THE Batemans Bay Boars under 11s were surprised by Burgmann Anglican School and lost 33-24 at Hanging Rock on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The visitors were short of players and the Boars spared two for the first half and from the kick off, Burgmann was a force to contend with.
Burgmann’s forward pack continually took the ball off the Boars at scrums, lineouts, rucks and mauls.
Despite some incredible defensive play by Bonnie Brewer, who made three heavy tackles in a row and a great low grass-cutting tackle by Malaki Stedman, Burgmann continued to move the ball forward to pressure the Boars’ try line until it won a penalty.
The tap was taken and the Boars’ defensive line failed to move up from their try line, which allowed Burgmann to score under the posts and convert.
Brewer took the ball up from the restart but was eventually tackled and then penalised for hands in the ruck.
Josiah Brierley made a good try saving tackle, but Nugget Collier, playing for Burgmann, made good ground and despite another good low tackle by Stedman, Burmann retained the ball and scored a second converted try.
The young Boars were a little shell-shocked but came close to scoring the final minutes of the first half.
Luke Gallen took a loose ball and ran 40 metres before he was bundled across the sideline as referee Andrew Fleming blew for half-time, the Boars trailing 14-nil.
Coach Ian Hogan, with his helper Gus Duncan, gave a rousing talk to players as they tucked in to oranges at the break.
Bonnie Brewer moved into the halfback position in the second half and won a penalty.
Jackson Blake made a good run but was tackled short of the try line and Gallen tried again, but the Bay could not score.
Burgmann regained possession and poor tackling by the Boars gave the visitors good field position and it capitalised with a third try.
The Boars scored a quick try off the restart after Gallen made good ground.
A maul formed and Blake took the ball and scored a nice try out wide.
On the next restart Blake took the ball from the kick off and ran around the opponent’s back line and scored under the black dot.
This was duly converted by Josiah Brierley.
The Boars continued to surge on a wave of momentum and Brewer was next to score after she out ran the opposition for a 60-metre try.
Stedman was the next try scorer as he fielded the kick off and broke at least two tackles to score under the posts.
Brierley converted and the Boars had the lead.
However, a couple of head-high tackles saw the home side on the back foot again and Burgmann scored under the posts from the penalty tap and retook the lead.
In the shadows of full-time Burgmann had possession and despite some good tackling, the visitors scored out wide to seal a well-deserved win.
Burgmann 33 (five tries and four conversions) defeated Batemans Bay (tries: Jackson Blake 2, Bonnie Brewer and Malaki Stedman, conversions: Josiah Brierley 2) 24.