Having skipped Game 7 due to bad weather, we lost our first game out at the bays to a top team composed of random people from random team that have beaten us in the past. We scored in the opening minutes when Kerhan darted in and gave the ball for Chris to dive on.
But after that.... some things just couldn't click for us.
No quickies worked, no cuts worked.... simply bereft of the ability to change our game plans we watched Jimmy Dai try three of his trademark Waikatos in a row, all of which went to waste, three of Stuart's cuts drop the ball onto the ground (in a row), and a whole heap of forced passes from all of us.
What the hell? It started raining sure, but both teams got affected by it. They nailed three tries on us - two through poor counting on defence and one from a paralysed Daniel at mirrors-time.
Without trying to steal credit from this good team, ours simply did not play anywhere near our potential, with extraordinarily poor execution.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Pakuranga Game 7 - Pythons
Possibly the worst match anyone could watch, the worst that anyone could play, and the worst that anyone could ref.
The ref was surely a college principal specialising in after-school detention. His strictness over the rules of the game would suit any Singaporean cane-your-kid school and neither team could really complete a set of six due to his whistle blowing.
We've seen this happen from the northern hemisphere refs in rugby, now its happened in touch rugby, where someone just got too anal.
We won this 5-4, but did anyone really notice?
The ref was surely a college principal specialising in after-school detention. His strictness over the rules of the game would suit any Singaporean cane-your-kid school and neither team could really complete a set of six due to his whistle blowing.
We've seen this happen from the northern hemisphere refs in rugby, now its happened in touch rugby, where someone just got too anal.
We won this 5-4, but did anyone really notice?
Pakuranga Game 6 - The Stormers
Apparently a really top team - this Macleans College outfit did us in 6-4.
We struggled for numbers, so we brought in Flava ring-ins, and they struggled for composure, so their coach started playing. Their coach was like Neo from the Matrix, making lightning movements across the pitch.
Where we really fell over was through their scoops - the angles they ran were microscopic and their passes hit any of the other five chasers like a contagious disease.
We struggled for numbers, so we brought in Flava ring-ins, and they struggled for composure, so their coach started playing. Their coach was like Neo from the Matrix, making lightning movements across the pitch.
Where we really fell over was through their scoops - the angles they ran were microscopic and their passes hit any of the other five chasers like a contagious disease.
Okahu Game 6 - The Runs
Playing a casual team we had another casual run for a 11-4 win.
The only thing worth remembering in this game would be Martin dummifying the other team - something he's done to each one of us at training - simply running around the guy in a situation where no one expects it!
The only thing worth remembering in this game would be Martin dummifying the other team - something he's done to each one of us at training - simply running around the guy in a situation where no one expects it!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Pakuranga game 5 - The Saints
With St Kentigens breeding stars like rock-star Rokocoko, Kaino and Afoa, all of whom are huge speedsters on the field (including the prop), we were playing their lightweight versions in touch rugby ready to take on some class from kids still enjoying the benefits of "SSR" in class.
At Pakuranga, its a pleasant surprise to play a team that gives you possies because its part of the game, not part of their attitude; or a team that yells out plays to one another, rather than irate remarks to our guys. These were the Saints, and they beat us in a 7-5 in a sporting game that probably flattered us.
Earlier the girls with Scarlett Fever played their best game of the season, coming close to scoring many times. So close in fact, that one girl dropped the ball over the try line with no defender in sight. Coach Sean Lim will be writing in his plays book: "Teach girls how to put ball down onto grass without dropping it", but will generally take a lot of encouragement from their performance.
Us guys played later in a showpiece match of speed and skill. On the 5 m, we were evenly matched, but the Saints had a more organised driving play using their third formers to do the hard work for the school leavers to set the moves later. Playing with poor field position with most of the game, we were giving them too many opportunities to do their moves in our half, and despite good defence mixed with some poor finishing from them, they still had more chances than us to cut us up seven times.
Thursdays will be tough now - no more ho hum games - nothing but the best teams - and we need to start scalping them.
At Pakuranga, its a pleasant surprise to play a team that gives you possies because its part of the game, not part of their attitude; or a team that yells out plays to one another, rather than irate remarks to our guys. These were the Saints, and they beat us in a 7-5 in a sporting game that probably flattered us.
Earlier the girls with Scarlett Fever played their best game of the season, coming close to scoring many times. So close in fact, that one girl dropped the ball over the try line with no defender in sight. Coach Sean Lim will be writing in his plays book: "Teach girls how to put ball down onto grass without dropping it", but will generally take a lot of encouragement from their performance.
Us guys played later in a showpiece match of speed and skill. On the 5 m, we were evenly matched, but the Saints had a more organised driving play using their third formers to do the hard work for the school leavers to set the moves later. Playing with poor field position with most of the game, we were giving them too many opportunities to do their moves in our half, and despite good defence mixed with some poor finishing from them, they still had more chances than us to cut us up seven times.
Thursdays will be tough now - no more ho hum games - nothing but the best teams - and we need to start scalping them.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Okahu Game 5 - The Rams
We played a team called Russel MCV - Rams, and boy did they ram everything they had into our defensive six on the field. The opened by gassing D.Lau on the outside, which not just scored their try, but stretched David's hamstrings too far, too hard, and too fast so he pulled out for the game and sulked over his embarrassment for sleeping on his wing.
The ref was mostly fair, except for his leniency on their basketball dumps (think of a bounce pass, but between your legs), which gave them quick play of the ball.
It also took him a little while before he started penalizing them for running through our rucks after making the touches - this cardinal sin slows down our play of the ball, the equivalent of a rugby union player flopping all over the ruck.
Both teams took turn sharing the lead, but when we were leading 4-3, the game went our way when the ref finally penalised them for dancing over our rucks and Kerhan and Chris set Stuart up for a 56 cut, where he slimmed his way through the diving defenders for the try that sealed the game for us, and from there we got another to win 6-3.
The ref was mostly fair, except for his leniency on their basketball dumps (think of a bounce pass, but between your legs), which gave them quick play of the ball.
It also took him a little while before he started penalizing them for running through our rucks after making the touches - this cardinal sin slows down our play of the ball, the equivalent of a rugby union player flopping all over the ruck.
Both teams took turn sharing the lead, but when we were leading 4-3, the game went our way when the ref finally penalised them for dancing over our rucks and Kerhan and Chris set Stuart up for a 56 cut, where he slimmed his way through the diving defenders for the try that sealed the game for us, and from there we got another to win 6-3.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Okahu Game 4 - let's play ball
We played some megahuge polynesians today. This is a game that could have blown out in our favour, but for us falling asleep during the middle period of the game, and that only one team was playing positive rugby to win 5-2.
Us.
These lazy arses walked over each of our rucks (and boy did they take up space), got in our way at every offside, and rarely made their own 5 meters, and played the ball slow. Seemingly, it wasn't just us who fell asleep, but the ref too, who missed at least three obvious touches and was deaf to our calls.
We raced to a 3-0 lead, the third try being a lucky call in our favour for Stu's roll the ball onto the try line. As if he was trying to make up for that blunder, the ref gave as many calls in their favour after that, including a try which obviously wasn't.
They threatened to come back by scoring two tries, but then we got our act together and scored two more.
Anyhow, the easy games are over - the tough teams are up next...
Us.
These lazy arses walked over each of our rucks (and boy did they take up space), got in our way at every offside, and rarely made their own 5 meters, and played the ball slow. Seemingly, it wasn't just us who fell asleep, but the ref too, who missed at least three obvious touches and was deaf to our calls.
We raced to a 3-0 lead, the third try being a lucky call in our favour for Stu's roll the ball onto the try line. As if he was trying to make up for that blunder, the ref gave as many calls in their favour after that, including a try which obviously wasn't.
They threatened to come back by scoring two tries, but then we got our act together and scored two more.
Anyhow, the easy games are over - the tough teams are up next...
Pakuranga Game 3 - Ho hum dinger...
Playing possibly the worst team we've played this year, we took on the Rockets and the match hardly fired... we spluttered in a most boring fashion to a 9-0 win. Perhaps the only memorable part of the match was the bloke on the other team wearing a green bandana and Chuck Taylors...
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Okahu Game 3 - ho hum
We played another team that flocks like sea gulls on attack with up to three backdoors flying one way at once. In the past, we struggle to put these 'non-touch' teams away, but we've improved since, so we won 5-0.
We got two quick ones to start - Kerhan running through on dummy for Chris to jot down, then David running through on dummy for Kerhan to jot down. Soon though, we won't be able to pull this off, with the new rules coming in soon, stating that the dummy cannot cross the try line at all. Its going to create a heap of confusion for both teams, and also for the refs who already suck.
We fell asleep and spent most of the game in our own half due to lazy driving and a ref who kept pinging us for taking apparently taking an extra half step when we played the ball. But then we woke up from our mid-match slumber and Nick squeezed through, followed by Dean and Nick pulling off a really nice Carter move and Kerhan finishing with a quickie.
We're not being well-prepared with these guys though. We've got some top teams on the horizon to play against, and we'll need to be sharper and stop running through the motions...
But till then: ho hum.
We got two quick ones to start - Kerhan running through on dummy for Chris to jot down, then David running through on dummy for Kerhan to jot down. Soon though, we won't be able to pull this off, with the new rules coming in soon, stating that the dummy cannot cross the try line at all. Its going to create a heap of confusion for both teams, and also for the refs who already suck.
We fell asleep and spent most of the game in our own half due to lazy driving and a ref who kept pinging us for taking apparently taking an extra half step when we played the ball. But then we woke up from our mid-match slumber and Nick squeezed through, followed by Dean and Nick pulling off a really nice Carter move and Kerhan finishing with a quickie.
We're not being well-prepared with these guys though. We've got some top teams on the horizon to play against, and we'll need to be sharper and stop running through the motions...
But till then: ho hum.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Pakuranga Game 2 - Running 2's
Given last week's physical battering we were pleasantly surprised to find ourselves up against a team that made touches and not tackles. We started slow... Kerhan dropping the ball the moment we could have scored in the opening minute, 2's without the backdoors, allowing them to run at us all day...
But this was a game where we had our subs. And by the second half they were puffed and we got in their face. We slogged into their space on defence and slicked ourselves around them on attack, and the score blew out in our favour for a 7-1 finish.
I think we can be quite happy with this game. They weren't a dumb team, but we played a smart and composed gameplan.
The girls on the other hand had another blow-out scoreline: 17-0. Against a team of very experienced campaigners throwing no-look passes, they jogged their way through any of the seven gaps that six players leave on the field. This was an improvement from last week though, I think I only saw two occassions where they passed the ball blatanly forward and they now know that to restart the game you go to the centre of the field to tap the ball (well, they were given 17 times to do it in this game alone).
But there's potential: Paddy has a nose for the try line, Louisa loves running from dummy half every time (although she's going to have to remember to pass the ball before getting touched), Ziyen's a pocket rocket on defence, and Sarah and Nikki are willing to do the graft work.
But this was a game where we had our subs. And by the second half they were puffed and we got in their face. We slogged into their space on defence and slicked ourselves around them on attack, and the score blew out in our favour for a 7-1 finish.
I think we can be quite happy with this game. They weren't a dumb team, but we played a smart and composed gameplan.
