Saturday, February 16

Castaway Wanderers  18    UBCOB Ravens 10

With both clubs struggling to gain a foothold on the  rungs of the BC Premier League rugby ladder, and with both clubs at 0-2 ,  it came as no surprise that this was not to be a high scoring encounter.
 The League has been so badly  shortened(only 9 games), that there is now little or no room  for an indifferent start, a mid season  hiccup,  a series of injuries, or even a wedding, if one hopes to carry off the ultimate prize.  Short of a rugby miracle, neither of today’s teams   will step up to that  podium this year, but it was obvious from the commitment of all the players that they were also not ready to talk of rugby worms, graves and epitaphs.  Such was the backdrop at Windsor Park, Victoria , on Saturday, where the outcome between these two clubs was probably more critical than the quality of the performance.

Neither side were prisoners of their post Xmas seasonal  disappointments, and to their credit, the early engagements were spirited, focused, and filled with a genuine competitive edge. Alas, it was not sustainable, as pressure brought about an inordinate number of mistakes, which ultimately prevented any  flow and  continuity.

We are told , that in the modern game, 70% of all scores come from turnovers ,and phases of rugby that do not exceed four.  The statistics proved correct today, as all three tries came from turnovers, and  although there were very few phases that exceeded four, this was because of poor retention rather than by crafted design.

With the exception of UVic, these may well be the youngest teams in the league, and it will take more than nine games to allow for seasoning.  Thankfully, these younger players are bound together by some of the best veterans still playing in Canada.  Jim Yeganegi, Jason Hartley , Roger Robinson John Graf may be in the “Seventh Stage of the Seventh Age” of their careers, but they still bring a standard of skill,decision- making, and invention, that is measurable and  influential . They are the foundations  which allow for a decent and meaningful marriage between the young and the older.

Within five minutes of the start, CW had delighted a good home- town crowd with a try very close to the posts.  It was credited to Chauncey O’Toole, and the convert by Derek Daypuck was automatic. It came as result of a charged down kick, of which we saw five in this game.

CW were never behind from this point forward, although late in the second half, the Ravens had two glorious chances to secure a victory, but their composure  and lack of finishing  skills within two meters of the line was to prove their nemesis.

Most of the first half was ragged , as both teams turned over far too many balls to allow for any degree of continuity and expansion. After some concerted phases near the CW line,  the Ravens were rewarded ,when yet again a  try was secured  from a charged down kick.  The ever present Jim Yeganegi  was the recipient ,and Braiden Waters obliged with the convert. (7-7).

It was perhaps an indictment of the early  play, when  the real highlight of the half came as CW executed a creative short lineout of one player, and Kevin Larsen scampered 80 yards to score wide on the left.  To his chagrin and the disappointment of the home supporters, it was called back for a foot in touch.  It sharpened the senses for a moment, but it was  fleeting, and only a  rugby moment.
Late in the half, the Ravens applied youthful pressure and produced some genuine width and continuity .It earned  them the opportunity to score   two tries, but basic skills failed them on both occasions, as they  saw the final passes go to ground with the line at their mercy.  It was perhaps a statement of what had transpired for the first forty  minutes, and perhaps an  omen of what was to come.
  The scoreboard did move  along, as Derek Daypuck(CW) kicked a 20 meter penalty, and young Braiden Waters(UBCOB) dropped the nicest of goals under pressure , to bring the scores level  10-10 at the half.

The table was again set, in the hopes that one or both of these teams would produce the necessary finishing skills to do justice to their commitment and honest endeavour in the “grunting” areas. There was evidence of some  rugby shape, as platforms had been reasonably secure in scrums, mauls had been tight and maneuverable,  deportment at rucks had probably been far too honest, and although line outs had been something of a lottery at times, there was a supply of ball.  But ball in itself, is clearly not enough, as it has to be produced quickly if it is to be processed with any degree of success.  A video  analysis would probably show that this aspect  was critical , and an inhibiting factor for both teams, which prevented any  real width to their respective  games.
This, allied to a series of skill breakdowns, prevented either team from assuming a dominant   role.
Scoring opportunities were rare, but with twenty minutes to go, Matt Weingart brightened the afternoon with a delightful short- sided break from a ruck inside the Ravens 22 meter.   He ran with authority and deception, before feeding Kevin Larsen, who lunged over near the left corner.  The convert was wide.
UBCOB will rue a missed penalty that could have closed the gap, and as it transpired, it was the Windsor Park “turning point” of the game.
Conversely, Derek Daypuck secured the win for CW (18-10)with a late penalty goal .

The turnover statistics will be viewed and analyzed  by both coaches, and then hopefully buried.  What they can take from this game, was the commitment and genuine effort made by their many younger players.  It was a growing experience that will serve them well.  This particular contest was closer than the Obama-Clinton race, although the stakes are arguably higher in one of them!!.
CW probably deserved the win, and owe much to the length and accuracy of Graf’s kicking at moments when it mattered.  It was not flawless kicking, but at its best, it was critically measured, and necessary for this win.

It has been well documented, that the ultimate stature  of any good rugby club and its players, may not be where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand in times of challenge, adversity, and individual and collective discomfort.
CW rose above some of their problems today, and will move forward with a degree of guarded confidence.
UBCOB will draw upon the progress already made with their young squad, and move forward with patience and attention to detail in the finishing  skills area.

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CW are AWAY to VANCOUVER ROWERS next Saturday. Feb. 23rd,2008.   Watch for travel details.