Jakarta Komodos Rugby Club in 40-21 Win Over Bantengs

The Jakarta Komodos Rugby Club Senior team’s season-opener was destined to be everything a cup final would be. With all the build-up, anything short of a war would have been a let-down.

The first match of the Jakarta XVs Series against its biggest and bitterest rival, the Jakarta Bantengs, was a war. Even the weather, it seemed, had helped in the set-up: a week of rain turned into a burning Jakarta day, and a pitch in perfect condition.

From the outset, the level of play and physicality lived up to all the pre-match hype.

The Komodos scored first, crossing over [I think Ed Winton] in the corner, then managed another before the Bantengs responded with a penalty.

A flurry of sin-bins, and a blood bin, hurt the thinned the Komodos line, and while scoring continued through the pack and back line, the Bantengs closed to within five points, to make it 26-21.

Eventually, the Komodos would go through to score twice more, both tries converted by Risto Peltomaki. After early misses in the match his touch off the tee returned as he slotted home easily to close out the win.

Throughout the match, the cool play and brilliant kicking of Teddy at fly half allowed the Komodos great field position from which to work their way in to score. Man of the Match honors, went to him.