The girls on the other hand had another blow-out scoreline: 17-0. Against a team of very experienced campaigners throwing no-look passes, they jogged their way through any of the seven gaps that six players leave on the field. This was an improvement from last week though, I think I only saw two occassions where they passed the ball blatanly forward and they now know that to restart the game you go to the centre of the field to tap the ball (well, they were given 17 times to do it in this game alone).
But there's potential: Paddy has a nose for the try line, Louisa loves running from dummy half every time (although she's going to have to remember to pass the ball before getting touched), Ziyen's a pocket rocket on defence, and Sarah and Nikki are willing to do the graft work.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Okahu Game 2 - Fund run
We played a group of doctors funded by the Neurological Foundation giving touch rugby a go, so we ran up 11-0 on them, with everyone dotting down at least once.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Pakuranga game 1 - Pakuranga welcomes you...
Welcome back to Pakuranga.
Its a world of die-hard rugby convicts brought up in a blokes-are-tuff supremecist society where rounds of "let's hit'em even harder this time boys" are played on fields of rock. The refs, birthed of this oak smirk with the impeding battles and love to see how far they can be taken by letting every Newtonian force of unsportsmanlike behaviour off the hook for a good look at a good hit. Join them, in the muscle contest of rugby union without tackles or become their fodder.
So why the hell did we come back to become the punching bags of hooligans who take out their revenge of dead-end day jobs as lawn mowers and gutter sweepers?
The girls' started the show off with their debut as Scarlet Fever. ...Its impressive that Jules chose to spell this without her temptations to use FevAH. Anyhow they put up a good showing against a younger yet more experienced team who washed them up with draw and passes for a 12-0 "its business time" touch rugby. But they'll learn to literally get behind their ball carriers and how to find the gaps and should soon be scoring tries in red.
As of the Legacy team? It was Pakuranga deja vu. A team of no-friendly-chatter rugby squads taking the summer to bulge out their biceps from tight singlets - you'd think you were walking down Patpong's gay district, but rugbyheads like these don't use their deltoids to rip off their singlets - they use it to rip into YOU! And so they did, with the equally burly ref letting them get away with fends in our faces all day.
We lost our game plan, and soon the game, 4-3. Whilst we scored some nice tries through the works of Chris, Dean and Daniel, we were no match for their brute strength and heavy will to bust us open in this arm-wrestle of a game.
We've got to learn though. That teams from Pakurana are all built from the same ilk of shit that breeds rugby players that don't even break into the Auckland division, so they hop over and play touch rugby in the summer to take it out on teams like us. They will always come out at us with fire and brimstone, but we've still got to be the better team on the day. Take their hits but play our game - and until we find that rhythm and play it week in week out as our song, we don't deserve to win our games.
Its a world of die-hard rugby convicts brought up in a blokes-are-tuff supremecist society where rounds of "let's hit'em even harder this time boys" are played on fields of rock. The refs, birthed of this oak smirk with the impeding battles and love to see how far they can be taken by letting every Newtonian force of unsportsmanlike behaviour off the hook for a good look at a good hit. Join them, in the muscle contest of rugby union without tackles or become their fodder.
So why the hell did we come back to become the punching bags of hooligans who take out their revenge of dead-end day jobs as lawn mowers and gutter sweepers?
The girls' started the show off with their debut as Scarlet Fever. ...Its impressive that Jules chose to spell this without her temptations to use FevAH. Anyhow they put up a good showing against a younger yet more experienced team who washed them up with draw and passes for a 12-0 "its business time" touch rugby. But they'll learn to literally get behind their ball carriers and how to find the gaps and should soon be scoring tries in red.
As of the Legacy team? It was Pakuranga deja vu. A team of no-friendly-chatter rugby squads taking the summer to bulge out their biceps from tight singlets - you'd think you were walking down Patpong's gay district, but rugbyheads like these don't use their deltoids to rip off their singlets - they use it to rip into YOU! And so they did, with the equally burly ref letting them get away with fends in our faces all day.
We lost our game plan, and soon the game, 4-3. Whilst we scored some nice tries through the works of Chris, Dean and Daniel, we were no match for their brute strength and heavy will to bust us open in this arm-wrestle of a game.
We've got to learn though. That teams from Pakurana are all built from the same ilk of shit that breeds rugby players that don't even break into the Auckland division, so they hop over and play touch rugby in the summer to take it out on teams like us. They will always come out at us with fire and brimstone, but we've still got to be the better team on the day. Take their hits but play our game - and until we find that rhythm and play it week in week out as our song, we don't deserve to win our games.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Okahu Game 1 - A new Legacy
Our new name: Legacy. We've decided to create one, and it has to start positively.
Against a pretty casual opposition team, we did well by winning 5-0.
A third into the match, we were up 1-0 but struggling to exert dominance, but then things changed when the late-arriving Jono showed up, after losing his car keys earlier that afternoon. We slammed into gear and put up four tries and kept them in their half for the rest of it. It wasn't that Jono scored anything, set up anything, or even touched anything :-) (wait, he tripped Stuart up so he couldn't score his try) so it must mean that he has some sort of spiritual presence.
That's what our team needs, a Legacy presence.
Chris opened up for us with a Waikato step for an easy try. Nick, sensing Jono's arriving scored the second. And Dean, Kerhan and Jimmy again added the extras with that invigoration.
With a competition on Thursdays at Lloyd Elsemore and a Scarlet Fever girl's team, its gonna be a packed out season for legacies! :-)
Against a pretty casual opposition team, we did well by winning 5-0.
A third into the match, we were up 1-0 but struggling to exert dominance, but then things changed when the late-arriving Jono showed up, after losing his car keys earlier that afternoon. We slammed into gear and put up four tries and kept them in their half for the rest of it. It wasn't that Jono scored anything, set up anything, or even touched anything :-) (wait, he tripped Stuart up so he couldn't score his try) so it must mean that he has some sort of spiritual presence.
That's what our team needs, a Legacy presence.
Chris opened up for us with a Waikato step for an easy try. Nick, sensing Jono's arriving scored the second. And Dean, Kerhan and Jimmy again added the extras with that invigoration.
With a competition on Thursdays at Lloyd Elsemore and a Scarlet Fever girl's team, its gonna be a packed out season for legacies! :-)
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Tamaki "finals" - Wha kare
We lost this game for "fifth" 7-3. Now please, let me roll out the excuses!
Somehow, we were the only team to not know that the game started 15 minutes earlier. We were six minutes late and started with a 3-0 default deficit. Even then, we were only four, then five. We couldn't hold the line before our sixth guy arrived and conceded the next two tries.
In the final fifteen minutes of the game we tried to claw back with three tries but they got a couple two, playing much better than the last time we met.
Congratulations to Wha Kare, you have beaten us to come fifth :-)
So what's the verdict of our team thus far? At Okahu we were fifth at best, at Tamaki sixth. Are we that useless? Daniel and Jono turned out to play today's game 5 minutes then 15 minutes after the final hooter.
Yes, we're struggling to get a solid team together with numbers to burn on the sub box. Yes, we've got niggling injuries. We'll struggle again this weekend with the same excuses at the All "Asians" Easter tournament, but at the end of the day - all good teams can win in any scenario. We've got to drop the pants of shame and put on the helmet of fame and kick some real ass for a change... ...if you get what I mean.
Somehow, we were the only team to not know that the game started 15 minutes earlier. We were six minutes late and started with a 3-0 default deficit. Even then, we were only four, then five. We couldn't hold the line before our sixth guy arrived and conceded the next two tries.
In the final fifteen minutes of the game we tried to claw back with three tries but they got a couple two, playing much better than the last time we met.
Congratulations to Wha Kare, you have beaten us to come fifth :-)
So what's the verdict of our team thus far? At Okahu we were fifth at best, at Tamaki sixth. Are we that useless? Daniel and Jono turned out to play today's game 5 minutes then 15 minutes after the final hooter.
Yes, we're struggling to get a solid team together with numbers to burn on the sub box. Yes, we've got niggling injuries. We'll struggle again this weekend with the same excuses at the All "Asians" Easter tournament, but at the end of the day - all good teams can win in any scenario. We've got to drop the pants of shame and put on the helmet of fame and kick some real ass for a change... ...if you get what I mean.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Tamaki "Semi's" - Shambles
Blah...
After expecting to come about third in our placing, we dropped to fifth thanks to two successive games of no-shows from ourselves. It was our own fault.
Nonetheless we played this game, "playing for fifth"with a little lack-lustre. Playing in second gear all the way, we still trumped the other team - Shambles. At least this time we gob-smacked the scoreline, unlike what happened the last time we met.
After expecting to come about third in our placing, we dropped to fifth thanks to two successive games of no-shows from ourselves. It was our own fault.
Nonetheless we played this game, "playing for fifth"with a little lack-lustre. Playing in second gear all the way, we still trumped the other team - Shambles. At least this time we gob-smacked the scoreline, unlike what happened the last time we met.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Tamaki Game 13 - Wha Kare
Given last week's disappointments, we showed up today with a record five subs. This included a welcome back to Taiwanese rugby champ Daniel, Ex-rep player Leroy and of course, the very special Ops with his knees starting to work again. Its left to us and the algebra now, to find out which was the factor that got us to smoke through our game today with a score blow-out in our favour.
Wha Kare aren't a bad team, their players work hard but today with so many subs we zeroed in on their every run. Our shooting was often relentless, our driving speeds unprecendented and our tries from those surely had to come. Everyone chipped in at every facet of play where as a team we possibly played one of our best games. Our defence was especially good as we covered our corners better than usual and gave them no chances for scooping through.
Earlier on I read the scoreboard, saying that prior to last week's mishap we are apparently placed first on the ladder - ahead of Galaxy and The Brothers. Strange to believe we know, but sometimes yellow magic is irreplaceable, since cheating is not one of our cards.
Wha Kare aren't a bad team, their players work hard but today with so many subs we zeroed in on their every run. Our shooting was often relentless, our driving speeds unprecendented and our tries from those surely had to come. Everyone chipped in at every facet of play where as a team we possibly played one of our best games. Our defence was especially good as we covered our corners better than usual and gave them no chances for scooping through.
Earlier on I read the scoreboard, saying that prior to last week's mishap we are apparently placed first on the ladder - ahead of Galaxy and The Brothers. Strange to believe we know, but sometimes yellow magic is irreplaceable, since cheating is not one of our cards.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Tamaki Games 11/12
How depressing - we have a squad of 14 yet for these two games only three players showed up.
It used to be panic-stations when we only had one sub (when you can have up to eight). Now we think that is an abundance.
Naturally we lost these two games we could have, should have won, by default.
It used to be panic-stations when we only had one sub (when you can have up to eight). Now we think that is an abundance.
Naturally we lost these two games we could have, should have won, by default.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Okahu Finals day
D-day.
We came in to the quarters as underdogs against a team with an impressive record - Mean Mount Mean. Whatever the hell that means anyway. This was a young team, kids high on candyfloss and still growing on cheerios. One was singing songs just at the start to beam his ego out onto the field, but he could have been reciting his ABC's for all we care. We weren't there to give these teens an encouraging word about their hairstyles or their spelling abilities. We were there to throw off their confidence.
We shut his singing up in the first passage of the game through an early try, with the help of a very strict ref who was not going take any talking back. This ref was so serious, he sent Nick L off the field for yelling the swear word "Mine!" too loudly and one of their guys too later in the game.
