"I’ll Take It"

Cuckoos 24- Baillou 14

            The much-awaited game between the Baillou Boys and the Cuckoos was witnessed by many cheering fans at Winton Rugby Pitch on 27th October, 2007.
            Both teams started the match looking sluggish, committing unforced errors. Ten minutes into the match, the Cuckoos marched the ball to the Baillou’s seven-meter line and camped there for almost five minutes, unable to break the try line. Thanks to the Cuckoos’ forwards who displayed the inability to present balls properly when tackled, Winger Justin put an end to the agony when he crashed the ball over for a try. Baker Boy converted giving the Cuckoos a 7-0 lead. The Cuckoos’ forwards continued to not properly secure loose balls that resulted in the Baillou’s Backs making some huge gains through he Swiss cheese looking Cuckoos backs, only to shoot themselves with ill advised, poor executed kicks, most noticeable by winger Key Ross. Twenty minutes into the match, again from a loose ball that the Cuckoos failed to secure fly half Steve Thompson hit center Beetle at pace with a stiff pass, who dinked, bobbed and skipped through the Cuckoos backs, the passed the ball to Kevin Salabi, who I return passed the ball back to Beetle, who scored a beautiful try under the post that began 80 meters out. Salabi converted, knotting the score 7 a piece, ending the half.
The second half started with the Baillou Boys Backs looking dangerous, making hush gains through the Cuckoos’ back defensive lines. However, they were unable to complete, thanks to Robbie, Andrew Bain and Andrew Love making try saving tackles. However, on a twenty-two drop out, Baillou prop Garfield Morrison caught the ball, dropped it, fell down, got up, huffed and puffed over the line for a try, while all the Cuckoos avoided him like he was carrying the black plague, putting shame to shame, failed even an attempt to make a tackle, a disgraceful sight for any ruggers’ eyes to behold. Twenty minutes left into the match, Dave Garner was subpoena onto the pitch. Minutes later, the energies of the Cuckoos exploded with good hard running, excellent rucking and mauling, putting the Baillou Boys on their heels, lead by Dave Garner, that resulted in Baillou committing mistakes that cost them 3 points via the foot of Baker cutting into the Baillou’s lead. Minutes later, scrum half Mico Cooper, took full advantage of the Cuckoos pressure, who took a quick ball, also causing two Baillou’s “want to be tacklers” to miss ten meters away. Scoring under the post, Baker converted making the score 17-14 in Cuckoos favor. Ten minutes later, the Cuckoos put an exclamation mark on the match when Dave Garner ran the ball hard to the Baillou ten-meter line who refused to go down without the full support of his forwards. They drove Baillou forwards, reeling them backwards and were rewarded with a good looking try by Garner; a try, when one looked at the Baillou Boys’, they know they had just been whooped, making the final score 24-14. Dave Garner was the man of the match with Justin receiving Honourable mention, However, the Cuckoos should be very concerned about their backs defense, they should also feel very dissatisfied, failing on their signature play. “Bouncer Scrum” known for years to push opponents over for a try, but this day failed. Nevertheless, as John Ferguson said, “Beating Baillou, I’ll take it.”

Report by Chairmen 'Mac' McCartney