VSRU Grand Final – SPC v SKC

St Patrick’s College 1^st XV vs St Kevin’s College VSRU GRAND FINAL (Xavier) (11/08)

Full time:– SKC 22 d SPC 7 (HT 12-0)

Try scorer/s: Josh Wilson-Stanton

Conversion/s: Pou Siola’a (1/1)

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5 -“ Eddie Sauvao 4 -“ Pou Siola’a 3 -“ Ryan Yeomans 2 -“ Inoke Siola’a 1 -“ Koni Wolfgramm

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My final report for 2018. I thought I may leave it to the new week to write, however I have surprising clarity for late on a Saturday evening. The length of our season has been well publicised, as has the commitment and efforts of our players, so I do not need to revisit that context or that this game represented a significant opportunity for our playing group, an opportunity to write a new page in the College’s rich sporting history. As I write this report, I am overwhelmed with an enormous sense of pride, which is perhaps why I have such clarity. Our players formed a special bond early in the season and strengthened it in Canberra, our first ever rugby tour. Each player has given so much on our journey to today and has represented the College with such distinction that we can all be proud of. There was a game of rugby to be played today, a game that all wanted to win, however when we all reflect on the journey that our rugby program has been on for the last few years our accomplishments are quite remarkable. I do not want this to become a reflective piece on the season at large, that can be enjoyed at our forthcoming Presentation Evening (September 6^th), but to have brought over 100 supporters down from Ballarat, a group comprising of our young, aspiring players, parents, old boys, staff, community members and more, it is a true sign of the strength of our rugby community and that success cannot be forgotten by a Grand Final defeat.

Unfortunately, it was a defeat, a defeat to a quality opposition with a history of their own, of continued, sustained success. St Kevin’s are to be applauded and are deserved champions for 2018. Ultimately, we must dust ourselves off, climb from the canvass and ensure we are prepared for the many new challenges that await. For our Yr12 players it won’t be a challenge that they face as today marked their final chapter in their own St Patrick’s College rugby story. To a player they can each reflect on an outstanding school career and I wished success for them today, however we fell just short. This senior group have led our younger players with distinction and left everything on the field this afternoon. Some critical decisions went against us, however we shall not point the finger of blame at anyone else except ourselves. We were the determiners of our own destiny and today we were not able to execute either our attack or defence strategies as we had hoped to. Playing a significant period of the game with a player down did not help our cause and credit must go to the remainder of the players for their resilience and determination to continue to believe, even when the scoreboard looked desperate.

What a season. A season that saw many firsts and much to celebrate in a few weeks time. There were tears on the final whistle, but these were just a sign of the desire that our players showed. This game, this opportunity, meant everything to our players -“ and they came up just a fraction short. The occasion was spectacular and one that will live long in the hearts and minds of all who attended. The whole group (and there are too many to thank individually in this report) are indebted to everyone who made it so special, who fought alongside us to the final whistle and who wrapped us up in your embrace to pick us off the floor.

Our 2019 season will commence on October 8^th, please forgive me for the break that we all need until then. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It has been a pleasure. –

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