It was a see-saw affair as we opened up the scoring. They'd keep matching us back somehow. Possibly our defence was a bit leakier than normal, can't blame us as we aren't all that interested in pedophilia anyway. Yet we played out of our skins. Sure, bits went wrong, but we handled shooters better than we have ever done and we controlled the pace of the game. Dean played out of his skin today. He scored the first, set up the second and knocked in the third when they rushed him too quickly. He also got involved in the fourth when we drove through the middle.
But they leveled the game at the end, 4-4. Time for dropoff.
Annoyingly enough, they didn't actually drop-off and we had play the first bit out one man short. Amidst our confusion they scooped through Dean who probably could have cornered harder and scored through several unmarked men. We were unable to score on our set and thus lost this tight game.
In the season finale we didn't quite get where we wanted to. But we played well - all of us. We can hold our heads high and now focus on the Tamaki comp and the impending Easter one too. As we build a bridge and get over this, we'll get even better.
Last night I went back home and grieved the final hour of a friend's life which ended in her hospital that very day. I immediately stopped faulting my every mistake or missed opportunity in the quarter final. The very frailty of human life is a stark reminder that the mistakes on our religious sports fields are but a drop of vapour in the wind. What matters matters, and what doesn't doesn't, if you get what I mean. No matter the result of our game that day it wouldn't have changed any facts of life - that breathing is a blessing and sport is but a hobby.
We came in to the quarters as underdogs against a team with an impressive record - Mean Mount Mean. Whatever the hell that means anyway. This was a young team, kids high on candyfloss and still growing on cheerios. One was singing songs just at the start to beam his ego out onto the field, but he could have been reciting his ABC's for all we care. We weren't there to give these teens an encouraging word about their hairstyles or their spelling abilities. We were there to throw off their confidence.
We shut his singing up in the first passage of the game through an early try, with the help of a very strict ref who was not going take any talking back. This ref was so serious, he sent Nick L off the field for yelling the swear word "Mine!" too loudly and one of their guys too later in the game.
It was a see-saw affair as we opened up the scoring. They'd keep matching us back somehow. Possibly our defence was a bit leakier than normal, can't blame us as we aren't all that interested in pedophilia anyway. Yet we played out of our skins. Sure, bits went wrong, but we handled shooters better than we have ever done and we controlled the pace of the game. Dean played out of his skin today. He scored the first, set up the second and knocked in the third when they rushed him too quickly. He also got involved in the fourth when we drove through the middle.
But they leveled the game at the end, 4-4. Time for dropoff.
Annoyingly enough, they didn't actually drop-off and we had play the first bit out one man short. Amidst our confusion they scooped through Dean who probably could have cornered harder and scored through several unmarked men. We were unable to score on our set and thus lost this tight game.
In the season finale we didn't quite get where we wanted to. But we played well - all of us. We can hold our heads high and now focus on the Tamaki comp and the impending Easter one too. As we build a bridge and get over this, we'll get even better.
Last night I went back home and grieved the final hour of a friend's life which ended in her hospital that very day. I immediately stopped faulting my every mistake or missed opportunity in the quarter final. The very frailty of human life is a stark reminder that the mistakes on our religious sports fields are but a drop of vapour in the wind. What matters matters, and what doesn't doesn't, if you get what I mean. No matter the result of our game that day it wouldn't have changed any facts of life - that breathing is a blessing and sport is but a hobby.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Okahu comp game 12 - O for Awesome
The final pool game! Against a team we'd yet to play and one we knew was good, we came in with 3 subs, the best turn-out in a long time! Alas we lost to these apparently awesome guys 6-4 in a contest that was tight for at least the first half.
We opened with a furious pace playing the game like cats fighting on a fence. As the ball clawed through hands from all ends of the field, defensive flyers were pouncing in from everywhere to maul isolated dummy-halves. After a few push and pulls both teams felt like they got to know each other and a swirl of tries started to flow - starting with us and evened up by then. Our memorable try was through Martin the winger who scorched their winger for a try that ripped fire-marks into the rain-washed field. Interestingly enough, he intuitively balanced it back by sleeping on his man and their winger took a floated pass on his turn to burn Martin back.
These guys played with a wave of backdoors - not too fast - but they still caught us napping at the corners too many times to score plenty of tries at the wing. Not only that, our saves were there to bash the receivers but we got there too slow. On attack we had our moments where we tore up the field with shrieks of rage but at other times we lacked the awareness to poach the gaping holes left by their sniping shooters.
Lesson to be learnt: Corners, mirrors, saves! Gotta get them right!
We opened with a furious pace playing the game like cats fighting on a fence. As the ball clawed through hands from all ends of the field, defensive flyers were pouncing in from everywhere to maul isolated dummy-halves. After a few push and pulls both teams felt like they got to know each other and a swirl of tries started to flow - starting with us and evened up by then. Our memorable try was through Martin the winger who scorched their winger for a try that ripped fire-marks into the rain-washed field. Interestingly enough, he intuitively balanced it back by sleeping on his man and their winger took a floated pass on his turn to burn Martin back.
These guys played with a wave of backdoors - not too fast - but they still caught us napping at the corners too many times to score plenty of tries at the wing. Not only that, our saves were there to bash the receivers but we got there too slow. On attack we had our moments where we tore up the field with shrieks of rage but at other times we lacked the awareness to poach the gaping holes left by their sniping shooters.
Lesson to be learnt: Corners, mirrors, saves! Gotta get them right!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Easter Team 08
We've entered yet another competition in the ACCCCCCC sports tournament. Here is a picture of our beautiful members. We couldn't find a picture of Dean so we stuck in a picture of Jimmy Dai instead.
Tamaki touch Game 10 - Ginyu Force/Nailed
No game - apparently the other team didn't really show up (either the Ginyu Force who apparently got kicked out of the competition, or the Nailed who were not properly notified their bye had been replaced with a game with us) and we played a social game.
Boo to the organizers.
Boo to the organizers.
Okahu comp game 11 - All Drunks
It was the first day of the Chinese New Year and traditionally the meal of that night would be vegetarian. "Stuff that" we all thought, and flocked together to celebrate the new year on the touch field and it inspired us to a 10-1 victory over the All Drunks (a huge improvement from the last time we played them).
We began with a Dean-classic, a solo effort skipping through defenders that we've all seen before. Everyone played their part in piling up points for our team from all over the field, including ring-in Shaun, who scored at least a hat trick, meaning that the tries were not quite evenly distributed across our team. There is no "I" in "TEAM", but it seems there is "ME".
Worth recording is a memorable moment where Stu stole an intercept (first time ever?) and hooned down the field for a long range (first time ever?) solo try (first time ever?), a proud moment I'm sure will be etched into his memory forever.
We began with a Dean-classic, a solo effort skipping through defenders that we've all seen before. Everyone played their part in piling up points for our team from all over the field, including ring-in Shaun, who scored at least a hat trick, meaning that the tries were not quite evenly distributed across our team. There is no "I" in "TEAM", but it seems there is "ME".
Worth recording is a memorable moment where Stu stole an intercept (first time ever?) and hooned down the field for a long range (first time ever?) solo try (first time ever?), a proud moment I'm sure will be etched into his memory forever.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Easter Seeding Tournament
Lord of the Rings featured the same battles - a side with too few men against one with many vile and vicious creatures. Today we were to try our own style out with only a handful of guys against a group of teams with overweight sub-boxes. Today it was to be our Alamo. We were to be the Magnificent Seven.
Today it was the battle of Gribblehirst. Our tribe came out to fight the other tribes, many willing to die for the cause. What was the cause? It was ego. Respect. Pride. It was a battle between good and evil. And we know how that battle always ends. We just need to decide which side we are on.
We fought 6 battles, 3 with the men of war, 3 with the women joining the fray wielding screams as sharp as axes and locks of hair as long as the unstoppable warrior Samson.
The first was against the Wizards, and we had them bound for half of the game. An early try from David came as he tore through their defensive robes for an early lead. But these were oldies blessed with experience and they slowly dominated us with their magicry and launched a couple of good tries from 5 m set-pieces. The next two were soft and towards the end, as we fell onto their heels grabbing for boots but only snagging their boot marks. We lost 4-2. We also lost Sean in battle so we replaced him with Jeremy who did everything required of a fill-in (thanks!).
The second was against Flow, formally Blitz, formally KAC. Unsure of their name, they were also unsure of their attack as they dropped the ball. But their defense was a human wave, it would inspire and Chinaman fighting in the Korean War. How does one stop the fundamentalist who would give his life for his sport? Giving it all they had, they shot like fit freaks and shut us down. We scored two early ones through quickies as they lack defensive policies and rested on our lead and lived miraculously through their firing range of human bullets. But with a ball in their hand their fingers were lead and were unable to puncture through us. We didn't defend hard and just bided our time for unforced errors. We scored a couple of late tries in conjunction with two of theirs, but we can remember this game as the smart one. With their sub-bench that continously unloaded and reloaded fresh ammunition to splatter on us, we won this battle with policies and trusting each other. We won 4-2.
The third was against Jeffrey's team, as we always term them. These fellas were backyard touch players and they used their skills well. As our tired men (1 sub, Jeremy a stranger) started to cramp our old tree legs up we were very ineffective and only managed one try. We were losing the will to fight. These guys tried everything, wrapping and cutting and bouncing. They were a roller-coaster of movements and again we played it smart and shut down their bow and arrow-like plays. But we slowly broke down and they soon spilled through on a ruck for Dean (our very own defected member) to score. We missed our opportunities (that when you're tired are few and rare) and obviously a 1-0 lead is never enough to sit on. We drew with them.
Lunch then got served and we all recharged and gave thanks to free food.
The fourth was against a clearly non-Asian team. Not that we really cared, touch is a sport celebrated by all. As the writer, I spent more time putting on sun block (so I didn't get burnt) to actually watch what happened but we lost to this well-drilled team 4-1.
The fifth was against Flow, seeking revenge with their ladies to swamp us with slaps, spits, swipes and a barrel-load of aggression. They played much better with their girls and piled up a heap of points against us to win a very throrough victory. Credit to them, but we'll win the victory of having prettier girls in our team :-) As the reader can see, our team never truly loses!
The sixth and final game was a social game against ACPC and they were new to the game. We chilled out with them and gave the girls a good chance to show their wares. Jules scored one and scored a bruise on a her bum in doing so. Winning always comes at a cost. And thanks to her sacrifice we won this final one.
In summary, we played well with what we had, but we really need a fuller team - one with no pop-out shoulders, one which doesn't go to work on public holidays, one which does not play other sports like tennis. Skillfully, tactically, we can fight out the mens one we believe - we just need all the soldiers to come to do battle. In the mixed, we'll rely on our women to stun their men with beauty and gracious running and catching. Then we might win that too.
Today it was the battle of Gribblehirst. Our tribe came out to fight the other tribes, many willing to die for the cause. What was the cause? It was ego. Respect. Pride. It was a battle between good and evil. And we know how that battle always ends. We just need to decide which side we are on.
We fought 6 battles, 3 with the men of war, 3 with the women joining the fray wielding screams as sharp as axes and locks of hair as long as the unstoppable warrior Samson.
The first was against the Wizards, and we had them bound for half of the game. An early try from David came as he tore through their defensive robes for an early lead. But these were oldies blessed with experience and they slowly dominated us with their magicry and launched a couple of good tries from 5 m set-pieces. The next two were soft and towards the end, as we fell onto their heels grabbing for boots but only snagging their boot marks. We lost 4-2. We also lost Sean in battle so we replaced him with Jeremy who did everything required of a fill-in (thanks!).
