Flag Tournament July 20 Niagara Falls

 I didn't get a lot of pictures as I was either coaching or it was raining fairly hard.

Week VI: Stoney Creek Camels away

Grimsby Gentlemen 45: Stoney Creek Camels III 58

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Venue: Saltfleed High School

Referee : Dale Hall did well ** (only 19 years old - I have t-shirts that are older than he is)

Weather: About 26 with real feel of 33.  But it was positively cool compared to the last week.  Lots of water on the field from a big rainstorm the night before.

Attendance: A whole bunch of girls from the game before but they left to drink after 5 minutes.

Team:   1. Nick Lord , 2. Brendan Sculland , 3. Jon Millington , 4. Colin Comfort 5. Adam Amirault  6. Bob Mavro, 7.  Dean Crozier, 8. Kyle Wilson (C),  9. Nick Lemieux 10. Martin Colyn , 11. Brad Vorstenbosch, 12. Vic Blaney, 13.  Brandon Nytschyk, 14. James Vinneau, 15. Adam Godfrey 

Unfortunately we had one expected player (Jake) get mono and another wing (Jamie) get his appendix out on Thursday, so with no subs (the other team also had no subs) we had a hooker on the wing and a #8 at fullback to start.  Then Kyle got injured on the first play (but stayed on for the rest of the game as a wing) Our regular captain Derrick Weber was working fixing the hydro lines from the storm the night before. A few other players did not show (not sure why). 

We have not played the Creek in a number of years in league play and their firsts are doing really well in the Marshall (first place), so we did not quite know what to expect.  We were trying to avoid our traditional slow start but circumstances led a lot of people playing out of position we reverted to our traditional slow start, perhaps to catch Creek off guard.  However it backfired as Creek started quickly scored 4 tries in the first 17 minutes.  It turns out our scrum was better than theirs but we had no chance to show that until we were down a lot.  We had trouble stopping them as they ran hard  and offloaded well.

We eventually got the ball down into their end and a good push on their 5 meter scrum led to a turnover caused by Dean who dropped on the ball in the end zone.  Vic converted.  Five minutes picking up a loose ball Vic barged over to make it seem like we were on one of our patented come backs and had worn out the Creek by make them run so much.  However they brought the score back to 4 tries ahead by scoring twice in the last five minutes of the half.

Half time score: Grimsby Gentlemen 14: Stoney Creek Camels 34

Insightful coaching comments led to a bit of a come back and a little tightening of the anal sphincter on Creeks behalf as it looked like we were rallying.  First though Creek scored again before Bob managed to drive a ball in to the end zone.   Now things are looking up as they are not running as well and we are pushing their scrum and getting some ball, scoring some tries and making more conversions. However a lineout in our end led to a blocked kick (second of the game) and they are up 5 tries again. Now things get confusing and I know prop Nick Lord picks up a ball and runs like a back for about 60 meters pulling away from the chasers.  Also scrum half Nick Lemieux makes a nifty darting run that they cannot stop.  I know Vic scores two more tries and makes two conversions but I do not know the order.  Also somewhere in their we let Creek run around the end and score two more tries.  We did score the last two tries of the game. The third game in a row we have won the second half.

Final Score:  Grimsby Gentlemen 45 (7 tries): and Stoney Creek Camels 58 (10 tries)

The 103 points scored is the highest total point accumulation in a Grimsby game since records have been kept (5 years ago)  It was an exciting encounter for the 5 or 10 in the audience. Our new resolution is to try harder in the first half.

This is Dean's try that started the attempted comeback.

Bob adding some points

Nick's nifty, nimble run

 Scoring:

Vic 3 T, 5 C for 25 points
Dean 1 T
Bob 1 T
Nick Lord 1 T
Nick Limeaux 1 T

Week V: Guelph Redcoats away

Grimsby Gentlemen 27: Guelph Redcoats 36

Venue:

Home of the Tim-Bit Tiger-Cats

We played on a turf field (new to most of us) at 9:00 at night (also rare) against a team established only this year (but made up of a lot of university players).  The only thing that was familiar was we lost.

Referee: Brian Bell (also a new{to us} ref who usually refs a grade or two above our level). *** Definitely did not have to kill and decapitate him. 

Weather:  Nice night, low twenties.  Brought out the skunks.  I could probably make an analogy with the presence of skunks and how we played in the first half but I can't think of one. Or maybe its ironic  (but I can never remember what irony is).

It liked getting its picture taken

For those looking at the moon, it was waxing sliver slice.

