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.
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