Skip to content

Piggies score 10 in win over UVic

Teams combine for 106 points
9202577_web1_171103-CCI-piggies_1
Cowichan’s Robin Gusse is hauled down by a Norsemen player during the Piggies’ 56-50 win at UVic last Saturday. (Chris Wilson/www.islandwavephotography.com)

Head coach Andrew Wright noted prior to the Cowichan Piggies’ match last Saturday that their opponents, the UVic Norsemen, score a lot of points, but also give up a lot of points.

He still wasn’t prepared for a 56-50 final score.

“It was one of the highest scoring rugby games, from both sides, I’ve been part of in a long time,” Wright said.

The teams combined for 18 tries under a hot late-October sun, the Piggies scoring 10 of them and Owen Wood slotting 10 conversions.

The game got off to a rocky start for Cowichan as the Norsemen scored on the first play of the game, and put up 12 points in the first five or six minutes.

“I was shocked,” Wright said. “I was thinking it’s gonna be a long day if that’s how this is going to turn out.”

Noah Dobson got the Piggies on the board with a hard-earned try off a lineout, Andrew Gudmundseth ran in the next two tries, and Ty Jones added one of his own. The Norsemen replied with two more, before Wood went over the line for the last try of the half, making it 27-24 at the break in Cowichan’s favour.

“It was great rugby,” Wright said. “We were executing our game plan: trying to keep the ball in close, expose their smaller pack size and conserve energy.”

The Piggies started slow in the second half, and the Norsemen regained the lead. Jenner Teufel replied with a try, then UVic scored two more. Teufel got his second of the day, then Cowichan turned it on in the last 10 minutes, sending Robin Gusse, Sean Williams and James Patterson over the line. Lengthy injury time allowed the Norsemen to score one more in the 46th minute to earn two bonus points: one for being within seven points and another for scoring four tries. The Piggies finished with five points in the standings while UVic earned two.

The Piggies had to travel light, with only two subs available — Lucas Grosse and Alucious Gray — both of whom helped out tremendously in the team victory.

“I was impressed with the boys and their composure and desire to fight through the turmoil of the ups and downs,” Wright said. “The boys are starting to show a lot of their character and camaraderie.

“It was a good day. We moved the ball well and we had good ball support. We have a few things to work on in our defensive structure, but we’re all on the same page with what we have to do.”

The Piggies are now a perfect 3-0 in Times Cup games, with bonus points from every contest. They have three matches left in that competition.

The Piggies will be able to rest a lot of the worn-out bodies from their last two battles as they play a Third Division match at Westshore this Saturday.

“A lot of the young guys and older guys who don’t get on a lot will get a lot of game time,” Wright said.



kevin.rothbauer@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter



Kevin Rothbauer

About the Author: Kevin Rothbauer

Kevin Rothbauer is the sports reporter for the Cowichan Valley Citizen
Read more