KNOXVILLE 59 BARBARIANS 10 @ MURRAYFIELD, SCOTLAND
1-HUSKEY (C)
2-MILLER
3-McARTHUR
4-JORDAN
5-OEGEMA
6-REYNOLDS
7-DAUGHERTY
8-NIEKERK
9-M DULIN
10-BRADLEY
11-BENNETT
12-LITTLE
13-LAIL
14-DORWIN
15-WILSON
16-SANDMAN
17-BARBER
18-ROGERS
19-ADCOX
20-CUNNINGHAM
21-PEAGLER
22-CLARDY
SCORING: BRADLEY (8 CONV., PK-19 POINTS); BENNETT (2 TRIES); HUSKEY, McARTHUR, JORDAN, OEGEMA, NIEKERK, LITTLE (1 TRY EACH)
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KNOXVILLE 47 EDINBURGH 14 AT NORTHERN PARK (40-7 HALFTIME)
1-HAMPSTEAD (C)
2-SANDMAN
3-McARTHUR
4-CHRISTOPHER
5-ROGERS
6-CUNNINGHAM
7-POWELL
8-ADCOX
9-DULIN (DORWIN @ 40 MINUTES)
10-PEAGLER
11-BENNETT
12-GARMAN
13-EVERETT
14-CLARDY
15-BLALOCK (GODFREY @ 40 MINUTES)
16-MILLER
17-BARBER
18-JORDAN
19-NIEKERK
20-GODFREY
21-BRADLEY
22-DORWIN
SCORING-PEAGLER (TRY, 5 CONVERSIONS, PK-18 POINTS); BENNETT (2 TRIES); EVERETT, CLARDY AND CUNNINGHAM (1 TRY EACH)
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KNOXVILLE 53 GLASGOW 17 @ NORTHERN PARK (36-17 HALFTIME)
1-HUSKEY (C)
2-BARBER
3-McARTHUR
4-CHRISTOPHER
5-CERNE
6-JORDAN
7-POWELL
8-OEGEMA
9-BRADLEY (TO FLYHALF @ 40 MINUTES)
10-DORWIN (BENNETT @ 40 MINUTES TO WING)
11-DULIN (TO SCRUMHALF AT 40 MINUTES)
12-GARMAN (TO WING @ 40 MINUTES)
13-EVERETT
14-CLARDY (PEAGLER AT 40 MINUTES TO CENTER)
15-BLALOCK
16-MILLER
17-HAMPSTEAD
18-NIEKERK
19-PEAGLER
20-GODFREY
21-WILSON
22-BENNETT
SCORING-DORWIN (TRY, PK, 4 CONV.-16 POINTS); EVERETT (3 TRIES-15 POINTS); BRADLEY (TRY, PK, 2 CONV.-12 POINTS); GARMAN AND OEGEMA (1 TRY EACH).
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NOTES: KNOXVILLE TOUR CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN ABOUT HIS TEAM'S DEPTH IN THE BACKS.
"WE PICKED THE TEAM ON ITS VERSATILITY," HUSKEY SAID. "BUT, IN RETROSPECT, IT WAS A BAD DECISION TO BRING ONLY ONE TRUE SCRUMHALF IN MIKE DULIN. OTHER GUYS LIKE MARTY (BRADLEY) AND PAT (DORWIN) HAVE EXPERIENCE THERE, JUST NOT LATELY."
HUSKEY ANNOUNCED THURSDAY, OCT. 29 THE POSSUMS HAD ADDED SCRUMHALF MARK SZYDLO TO THEIR 30-MAN ROSTER AND DROPPED UTILITY BACK DON CLARDY FOR THE UPCOMING TEST VS. SCOTLAND.
"MARK WILL BE ON THE BENCH AGAINST SCOTLAND IN JERSEY NO. 20," HUSKEY SAID. "UNFORTUNATELY FOR DON, A BAD PASS AND A MISSED TACKLE HAD LED TO THE OTHER TEAMS DIRECTLY SCORING TRIES. HE'LL BE BACK LATER, I AM SURE."
HE SAID THE HAMSTRING STRAIN THAT TOOK DORWIN OUT AT THE HALF AGAINST GLASGOW, LEADING TO A NUMBER OF POSITIONAL CHANGES, SHOULD BE FINE FOR THE TEST.
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MURRAYFIELD - On the bright side for the Knoxville Possums: A 57-14 drubbing of the hapless Scots. On a darker note were the potentially serious leg injuries that flyhalf Marty Bradley and fullback Tom Wilson suffered in the Test.
Bradley was injured after taking a low hit away from the ball as the Possums scored a try on the way to a 17-7 lead just 20 minutes in. He had made a long cut-out pass to outside center Ed Everett, who drew the fullback inside and Everett's pass allowed wing Pat Dorwin to cruise in from 35 meters out.
It was Dorwin who got Knoxville, now 4-0 on its tour, on the scoreboard just 3:36 into the match with a juking 65-meter run with Bradley's conversion making it 7-0. Five minutes later, Scottish pressure led to a blocked kick that Alan Henderson gathered to score the first of his two tries.
With 16 minutes gone, Bradley picked up the ball off a ruck and beat the cover to touch down but his conversion hit the post and it was 17-7 on the way to a 24-7 Knoxville lead at the break.
The Possums would outscore Scotland 33-7 over the final 40 minutes behind two tries from flanker John Daugherty - who also helped squelch two skirmishes between the teams with a right hook that felled a Scottish lock while fellow flanker Doug Powell finished off a late hit on Daugherty with a two-punch KO of of Scotland center Rob Henderson.
No cards were handed out.
"We've always given back what we get dished out - with interest," said Possum captain Tyler Huskey. "It's just rugby. We do not take any (expletive deleted)."
But the Possums are taking some scalps on their Circa 1980-2000 Grand Tour, outscoring the Barbarians, Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Scots 212-55.
"We've got guys who know how to fnish and A side players that know how to move the ball from No.'s 1 to 22," Huskey said. "Now, our depth will be tested with the trip to Italy."
Knoxville faces two club sides and a Test in Rome before moving on to France for seven matches, including Tests against the French and the All-Blacks.
KNOXVILLE 53 SCOTLAND 14 @ MURRAYFIELD
1-HUSKEY (C)
2-MILLER
3-McARTHUR
4-OOGEMA
5-CERNE
6-POWELL
7-DAUGHERTY
8-NIEKERK
9-DULIN (SZYDLO AT 57 MINUTES)
10-BRADLEY (PEAGLER AT 20 MINUTES)
11-BENNETT
12-LITTLE
13-EVERETT
14-DORWIN
15-WILSON (GODFREY AT 57 MINUTES)
16-CUNNINGHAM
17-HAMPSTEAD
18-ADCOX
19-REYNOLDS
20-SZYDLO
21-PEAGLER
22-GODFREY
SCORING: DORWIN AND DAUGHERTY (TWO TRIES EACH); PEAGLER (TRY, TWO CONV.); BRADLEY (TRY, CONV.); WILSON (3 CONV.); POWELL, LITTLE AND DULIN (1 TRY APIECE).
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NOTES: EVERETT (4), BENNETT (4) AND DORWIN (3) ARE THE LEADING TRYSCORERS.
BRADLEY LEADS IN TOTAL POINTS WITH 38 (2 TRIES, 11 CONV., 2 PK), FOLLOWING ARE PEAGLER (27) AND DORWIN (26).
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BRESCIA, ITALY - MOST RUGBY CLUBS ARE GOING TO FEEL CONFIDENT WHEN THEY HOLD THEIR OPPONENTS 20 POINTS BELOW THEIR SCORING AVERAGE.
NOT BRESCIA ON A WINDY AFTERNOON AT THE ARENA CIVICA AGAINST THE STORMING TOUR SIDE FROM THE STATES, THE KNOXVILLE POSSUMS.
OUTSIDE CENTER ROBERT PEAGLER TALLIED 23 OF THE POSSUMS' 33 POINTS - KNOXVILLE HAD AVERAGED 53 IN ITS 4-0 TOUR START - ON THREE TRIES AND FOUR CONVERSIONS.
THE POSSUMS ADAVANCED TO 5-0 WITH THE 33-3 WIN AND AWAIT TREVISO AT THE SAME VENUE BEFORE THE TEST AGAINST ITALY IN ROME.
"ROBERT HAD A SUPER GAME AT SECOND CENTER AFTER WE HAD INITIALLY SLOTTED HIM AT INSIDE CENTER," SAID KNOXVILLE CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY. "WE INITIALLY LIKED HIM NEXT TO FLYHALF ED EVERETT, BUT A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE MATCH, ROBERT SWITCHED POSITIONS WITH BARRY LAIL, WHO IS MORE OF A POWER RUNNER."
IT WAS KNOXVILLE'S ABILITY TO KEEP THE BALL MOVING FORWARD WITH A NUMBER OF INSIDE PASSES BETWEEN BOTH THE FORWARDS AND BACKS, EVENTUALLY OPENING UP HOLES IN THE BRESCIA DEFENSE.
"WE WENT WITH SOME DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS IN THE FORWARDS TODAY AND THEY REALLY CLICKED," HUSKEY SAID.
LAIL'S PASS TO PEAGLER OPENED THE POSSUMS' ACCOUNT 7-0 EIGHT MINUTES IN. BRESCIA KICKED DEEP AND EVERETT FOUND TOUCH WELL INSIDE BRESCIA'S 22 AND A QUICK LINEOUT WAS SPOILED WHEN PEAGLER PICKED OFF THE THROW FOR AN EASY TRY, 12-0.
WING FRANK BENNETT'S RUN DOWN THE RIGHT SIDELINE LED TO A POP PASS TO PEAGLER AND A TRY THAT MADE IT 19-0 JUST 20 MINUTES IN. EVERETT'S GRUBBER SKEWED LEFT OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE POST, ALLOWING THE FLYHALF TO BEAT BRESCIA'S FULLBACK TO TOUCH DOWN.
