United v Roanoke
Again we strung together some nice periods of rugby: we set up Matt Bracken for his first try ever--it was a true team try: Cody made a brilliant pass after going into contact with support all around. Those moves are the ones we must remember and have a burning desire to replicate. Obviously, we need to create many more scoring opportunities to lift ourselves out of the loser's column. We have the "DNA" to do it! We simply must access it more often in the match.
Va Gents V Virginia Old Boys
The fashbacks were coming in rapid succession on this one. Virginia legends Lance Vandercastle,Courtney Hoopes were their. Yet , the Va Gents tight five of Butler,Kennedy,Manning,Gilgolye,Punch was on today. We crushed them in the scrummaging--as Virginia sent in waves of substitutions in the front row--to no avail. Corker, Toney, Sarisky our looseys gave our backline enough ball for Sweet to orchestrate the scoring. Dan , Murph,Brian were solid. We won! We were in the finals v awesome Raleigh.
Va Gents v Raleigh OB
The Raleigh OB blew us away 2 weks ago, but they were in our house today. We matched up in the scrummaging and loose ball. Gilfoyle was a titan in the lineouts. We had a chance to win this one---what a change from two weeks ago, but we must tip our hats to Raleighs enterprise and willingness to attack with the ball into open space. Ivan Mortan, their leader, is a gifted player and he launched enough of his mates into gapes , creaking joints and all, to out score us
March 30 v Newport News
Newport News has improved since the last time that we played them but their level of play has gone up nearly as much as ours has gone down We kept them in their end of the field most of the game but repeatedly suffered from breaksowns in our defense. They should have bought us beers after we gave up the ball repeadedly in open play.
Steve and Cody were the only trully bright sponts that I noticed. Cody was all over the field in support and his defense as much as anything kept NN in their own territory most of the game. Steve's kicking was near perfect and it was inspiring to see the oldest player (old enought to be President of the USA) on our A side following his own kicks and beating the younger backs downfield to make tackles deep in Newport News end.
Backs were either too out of shape or too distracted to aligh steep and take the ball at pace. We were so flat on our restarts that only a perfect pass would work. The pack was slow to the ball. For example, JR took the ball into contact right in front of our forwards drove 3 opponents five meters---still no support. We have to come up with a new name for crash ball. Crash is much to violent a term for what we are doing. We are going into contact expecting to be tackled rather that expecting to run through the tackle.
It doesn't matter that we don't have a lot of players this season. Only 15 players can be on the field of play; our problem is the manner in which those 15 are playing.
We have the opportunity to finish the season with character and hard play. I hope we get our heads straight and start playing like we are capable.
Respectfully submitted,
Danny
I missed the first match so I ain't talking about it. The second match v Blackwater was fun to watch. Tyler and Bowman looked powerful in the close contact running. Matt Bracken showed that he is a powerful runnner able to take contact and break away. Our old mate, Shawn Bailey returned this weekend and scored a couple of tries for us, Thanks Bucket. Corker, the Old Boy/Va. Gents, also dotted down twice proving once again that age and treachery can overcome youth and enthusiasm. Dennis demonstrated savy ball handling and accurate well timed kicking---Dennis scored, at least, two trys too. Mike at hooker looked great. Another,old boy, Dan at center had some nice runs.
Best regards to all,
Cary
There a number of things that made me proud to be part of our club today.
12 Old Boys were willing to make the trip to Raleigh to join in a game against some of the toughest Old Boy competition in the mid-Atlantic. After the first period we were somewhat competitive. Maybe they just got tired of scoring so many tries in the first period; maybe it was the three relatively young backs that they loaned to us ; maybe it was the fact that we never gave up.
17 United players made the trip and what initially seemed o be a negative actually turned out to set the stage for some of my prouder moments since I rejoined our club. We played tough and never gave up but still endured a good whipping. They ran hard and straight penetrating our defenses with plenty of support. We had our moments though. For example, we won our ball and earned a pushover try that we can take consolation.
But my pride did not come from the results of the match. It came from the character of the team and the way that we dealt with adversity. Dennis, our talented Aussie scrumhalf, accepted his assighent to play flanker without complaint and performed with distinction.
Tim Crum had a superlative game at second row with a nice breakaway run that made me wish that some more second rows would show up so we can have Tim in the backline, his natural position.
Mat Mackenzie had no business whatsoever playing as well as he did. In his first rugby season, Matt really should not be required to face Raleigh's A side. Who would have thought that he would field kicks so calmly and react so well. Where did he learn to tackle like an NFL linebacker? How did he support so well. Matt stepped up.
Steve Griffith's cool head and stellar example of gamemanship provided the "glue" that held us together.<> After playing 80 hard minutes the A side showed thier true character and took the field for the B game. Alas, Raleigh's B side is no much worse than their A side and we were again faced with a difficult opponent. We did not complain about our mates that stayed in Richmond, some with good excuses others with just excuses.
