Mary Washington Edges Touring Welsh Military Side
Mary Washington Edges Touring Welsh Military Side
In an extremely tense match University of Mary Washington got the preseason test they needed beating the Welsh Touring Side REME.
UMW was very happy to get a match against this talented group prior to their Rugby East schedule, and the Mothers came out on top 21-14. REME had posted a big score earlier in the week against one of the area’s better men's sides, so UMW knew they had a task in front of them.
REME standa for Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers of the British Army, and could be like if the US Army Corps of Engineers ran out a rugby team. They featured several big and mobile backline players and a punishing pack. UMW countered by moving the ball sideline to sideline and taking advantage of every scoring chance offered.
Sophomores Seb Schefferman, Bill Tamani and Connor Foster scored well-worked and hard-earned first half tries for the Mothers, all of which were converted by Schefferman. The Welshmen scored a nicely-taken try when one of their backs broke UMW’s line to score under the post. That made for a 21-7 halftime score.
The second half featured a plenty of defense from both teams, with REME finally breaking UMW down to score their second try.
REME threatened once more late in the game. But after an extended stand UMW finally forced a REME turnover and and kicked the ball out on a penalty.
Flanker Tobey Barnfield-Lee was UMW’s man of the match, forcing multiple turnovers against the bigger REME side. Lloyd Stephens at flanker and Kit Waddington at scrumhalf also played well. Michael Gray played a very solid game at flyhalf, tackling like a flanker, and distributing the ball well throughout.
UMW next faces Wheeling in West Virginia on September 10.