KNOXVILLE 33 BRESCIA 3 @ ARENA CIVICA (26-0 HALFTIME)
1-SANDMAN
2-BARBER
3-HAMPSTEAD
4-ADCOX
5-CHRISTOPHER
6-REYNOLDS
7-CUNNINGHAM (C)
8-OOGEMA
9-SZYDLO
10-EVERETT
11-BENNETT
12-LAIL
13-PEAGLER
14-GARMAN
15-GODFREY
16-DAUGHERTY
17-HUSKEY
18-NIEKERK
19-POWELL
20-DULIN
21-LITTLE
22-BLALOCK
SCORING: PEAGLER (3 TRIES, 4 CONV., 23 POINTS); LAIL AND EVERETT (1 TRY EACH).
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NOTES: HUSKEY SAID THE LEG INJURIES TO MARTY BRADLEY AND TOM WILSON WEREN'T SERIOUS, THOUGH THEY WOULD LIKELY SIT OUT THE TREVISO MATCH.
"RIGHT NOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT BRADLEY AT FLYHALF, PEAGLER AT INSIDE CENTER AND EVERETT AT OUTSIDE CENTER FOR THE ITALY TEST," HUSKEY SAID. "THEY HAVE BEEN PLAYING WELL AND THIS COULD BE A DYNAMIC COMBINATION COMBINED WITH THE SPEED AND TRYSCORING OF OUR BACK THREE."
HUSKEY EXPECTED MORE LINEUP CHANGES AGAINST TREVISO. "MIKE DULIN AND PAT DORWIN WILL LIKELY SPLIT HALVES AT FLYHALF, WITH MARK SZYDLO AGAIN AT SCRUMHALF," HE SAID. "WE HAD STRONG BENCH AGAINST BRESCIA BUT KEPT THE STARTING 15 IN THE WHOLE MATCH. EXPECT THAT TO CHANGE."
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KNOXVILLE 37 TREVISO 17 @ ARENA CIVICA (22-0, HALFTIME)
1-SANDMAN
2-CUNNINGHAM
3-HAMPSTEAD
4-ROGERS
5-CHRISTOPHER
6-JORDAN
7-ADCOX
8-NIEKERK (C)
9-SZYDLO
10-DORWIN (TO WING @40 MINUTES)
11-BENNETT
12-LITTLE
13-GARMAN
14-DULIN (TO FLYHALF @40 MINUTES)
15-BLALOCK
16-DAUGHERTY
17-McARTHUR
18-OOGEMA
19-POWELL
20-PEAGLER
21-LAIL
22-GODFREY
SCORING: DORWIN (2 PK, 3 CONV., 12 POINTS); DULIN (2 TRIES); GARMAN, ROGERS AND NIEKERK (1 TRY EACH).
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ROME, ITALY - KNOXVILLE GOT OUT TO ITS USUAL QUICK START, BUT IT WAS THE FINAL MINUTE THAT LET THEM DOWN.
ITALY GAVE THE POSSUMS THEIR FIRST TOUR LOSS AFTER A 6-0 START AFTER A STUNNING RETURN OF A CLEARING KICK ON THE LAST PLAY OF THE MATCH TO DEFEAT KNOXVILLE 21-20.
WITH THE ITALIANS KEEPING CONSTANT SECOND-HALF PRESSURE WITH PLENTY OF LINE -BREAKS, KNOXVILLE COULDN'T ADD ANY POINTS TO ITS 20-13 LEAD AT THE BREAK.
"THEY KEPT US ON OUR BACK FEET THE LAST 40 MINUTES," SAID KNOXVILLE CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY. "WE COULDN'T %#$@ING TACKLE."
FLYHALF RAMIRO PEZ CUT THE SCORE TO 20-16 ON A PENALTY KICK WITH A FULL 32 MINUTES LEFT AND ITALY KEPT THE KNOXVILLE DEFENSE BUSY WITH FULLBACK TOM WILSON MAKING TWO TRY-SAVING TACKLES ON THE TOUCHLINE.
ITALY FULLBACK DOMINIC BERTOLUCCI WENT ON A RAMPAGING RUN AFTER KNOXVILLE FLYHALF MIKE DULIN COULDN'T FIND TOUCH AND WENT THE DISTANCE AS THE FINAL HORN BLEW.
THE POSSUMS GOT ON THE BOARD JUST FIVE MINUTES IN WHEN WING PAT DORWIN SCORED AND WILSON CONVERTED AFTER FLYHALF MARTY BRADLEY ALREADY HAD RE-INJURED HIS LEG. WILSON ADDED A PAIR OF PENALTIES TO MAKE IT 13-0 BEFORE PEZ BOOTED TWO OF HIS OWN. WILSON'S TRY MADE IT 20-13 AFTER 40 MINUTES BEFORE ITALY RALLIED IN THE SECOND HALF.
ITALY 21 KNOXVILLE 20 @ ROME (13-20, HALFTIME)
1-HUSKEY (C)
2-MILLER
3-McARTHUR
4-ROGERS
5-JORDAN
6-POWELL
7-DAUGHERTY
8-NIEKERK
9-DULIN (TO FLYHALF AT 2 MINUTES)
10-BRADLEY (SZYDLO TO SCRUMHALF AT 2 MINUTES)
11-BENNETT
12-PEAGLER
13-EVERETT
14-DORWIN
15-WILSON
16-CUNNINGHAM
17-HAMPSTEAD
18-OOGEMA
19-ADCOX
20-SZYDLO
21-LAIL
22-GODFREY
SCORING: WILSON (TRY, 2 PK. 2 CONV.-15 POINTS; DORWIN (TRY)
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BOURGOIN, FRANCE - LETTING AN OPPONENT HANG AROUND CAN HAVE EXPLOSIVE CONSEQUENCES AS THE TOURING KNOXVILLE POSSUMS (CIRCA 1980-2000) LEARNED IN THE RECENT 1-POINT TEST LOSS TO ITALY.
THE POSSUMS WERE IN DANGER OF FOLLOWING THE SAME PATTERN AT BOURGOIN. LEADING JUST 20-19 WITH 53:18 TO PLAY, A THREE-TRY BOMBARDMENT FOLLOWED FOR KNOXVILLE AS IT RAN OUT TO A 41-19 WIN TO IMPROVE TO 6-1 ON THE TOUR.
CENTER ROBERT PEAGLER, ONE OF THE OLDER PLAYERS ON AN OLD SQUAD, SCORED 16 POINTS WHILE SOUTH AFRICAN-BORN MIKE JORDAN, PLAYING MOSTLY AT LOCK ON THE TOUR, HAD A STORMING GAME IN THE NO. 7 JERSEY, RIPPING OFF THREE TRIES AND PERFORMING DEMONICALLY ON DEFENSE.
KNOXVILLE 41 BOURGOIN 19 @ BOURGOIN (13-7 HALFTIME)
1-HUSKEY (C)
2-MILLER
3-HAMPSTEAD
4-ROGERS
5-CERNE
6-REYNOLDS
7-JORDAN
8-OOGEMA
9-SZYDLO
10-EVERETT
11-BENNETT
12-LITTLE
13-PEAGLER
14-DULIN
15-DORWIN (BY GODFREY AT 29 MINUTES)
16-CUNNINGHAM
17-McARTHUR
18-NIEKERK
19-ADCOX
20-LAIL
21-BLALOCK
22-GODFREY
SCORING: (PEAGLER 2 PK. 5 CONV.-16 POINTS); JORDAN (3 TRIES-15 POINTS); HAMPSTEAD AND DULIN (1 TRY EACH).
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HUSKEY NOTED THE CONTINUED DAMAGE TO BRADLEY'S ANKLE (KNOCKED OUT AFTER JUST TWO MINUTES VS. ITALY) AND DORWIN'S HAMSTRING (REPLACED SHORT OF 30 MINUTES AGAINST BOURGOIN), MAY LEAD TO SOME OF THE "ON CALL" PLAYERS BEING ADDED TO THE SQUAD.
"OR WE MIGHT JUST PUT PINK JERSEYS ON THEM IN PRACTICE SO THEY DON'T 'TWEAK' ANYTHING FURTHER," HE SAID.
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KNOXVILLE 69 CASTRES 7 @CASTRES (42-0, HALFTIME)
1-HUSKEY
2-SANDMAN
3-HAMPSTEAD (BARBER @ 45 MINUTES)
4-CHRISTOPHER
5-CERNE
6-REYNOLDS
7-JORDAN (CUNNINGHAM @ 45 MINUTES)
8-POWELL (ADCOX @ 45 MINUTES
9-SZYDLO
10-EVERETT
11-GARMAN
12-PEAGLER (LAIL @ 45 MINUTES)
13-BENNETT
14-DULIN
15-GODFREY
16-CUNNINGHAM
17-BARBER
18-NIEKERK
19-ADCOX
20-LAIL
21-BLALOCK
22-LITTLE
SCORING: PEAGLER (3 TRIES, PK, 7 CONV., 32 POINTS); GARMAN AND BENNETT (2 TRIES EACH); EVERETT (TRY, CONV.)' LAIL AND JORDAN (1 TRY EACH)
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NOTES: HEADING INTO THE TEST VS. FRANCE, A RAMPAGING ROBERT PEAGLER IS IN TOP FORM. HE LEADS KNOXVILLE IN ALL SCORING CATEGORIES WITH EIGHT TRIES, FOUR PENALTY KICKS AND 17 CONVERSIONS FOR 86
TOTAL POINTS.
ED EVERETT HAS FIVE TRIES WHILE PAT DORWIN, FRANK BENNETT, MIKE JORDAN AND MIKE DULIN HAVE ALL FOUND THE TRY ZONE FOUR TIMES.
DAVE CHRISTOPHER RECEIVED THE FIRST YELLOW CARD OF THE TOUR AGAINST CASTRES.
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AFTER SOME TIME OFF, EXPECT THE POSSUMS TO BE FULLY HEALTHY FOR THE UPCOMING TEST VS. FRANCE, LEAVING THE SELECTORS SOME TOUGH CHOICES.
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KNOXVILLE 41 FRANCE 14 @STADE DE FRANCE (20-7 HALFTIME)
SAINT DENIS, FRANCE - LED BY THEIR PESKY "GNATS," KNOXVILLE HUMBLED A FULL-STRENGTH FRENCH SQUAD IN A TEST MATCH.
