The stage was set for a real showdown when Rugbyklubben Speed met Frederiksberg Rugby Klub on Saturday in the first of two meetings this fall.

And the two teams certainly didn’t disappoint.

The ignition shone out of both teams as they lined up on either side of the center chalk line at Rugbyklubben Speed’s home ground in Tårnby.

Both teams are off to a confident and undefeated start in the fall playoffs, which as something new is made up of a total of four teams that face each other twice during the fall months.

So it was a straight fight for first place as the deciding match kicked off in bright September sunshine, fresh, cool air and a little bit of wind.

However, it was Frederiksberg who got off to the best start and applied high pressure right from the first whistle. Within a few minutes, this was converted into a goal, which was converted into a 7-0 lead with a confident boot from Frederiksberg’s well-playing playmaker, Cassius Dechamps.

Speed’s yellow and green team got off to a shaky start, but once the worst of the shock of Frederiksberg’s quick scoring had subsided, Speed began to quietly eat their way into the match. Speed took advantage of their strong forwards and chose to take a cluster after a penalty a few meters from Frederiksberg’s scoring line. Speed’s cluster took the ball to the line and our strong number 8, Argentinian Martin Noziglia, picked up the ball and threw himself over the line. Joakim Calmar Nielsen converted safely to make it 7-7, which was also the score the teams went into the break on.

Speed had been decimated to 14 men after a yellow card before halftime, so the team started the second half short-handed. However, it only lasted a few minutes before Frederiksberg also received a yellow card and a 10-minute suspension.

In the second half, the drama continued. The match went back and forth. Frederiksberg received two yellow cards in the second half and Speed also received another yellow card. Several times the teams got close to the opponents’ score line, but each time the pressure was averted.

A penalty from 44 meters away, where Speed chose to kick at goal, was converted by Joachim Calmar Nielsen and for a while Speed was ahead in the match 10-7.

However, that quickly changed as Frederiksberg first scored and converted to make the score 10-14 and shortly afterwards scored another try, which Cassius Dechams again converted to make the score 10-21 with 10 minutes left in the game. This is when things started to look difficult for Speed.

But the men fought on and with 3 minutes left in the game, Speed’s center, Christian Kilsdal, scored a shot from the side.

It was not converted, but with the score 15-21, victory was suddenly within reach again. Despite speed pressure to the end, the team failed to score and the match ended 15-21 to the defending champions from Frederiksberg Rugby Klub.

After the match, Frederikgsberg named Martin Noziglia as Speed’s best player, while Speed chose Christian Kilsdal.

The two players, along with a number of others, delivered a phenomenal performance, with our flanker Federico Haedo and our second row Marius Fricault also performing well.