HUNGRY EYES: The Orange City front row of John Gander, Josh Tremain and John Colgan prepare to pack down. Photo: JUDE KEOGH 0915city18
IN days gone by, before arrival of the internet and the iPad, education was based around the three ‘R’s’ of reading, writing and arithmetic.
The equivalent, in terms of rugby success, are the three D’s - defence, dedication and desire.
Orange City’s triumph on Saturday is testament to their belief in, and adherence to, those sacred principles.
Chapter one of the rugby cliche book says that premierships are won through defence.
If you were at Pride Park at 3pm on Saturday, you know that’s true.
The Roos threw everything at the Lions, especially in the early exchanges, when they were enjoying the majority of the ball and the better of the field position.
Wave after wave of Roos forwards crashed off the back of rucks and mauls, only to be repelled as if running into a green and orange wall.
That Niklas Moore eventually crossed the line after 70 minutes via Wade Richardson’s miraculous chip and flick pass says two things.
The Roos are persistent.
And it takes something very special to breach City’s defence.
The Lions commitment to the smallest details - the hallmark of dedication - was clear for all to see.
Duncan Young, with eyes only for the ball, leapt over the waiting Roos to snare possession from a kick-off and kickstart a comeback from 6-nil down.
Mesui Lemoto appeared out thin air to bring down Charlie Leturu as he threatened to break down the open touchline.
Ollie Stone charged at Ted Bates as he attempted to get a clearing kick away, just in case there was a chance of a charge down and, just maybe, a chance of a try.
There was. And there was.
Finally, desire.
Nowhere on a rugby field is desire more evident than in the scrums.
Former Wallabies coach Bob Dwyer used to look to the scrums early in a game to gauge his team’s prospects.
Had Steve Hamson and his coaching team done that in the early parts of Saturday’s game, they would have been worried.
The Roos scrum dominated for most of the first half, no doubt encouraged by the absence of the Lions regular prop forward Nathan Short.
Yet, inspired by Short, who entered the fray on 25 minutes having woken on match day with a virus, the minor premiers turned the tight five battle in their favour.
An abiding memory of the closing stages of Saturday’s game will be the image of City second rower Chris Barrett standing over the ground-ridden Roos pack, just moments after he and his team-mates had wheeled the opposition’s scrum into the dirt.
It signalled the end of the Roos’ premiership tilt.
Now, the Pride Park faithful will be hopeful that their first premiership in 19 years will spark the beginning of another ‘D’ in the years to come.
Dynasty.
On the evidence of 2012, there’s no reason why it can’t.
