football vs rugby

Flag tournament June 7, 2014

The first flag tournament for the Niagara Flag Rugby Club took place in Grimsby and was hosted by the Grimsby Grubbers.  Probably a hundred players and parents enjoyed the sunshine or got burns (weather brought to you by the Grimsby Gentlemen RFC.  Since it was the first there were no scores kept (officially) and hopefully everyone learned how to play a bit better that day.

It was a good day to:

hang with friends

throw grass in each other`s hair

hug the goal post

plan strategy

and use it

Get a dirty face with older sister

even run with the ball

and score tries

Well Done Grimsby Grubbers

Oakville Crusaders IV away

Grimsby Gentlemen 15: Oakville Crusaders 44

Venue:  Oakville Rugby Park (the top field - you need to climb wooden steps to get to it - the one that is very hard with little grass)

Weather:  mid twenties with lots of sun

Referee: Dave Nelson - for the third time in a row - although he is not the president of Oakville (he was last year), he is the president of the ORU.

Travelling attendance:  Sam was checking us out to play next week and Dillon's little sister was there. Brendans fiancee, Melissa and dog were engrossed in the game (the dog wanted the ball).

Team:  1 Nick Lord, 2. Brendan Sculland, 3. Ross Matheson, 4. Jeremy Young, 5. Alex Easton, 6. Bob Mavro, 7. Kyle Wilson, 8. Adam Meahan, 9. Derrick Weber, 10. Martin Colyn, 11. Will George, 12. Vic Blaney, 13. Dillon Trimble, 14. James Vienneau, 15. Pat Brown, 16. Jon Millington, 17. Martin Van Der Hurk, 18. Dirk Reichow, 19. Jake DAchille.

Game: Missed most of the game due to Flag tournament back in Grimsby but what I saw was a physical set to with lots of bumps and bruises on both sides. A few sore players (but its a good sore) afterwards. In the second half I did see Cru score often.  Dillon and Alex scored in the first half.

Half time score Grimsby Gentlemen 10: Oakville Crusaders 24

The fourth team for the Cru is always a tough team as it is the "fun" team that players who are skilled and have played much higher rugby go to when they do not attend practice very much and are not aspiring to play in the first team.  It is a good measure for us.

In the second half Dillon moved to scrum half and scored again. Dillion has scored two tries in each of the two games. However, with the exception of some good individual runs which should have led to trys but we could not finish - the Crusaders dominated the second half in territory and scoring.

Final score:  Grimsby Gentlemen 15: Oakville Crusaders 44

Dillon at work at the back of the scrum

Milli placing the ball after a long run (for him)

Some observations were that we need to work on the scrum to control the push and work on kick off returns to catch the ball. With players like that we need to set the posts faster to control the pick and go. We were also missing ball at the back of the lineout.

Above is Alex (on the right) who was chosen man of the match with their man of the match on the left.  Just try to forget anything else you might see in the photo (like Alex with a cape on).  Below is a picture of our man in flight.

You might have noticed out team picture in the Grimsby Lincoln News for winning the Brooker Cup last week (thank Ross for the promotion).  It will not be in the paper this week.

Tats of the team (second of the series)

Good time was had at Nick and Mary`s Stag and Doe Saturday evening.  Congratulations.

Next game is a rare Thursday evening game at Alway against Waterloo IV starting around 7:15 (or when ever they get there).

Brooker Cup VIII

Grimsby Gentlemen 54: St. Catharines Tigers 10

Venue: Alway Field

Sponsors:  JJ Cores, ProFast and maybe Steamwhistle.

Referee : Jeff Dahl (well done Jeff)

Weather:  Sunny, warm day (mid twenties with enough breeze to make you not want to be bothered putting on sun block - but it was explained to me that it was not the sixties anymore - thanks Vanessa)
Congratulations "Grimsby roofers", the roof did not leak today.

Attendance: quick estimate would be in the hundreds

The first home game of the season and the great day brought out some former famous alumni.
Below is Martin Wolff (former long time fixtures) in the middle flanked by Dean Nasby (former president) on the left and Andy Breuls (former president).  Frank was around but came late.

Team: By Saturday morning we had 24 registered (Friday afternoon we had 17) with two unavailable: Jake D'Achille (away checking out the rugby team of which I was a founding member at Trent University) and Nick Lemieux (broken thumb: forgot the Frank Schilte first principle of rugby -" get someone else to tackle forwards")

1. Nick Lord, 2. Brendan Sculland (45 min), 3. Ross Matheson (first league game as a member of the club in 15 years) (75 min) , 4. Jeremy Young (40 min) , 5. Mark Woodgate (40 min) (first game with Grimsby), 6. Kyle Wilson(60 min), 7. Bob Mavro (40 min), 8. Adam Meehan(40 min) (first league game with Grimsby), 9. Derrick Weber, 10. Martin Colyn, 11. Will George(40 min) (high school student and first men's game), 12. Vic Blaney, 13. Dillon Trimble (first game with Grimsby), 14. Pat Brown, 15. Jamie Farrell,  16. Jon Millington (40 min), 17. Colin Comfort (40 min), 18. Martin Van Der Hurk(40 min), 19. Alex Easton(40 min)(back playing after 6 years retired), 20. Dirk Reichow (20 min), 21. James Vienneau (40 min), 22. Alex Millar(40 min). 