The second was against Flow, formally Blitz, formally KAC. Unsure of their name, they were also unsure of their attack as they dropped the ball. But their defense was a human wave, it would inspire and Chinaman fighting in the Korean War. How does one stop the fundamentalist who would give his life for his sport? Giving it all they had, they shot like fit freaks and shut us down. We scored two early ones through quickies as they lack defensive policies and rested on our lead and lived miraculously through their firing range of human bullets. But with a ball in their hand their fingers were lead and were unable to puncture through us. We didn't defend hard and just bided our time for unforced errors. We scored a couple of late tries in conjunction with two of theirs, but we can remember this game as the smart one. With their sub-bench that continously unloaded and reloaded fresh ammunition to splatter on us, we won this battle with policies and trusting each other. We won 4-2.
The third was against Jeffrey's team, as we always term them. These fellas were backyard touch players and they used their skills well. As our tired men (1 sub, Jeremy a stranger) started to cramp our old tree legs up we were very ineffective and only managed one try. We were losing the will to fight. These guys tried everything, wrapping and cutting and bouncing. They were a roller-coaster of movements and again we played it smart and shut down their bow and arrow-like plays. But we slowly broke down and they soon spilled through on a ruck for Dean (our very own defected member) to score. We missed our opportunities (that when you're tired are few and rare) and obviously a 1-0 lead is never enough to sit on. We drew with them.
Lunch then got served and we all recharged and gave thanks to free food.
The fourth was against a clearly non-Asian team. Not that we really cared, touch is a sport celebrated by all. As the writer, I spent more time putting on sun block (so I didn't get burnt) to actually watch what happened but we lost to this well-drilled team 4-1.
The fifth was against Flow, seeking revenge with their ladies to swamp us with slaps, spits, swipes and a barrel-load of aggression. They played much better with their girls and piled up a heap of points against us to win a very throrough victory. Credit to them, but we'll win the victory of having prettier girls in our team :-) As the reader can see, our team never truly loses!
The sixth and final game was a social game against ACPC and they were new to the game. We chilled out with them and gave the girls a good chance to show their wares. Jules scored one and scored a bruise on a her bum in doing so. Winning always comes at a cost. And thanks to her sacrifice we won this final one.
In summary, we played well with what we had, but we really need a fuller team - one with no pop-out shoulders, one which doesn't go to work on public holidays, one which does not play other sports like tennis. Skillfully, tactically, we can fight out the mens one we believe - we just need all the soldiers to come to do battle. In the mixed, we'll rely on our women to stun their men with beauty and gracious running and catching. Then we might win that too.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Tamaki touch Game 9 - Shambles
This was a slog-fest. As the Shambles team played like scrambled eggs, we as the coach described played like to their shambled mess. Its a risk to do as the Romans do - the saying "never argue with an idiot, for he may bring you down to his level and beat you with experience" was almost ringing true as we found it difficult to hold our own composure and couldn't breach their line very often. Anyway, we scored a couple to get home safely, 2-0.
Their saves were pretty tenacious on defence, which shut down alot of our drawing and passing. We ran a dummy off a JC (go down on the save) and Chris scooted through from dummy. Of the 5 other players of ours on the field, only Jimmy C decided to follow after him and amazingly, despite the all their defenders caging them in we scored a try that way as Jimmy flew onto Chris' pass like a crashing dove. It wasn't pretty but hey. Chris teamed up with his brother next to scored through a simple Waikato on their line.
Through poor handling and composure, and also terrible team work (too many of us trying to do it on our own) we never really got to their five-line again and couldn't launch too much more at them. But our defence held stronger than the walls of Jericho, no amount of screaming or shouting from their on-field war chants was going to bust it up that evening. As with Joshua's soldiers, trumpets did sound at the end, but this only signaled the end of the game and we held a nice defensive record at least.
Lesson to be learnt: Eggs get cooked in the heat. We can't play like eggs all the time and expect to get away with it.
Their saves were pretty tenacious on defence, which shut down alot of our drawing and passing. We ran a dummy off a JC (go down on the save) and Chris scooted through from dummy. Of the 5 other players of ours on the field, only Jimmy C decided to follow after him and amazingly, despite the all their defenders caging them in we scored a try that way as Jimmy flew onto Chris' pass like a crashing dove. It wasn't pretty but hey. Chris teamed up with his brother next to scored through a simple Waikato on their line.
Through poor handling and composure, and also terrible team work (too many of us trying to do it on our own) we never really got to their five-line again and couldn't launch too much more at them. But our defence held stronger than the walls of Jericho, no amount of screaming or shouting from their on-field war chants was going to bust it up that evening. As with Joshua's soldiers, trumpets did sound at the end, but this only signaled the end of the game and we held a nice defensive record at least.
Lesson to be learnt: Eggs get cooked in the heat. We can't play like eggs all the time and expect to get away with it.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Okahu Game 10 - Gingyu Force
Against a team we know to respect, this was a wierd game, though I can't point my fingers as to why exactly. Was it because as usual, their team takes ages to arrive and we scored against their girls? Or that the ref may have been slightly in our favour? As a team we've learnt to stop talking to refs, especially when they are white caucasian females who do not understand our gibberish accents. Anyway, we got what we needed, a 3-2 victory so like the poms say it - we'll take a victory in any form that it comes.
Unlike the WC runner-ups, we don't have a big mobile forward pack. We have a team of skinny running machines that drive the ball up like kamikaze pilots ready to hit the fray. Skinny men fall fast as Sean milked his penalty on a "shove" that they gave us :-) Its good, he's really learning how to dive now, even if its just play-acting. On defence we were particularly good too - their quickies were made to look slow and they only punched through twice (but managed to convert that to tries both times).
We opened with Dean (who else?) stepping his man on dummy after setting the deviation to give Jono a walk in. In the moment where he planted the try, he could finally proudly show his girlfriend his worth. Minutes later Chris (who else?) exposed their lack of cornering from dummy and swung one round to somebody to score. Nick (who else?) finished off some lovely field driving by running through defenders who confused themselves as to who would make the touch (short people are harder to touch as you have to bend you back to get to them).
Then their whole team showed up, and their defence at their line held so we were left famished but held them off to only two dummy-scoop tries.
Lesson to be learnt: Please white girls, it'll be for your own good. ...Jono verifies!
Unlike the WC runner-ups, we don't have a big mobile forward pack. We have a team of skinny running machines that drive the ball up like kamikaze pilots ready to hit the fray. Skinny men fall fast as Sean milked his penalty on a "shove" that they gave us :-) Its good, he's really learning how to dive now, even if its just play-acting. On defence we were particularly good too - their quickies were made to look slow and they only punched through twice (but managed to convert that to tries both times).
We opened with Dean (who else?) stepping his man on dummy after setting the deviation to give Jono a walk in. In the moment where he planted the try, he could finally proudly show his girlfriend his worth. Minutes later Chris (who else?) exposed their lack of cornering from dummy and swung one round to somebody to score. Nick (who else?) finished off some lovely field driving by running through defenders who confused themselves as to who would make the touch (short people are harder to touch as you have to bend you back to get to them).
Then their whole team showed up, and their defence at their line held so we were left famished but held them off to only two dummy-scoop tries.
Lesson to be learnt: Please white girls, it'll be for your own good. ...Jono verifies!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Okahu Comp - Bled Dogs
Players: Chris, Nick L, Stuart, Dean, Sean, Nick B and Jono
Playing with 7 players is becoming fairly common, so when only 7 ppl showed up for this game we weren't that worried about running one sub during the game.
The Bled dogs have improved since we last met them, with an array of big jump passes hitting their wings, one managing to score a try when our winger was caught out not marking the outside.
We came fought back though, with a huge effort on defence that the whole team was feeling pretty good about afterwards. Big saves, a pressuring line and high enthusiasm did the trick.
The only tries after were scored by us. Dean and Nick got one each, and Stuart got the last to seal the deal. The score being 3 - 1 in the end. A well deserved victory.
Highlights
- Chris got hit in the face/hat. Initially the ref gave the ball to them, but after complaining he didn't play at it, Chris got us the turnover.
- Huge Defence with only one try let in
Playing with 7 players is becoming fairly common, so when only 7 ppl showed up for this game we weren't that worried about running one sub during the game.
The Bled dogs have improved since we last met them, with an array of big jump passes hitting their wings, one managing to score a try when our winger was caught out not marking the outside.
We came fought back though, with a huge effort on defence that the whole team was feeling pretty good about afterwards. Big saves, a pressuring line and high enthusiasm did the trick.
The only tries after were scored by us. Dean and Nick got one each, and Stuart got the last to seal the deal. The score being 3 - 1 in the end. A well deserved victory.
Highlights
- Chris got hit in the face/hat. Initially the ref gave the ball to them, but after complaining he didn't play at it, Chris got us the turnover.
- Huge Defence with only one try let in
Monday, January 21, 2008
Okahu Game 8- IDMM
Having lost last week due to no subs, we actually had 3 subs today to take out these guys like fire on shredded paper. The score was left unknown, but this game possibly had the most number of tries that we've ever scored. This does not mean that we don't think highly of the other team, although they weren't particularly great. The All Blacks apparently once said that to respect a team, you beat them by big scores.
Like a wild cat that lost its prey last week, we brooded on last week's draw and the associated its missed opportunities. And when Chris (in the form of his life) scored within the opening minute, there would be few today. We ditched freestyle patterns and pounced up the field with simple 3-ups that ripped through some pretty good yardage.
At the end of it all, the ref ran off with the score. Then we all went home and ate.
On a different note, we'll be playing in a small competition on Waitangi day. A member of one of the other teams was heard to be saying that we are a bunch of newbs and we'd get wasted any other day by them. Maybe this is just my ego talking (no wait, our egos talk on the field), but we're going to target this guy's team and rewrite his memory. It'll be a total recall.
Like a wild cat that lost its prey last week, we brooded on last week's draw and the associated its missed opportunities. And when Chris (in the form of his life) scored within the opening minute, there would be few today. We ditched freestyle patterns and pounced up the field with simple 3-ups that ripped through some pretty good yardage.
At the end of it all, the ref ran off with the score. Then we all went home and ate.
On a different note, we'll be playing in a small competition on Waitangi day. A member of one of the other teams was heard to be saying that we are a bunch of newbs and we'd get wasted any other day by them. Maybe this is just my ego talking (no wait, our egos talk on the field), but we're going to target this guy's team and rewrite his memory. It'll be a total recall.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Tamaki touch - the Nailed
First game back at Tamaki on a nice Friday afternoon.
Players: Chris, Nick, Dean, Jimmy, Sean, Stuart and Joe (7 players)
The team kept up the fast pace that we showed the day before, even though we only had one sub. The opposition weren't as experienced as previous teams that we have played, but it was a good game to start the second half of the season.
a few bumbled opportunities which Ops calls the 'last pass syndrome' should have us working hard to secure what should be guaranteed tries.
Winners by 8 to 5 in the end
Players: Chris, Nick, Dean, Jimmy, Sean, Stuart and Joe (7 players)
The team kept up the fast pace that we showed the day before, even though we only had one sub. The opposition weren't as experienced as previous teams that we have played, but it was a good game to start the second half of the season.
a few bumbled opportunities which Ops calls the 'last pass syndrome' should have us working hard to secure what should be guaranteed tries.
