It has been a stellar start to the season for the Under 8 Titans, remaining unbeaten after six games. This is their first season competing against other clubs and traveling away from Bell Park. Following a series of home games, the Titans travelled to Barry Curtis Park on Saturday morning to face one of Marist Eastern’s three teams in their pool, “The Bears.” This was the second clash between the Titans and the Bears, having played a close match in the first week of the season.

Despite a week of mixed weather, the sun was shining, and the pitch was in excellent condition. The Titans were missing three key players: Connor Brown and Jaxon Amansure were unavailable, and Nikau Smythe fell ill on Friday night. The team missed Connor's big runs, Jaxon's energy, and Nikau's never-give-up attitude. However, they welcomed back Ellijah Stowers and Ethan Lategan, with Ethan playing his first rugby game after joining the team this week.

The boys were a bit slow during warm-ups, causing some concern for Head Coach Eon Amansure and Manager Andrew Grant. However, their worries were unfounded. Once the first tackle was made, the Titans took off, scoring seven tries to two in the first ten minutes and putting the Bears under immense pressure. The Titans finished the half up 55-20. Coach Eon praised the boys during the halftime speech, motivating them for the second half.

The Titans' fitness and defence shone through in the second half. Laiton Lotam was immense all day on defence and attack. Joshua Lockett was at his takedown best, joining the backline at perfect times. Mason Lau’ese was an attacking powerhouse with nine tries and numerous big tackles. Jamin Onkoba was destructive with strong running, and Connor Grant was a dynamic presence on both offense and defence, delivering big hits and stepping runs.

At the final whistle, the Titans triumphed with a final score of 120-45, extending their unbeaten streak to seven wins from seven games. Mason Phillips was named Player of the Day for his all-around performance, including big sweeping runs and tackle assists.

The Titans now look forward to returning to Bell Park next weekend to face the Wolf Cubs from Marist Eastern.

Article added: Tuesday 25 June 2024