Saint Martin’s Academy Overpower St. James in 42-0 Rugby Triumph
By Vincent Prezzia
Saint Martin’s Academy produced a commanding performance to defeat St. James 42-0 in a one-sided affair that showcased the Kingfishers’ supremacy on the rugby pitch. Under the stewardship of their captain, inside centre Ethan Blakie, Saint Martin’s delivered a masterclass in control and aggression, leaving their opponents with little answer and forcing an early end to proceedings as St. James’ resolve buckled under the pressure.
The match began with the Kingfishers asserting their intent. It wasn’t until the tenth minute that they broke through, prop Ben Walsh powering over the try line after a dominant scrum, brushing aside St. James defenders with ease. Fly-half Will Van De Ryt added the extras with a well-struck conversion, putting Saint Martin’s 7-0 up. The response from St. James was tentative—a loose lineout swiftly turned over by the Kingfishers’ alert flankers—and Walsh soon capitalized again, forcing his way through a defender on the 15-minute mark for his second score. Van De Ryt’s reliable boot stretched the lead further. The first half belonged to Walsh, who completed a hat-trick before the interval, driving over from close range to give Saint Martin’s a 21-0 advantage. St. James, struggling to find their footing, went into the break with a mountain to climb.
The second half saw Saint Martin’s maintain their relentless pace. Winger Anthony Klassen opened the scoring after the restart, latching onto a precise move down the flank to dart over for the fourth try, with Van De Ryt converting to widen the gap. Outside centre Sam Egger soon followed, cutting a fine line through the St. James midfield and racing clear to touch down beneath the posts, Van De Ryt’s kick pushing the score higher. St. James’ rare forays forward were met with a wall of Kingfishers defenders, as flankers Peter McDonald and Vince Lima, alongside lock Prosper Owen, delivered thunderous tackles to halt any momentum. The final blow came at the hour mark, when captain Ethan Blakie, orchestrating play from inside centre, broke through to score the sixth try, bringing the tally to 42-0. With ten minutes remaining, St. James’ coach called for an early finish, invoking the mercy rule as his side, battered and outclassed, could no longer withstand the Kingfishers’ onslaught.
The Kingfishers’ junior varsity side continued the theme of dominance in their own fixture, piling on eight tries to St. James’ solitary score. The depth of Saint Martin’s talent was on full display as their younger squad ran riot, exposing St. James’ frailties even further. In a last-ditch bid to stem the tide and salvage some pride, St. James fielded numerous varsity players alongside their junior varsity, but even this desperate reinforcement proved futile. The Kingfishers’ JV outfit, brimming with confidence and cohesion, outclassed their bolstered opponents with ease, underlining the gulf in quality across both levels of play.
For Saint Martin’s, this was a display of disciplined dominance, led superbly by Blakie, whose try capped a performance of both leadership and flair. For St. James, the match ended in disheartening fashion, their coach opting to pull the plug at 60 minutes rather than endure further punishment. His decision reflected a side overwhelmed—the scoreboard read 42-0, his players were spent, and the prospect of ten more minutes against a rampant Kingfishers outfit was a bridge too far. Saint Martin’s march on, their authority unchallenged, while St. James are left to regroup after a sobering day on the pitch. Next up for the Kingfishers is a clash with St. Edward’s Preparatory School on March 28th, a massive duel between two formidable squads that promises to test their mettle.
