So the Press conference was over, Steve Mascord and I bunkered down to write our stories. Despite everything it really is quite tiring getting around to interview players, chase people down through the day to get information, team lists etc… bit of an eye opener. Certainly when I wrote and did thing in Europe it was never this full on. At about 4pm we were off to Hodges stadium via Walmart and a petrol station.
Myself with Match referee Phil Bentham
The match had everything we came to expect from these two nations. It seems that Jamaica and the USA are going to forge a formidable rivalry, one similar to the Kiwis and Kangaroos. Jamaica had a nervous start, letting the ball go over the dead ball line in off the first kick off. This gave the USA great field position from the line drop out and they were able to score in the second minute of the match though their full back, Kenny Britt. Jamaica then hit back with a driving move and with the conversion levelled the match at 6-6. They then seemed to get the momentum, something that would be seen to happen a lot with the pendulum swinging between the teams. Taking a 12-6 lead it seemed that Jamaica had the upper hand, but some mistakes in the wet conditions saw the USA take a narrow half time lead 16 – 12.
Some of the action from the match.
The second half saw the Jamaicans run out of the blocks and get a try in the first 5 minutes. But some brutal defence on their line saw the USA force some errors and work their way up the field to a 22-16 lead. But it wasn’t long till it was levelled again at 22 all. USA managed to get another try but the momentum shifted to Jamaica once more and were able to lock it up at 26 all. Then one of the more bizarre incidences in Rugby League tests happened.
with about 10 minutes to go, the official medico of the tournament Jack Kazanjian came onto the field demanding that Jermaine Wray come off. Phil Bentham argues with him for over 10 minutes that he was in control and would decide who is fit or not to play on. Apparently there is a rule in the States about Match doctors being able to come on to take players off if they felt they are in danger… obviously he never came across a Rugby league Player. Phil finally won in the end, but the break managed to kill of any momentum the Jamaicans had and the USA were able to get two late tries in the last 5 minutes to secure a 36-26 win.
The crowd, though small, went absolutely nuts. They sounded like there was thousands there rather than hundred. The weather wasn’t the best and probably kept many away. The USA now gets several days break, they play Canada on Saturday, however Jamaican and Canada will face each other on Thursday.
Jamaica: Tries – Jermaine Wray, Paul White, Greg Johnson (2), Alex Brown, Conv. – Junior Branford (2/2), Paul White (1/3)
USA: Tries – Conway Maraki (2), Kenny Britt (2), Matt Thornton, Nate Smith, Sean Taylor, Conv. – Nate Smith (4/7)
Man of Match: Jermain Wray (Jamaica)
Team Lists
Jamaica: Ashley Johnson (Birmingham Bulldogs), Waine Pryce (Hunslet), Alex Brown (Batley), Greg Johnson (Huddersfield), Wayne Rettic Allen (York City), Paul White (c) (Halifax), Roy Calvert (vc) (Dunhaney Park), Lamont Bryan (vc) (Harlequins), Tyrone Rowe (Vauxhall), Omar James (Vauxhall), Junior Brandford (Oldham), Jermain Wray (Keighley), Andrew Fong (Vauxhall), Interchange: Andre Reid (Dunhaney Park), Damon Gayll (Dunhaney Park), Romain Campbell (Dunhaney Park), Joe Brown (Gateshead)
USA: Kenny Britt (Jacksonville Axemen), Nate Smith (Aston Bulls), Matt Thornton (Jacksonville Axemen), Luke Collins (Aston Bulls), Mike Brazill (Aston Bulls), Brent Shorten (Jacksonville Axemen), Damien O’Malveney (New Haven Warriors), Matt Clark (Jacksonville Axemen), Apple Pope (Jacksonville Axemen), Conway Maraki (Aston Bulls), Taco Pope (Jacksonville Axemen), Ewan Robinson (New Haven Warriors), Sean Taylor (New York Knights), Interchange: Gareth Baxendale (New York Knights), Andrew Kneisly (Aston Bulls), Sione Taufa (Maui – Hawaii), Curtis Cunz (Connecticut Wildcats)
Referee: Phil Bentham (England) Sideline referee’s: Wes King (USA) and John Freeman (USA)
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