Attendance:  Maybe more than the attendance for the Tiger-Cats the next day (the reason we were playing on a Friday night), but probably not.

A few of the fans that came a long way.

A budding rugby player who came to see her dad play.

Our biggest fan  and has our logo tattooed on his leg. We have a warm up move named for him. 

Team: 1. Nick Lord ( 60 min), 2. Brendan Sculland (40 min), 3. Jon Millington (40 min), 4. Martin Van Den Hurk, 5. Adam Amirault (40 min), 6. Brandon Nytschyk (injury: 40 min), 7. Kyle Wilson, 8. Adam Godfrey, 9. Nick Limeaux 10. Derrick Weber (C)  , 11. Jamie Farrell, 12. Vic Blaney, 13.  Martin Colyn 14. James Vinneau (40 min injury) 15. Alex Millar, 16. Brad Vorstenboch (hook: 40 min)  17:  Colin Comfort (lock: 40 min) 18. Drew Rebec (flank: 15 min) We also had some last minute call ups from the farm team 19. Ryan Coens (prop: 40 min), 20. Dan Miles (prop: 25 min), 21 Stefan Johnson (wing: 40 min)

Game Report: A tale of two halves.  We came out slow for the second week and did well offensively in the second half but as as Webs said ran out of time.  We juggled three of our backs and were missing a few regulars and actually put pressure on Guelph in the first half but made a few mistakes and let them make long runs for tries.  We actually kept the ball in their end at the start and were rewarded with a penalty by Derrick at about 4 min.  Then Guelph started to score with an unconverted try at 10 min, a penalty at 15 min, and then 4 converted tries at 20 min, 25 min, 30 min and 35 min. Once we turned over the ball in play the Redcoats took advantage in most cases and made their long runs. Slow start, mistakes, turnovers, poor defence led to a half time score of Grimsby Gentlemen 3: Guelph Redcoats 36

Second half was different with the scrum bolstered with some bigger bodies we started to dominate in the forwards.  We ended up with more ball and had fewer turnovers and the backs play was more organized.  Derrick quickly scored and converted his try near the posts.  With the momentum turning a strong push from the  scrum led to a push over try by Adam.  Derrick scored and converted his second try with a nice run around the end set up by Adam. Vic than managed a hard run to score  which Derick converted.  Grimsby finished their scoring with a hard run by Vic at about 40 min of the second half.  

Final Score:  Grimsby Gentlemen 27: Guelph Redcoats   36

The man of the match selected by the Redcoats was outside center Martin Colyn.  

Overall we were happy with the way we played in the second half to make a game of it but lamented the slow start.  Most people liked the night game but not the turf.  

A nice pre game hug

Martin had to step up to being lifted and played great. Spoiled a lot ot their ball.

Webs scoring the first try of the attempted comeback

Suddenly a hockey game almost broke out. 

Vic making sure a couple have to bring him down and admire his lumberjack underwear.

Man of the match Martin avoiding a tackle.

Great game by Adam setting up Webs on his second try. (That's a center and a wing he is taking on)

It was a late night but a few went to the Fat Duck in Guelph for some great beer and stayed til late.
Jamie and Drew had to listen to Welsh choir music on the way home. Maybe that's why they have been avoiding me. 

Thanks to Jennifer for the photos as mine did not work under the lights. 

Fort Erie Flag Tournament

A good showing at the Fort Erie Tournament with a water park and ice cream. All the teams played well (we did not have many in the intermediate team present) on a warm day. A few pictures.

A bit of coaching strategy

What rugby?

With Ray Barkwill from Rugby Canada

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Week IV: Crusaders at home

Grimsby Gentlemen 28: Oakville Crusaders 27

Venue:  That gem of a field (a little narrow) Alway in Grimsby

Referee: David Nelson *** (can't complain after the result)

Weather:  About 28 degrees with a feel like 35 because of the humidity.  Usual wind blowing from the south which made our first half difficult and their second difficult.

Attendance:  my guestimate would be around 400 (could be a little lower because of the humidity) - however I have been wrong before. A number of people might have left after the opposition went up 4 tries in the first half muttering bad things about the coach and that they wanted their money back (our policy is no refunds).