Raleigh gives us much to emulate in addition to their excellent play. We need to extract their recipe for keeping players involved through their Old Boy years. We also could derive wisdom in how they manage to attract and retain talented and committed players.
Respectfully,
Danny Patterson
Perfect playing conditions for our three matches (OB,A,B) at the new rugby ground established by Raleigh RFC. I am not motivated to comment specifically to our play---we lost all three matches. Physically and atheletically we seemed to match up with Raleigh but to Raleigh's credit they presented a consistency and willingness to attack on their feet that we cannot match, at least, not yet. The sportmanship was high; we have much to benefit by continueing our competitive relationship with Raleigh not only on the field but in the way they hosted us and the remarkable rugby ground they have created.
The bus ride to and from the competition was a pleasure --lots of chat, rugby videos, and a few brews on the return leg. Special mention to our new players Tim and Matt for thier committed play.
Best regards,
Cary
ps. I encouage anyone who wishes to share some commentary on our matches. Forward your text and I will gladly publish it here.
Okay, we lost 41-7. I see no value in illuminating what we "should" be doing or how we "need" to improve. I can say without a doubt that we have the inherent capacity and will to raise our standard of play. Our will and determination is clearly evident in our cover defense. Steve, Pat, Will,Cody,Phil, to name a few, showed outstanding determination in covering the breaks and making the solo tackles. If we are capable of that hard work and we emphatically are, we can convert that will into getting our attack and ball retention moving forward up the pitch.
Our kick and chase seems to serve us well---if the pack is going backward its often the only option Nigel has to take. NIgel's tactical kicks remain an outstanding element to our play and Aram, Will, and Pat covered the high kicks with predatory glee. We scored our only try off this element. I think Aram touched it down and Will made the conversion. Dennis, our Aussie mate at scrumhalf, showed courage and vision advancing the ball in contact. Dennis has remarkable ability to absorb contact on his feet and continue to survey for support. Dennis has nice quick kick over the back too. Our flankers will adjust to his style in time.
Let us never underestimate our ability to convert detemination and will into good technical skills which have yet to emerge in a consistent manner in the close contact stuff. Its there--just under the surface---we have yet to access the full aspect of our "rugby DNA," as Danny Patterson would say.
The B side match was highlighted by outstanding loose play by Tim and eye catching defense from both of the Pattersons. Remarkable to see Danny make three tackles in a row off Frederick's reclycled ball.
We train tuesday--thurs off this week.
See ya on the pitch
Cary
We dropped this one 12-7. Our effort was focused but we really had no answer to the powerful scrummaging and spoiling lineout tactics from the Marines. Nigel at flyhalf relieved us from constant defensive pressure with outstanding tactical kicks off poor ball and penalty marks. We had enough territorial advantage but nearly all our attacking forays around the scrum and the backline were stunted by the committed Marine defense. To their credit, the Marines were young , quick, powerful, and showed technical skills with their ball retention. We finally recognized Marine weakness at 14 and 15. Our kick and chase seemed to serve us best today. Benner was outstanding in covering Nigels high cross field kicks and Moore scored our sole try off a high kick to some Marine miscues with the ball to the touchdown. Difficult conversion by Moore. We had a similar opportunity to win the match in the end off nearly the same senerio (a high kick) but the moment passed us by it was not to be and the final whistle blew.
Special mention to Moore and Coleman for their low powerful tackling. Some nice hits from Tim, our new lock. Sutton was the titan that kept us from total implosion. Sutton cleaned up crap ball on the turf as we backed up and was able to slow up the Marines with some cagey steals and ball delay tactics.
In conclusion, we were lucky to have a chance to win the match in the final seconds; we just did not match up well with the Marine pace not that we could'nt on a better day. We haven't played or had much live rugby training since November and it showed. For example, late in the first half we had the ball deep inside the Marine 22 and proceeded to lose 5 of our own lineouts in a row! We won the sixth lineout and commenced a driving maul only to have it stolen. Our ball carriers seemed to have real difficulty in presenting the ball in contact---we just were not ready for real live rugby. We had only 15 mates at the thursday training session prior to this match; so one could say that our first match this season was really our first live training session for the spring! We will have better days for sure.
Thank you Jerry Manning for the hospitality tent--
Reported by Cary Kennedy
In that I was occupied with the WM lads that day, I witnessed only a portion of the United effort. Did run touch for our victory over USS Enterprise and the standout elements to our play in this match centered on the consistent and devasting manner in which Eric Payne and Cody Sutton were able to punch holes in the defense and off load the ball to our speedy backs in support. Brian Patterson seized upon a trademark burst by Cody who managed to occupy two to three defenders and off loaded to Brian at full speed. Nothing fancy but unstoppable under the circumstanses. We have the elements of play and the talent to produce remarkable 7's play---consistensy and more confidence in all our options with the ball in hand and we will be able to challange any side in the future. No more formal sevens until May---lets resolve to organize and prepare an outstanding side for our home tournemnt, Monk Vaughn 7's, starting in late April.
