Eliott makes all the difference as GRUFC pay blacks real respect

St Jacques 15, Guernsey 2nd XV 17

UNAVAILABLE for the first team the previous day, Jim Elliott gladly answered an SOS from second-team skipper John Arch and made all the difference in yesterday's JTA League game at KGV. Elliott ran in one try and was a threat all morning as the visiting side dug deep into the club's resources to ensure they maintained bragging rights over their traditional rivals.

'I had 33 players unavailable,' moaned Arch afterwards. 'It's been a week from hell in trying to get out a team.

'It was a big game for us and it's their Siam Cup,' said Arch, whose team ran up a comfortable 17-3 half-time lead, but had to withstand a strong and gutsy fightback from the all blacks.

Guernsey won it in the opening 40 minutes as disappointed St Jacques coach Chris Griffiths admitted afterwards.

'In the first-half we weren't really switched on.

'Elliott made the difference in the first half. They had a few first-team players playing today, but we still should have won,' added the St Jacques man.

Aaron Le Messurier and Elliott scored first-half tries for the visitors, while Henney and Neil Jordaan went over in the second half. Alec Bailey, one of several who played for the first team the previous day, kicked two conversions and a penalty.