Shoalhaven 27 - Avondale 12

IT was an historic day at Shoalhaven Ricoh Rugby Park on Saturday as the Ricoh Postman’s Tavern Shoalhaven Rugby Club finally broke through for its inaugural Illawarra Rugby premiership.

It’s been 40 long years since the club first entered the Illawarra competition, back in 1968, and finally on its fourth attempt Shoals have broken through for the much coveted first grade premiership.

The Illawarra Credit Union Rugby grand final was fought out between the two form teams of the competition, Avondale (Wombats) and Shoals.

It was an historic day for the cub not only in the fact that Shoals won the first grade premiership, but it was also the first time the club had ever hosted the Illawarra grand finals.

It was always going to be a tough ask for the South Coast Register first grade side, firstly they needed to break a 40 year losing streak to become first time winners of the competition and they also had to face a giant Avondale line up.

In a magnificent display based on courage, strength, determination and skill they tore the heart out of the Avondale side and ran out winners by 27-12.

Although severely outweighed in the forwards Shoals repelled the many bullocking charges of the Avondale pack.

Then with pace and flair they turned defence into attack and took the game to Avondale.

The first 20 minutes of the game was a typical no holds barred, sorting out period of any grand final.

Avondale’s intention was clear; keep the ball in tight and wear Shoals down with constant rolling mauls.

Avondale put Shoals under enormous pressure during this early phase.

Shoals’ tight five was outstanding as they worked hard at close quarters to stop the avalanche.

The back row of Anthony Clarke, Joe Calcraft and Steve Harrison pulled off tackle after tackle as they tried to halt this Avondale steam roller.

Shoals half-back, Paul Clements, stood tall as he took on the rampaging Avondale forwards and laid them low.

Chris Brien, at fullback, was kept busy fielding high balls under pressure and needing to pull off last ditch tackles and played a fine game throughout.

Shoals’ line out was working well with Vaughan, Fraser and Clarke securing good ball and its scrum was holding firm.

Shoals on gaining possession would send the ball out quickly to their speed men, Mark and Dave Sproule and Lindsay Higgins.

Several times Dave Sproule broke clear, but Avondale’s defence was at its thunderous best.

Avondale’s relentless pressure finally was rewarded when they worked a clever move in mid-field which saw their flying centre race across for a try under the posts and after 25 minutes play Avondale led by seven points.

It was do or die time for Shoals and their response was immediate.

They took play close to Avondale’s line and received a penalty.

Many teams would have gone for three points just to get on the scoreboard, but that is not the adventurous way Shoals play the game.

They opted instead for a line out on the 10 metre mark.

Shoals won the ball and Steve Harrison wrestled his way clear of the pack and found his winger, Lindsay Higgins, in support.

Higgins, in almost casual fashion, brushed away two Avondale defenders and strolled across

for the try.

Cooper’s conversion leveled the scores.

Shoals continued to attack and from the restart of play, first Vaughan then Fraser tore their way up field.

It was then Calcraft’s turn and he evaded the bruising defence by first stepping off his right foot and then his left to go close to scoring.

Avondale’s defensive tactic was to hit them early, hit them hard and hit them often.

While bone crunching on Shoals, it opened up the opportunity for the referee to penalise Avondale for off side and foul play.

Shoals received a couple of penalties in a row and Cooper slotted one of these over to take the lead.

The pace of the game began to take its toll on the larger Avondale forwards.

Shoals started to dominate possession.

The backs were seeing plenty of ball and were gaining large slices of territory with every play.

Aaron Clarke, at inside centre, constantly probed for weaknesses and his left foot kicks gained Shoals plenty of ground.

Just before the half-time break Shoals were awarded a five metre scrum from an Avondale error.

In an often worked training move, Steve Harrison pounced on the ball as it emerged from the side of the scrum, shouldered his way towards the posts and gave a perfectly timed pass to Aaron Clarke who delightedly dived over for the try.

Cooper’s conversion sent Shoals in at the break with a 17-7 lead.

The second half was as torrid as the first half.

Neither side slackened the pace.

Although there were no points scored in the first 20 minutes, it was an enthralling encounter.

The large crowd was kept on its toes as first one side then the other had scoring opportunities.

The tackling was ferocious, the ball was spun from one side of the field to the other, and the rucks and mauls were not for the faint hearted.

Shoals suffered a set back when their inspirational half-back, Paul Clements, was replaced with a back injury.

His replacement, Matt Lane, slotted in well and proved a worthy successor.

Shoals finally inched further ahead when a 30 metre break from Matt Lane, almost immediately in the action, took play close to Avondale’s line and Shoals gained a penalty.

Cooper crisply put it over and Shoals’ lead was now 13 points.

The next 15 minutes was all Avondale.

They attacked with brute force through the forwards and then with precision through their backline.

Shoals needed all their stamina and perseverance to withstand this onslaught, but withstand it they did.

They dug deep and the whole team supported one another as they tore into their tackles.

Two, three and then four Shoals players would be needed to stop the opposition’s towering forwards.

Time ticked away and the more it was used up the closer was Shoals to the win.

Just when Shoals’ supporters thought it inevitable that Avondale would score, Cooper sent the ball flying 60 metres in a beautifully judged clearing kick.

Avondale’s heads went down and Shoals marched into their quarter for the first time in quite a while.

Shoals won the line out against the throw and tore into the ensuing maul.

They marched the ball close to the try line and then over it.

The referee cleared a path to the ball then raised his hand for a try to Shoals through Chad Fraser.

Shoals supporters went wild.

Their dream of the first grand final win was close to reality.

Only five minutes remained with Shoals leading by 27-7.

The last few minutes of the game were hectic.

Avondale once again launched their attacking waves.

Shoals were pinned down, but time was relentlessly ticking away.

Avondale scored a consolation try as the final whistle blew, but Shoals had completed an historic win.

This was a great grand final between to worthy foes.

Very little has separated these teams in their recent matches.

Shoals needed to win to create history and in a whole team effort they managed to do so.

Their coach, Paul Mulready, will be justifiably proud of his charges.

“It’s a great win,” he said after the game.

“It’s fantastic for the club and for all those people who have worked so hard for so many years to make this club a success.

“There has been a lot of hard work go into this win and it’s all worth it.”

The club has waited for some time for this important win and no doubt will celebrate it with some relish.

Now we move on to 2009.

Grand final scores

ILLAWARRA District Rugby Union grand final results

First Grade: Shoalhaven 27 (Lindsay Higgins, Aaron Clarke, Chad Fraser tries, Leith Cooper 3 con and 2 pen) d Avondale 12 (Paul Tausala 2 tries, Jacob Hurst con)

Second Grade: Engadine 20 (Jaye Oldridge 2, Jerry Talisau tries, Sonny 1 con and 1 pen) d Avondale 12 (Tom Makea, Shane Makea tries, Tony Burgin con)

Third Grade: Avondale 19 (Ian Baker, Clint Kelly, Teei Piawi tries, Andrew Duggan 2 con) d Wollondilly 10 (Dean Ingenhoff 2 tries)