HAWKESBURY Ag College topped Hawkesbury Valley in three grades of rugby, including first grade, at the weekend, as the two teams clashed for the first time since the 2016 season.
In the opening round of the NSW Suburban Rugby Union season, the first grade side for Ag College won 50-5 over Valley. In second grade it was 24-12 in favour of Ag College, and in a close one in the Colts as Ag College won 36-31. In third grade, Valley won 32-5.
The two clubs did not play each other last year, after Hawkesbury Ag College moved up to the second division of NSW Suburban Rugby Union.
Hawkesbury Valley coach John Martin said it was a tough day at McQuade Park for the first grade side.
“I thought the first 15-20 minutes we were competitive and then we went away from the game plan and lost our way a little bit, and we really didn't recover from there,” he said.
While Valley was competitive for the opening stages of the game, the flood gates soon opened thanks to determined running from the Hawkesbury Ag College players.
Ag College ran in a number of unanswered tries during the game. It was not until the final minutes of the match, with Ag College a man down that Valley crossed the stripe.
Valley capitalised on some good field position late in the piece, and while the Ag College players defended well, eventually one man was binned and Valley took advantage of that.
The boot of Dean Jones had Ag College in good field position for most of the match, and that helped them run up the points.
Martin said Brent Robinson was named Hawkesbury Valley’s man of the match, while he said Zack Fultini played well on the wing, not putting a foot wrong.
Martin added that the team escaped without injuries.
“The positive thing is we are getting some more number down to the team. There is pressure on everybody's spots and they need to get to training,” he said.
In second grade, the lead swung multiple times, with Ag College eventually tying up the match.
The Colts was perhaps the most dramatic game of the day. The game was tied up with only moments remaining, before Ag College winger Sakeasi Vakayarakia scored an impressive try in the corner to steal a win for his team.
The opening match of the day, third grade, was the only one where things went consistently right for Valley, as they comfortably got over the top of Ag College.
In round two of the competition, Hawkesbury Ag College will host Newport at College Oval, while Hawkesbury Valley will travel to take on the Redfield Old Boys.
