St Jacques face league leaders this weekend looking to bounce back from injury hit loss

Friday 22 November 2024

A heavily depleted St Jacques side fought valiantly, but ultimately came up short against Trojans last weekend.

They return to the Club Pitch again tomorrow at 13:45, but the task does not get any easier against top of the table Havant Dolphins.

Layton Batiste’s side have been hit by a number of injuries lately, and that coupled with player unavailability meant three of the Vikings coaching team stepped up to play against Trojans, including Batiste himself.

St Jacques were behind in the opening four mins, as the hosts kicked an early penalty.

That lead was extended after Trojans gathered a ball that appeared to come out the side of the scrum, the referee waived play on, and they quickly found themselves under the posts.

It took the Vikings 10 minutes to have their first meaningful period of possession, but indiscipline and mistakes were hurting their chances, and returning possession back to the home side.

Trojans fly-half Tugdual Long was proving to be very illusive, and was the key to the home side’s attack early on.

Chris Croft received a yellow card after 15 mins for a high tackle. Trojans nearly scored from the resulting lineout, but the ball was knocked on out wide.

Trojans scored next after a defensive mismatch exploited the Vikings line, and the visitors could do nothing to stop them scoring under the posts.

The woes continued for St Jacques, as another good attack from a lineout in the Vikings 22 saw Trojans score again.

The Vikings finally created a scoring chance of their own, after winning a penalty from an excellent scrum. They kicked to the corner and went through multiple phases from the lineout, before the referee adjudged the ball had been held up over the line.

A good break from Taylor Quate had the Vikings back into the Trojans 22. They failed to handle a kick ahead and were forced to kick the ball into touch.

From the resulting scrum the Vikings went close again, but unfortunately knocked the ball on a few metres from the line. It was not looking like this would be their day.

Adam Giles made an impressive break for the Vikings just before half-time. The ball was recycled and Tom Veillard added a clever kick in behind, which Taylor Quate chased down to score in the corner.

The positive momentum for St Jacques followed into the second half as James Webber scored from short range.

That changed after Trojans reacted quickly to a spilled ball from a kick. They showed quick feet and thinking to evade the covering defence to score.

Tom Judd then received the second yellow card of the afternoon for the Vikings, before a penalty kick was added for the hosts.

Trojans extended their lead after Long made a break from his own 22. Matt Lomas-Lloyd stopped him in his own 22, but could do nothing to stop the offload as the hosts scored again.

Another clever kick in behind proved fruitful for the hosts as they scored again.

The Vikings pulled one back through Angus MacCallum, after the visitors power game from close range proved effective again.

That would prove to be the last score of the match, as the home side sewed up the victory.