Winners by 8 to 5 in the end
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Okahu Game 7 - Scubablue Mao Mao
For the first game back after the break, half our team was left behind in our Asian motherlands, so we played this out with no subs whilst this other team had five subs but we came away with a draw in a game that was really ours to win. In many sporting draws, it salvages a bit of pride for both teams. For them, they were 3-0 down and we slowly got tired and they caught up using their sub boxes to even the score by the end of the game. For us it was a slog-fest, playing in hot conditions with no subs right after our holidays.
The nature of this game was bullshit really. I know I whinge about the ref alot, but these fellas got away with all the disciplinary stuff - she warned them countless times about shoving in the rucks, clearing the rucks, but we rarely scored a penalty from all that. They got touched as dummy half a few times too and got away with those. And at every turnover they threw the ball away, and played the game with a barrage of swear words. Its tempting to quote a cricket captain in saying that "only one team was playing in the spirit of the game". In truth, we got away with our bits too, Kerhan returned to his angle-plant-sideways clown acts...
Dean opened our account with two of the type of tries he always gets: flat-footed ball turned to solo effort from brilliant footwork. Later, to show that we could work as a team, Nick, Chris and Sean teamed up to let Sean waltz in for a try. A few tries went begging, but we lacked both skill and energy to finish them off.
Our defence then went placid... allowing them in for tries which weren't flukey, but should have been prevented.
Lesson to be learnt: Stay tough for the entire game.
The nature of this game was bullshit really. I know I whinge about the ref alot, but these fellas got away with all the disciplinary stuff - she warned them countless times about shoving in the rucks, clearing the rucks, but we rarely scored a penalty from all that. They got touched as dummy half a few times too and got away with those. And at every turnover they threw the ball away, and played the game with a barrage of swear words. Its tempting to quote a cricket captain in saying that "only one team was playing in the spirit of the game". In truth, we got away with our bits too, Kerhan returned to his angle-plant-sideways clown acts...
Dean opened our account with two of the type of tries he always gets: flat-footed ball turned to solo effort from brilliant footwork. Later, to show that we could work as a team, Nick, Chris and Sean teamed up to let Sean waltz in for a try. A few tries went begging, but we lacked both skill and energy to finish them off.
Our defence then went placid... allowing them in for tries which weren't flukey, but should have been prevented.
Lesson to be learnt: Stay tough for the entire game.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Okahu Comp Game 6 - Pointless
Its not about how many barks a dog has, its about how hard it bites. We had only four players to take out the the first third of the game, whilst the other team had good numbers with a sub box full of white legs ready to run. Yet they wasted their energy quarreling amongst one another, and luckily for us, they didn't really know how to play the game (or some of its rules too for that matter) and even with two men on the field down, we led about 4-3. Then Dean and David came along - better late than never - and from there we could finish it off to win 8-3.
In no particular order - Kerhan got a hat trick: Nick ran dummy down their short side and somehow even though it was theoretically 4 vs 6 on the field, we had numbers and he dived into the corner; Kerhan later ran between two players for an easy old school run-faster-than-them try and got the third by taking a quick tap and running through the offside defenders who's touches were invalidated. Nick grabbed his brace in similar fashion: running through defenders twice. All these tries were long-range - very unlike our team!
Latecomers Dean and David played particularly well and got their own. Dean splintered their defence from within our own half, David got yet another long range one. To finish it off, he scored off a simple quickie, to add some shape that our game usually consists of.
Their fellas luckily only had one move: run from dummy and hope like hell that a gap appears somewhere. It did work for them three times - despite workaholic defensive work by Martin and Sean they kept picking on their side to score their lot.
Lesson to be learnt: Get to our games on time!!!!!
Christmas season has arrived, and we'll be taking a break. Not only can we celebrate the birth and the reality of Immanuel, we'll get to reflect on winning this one - and how to win the rest of them too.
In no particular order - Kerhan got a hat trick: Nick ran dummy down their short side and somehow even though it was theoretically 4 vs 6 on the field, we had numbers and he dived into the corner; Kerhan later ran between two players for an easy old school run-faster-than-them try and got the third by taking a quick tap and running through the offside defenders who's touches were invalidated. Nick grabbed his brace in similar fashion: running through defenders twice. All these tries were long-range - very unlike our team!
Latecomers Dean and David played particularly well and got their own. Dean splintered their defence from within our own half, David got yet another long range one. To finish it off, he scored off a simple quickie, to add some shape that our game usually consists of.
Their fellas luckily only had one move: run from dummy and hope like hell that a gap appears somewhere. It did work for them three times - despite workaholic defensive work by Martin and Sean they kept picking on their side to score their lot.
Lesson to be learnt: Get to our games on time!!!!!
Christmas season has arrived, and we'll be taking a break. Not only can we celebrate the birth and the reality of Immanuel, we'll get to reflect on winning this one - and how to win the rest of them too.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Tamaki Touch game 7 - GI
The early Sunday morning game was quite refreshing, as for most of us, it wasn’t the case of a game straight after a hard days slog at work.
We had 7 players on board today, but the team we played were not the fastest team, so we were quite comfortable.
The previous day at training we talked about mid-play and how to play a wider and more expansive game. We certainly took on board this strategy as we tried to leave our tight-styled game in the past.
The game itself was quite tight, with the lead switching a couple of times. In the end the opposition scored a try in the last play to tie the game 5-5.
Dean took the honours of the first point, with a nice dive from the five metre line. Sean, Stuart and David also took a point each, and we assume that Dean scored another somewhere along the line, or was it Chris?
After the game we had a team barbeque at Stuart’s house which involved meat, xbox and a sickening video of Special Ops versus Galaxy, directed by Jimmy Dai.
We had 7 players on board today, but the team we played were not the fastest team, so we were quite comfortable.
The previous day at training we talked about mid-play and how to play a wider and more expansive game. We certainly took on board this strategy as we tried to leave our tight-styled game in the past.
The game itself was quite tight, with the lead switching a couple of times. In the end the opposition scored a try in the last play to tie the game 5-5.
Dean took the honours of the first point, with a nice dive from the five metre line. Sean, Stuart and David also took a point each, and we assume that Dean scored another somewhere along the line, or was it Chris?
After the game we had a team barbeque at Stuart’s house which involved meat, xbox and a sickening video of Special Ops versus Galaxy, directed by Jimmy Dai.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Okahu Comp Game 5 - Alky Bots
"In making tactical dispositions, the highest pitch you can obtain is to conceal them." As sport is often described as war, we really should have heeded Sun Tzu's advice. In playing the Alky Bots, last year's winners, we needed to bring our game and our moves. Unfortunately they saw all our moves coming and shut us out of the game to win comfortably, 6-2.
We started off pretty well - climbing over their players on defence and burrowing through their holes on attack. Nick B found his gap, wide enough for his fleet footed white legs (that no one, no one ever sees) to run through and score for a brilliant solo effort.
From there however, things fell out of place for us. All these factors, like those of a combination lock, clicked in. We got a bit lethargic around the field and gave them plenty of yards, we started to lose our effectiveness in our driving patterns, and most importantly they started to step up a gear and they drove the ball through the field like rockets.
They began with a quickie inside two of defenders - one of those awesome diving tries only seen in this sport (picture a hawk swooping below and through two falling trees), followed by others - most of which came from good driving plays prior. They sure had some tanks on their team but they (pulled their weight and) ran hard. A couple of annoying tries were given away too - an intercept and a sleeper that caught us, erhm, napping... In the heat of battle, no one should have been caught sleeping on the job.
Their final was complete class: a short pass followed by a quick wrap and a quick pass to the runner who sliced through like a bayonet. Stu was left saving the grass that the runner cut up. It wasn't his fault, nor that of the others on the field at the time. Credit has to be given to the precision and the speed that the Alky Bots operated this move at.
Lesson to be learnt: disposition = "Determination of the final arrangement or settlement of a case following judgment."
We started off pretty well - climbing over their players on defence and burrowing through their holes on attack. Nick B found his gap, wide enough for his fleet footed white legs (that no one, no one ever sees) to run through and score for a brilliant solo effort.
From there however, things fell out of place for us. All these factors, like those of a combination lock, clicked in. We got a bit lethargic around the field and gave them plenty of yards, we started to lose our effectiveness in our driving patterns, and most importantly they started to step up a gear and they drove the ball through the field like rockets.
They began with a quickie inside two of defenders - one of those awesome diving tries only seen in this sport (picture a hawk swooping below and through two falling trees), followed by others - most of which came from good driving plays prior. They sure had some tanks on their team but they (pulled their weight and) ran hard. A couple of annoying tries were given away too - an intercept and a sleeper that caught us, erhm, napping... In the heat of battle, no one should have been caught sleeping on the job.
Their final was complete class: a short pass followed by a quick wrap and a quick pass to the runner who sliced through like a bayonet. Stu was left saving the grass that the runner cut up. It wasn't his fault, nor that of the others on the field at the time. Credit has to be given to the precision and the speed that the Alky Bots operated this move at.
Lesson to be learnt: disposition = "Determination of the final arrangement or settlement of a case following judgment."
Friday, December 7, 2007
Tamaki touch Game 6 - Brothers
We played the brothers, which were only three of them as apparently most of their boys went off for Work Christmas functions. Typical, work always gets in the way of the true spirit of life: Sport. They made up their numbers with their sisters though, it was pretty much their mixed team. So, our mens team should be able to take them out right? Wrong, we lost 4-2.
We scored quite early, before two of their brothers showed up - Sean sold a dummy to a girl and ran through her defence. Good work Sean - picking on the ladies. Almost had another couple after that - Kerhan scooped through the ladies and passed it to David who was apparently 'out' - kinda hard to tell when the bloody rugby club doesn't even paint its dead ball lines. Joe scooped through the ladies (again) but got touched before he could give it to the two free guys outside him. Maybe he liked the attention...
When their three boys had all arrived, they ran the show - just as men ought to in families. Their ladies did all the hard work of getting them up the field - the men took the glory and made the scoring plays. That's mixed touch alright, a brilliant example of the days of the World wars, instead of metrosexual men in touch with their feelings (as well as girls feelings) and women who wanted to call the shots and wear jeans, the clothes of mineworkers. Turns out one of their guys musta been a metrosexual though... he wore pink tights over his arms. He was a bit of a psycho too, arguing over touches, arguing with the ref, giving us a good shove at the touch, simply giving us shit that was highly unnecessary. Its a pity, the others on the team had a much better attitude than him.
Our second try came from Nick scooping through (but it was through one of their guys this time) and found Kerhan to score. Their tries on the other hand were great - nice and constructed. Their ladies did brilliant work to finish of the overlaps created by their brothers.
On a side note, our team is plagued by knee injuries. Jimmy Dai confirmed that he'll be in need of reconstruction (I'm praying for God's blessing over him as I write this) and will be out for six months. Jimmy Chong has a minor knee issue, and Ops blew his knee during this game. He's going to be out for the season too - it was an old injury. The poor sod, but at least he'll be able to come to the team BBQ as his stomach seems okay.
We scored quite early, before two of their brothers showed up - Sean sold a dummy to a girl and ran through her defence. Good work Sean - picking on the ladies. Almost had another couple after that - Kerhan scooped through the ladies and passed it to David who was apparently 'out' - kinda hard to tell when the bloody rugby club doesn't even paint its dead ball lines. Joe scooped through the ladies (again) but got touched before he could give it to the two free guys outside him. Maybe he liked the attention...
