Band Saracens wins and ends the first phase of the Paulista A 2014 Rugby Championship in second place.
The Rio Branco received the Bandeirantes Saracens for the last round match of the Paulista A first phase on Saturday in Itapecerica da Serra. With the championship table already set before the match, the Band-Sarries remains running up for the title against SPAC on the semi-finals, while the Rio Branco will strive for permanence on the Paulista elite against the Louveira Wally’s.
Behind an attentive eye of Paul Gustard, one of the coaches of the Saracens FC in England, and debuting it’s new shirt, the Band-Sarries won an embattled Rio Branco. In the preliminary game, Bandeirantes Saracens 2nd XV also won the home owners by a wide margin.
The match started with Rio Branco repeating the mistakes of the match against Wallys, slow to wake up, taking a try in the first minute of play, with “Japinha”, not converted. Taking the initial drowsiness, Rio Branco remained in the game, playing as equals, and bringing danger to Band-Sarries. On a good run on the field side, Rio Branco tied with Julius Katz.
Teams alternated in attack, but struggled to score again. Good defensive work from both sides made a close game until the end of the first half. With a late tackle, Rodrigo Lima took the first yellow of the game, but Rio Branco didn’t took advantage of the numerical advantage and the first half ended tied.
In the second half, it was the turn of Rio Branco to have one man down the field, and “Japinha” wasted the penalty that could have put the Band-Sarries on the front. However, soon after, the band reached the second try, with Luis “Loco” finishing the amazing move by Marton, who ran half the field by getting rid of defenders and pass to the support player before being tackled, ending near the poles for easy “Japinha” conversion. Halfway through the second half, Daniel Portugal, in good infiltration at the base of the ruck, expanded and given more tranquility for the visitors.
With a red card given to Rodrigo Lima, again by late tackle, leaving the club with one left until the end of the match. Rio Branco intensified the attack but appeared to fatigue, and despite good progress with Júlio at the right end that almost resulted in a try of Samir.
The game entered on it’s final ten minutes, when Daniel Portugal scored his second try of the day, ensuring the Bandeirantes Saracens extra point. The club was now with two man down, with a yellow card given to Rodrigo “Foguinho” who had just entered. This time, the Rio Branco could reduce the gap with Jo Delattre, converted by himself without difficulty. In the final minutes, the game followed with Rio Branco pressure at least to try the defensive extra point, which could cost them the sixth place in the table, and in the last attack, Eddy received a great Samir pass, but not controlled the ball just meters from the ingoal, ending the exciting match.
In two weeks, the Bandeirantes Saracens faces SPAC, placed third in the first phase, while the Rio Branco faces Wallys in Louveira. In the first phase, both teams won their respective opponents.
With the match points scored, “Japinha” became the first player to surpass the hundred points this year, icluding surpassing the whole attacks of Poli USP and Wally’s teams.
The Portal do Rugby elected Daniel Portugal as the player of the match.
Final Score: Rio Branco (5) 12 X 24 (5) Bandeirantes Saracens
Rio Branco
Bandeirantes Saracens São Paulo
Original text in Portuguese by Daniel Venturole (Portal do Rugby): portaldorugby.com.br, translation by Marcelo Bellório.
