In their first game as a newly formed the club the euphoria was short lived as the Alexandria team punished the AUC boys from start to finish. Played at El Gamaa Stadium, Alexandria, inspired in the first half by the "raging bull" Mohamed Geneesh, piled on six unanswered tries to set up an easy and convinving win.
The large margin at half time enabled team coach Mark Smith to make several changes for the remainder of the game and provide several B team players an opportunity to get a run and impress in the lead up to the upcoming Alexandria Tens Tournament. The much more experienced Alexandria started the game with a nearly full strength team and dominated up front with strong performances by Geneesh, Bakr Osman (playing his first game at scrum half), Tom Lloyd and Youssry Kahil. With a feast of ball in the first half the backline led by Moody and Shady ran the ball with confidence and skill. What was lacking and needs continued improvement at training is not forcing the pass and causing a turnover but tacking the tackle (however hard that may be), securing the ball and setting up the next phase.
In the second half the skill level of the teams was levelled up with changes on both sides. The Alexandria scrum started to get the wobbles and this gave AUC a chance to show what they could do with the ball. In a very encouraging display the AUC team scored 2 second half tries and at some stages dominated the second half. In their first game as club the the team should be proud opf their efforts and encouraged enough to know that the basic skill level is their to one day challenge Egypt's only other rugby teams in Alexandria and Cairo.
Man the match for Alexandria was inside centre Shady whose continued improvement in all areas of rugby has been a highlight of the season thus far. Final score to Alexandria was 8 tries to 2.
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