SCRUMHALF MIKE DULIN ATTACKED CONSTANTLY OFF THE BASE OF THE RUCK, WING FRANK BENNETT TALLIED TWO TRIES AND WING PAT DORWIN SCORED ONE TRY AND SET UP ANOTHER IN THE COMPREHENSIVE 41-14 WIN THAT PUSHED THE POSSUMS' TOUR RECORD TO 8-1.
"THIS WAS BY FAR OUR MOST ALL-ENCOMPASSING MATCH," SAID PROP AND CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY, WHO ALSO FOUND THE TRY ZONE. "MIKE'S PLAY AT THE BASE OF THE SCRUM ADDED TO SOME FANTASTIC INTERPLAY BETWEEN THE FORWARDS AND BACKS."
JUST EIGHT MINUTES INTO THE MATCH, DULIN PASSED TO DORWIN AND HE JUKED THE FULLBACK TO TOUCH DOWN WITH FULLBACK TOM WILSON'S CONVERSION MAKING IT 7-0. WILSON ADDED A 32-METER PENALTY FIVE MINUTES LATER TO UP KNOXVILLE'S LEAD TO 10-0.
TEN MINUTES LATER, DULIN STARTED A MOVEMENT DOWN THE LINE TO THE LEFT, WITH DORWIN FILLING IN FROM HIS OPPOSITE WING SLOT. HE ALMOST SCORED BUT FLICKED THE BALL TO BENNETT WHILE BEING TACKLED FOR THE TRY TO MAKE IT 17-0.
FLYHALF ED EVERETT WAS TACKLED LATE AND WILSON CONECTED FROM 25-METERS OUT TO UP THE POSSUMS LEAD TO 20-0 WITH 27 MINUTES GONE IN THE OPENING HALF.
AFTER THE BREAK, DULIN WENT TO BENNETT ON THE SHORT SIDE OF THE PITCH, AND HE JUKED INSIDE TO MAKE IT 27-7 BEFORE FRANCE MADE IT 27-14 AFTER A CHRISTOPHE DOMINICI TRY AT THE 50-MINUTE MARK. KNOXVILLE ADDED TRIES AT 67 AND 73 MINUTES.
1-HUSKEY (C)
2-MILLER
3-McARTHUR
4-CHRISTOPHER
5-CERNE
6-DAUGHERTY
7-POWELL
8-NIEKERK
9-DULIN
10-EVERETT
11-BENNETT
12-LAIL
13-PEAGLER
14-DORWIN
15-WILSON
16-CUNNINGHAM
17-HAMPSTEAD
18-OOGEMA
19-JORDAN
20-SZYDLO
21-GARMAN
22-LITTLE
SCORING-WILSON 2 PK, 5 CONV., 16 POINTS; BENNETT 2 TRIES; DORWIN, DULIN AND HUSKEY, 1 TRY EACH.
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NOTES: HUSKEY SAID OUT-OF-FAVOR FLYHALF MARTY BRADLEY WOULD START THE NEXT MATCH.
"WE NEED TO SEE WHERE MARTY IS IN HIS CONDITIONING," HUSKEY SAID.
HE WOULD NOT COMMENT ON AN IMPENDING DISMISSAL OF AN UNIDENTIFIED PLAYER FOR CONSTANT CURFEW VIOLATIONS, NOR WOULD HE SAY ANYTHING ABOUT WINGER FRANK BENNETT, RUMORED TO BE LEAVING THE SQUAD ONCE ITS FRENCH VERSION OF THE TOUR ENDS AFTER MEETING A WOMAN IN PARIS.
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NOTES: HUSKEY ANNOUNCED TUESDAY NIGHT UTILITY BACK DON CLARDY WAS RECALLED FROM THE PRACTICE SQUAD AT THE EXPENSE OF KEVIN BLALOCK. BACKS JERRY GODFREY AND JIM MURRAY VOLUNTARILY SWITCHED PLACES, WITH MURRAY, A KICKING FULLBACK, ELEVATED TO THE 30-MAN ROSTER. BOB HAMPSTEAD HAD TO RETURN TO THE STATES FOR AN URGENT BUSINESS MATTER AND IS EXPECTED TO RETURN IN 10 DAYS, HIS PROP SPOT WAS TAKEN BY PAUL CURETON.
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KNOXVILLE 21 TOULOSE 9 @ PARC DE PARIS (14-6, HALFTIME)
1-CURETON
2-BARBER
3-SANDMAN
4-ROGERS
5-NIEKERK
6-REYNOLDS
7-JORDAN
8-ADCOX
9-SZYDLO
10-BRADLEY
11-CLARDY
12-LITTLE
13-CUNNINGHAM (C)
14-GARMAN
15-MURRAY
16-HUSKEY
17-MILLER
18-OOGEMA
19-POWELL
20-DULIN
21-DORWIN
22-LAIL
SCORING: MURRAY 3 CONV.; GARMAN, JORDAN AND OOGEMA, 1 TRY EACH
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NEW ZEALAND 20 KNOXVILLE 14 @ STADE DE FRANCE (10-14, HALFTIME)
SAINT DENIS, FRANCE - KNOXVILLE GOT OFF TO ITS USUAL FAST START - TOUCHING DOWN A TRY LESS THAN TWO MINUTES INTO THE TEST AGAINST NEW ZEALAND - BUT IT ALL WENT FOR NAUGHT IN A SCORELESS SECOND HALF AS THE ALL-BLACKS POSTED AN EXCITING 20-14 WIN.
THE POSSUMS GRAND TOUR SAW ONLY THEIR SECOND DEFEAT AGAINST NINE WINS - THE OTHER LOSS BY A SINGLE POINT WHEN ITALY SCORED ON THE FINAL PLAY OF THE MATCH.
GETING KNOXVILLE GOING EARLY WAS EIGHTMAN DOUG POWELL, WHO SCOOPED UP A LOOSE BALL AND OUTPACED THE ALL-BLACKS FROM 55 METERS OUT. FULLBACK TOM WILSON'S CONVERSION MADE IT 7-0 JUST 1:46 INTO THE TEST.
NEW ZEALAND STRUCK BACK MINUTES LATER WHEN SCRUMHALF BYRON KELLEHER DOTTED DOWN AFTER THE ALL-BLACKS BLITZED THE POSSUMS' TRY LINE. DAN CARTER'S CONVERSION TIED THE SCORES AT THE 4:19 MARK.
THERE WAS PLENTY OF LINE BREAKS AND POTENTIAL TRIES OVER AN ACTION-PACKED NEXT DOZEN MINUTES AND KNOXVILLE MADE GOOD WITH A LOOSE BALL WHEN BARRY LAIL SNARED IT AND PASSED DOWN THE LINE TO POWELL, RICK OOGEMA AND WING FRANK BENNETT, WITH HIS SCORE MAKING IT 14-7 ONLY 16 MINUTES IN.
BUT IT WOULD BE THE LAST TIME THE POSSUMS COULD DENT THE SCOREBOARD. CARTER'S PENALTY CUT KNOXVILLE'S LEAD TO 14-10 AT THE BREAK.
THE POSSUMS WOULD COLLAPSE A MAUL AT 55 MINUTES AND THE REFEREE AWARDED A PENALTY TRY THAT CARTER CONVERTED TO GIVE NEW ZEALAND ITS FIRST LEAD AT 17-14. BOTH TEAMS KEPT ATTACKING BUT LINE BREAKS WERE SNUFFED OUT BY BOTH TEAMS' BACK THREE.
CARTER'S PENALTY AT 70 POINTS ACCOUNTED FOR THE FINAL POINTS OF THE MATCH.
"WE PLAYED THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD TO A VIRTUAL STANDSTILL," SAID KNOXVILLE CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY. "I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF THESE GUYS. WE DOMINATED POSSESSION AND TERRITORY FOR MUCH OF THE MATCH BUT JUST COULDN'T BREAK THROUGH THE ABs DEFENSE WHEN WE NEEDED TO."
1-HUSKEY (C)
2-MILLER
3-McARTHUR
4-OOGEMA
5-NIEKERK
6-DAUGHERTY
7-JORDAN
8-POWELL
9-DULIN
10-EVERETT
11-BENNETT
12-LAIL
13-PEAGLER
14-DORWIN
15-WILSON
16-CUNNINGHAM
17-CURETON
18-CHRISTOPHER
19-ADCOX
20-SZYDLO
21-BRADLLEY
22-LAIL
SCORING: POWELL AND BENNETT, 1 TRY EACH; WILSON 2 CONV.
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NOTES: HUSKEY SAID THE 15 KNOXVILLE PUT ON THE PITCH AGAINST NEW ZEALAND GAVE HIS TEAM THE BEST CHANCE TO TOPPLE THE ALL-BLACKS.
"WE MOVED BRIAN (NIEKERK) INTO A LOCK POSITION AND HAD A BACK ROW OF FLANKERS JOHN DAUGHERTY AND MIKE JORDAN WITH DOUG POWELL AT EIGHTMAN," HUSKEY SAID. "THOSE THREE ARE NOT THE BULKIEST PLAYERS, BUT ALL OF THEM ARE DEADLY TACKLERS AND STRONG STRIKE RUNNERS."
HUSKEY SAID HE EXPECTS NIEKERK BACK AT NO. 8 AS THE TOUR MOVES INTO ENGLAND THIS WEEK.
"HE MAY EVEN GET A GAME AT INSIDE CENTER AS WELL," SAID HUSKEY, ADDING PROP BOB HAMPSTEAD IS DUE BACK FROM A BUSINESS METING IN THE STATES FOR THE UPCOMING TOUR LEG IN ENGLAND, BUT WOULDN'T ELABORATE ON WHETHER HAMPSTEAD'S REPLACEMENT PAUL CURETON WOULD FALL BACK TO THE PRACTICE SQUAD, WHICH JUST ADDED TWO PLAYERS IN PHIL HOPSON (SCRUMHALF) AND GREG BROYLES (SCRUMHALF/FLYYHALF).
