Blues get a second chance in rugby finals
MACCABI'S quest to claim an unprecedented double has hit a snag, after the Blues lost the Meldrum Cup major semifinal 16-14 to Manly Savers on Saturday.
DAVID WEINER
MACCABI’S quest to claim an unprecedented double has hit a snag, after the Blues lost the Meldrum Cup major semifinal 16-14 to Manly Savers on Saturday.
It was the first time the Maccabi First XV has lost this season, but the side will get a second chance when it tackles Clovelly this weekend — and they’ll need a vastly improved performance to earn a rematch with the Savers in a fortnight.
Coach Andrew Hendry said: “I think if we played like that against Great Britain [in the Maccabiah Games] we would’ve lost by 60 points. I’ll be doing my best to make sure the guys are mentally prepared.”
The Blues found themselves under the pump from the opening whistle up against a side full of big hombres. Despite struggling in the tackle contest all match, the Blues defence held out an early onslaught and turned the tables when Captain Al Lehrer charged over under the sticks to finish off a four-pass move.
A close call then went against hard-running centre Keith Friedlander, who looked to have finished off a 30-metre dash to the corner, but was ruled to have gone into touch.
It was finals footy and there was plenty of niggle, which erupted into a biff when a Manly opponent took aim and belted number-eight Yoni Sonnabend. Inexplicably, Sonnabend also found himself in the sin-bin.
Before long, each side had another player in the bin, but everyone was left scratching their heads as Lance Friedman was marched for what was neither a professional foul or repeat offence. The score was 7-3 at half-time.
Manly built sustained pressure in the second period – the Blues soaked up a glut of defence, but eventually cracked after quick hands in the corner.
After piloting a penalty-goal, Manly defiantly held their 11-7 lead for some time. Maccabi butchered three guilt-edged chances and just couldn’t get enough quality ball out to the likes of Friedlander, Steve Cohen and Dan Ezekiel, who all caused the defence problems whenever they got a sniff.
Ezekial then dipped into his rugby league instincts and set-up what should’ve been the winner. He jinked, took on the defence, and stood and off-loaded with a brilliant flick out the back that finished with Sonnabend diving over in the corner. Cohen landed the sideline conversion.
But it wasn’t to be. When the side should have closed it out to claim a scratchy win, a shanked clearance spun back and bounced cruelly past Dan Munitz, where Manly pounced for a last-gasp, and arguably a deserved win.
Maccabi meets Clovelly on Saturday at David Philips Field at 1.30pm.
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