1XV seals third consecutive win!

Last Sunday our match at home against Bekaro was played in more traditional XV conditions, on a blubbery pitch with a slippery ball. Our goal was to achieve a season-first: three consecutive wins. Due to several injuries in key positions, the Rotterdam students started with an unfamiliar set up, which was notable during the opening phases of the game. Particularly overcommitment and lack of communication in defence led directly to Bekaro’s first try, when a simple pull & pop play lead to a bulky Bekaro forward going over the line, 5-0. A territorial game with kicking and scrumming that would’ve made Rassie Erasmus proud followed, with both teams unwilling to give an inch. Before half time, the teams traded penalties, 8-3.

At halftime a sense of urgency and tension was felt by our players, it wasn’t going to be a game for the highlight reel, it was about winning at all cost. With this mindset we set up camp in the opposition half, running hard lines and trying to create space. A turnover from a monstrous scrum on our opposition 5-meter line lead to our ginger giant Felix Nieuwenhuizen barrelling over the try line, 8-8.

In the opposition half, we forced them to commit penalties, leading to 3 more points for RSRC, 8-11. Again, poor line defence was our worst enemy as Bekaro went over for a second try 13-11. In the last ten minutes, sensational team play led to Roel Ruizeveld de Winger flying over the try line for the game-winning try. Or so we thought, as the Bekaro linesman that was already heading for the posts seemingly changed his mind when asked by the referee whether Roel was in touch, try disallowed.

This ignited unparalleled frustration in the students that Bekaro simply could not cope with. Following numerous mistakes and a missed penalty, the moment of sweet relief came in the dying minutes of the game, as super sub and second row / winger in training Pelle dove over the line to win the game, 13-18. Afterwards, the sweet taste of victory was shared together over some Goude Rakkers with the men of Bekaro, who proved to be gentlemen off the field as they were on the field.