The Friends’ School Senior Rugby squad went on an end of season tour, with David Wells Tours, to Paris.
They played two games and went to the Stade de France to witness the exciting climax to the RBS Six Nations Championship when the Ireland team recorded their 22-20 victory against the French to be crowned Six Nations Champions.
The first tour game was played against the Noisy-Le-Sec RFC U19 team and the Friends’ School team recorded an impressive 22-8 win. This game was seen as having an historic significance as it was the first time the Noisy-Le-Sec Club had ever hosted a team from outside France. The local Mayor was in attendance to open the game! The Friends’ School team started well and scored an unconverted try through Peter Simpson early in the game. Peter took advantage of some good interplay, involving both forwards and backs, before he touched down for the try to give his team a 5-0 lead.
The Noisy-Le-Sec team responded positively and scored an unconverted try despite the defensive efforts of Kyle Andrews and Russsell Dickson in the Friends’ midfield. This took the score to 5-5 and there were no further scores in the course of the first half.
The start of the second half saw the Friends’ School team take control of both territory and possession. After good work from Steven Kay, as well as a number of phase plays, James McGucken barged his way over for an unconverted try to put the Lisburn boys into a 10-5 lead. The deficit was reduced to 10-8 a few minutes later when the Noisy-Le-Sec outhalf converted a penalty opportunity following a Friends’ School indiscretion at the breakdown. From this stage on it was all Friends’ School. Kyle Andrews capped a fine display with a try which was converted by Zac Finlay to put the Friends’ School team into a 17-8 lead. The Friends’ team secured their win when Mark Dodds ran in for an unconverted try to see his team into a 22-8 lead, a lead they held until the end of the game.
Following the game the entire Friends’ School squad was entertained in a most hospitable manner by the Noisy-Le-Sec Club before the Tour Party departed for the Stade de France to witness the France v Ireland game.
by Barney McGonigle
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