In a match dominated by the visiting side, the Vagabonds overwhelmed their understrength Krabi hosts last Saturday (Feb 22) at Ao Leuk Stadium.
While the game itself was played with great competitive spirit, it was somewhat overshadowed by the passing of Bob Foose, father to a beloved Vagabonds member, Zac Foose. In a show of solidarity for their teammate, Vagabonds played in honour, and dedicated their victory, to Zac’s father and to the Foose family during this difficult time.
The Vagabonds started the match erratically, struggling to find their rhythm and playing too much one-man rugby. However, debutant Cillian O’Neill made an immediate impact, breaking through two defenders with strong hand-offs to score his first try for the club.
The momentum continued with Brendan O’Donoghue taking centre stage. First, he powered into Krabi’s 22, stepping past three defenders and bulldozing through contact to score. Moments later, after a dominant 5-metre scrum, he picked and went, crashing over for his second.
Paul Rothwell slotted two conversions, while Krabi managed to get on the scoreboard with a well-taken penalty, leaving the halftime score at 19-3 in favour of Vagabonds.
With Vagabonds lending Krabi several players for the second half, the match remained competitive. However, the away side continued to rely on individual efforts rather than structured team play.
Dan Ashburn extended the lead, powering over after another dominant scrum before Krabi responded with Harry Layard running a superb line to glide through the defence and score under the posts.
Moments later, Harvey Neville showcased his agility and footwork after switching to the Krabi 15 for the second half, breaking inside the 22 and rounding the fullback to finish a brilliant solo effort.
However, Brendan O’Donoghue wasn’t done yet for the Vagabonds. Another explosive break saw him charge through contact once again. After some debate with the referee, his hat-trick was confirmed.
To put the finishing touch on the victory, Mikhail Makeev picked and went from a ruck after a powerful carry from Brendan at number 8. Paul Rothwell added the final conversion, sealing a 36-17 win for the Vagabonds.
WRECKING BALL
Several players made their first appearance for Vagabonds: Cillian O’Neill, Harvey Neville, Harry Layard, Brendan O’Donoghue, Sam Scholefield, Glenn Beer, Alexey Kapalin and Mikhail Makeev - all made an immediate impact despite the team’s lack of cohesion
The player of the match was Brendan O’Donoghue, a wrecking ball throughout the match, breaking tackles at will and finishing with a hat trick. His ability to identify weak shoulders and dominate in contact made him the standout performer of the day.
Honourable mentions go to Cillian O’Neill, who led from the front in the forward pack, excelling in carries, offloads, and lineouts, setting the tone early with his opening try and was a clear leader among the forwards.
Similarly, Harvey Neville was a constant attacking threat, regularly breaking the line and finishing with a try - ironically while playing for Krabi in the second half.
Despite the win, Vagabonds will be frustrated with their performance. They failed to implement structured play, often forcing the extra pass instead of maintaining composure. Against a young, inexperienced Krabi side, the match should have been more one-sided, but poor fluency and discipline kept their opponents competitive.
While individual performances stood out, the team will need to sharpen up before their next match, focusing on cohesion and decision-making on the training field.
This Vagabonds’ victory is dedicated to Bob Foose and a reminder that rugby is much more than just a game, it’s family that care for each other on and off the pitch.