Convicts teams through to semi-finals: Bingham Cup Day 2

Sydney Convicts Rugby made its way successfully through the second day of the Bingham Cup tournament in Manchester and reached the Bingham Cup and Bingham Bowl semi-finals to be played Sunday. 

Convicts A defeated 2008 Bingham Cup hosts Dublin Emerald Warriors 27-0 in the final pool match to make it into the Bingham Cup quarter final against one of the tournament favourites, the Kings Cross Steelers from London. The Steelers dominated territory to keep the score line to 0-0 at half time.

However, the London team couldn’t maintain the momentum in the scrum and lineout, allowing the Convicts to claw back possession and eventually score a penalty goal, two tries and a conversion to win 15-0. It was by far the toughest test of the tournament for Convicts A and they were elated when they made it through to the Cup semi-final on Sunday morning.

Convicts B met two-time Bingham Cup winners San Francisco Fog A in their final pool match. A win would have put them into the Bingham Cup quarter finals to potentially meet Convicts A in the grand final. It was the first time Convicts B had played San Francisco Fog A and the team conducted itself with great pride and passion before going down 10-0.

Convicts B coach Andy Taylor said it was a display of Convicts spirit to lose by a close margin against a team that has always finished in the higher places in the Bingham Cup.  Convicts B quickly bounced back from their loss to the Fog and in the Bingham Bowl quarter final disposed of Nashville 62-0 with tries scored by a host of players and brilliant goal kicking by Chris Baker.

“It was an awesome day of rugby for the Convicts,” said Sydney Convicts President Dave Whittaker said. “Both teams were seriously tested and played great rugby. To have both teams in the semis is a brilliant outcome and testimony to the courage of the players, the hard work of the coaching and management personnel and the good wishes and generosity of our supporters.”   

In a quirk of the draw, Convicts A meet Washington A, while Convicts B meet Washington B in the semi-finals to fight for a place in the Cup and Bowl grand finals on Sunday afternoon.