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KNOXVILLE 33 PERPIGNAN 22 @PERPIGNAN (26-14, HALFTIME)
1-CURETON
2-CUNNINGHAM
3-SANDMAN
4-OOGEMA
5-CERNE
6-REYNOLDS
7-MILLER
8-ADCOX
9-SZYDLO
10-BRADLEY (C)
11-BENNETT
12-GARMAN
13-WILSON
14-CLARDY
15-DORWIN
16-BARBER
17-JORDAN
18-CHRISTOPHER
19-POWELL
20-DULIN
21-EVERETT
22-LITTLE
SCORING: CLARDY 3 TRIES; ADCOX 2 TRIES AND BRADLEY 4 CONV.
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NOTES: SUNDAY'S MATCH MARKED THE DEBUT FOR GREG BROYLES, WHO STARTED AT INSIDE CENTER AND SCORED A TRY. CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY SAID HOOKER FRANK BARBER WAS SENT HOME TO THE STATES TO GET A STAPH INFECTION TREATED.
HUSKEY ALSO SAID BUSINESS MATTERS WOULD KEEP PROP BOB HAMPSTEAD BUSY UNTIL THE END OF THE TOUR AND PROP PAUL CURETON WOULD REPLACE HIM UNTIL THE TOUR ENDS.
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KNOXVILLE 31 NORTHHAMPTON 0 @ MAJESKI STADIUM (17-0, HALFTIME)
READING, ENGLAND - NEW COUNTRY, SAME RESULT.
IT WAS BUSINESS AS USUAL SUNDAY ON THE KNOXVILLE POSSUMS GRAND TOUR. THE START OF THE ENGLISH LEG SAW THE TEAM UP ITS MARK TO 12-2 OVERALL WITH A 31-O THRASHING OF NORTHHAMPTON.
FULLBACK JIM MURRAY CONVERTED ALL FOUR OF KNOXVILLE'S TRIES AND ADDED A PENALTY KICK. POSSUM TRYSCORERS WERE BARRY LAIL (2) DEBUTANTE GREG BROYLES AND MIKE GARMAN.
KNOXVILLE PLAYS BRISTOL AT THE STOOP BEFORE A TEST AGAINST THE ENGLISH AT TWICKINGHAM.
1-HUSKEY (C)
2-SANDMAN
3-McARTHUR
4-ROGERS
5-CERNE
6-DAUGHERTY
7-ADCOX
8-NIEKERK (POWELL @63 MINUTES)
9-DULIN (SZYDLO @63 MINUTES)
10-BRADLEY
11-GARMAN
12-BROYLES
13-LAIL
14-CLARDY (DORWIN @63 MINUTES)
15-MURRAY
16-CUNNINGHAM
17-POWELL
18-JORDAN
19-DORWIN
20-SZYDLO
21-EVERETT
22-LITTLE
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KNOXVILLE 38 BRISTOL 3 @THE STOOP (17-3, HALFTIME)
LONDON - IF THE ENGLISH THOUGHT THE TOURING KNOXVILLE POSSUMS WERE LOOKING AHEAD TO THE TEAMS' UPCOMING TEST, THEY WERE DEAD WRONG.
KNOXVILLE, 13-2 ON ITS TOUR, DEMOLISHED BRISTOL 38-3 AT THE STOOP TUESDAY NIGHT IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND SNOW FLURRIES. THE ROUT CAME ON THE HEELS OF A 31-0 ROMP OVER NORTHHAMPTON.
"OUR DEPTH AND EXPERIENCE ARE DEFINITELY SHOWING," SAID CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY, WHO WATCHED THIS ONE FROM THE STANDS.
THE POSSUMS DEFTLY TOUCHED DOWN THREE FIRST-HALF TRIES IN THE RIGHT CORNER OF THE TRY ZONE FOR A 17-3 LEAD AT THE BREAK.
1-CURETON
2-MILLER
3-SANDMAN (C)
4-ROGERS
5-NIEKERK
6-POWELL (DAUGHERTY @59 MINUTES)
7-ADCOX
8-CERNE
9-SZYDLO
10-PEAGLER
11-BENNETT
12-LITTLE
13-CLARDY
14-GARMAN
15-DORWIN (MURRAY @59 MINUTES)
16-JORDAN
17-DAUGHERTY
18-CHRISTOPHER
19-MURRAY
20-CUNNINGHAM
21-EVERETT
22-LAIL
SCORING: PEAGLER 4 CONV.; BENNETT 2 TRIES; LITTLE, POWELL, GARMAN AND CERNE, 1 TRY EACH.
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NOTES: HUSKEY SAID HE THOUGHT THAT EVERY PLAYER WHO WOULD START THE TEST AT TWICKENHAM SAW ACTION IN THE TWO GAMES. ASKED IF HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT ENGLAND'S BACK ROW SIZE, HUSKEY SCOFFED AND SIMPLY SAID, "NO," ALTHOUGH 6-5, 260-POUND STEVE CERNE GOT HIS FIRST START AT N0. 8 AGAINST BRISTOL. CERNE NORMALLY STARTS AT LOCK WITH 6-5 AND 250-POUND BRIAN NIEKERK AT EIGHTMAN, ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE KNOXVILLE BACK ROW HAS EXPERIENCE AT THE BACK OF THE SCRUM.
ASKED IF THE ENGLISH MEDIA WAS PORTRAYING THE SIDE FROM THE STATES AS OVERRATED, HUSKEY REPLIED: "I HAVE NO IDEA. I ONLY LOOK FOR THE (BASEBALL) BOX SCORES."
KNOXVILLE IS A CONVERTED PENALTY TRY AND A 1-POINT DEFEAT ON THE LAST PLAY OF THE MATCH FROM BEING UNDEFEATED.
WEATHER WON'T BE A FACTOR AS THE TWICKENHAM GROUNDS HAVE BEEN COVERED. ENGLISH MEDIA SPECULATED ON THE FOLLOWING 15 FOR KNOXVILLE:
1-HUSKEY
2-SANDMAN
3-McARTHUR
4-OOGEMA
5-JORDAN
6-DAUGHERTY
7-POWELL
8-NIEKERK
9-DULIN
10-EVERETT
11-BENNETT
12-LAIL
13-PEAGLER
14-DORWIN
15-WILSON
"THEY'RE CERTAINLY UNDERSIZED AT THE WINGS, WITH BENNETT (5-8) AND DORWIN (5-6)," WROTE THE LONDON POST'S NIGEL TUFNEL. "THE FLANKERS ARE WIRY BUT EXCELLENT TACKLERS WHILE THE LOCKS (RICK OOGEMA-CANADA AND MIKE JORDAN-SOUTH AFRICA) OFFER INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE, AND THAT COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE." HE PREDICTED A 20-17 KNOXVILLE WIN, BUT SAID ENGLAND COULD RUN RAMPANT IF ITS BACK THREE CAN BREAK SOME TACKLES.
THAT LINEUP WOULD DISPLACE HOOKER RYAN MILLER FOR THE BULKIER SCOTT SANDMAN. STEVE LINK (FLANKER) WAS TO JOIN THE PRACTICE SQUAD THURSDAY AFTER PROP STEVE "WILDMAN" MOORE ALLEGEDLY LIVED UP TO HIS NAME, REPORTEDLY BRAWLING WITH THREE BOBBIES DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS MONDAY. MOORE HAS BEEN SUSPENDED PENDING THE MULTIPLE CHARGES.
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1-HUSKEY (C)
2-MILLER
3-McARTHUR
4-JORDAN
5-OEGEMA
6-REYNOLDS
7-DAUGHERTY
8-NIEKERK
9-M DULIN
10-BRADLEY
11-BENNETT
12-LITTLE
13-LAIL
14-DORWIN
15-WILSON
16-SANDMAN
17-BARBER
18-ROGERS
19-ADCOX
20-CUNNINGHAM
21-PEAGLER
22-CLARDY
SCORING: BRADLEY (8 CONV., PK-19 POINTS); BENNETT (2 TRIES); HUSKEY, McARTHUR, JORDAN, OEGEMA, NIEKERK, LITTLE (1 TRY EACH)
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KNOXVILLE 47 EDINBURGH 14 AT NORTHERN PARK (40-7 HALFTIME)
1-HAMPSTEAD (C)
2-SANDMAN
3-McARTHUR
4-CHRISTOPHER
5-ROGERS
6-CUNNINGHAM
7-POWELL
8-ADCOX
9-DULIN (DORWIN @ 40 MINUTES)
10-PEAGLER
11-BENNETT
12-GARMAN
13-EVERETT
14-CLARDY
15-BLALOCK (GODFREY @ 40 MINUTES)
16-MILLER
17-BARBER
18-JORDAN
19-NIEKERK
20-GODFREY
21-BRADLEY
22-DORWIN
SCORING-PEAGLER (TRY, 5 CONVERSIONS, PK-18 POINTS); BENNETT (2 TRIES); EVERETT, CLARDY AND CUNNINGHAM (1 TRY EACH)
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KNOXVILLE 53 GLASGOW 17 @ NORTHERN PARK (36-17 HALFTIME)
1-HUSKEY (C)
2-BARBER
3-McARTHUR
4-CHRISTOPHER
5-CERNE
6-JORDAN
7-POWELL
8-OEGEMA
9-BRADLEY (TO FLYHALF @ 40 MINUTES)
10-DORWIN (BENNETT @ 40 MINUTES TO WING)
11-DULIN (TO SCRUMHALF AT 40 MINUTES)
12-GARMAN (TO WING @ 40 MINUTES)
13-EVERETT
14-CLARDY (PEAGLER AT 40 MINUTES TO CENTER)
15-BLALOCK
16-MILLER
17-HAMPSTEAD
18-NIEKERK
19-PEAGLER
20-GODFREY
21-WILSON
22-BENNETT
SCORING-DORWIN (TRY, PK, 4 CONV.-16 POINTS); EVERETT (3 TRIES-15 POINTS); BRADLEY (TRY, PK, 2 CONV.-12 POINTS); GARMAN AND OEGEMA (1 TRY EACH).
