DANSKE BANK SCHOOLS’ CUP
COLERAINE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 7
REGENT HOUSE SCHOOL 42
REGENT House powered past Coleraine Grammar School on Saturday morning to set up a rugby Schools’ Cup quarter-final against 2018 finalists Royal School Armagh next month.
The Newtownards school ran in six tries with Lewis Robinson and Matthew Callaghan each scoring a brace alongside one apiece from Toby McSorley and Finn McClean, while Josh Colville was successful with all six conversion kicks in a fine showing off the tee, as Regent made it two quarter-final appearances in as many years.
A combination of strong winds, felled trees and freezing temperatures did their best to disrupt this fixture, but by the time the Regent coach arrived at the school grounds, conditions could not have been better for both sides.
The first half saw Regent dominate in both possession and field position, with half-backs Jack Sharpe and Josh Colville ensuring the ball got moved to the right parts of the pitch. A couple of Regent errors perhaps let Coleraine off in the earlier periods, with a mistimed pass or messy lineout preventing the Coleraine tryline being breached. That was until a barnstorming run from prop Lewis Robinson, who swatted away a number of would-be Coleraine tacklers before being brought down just short. But Regent were rewarded for their patience and Robinson eventually got over the line for their opening score. Josh Colville added the extras giving Regent a 0-7 lead midway through the first half.
Regent could rightly feel they were good value for a healthier lead, and they added to their tally not long after the opening score.
Again they found themselves in relatively neutral territory having cleared their lines well and the ball was flashed out to the dangerous Regent backline. Tom Bell cooly fixed his man and got the pass away to Matthew Callaghan on the wing. Callaghan had his opposing winger to beat which he duly did with a big hand-off to the chest before running in under the posts from 40 metres. Colville was successful with the conversion.
Regent now looked in control with confidence being taken from the powerful Regent scrum and the kick returns from Evan McGonigle at full-back, which didn’t allow Coleraine to set up camp anywhere in Regent territory.
The third try of the half came from the opposite wing and Toby McSorley. Scrum half Jack Sharpe saw an opportunity to snipe down the blind side and, like all good wingers, McSorley was in support to receive an easy two-on-one pass. He slipped round the Coleraine full-back who was making a dart across the pitch in a last-ditch tackle attempt, making the conversion that little bit easier for Colville. 0-21.
With half-time beckoning, Regent’s discipline slipped a bit. Coleraine were given an opportunity for the posts which was pulled just wide to the left. Evan McGonigle showed great awareness to keep the ball in play instead of letting it go dead, making great metres as he exited the Regent 22. Regent almost afforded Coleraine another chance to get on the scoreboard, but after some strong tackling from back rows Sam McClements and Ewan Baker, the error was forced and the half-time whistle sounded. Regent’s control needed to be solidified in the second half, and it was not long before Lewis Robinson got his second try of the day. A slick tap penalty play from five metres out saw Robinson come in on the angle to crash over, leaving Regent ahead by four tries.
Again, the trickier conversion from Colville was added as he maintained his 100 per cent kicking record.
Minor indiscipline was however beginning to creep into both sides’ games, with Robinson and the Coleraine number eight both yellow carded for a display of heightened emotion after the try. It was imperative that Regent let Coleraine lose their heads as they chased the game and not the other way round.
Regent now had a cushion and could begin to take some risks with their play. In possession just inside his own half, Tom Bell cleared the ball but elected to keep it in play and he won the foot race before hacking downfield just short of the try line. Unfortunately for Regent, the chasing pack of McSorley and Ethan Spratt were unable to force the ball over, but it was yet another warning sign to Coleraine.
Coleraine would be rewarded for their tenacity with their only try of the game 10 minutes from the end. In what was a microcosm of their whole approach to the game, they kicked deep into Regent territory from a penalty and their hefty pack forced their way over the line. This was a reminder to Regent that their opponents could lay a glove on them if they let them into the try-scoring areas.
Regent immediately replied from the following restart. Tom Bell, a danger all game, leapt fantastically to knock the ball back from the restart, which then made its way into Finn McClean’s hands. McClean had just been introduced on the wing for McSorley and he was not going to be caught with a relatively clear run to the try line, dotting down in the right hand corner mere seconds after his introduction.
Colville split the posts with the conversion in what was arguably his best kick of the day.
Regent had not finished yet. Having brought some fresh legs on in the form of Oliver Crawford, Ben Ballantine and Treshon James, opportunities to get one more score were being presented. McGonigle made a trademark pierce through the Coleraine backline which almost set second row Noah Miskimmin up for what would have been a wonderful try. Shortly after, Miskimmin’s replacement, Owen Black, almost battled his way to the line after Jed Pountney, making an appearance at scrum-half, caught Coleraine on the backfoot with a sneaky dart from another penalty for Coleraine coming off their feet.
The final say of the match went to Matthew Callaghan. He popped up again in space on the left wing and simply dispatched the players who attempted to tackle him. Colville clearly had his kicking boots on and drew the ball round superbly to dissect the posts and get the touch judge’s flags raised one last time.
The final whistle blew and Regent were worthy 7-42 winners. There is no doubt that a degree of ill-discipline could have been punished more by tougher opposition, but Regent can now look forward to another big occasion in two weeks’ time when they visit an Armagh side who dispatched Down High School 38-0 to reach the last eight.
There were a number of strong performances across the pitch for Regent. In the pack, Lewis Robinson for his carrying and two tries; Taylor Swaffield for his energy and dynamism and Sam McClements for his work-rate and tackle count. In the backs, Jack Sharpe kept both units ticking over, Tom Bell was imperious in defence and Ethan Spratt led the whole team admirably, while wingers Callaghan and McSorley took their tries beautifully and Evan McGonigle was faultless under the high ball.
However, Josh Colville not only put on a masterclass in goal-kicking, but his touch-kicking, deep fielding of the ball and distribution were all first rate and he was deservedly named player of the match.
Regent House team: J Mount, T Swaffield, L Robinson, N Miskimmin, M Johnston, E Baker, D Moore, S McClements, J Sharpe, J Colville, M Callaghan, T Bell, E Spratt (C), T McSorely, E McGonigle. Replacements: N Leeman, O Crawford, T James, O Black, K McFerran, B Ballantine, F McClean, J Pountney.
