Buccaneers scrum back over its line for Ali Burke to touch down. Josh added a fine conversion from out wide and the ref blew for full time as Instonians had scored over 50 points on the road.

 

 

FULL TIME – Buccaneers 24 – Instonians 52

For this young Buccaneers side this was a difficult 1^st match against a strong Instonians set piece. They stuck to their task and came close to a losing bonus point and they will look to take that spirit into the next games to come.

For Instonians this was a decent first match in 2A with plenty of good individual performances , a very good set piece and excellent defence for most of the game.

MOM could easily just have been given to the pack but it goes to the hat trick man Bevan Prinsloo who showed his flexibility by slotting seamlessly into number 8 at the end of the game.

Ballymena up next at Shaws Bridge next Saturday 28 September who happened to be our opposition back in 1990 for the very first game in the AIL when both teams were in the top division. Hopefully we can go one better than the 12 all draw that day at Shane Park all those years ago.

The mantra is as per previous league campaigns, “one game at a time”. See you all there.