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NOTES: KNOXVILLE TOUR CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN ABOUT HIS TEAM'S DEPTH IN THE BACKS.
"WE PICKED THE TEAM ON ITS VERSATILITY," HUSKEY SAID. "BUT, IN RETROSPECT, IT WAS A BAD DECISION TO BRING ONLY ONE TRUE SCRUMHALF IN MIKE DULIN. OTHER GUYS LIKE MARTY (BRADLEY) AND PAT (DORWIN) HAVE EXPERIENCE THERE, JUST NOT LATELY."
HUSKEY ANNOUNCED THURSDAY, OCT. 29 THE POSSUMS HAD ADDED SCRUMHALF MARK SZYDLO TO THEIR 30-MAN ROSTER AND DROPPED UTILITY BACK DON CLARDY FOR THE UPCOMING TEST VS. SCOTLAND.
"MARK WILL BE ON THE BENCH AGAINST SCOTLAND IN JERSEY NO. 20," HUSKEY SAID. "UNFORTUNATELY FOR DON, A BAD PASS AND A MISSED TACKLE HAD LED TO THE OTHER TEAMS DIRECTLY SCORING TRIES. HE'LL BE BACK LATER, I AM SURE."
HE SAID THE HAMSTRING STRAIN THAT TOOK DORWIN OUT AT THE HALF AGAINST GLASGOW, LEADING TO A NUMBER OF POSITIONAL CHANGES, SHOULD BE FINE FOR THE TEST.
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MURRAYFIELD - On the bright side for the Knoxville Possums: A 57-14 drubbing of the hapless Scots. On a darker note were the potentially serious leg injuries that flyhalf Marty Bradley and fullback Tom Wilson suffered in the Test.
Bradley was injured after taking a low hit away from the ball as the Possums scored a try on the way to a 17-7 lead just 20 minutes in. He had made a long cut-out pass to outside center Ed Everett, who drew the fullback inside and Everett's pass allowed wing Pat Dorwin to cruise in from 35 meters out.
It was Dorwin who got Knoxville, now 4-0 on its tour, on the scoreboard just 3:36 into the match with a juking 65-meter run with Bradley's conversion making it 7-0. Five minutes later, Scottish pressure led to a blocked kick that Alan Henderson gathered to score the first of his two tries.
With 16 minutes gone, Bradley picked up the ball off a ruck and beat the cover to touch down but his conversion hit the post and it was 17-7 on the way to a 24-7 Knoxville lead at the break.
The Possums would outscore Scotland 33-7 over the final 40 minutes behind two tries from flanker John Daugherty - who also helped squelch two skirmishes between the teams with a right hook that felled a Scottish lock while fellow flanker Doug Powell finished off a late hit on Daugherty with a two-punch KO of of Scotland center Rob Henderson.
No cards were handed out.
"We've always given back what we get dished out - with interest," said Possum captain Tyler Huskey. "It's just rugby. We do not take any (expletive deleted)."
But the Possums are taking some scalps on their Circa 1980-2000 Grand Tour, outscoring the Barbarians, Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Scots 212-55.
"We've got guys who know how to fnish and A side players that know how to move the ball from No.'s 1 to 22," Huskey said. "Now, our depth will be tested with the trip to Italy."
Knoxville faces two club sides and a Test in Rome before moving on to France for seven matches, including Tests against the French and the All-Blacks.
KNOXVILLE 53 SCOTLAND 14 @ MURRAYFIELD
1-HUSKEY (C)
2-MILLER
3-McARTHUR
4-OOGEMA
5-CERNE
6-POWELL
7-DAUGHERTY
8-NIEKERK
9-DULIN (SZYDLO AT 57 MINUTES)
10-BRADLEY (PEAGLER AT 20 MINUTES)
11-BENNETT
12-LITTLE
13-EVERETT
14-DORWIN
15-WILSON (GODFREY AT 57 MINUTES)
16-CUNNINGHAM
17-HAMPSTEAD
18-ADCOX
19-REYNOLDS
20-SZYDLO
21-PEAGLER
22-GODFREY
SCORING: DORWIN AND DAUGHERTY (TWO TRIES EACH); PEAGLER (TRY, TWO CONV.); BRADLEY (TRY, CONV.); WILSON (3 CONV.); POWELL, LITTLE AND DULIN (1 TRY APIECE).
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NOTES: EVERETT (4), BENNETT (4) AND DORWIN (3) ARE THE LEADING TRYSCORERS.
BRADLEY LEADS IN TOTAL POINTS WITH 38 (2 TRIES, 11 CONV., 2 PK), FOLLOWING ARE PEAGLER (27) AND DORWIN (26).
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BRESCIA, ITALY - MOST RUGBY CLUBS ARE GOING TO FEEL CONFIDENT WHEN THEY HOLD THEIR OPPONENTS 20 POINTS BELOW THEIR SCORING AVERAGE.
NOT BRESCIA ON A WINDY AFTERNOON AT THE ARENA CIVICA AGAINST THE STORMING TOUR SIDE FROM THE STATES, THE KNOXVILLE POSSUMS.
OUTSIDE CENTER ROBERT PEAGLER TALLIED 23 OF THE POSSUMS' 33 POINTS - KNOXVILLE HAD AVERAGED 53 IN ITS 4-0 TOUR START - ON THREE TRIES AND FOUR CONVERSIONS.
THE POSSUMS ADAVANCED TO 5-0 WITH THE 33-3 WIN AND AWAIT TREVISO AT THE SAME VENUE BEFORE THE TEST AGAINST ITALY IN ROME.
"ROBERT HAD A SUPER GAME AT SECOND CENTER AFTER WE HAD INITIALLY SLOTTED HIM AT INSIDE CENTER," SAID KNOXVILLE CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY. "WE INITIALLY LIKED HIM NEXT TO FLYHALF ED EVERETT, BUT A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE MATCH, ROBERT SWITCHED POSITIONS WITH BARRY LAIL, WHO IS MORE OF A POWER RUNNER."
IT WAS KNOXVILLE'S ABILITY TO KEEP THE BALL MOVING FORWARD WITH A NUMBER OF INSIDE PASSES BETWEEN BOTH THE FORWARDS AND BACKS, EVENTUALLY OPENING UP HOLES IN THE BRESCIA DEFENSE.
"WE WENT WITH SOME DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS IN THE FORWARDS TODAY AND THEY REALLY CLICKED," HUSKEY SAID.
LAIL'S PASS TO PEAGLER OPENED THE POSSUMS' ACCOUNT 7-0 EIGHT MINUTES IN. BRESCIA KICKED DEEP AND EVERETT FOUND TOUCH WELL INSIDE BRESCIA'S 22 AND A QUICK LINEOUT WAS SPOILED WHEN PEAGLER PICKED OFF THE THROW FOR AN EASY TRY, 12-0.
WING FRANK BENNETT'S RUN DOWN THE RIGHT SIDELINE LED TO A POP PASS TO PEAGLER AND A TRY THAT MADE IT 19-0 JUST 20 MINUTES IN. EVERETT'S GRUBBER SKEWED LEFT OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE POST, ALLOWING THE FLYHALF TO BEAT BRESCIA'S FULLBACK TO TOUCH DOWN.
KNOXVILLE 33 BRESCIA 3 @ ARENA CIVICA (26-0 HALFTIME)
1-SANDMAN
2-BARBER
3-HAMPSTEAD
4-ADCOX
5-CHRISTOPHER
6-REYNOLDS
7-CUNNINGHAM (C)
8-OOGEMA
9-SZYDLO
10-EVERETT
11-BENNETT
12-LAIL
13-PEAGLER
14-GARMAN
15-GODFREY
16-DAUGHERTY
17-HUSKEY
18-NIEKERK
19-POWELL
20-DULIN
21-LITTLE
22-BLALOCK
SCORING: PEAGLER (3 TRIES, 4 CONV., 23 POINTS); LAIL AND EVERETT (1 TRY EACH).
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NOTES: HUSKEY SAID THE LEG INJURIES TO MARTY BRADLEY AND TOM WILSON WEREN'T SERIOUS, THOUGH THEY WOULD LIKELY SIT OUT THE TREVISO MATCH.
"RIGHT NOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT BRADLEY AT FLYHALF, PEAGLER AT INSIDE CENTER AND EVERETT AT OUTSIDE CENTER FOR THE ITALY TEST," HUSKEY SAID. "THEY HAVE BEEN PLAYING WELL AND THIS COULD BE A DYNAMIC COMBINATION COMBINED WITH THE SPEED AND TRYSCORING OF OUR BACK THREE."
HUSKEY EXPECTED MORE LINEUP CHANGES AGAINST TREVISO. "MIKE DULIN AND PAT DORWIN WILL LIKELY SPLIT HALVES AT FLYHALF, WITH MARK SZYDLO AGAIN AT SCRUMHALF," HE SAID. "WE HAD STRONG BENCH AGAINST BRESCIA BUT KEPT THE STARTING 15 IN THE WHOLE MATCH. EXPECT THAT TO CHANGE."
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KNOXVILLE 37 TREVISO 17 @ ARENA CIVICA (22-0, HALFTIME)
1-SANDMAN
2-CUNNINGHAM
3-HAMPSTEAD
4-ROGERS
5-CHRISTOPHER
6-JORDAN
7-ADCOX
8-NIEKERK (C)
9-SZYDLO
10-DORWIN (TO WING @40 MINUTES)
11-BENNETT
12-LITTLE
13-GARMAN
14-DULIN (TO FLYHALF @40 MINUTES)
15-BLALOCK
16-DAUGHERTY
17-McARTHUR
18-OOGEMA
19-POWELL
20-PEAGLER
21-LAIL
22-GODFREY
SCORING: DORWIN (2 PK, 3 CONV., 12 POINTS); DULIN (2 TRIES); GARMAN, ROGERS AND NIEKERK (1 TRY EACH).
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ROME, ITALY - KNOXVILLE GOT OUT TO ITS USUAL QUICK START, BUT IT WAS THE FINAL MINUTE THAT LET THEM DOWN.