When their three boys had all arrived, they ran the show - just as men ought to in families. Their ladies did all the hard work of getting them up the field - the men took the glory and made the scoring plays. That's mixed touch alright, a brilliant example of the days of the World wars, instead of metrosexual men in touch with their feelings (as well as girls feelings) and women who wanted to call the shots and wear jeans, the clothes of mineworkers. Turns out one of their guys musta been a metrosexual though... he wore pink tights over his arms. He was a bit of a psycho too, arguing over touches, arguing with the ref, giving us a good shove at the touch, simply giving us shit that was highly unnecessary. Its a pity, the others on the team had a much better attitude than him.
Our second try came from Nick scooping through (but it was through one of their guys this time) and found Kerhan to score. Their tries on the other hand were great - nice and constructed. Their ladies did brilliant work to finish of the overlaps created by their brothers.
On a side note, our team is plagued by knee injuries. Jimmy Dai confirmed that he'll be in need of reconstruction (I'm praying for God's blessing over him as I write this) and will be out for six months. Jimmy Chong has a minor knee issue, and Ops blew his knee during this game. He's going to be out for the season too - it was an old injury. The poor sod, but at least he'll be able to come to the team BBQ as his stomach seems okay.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Okahu Comp Game 4 - O for Awesome
Due to the retarded weather returning to winter mode with her sleazy winds and sulky rains, the game got cancelled.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Tamaki Game 5 - Xcelento
We played a sturdy team - brave enough to show up with just handful of guys plus a girl. The girl was probably an older sister, judging by the way she bossed the dudes around. We only had seven ourselves, but we seemed fitter than they are overall (including Ops). With that, we won 6-3.
We started off playing incredibly pateintly, and bided our time long enough for Kerhan to receive a longball from Chris. He stepped back in dragging his guy for Chris to slice through with a late cut. They starred a laughing hyena on their team who thought it was funny that we scored. They replied with a quick try, a backdoor that exposed Kerhan's lazy defending. It was their star player who went through: that laughing hyena who giggled all the way to our line. But that was the last time he laughed.
To cover our earlier mistake almost, Chris sent another long ball to Kerhan for him to step through to score quickly in reply.
Unfortunately for them they made alot of forced passes and gave us lots of attacking opportunities, some of which we handled well. David gassed his man on the outside to score one, Ops set Nick a beautiful ins move and Kerhan caught them napping with a quick tap to stroll in. Can't remember the sixth try. It was a good natured game for the most of it - Sean even got a fair heap of man-love from the other team.
Their hyena on the other hand seemed a little frustrated, taking on our team on his own with his searing dummy scoops. He ran like a cheetah and earned them two good tries from them - one to their older sister who worked harder than most of her brothers in their team all game.
Lesson to be learnt: Sort out our mirrors for the scoops
We started off playing incredibly pateintly, and bided our time long enough for Kerhan to receive a longball from Chris. He stepped back in dragging his guy for Chris to slice through with a late cut. They starred a laughing hyena on their team who thought it was funny that we scored. They replied with a quick try, a backdoor that exposed Kerhan's lazy defending. It was their star player who went through: that laughing hyena who giggled all the way to our line. But that was the last time he laughed.
To cover our earlier mistake almost, Chris sent another long ball to Kerhan for him to step through to score quickly in reply.
Unfortunately for them they made alot of forced passes and gave us lots of attacking opportunities, some of which we handled well. David gassed his man on the outside to score one, Ops set Nick a beautiful ins move and Kerhan caught them napping with a quick tap to stroll in. Can't remember the sixth try. It was a good natured game for the most of it - Sean even got a fair heap of man-love from the other team.
Their hyena on the other hand seemed a little frustrated, taking on our team on his own with his searing dummy scoops. He ran like a cheetah and earned them two good tries from them - one to their older sister who worked harder than most of her brothers in their team all game.
Lesson to be learnt: Sort out our mirrors for the scoops
Thursday, November 29, 2007
The Special Ops machine: creating superstars
As some may know, we have had a player named Daniel in our team. He's booted off to Taiwan recently and joined a rugby team there and plays for the wing. No doubt using the skills he gained from his time with us, he's now taken his team to the finals and won - and scored the match winning try.An extract from is his diary:
taiwan is good, our rugby team (national taiwan university) just won the taipei city championship, where i scored the decisive winning try in the final. burnt off 2 guys on the wing to go on and step 2 more others and score under the posts, in a much like christian cullen fashion. :) then some idiot (don't know who) broke our trophy lol, the little man at the top broke off, if it were spec ops i'd immediately blame martin, but my team has no martin so i don't know who it could be. links to photos of me playin rugby here, let me know what you think..http://www.pbase.com/kspage/2007_tpiccc_1 (in this game we owned the other team like 50-5)http://www.pbase.com/kspage/2007_tpiccc_4 (this was the final of the tournament where i scored the winning try in like the last 5 minutes)
On another note:
Rugby players get naked in a New Year's Eve rompSTAFF WRITER Sunday, Jan 02, 2005, Page 3
"All this naked playing on the lawn looks so natural to me. I'm deeply moved. I myself want to take off my clothes and join them."
unnamed female spectator of nude rugbyMore than 20 members of the National Taiwan University (NTU) rugby team celebrated the New Year Friday night in their unique way -- playing rugby naked.
The rugby team, formed by NTU students and alumni, was established in 1946 and is one of the oldest rugby teams in the country. Team members are mostly professionals -- professors, tycoons, doctors, judges, prosecutors and lawyers.
The rugby fanatics caused a sensation by playing rugby nude to celebrate the new millennium; since then it has become a New Year tradition.
"At first, we only wanted to try it once," said team captain "The Wall" (牆壁).
"But it felt fantastic to play rugby with our clothes off. So we decided to make this an annual tradition," he said.
With temperatures in Taipei plummeting to 7oC on New Year's Eve, team members, along with their wives and children, arrived at the campus at about 11:30pm. As the countdown to welcome 2005 began, the teammates took off their clothes while the spectators screamed, laughed and applauded.
"This is the coldest New Year's Eve [in six years]," a member said.
But he was still intent on maintaining the tradition.
"All this naked playing on the lawn looks so natural to me," said one woman who had been invited to the event for the first time. "I'm deeply moved. I myself want to take off my clothes and join them."
Since a student at Chang Gung University was punished by that school's administrators for streaking on campus in June, to avoid trouble the rugby team decided not to allow student members to take part in the naked frolic.
The team practices at NTU at 3pm every Saturday. All rugby lovers are welcome to join in. This story has been viewed 21089 times.
"All this naked playing on the lawn looks so natural to me. I'm deeply moved. I myself want to take off my clothes and join them."
unnamed female spectator of nude rugbyMore than 20 members of the National Taiwan University (NTU) rugby team celebrated the New Year Friday night in their unique way -- playing rugby naked.
The rugby team, formed by NTU students and alumni, was established in 1946 and is one of the oldest rugby teams in the country. Team members are mostly professionals -- professors, tycoons, doctors, judges, prosecutors and lawyers.
The rugby fanatics caused a sensation by playing rugby nude to celebrate the new millennium; since then it has become a New Year tradition.
"At first, we only wanted to try it once," said team captain "The Wall" (牆壁).
"But it felt fantastic to play rugby with our clothes off. So we decided to make this an annual tradition," he said.
With temperatures in Taipei plummeting to 7oC on New Year's Eve, team members, along with their wives and children, arrived at the campus at about 11:30pm. As the countdown to welcome 2005 began, the teammates took off their clothes while the spectators screamed, laughed and applauded.
"This is the coldest New Year's Eve [in six years]," a member said.
But he was still intent on maintaining the tradition.
"All this naked playing on the lawn looks so natural to me," said one woman who had been invited to the event for the first time. "I'm deeply moved. I myself want to take off my clothes and join them."
Since a student at Chang Gung University was punished by that school's administrators for streaking on campus in June, to avoid trouble the rugby team decided not to allow student members to take part in the naked frolic.
The team practices at NTU at 3pm every Saturday. All rugby lovers are welcome to join in. This story has been viewed 21089 times.
As alot of us view this website at work, I felt it was better to keep the nude photos of Daniel out of it.
Okahu Game 6 - Westmere Wanderers
Their team was a no show today, no doubt in fear of our abilities, so we won by default: 5-0
Friday, November 23, 2007
Tamaki Game 4 - 4Show
We played 4Show, who showed up with a team also in red uniform, and also as random seeming as ours: A mixture of whiteys and polys, and a mixture of ages - many of whom were young. One kid there must have been 8 - his step was bloody good though and he does it with a T-shirt would have been too big for even Ops to put on. Oh, and he didn't wear shoes either - these kids on the streets nowadays - all stars in the making (except for our team hobo Richard, because he's living in the office not the streets now).
Anyway we pulled out a good performance and won 7-3, with several more tries that could have come.
In no particular order: Kerhan ripped an intercept like a seagull near their line for an easy one; Dean did a breakdancer's dive to get a strange quickie try; David on the wing was marked by the little kid - and took a bullying advantage of him (and gave it for Dean's next score); Nick L parted their defensive line by spitting a dummy without actually faking a pass; we did an effective Two's drive for Nick L to walk over; Dean's Sonic the Hedgehog acceleration put someone on wing to score and David got another one somehow - probably by hogging the ball.
It was a good boost for team morale and we're starting to get those Two's working (as well as teamwork).
I wasn't watching when they scored their tries.
Lesson to be learnt: Its easier to win when playing against children.
Anyway we pulled out a good performance and won 7-3, with several more tries that could have come.
In no particular order: Kerhan ripped an intercept like a seagull near their line for an easy one; Dean did a breakdancer's dive to get a strange quickie try; David on the wing was marked by the little kid - and took a bullying advantage of him (and gave it for Dean's next score); Nick L parted their defensive line by spitting a dummy without actually faking a pass; we did an effective Two's drive for Nick L to walk over; Dean's Sonic the Hedgehog acceleration put someone on wing to score and David got another one somehow - probably by hogging the ball.
It was a good boost for team morale and we're starting to get those Two's working (as well as teamwork).
I wasn't watching when they scored their tries.
Lesson to be learnt: Its easier to win when playing against children.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Okahu Bay - Comp Game 2
We played the All Drunks. Actually we all played like drunks. Lots of dropped balls. The ball we used was pumped up to look like a basketball and its grip was like that of Jono's new mo: bare and smooth. Anyway, we beat this clearly rugby-converted social team 5-1, even with a ref too lazy to call half the penalties, or put his shirt on properly for that matter.
We opened up with a nice cut from Dean, and putting it through the hands through Stu, Sean was sent in for an easy try - a good way to impress his girlfriend who finally showed up to support him! Dean then opened a can of whoopass and stole one of their passes and wheeled the length of the field to to score an intercept try that would make Habana proud.
Stu later shot his man too early (under poor instruction from team mates) and they ran through that gap to score. That got us going and we soon got sick of trying out Two's driving pattern (which we WILL get right, sooner or later) and we just stuck to what we knew: do three ups then give the balls to our middle operators. We scored two tries with simple Quickies, and in between those Sean (for the first time ever) broke the line with a scoop and (for the first time ever?) got the pass out to Jono to score.
Amidst all this were some real bullshit play from the other team - but I said that I'd try to keep these posts positve.
