Three teams still in with a shout

Laos who were given an absolute drubbing on Tuesday and whose game-end bench looked like a scene from Casualty, showed admirable resolve and no little pride in picking themselves up and making Pakistan fight to the very last minute for their 7-0 win last night.

Pakistan, still smarting from their defeat at the hands of Iran on Tuesday looked totally focused and it was they who started the game the better. With only nine minutes on the clock, captain and No8 Bilal Khan of Islamabad Rugby Club, leading from the front, as he did throughout the entire game, muscled his way through the Laos defence to score the game’s opening and as it transpired, only try. He then stepped up and converted himself, to give Pakistan a 7-0 lead.

Pakistan

Khan, his troops or their coaching staff, would not have realised at that early stage in the game, how vitally important that try was to be, as from that minute on, there was absolutely nothing between the teams.

There must be a shortage of mirrors in the city of Vientiane, because it is clear that the Laos team do not seem to realise that they are considerably smaller than your average rugby player. They play as if they are thirty kilos a man heavier and as on Tuesday evening, they refused to be intimidated and oft times, to the chagrin of their coaches, they took on the Pakistan forwards in close, where they undeniably gave as good as they got.

As passionately as both teams played in the first period, the handling at times was poor and the kicking out of hand aimless. Laos’ scrum-half Vannaxxay Somsouth showed his class on several occasions with darting blindside breaks, one such after 27 minutes, led to the ball being swept left and looked like being a sure-fire try. Unfortunately with the line at his mercy, a lapse in concentration by the Laos centre resulted in a knock-on.

The second period continued in much the same vein as the first.  Laos urged on by the dynamic prop forward Phanavanh Boutthavong, continued to tackle like demons and eventually Pakistan’s inability to break down their opponents led to frustration. First centre Saad Arif was shown yellow and then four minutes later in a moment of madness, wing Mian Ali Shan took out the counter-attacking Laos full-back with an ugly stiff-arm tackle and saw red.

Now reduced to 13 men it was Pakistan who were to show their mettle. Bilal Khan, for my money the man of the match, showed great maturity and leadership all night and he rallied his tiring team, who then nullified every Laos attack. It is testament to this great effort that Laos’ one and for a time two man advantage, was not really apparent. They were of course massively aided in their cause by Laos’ stubborn refusal to utilise their outside backs.

At the final whistle, with a 7-0 victory, Pakistan are still in with a shout on Saturday. They certainly won’t have to work on their post-match celebrations if last night’s display is anything to go by!

Pakistan in both games so far have shown that they are as tough as any in this division. Whether or not that will be enough to overturn the Philippines on Saturday remains to be seen, but don’t count them out yet. Coach Fouzan Majeed Wain said after the match,” We will look at the videos, assess what went well and what went badly and also assess the opposition. We know it will be physical and tough, but we are here to win. We want promotion to Division 1.”

Laos last night won admiration from all the neutrals in the crowd and I am sure their opposition. Despite the size disadvantage their forwards are technically sound and able to hold their own with all the teams. Outside of the scrum-half the three-quarters are somewhat naive and nervous, but I don’t believe we have seen the best of them yet and perhaps in the Iran game, where they can throw caution to the wind, a little more ball may be sent their way.

The evening’s opening game had seen the Philippines take on Iran. Both teams had won their opening fixtures and the general pre-match view was that there wouldn’t be much in it. That prediction was to prove accurate, for the first period at least.

The Philippines had made several changes to their starting line-up, some forced through injuries and others tactical. The most noteworthy was the switching of Tuesday’s fly-half Kim Hilis to the left wing, with inside centre Ben Saunders taking his place. With Ned Stephenson now at inside centre, Kenneth Dizon had come in at outside centre and it was he who got the scoreboard moving on six minutes, taking the ball on the burst and powering over to put the Philippines 5-0 up.

Man of the match, Philippines hooker Alex Buchel

On nine minutes a Meysam Reyhanifard penalty reduced the deficit to two points and that was how it was to remain for the entire first half. Without a doubt the Philippine dominated the possession stakes and on several occasions looked odds on to score only for Iran to come up with some determined try saving tackling. 25 minutes into the game, the Philippines showed one of the aces in their hand and an inch perfect long throw from hooker Alex Buchel was taken at full tilt by Saunders, off loaded to Stephenson, who got within in metre before being dragged to ground. Another glimpse of the local lads attacking potential and the rugby league background of many of the Philippines backline was evident minutes later when Saunders put through a sublime grubber kick for Hilis. It was less than six inches off perfect and although the versatile Hilis could not take advantage the writing was beginning to be written on the wall.

Less than two minutes into the second half a superb line-out take from Nathan Persons saw quick ball spun along the line and Hilis scurried over in the left corner. On 13 minutes the lead was extended when Stephenson fortuitously managed to score what should have been a simple penalty via the woodwork. At 13-3 the Philippines team were now looking more relaxed and in control and Iran seemed at a loss as to how to deal with their expansive play.

Mid-way through the half Buchel again threw long and Saunders slalomed through the defence to register his fourth try of the tournament. He is still some way short of older brother Matt’s record of five tries in a game in the 2006 tournament, whre much to his disappointment he was substituted after 50 minutes.

At this point Iran picked up their game for a period, although they resorted to the same predictable pick and drive tactics and their wings must feel like the England outside backs of the eighties and early nineties; there to make the numbers up.

Looks like the refs had enough!

Iran’s short period of ascendency was stopped in its tracks by an excellent tackle from Farrer. He fluctuates between some frustratingly blinkered play and moments of brilliance; an overhead reverse pass midway through the second half, that would be shown on repeated TV highlights had it been done by Gregan or his ilk, being a fine example.

On 25 minutes and trailing 21-3 Iran bizarrely chose to kick for goal and this must have pleased the Philippines coaches no end. Iran could see no way through the resolute home defence and at this point had just about given up the cause. The kick being unsuccessful the score was to remain at 21-3 until the final whistle. The Iran team were inconsolable and clearly expected to win this encounter. Hats off to the Philippines coaches; they have gelled a real mixed bag of players into a unit in limited time and the tournament is now theirs to win or lose.

Philippines celebrate a second win

Iran are still in the hunt to win this tournament, but will need to rack up a huge score over the resurgent Laos and rely on Pakistan turning over the local lads at the Nomad Sports Club on Saturday afternoon.

Images courtesy: Chris Kuhlow and Trish Somera