From Cayman Rugby

After 4 weeks of top notch rugby action in South Sound the Advance Fire and Plumbing Buccaneers have slowly but surely climbed their way from last place in the opening week of games to 2nd place with only 2 weeks of Alex Alexander Memorial Trophy action left in the domestic Rugby season!

Having already secured the Heineken Charity Shield with a 2 point win over the Century 21 Cayman Storm the Buccaneers faltered in the opening league game with a 25-10 loss to the John Doak Architecture Iguanas, were held to a 17-17 draw by the Queensgate Pigs Trotters in week 2 only to turn their season around in week 3 with a large win over the Century 21 Cayman Storm 52-6 followed quickly by one of the best games of the domestic season to defeat the Pigs Trotters 20-11.

The win over the Pigs Trotters, mingled with a week 4 win for the Iguanas over the Cayman Storm saw The Iguanas jump back into 1st place in the league table hanging onto a slim 3 point lead with the Buccaneers jumping into 2nd place over the Pigs Trotters on points difference.

The Buccaneers have certainly hit their stride at the right time and a win over the John Doak Iguanas in week 5 could secure the league trophy making the Buccaneers the first ever team to hold both the Charity Shield and the Alex Alexander Memorial Trophy at the same time. The only team to manage something similar were the DHL Cayman Storm in 2010 when that team held both the Charity Shield and the Waterford Vase (now sponsored by DART).

It will certainly be a fight to the death as the Iguanas look for their first trophy of the season and a potentially record equalling 5th league trophy victory whereas the Buccaneers, if they win will not only have their 6th league trophy but will be well on course to win the first ever “treble” in domestic Rugby history.

The early fixture on 16 February saw the struggling Century 21 Cayman Storm succumb to their 2nd heavy loss of the season 48-3 to the John Doak Architecture Iguanas. The Storm, missing key players in the 2nd and back row and Simon Crompton at scrum half welcomed back talisman Vanassio Tokotokovanua from long term injury, but the inclusion of the fleet footed Fijian did little to improve the Storm’s fortunes as the absences in the Storm pack meant little lineout ball or scrum ball to work with. When the Iguanas fed the ball with misplaced kicks to the Storm back line the likes of Keswick Wright, Baron Solomon and Tokotokovanua did cause the Iguanas defence issues but a lone Josh Brown penalty kick were the only points the Storm recorded on the day as the Iguanas ran in 48 unanswered points. The Storm, unfazed by the mounting points deficit did put in big hits wherever possible thanks to Captain Jacob Macadam, Claudio Sarfati and Hugh Williams.

Whilst the Iguanas win was a tale of one way traffic the Buccaneers clash against the Pigs Trotters was a tale of two finely balanced rugby teams, one used to winning big games and the other more used to sitting at the bottom of the league table.

The opening minute of the game set the tone for a tough match as the Pigs Trotters lost 2 players and conceded a converted try to the Buccaneers when a big hit on Pigs Trotter scrum half Iain Currie saw him spill the ball to Addae Andrews to run in for the score. Currie’s first touch of the ball was to be his last as the hard blow lead to his removal from the field of play with a concussion whilst Pig’s young winger Mark Westin broke a finger seeing his match also end early. Unfazed by the early set back the Trotters looked to their bench, made the necessary personnel changes and were soon on the score board themselves when scrum half Neil Montgomery found his way through the strong Buccaneers back line defence.

A Marco du Plessis penalty kick saw the Pigs ring in the half time whistle with the slimmest lead 8-7.

The second half was also a tight affair but the Buccaneers game plan lead to two unconverted tries and a penalty kick from Mick Kehoe, Paul Murphy and John Murphy compared to a lone drop goal to du Plessis of the Trotters.

The final points of the game, a John Murphy penalty kick denied the Pigs Trotters an all-important losing bonus point.

Whilst the Iguanas top the table with 14 points and the Buccaneers and Pigs sit on 11 points the top 3 teams know that 2 more wins for any of the top 3 will very likely seal the league!

PHOTO TAG:

Yohann Regnard and Ben McDonald run in support of Clive Montooth (ball in hand) for the Iguanas