Season 3, Round 1: Spartans vs. Sharks @ The Hot Gates (vBookie)

Conditions are a bit damp here at the Hot Gates. I'm guessing the Gates are not quite hot enough. The word I would use is 'moist'. Mainly because I like the word moist, but also quite apt as it's as greasy as a clap infested cunt out there tonight.

 

It's being simmed now. Trying to get most of the simming done before posting, but fuck me these two fuckers put in so many fucking subs, it's annoyed me big time. Bastards.

 

The players trot out onto the field here at the Hot Gates. A decent turnout to see the Season 2 Champions in their first game of the season. The Sharks have brought a good number of fans with them too. Pretty impressive for a new team.

We're about to get underway here. And yes, it's still as damp out here though.

 

Sharks with the kick off.

Scoble kicks deep. A poor kick, straight to Marcuss Deane who takes an easy catch. He runs up to the line and offloads to Kyle Tait, who skips past a wrong-footed Graham. He makes about 10 yards before passing a lovely pass out to Lucas Schaw. Schaw picks his run well and easily bursts past Dafter. There’s plenty of defenders back there though, so Schaw is soon held up. He passes to Blunder offloads to Chung who only makes a couple of yards before being tackled by Simon Laing.

 

Sharks players pile into the ruck and secure a well earned turnover. Just too many defenders around there for the Spartans to break through.


Bakkum spins it out to Hutchinson, but that’s a hospital pass and Hutchinson is straight into trouble. Ritchie spotted that play coming and slams into Hutchinson. Davis and McGrath follow in and it’s another turnover.

 

The ball comes out to Eggman who attempts to drive round the piled bodies. He’s tackled by Welker, but Deane follows in. No, the ball’s on the Sharks side? Ah, the ref blows his whistle. Dafter pinged for hands on the ball there.

Yes – blatant on the replay. The ref has a quick chat with the Sharks’ captain.

Luffman kicks for territory. Good kick. Line out to the Spartans just inside the Sharks’ 22.

Good throw from Izett, secured by Callum Laing. A maul forms and there’s a good drive on here. Two solid packs, but the Spartans are definitely in the ascendancy.

Only a few yards from the Sharks line now, and there’s a big overlap out wide if they can extract the ball.