PA Sask. Rivers Dragons fall to Saskatoon All Blacks 14-12 at Max Clunie Field

The Prince Albert Saskatoon Rivers Dragons are still searching for their first home win of the 2017 season.

The Saskatoon All Blacks came from behind to defeat the Dragons 14-12 at Max Clunie Field on Thursday night. Despite the close loss, Dragons coach Darcy Murphy said he appreciated the efforts of his Grade 9 and 10 players.

“The young guys were doing a lot of great things out there, making some great decisions, playing good-quality rugby for guys their age,” he said.

“So as a coach that makes me smile. That makes me happy.”

The Dragons had the territorial advantage in the first half, which culminated in the home team scoring the first try of the match, although they would not score on the conversion.

The Dragons continued their pressure in the second half until an All Blacks player was able to find space and run nearly the length of the field to put his team on the board. After making good on the conversion the visitors led 7-5. Murphy described that play as the “turning point” of the game.

“We had the ball for four or five phases there and we made a bad turnover and they made a couple of good passes wide to the wing and they ran it all the way back on us,” Murphy said.

“Those types of mistakes are things that we’ve been trying to work on all year. It’s consequences of one mistake after another. Having a young group out there, they see that mistake right away and they’re going to learn from it for next year and the year after that.”

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