ITALY GAVE THE POSSUMS THEIR FIRST TOUR LOSS AFTER A 6-0 START AFTER A STUNNING RETURN OF A CLEARING KICK ON THE LAST PLAY OF THE MATCH TO DEFEAT KNOXVILLE 21-20.
WITH THE ITALIANS KEEPING CONSTANT SECOND-HALF PRESSURE WITH PLENTY OF LINE -BREAKS, KNOXVILLE COULDN'T ADD ANY POINTS TO ITS 20-13 LEAD AT THE BREAK.
"THEY KEPT US ON OUR BACK FEET THE LAST 40 MINUTES," SAID KNOXVILLE CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY. "WE COULDN'T %#$@ING TACKLE."
FLYHALF RAMIRO PEZ CUT THE SCORE TO 20-16 ON A PENALTY KICK WITH A FULL 32 MINUTES LEFT AND ITALY KEPT THE KNOXVILLE DEFENSE BUSY WITH FULLBACK TOM WILSON MAKING TWO TRY-SAVING TACKLES ON THE TOUCHLINE.
ITALY FULLBACK DOMINIC BERTOLUCCI WENT ON A RAMPAGING RUN AFTER KNOXVILLE FLYHALF MIKE DULIN COULDN'T FIND TOUCH AND WENT THE DISTANCE AS THE FINAL HORN BLEW.
THE POSSUMS GOT ON THE BOARD JUST FIVE MINUTES IN WHEN WING PAT DORWIN SCORED AND WILSON CONVERTED AFTER FLYHALF MARTY BRADLEY ALREADY HAD RE-INJURED HIS LEG. WILSON ADDED A PAIR OF PENALTIES TO MAKE IT 13-0 BEFORE PEZ BOOTED TWO OF HIS OWN. WILSON'S TRY MADE IT 20-13 AFTER 40 MINUTES BEFORE ITALY RALLIED IN THE SECOND HALF.
ITALY 21 KNOXVILLE 20 @ ROME (13-20, HALFTIME)
1-HUSKEY (C)
2-MILLER
3-McARTHUR
4-ROGERS
5-JORDAN
6-POWELL
7-DAUGHERTY
8-NIEKERK
9-DULIN (TO FLYHALF AT 2 MINUTES)
10-BRADLEY (SZYDLO TO SCRUMHALF AT 2 MINUTES)
11-BENNETT
12-PEAGLER
13-EVERETT
14-DORWIN
15-WILSON
16-CUNNINGHAM
17-HAMPSTEAD
18-OOGEMA
19-ADCOX
20-SZYDLO
21-LAIL
22-GODFREY
SCORING: WILSON (TRY, 2 PK. 2 CONV.-15 POINTS; DORWIN (TRY)
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BOURGOIN, FRANCE - LETTING AN OPPONENT HANG AROUND CAN HAVE EXPLOSIVE CONSEQUENCES AS THE TOURING KNOXVILLE POSSUMS (CIRCA 1980-2000) LEARNED IN THE RECENT 1-POINT TEST LOSS TO ITALY.
THE POSSUMS WERE IN DANGER OF FOLLOWING THE SAME PATTERN AT BOURGOIN. LEADING JUST 20-19 WITH 53:18 TO PLAY, A THREE-TRY BOMBARDMENT FOLLOWED FOR KNOXVILLE AS IT RAN OUT TO A 41-19 WIN TO IMPROVE TO 6-1 ON THE TOUR.
CENTER ROBERT PEAGLER, ONE OF THE OLDER PLAYERS ON AN OLD SQUAD, SCORED 16 POINTS WHILE SOUTH AFRICAN-BORN MIKE JORDAN, PLAYING MOSTLY AT LOCK ON THE TOUR, HAD A STORMING GAME IN THE NO. 7 JERSEY, RIPPING OFF THREE TRIES AND PERFORMING DEMONICALLY ON DEFENSE.
KNOXVILLE 41 BOURGOIN 19 @ BOURGOIN (13-7 HALFTIME)
1-HUSKEY (C)
2-MILLER
3-HAMPSTEAD
4-ROGERS
5-CERNE
6-REYNOLDS
7-JORDAN
8-OOGEMA
9-SZYDLO
10-EVERETT
11-BENNETT
12-LITTLE
13-PEAGLER
14-DULIN
15-DORWIN (BY GODFREY AT 29 MINUTES)
16-CUNNINGHAM
17-McARTHUR
18-NIEKERK
19-ADCOX
20-LAIL
21-BLALOCK
22-GODFREY
SCORING: (PEAGLER 2 PK. 5 CONV.-16 POINTS); JORDAN (3 TRIES-15 POINTS); HAMPSTEAD AND DULIN (1 TRY EACH).
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HUSKEY NOTED THE CONTINUED DAMAGE TO BRADLEY'S ANKLE (KNOCKED OUT AFTER JUST TWO MINUTES VS. ITALY) AND DORWIN'S HAMSTRING (REPLACED SHORT OF 30 MINUTES AGAINST BOURGOIN), MAY LEAD TO SOME OF THE "ON CALL" PLAYERS BEING ADDED TO THE SQUAD.
"OR WE MIGHT JUST PUT PINK JERSEYS ON THEM IN PRACTICE SO THEY DON'T 'TWEAK' ANYTHING FURTHER," HE SAID.
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KNOXVILLE 69 CASTRES 7 @CASTRES (42-0, HALFTIME)
1-HUSKEY
2-SANDMAN
3-HAMPSTEAD (BARBER @ 45 MINUTES)
4-CHRISTOPHER
5-CERNE
6-REYNOLDS
7-JORDAN (CUNNINGHAM @ 45 MINUTES)
8-POWELL (ADCOX @ 45 MINUTES
9-SZYDLO
10-EVERETT
11-GARMAN
12-PEAGLER (LAIL @ 45 MINUTES)
13-BENNETT
14-DULIN
15-GODFREY
16-CUNNINGHAM
17-BARBER
18-NIEKERK
19-ADCOX
20-LAIL
21-BLALOCK
22-LITTLE
SCORING: PEAGLER (3 TRIES, PK, 7 CONV., 32 POINTS); GARMAN AND BENNETT (2 TRIES EACH); EVERETT (TRY, CONV.)' LAIL AND JORDAN (1 TRY EACH)
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NOTES: HEADING INTO THE TEST VS. FRANCE, A RAMPAGING ROBERT PEAGLER IS IN TOP FORM. HE LEADS KNOXVILLE IN ALL SCORING CATEGORIES WITH EIGHT TRIES, FOUR PENALTY KICKS AND 17 CONVERSIONS FOR 86
TOTAL POINTS.
ED EVERETT HAS FIVE TRIES WHILE PAT DORWIN, FRANK BENNETT, MIKE JORDAN AND MIKE DULIN HAVE ALL FOUND THE TRY ZONE FOUR TIMES.
DAVE CHRISTOPHER RECEIVED THE FIRST YELLOW CARD OF THE TOUR AGAINST CASTRES.
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AFTER SOME TIME OFF, EXPECT THE POSSUMS TO BE FULLY HEALTHY FOR THE UPCOMING TEST VS. FRANCE, LEAVING THE SELECTORS SOME TOUGH CHOICES.
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KNOXVILLE 41 FRANCE 14 @STADE DE FRANCE (20-7 HALFTIME)
SAINT DENIS, FRANCE - LED BY THEIR PESKY "GNATS," KNOXVILLE HUMBLED A FULL-STRENGTH FRENCH SQUAD IN A TEST MATCH.
SCRUMHALF MIKE DULIN ATTACKED CONSTANTLY OFF THE BASE OF THE RUCK, WING FRANK BENNETT TALLIED TWO TRIES AND WING PAT DORWIN SCORED ONE TRY AND SET UP ANOTHER IN THE COMPREHENSIVE 41-14 WIN THAT PUSHED THE POSSUMS' TOUR RECORD TO 8-1.
"THIS WAS BY FAR OUR MOST ALL-ENCOMPASSING MATCH," SAID PROP AND CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY, WHO ALSO FOUND THE TRY ZONE. "MIKE'S PLAY AT THE BASE OF THE SCRUM ADDED TO SOME FANTASTIC INTERPLAY BETWEEN THE FORWARDS AND BACKS."
JUST EIGHT MINUTES INTO THE MATCH, DULIN PASSED TO DORWIN AND HE JUKED THE FULLBACK TO TOUCH DOWN WITH FULLBACK TOM WILSON'S CONVERSION MAKING IT 7-0. WILSON ADDED A 32-METER PENALTY FIVE MINUTES LATER TO UP KNOXVILLE'S LEAD TO 10-0.
TEN MINUTES LATER, DULIN STARTED A MOVEMENT DOWN THE LINE TO THE LEFT, WITH DORWIN FILLING IN FROM HIS OPPOSITE WING SLOT. HE ALMOST SCORED BUT FLICKED THE BALL TO BENNETT WHILE BEING TACKLED FOR THE TRY TO MAKE IT 17-0.
FLYHALF ED EVERETT WAS TACKLED LATE AND WILSON CONECTED FROM 25-METERS OUT TO UP THE POSSUMS LEAD TO 20-0 WITH 27 MINUTES GONE IN THE OPENING HALF.
AFTER THE BREAK, DULIN WENT TO BENNETT ON THE SHORT SIDE OF THE PITCH, AND HE JUKED INSIDE TO MAKE IT 27-7 BEFORE FRANCE MADE IT 27-14 AFTER A CHRISTOPHE DOMINICI TRY AT THE 50-MINUTE MARK. KNOXVILLE ADDED TRIES AT 67 AND 73 MINUTES.
1-HUSKEY (C)
2-MILLER
3-McARTHUR
4-CHRISTOPHER
5-CERNE
6-DAUGHERTY
7-POWELL
8-NIEKERK
9-DULIN
10-EVERETT
11-BENNETT
12-LAIL
13-PEAGLER
14-DORWIN
15-WILSON
16-CUNNINGHAM
17-HAMPSTEAD
18-OOGEMA
19-JORDAN
20-SZYDLO
21-GARMAN
22-LITTLE
SCORING-WILSON 2 PK, 5 CONV., 16 POINTS; BENNETT 2 TRIES; DORWIN, DULIN AND HUSKEY, 1 TRY EACH.
