Saturday 19th November 2016 Happy Valley Episkopi vs Nicosia RFC
Saturday 19th of December made the rugby headlines for the International rugby games that took place with a few surprise results such as South Africa's 1st loss against the spirited Italians (Italy 20 South Africa 18).
But on the island it was the beginning of the 2016-2017 Cyprus Rugby Federation League with the 1st game seeing the Episkopi Eagles a seasoned rugby team that has won several Cyprus League trophies down the years face the Nicosia RFC.
The game was played at Episkopis home ground at Happy Valley in a normal as it seems Cyprus winter temperature of 26 degrees Celcius!
Both teams took to the pitch wanting to put an early marker for the season and it was the Eagles that started better scoring 3 tries in the 1st half and taking a commanding lead at the break 17-5.
The Nicosia team under the guidance of the experience Cyprus International Mr Chris Thoma had to improve in the second half and it seems the team talk did its job with Nicosia stepping up in the 2nd half and out scoring the Eagles by 5 tries to 1.
Indiscipline from the Eagles lead to 2 yellow cards been shown that reduce their team to 13 men. Try scorers for the Nicosia team were the Tom, George, Ted, Sam, Callum, and Jacob. Conversions by Philip Manolopoulos. A special mention to the young caps for Nicosia Yiannis Kakouris and Nicolas Hadjigavriel who had their 1st league game of rugby at the tender age of 17.
Final Score Episkopi 22 Nicosia 34.
Chris Thoma said after the game “Boys did well. Things to improve but for our 1st game of the league I am happy with the result. We had some big ball carries by Giovanni and Jacob that put us on front foot ball and set a platform to attack. We also had phases in the game where we used the width of the field and caused problems. The youngsters Nicolas and Yiannis came through well. They put in their tackles and were safe with ball in hand.”
Next game will be away to Limasol on the 3rd of December.
