Atlantic Coast All-Stars Into Semis at WURIT
Atlantic Coast All-Stars Into Semis at WURIT
The Atlantic Coast All-Stars are in the World University Rugby Invitational semifinals after going 1-1 on Day 2.
Hosts Bordeaux Université continue to play well. Cape Town University had looked dominant against Boreaux Université,they ran into some solid defense and were pipped 16-13. The game ended in somewhat weird fashion as four straight Bordeaux penalties with no time left took Cape Town from midfield down to a lineout five meters from the tryline.Then the Ikeys promptly muffed their lineout and Bordeaux kicked the ball dead to end the game.
Cape Town University 13 Bordeaux 16
Against UBC the Atlantic Coast team got an early penalty goal from Keelin Coyle and then ran a nicely-worked backline play to put cut through using Abe Kamara, who set up Leo Clayburgh for a well-executed try. UBC pressured after that and while the Atlantic Coast survived one chance for the Thunderbirds, a series of penalties allowed the Canadians to score out wide to make it 10-5.
Atlantic Coast ended the first half opting for a very difficult penalty kick from Coyle, but he put it through for a 13-5 lead. UBC kept up the pressure and had the run of play in the first five minutes of the second half, taking a penalty to inch to within five ay 13-8.
But a heads up quick-tap from Lindenwood scrumhalf Matteo Peignon saw him slice through a UBC defense slow to organize. He pass out to Coleman Jackson and the Northeastern University flanker finished it off. Coyle converted and the Atlantic Coast had a fairly commanding lead at 20-8.
Another try was very close in coming after a break from Peignon, but UBC got back well enough to halt the surge. However, they did give up a penalty in front of the posts that Coyle put over to seal a 23-8 victory.
Against Cape Town University the Atlantic Coast team ran out an almost completely different 15, and they met an Ikeys team determined not to let the Americans take them down. Running very hard and disrupting the Atlantic Coast lineout repeatedly, Cape Town thundered through for a 43-7 victory. The Atlantic Coast team did get a rather overdue penalty try for too many scrum penalties, and their scrum was solid, but too many mistakes undercut the good movements they built.
New Zealand Universities escaped Sydney University with an 11-10 decision. Sydney missed a last-second penalty attempt at a difficult angle that would have completed the upset.
Both games for the Atlantic Coast team were very physically demanding.
Good win for Atlantic Coast All Stars on Day 2 action at the World University Invitational. Our stringers Hayden Voth and Liam Craighead check in with Ricky Rose. @MiamiSharksMLR @SBURugby @SIHS_Varsity15s pic.twitter.com/EXMzlwRAry
— Alex Goff (@goffrugbyreport) September 23, 2023
Cape Town University 13 Bordeaux Université 16
Atlantic Coast 23 UBC 8
New Zealand Universities 11 Sydney University 10
Cape Town University 43 Atlantic Coast 7
Sydney University 21 UBC 5
What that all means is this: The Atlantic Coast All Stars are in the semifinals. With a 2-2 record and one game to come, they are guaranteed not worse than a 2-3 record. Since Sydney University and UBC have both lost at least three games, and Atlantic Coast has the tiebreaker against both of those teams, the American team will be in the top four.
With the Day 2 not over yet, Bordeaux is 3-0, Cape Town 3-1, New Zealand 2-1, Atlantic Coast 2-2, Sydney is now 1-3 and UBC 0-4.
NZ and Bordeaux are yet to play but the form sheet says the French hosts should win, leaving New Zealand Universities and Atlantic Coast both at 2-2. Atlantic Coast plays Bordeaux on Day 3, with Cape Town playing Sydney University, and NZ Universities vs UBC.