Game: 

A rather ambitious (for us) pre-season meant that some people played in Buffalo and in Niagara (but not full teams). We cried off Rochester without enough players registered.  Out first game against Stoney Creek was not played last week, so this was the first actual full game the club put together this year.  And despite the fact that the opposition is in rebuilding mode and was not strong, we had a good afternoon.  Martin made a nice breaking run and Vic scored at 10 min with Derrick converting.  Six minutes later Pat broke open and got the ball to Dillon to score.  At 20 min Vic hit with a penalty kick and scored a try about 5 minutes later with Martin assisting. A blocked kick led to a long run and score by the Tigers. Then Derrick did the same thing as Vic a few minutes later (penalty then try).  Dillon scored his second try at the end of the half.

Half time score:   Grimsby Gentlemen 35: St Catharines Tigers 5

A lot of changes were made (subs came on - Dillon went to 9, Derrick to 10, Martin to 12 ,Vic to 8, Ross to 2 and it took a long time to get comfortable again.  The Tigers scored first with a long run and it was not until about 20 min in that Martin played for an interception and ran about 60 m for the score and conversion. 

Milli took advantage of playing only a half and burnt up the field. Martin scored his second a few minutes later.  The final score was a nice phase from the lineout inside the opposition 22, through  hands to Jamie coming from fullback. This try was converted by a drop kick by Dillon. 

Scoring (I think- there will be changes)

Derrick  1 T, 4 C, 1 P  (16 pts)

Dillon     2 T, 1 C         (12 pts)

Vic        2 T, 1 P          (13 pts)

Martin    2 T                 (10 pts)

Jamie      1 T                 (5 pts)

New players: Welcome to the new and long time missing players.  

Will (high school player)

Dillon (Brock University)

Alex (another former club president and a former soccer player)

Adam (has played everywhere)

Mark (a former Kiwi and Creek player)

Ross (in red) from our farm team in Stoney Creek

Player of the game (as selected by the Tigers) was Martin Colyn

Friends after the game

A lot of Brooker Cup records were set this year.

Most number of total points in a game  (64)

Most number of total tries in a game (9)

Most number of tries for one team (7)

Largest point differential  (44)

First in a series: Tats of the Team
 

Congratulations to the Beamsville Senior boys team who defeated McNabb of Hamilton to play Stamford of Niagara Falls in the SOSSA final and came from 10 points down only to lose in overtime. 

Also congratulations to the Beamsville Girls team who are seeded second at OFSAA in Belleville starting Monday June 2nd.  Well done girls. 

No sure what is going on here, but thought you could use your imagination. 

Hi Dink, made you read the whole thing to find your picture.  Jeff Innis has played in all the Brooker Cups for St. Catharines although he only comes to watch. He kicked the ball right at me after I took this picture. 

Next game a little harder against Crusaders in Oakville. 

American football

If

If you can keep your feet when all about you,

Are doing their level best to lay you low.

If you can vow – though all present will doubt you,

That you didn't mean to make that crushing blow.

If you can sing and not forget the lyrics,

Or drink and not fall down upon the floor;

And keep on when there is nothing in you,

Except the Will which says to them: “One more!”

....

If you can ruck and not get killed while rucking,

And send the ball when needed into touch. 

If neither kicks nor scrapes nor cuts can hurt you,

But you can return the same, though none too much.

If you can fill each unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds worth of bruising run;

Yours is the game and everything that’s in it,

And-which is more-you'll be a Gentlemen, my son!

As If they care, my apologies to George Orwell and of course Rudyard Kipling

The annual New Years Day recovery touch game and chilli contest for 2014.

A peaceful snow covered morning (actually early afternoon) before the game and not as bright as last year (fortunately).  Actually the temperature was cold -6 C. 

Some of the action:

If I had to run for my life, I would die. 

A discussion about lines of touch and if this try was scored out of bounds (Franky wins)

The 2014 group after (only one in shorts this year)

The most important part of the day is the chilli contest and thanks to the following members (Brendan, Jennifer, Nick with Paul in the back row) who entered.  Some stayed up all night working on it (or perhaps they were just drinking all night).  Winner for the second year in a row was Nick Lord (holding the Bob Mavrothalassitis over-eating trophy). 

We had an inaugural meeting with four girls ( Chanel, Stephanie, Mary and Kendra) representing a number of girls (25) who want to re-establish  the Grimsby Ladies Rugby Football Club.  About twenty years ago Grimsby had one of the first women's teams in the NRU but it died out after a number of years.   We are all looking forward to this addition to the rugby landscape in Grimsby. 

And congratulations to long time member Bob and his new wife Vanessa who got married on Dec 28th.  It was a real traditional Greek wedding (in Greek) with a wonderful reception including lots of food and dancing and smashing plates on the floor. 

Kyle soon turned it into a Scottish wedding by smashing the plates on people's heads (the plates were harder than the heads). "I thought they were break-away plates",  said Kyle, after the third hit.  

The blog was looked at by 5 557 times in 2013 which was an increase of 50 hits over 2012.  Out total number of hits over 5 years is 16 694.  This year our post about the new strip was looked at 60 times.