Osborne masterclass leads Naas to landmark AIL win and up to 4th in the table
Naas 27
Old Wesley 8
The winter break came to an end for Naas Rugby Club last night as the senior team returned to AIL action on front of a large crowd in Forenaughts to take on Old Wesley. Having lost to the Dublin side in the reverse fixture on December 3, Naas had the opportunity to leapfrog their opponents in the league table by securing a bonus point win at home. Despite putting in a commanding performance and bagging three tries by the 49th minute, the all important fourth try alluded the Kildare side as they had to settle for four points.
Conditions were perfect in the venue just outside of the county town, and Naas played some exquisite rugby in the opening passages to put their opponents under the cosh. Led superbly by scrumhalf Peter Osborne and the centre pairing of Henry Bryce and Johne Murphy, the hosts were largely camped inside the Wesley half for the opening 40 minutes.
Two early penalties from Osborne had them 6-0 ahead before Old Wesley responded with a converted placekick of their own, but the opening try wasn't long coming. An initial break towards the 22 by Murphy saw the former Munster star offload in the tackle towards a support runner, before Peter Osborne snipped through a gap in the visitor's defence and raced over. Osborne converted his own try to send Naas into a 13-3 lead after 23 minutes.
Osborne was the man to cross the whitewash once again on the stroke of half-time when he finished off a superbly worked team move that involved most of the Naas backline. Having butchered numerous chances in the opposition 22, they made no mistake when Bryce produced a powerful carry after some good initial work from Fionn Carr and Murphy, and the ball eventually ended up in the hands of Osborne as he powered over for the score.
A commanding 20-3 lead was just reward for their first half efforts, and with Old Wesley showing very little going forward, a bonus point win would have been the goal in the second half.
However, it was Old Wesley who struck first with a try they failed to convert, but Will O'Brien's 49th minute try and Osborne's successful conversion had Naas 19 points clear with 30 minutes left to play. The hosts couldn't build on their lead though, but a win against the third placed side in the league was an entirely welcome outcome.
The Kildare club move up to fourth following that win, a victory that marked Naas' 100th in the AIL.