Some fairly interested spectators

Team: 1. Nick Lord ( 60 min), 2. Brendan Sculland (40 min), 3. Jon Millington (70 min), 4. Jeremy Young, 5. Kyle Wilson (C), 6. Brandon Nytschyk (injury: 40 min), 7. Dean (Dino) Crozier, 8. Adam Godfrey, 9. Derrick Weber (C) (38 min) 10. Martin Colyn, 11. Jake D'Achille( 40 min), 12. Vic Blaney, 13. Steve Savoie (first game with Grimsby; two week visitor) 14. Nick Lemieux, 15. Pat Brown (60 min), 16. Brad Vorstenboch (hook: 40 min)  17:  Martin Van Den Hurk (lock 40 min):  18. Adam Amirault (lock 30 min), 19 Ryan Llwellyn (wing: 40 min), 20. James Vinneau (flank and wing: 30 min) 21. Alex Millar (full back: 20 min)22.  Jamie Farrell (40 min) 23. Bob Mavro (30 min), 24. Drew Rebec (flank: 15 min)

I came late (see next blog) and there were 9 subs on the sidelines including 4 backs.  Last game away we had three subs and none of them backs.  So thanks to the players who are available all the time to make room for the extra players and those sitting for not complaining too much.

Game Report:  I arrived to see the Crusaders score at about 10 min, then again at 20 min, and again at 30 min and again at 38 min.  The last one was converted.  They played a strong forward game with pick a goes, off loads to forwards and lots of go ahead play.  We were starved of the ball and then messed up what little we had (probably trying to do too much).

Jake on a bit of a break in the first half. 

 Near the end of the half, against the run of play, from a scrum in our end, Vic, who was set up in our end zone to kick the ball out of bounds from a scrum, decided to run which caught the other team on the wrong foot and  he made it to the other teams fourty when he offloaded so eventually Steve Savoie scored under the posts.  (how's that for a sentence?) Derrick who had left the field with an injury a minute or so earlier had Jake D'Achille kick his first points after in men's play.

Steve dotting it down  and starting a come back.

Jake kicking the extra points. 

 Half time score:  Grimsby Gentlemen 7: Oakville Crusaders 22

The inspirational half time speech by the coach was something like they were big bodies and we had them right where we wanted them on a very hot day.  With the wind all we had to do was to get in their faces on defence, tackle them hard so they had to keep getting up, put them under pressure and the offence (in the form of the ball) will come. In spite of this made up speech something happened and early in the half Martin pounced on a mistaken kick in the Cru half and ran it back.  The other Martin kicked (I think) and we had 14 points. Soon Cru were in our end with a open run on their left wing (I was already writing down 5 points) when the winger Jamie caught the guy with an incredible ankle tap (incredible in that we don't see many of them that work) and saved a sure try. However soon Cru were over with an unconverted try to bring the score to 27 -14.  (although the side lines was not sure and thought maybe they had scored 6 tries).

We however were getting more ball  and more space to run and they tended to have more people on the ground after plays.  Then Vic made a long run barging through a lot of players to touch down between the posts and with the other Martin converting we were only 6 down (maybe) and ten minutes to go.

Vic looking for the lung he threw up just before scoring.

With about 5 minuets to go some pressure in their end allowed Nick Lemieux to pick up a loose ball and elusively run into the endzone and with Adam the first converting, we were ahead  for the first time in the game. We had to sit through some gut tensing last minute close calls (a 40 meter penalty which fell short and just to annoy the coach we gave them another penalty 10 meters closer, which went wide)

Grimsby Gentlemen 28: Oakville Crusaders 27

A famous win with a bonus point which will move us to 2-2 and above Creek but still one below St. Kitts.

This is the first time we played Crusaders IV at home and they had some nice things to say about the club (except the field is too narrow).  We last played the Crusaders at home in May of 2011 and lost 29 to 0 but their IV team is special in that it has many good players who do not want to train the same way they used to for the other teams.  This team would beat their III team regularly. The felt we had improved our skills since the last time (and we have) but the outcome might have been very different on a different day.  They could also produce a better team if they want to (not sure that they care) when we play them at home (the only team we play twice this year), the last game of the season. Anyway the weather was appropriate for their Hawaiian shirt attire.

The Hawaiian Crusaders

  The Crusaders in scouting our team revealed something that we did not know and that Dean Crozier is actually Mexican (Dino).  The only reason we played him is because we wanted to be able to say we had a New Zealander on the team. Next thing we will find out is that Bob is Turkish.  Dean was also selected as man of the match by the Crusaders.  At least Mexico is 73 in the world while Greece (aka Hellas) is still 99.  But 73 is a far cry from New Zealand.

Dean 

 Next game is unusual in that it will take place next Friday night (July 12), in Guelph (Redcoats) at 9:00 on a turf field.  All of these things are new to the club.

There was a bit of a buzz around the clubhouse after that game.

It should be noted that Webs has not been on the field for our last 6 tries.