Home Team 31 – Shamrocks 2nd Grade 12

The Woonoona Shamrocks 2nd Grade side suffered a setback in their 2025 campaign, going down 31-12 in a physical encounter away from home on Saturday afternoon. The Shamrocks Club had given assurances to the Camden Club that they would help support Camden’s 50th Anniversary celebrations despite having so many players away on representative duties at the NSW Country Championships.

Despite the loss, there were positive moments for the Shamrocks, with Tyreece George and Jacob Newhouse both crossing the line for the visitors in a match that tested their resilience against an organised and mostly dominant opposition.

The home side started with intent, putting early pressure on the Shamrocks defense which resulted in Willie Ahsam scoring the opening try. The momentum continued for the hosts when they added a second try, successfully converted by Connor Keating to establish a 12-0 lead.

Shamrocks responded with purpose as flanker Tyreece George displayed impressive footwork to break through the defensive line and score under the posts. Will Ridgway added the extras to narrow the gap to 12-7 and give the visitors hope heading toward halftime.

However, the home team reasserted control through Anesone Key, who crossed for their third try with Keating again successful with the conversion. This was followed by a fourth try from Grant Iles, pushing the score to 24-7 and creating a significant hurdle for the Shamrocks to overcome.

Shamrocks continued to battle with determination and were rewarded when replacement Jacob Newhouse powered over for a try after sustained pressure near the opposition’s line. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the final score at 31-12.

The match saw numerous tactical substitutions for both sides, with Shamrocks bringing on Gus Goodyer for Sam Hodson and Jarred Leece replacing Amenatave Ranitu to freshen up the forward pack. The opposition was not without discipline issues, with Beau Crocker receiving a yellow card for foul play, though Shamrocks were unable to fully capitalize on the numerical advantage.

Despite the result, there were encouraging signs in the Shamrocks’ performance, particularly in the forward exchanges where they competed strongly. The scrum showed improvement from previous weeks, providing a stable platform for the backline to launch attacks when opportunities arose. The other positive to come out of the game was Shamrocks’ willingness to make tackle after tackle, often against much bigger opponents. Unsure of what the tackle and ruck count would have been for the game but Shamrocks would have really tested the data guru’s ability to keep track!

The loss serves as a reminder of the competitive nature of the Illawarra District Rugby Union Competition, with Shamrocks 2nd Grade now looking to regroup as they prepare for their next fixture at home. The coaching staff will be focused on addressing defensive lapses that allowed the opposition to build their lead while reinforcing the positive aspects of their attacking play.

With the season approaching its midpoint, Shamrocks 2nd Grade remains in contention and will be determined to return to winning ways in front of their home supporters next weekend.

By Shamus Ruckus, Woonoona Shamrocks RUFC