A&M Starts League Play With a Comfortable Win.
Press Release
February 4, 2006
Written By Josh Back
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The game opened with strong tackles and various penalties from a very whistle-happy referee. It seemed as though this was going to be the way the game was dictated as both teams came out of the blocks unwilling to relinquish even an inch.
As the match progressed, the Aggies began to settle down and get into a rhythm but little mistakes prevented them from opening the scoring earlier then they actually did. The very well drilled Maroon pack were dominant in winning their own line-out as well as severely disrupting and stealing many of their counterpart's opportunities. The scrum was not quite a one sided affair like the lineouts. The Rice pack were holding their own and retaining possession on their own put-in only for Aggie scrumhalf Charles Davidson to cause havoc against his opposing number all afternoon.
It was Davidson's tenacity that created many chances for the Aggies who during a twenty minute period camped out on the Owl's 22m and laid siege to the Rice goal line. But to the credit of Rice their defense was mostly able to match the attack from both forwards and backs until the middle of the first half. During a rare venture into the Aggie half, the Maroon forwards created a turnover and the ball ended up in winger Justus Cook's hands. He darted down the right wing beating off two tacklers and spectacularly handing-off the full-back in the face to finish with aplomb. 5 – 0 for the Aggies.
With the wind behind them, the Aggies hoped to start the second half as they finished the first. However, some rustiness was beginning to show as tackles were being missed and rucks not attacked as menacingly as before. However, it was Rice who seemed to lose confidence as again A&M peppered the defense with attack after attack. With timely tries from Aggie inside center David “ Canada ” Grillot diving over the line from close range, and from fly-half and Aggie Captain Greg Kwedar with a stylish crossover, it seemed the Rice team were looking defeat in the face. 15 - 0. The Maroons brought on several replacements including rookie loose-head prop Andre Lewis who came on to bolster the scrum, and outside centre Jake Lockett to stretch the opposing backs. It was like putting the nail into the coffin. Although new, Lewis has proved he has plenty of talent and bossed the Rice pack around in a display of power and technique well beyond his playing years. Lockett, returning to the side after taking a semester's sabbatical, showed his electric pace as he received the ball on near the centre spot to burst to the outside beating many of the Owl back line to slide over in the corner. The score was now 20 - 0.
All in all, A&M were pleased with the win however are well aware that there are plenty of things to correct on the training field. A tough week of practice lies ahead as forward's coach Johnny Smith looks to develop a dominating pack in the Western RFU and back's coach Craig Coates moulds a backline with finesse, speed and a swiftness and fluidity of play that will try to hold firm against LSU, Texas, and Sam Houston State in the remaining fixtures. Final score Texas A&M 20 Rice 0.