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.
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