Cranbrook narrowly beat the Elk Valley Bulls in Fernie title decider
Elk Valley Bulls v Rocky Mountain Rogues
September 11th 2021
Prentice Park, Fernie BC
By Min Merritt
The Elk Valley Bulls and the Rocky Mountain Rogues met one last time to decide who would lift the Kootenay Champions Cup 2021. The Bulls had been training hard under Coach Pete Dudman and turned up in full force ready to take on their old rivals. The Rogues arrived with only 14 players, so Dudman nobly offered his services as a winger for the opposition. Far away from his usual position in the front row, the Rogue’s right wing could have been seen as a weak spot in their defensive line.
The match was played with the intensity we have come to expect from these two teams. The Rogues scored first after they kicked the ball into the Bulls 22, it was well gathered by the Bulls fullback, Ross Morgan, unfortunately he failed to call the mark before the Rogues steam-rolled over him and scored. The Bulls responded quickly with a try of their own. Scrumhalf, Somhairle Greene, took a quick penalty in front of the posts and wove his way through the retreating defense to score under the posts. He converted his own try to tie the match at 7 all. The score remained there until the 30-minute mark when one of the Bulls fumbled a high ball and it was gathered by the Rogue’s number 13 who crossed the line. A few minutes later, the Ref blew for half time when the Bulls were just 5M from the Rogue’s line.
The Rogues put the pressure on early in the second half and pinned the Bulls back in their own 22. The Bulls held their defensive line through a series of phases but ended up conceding a penalty. The Rogues kicked to the corner for a line out and were able to score from this dominant position. With the score now 7 V 19 the game was slipping away from the Bulls. Greene helped change the momentum of the game by putting boot to ball mid-way through the second half and was able to retrieve his own kick. A series of driving rucks by the forwards ate up the final few metres ending with a strong forwards try by Darren. The second half saw a number of opportunities lost due to careless penalties and knock-ons. The final score was 14 V 19 to the Rocky Mountain Rogues. They are deserving winners of the Kootenay Championship Title 2021.
Speaking after the match Captain, Somhairle Greene said "That was a tough one to lose. Cranbrook were clinical when presented with the opportunity to score and that made the difference today. From our side of things, we played with great heart, but unfortunately our discipline cost us. Shoutout to the supporters on the sidelines, who were fantastic."
Despite the loss, the Bulls as always played with 100% effort and commitment. Players arrived 2 hours before kick-off in order to let team Athletic Therapists, Heather Lewis and Kayla Boger work their magic on so many players who were carrying minor injuries yet were determined to get on the pitch. Although the penalty count was certainly too high it came about from committed players desperate to make a difference. Whilst it was certainly an exciting game, the real highlight occurred after the match when past president, Andy MacFarlane made a surprise appearance to show his support for the Elk Valley Bulls. The entire East Kootenay Rugby community stands together to wish him a speedy and full recovery.
A big thank you to Sharon Kelly for the excellent photos
https://www.instagram.com/sharonkelly_photography/
