Monday's Musings

First, the Good News - Happiness is; Kids At the Klub!

Saturday was definitely a rugby day, starting with a Six Nations game and breakfast at The Temple, where a mix of players, parents and juniors took in the atmosphere that is DSC.  Brent gave a tour of the iconic jerseys, honor board and assorted memorabilia. Scotland and Ireland ensued, suffice to say, a great morning.  Unfortunately, the day did not end there.


                        They Came – They Conquered

Events that occurred at the House of Windsor cannot be sugar coated. There were four matches, and all resulted in home team losses.

The Div 2 Women faced Capilano and went down by a score of 29 – 19, in a game of 10 aside that opened the first of four home games for the Division 2 ladies.  Capilano opened the game with an early score out wide and CW answered when scrumhalf, Juno Hoar found the gap and scored under the posts. Capilano found more opportunities out wide and edged ahead, leading by three tries to one at the half. The second half saw CW’s, fresh legs get closer on the scoreboard. Youngster, Hana Veysi found space and knocked over Capilano players to bring CW to 12 points. Capilano scored another, however, CW had the final say when outside center Cam Ormand took a hard running line to complete the scoring. (Report – Frankie Fraser).

The Islanders posted an entertaining exhibition against Comox in what resulted as a pointsfest, with Comox coming out on top, 53 – 38.

The two major men’s games then came on tap, and they resulted in a nineteen try annihilation by UBCOB Rippers and Ravens. The Rippers had their way with the Prem Reserves from the start. The CW team appeared to be very disorganized, from not having a pre-game, known substitution process to five of the eight restarts resulting in error and a very lack-luster performance of effort, skill, and fitness against the cream of the League. The men have lauded their available numbers this year and, indeed this is a credit, however, their 1 – 7 record hardly indicates quality effort and commitment on the practice pitch. Youth may be a factor but hardly an excuse.

Down 19 – 6 at the half, the boys continued the slippery slope, being outscored 31 – 12 in the second stanza.  Winger, Gabe Smith, showed good speed in notching a brace.  The viewer would be remiss not to mention Peper, Hall, and Conor McKenzie, learning a different role as a ball-carrier. Thank you to Ontario ref, Roszel who did a good job. The Rippers crossed the try line eight times in a good performance. The errors, both forced and unforced by the home team, were embarrassing.  A sense of caring and energy and poor tackling skills, are all best to be forgotten.

If the Premier Men had taken a score line via both club’s results against Westshore they were hoodwinked and underestimated the opposition when only nine of the same Raven starters appeared at kickoff. April Fools came early.

Expectations were high from a good crowd on this perfect, sunny day. It was not to be when recently opined postings about FRF superiority were to be severely tested with Raven reputations apparently at stake, this was just one area of glaring difference.  Even the Raven bench had seven of their eight players ready and fresh, not having played any Reserve minutes. A nice luxury and well done to their club, no matter what the genesis.

The Ravens opened what was to be their mammoth account, around fifteen minutes after a solid tackle caused a turnover, quick hands created a half-gap and overlap, with winger Ligamy showing clean heels to a desperate defense. This was added to soon after, again, after rock-solid tackling saw the ball fortuitously bounce to McLelland who showed his fancy footwork and scampered sixty metres for a 12 – 0 lead. Next it was lock, Don Carson with a useful break and somehow he got the ball to McLelland who crossed in the corner for his brace. Around the thirty-minute mark, a textbook lineout wind kept the abacus moving. This was followed by the try of the day, when from fifty metres in the Raven half and six pairs of hands, most of it fingertip handling, sideline to sideline, created room for Ligamy’s brace. Old Boys made matters look easy as they moved the ball eighty metres from their own line, only for the support in waves, to be temporarily halted.  The ball was recycled and #6, Crowell crossed to end the half with 38 points for the Visitors. This was arguably the most disappointing half of rugby witnessed at The House for many a season!

The second stanza scoring opened at five minutes, 43 – 0. Then McLelland fed inside ball to Leonard at fifteen minutes for the half-century. It was Donald Carson again for 40m and ? for 57 – 0. It was not until the mid-point of the fray when CW finally opened their account against a heavily substituted opposition.  Captain Ollie Nott crossed from a lineout peel and first blood. Old Boys responded with a Gill break, missed tackles and a Crowell brace. Fuli’s rambunctious bosh raised a few cheers, and it was either Davidson or Peters who brought the score to 64 – 14. The differential did not stay at fifty and the Ravens had the final say with yet another McLelland break, and chip kick which created the final try for ? and a 71 – 14 scoreline.

The effort level from CW was purely and simply surpassed and outclassed by the Ravens on this day. This pundit, now having seen both Lomas and Ravens cannot but unequivocally, give the Birds the advantage. Well done. For Ravens I highlight McLelland, Ligamy and Gill as the pick of the backs, and Locke, Crowell, O’Donaghue and Donald Carson (Jr), a shade above their mates in a very good pack. It was a very balanced effort with hard work in the forwards, enabling a talented set of backs to finish the work. Thanks to referee, Horton for facilitating the outing – a cakewalk compared to what it was thought it might be! CW will move up the hill to tackle UVic next Saturday, with every score being crucially important. The boys will need as much support as they can get to show their character to come back from this one. See you at Wallace.

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