Lesson to be learnt: Mimic this score line every time and we'll win every game.
We opened up with a nice cut from Dean, and putting it through the hands through Stu, Sean was sent in for an easy try - a good way to impress his girlfriend who finally showed up to support him! Dean then opened a can of whoopass and stole one of their passes and wheeled the length of the field to to score an intercept try that would make Habana proud.
Stu later shot his man too early (under poor instruction from team mates) and they ran through that gap to score. That got us going and we soon got sick of trying out Two's driving pattern (which we WILL get right, sooner or later) and we just stuck to what we knew: do three ups then give the balls to our middle operators. We scored two tries with simple Quickies, and in between those Sean (for the first time ever) broke the line with a scoop and (for the first time ever?) got the pass out to Jono to score.
Amidst all this were some real bullshit play from the other team - but I said that I'd try to keep these posts positve.
Lesson to be learnt: Mimic this score line every time and we'll win every game.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Tamaki Game 3 - Galaxy
Against what is (or was) known to be one of the top touch clubs around, we went here a lil nervous. This game became a reverse of last week's match where they took us on with 6 players only and won 6-2.
They played a controlled game with very straight driving patterns. We played a game that rarely reached their five meter lines. There's a team out there called the meter-eaters. We could have called ourselves the meter-wasters as we took forever to recycle our ball. The ref played a lenient game, letting them get away with passing the ball at us and restarting the count. He let us get away with some terrible ball planting. Kerhan angled planted so badly he was almost facing backwards. Perhaps its not a penalty when you're so angled that you're parallel to the try lines.
Good work from wring-in Daniel for trying to create something everytime he was on the field. He set Chris up for an easy try with a simple scooper's run. Later in the game Nick L scooped too. Heading down the open-side direction moe-Joe cut too soon leaving him with half the width of the field with no support players. Luckily he found someone to give it to eventually.
Their tries were sharp - nothing lucky or flukey. Several other times they threatened to score quite easily against us. Nonetheless we are definitely improving as a team. Not long ago these guys would have washed us out with a bigger margin.
Lesson to be learnt: Do what Daniel does.
They played a controlled game with very straight driving patterns. We played a game that rarely reached their five meter lines. There's a team out there called the meter-eaters. We could have called ourselves the meter-wasters as we took forever to recycle our ball. The ref played a lenient game, letting them get away with passing the ball at us and restarting the count. He let us get away with some terrible ball planting. Kerhan angled planted so badly he was almost facing backwards. Perhaps its not a penalty when you're so angled that you're parallel to the try lines.
Good work from wring-in Daniel for trying to create something everytime he was on the field. He set Chris up for an easy try with a simple scooper's run. Later in the game Nick L scooped too. Heading down the open-side direction moe-Joe cut too soon leaving him with half the width of the field with no support players. Luckily he found someone to give it to eventually.
Their tries were sharp - nothing lucky or flukey. Several other times they threatened to score quite easily against us. Nonetheless we are definitely improving as a team. Not long ago these guys would have washed us out with a bigger margin.
Lesson to be learnt: Do what Daniel does.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Okahu Comp Game 1 - Ginyu Force
The flood gates have opened. Competition rounds at Okahu started this week for us and there's no more messing around. Alas we lost 5-3.
The ref to his credit was much better than last week's wanker and the Ginyu Force were a whole new team this time round. They ran hard yards and defended like war heroes. Maybe it was no co-incidence that one of their players wore an army cap and the other looked like a Taliban? Like us, they also starred a token white guy. To our credit we kept up with their tempo.
Their five tries were smartly constructed: The first two were off quickies and they simply yoga-dived too low for our ungraced backs to bend. Their next came off poor mirroring on our behalf, followed by an "Ins" in behind Sean's arse that would have made every homosexual grab at their own arses in sodomized disbelief. Their final to seal the game was through our terrible cornering leaving poor Dean cross-eyed marking two of their guys.
Their tries were constructed - but ours were identical and individual: left to the solo efforts of Chris, Lau and Dean off their quickies diving through a parted defensive line. It left their men falling at their heels.
Its a pity though, we blotched three tries. After a slicing their line open, Dean set us up with an open try line and three players to for Chris to choose to pass to from dummy. He picked Sean, who caught the ball like a vollyball spiker. Chris later broke their line again running like bomberman does. He passed it to Richard who fumbled it after getting too excited about his try scoring opportunity. Finally, Chris (is there a pattern here?) ran another good dummy run and gave it to Nick B who was open - it was a high pass even for a tall guy and he couldn't quite grab it.
Good game, good ref, and a lot of respect for the other team.
The ref to his credit was much better than last week's wanker and the Ginyu Force were a whole new team this time round. They ran hard yards and defended like war heroes. Maybe it was no co-incidence that one of their players wore an army cap and the other looked like a Taliban? Like us, they also starred a token white guy. To our credit we kept up with their tempo.
Their five tries were smartly constructed: The first two were off quickies and they simply yoga-dived too low for our ungraced backs to bend. Their next came off poor mirroring on our behalf, followed by an "Ins" in behind Sean's arse that would have made every homosexual grab at their own arses in sodomized disbelief. Their final to seal the game was through our terrible cornering leaving poor Dean cross-eyed marking two of their guys.
Their tries were constructed - but ours were identical and individual: left to the solo efforts of Chris, Lau and Dean off their quickies diving through a parted defensive line. It left their men falling at their heels.
Its a pity though, we blotched three tries. After a slicing their line open, Dean set us up with an open try line and three players to for Chris to choose to pass to from dummy. He picked Sean, who caught the ball like a vollyball spiker. Chris later broke their line again running like bomberman does. He passed it to Richard who fumbled it after getting too excited about his try scoring opportunity. Finally, Chris (is there a pattern here?) ran another good dummy run and gave it to Nick B who was open - it was a high pass even for a tall guy and he couldn't quite grab it.
Good game, good ref, and a lot of respect for the other team.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Game review - Tamaki Game 2
If you weren't here, you missed out big time. This was the Christopher Viravuth Lim show, and Wha Kare was the audience. We showed up with only six players and played against a pretty structured team that had its sub boxes looking full. Sean, Jimmy C, David, Nick and Kerhan served their purpose - to hold out Wha Kare team from scoring and to give the ball to Chris to weave his magic.
His first try was a whopper: receiving a poor pass he slipped through two players using his mouse-running-into-its-hole style of running.
His second try was a double-whopper, it happened by a huge turn from his running angle - some call it a step. This was too good to be called a step.
His third try was a double whopper with "this is for you Louisa" written all over it, a change in pace - simply by changing gears from running fast to running faster.
Wha Kare scored three good tries against us - but somehow we got a fourth try which no one knew about... so we won 4-3.
Lesson to be learnt: Disregard previous lessons regarding bringing the whole team down. Just bring Chris down and five other players.
His first try was a whopper: receiving a poor pass he slipped through two players using his mouse-running-into-its-hole style of running.
His second try was a double-whopper, it happened by a huge turn from his running angle - some call it a step. This was too good to be called a step.
His third try was a double whopper with "this is for you Louisa" written all over it, a change in pace - simply by changing gears from running fast to running faster.
Wha Kare scored three good tries against us - but somehow we got a fourth try which no one knew about... so we won 4-3.
Lesson to be learnt: Disregard previous lessons regarding bringing the whole team down. Just bring Chris down and five other players.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Game Review - Okahu Bay game 3
The final grading game- we were up against the Ginyu Force, or was it the Force Ginyu? Sheesh I left the game feeling very confused thanks to the referee: Are you on when he tells you that you are - only for him to tell you that you were off? Or is a forward pass okay, and is having a ball thrown at your chest called playing the ball, and the big question - is a touch a NO TOUCH?
Our team left Lloyd Elsemore because we were sick of useless refs that worship Wayne Barnes in their wet dreams. We wanted refs who knew the rules: deviation, rolling, and that our team is always right. Why do we have to work so hard to score four tries - thanks to some David "what the hell is going on" Lau magic stepping, a lucky intercept, a penalty try, and a dummy scooper?
Lesson to be learnt: play to the ref - luckily for us, he was make some poor decisions for the other team too.
Our team left Lloyd Elsemore because we were sick of useless refs that worship Wayne Barnes in their wet dreams. We wanted refs who knew the rules: deviation, rolling, and that our team is always right. Why do we have to work so hard to score four tries - thanks to some David "what the hell is going on" Lau magic stepping, a lucky intercept, a penalty try, and a dummy scooper?
Lesson to be learnt: play to the ref - luckily for us, he was make some poor decisions for the other team too.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Game Review - Tamaki Game 1
On a wet day we played The Heat, with some of their players young enough to wet their pants in bed. Yet again we only had a few of our guys, but BIGUPS to our wring-ins Daniel and Adam for beefing up our numbers to 7. Somehow, the game went wrong, and we lost it 6-4 to a team that dived hard into the slippery turf to stop our tries - many of them fingertips on skin hairs...
We on the other hand were less committed on defence, and they bombarded us with dummy scoopers and other stupid things like that which scored 6 tries. They obviously wanted to win more than we did. Maybe that had to do with their neighborhood - tough times growing up in Panmure, as Jules which testify. If these players lived anything like she did when she stayed out there, they'd be sleeping in a car garage fighting it out with all their siblings all night for who would get the floor to sleep on. Yeah, that's probably why they won...
Lesson to be learnt - as with game 1! Bring the whole bloody team down!!!!
We on the other hand were less committed on defence, and they bombarded us with dummy scoopers and other stupid things like that which scored 6 tries. They obviously wanted to win more than we did. Maybe that had to do with their neighborhood - tough times growing up in Panmure, as Jules which testify. If these players lived anything like she did when she stayed out there, they'd be sleeping in a car garage fighting it out with all their siblings all night for who would get the floor to sleep on. Yeah, that's probably why they won...
Lesson to be learnt - as with game 1! Bring the whole bloody team down!!!!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Game review - Okahu Bay 2 - Bled Dogs
Score 6 - 5 Win
Players: Chris, Nick, Sean, Stuart, Martin, Ops, Leeroy, David
Before the game there was a bitta panic, as our 15 strong team had been whittled down to 6 for the day, but with Ops bringing Leeroy, and Martin finally figuring out that the season had started, it brought us to a sweet 8 players.
Now...the game started Really well for us, when these promo ppl started handing out free Poweraid bottles to us. David managed to scavenge away 6 of em, the thief. The magic formula musta had the placebo effect, as our confidence was running high in the first few minutes. Evidence is one of David's tries with a HUGE step off the left foot, that had the opposing player falling on his ass.
The Bled Dogs weren't too bad, after we'd get a try, they'd get one back, so it was always a one try difference. They also musta been short on players, or we just tired them out, cos they bought on some of their unsuspecting female supporters. In the end we managed to stay one ahead of them, which is a good first win for the Okahu Comp.
Highlights of the match:
- Davids awesome left step, tried it once and didnt work, then his second go a second later left the opposition on the floor
- Martins awesome catch. Typically Martin catches the ball in his groin region, as he did today, but this pass was a massive cross field pass! Well done to Martin
- Chris' awesome dive touch. Chris dived and managed to clip the players heel. If not for that, it woulda been a sure try
Players: Chris, Nick, Sean, Stuart, Martin, Ops, Leeroy, David
Before the game there was a bitta panic, as our 15 strong team had been whittled down to 6 for the day, but with Ops bringing Leeroy, and Martin finally figuring out that the season had started, it brought us to a sweet 8 players.
