Singapore Polytechnic, Saturday, 3 January 2009 – Nanyang Technological University (NTU) thumped Republic Polytechnic (RP) 7-1 in the 2009 IVP Games Touch Rugby Pool 1 match at Singapore Polytechnic on Saturday evening.
With their second win in as many games, the reigning champions became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals. It only took NTU three minutes to break the deadlock with Jeannette Lee scoring the opening try. Despite taking the early lead, they did not make further headway as RP produced a stout defence to frustrate them. Another 12 minutes passed before Candy Soh doubled their lead, exploiting gaps in the opponent’s backline to race home.
With RP restricting them to a two-point cushion, a half-time pep talk from NTU coach Ann Goh made the difference as they dominated in the second half. Chen Sing Sia made it 3-0 for the group leaders in the 29th minute when a smartly-worked attacking move gave her the opportunity to place the ball over the line. That prompted her teammates to step up another gear with Neo Kehui extending the lead on 31 minutes when she launched a breakaway past her markers to power home for a touchdown.
Despite RP’s immediate reply through Claudia Chng, the champions stamped their class with an incisive defence-splitting move, allowing an unmarked Sun Xiaoying to restore their four-point advantage in the 34th minute.
NTU skipper Rowena Khoo took centre-stage in the dying minutes of the game when she produced an unstoppable solo run past the RP defenders to make it 6-1 in the 37th minute. She was the heartbeat of another mazy dribble before laying the assist for Chen to score her second point of the match and seal three points just before full time.
Although RP was at the wrong end of the score, NTU coach Goh paid tribute to them for providing stiff challenge to her charges.
“RP is a respected team with a disciplined defence. They made it difficult for us as we had to crack our heads to find ways past them. In the first half, we were over-enthusiastic. At the break, I told the girls to be more relaxed in their play. It showed as we were more composed on the pitch and I am pretty happy with the result.”
Khoo concurred with the coach and conceded she and her teammates could have done better. “Like the rest of the team, I was over-enthusiastic and lost sight of the structure and game plan, leaving myself frustrated by half time,” she admitted.
“RP is the strongest team in our group and we have to be up to the challenge. We stepped up our game in the second half and showed our hunger to win. The result was ok for us, but still I believe we can improve from here.”
With the champions through, Goh believes NTU has what it takes to defend the title and challenges them to prove that.
“We want to aim the best we can be,” she proclaimed. “Thus we always aim to win every aim in every competition we are in, and this one is no different.”