SIAM CUP 2006
Guernsey 13 – 38 Jersey Guernsey haven’t won back-to-back Siams for some 30 years, and at Footes Lane, they never ever looked likely to improve that record. | "Absolutely fantastic" | | Jersey skipper Steve O'Brien |
Their chance of retaining the trophy took a nose dive well before the match started, with the news that both their South African players, Willoughby Bloem and Francois Venter had missed their flights and would not be playing. Jersey were ahead after ten minutes, and were over twenty points in front well before the interval. Latu started the rout with a try on ten minutes, following a great rolling maul which Jersey have used to such great effect in their last few matches. Sam Cummings converted to make it 7-0. Carl Gardener reduced the arrears with a penalty, but it was to be Guernsey’s only score of the half. Confident Jersey With the match only 18 minutes old, Sam Cummings displayed just how confident Jersey were feeling, when he kicked for touch near the corner rather than go for goal – and it paid off, with captain Steve O’Brien going over following the line out. 12-3 to Jersey. The pressure from the visitors was relentless and James Milner added a third try after a wonderful flowing move from right to left, including a break made by Ross Allan who held off two defenders to get the ball out. Another Cummings conversion made it 19-3. Midway though the half, Jersey’s Nathan Kemp and Paul Thomas of Guernsey were both sin-binned after some fisti-cuffs, but it didn’t bother Jersey, who went further ahead through full-back Gareth Jeffreys. He waltzed his way round the back of the Guernsey pack to touch down for try number four. Again it was Cummings converting to give Jersey a very healthy and well deserved half-time lead 26-3. No comeback this time around It took just seconds of the second half for Jersey to dispel any thoughts of a 2005-style Guernsey comeback. O’Brien scored his second try virtually straight from the kick-off. The ball travelled down the three-quarters with the skipper using his power and pace to continue what was now becoming a complete rout at 31-3. Twelve minutes later and Latu powered over after a typically powerful run, breaking through at least three tackles – his efforts over the afternoon would earn him the man-of-the-match award. A brilliant conversion by the on-form Cummings gave Jersey an unstoppable 38-3 lead. It was almost inevitable that Jersey would take their foot off the gas for the last quarter of an hour, and coach Dai Burton’s seven tactical substitutions to keep the game safe resulted in some disjointed play near the end. Guernsey get last word All credit to Guernsey – they took full advantage and at least had the last word by completing all the rest of the scoring themselves. First Matt Morgan at last crossed the Jersey line, a well-earned score for probably Guernsey’s best player, and Jim Regnard, running a full 25 metres, put some gloss on the scoreline. The last piece of action was off the ball - a big punch up involving Matt Banahan, who had already been sin-binned shortly after coming on as a substitute. He was seen to swing at least three or four punches, and he was rightly shown the red card, the second time in successive Siam Cup matches that Jersey have had a player dismissed. No holding back But for the Jersey skipper Steve O’Brien, there was no holding back his emotions after last year’s upset: ”Absolutely fantastic. I can’t describe the disappointment last year when it was taken away – just for a year – we’re keeping it for a bit now! "We’re all close mates – we’re a very tight unit and its fantastic to be on the field playing with them and bringing home the Siam. Fantastic.” Coach Dai Burton was equally pleased with his squad's performance, even though it was the result that he had planned for; "Elated I suppose really. I’ve been pretty calm all day. "We had a game plan and the players played to it. If it was an off-the-cuff victory I would probably be bouncing around the place, but we planned to play this way.” Dejected Guernsey captain Andy Bailey was obviously disappointed with the result but was gracious in accepting his team's defeat; "I'm pretty dejected. Fair play, Jersey played very well - their accuracy was greater than ours. "They put their chances away and we didn’t. Sometimes you have to hold your hands up when you’re beaten by a better rugby team, and that’s what happened today.” | 
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