The Virginia Rugby Club consists of some fine young men and athletes who are developing their game plus a few old geezers. Having handed them easily earlier in the season we took it relatively easy on them and to their credit they gave us everything they had. This was a close game at times but in the end our backs were too much for them. Willem single handedly scored twice with beautiful runs that truly make me regret the absence of instant replay. Brian Patterson had several hard-nosed runs, one of which resulted in a try. Steve kept the pressure off with well placed kicks and Joe kept the pressure on at wing by fielding some tough kicks in traffic and keeping the attack alive. Mike McMaster supported well throughout the game and was there to finish a beatiful movement for a try. The final was something like 30-15.
Our second game v Norfolk was going very well until the opening kickoff and it was all downhill from there. Their backs and back row ran fast and hard and they played defense just as hard. Rather than listing the United players who scored tries., it may be more appropriate to list those who made tackles. We had several bright moments with Brian P. penetrating on two occasions with determined runs and brightest of all was a valiant effort by the pack at Norfolk's try line that after several phases resulted in Steve supporting in close and putting in a try to avoid a shutout. The final score was 70-7 and we all knew that it was not a matter of bad luck, biased referee, or any other excuse. We just got our asses whipped.
I had hoped to end my United coaching career on a brighter note but Raleigh was confused about the time of our Sunday match and showed up only after United had been awarded a forfeit. In the end we took third in the State without an oppportunity to earn it.
It was a pleasure to be part of one of the best administrated clubs around. I appreciate this opportunity to renew old rugby friendships and establish new ones. The rugby part of my DNA was revived and I am actuallly thinking about training during the off season to prepare for Old Boys in the spring. There were a number of players who allowed me to help them a great deal and that is the real reward of coaching. In every organization whether at work or play there is always the 1% who are negative and if unchecked they somehow manage to carry about a 50% weight in the overall attitude of the group. United has some work to do in this area.
Thank you for allowing me to be a part of the team this fall.
It was a perfect fall day, the grandstands were full of naive but keen spectators about 500 plus in addition to several thousand milling about the pavilions and clan tents about 50 to 100 yards away. The sound of bagpipes weaved throught the air. T'was a good day for the Old Boys to test themseves again and die if necessary. A consistent 18-20 degree slope extented the length of the field touchline to touchline; it was hilarious but reminded me of playing conditions in the 70's. We felt at home. Therefore all the action flowed downhill. Nobody in their right mind would run up that grade. Our pack was massive with 280lb Butler,270lb Cauthorn,260 lb Edrich not to mention towering Gilfoyl and Punch. Due to our outstanding speed and fitness in the pack we elected to keep it in close off the restarts. We will let the young folks do all that rucking and running. We scored our two trys in the right corner. Dan, at scrumhalf, took the ball right off a wheeling scrum and scored untouched from about 15 meters away. Our last try was a Butler classic. It was late in the second half--we were spent and exhausted but managed to camp out in the right corner for an eternity until finally Sam awarded us a penalty---initial thought was to go for points but we could all see that Marc Butler was playing an inspired game---his father passed away on thursday and was buried yesterday. The plan was simple ---Dan taps and gives to Butler-the pack follows. We decided moments before the tap that this one was for Marc's Father. Good lord what a surge by Butler! He takes it straight at about five of their biggest forwards--goes in high-titantic crash-drive-then Marc drops and twists to the left (old wrestler that he is) and annihilates about 3 other desperate defenders--still about 5 meters from the line--Marc stands them all up then drops again and twists to the right for final gigantic effort and successful touchdown. He had , at least, half dozen defenders hanging on him but it made little difference. Most astounding effort I have witnessed in many a match but then again Butler has done it before and he had plenty of reason to show us all again his unstoppable will in close. Thanks, Marc, it was a pleasure and a memory I will cherish.
Post match awards. Click here.
Oct 20 v Roanoke
Reported By Danny Patterson,Coach
If you are ever presented with the following choices:
A. Show up for a match with a hangover
B. Kick your coach in the balls
Please select option B
If you are ever presented with the following choices:
A.Allow yourself to be selected for the A Side and then no show.
B.KIck you coach in the balls.
Again,please select option B.
It is my view that our loss to Roanoke rests squarely on the shoulders of two people who took option A rather than option B. Their action effectively doused the competitive fire that had built within their United teammates for this important league match and as a result we played a horrible first half before we could regain our spirit. It is a tribute to our team character that we were able to bounce back in the second half and play some real rugby.
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