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On Rugby League Planet
Philadelphia put up a Fight at
USARL Nines but NZ Police rule
Tony Munro - 21/5/2012
The New Zealand Police, perhaps as expected, successfully defended their United States Rugby League Nines title last Saturday defeating a gallant Philadelphia Fight 22-4 in the final at Tucker Field, Cumberland, Rhode Island.
NZP coach, Tony Feasey, told Rugby League Planet this year's win as "very satisfying" given the rise in quality of the opposition.
"To win the first title was special - but to come back a second time and see how the standard of rugby league in the USA has improved in 12 short months and to win again, it was very satisfying," Feasey enthused. "We were made to work very hard for the win(s). The USARL clubs are improving technically in all areas and it is pleasing to see."
The Kiwis, whom Feasey said "about half" play club Rugby League each week back home, had a torrid time in the round-robin phase, drawing with Rhode Island Rebellion 18-all and squeezing past the Jacksonville Axemen 22-18 in a match which reportedly could have gone either way.
The Rebellion stretched both the Police and Jax, drawing both matches, but ended the day winless with only the consolation of a tournament well hosted. Indeed, Fight coach and former Western Reds Coaching & Development Manager, Peter Illford, received a fright from Phila's encounter with the Rebellion. "I was surprised at how tough our second match was against RIR. Both RIR & Boston 13s have greatly improved. 13s were tough in our opening match."
According to Illford, who is also the USARL Chairman in his present life and a Maitland Pumpkinpicker in his previous one, his team was Fight in name and Fight in nature going into the Final. "We had to dig deep & get out of the trenches for that final. Rely in our will from previous seasons. We were hurting. Down to 11 men early in the match. One with a leg injury & one of our Aussie imports retiring after 90 seconds with a bruised or strained sternum from the previous match. It was all about the 'Fight' in us from there."
The Fight had gone into the Final with some optimism. "We had a good chance looking at the final. NZP had drawn their first game & had a tough 2-point win over JAX that could've gone either way. We won our playoff over JAX & were positive," Illford recalls. But, it wasn't to be. "Somehow the NZP left some in the reserve tank for the final. They were good. They hit us with everything in defense. They surprised me they had so much left in them. Their playing maturity & experience showed through. We stuck it out but weren't up to the task."
When pressed, Illford offered the following in offering who his best were: "Our captain & five-eighth from Australia, Johnny Weber, was our best. Fullback, Chase Mason, from Australia, was also great. He scored a handful of runaway tries during the day but his painful sternum had him on the sideline early in the final. Hooker, Dave Wilmore, a Marine with a ton of guts, tackled his heart all day. When he indicated to me five to six minutes into the second-half, something I've never known him to do in six years of coaching him, that he was out of gas but willing to stay out there, with three injured on the bench, it was going to be a big ask to come back. They put two more converted tries on us to wrap it up. Props James Coleman & Kane Fuller spent very little time on the interchange bench during the tournament & played themselves into the ground. Jarod Frymoyer & Rich Henson were always dangerous with there turn of speed and displayed strong defense. Henson didn't miss a minute of any game on the interchange bench."
Results
Round Robin Matches Rhode Island Rebellion 18 New Zealand Police 18; Philadelphia Fight 12 Boston 13s 0; Philadelphia Fight 18 Rhode Island Rebellion 12; Boston 13s 10 Jacksonville Axemen 22; Philadelphia Fight 4 Jacksonville Axemen 24; NZ Police 32 Boston 13s 0; Jacksonville Axemen 20 Rhode Island Rebellion 20; Philadelphia Fight 8 NZ Police 20; Rhode Island Rebellion 6 Boston 13s 18; Jacksonville Axemen 18 NZ Police 22.
Playoffs
2 vs. 3 - Jacksonville Axemen 6 Philadelphia Fight 12; 4 vs. 5 - Rhode Island Rebellion 6 Boston 13s 18; 3rd place game - Boston 13s 12 Jacksonville Axemen 0
USARL 9's Championship Match
Philadelphia Fight 4 NZ Police 22.
Depending on the cooperation of the teams, Rugby League Planet intends to run a series of daily season preview articles on each of the AMNRL and USARL teams in the countdown to the kick-offs of both competitions on June 2.
