Payap Continue to Impress

Payap Rugby Club up to Second

By Pat Cotter

Chiang Mai University on a cool and cloudy Saturday afternoon was the venue for round four of the 2020 Lanna Rugby 10’s League. It was the first time this season that the games had been played on a pitch with posts and that would have a significant outcome during the days play.

In game one, the hosts Chiang Mai Rugby Club took on the ever improving Payap Rugby Club in what was an entertaining encounter. From the first whistle it was obvious both teams wanted to play an open expansive style of rugby and CM Rugby took an early lead after a turnover in their own half saw them fend off a couple of covering tackles with Frank going in at the corner. The resulting conversion attempt by Jed proved to be too far out however but CM Rugby were looking good for their early lead.

The pace and the inventiveness of the CM lads was causing all sorts of problems for Payap and only some resolute covering defense kept the score down as the break approached. A ruck down in the CM 22 resulted in a Payap penalty which was taken quickly by Aom Santhiti kwuangwaen who battered his way through three tackles to get the ball down on the line to score. Converting his own try gave Payap a narrow 7-5 lead albeit against the run of play.

Payap made some changes coming into the second stanza bringing on some of their experienced forwards and a tactical change, where Tawan Kraikaewk brought all his cunning and skill to the back line which had an immediate impact on the game. Payap tightened up their defensive line and, when in possession, got the tight five driving up the middle and setting up good attacking platforms from which the backs started to make inroads as the CM defense began to tire. A clearing kick from the Payap half didn’t find touch and a quick counter attack by CM led to Kwang racing away down the wing evading a couple of desperate tackles to go in at the corner. Once again the distance was too great for Jed’s conversion but on the balance of play CM just about deserved the lead. 10-7. Once again though as the clock ticked down towards the break a counter down the middle by prop James saw him offload to Pepper who broke the line and fed hooker Chaipipath Na Chiangmai who crashed over the line to score and, with Aom kicking the conversion, giving Payap a 14-10 lead as the whistle blew.

The final period got underway and immediately Payap began to dominate with a run away try down the wing from the kick off by Pooh Rittikul Boonrit and, though CM Rugby fought bravely and tackled their hearts out, it proved not to be enough as Chaipipath Na Chiangmai went over, after some slick handling, for his second try of the match. With both tries being converted in a magnificent kicking display by an imposing Aom Santhiti kwuangwaen, Payap won with a try bonus point 28-10 in what was a thoroughly enjoyable match.

Man of the Match – Chaipipath Na Chiangmai ( Payap Rugby )

TNSU Rugby Hold On To Beat Lanna

The second match of the day between TNSU Rugby and the Lanna Rugby Club turned out to be a contentious and at times bad tempered affair with the inexperienced TNSU team constantly infringing and at times acting more like football players than rugby players with their antics.

Despite all that the rugby that was played turned out to be hard, skillful and full of quality, with the Lanna Rugby Club stunning the younger, fitter and well organised TNSU team by racing away to a 14-0 lead by the end of the first period with excellent tries by Louis Stanton who, continues to impose himself in games with his rugby league background, and Thomas Stubley, an ever present thorn in all the teams’ sides this season. Both tries were converted by an impressive Brian Grieve to take the Lanna boys in at the break 14-0.

TNSU knew they had a fight on their hands and immediately hit back from the kick off with a breakaway try under the posts by the TNSU wing to cut the deficit to 7 points. It wasn’t long before they were level when a mix up in defense allowed the TNSU scrum half to dummy his way through the line to put TNSU in for the score that tied up the game.

As lanna upped their game with some strong carries from props Opart & Brave and being driven on by Welsh scrum half Mark Harris, TNSU started to constantly infringe at the breakdown as they couldn’t contain the older and more experienced Lanna tight five which resulted in the first yellow card of the day. Although Lanna pushed hard for the line last gasp tackling prevented lanna captian Dave McRitchie getting an all important score. Towards the end of the period Dtun finally managed to shake off his markers and dived over the line only to knock the ball on as he went in for the grounding.

A quick unconverted try by TNSU at the start of the final stanza gave the advantage back to them but their frustration continued to boil over and had visibly started to affect the Lanna side as well. A break down the wing was stopped by Dtun who slid up around the shoulders resulting in a high tackle. A TNSU player was then red carded after he kicked Dtun during a resulting altercation in a disgraceful unprovoked attack.

Lanna got back into the game and drove into the TNSU 22 but a turnover resulted in the TNSU wing receiving what looked like a forward pass which was waved on by the AR, to score under the posts. 26-14. Lanna were up against it but all the niggling and off the ball tit tat by TNSU had them fired up and Stanton made one of his trade mark breaks to carry over three would be tacklers to score under the posts with Grieve adding the extras. As the clock ticked down a Lanna try was disallowed by the AR for a slight knock on and the resulting scrum was the last play of the game. Instead of kicking the ball dead TNSU decided to run it out from their own line and ended up kicking deep into Lanna territory. Dtun gained possesion and sidestepped the onrushing TNSU players to return with pace up the middle and link up with his forwards. They drove on from there with Paul Bollwell carrying into the 22 where Grieve took the ball to the line before slipping a fine inside ball to Stubley who went off on one of his meandering runs to the line to score. Grieve had the opportunity to convert what would be the kick to draw the game but the ball drifted wide and Lanna went down 26-24.

Man of the Match-Opart – Lanna Rugby Club

Lanna Rugby Club were presented with their new playing kit by Mike the owner of sponsor Sheryl’s Bar & Restaurant before their game against TNSU Rugby Club