Collingwood Walker Into Semi-Final

Collingwood A progressed to the semi-final of the Floodlit Cup after a convincing 45-3 victory over Cuths B on a bitterly cold Thursday night. Although expected to win the game comfortably, Collingwood took the game to Cuths early on with aggressive forward work in and around the rucks resulting in Dave Sparrow swallow-diving in between the posts for the opening try of the game.

Cuths were equally up for the game at the beginning and they used strike runners effectively to force their first and only points of the game. Cuths were fielding several A team squad players and the physicality, particularly in the form of their loose-head prop and second row, eventually resulted in a penalty in front of the posts which they duly scored from.

However, Collingwood took control of the territory from thereon in and tries began to flow once they produced quick ball at the break down. Captain, Pete Magee, strolled in from ten yards before Josh Bentley drove his way through for another try shortly after.

Veteran Hamish Walker then took centre-stage in the 13 shirt, bagging an impressive brace of tries before Matt Stephens-dubbed the ginger ‘Martin Offiah’- stream rolled his way through and around several defenders to score the sixth try of the game.

The cold began to get to the players towards the end of the stop-start second half. Collingwood only mustered one more try in the form of fresher, Jack Flynn, on his debut. Although an absolute liability off the pitch, he has impressed in recent weeks and is pushing for a starting berth next week.

That wrapped things up for Collingwood who were quick to get off the pitch at the end of the game after temperatures dropped below 0.

Captain Pete Magee commented on the victory, saying “In that cold, a semi is all we could have asked for, and we’re delighted that we’ve got one.”

Vice-captain, James Currie reminded us that “you shouldn’t expect much when it’s this cold, so a semi is acceptable. You may get burned for not giving a better performance, but we’ll head into the Bede game with a point to prove. Yeah we won today, but we’re not going to erect a statue after beating a B team. Next week will show if we’ve got balls”

What might stand some of Collingwood’s players in good stead is the experience of producing from semi’s week in, week out. However, they will be hoping that this this semi won’t be the climax of their season.

For some of their players, it be the last time to get one over on Hild Bede who have knocked Collingwood out of the Floodlit two of the last three years. Collingwood need to get busy and fix up look sharp instead of patiently waiting for results to go their way.

They don’t want to finish the season with a guilty conscience, as Outkasts of the college rugby scene. They have a grudge to settle against Bede. If they conquer their semi, then it’s big pimping all the way to the final.

Until the next episode,

Conor Horgan.
CCRFC 2nd Row

Score: 45-3
Collingwood Tries: Sparrow, Magee, Stephens, Walker x 2, Bentley, Flynn. Conversions – Magee x 5
Cuths Penalty: Hugh Cares