Keeping in Touch Through Touch Rugby

About a year ago, a group of old ACS rugby players got together to form the ACS Old Boys Rugby (ACS OBR) Group. Besides helping to maintain the standards of excellence many in the ACS family have come to expect of the our schools, the objective of the ACS OBR Group is also for the older ACSian rugby players to stay in touch with the game and their beloved alma mater.

So what better way to stay in touch than through ‘touch rugby’? The ACS OBR Group’s inaugural Touch Rugby Tournament in 2004 proved to be so successful that a second tournament was organized on 25 September 2005 at the ACS (Independent) pitch!

The old boys behind ACS OBR

(from left to right: Richard Seow, Woon Kee Yang, Melvin Deng, Adrian Chong, Michael Tan,
Jeffrey Chiang, Cheo Chye Hong, Mark Sng, Edmund Tang, Hari Vaerhn, Tang Kee Fei,
Dennis Yeo, Boon Suan Heng, Bernard Foong & Wong Chee Khiam)
(Photograph courtesy of Mr Wee Ban Bee)

More teams participate

Participating in the 2005 tournament were 9 teams (four more than in 2004) of 10 players each among the old boys and, encouragingly, a team from ACS (Barker Road) comprising some of the school's under-14 players. As in 2004, the teams were named after the schoolhouses. Making their debut at the 2005 tournament were three new houses - Tan Chin Tuan, Lee Seng Gee and Shaw Vee Meng. However, two teams took to the field under the names of Raju the Barber (no doubt in loving recognition of the iconic barber at ACS Barker Road who put finishing touches to the crowning glories of many old boys and their sons) and, somewhat mysteriously, Gobi Desert! (perhaps in recognition of today's reality as compared to their decidedly more hirsute scalps in days gone by!).

The Chairman of the ACS Board of Governors, Mr Tan Wah Thong, and fellow BOG member, Mr Richard Seow, showed up at the ACS (Independent) pitch to lend their support. The ACS OBR Group is grateful to Mr Tan for his generous donation of The Tan Wah Thong Rugby Challenge Shield for the tournament. This shield will henceforth be up for grabs by the winning team.

The event commenced with a briefing by Adrian Chong, ACS (Independent)'s Head Rugby coach, on the rules and laws governing touch rugby which were to be applicable during the entire tournament. This was certainly a welcomed refresher for many who have not played competitive rugby for some time.

The Rugby Stars of ACS

Captained by ex-international Tan Choon Keong, Tan Kah Kee (TKK) once again appeared to be the team to beat especially with ex Singapore rugby captain, Terence Khoo and former national players like Christopher Lim and Andrew Khoo in its ranks. TKK were the convincing champs in the 2004 tournament, when Lincoln Tan led the team to sweep its opponents aside in an impressive display of rugby finesse, skill and tactics.

The other teams in the 2005 tournament also featured many of the rugby stars that ACS had produced over the years. Names like Valmiki Nair (who was unfortunately unable to participate as a player but nonetheless gamely showed up and helped to referee many matches), Amos Seow, Yi Wen, Desmond Wee, Chris Tham, Kevin Kwan, Sherwan Sarip, to name just a few, were scattered over some of the other teams. With each game lasting 10 minutes at a stretch without a break, and played over half the size of a normal pitch, action on the field was fast and furious. To accommodate the number of teams, two matches were played simultaneously on each half of the field, with rolling substitutions allowed. This proved invaluable as the afternoon wore on and fatigue took its toll on the players.

Despite some initial rustiness and hiccups owing to unfamiliarity with the rules of the game, the quality of play picked up considerably as more games were played and the teams began to get a good measure of one another. While the young players from ACS (Barker Road) were game and enthusiastic enough, it was always going to be difficult for them to cope with the guile and tactical superiority of the old boys. That said, they gave a good account of themselves and were undoubtedly richer for the experience. Elsewhere, while TKK appeared to be as awesome and strong as they were the previous year, other teams like Tan Chin Tuan and Shaw Vee Meng displayed ample talent as they ran many other teams ragged with their power running and handling skills. For sheer enthusiasm and giving everyone else a run for their money, few could outshine Raju the Barber, captained by the effervescent Mike Huang. For dogged determination and tenacity, GHK, captained by Teng Zhong Jing and ably supported by Lawrence Chow, Jeff Kwek, Mark Chee and Sherwan Sarip, had few equals.

The Final - Experience vs Youth

The grand final was contested between pre-tournament favourites, TKK and Tan Chin Tuan, led by Eric Hoo. To the objective observer, TKK, with its array of seasoned veterans, had the skill, guile, finesse, tactical awareness and all round rugby sense, to pry open any defence. On the other hand, Tan Chin Tuan had youth (average age of its players was 24 vs 34 for TKK), sheer speed and power and handling skills to match. The final thus shaped up as a contest between experience and youth.

TKK made its intentions clear from the opening whistle by mesmerising its opponents with some deft ball skills, great running lines and tactical play. Playmaker and captain Tan Choon Keong was involved in most of its moves and with the likes of Terence Khoo, Andrew Khoo and Kenneth Taguchi running off Choon Keong, TKK took the early lead. However, Tan Chin Tuan, with Eric Hoo calling the shots, did everything but panic and hauled their game up through blistering pace and incisive running from Yongbin, Kenneth and Eu Ming, to equalise and send the game into extra time. Under touch rugby rules, once a game enters into the sudden death period, a player is dropped from each side until one side scores. As the minutes ticked by, TKK began to feel the extra burden of playing against a team with players 10 years younger. As fatigue set in, all the experience garnered from playing the game 10 years longer than your opponents somehow became undone by bodies and muscles 10 years younger. As it turned out, Tan Chin Tuan, through exuberant running and sheer pace, scored during sudden death to emerge the winner of the Tan Wah Thong Rugby Challenge Shield for 2005. It was eventually, a classic case of youth triumphing over experience. Heartiest congratulations to Eric Hoo and his team for a superlative win and to Tan Choon Keong and his team, thanks for helping to make the final such a hard fought and entertaining game.

The ACS OBR Group would like to place on record their gratitude to Dr Ong Teck Chin, principal of ACS (Independent) for the use of the field and to Adrian Chong and his fellow coaches, Melvin Deng and Jodi, for all the logistics support without which it would have been impossible to hold the tournament at such short notice. We would also like to thank Hari Vaerhn, Woon Kee Yang and Michael Tan for handling all the administration matters, Dennis Yeo for generously providing the refreshments and to all players, participants and supporters for their enthusiastic support and response. See you in 2006!

Action galore on the field!

Caught you!

Don't let him get away!

Catch me if you can!

The Barker Road boys taking a breather!

Tan Chin Tuan team’s Eric Hoo receiving the challenge shield from Mr Tan Wah Thong

Tan Chin Tuan Team – the champions!

(All photographs courtesy of Mr Wee Ban Bee)