Running Lines: Volume 5 2025
Running Lines: Volume 5 2025
The last fixture of the CAS regular season was a home fixture against Trinity. After some tough losses against Barker, it was so good to see some pleasing results amongst our under 16’s and open teams. Our junior teams however suffered some tough loses. I must comment the rugby boys on their resilience.
Our results were:
| Team | Opposition | Result | Win/Loss |
| 1sts | Trinity | 21-31 | Loss |
| 2nds | Trinity | 22-17 | Win |
| 3rds | Trinity | 48-5 | Win |
| 4ths | St Josephs 8th XV | 7-50 | Loss |
| 5ths | St Josephs 9th XV | 7-45 | Loss |
| 6ths | BYE | – | – |
| 16A | Trinity | 31-7 | Win |
| 16B | Trinity | 24-19 | Win |
| 16C | Trinity | 15-20 | Loss |
| 15A | Trinity | 5-50 | Loss |
| 15B | Trinity | 24-49 | Loss |
| 15C | Trinity | Bye | – |
| 14A | Trinity | 0-87 | Loss |
| 14B | Trinity | 10-69 | Loss |
| 14C | Trinity | 14-58 | Loss |
| 13A | Trinity | 5-61 | Loss |
| 13B | Trinity | 12-12 | Draw |
| 13C | St Josephs 13F | 30-32 | Loss |
- Player of the Day: Junior Teams (13s, 14s & 15s)- Caleb Wright (13B)
- Player of the Day: Senior Teams (16s & Opens)- Olly Minning
- Rugby All Rounder of the Day (for effort/attitude on and off the field): Luke Cassidy
- Team of the Day- 16A’s
The early morning didn’t start too well for our junior age groups. The under 13’s, 14’s and 15’s suffered some heavy defeats. This didn’t stop young Caleb Wright who played an immense part in the under 13C game. He was running with the ball under his arm for most of the game, zigzagging through defenders at will. He unfortunately took a small bump to the head that saw him leave the field momentarily. This was the turning point in the game. St Joseph’s came back and scored multiple tries soon after. Then he went again, only this time again, only this time for the 13Bs. A tight fought saw the two teams tie up at 12 a piece.
On the 28th of March the 1st, 2nds and 16As played against Trinity at our annual ‘Friday Night Lights’. The 16As lost that fixture 25-0. As you read this article, gaze up to the results table above and have another look at the 16A score. This is what the rugby program at Cranbrook is about. Progression, growth, and development. A spectacular game that really set the tone for the games to be played on Hordern for the rest of the afternoon. There is nothing more motivating to see your home team playing well and scoring tries while warming up behind the poles. The 16As created this momentum. Luke Cassidy was full of running. Having been sidelined for the majority of the season through injury he was certainly making up for lost time. These boys were playing in such unity. Captain Roman Fischer led from the front with some great runs through the Trinity defence. While Otto Cumming enjoys more of the physical dominance running hard at the line, busting through tackles at will. Carlo White tackled all day and was immense over the ball, applying much needed pressure to the Trinity breakdown. Joe Weeks too, was full of running. With the tempo being controlled by flyhalf Ed Rudd, thisallowed these boys to play an expansive brand of rugby. Hector Kyriakopoulos, Ed Walker and Ed Campbell emptied their tanks upfront and did a whole lot more than what is required for a front row.
Well done to Joe Weeks and Hector Kyriakopoulos who have been selected to represent the CAS under 16 side. They will be training hard this week, followed by some matches over the 29 and 30 June. Well done boys.
It was as if the previous game never ended when the 3rd XV ran on. The game started in a flurry, with the Cranbrook boys hitting it up the middle a few times before cutting through the Trinity defence. This group of men have been up for every game this season and just rally together to come up with the most exciting brand of rugby. Oliver Minning has played in the back row for most of the season and was given the opportunity to play in the backs this week. He went from running over players in the tight to now running around them with a bit more space. Two well worked tries for the big man. Flynn Robinson and Seong Heiman also got two tries each as the backs were finishing off the job done by the diesel-powered forward pack. Well done on the 48-5 win.
Momentum is key. The 2nd XV had the joy of watching the 3rd team carve it up while warming up. However, the game didn’t start as well in our favor. Two tries down early on meant that it was time to play catch up. A few adjustments to our game plan, and some more direction was needed. We made all the mistakes, and we paid for them. We managed to get back two tries of our own just before the break. Game on. Limit the mistakes, play territory and ‘grip it and rip it’ was the half time message. Harry Jones was once again instrumental in his carries. Refusing to go down, with at one stage two Trinity boys on his back and one on the floor trying to tie his laces together. A couple more tries each saw the seesaw battle go down to the wire. We did, however, always feel under control. A fantastic well worked 22-17 victory to this passionate group of men.
The 1st XV started in the same manner as the 2nd XV boys. Conceding multiple tries in the first few minutes. The whistle was blown loudly, and the penalty count against us was climbing rapidly. The breakdown looked like that of an international one from the 80’s. Surely this can’t be another Barker defeat that we received a week earlier. 31-7 down soon after the break. The referee sent off two Trinity players and the momentum had swung. The breakdown was under control, and our boys were given a bit more freedom to play. A couple of well-worked tries gave us a sniff in the fight. Sifa Oldfield was a standout player who never gave up during the fixture. It was too little too late. A fantastic fight back by the boys that ended in a 31-21 loss
Huge congratulations to two of our boys, James Jackson and Kingston Hoffmann who have been selected to represent the CAS team. They will be training around Sydney this week followed by games at Shore playing fields and Foreshaw Rugby Park on the 26 and 27 June respectively. We are all very proud of you.
Term 3 sees three more games left for the season. I have no doubt that the boys will be in the gym daily and keeping fit over the holiday break.
Brent Crossley
Master in Charge of Rugby