Philadelphia put up a Fight at
USARL Nines but NZ Police rule
Tony Munro - 21/5/2012
The New Zealand Police, perhaps as expected, successfully defended their United States Rugby League Nines title last Saturday defeating a gallant Philadelphia Fight 22-4 in the final at Tucker Field, Cumberland, Rhode Island.
NZP coach, Tony Feasey, told Rugby League Planet this year's win as "very satisfying" given the rise in quality of the opposition.
"To win the first title was special - but to come back a second time and see how the standard of rugby league in the USA has improved in 12 short months and to win again, it was very satisfying," Feasey enthused. "We were made to work very hard for the win(s). The USARL clubs are improving technically in all areas and it is pleasing to see."
The Kiwis, whom Feasey said "about half" play club Rugby League each week back home, had a torrid time in the round-robin phase, drawing with Rhode Island Rebellion 18-all and squeezing past the Jacksonville Axemen 22-18 in a match which reportedly could have gone either way.
The Rebellion stretched both the Police and Jax, drawing both matches, but ended the day winless with only the consolation of a tournament well hosted. Indeed, Fight coach and former Western Reds Coaching & Development Manager, Peter Illford, received a fright from Phila's encounter with the Rebellion. "I was surprised at how tough our second match was against RIR. Both RIR & Boston 13s have greatly improved. 13s were tough in our opening match."
According to Illford, who is also the USARL Chairman in his present life and a Maitland Pumpkinpicker in his previous one, his team was Fight in name and Fight in nature going into the Final. "We had to dig deep & get out of the trenches for that final. Rely in our will from previous seasons. We were hurting. Down to 11 men early in the match. One with a leg injury & one of our Aussie imports retiring after 90 seconds with a bruised or strained sternum from the previous match. It was all about the 'Fight' in us from there."
The Fight had gone into the Final with some optimism. "We had a good chance looking at the final. NZP had drawn their first game & had a tough 2-point win over JAX that could've gone either way. We won our playoff over JAX & were positive," Illford recalls. But, it wasn't to be. "Somehow the NZP left some in the reserve tank for the final. They were good. They hit us with everything in defense. They surprised me they had so much left in them. Their playing maturity & experience showed through. We stuck it out but weren't up to the task."
When pressed, Illford offered the following in offering who his best were: "Our captain & five-eighth from Australia, Johnny Weber, was our best. Fullback, Chase Mason, from Australia, was also great. He scored a handful of runaway tries during the day but his painful sternum had him on the sideline early in the final. Hooker, Dave Wilmore, a Marine with a ton of guts, tackled his heart all day. When he indicated to me five to six minutes into the second-half, something I've never known him to do in six years of coaching him, that he was out of gas but willing to stay out there, with three injured on the bench, it was going to be a big ask to come back. They put two more converted tries on us to wrap it up. Props James Coleman & Kane Fuller spent very little time on the interchange bench during the tournament & played themselves into the ground. Jarod Frymoyer & Rich Henson were always dangerous with there turn of speed and displayed strong defense. Henson didn't miss a minute of any game on the interchange bench."
Results
Round Robin Matches Rhode Island Rebellion 18 New Zealand Police 18; Philadelphia Fight 12 Boston 13s 0; Philadelphia Fight 18 Rhode Island Rebellion 12; Boston 13s 10 Jacksonville Axemen 22; Philadelphia Fight 4 Jacksonville Axemen 24; NZ Police 32 Boston 13s 0; Jacksonville Axemen 20 Rhode Island Rebellion 20; Philadelphia Fight 8 NZ Police 20; Rhode Island Rebellion 6 Boston 13s 18; Jacksonville Axemen 18 NZ Police 22.
Playoffs
2 vs. 3 - Jacksonville Axemen 6 Philadelphia Fight 12; 4 vs. 5 - Rhode Island Rebellion 6 Boston 13s 18; 3rd place game - Boston 13s 12 Jacksonville Axemen 0
USARL 9's Championship Match
Philadelphia Fight 4 NZ Police 22.
Depending on the cooperation of the teams, Rugby League Planet intends to run a series of daily season preview articles on each of the AMNRL and USARL teams in the countdown to the kick-offs of both competitions on June 2.
