A highly-anticipated clash on a dry track will have New England Rugby fans chomping at the bit to watch the opening semi-final clash between St Albert’s College and Robb College.
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Robb were far too good for their final round opponents in Glen Innes-Guyra on Saturday, trouncing the side 51-nil and hope to keep their momentum going against their university arch-rivals.
Robb kept the pressure on the GhostStags and were able to capitalise.
Coach Sam Ditchfield said it was a great finish to head into the finals with.
“The pleasing thing for me was that we built the phases and scored the tries,” he said.
“The tries were from constructed play.
“It was a good, hard hit out and we had to work for the points we got.”
This Saturday’s final is expected to be fast-paced and exciting to watch.
Ditchfield expects both teams to step up their game and said his side just have to be sharper than the last time they faced the minor premiers.
“The thing with us an Albies, the last time we played them I feel we matched them but we made too many mistakes and I guess it is the good teams that capitalise on the mistakes,” he said.
“Their tries came from our mistakes and if we can minimise our mistakes we will be in a lot better position.
“They always try to play a high tempo game and I think it is going to be a pretty good game of footy.”
Albies have been tipped as the favourites for this game but it won’t phase Ditchfield’s side.
“I don't think we have much pressure on us. We've played a bit of footy in the last few weeks and got better every week we've played footy,” he said.
“I see the pressure as being on them. No one is expecting us to beat them so we don't have much pressure.”
The minor premiers were graced with the final round off and are ready to claim back-
Albies co-coach Chris Kelly said while his side have been the favourites for back-to-back titles after finishing first, the finals present a different scenario.
“It is a different kettle of fish when you get to a finals game and it is about dealing with the pressure of the day,” he said.
“It'll be who handles the pressure.
“When the mistakes come, and both sides will make them, who responds best, who gets back to structure and who puts their heads down and grinds out the game.
“Having the smarts and ability to do that is how you win finals games.”
Kelly expects the speed of both sides to be a factor throughout the match.
“I think it generally will be a mobility game,” he said.
“I suspect the battle of the loose forwards will be pretty solid.
“Robb are pretty good in the scrums, they certainly deserve attention there, and they have a reasonably sharp backline with a couple of dangerous players.
“It will be an interesting matchup with a few of them.
“I would say both of them will be going for a high paced, high tempo game.”
The game will be at Bellevue Oval with third grade commencing the day’s matches at 11.30am.