Our Montfortian Rugby Giants did the school proud when they thrashed Bukit Batok Secondary 38-17 at SAJC on a scorching Tuesday afternoon.
Our Giants started the game well and scored the first try of the match after a fine breakthrough by the Team Captain Low Feng Hua. Captain Feng Hua added two more tries in the match. Our multi-tasking Ng Kian Hao also scored another two tries and our Sec 3 player Nicholas Toh added another try to send Bukit Batok Secondary School down 38-17. Our Team Vice-Captain Ng Song Yu converted four of the tries.
This was a game that our Montfortian Giants had to win because there were comments in some rugby blogs that Bukit Batok were the favourites in today's match especially after they had beaten Evergreen Secondary last week at Evergreen. One posting on a Bukit Batok Rugby Blog mentioned that Montfort will lose today's match by a big margin. But we showed them!
But our Montfortian Giants played their hearts out and made the Bukit Batok boys eat their words. As we had said, we will settle the matter on the field. It is no use bragging off the field.
Our Montfortian Giants were fired up by some old boys who came back to remind the players that the team was playing the game not for themselves or for the coach but for the school that we love so much. They were reminded by one old boy, Cheng Sen, that we will defend the Montfortian badge all the way and we will not disappoint the school. Thank You Old Boys!
Before the match, Mr Vincent Yong led the team in a prayer. With our minds focussed, we got down to business to scare the living daylights out of Bukit Batok. Thank You Mr Yong for focussing our boys and to remind them that God is with us in our battle for rugby honours.
The rugby players did not disappoint us today. They played like GIANTS. The Bukit Batok team were silenced. WE BEAT THEM.
Let's today's win be a lesson for all Montfortians. Never brag that you will beat your opponent before a game. It will provide ammunition to the other team. I like to remind all rugby players of a story that took place in mid-2001.
Australia was playing a British Lions team in the third and final match of a three-match series. The British Lions won the first match. The Australians won the second match. So the third match was the decider. A couple of days before the third match, the British Lions player Austin Healey described the Australian player Justin Harrison as a mere wooden plank in the local newspapers. This was utterly rude to Harrison, who was a relatively new member to the Australian team. Harrison, who plays in the second row, was so fired up that he won every lineout ball in that match and sealed victory for the Australians. The mistake the British Lions did was to underestimate the Australians and especially the newcomer Harrison. Harrison later went on the play in a Rugby World Cup Final and win the Super 12 with the Brumbies. The lesson is simple: NEVER UNDERESTIMATE YOUR OPPONENT.
So our Montfortian Giants now play Evergreen Secondary on Friday 22nd Feb at Evergreen Secondary at 4.30pm. As our Giants know, Evergreen beat Bedok Town on Tuesday evening. So Giants, you know what to do on Friday - Respect your opponent, but fear not. Because God is with you. With his strength, you will soar like eagles!
To God Be The Glory!