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NOTES: HUSKEY SAID OUT-OF-FAVOR FLYHALF MARTY BRADLEY WOULD START THE NEXT MATCH.
"WE NEED TO SEE WHERE MARTY IS IN HIS CONDITIONING," HUSKEY SAID.
HE WOULD NOT COMMENT ON AN IMPENDING DISMISSAL OF AN UNIDENTIFIED PLAYER FOR CONSTANT CURFEW VIOLATIONS, NOR WOULD HE SAY ANYTHING ABOUT WINGER FRANK BENNETT, RUMORED TO BE LEAVING THE SQUAD ONCE ITS FRENCH VERSION OF THE TOUR ENDS AFTER MEETING A WOMAN IN PARIS.
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NOTES: HUSKEY ANNOUNCED TUESDAY NIGHT UTILITY BACK DON CLARDY WAS RECALLED FROM THE PRACTICE SQUAD AT THE EXPENSE OF KEVIN BLALOCK. BACKS JERRY GODFREY AND JIM MURRAY VOLUNTARILY SWITCHED PLACES, WITH MURRAY, A KICKING FULLBACK, ELEVATED TO THE 30-MAN ROSTER. BOB HAMPSTEAD HAD TO RETURN TO THE STATES FOR AN URGENT BUSINESS MATTER AND IS EXPECTED TO RETURN IN 10 DAYS, HIS PROP SPOT WAS TAKEN BY PAUL CURETON.
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KNOXVILLE 21 TOULOSE 9 @ PARC DE PARIS (14-6, HALFTIME)
1-CURETON
2-BARBER
3-SANDMAN
4-ROGERS
5-NIEKERK
6-REYNOLDS
7-JORDAN
8-ADCOX
9-SZYDLO
10-BRADLEY
11-CLARDY
12-LITTLE
13-CUNNINGHAM (C)
14-GARMAN
15-MURRAY
16-HUSKEY
17-MILLER
18-OOGEMA
19-POWELL
20-DULIN
21-DORWIN
22-LAIL
SCORING: MURRAY 3 CONV.; GARMAN, JORDAN AND OOGEMA, 1 TRY EACH
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NEW ZEALAND 20 KNOXVILLE 14 @ STADE DE FRANCE (10-14, HALFTIME)
SAINT DENIS, FRANCE - KNOXVILLE GOT OFF TO ITS USUAL FAST START - TOUCHING DOWN A TRY LESS THAN TWO MINUTES INTO THE TEST AGAINST NEW ZEALAND - BUT IT ALL WENT FOR NAUGHT IN A SCORELESS SECOND HALF AS THE ALL-BLACKS POSTED AN EXCITING 20-14 WIN.
THE POSSUMS GRAND TOUR SAW ONLY THEIR SECOND DEFEAT AGAINST NINE WINS - THE OTHER LOSS BY A SINGLE POINT WHEN ITALY SCORED ON THE FINAL PLAY OF THE MATCH.
GETING KNOXVILLE GOING EARLY WAS EIGHTMAN DOUG POWELL, WHO SCOOPED UP A LOOSE BALL AND OUTPACED THE ALL-BLACKS FROM 55 METERS OUT. FULLBACK TOM WILSON'S CONVERSION MADE IT 7-0 JUST 1:46 INTO THE TEST.
NEW ZEALAND STRUCK BACK MINUTES LATER WHEN SCRUMHALF BYRON KELLEHER DOTTED DOWN AFTER THE ALL-BLACKS BLITZED THE POSSUMS' TRY LINE. DAN CARTER'S CONVERSION TIED THE SCORES AT THE 4:19 MARK.
THERE WAS PLENTY OF LINE BREAKS AND POTENTIAL TRIES OVER AN ACTION-PACKED NEXT DOZEN MINUTES AND KNOXVILLE MADE GOOD WITH A LOOSE BALL WHEN BARRY LAIL SNARED IT AND PASSED DOWN THE LINE TO POWELL, RICK OOGEMA AND WING FRANK BENNETT, WITH HIS SCORE MAKING IT 14-7 ONLY 16 MINUTES IN.
BUT IT WOULD BE THE LAST TIME THE POSSUMS COULD DENT THE SCOREBOARD. CARTER'S PENALTY CUT KNOXVILLE'S LEAD TO 14-10 AT THE BREAK.
THE POSSUMS WOULD COLLAPSE A MAUL AT 55 MINUTES AND THE REFEREE AWARDED A PENALTY TRY THAT CARTER CONVERTED TO GIVE NEW ZEALAND ITS FIRST LEAD AT 17-14. BOTH TEAMS KEPT ATTACKING BUT LINE BREAKS WERE SNUFFED OUT BY BOTH TEAMS' BACK THREE.
CARTER'S PENALTY AT 70 POINTS ACCOUNTED FOR THE FINAL POINTS OF THE MATCH.
"WE PLAYED THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD TO A VIRTUAL STANDSTILL," SAID KNOXVILLE CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY. "I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF THESE GUYS. WE DOMINATED POSSESSION AND TERRITORY FOR MUCH OF THE MATCH BUT JUST COULDN'T BREAK THROUGH THE ABs DEFENSE WHEN WE NEEDED TO."
1-HUSKEY (C)
2-MILLER
3-McARTHUR
4-OOGEMA
5-NIEKERK
6-DAUGHERTY
7-JORDAN
8-POWELL
9-DULIN
10-EVERETT
11-BENNETT
12-LAIL
13-PEAGLER
14-DORWIN
15-WILSON
16-CUNNINGHAM
17-CURETON
18-CHRISTOPHER
19-ADCOX
20-SZYDLO
21-BRADLLEY
22-LAIL
SCORING: POWELL AND BENNETT, 1 TRY EACH; WILSON 2 CONV.
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NOTES: HUSKEY SAID THE 15 KNOXVILLE PUT ON THE PITCH AGAINST NEW ZEALAND GAVE HIS TEAM THE BEST CHANCE TO TOPPLE THE ALL-BLACKS.
"WE MOVED BRIAN (NIEKERK) INTO A LOCK POSITION AND HAD A BACK ROW OF FLANKERS JOHN DAUGHERTY AND MIKE JORDAN WITH DOUG POWELL AT EIGHTMAN," HUSKEY SAID. "THOSE THREE ARE NOT THE BULKIEST PLAYERS, BUT ALL OF THEM ARE DEADLY TACKLERS AND STRONG STRIKE RUNNERS."
HUSKEY SAID HE EXPECTS NIEKERK BACK AT NO. 8 AS THE TOUR MOVES INTO ENGLAND THIS WEEK.
"HE MAY EVEN GET A GAME AT INSIDE CENTER AS WELL," SAID HUSKEY, ADDING PROP BOB HAMPSTEAD IS DUE BACK FROM A BUSINESS METING IN THE STATES FOR THE UPCOMING TOUR LEG IN ENGLAND, BUT WOULDN'T ELABORATE ON WHETHER HAMPSTEAD'S REPLACEMENT PAUL CURETON WOULD FALL BACK TO THE PRACTICE SQUAD, WHICH JUST ADDED TWO PLAYERS IN PHIL HOPSON (SCRUMHALF) AND GREG BROYLES (SCRUMHALF/FLYYHALF).
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KNOXVILLE 33 PERPIGNAN 22 @PERPIGNAN (26-14, HALFTIME)
1-CURETON
2-CUNNINGHAM
3-SANDMAN
4-OOGEMA
5-CERNE
6-REYNOLDS
7-MILLER
8-ADCOX
9-SZYDLO
10-BRADLEY (C)
11-BENNETT
12-GARMAN
13-WILSON
14-CLARDY
15-DORWIN
16-BARBER
17-JORDAN
18-CHRISTOPHER
19-POWELL
20-DULIN
21-EVERETT
22-LITTLE
SCORING: CLARDY 3 TRIES; ADCOX 2 TRIES AND BRADLEY 4 CONV.
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NOTES: SUNDAY'S MATCH MARKED THE DEBUT FOR GREG BROYLES, WHO STARTED AT INSIDE CENTER AND SCORED A TRY. CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY SAID HOOKER FRANK BARBER WAS SENT HOME TO THE STATES TO GET A STAPH INFECTION TREATED.
HUSKEY ALSO SAID BUSINESS MATTERS WOULD KEEP PROP BOB HAMPSTEAD BUSY UNTIL THE END OF THE TOUR AND PROP PAUL CURETON WOULD REPLACE HIM UNTIL THE TOUR ENDS.
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KNOXVILLE 31 NORTHHAMPTON 0 @ MAJESKI STADIUM (17-0, HALFTIME)
READING, ENGLAND - NEW COUNTRY, SAME RESULT.
IT WAS BUSINESS AS USUAL SUNDAY ON THE KNOXVILLE POSSUMS GRAND TOUR. THE START OF THE ENGLISH LEG SAW THE TEAM UP ITS MARK TO 12-2 OVERALL WITH A 31-O THRASHING OF NORTHHAMPTON.
FULLBACK JIM MURRAY CONVERTED ALL FOUR OF KNOXVILLE'S TRIES AND ADDED A PENALTY KICK. POSSUM TRYSCORERS WERE BARRY LAIL (2) DEBUTANTE GREG BROYLES AND MIKE GARMAN.
KNOXVILLE PLAYS BRISTOL AT THE STOOP BEFORE A TEST AGAINST THE ENGLISH AT TWICKINGHAM.
1-HUSKEY (C)
2-SANDMAN
3-McARTHUR
4-ROGERS
5-CERNE
6-DAUGHERTY
7-ADCOX
8-NIEKERK (POWELL @63 MINUTES)
9-DULIN (SZYDLO @63 MINUTES)
10-BRADLEY
11-GARMAN
12-BROYLES
13-LAIL
14-CLARDY (DORWIN @63 MINUTES)
15-MURRAY
16-CUNNINGHAM
17-POWELL
18-JORDAN
19-DORWIN
20-SZYDLO
21-EVERETT
22-LITTLE
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KNOXVILLE 38 BRISTOL 3 @THE STOOP (17-3, HALFTIME)
LONDON - IF THE ENGLISH THOUGHT THE TOURING KNOXVILLE POSSUMS WERE LOOKING AHEAD TO THE TEAMS' UPCOMING TEST, THEY WERE DEAD WRONG.
