COLTS CORRAL PARA TODU BLACK

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The Southern Colts were able to drag down the Para Todu Blacks’ Nate Baza on Sunday in Week 3 of the Rugby 7’s League. (photo by Andre Gadia)

By Crystal Aguon

Sunday rugby was the perfect way to follow an awesome Liberation Day Saturday and the Southside Colts had the perfect game plan in their big matchup against the Para Todu Blacks in the Heineken Rugby 7’s League.

From the whistle, the Colts were filled with energy and attacked their own kick off to Para Todu. While Para Todu tried to gain territory, the Colts came out with strong defense, taking away any opportunity Para Todu had. A forward pass from Para Todu called for a scrum down giving the Colts possession. A well fought scrum exited the Colts side, however, Para Todu’s fly half managed to sneak a steal in for ball possession. A penalty from the Colts gave an advantage to Para Todu, unfortunately, there was no execution due to bad passes on Para Todu’s side. From then, there were numerous well fought rucks for the ball. That was until Colts Joedee Reyes slipped through Para Todu’s hands and ran half the field to score the first try of the game.

Joedee Reyes

“It’s tough, all the teams are equally competitive and the caliber for every team is pretty much the same,” said Reyes. A missed conversion left the Colts at 5-0 with three minutes left in the half.

The Colts started the next kick off high enough to give their teammates time to try and intercept the ball, which is exactly what happened. However, a tackle from Para Todu gave them back possession of the ball, but it wasn’t long until they knocked on the ball for another scrum down. Para Todu picked up from their turnovers and managed to win the scrum and traveling a near five meters shy of the try line before getting dragged out of bounds. The Colts displayed an excellent goal line stand and was able to kick the ball away from their danger zone. Para Todu refused to give up the fight and Eddie Calvo worked his way back into the left side of the try zone and placed the ball to put his team on the score board. Another missed conversion left the score at dead even 5-5 as the whistle blew for halftime.

As the second half began, Para Todu kicked the ball deep enough to keep the Colts from their own territory and to be able to push up hard on defense. The ball traveled back and forth continuously until Para Todu started losing control of passing causing constant turnovers. The Colts gave out the ball smoothly from one side of the field to the other, which led to another try from the Colts Corey Chamberlin. The third missed conversion of the game left the score at 10-5.

Para Todu Blacks may have lifted Earl Pascual higher, but the Southern Colts had their number in the end with a 22-5 win. (photo by Andre Gadia)

Things did not pick up for Para Todu for the rest of the half. Another crucial turnover from Para Todu and smooth passing from the Colts gave the wing Arthur Toves a chance to lift the score up 15-5.

“Unlike 15’s, we are learning to spread out and pass the ball more because 7’s is more about teamwork,” Reyes stated.

Despite the score and with only two minutes left in the game the Colts gave it their all until the whistle blew. Executing on Para Todu’s off game, they waited for one last opportunity to score. With a minute left winding down, the Colts Peter Santos intercepted the ball from Para Todu and ran about 30 meters into the middle of the try zone. Following his score, was the only made conversion of the game. A few seconds after the reset, the whistle blew to call it an end. The Colts walked out proudly with the 22-5 win.

Men
Para Todu Red 32, South Side Colts 0
Young Guns 34, South Side 12
GSPN 0, Para Todu Black 31
Da Doks 34, Halu’u 5
South Side 19, Para Todu Red 7
South Side Colts 22, Para Todu Black 5
Young Gunz 39, Halu’u 0
GSPN 5, Da Doks 17

Women
Para Todu Red Forfeight, Para Todu Black Wins
The Blue Comrades 31, Southern Rugby 5
Southern Rugby 22, Para Todu Black 0
The Blue Comrades 26, Ziggys 0
Para Todu Black 22, The Blue Comrades 1

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