Western Conference Playoffs

LPRFC 18 WS Banshees 15

Park battled their way back from an early 10 point deficit to defeat their opponents with a last second penalty kick. In the early stages of the match, Park were put on the back foot by an aggressive Banshees team. While competing well in the rucks, Park were struggling to contain the Banshees maul. It has to be said that this was in part due to a failure to get into good driving positions.

The Banshees took the lead attacking the weak side from a ruck on the right flank. Park looked to have perhaps got under the ball but the try was given. This lead was then extended when the Banshees scored a pushover try as Park's pack were put on the back foot. 

After the initial setback Park began to gain equal footing in the game. Once Park's forwards had started to slow their opposite numbers, then Park's backs began to look ever more dangerous. The Banshees looked to move the ball wide but rarely did so with any forward movement. 

Park pulled back a try when their backs took advantage of an overload to create space wide for Langley to score. Bean's conversion edged Park back to within 3 points.

The Banshees then took advantage of a Park penalty. Choosing a scrum they forced Park back again and after a quick ruck their prop found a seam to crash over.

Park did regain their composure and for the final 10 minutes of the half applied pressure of their own. Bean missed two penalty opportunities but at the very end of the half kept his nerve to kick Park back to within a try.

In the second half, Park started to assert their own pressure playing an up tempo and expansive game. Taylor, Wall and Meredith were proving wiling ball carriers and the rest of the pack gave timely support at the breakdown. The backs tried to attack wide but too often the final pass failed to find hands. With perhaps just a little better execution and composure more scores would surely have come.

Park's resolve did not falter and when Bean made a half break, Meredith followed up in support to tie the scores. 

The Banshees were not done and two key defensive plays from Park were instrumental in keeping the scores level. First Shank produced a try-saving tackle as the Banshees broke clear from their own twenty-two then Park's pack turned over a Banshees scrum just fifteen yards from the goal line.

As the match entered the final minutes, Park kept the pressure on. The Banshees defence fought desperately but with just seconds left conceded a penalty just left of their own posts. With the game on the line, Bean kept his cool and kicked Park to victory.

Team: Wall, Shaaban, Waryjas (Bitar), Coleman, Cavnar, Hanlon, Meredith, Taylor, Sakai, Bean, Collins, Wilson, Skinner, Martin, Shank

Trys: Langley 1, Meredith 1
Con: Bean 1
Pen: Bean 2

LPRFC 23 Clinton 19

In a ferocious and often bruising encounter, Park finally triumphed over an opponent who had become somewhat of a nemesis over the last few years. Four times the teams had met before and four times Clinton had come out on top. With home advantage in the Spring on the line, Park were determined to reverse this trend.

Park began the game in a sprightly fashion. Keeping the ball moving, the rucks had a dynamism rarely seen of late. Sakai was able to give quick ball to his back line or use his customary sniping runs to put Clinton on the back foot. The obvious physical advantage of Clinton was neutralized by the tempo and commitment Park showed at the breakdown. Asked before the game to sacrifice the body they responded with bravery in putting themselves into places that hurt.

Park's first score was set up by the vision of Wilson. When it looked like Park were about to go back to the open side from a ruck close to the left touch line, Park's center took a quick ball on the weak side and drew the last Clinton defender before putting away Collins on the outside. While his scything tackles were what stood out during the game, his ever eagerness to take on Clinton's defensive line also demonstrated Wilson's effort to Park's cause. 

Park's pack were also handling their bigger opponents and from a line out, mauled over for a Hanlon try. The lineouts became such a formality with Cavnar taking ball after ball that Clinton rarely challenged the throw and settled on trying to stop the drive.

As Park had seen the previous day, Clinton were not a team to give up easily and from a penalty close to Park line, pulled a try back. The ruck was set and the remaining forwards crossed behind to release the No 8 to crash over with a powerful burst.

A Bean penalty edged Park back up by 8 but when a clearing kick was blocked, Park conceded a penalty for holding on. Yet again Clinton's forwards set a good platform and created space for a short try.

At this stage, Clinton definitely had momentum in their favor and early in the second half scored their 3rd try, again setting a quick ruck after a Park penalty. A run by the fly-half took him close to the line and the forwards followed up for the score. What looked to be a relatively straight forward conversion was pushed wide and this proved to be a crucial miss.

As in Saturday's game Park continued to keep the pressure on as the minutes ticked away and were finally rewarded when they took a quick tap penalty and spun the ball wide to the left wing to score in the corner. Another penalty gave them them a four point lead and ensured that Clinton would need a try to win.

As the final seconds ticked away, a Park kick failed to find touch and Clinton moved ever closer to Park's line. They crossed mid-field and a series of pop passes edged them to Park's twenty-two. Park were now defending desperately. As Clinton started to maul, Hanlon found a way to get his hands on the ball and prevent release. The ref blew for full-time and Park had won.

Team: Wall, Shaaban, Waryjas (Bitar), Coleman, Cavnar, Hanlon, Meredith (Hurley), Taylor, Sakai, Bean, Collins, Wilson, Boroski, Martin, Shank

Trys: Collins 2, Hanlon 1, 
Con: Bean 1
Pen: Bean 2