Now...the game started Really well for us, when these promo ppl started handing out free Poweraid bottles to us. David managed to scavenge away 6 of em, the thief. The magic formula musta had the placebo effect, as our confidence was running high in the first few minutes. Evidence is one of David's tries with a HUGE step off the left foot, that had the opposing player falling on his ass.
The Bled Dogs weren't too bad, after we'd get a try, they'd get one back, so it was always a one try difference. They also musta been short on players, or we just tired them out, cos they bought on some of their unsuspecting female supporters. In the end we managed to stay one ahead of them, which is a good first win for the Okahu Comp.
Highlights of the match:
- Davids awesome left step, tried it once and didnt work, then his second go a second later left the opposition on the floor
- Martins awesome catch. Typically Martin catches the ball in his groin region, as he did today, but this pass was a massive cross field pass! Well done to Martin
- Chris' awesome dive touch. Chris dived and managed to clip the players heel. If not for that, it woulda been a sure try
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Game review - Okahu Bay 1 - Who said fat people couldn't run?
Turns out we were playing the "Alky Bots" - transformers on alcohol. Sounds like a team not to be messed with. These guys were real fat aye, but they used it to their advantage to cover the width of the field. Suddenly our gaps were minimized to the size of mouse holes, and our team was unable to squeeze through them, fearing the worse: that we might have got squashed. Nonetheless credit to them, after leading us 3-0 they held on for a 4-3 win. They were a well-drilled team that played a smarter brand of footy than us, putting their very big guys into space to score four times.
Lesson to be learnt - gotta bring our whole team to the game next time: can't just get away with bringing half our guys.
Lesson to be learnt - gotta bring our whole team to the game next time: can't just get away with bringing half our guys.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Love interest page
This is necessary as we know that alot of readers are interested in our team members. We are very attractive.
Jules - for sale. Worth her height in gold. Needs a man taller than 2.00 m and has the ability to care, love, and respect her needs. He should look like Jono.
Jules - for sale. Worth her height in gold. Needs a man taller than 2.00 m and has the ability to care, love, and respect her needs. He should look like Jono.
The girls of Special Ops
We've had so many.
Nikki "that way Nikki!!!!" Seto - scored a try for us.
Sarah "Stu's sister" Young - is in the team due to family relations.
Sarah "Not Stu's sister" Young - is in the team because she asked to be.
Jules "COME ON BOYS" Teh - is a one woman cheer leading squad.
Daniel "butt cramp" Lim - Team albino. Genetic testing showed that she wasn't a he. Always a favourite with strange women and Canterbury men.
Nikki "that way Nikki!!!!" Seto - scored a try for us.
Sarah "Stu's sister" Young - is in the team due to family relations.
Sarah "Not Stu's sister" Young - is in the team because she asked to be.
Jules "COME ON BOYS" Teh - is a one woman cheer leading squad.
Daniel "butt cramp" Lim - Team albino. Genetic testing showed that she wasn't a he. Always a favourite with strange women and Canterbury men.
Top 6 touch injuries
6. Mark gets beaten up by the other team because he made a touch with his foot. Because his playing strip got ripped in the fight, he is unable to play for us anymore.
5. Richard 'pass me the ball' Wong - After his legs were disabled. his hands were also taken out. Struggles to catch a ball generally, even harder when his hands are fully taped up. Known from then as a nuisance on the field because of his disabilities.
4. Stuart 'roll off the ground' Young - Easter 2007. After regular cramping, the only way to sub off the field without walking was to roll. So that's what he did, from the other side of the field.
3. Daniel 'ball in the face' Lim - Easter 2006. After seeing Erin Fong's nuts in the team bedroom, Erin decided to show Daniel his other ball skills, but this time it was a touch ball from zero range.
2. Richard 'I want my mummy' Wong - Easter 2007. Vs Canterbury Mens. Horrific injury that ended the game literally. After the aid of team mate Daniel, his injuries became apparent as school girl like screams echoed around the park.
This below photo is the aftermath. We couldn't beat Canterbury, so we asked them to feel sorry for us at least.
1. Daniel 'butt cramp' Lim - Easter 2007,. this unfortunate injury happened under serious circumstances, before the game whilst training. Took him out for 4 games due to his chronic ass crramps. Rectified later in the team van
6. Mark gets beaten up by the other team because he made a touch with his foot. Because his playing strip got ripped in the fight, he is unable to play for us anymore.
5. Richard 'pass me the ball' Wong - After his legs were disabled. his hands were also taken out. Struggles to catch a ball generally, even harder when his hands are fully taped up. Known from then as a nuisance on the field because of his disabilities.
4. Stuart 'roll off the ground' Young - Easter 2007. After regular cramping, the only way to sub off the field without walking was to roll. So that's what he did, from the other side of the field.
3. Daniel 'ball in the face' Lim - Easter 2006. After seeing Erin Fong's nuts in the team bedroom, Erin decided to show Daniel his other ball skills, but this time it was a touch ball from zero range.
2. Richard 'I want my mummy' Wong - Easter 2007. Vs Canterbury Mens. Horrific injury that ended the game literally. After the aid of team mate Daniel, his injuries became apparent as school girl like screams echoed around the park.
This below photo is the aftermath. We couldn't beat Canterbury, so we asked them to feel sorry for us at least.
1. Daniel 'butt cramp' Lim - Easter 2007,. this unfortunate injury happened under serious circumstances, before the game whilst training. Took him out for 4 games due to his chronic ass crramps. Rectified later in the team van
Player profiles - David
The youngest on our team, still with train-track teeth. Newest addition on our team too, we picked him up at 17, fresh out of puberty (his voice is the deepest in the team) as we needed someone to do the running for us. He's also a rep player, so that means he's good enough to play for us.
His skills - going to school.
His skills - going to school.
Player profiles - Joe
The enforcer of our team. He speaks with confidence, if only he'd run that way. We like practicing against him because he's easy. He's not very fast. Quick thinker but slow on the field. A cop so a natural at catching PI offenders.
His skills are chasing people from behind.
His skills are chasing people from behind.
Player profiles - Richard
Richard James Robert Wong is the envy of all women with his slim frame whilst he eats like a hobo. He's a very fast runner, and a very fast cramper too. His legs buckled pretty badly in one game, screaming for his mummy and his money. Who said Scrooge McDuck couldn't play sports? ...Nah he's actually a really generous guy, he's part of Rotaract after all. Outside of touch rugby, he works 25 hours a day, thanks to his excellent ability to organize himself.
His skills are defence
Player profile - Jimmy Chong
Our honest worker. He's always got a smile on his face you'd think he won the Lotto. In fact he kind of had, when he got invited to join our team. As a doctor in training, we knew that we needed a medic on the touch field in case we got touched too hard. True to the study nature of a medical doctor, Jimmy is always putting in the hard yards and is ever-ready to do the grinding out work.
His skills are studying
His skills are studying
Player profile - Jono
The lady's man. Thanks to him, we were also able to form a mixed touch team, which features girls and boobies. He's got freckles.
His skills are being reliable and showing up to our games
Player profiles - Jimmy Dai
The team clown, and he doesn't even realize it. His left is right but his right is left. Remember the old brain joke: His brain has a problem - his left hemisphere has nothing right in it and his right hemisphere has nothing left in it. I'm not saying he's dumb by the way - he's very smart. He's an accountant.
His skills 'GWEEDY"
Pre Special Ops
Before the days of the mighty Special Ops, there existed another invincible team named Special FX. Below is the only known video of that team in action.
Player profiles - Martin
Shit, where do we start with this guy? We call him Martin Nonu because of his freak ability to break the line, but at the same time his erraticness in catching his balls. Other teams fear him because he looks like Bruce Lee. He's got dragon-strength - at 55 kg have you seen his triceps? Of course not, you have to take a step back to see it. This guy has the most potential in our team, he runs very fast, so fast that he's known for scoring on the other field too. Anyway, it can be hard to take this guy seriously - he grafitis on the aeroplane parts that his engineering team repairs and he celebrates his birthday twice a year.
His skills are chasing plastic bags that got blown away.
Player profiles - Stuart
Started the "Special" phenomenon by captaining a team named the Special Effects. Little is known about that team other than the fact that he led it. That team must have really been down the gutter, as he now claims to have Alzhemer's Disease and can't remember a thing. Stuart's skills are there for all to see - he always wins the shuttle runs. Unfortunately the Tamaki Touch comp won't be able to witness that as he's opting to go drinking with his workmates every Friday instead.
His skills are forgetting about the past
Player profiles - Chris
His birthday is in January - had to write that as we always forget. He's also known as the grass cutter, he leaves touch fields in torrid states with his boot-work. He's the Gregan of touch rugby, he chats to the ref constantly, teaching them how to play the game and that sort of thing. Its great to have him on the team - he's always enthusiastic about putting his body on the line. A Schalk Burger of touch rugby too I guess you could say. His trademark dive is to look like a frog entering into the water.
His skills - as his girlfriend.
His skills - as his girlfriend.
Player profiles - Sean Lim
Sean "Yew Chern" Lim is our competitive defender. As he has an aversion to diving (it hurts his arm) he runs extra hard on defence to touch offenders. He's got a very good understanding of the game, but that counts for little as he walks and thus runs funny - its to do with the way he positions his feet on the ground.
His skills - dancing.
Player profiles - Nick Burbridge
The token white guy. We used to have two of them but Daniel left the team after we bullied him too much. Its a funny thing these Albinos, you'd think they weren't healthy people but they run fast. As a result, Nick is our #1 finisher, his spot is on the wing but he has potential to be awesome in the middle. It must be to do with Western culture, they want their fingers in all the pies. Anyway, true to his genetics he is also tall.
His skills: fast runner.
His skills: fast runner.
Player profiles - Nick Lim
The youngest on our team, also the oldest looking. He has a scar on his face, so don't touch him - he might go down on you (or should we say, up on you), yes he's also the shortest - so he's a real Napoleon. The story about little dogs biting the hardest is true, a bit of a quickie this one. He gets onto the the field looking like one mean bullpup reading to touch everything.
His skills - passing from the base of the ruck.
Coach profiles - Opura Takatikatungatooga
Opura Takatikatungatooga (sorry, typo may be present) is the coach of our team. He picked out our team of (then) losers from the Lloyd Elsemore competition and turned us into winners and whingers. Without him, Special Ops touch would simply be Special Needs touch. He taught us to respect Islander touch stylez and realize our potential in the game.
His skills are passing.
His skills are passing.
Player profiles - Kerhan
They say that teams are built on individuals. The truth of this touch team is that Special Ops is based on one individual. The Special Ops touch team without Kerhan would just be The Ops touch team - he is simply talismatic.
His skills are running back fast (after being blitzed by the scooper)
Special Ops touch team blog
This blog has been created to later make a proper website dedicated to our very special touching team - the Special Ops.
We're a bunch of very fine individuals who have a heart for grabbing other men at their shoulders and love spinning our balls. Soon the world will hear of us through our website and spread the word - "FEAR US OKAHU BAY! FEAR US TAMAKI TOUCH!"
We're a bunch of very fine individuals who have a heart for grabbing other men at their shoulders and love spinning our balls. Soon the world will hear of us through our website and spread the word - "FEAR US OKAHU BAY! FEAR US TAMAKI TOUCH!"
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