KNOXVILLE, 13-2 ON ITS TOUR, DEMOLISHED BRISTOL 38-3 AT THE STOOP TUESDAY NIGHT IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND SNOW FLURRIES. THE ROUT CAME ON THE HEELS OF A 31-0 ROMP OVER NORTHHAMPTON.
"OUR DEPTH AND EXPERIENCE ARE DEFINITELY SHOWING," SAID CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY, WHO WATCHED THIS ONE FROM THE STANDS.
THE POSSUMS DEFTLY TOUCHED DOWN THREE FIRST-HALF TRIES IN THE RIGHT CORNER OF THE TRY ZONE FOR A 17-3 LEAD AT THE BREAK.
1-CURETON
2-MILLER
3-SANDMAN (C)
4-ROGERS
5-NIEKERK
6-POWELL (DAUGHERTY @59 MINUTES)
7-ADCOX
8-CERNE
9-SZYDLO
10-PEAGLER
11-BENNETT
12-LITTLE
13-CLARDY
14-GARMAN
15-DORWIN (MURRAY @59 MINUTES)
16-JORDAN
17-DAUGHERTY
18-CHRISTOPHER
19-MURRAY
20-CUNNINGHAM
21-EVERETT
22-LAIL
SCORING: PEAGLER 4 CONV.; BENNETT 2 TRIES; LITTLE, POWELL, GARMAN AND CERNE, 1 TRY EACH.
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NOTES: HUSKEY SAID HE THOUGHT THAT EVERY PLAYER WHO WOULD START THE TEST AT TWICKENHAM SAW ACTION IN THE TWO GAMES. ASKED IF HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT ENGLAND'S BACK ROW SIZE, HUSKEY SCOFFED AND SIMPLY SAID, "NO," ALTHOUGH 6-5, 260-POUND STEVE CERNE GOT HIS FIRST START AT N0. 8 AGAINST BRISTOL. CERNE NORMALLY STARTS AT LOCK WITH 6-5 AND 250-POUND BRIAN NIEKERK AT EIGHTMAN, ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE KNOXVILLE BACK ROW HAS EXPERIENCE AT THE BACK OF THE SCRUM.
ASKED IF THE ENGLISH MEDIA WAS PORTRAYING THE SIDE FROM THE STATES AS OVERRATED, HUSKEY REPLIED: "I HAVE NO IDEA. I ONLY LOOK FOR THE (BASEBALL) BOX SCORES."
KNOXVILLE IS A CONVERTED PENALTY TRY AND A 1-POINT DEFEAT ON THE LAST PLAY OF THE MATCH FROM BEING UNDEFEATED.
WEATHER WON'T BE A FACTOR AS THE TWICKENHAM GROUNDS HAVE BEEN COVERED. ENGLISH MEDIA SPECULATED ON THE FOLLOWING 15 FOR KNOXVILLE:
1-HUSKEY
2-SANDMAN
3-McARTHUR
4-OOGEMA
5-JORDAN
6-DAUGHERTY
7-POWELL
8-NIEKERK
9-DULIN
10-EVERETT
11-BENNETT
12-LAIL
13-PEAGLER
14-DORWIN
15-WILSON
"THEY'RE CERTAINLY UNDERSIZED AT THE WINGS, WITH BENNETT (5-8) AND DORWIN (5-6)," WROTE THE LONDON POST'S NIGEL TUFNEL. "THE FLANKERS ARE WIRY BUT EXCELLENT TACKLERS WHILE THE LOCKS (RICK OOGEMA-CANADA AND MIKE JORDAN-SOUTH AFRICA) OFFER INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE, AND THAT COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE." HE PREDICTED A 20-17 KNOXVILLE WIN, BUT SAID ENGLAND COULD RUN RAMPANT IF ITS BACK THREE CAN BREAK SOME TACKLES.
THAT LINEUP WOULD DISPLACE HOOKER RYAN MILLER FOR THE BULKIER SCOTT SANDMAN. STEVE LINK (FLANKER) WAS TO JOIN THE PRACTICE SQUAD THURSDAY AFTER PROP STEVE "WILDMAN" MOORE ALLEGEDLY LIVED UP TO HIS NAME, REPORTEDLY BRAWLING WITH THREE BOBBIES DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS MONDAY. MOORE HAS BEEN SUSPENDED PENDING THE MULTIPLE CHARGES.
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BY NIGEL TUFNEL
LONDON POST
SPORTSWRITER
LONDON - IT WAS 1998 ALL OVER AGAIN FOR ENGLISH RUGBY THURSDAY NIGHT.
WHILE IT WAS IN AUSTRALIA MORE THAN A DECADE AGO THAT ENGLAND SUFFERED ITS HEAVIEST DEFEAT EVER (76-0), THE MATCH AT TWICKENHAM BROUGHT BACK SOME OF THOSE DARK MEMORIES AS THE TOURING KNOXVILLE POSSUMS RAMBLED OUT TO A 42-0 LEAD AT THE HALF ON THE WAY TO A 63-14 THUMPING.
WING PAT DORWIN (FIVE TRIES) AND FULLBACK TOM WILSON (TRY, NINE CONVERSIONS) COMBINED FOR 48 OF THE VICTORS' POINTS.
THE POSSUMS (14-2 TOUR RECORD) CAME OUT FIRING AS DORWIN BROKE AWAY FROM 65 METERS OUT TO TOUCH DOWN WITH WILSON'S CONVERSION MAKING IT 7-0 JUST 3:01 INTO THE MATCH.
DORWIN NOW HAS 1O TRIES ON THE TOUR.
"PAT PLAYED AN EXCELLENT MATCH," SAID CAPTAIN TYLER HUSKEY. "WE HAD THOUGHT ABOUT MOVING HIM TO NO. 11 TO MATCH UP WITH JASON ROBINSON INSTEAD OF THE MORE PHYSICAL JOSH LEWSEY. GLAD WE LEFT THAT DECISION IN THE MEETING ROOM."
INDEED.
A LITTLE MOE THAN THREE MINUTES LATER, OUTSIDE CENTER ROBERT PEAGLER TOOK A PASS WEAK FROM A SCRUM, DREW IN THE DEFENSE AND PASSED TO DORWIN FOR A 45-METER TRY.
KNOXVILLE WOULD REGAIN ITS POINT-A-MINUTE PACE AT 20 MINUTES IN WHEN FLANKER DOUG POWELL BROKE TWO TACKLES AND GRUBBED INTO THE TRY ZONE, FALLING ON THE BALL FOR A 21-0 KNOXVILLE LEAD.
"JUST A GREAT INDIVIDUAL EFFORT BY DOUG," HUSKEY SAID.
SCRUMHALF MIKE DULIN FOUND TOUCH ABOUT EIGHT METERS FROM THE ENGLISH GOAL - AND A BRAIN FREEZE CAUSED A QUICK-THROWIN. THE RECEIVER WAS NAILED, TURNED AND STRIPPED OF POSSESSION WITH THE PASS SPUN QUICKLY TO WING FRANK BENNETT TO MAKE IT 28-0.
KNOXVILLE EIGHTMAN BRIAN NIEKERK HOOFED A LONG PUNT DOWN THE PITCH, PEAGLER RECOVERED AND WENT ON A LONG RUN BEFORE THE COVER CAUGHT HIM. SCRUMHALF MIKE DULIN QUICKLY DUG THE BALL FROM THE RUCK, PASSING BACK TO NIEKERK FOR THE TRY, 35-0 AT 36:55 INTO THE HALF.
ENGLAND, FOR REASONS KNOWN ONLY TO COACH MARTIN JOHNSON, KEPT BOOTING POSSESION AWAY. A LINEOUT WENT QUICKLY THROUGH POSSUM PLAYERS' HANDS TO WILSON, WHO JUKED IN FROM 70 METERS OUT, 42-0, AT THE BREAK.
DULIN STARTED THE BALL DOWN THE LINE TO DORWIN FOR A TRY AT 54 MINUTES THAT MADE IT 49-0 BEFORE LEWSEY GRABBED A CONSOLATION TRY AND ANOTHER
TALLY HAD THE SCORE AT 49-14.
DORWIN'S FINAL TRY WAS A FLUKE AS THE MATCH CAME TO A END. CENTER BARRY LAIL TRIED TO BOOT THE BALL INTO TOUCH
AFTER THE HORN SOUNDED. THE BALL SKEWED OFF LAIL'S LEFT FOOT AND DORWIN SOMEHOW RACED THROUGH THE COVER TO TOUCH DOWN IN THE RIGHT CORNER.
KNOXVILLE 63 ENGLAND 14 @TWICKENHAM (42-0, HALFTIME)
SCORING: DORWIN (FIVE TRIES); WILSON (TRY, NINE CONVERSIONS); BENNETT, NIEKERK AND POWELL, 1 TRY EACH.
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KNOXVILLE SCORING (16 GAMES)
PEAGLER-8 TRIES, 21 CONV., 4 PK-92 POINTS
DORWIN-10 TRIES, 7 CONV., 3 PK-73 POINTS
WILSON-2 TRIES, 21 CONV., 4 PK-63 POINTS
BENNETT-10 TRIES-50 POINTS
BRADLEY-2 TRIES, 15 CONV., 2 PK-46 POINTS
TRIES-EVERETT-5, JORDAN-5, GARMAN-5, DULIN-5, LAIL-4, CLARDY-4, POWELL-4, OOGEMA-3, LITTLE-3, NIEKERK-3, HUSKEY-2, DAUGHERTY 2, ADCOX-2, McARTHUR-1, CUNNINGHAM-1, ROGERS-1, HAMPSTEAD-1, BROYLES, 1, CERNE-1
MURRAY-7 CONV., 1 PK-17 POINTS
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