University came into this game top of the table and full of confidence; to say they got a shock is an understatement. From the kick off to the final whistle Macau Nomads got under Uni’s skin and played with an intensity that was a credit to all involved. The first ten minutes were not the prettiest in rugby terms as new combinations took time to gel and a few quick exchanges of names were needed.

The play had been kept tight and closely fought at the beginning with numerous Uni players dishing out a lot of chat. This riled up Craig Wilson, whose opposite number had been unwise to mouth off at the big man and his hard hitting centre buddy, Yves. With uni fooled into thinking this was how the game would be played all day Mike Cross, making his international debut, started to push the play wider and Macau Nomads were able to cut Uni’s defence who pre empted a tighter attacking move. Lauren came on to the ball from deep and at pace to hit outside the 13 channel linking up nicely with Yves on the inside to score under the sticks.

Macau Nomads really started to dominate after 20 minutes as from 1 to 15 they concentrated on their individual jobs and set about winning the battles with their opposite man. No more was this evident than with the back row of Gabe, Garrick, and Albert, who decided to take time out from throwing up to hit breakdown after breakdown and cause a general nuisance when the opposition had the ball. This was a key lesson learnt and a big step forward. After a strong scrum, from a tight five who provided a solid platform all day, the ball was hit up in the middle. Uni predicting a move the same way were caught off guard as Crossy switched back and went down the blind. With the flying Chrissy Lin screaming for the ball outside Crossy threw a dummy, which the defence brought hook line and sinker, before going over to score himself.

Another strong scrum from the Macau Nomads tight five put university under pressure again. With the ball shooting out of the base of the scrum Gabe, playing like a man possessed, was first to react. After a couple of neat kicks on the ball bounced kindly and he raced over the line to touch down, a fine reward for the captain of the Macau Nomads ship. The rest of the half was spent with the teams sharing equal possession and neither being able to get through what were a couple of strong defences.

The second half started with both teams keen to gain some momentum. However this was thwarted by long periods of loose play and players trying to do too much too early instead of keeping things simple. It was also not helped by a lot of niggle at the breakdown.

There were a number of changes with 20 to minutes go. Kudos must be given to the guys who came on as their fresh legs and clear heads enabled Macau Nomads to score twice more and ensured that the University team got only a solitary score. The first Macau Nomads try was from a moment of brilliance. If you hang around Crossy long enough he will tell you only 14% of chip kicks come off. Luckily for him at the weekend his was in that 14%. Spotting the Uni defence up flat from a penalty Crossy took a quick tap before chipping over and collecting the ball at Uni’s 5 metre line and bustling over with a number of players on his back. This score not only gave Macau Nomads real breathing space but also secured the 4 try bonus point.

From the kick off Macau Nomads set the ball and worked their way up field before Uni gave away a silly penalty. With Macau Nomads now brimming with confidence Dowse took a quick tap. Good handling and  a wonderful straightening run from Wilson split the Uni defence and after bumping off a couple of players he decided he couldn’t be bothered to run any further so found Lawrence who sliced through to score what would prove to be Macau Nomads’ fifth and final try. Uni did get one solitary try back as the Macau Nomads defence got sucked into the breakdown and missed a number of tackles. Overall this performance was a marked step forward and one which everyone involved should be proud of. With no warm up, new combinations and a niggly opposition this was a good test to overcome. If Macau Nomads can continue to build on this performance I am sure the team will get their just rewards come the end of the season.

Final Score: 29-5