Hard Day at Shore

Two defeats at Shore School, the 2nds losing 32-12 and the 1sts, after a tight first half, 41-5. In the 1sts game we got a lesson in tactical kicking and straight running.

Apologies for the haitus, medical supervision duties!

16s play in Newcastle today, c'mon lads!!!!!!!!

Match Day 2

Started today with the Australian Reptile Park and our new friend Elvis…

Then played Central Coast Grammar. The girls lost to their Hockey 1^st team, and then to their netball side in an exciting fast paced game.

The 2^nd XV went down 22-12 to their 1^st XV. The 16s won 20-7, following a very strong second half, probably should have won by more… 

And perhaps the nicest touch of all, the ex-Head of CCGS, and an Old Novo, with Dave Watchorn...  More to come

Some Sport related stuff, match reports looking forward

George Bilclough writes…

For me, match day began earlier than anticipated as I was rudely awoken by what I initially thought was the 5-point earthquake in Wellington, but which was in actual fact Jack Ridout face-planting to the floor after tumbling over his tour bag in an attempt to locate the toilet in the darkness.

After some incredible hospitality at the billeting households, players gathered at Marcellin College for what was sure to be a highly testing encounter against Victoria State (a representative side from an area with a population of 4 million people, a fifth of the Australian population). 1^st XV morale was bolstered considerably by the 2^nd team’s performance, they having ruffled the feathers of the large home side, unfortunately conceding defeat eventually after having gone in at the interval in the lead.

Similarly, the 1^st team began enterprisingly, with some superb defense from both the forwards and backs demonstrating to the sizeable opposition – their squad consisting of 18 Polynesian islanders averaging about 43 stone a player – that we meant business. Indeed first blood went to the RGS, with Jamie Guy capitalizing on some loose ball to dive over like a salmon in the corner. However, the RGS then subconsciously appeared to recommence their role as underdogs, and as a result soon found themselves under the cosh. It took some outstanding D from James Carding at outside centre (carrying a post-cricket-season gut which helped him to hold his own) to keep his menacing counterpart at bay. Andrew Peacock and Alex Ruffman were also heroic in the loose, with Dave Watchorn leading magnificently by example as comes naturally to the bloke described by Mr. Brown as ‘the hardest man [he] has ever seen’. Regrettably, after some extended work on our own line, the enormous opposition eventually broke through.

At the interval, it was all still to play for, the RGS trailing 8-7. To replicate his feats in defense, Carding scored early in the second half to regain the lead after some slick handling from the back-line subsequent to a quickly-taken penalty from astute scrum-half, Will Genia; sorry, Harry Fenton. This marked the beginning of a twenty-minute spell of domination for the touring side, with a try from speedster Neil Pearston on the wing consolidating the lead. Scott Atkinson’s delicious switch line opened up space for the Sevens Player of the Season who cruised in to score with his first touch of the ball. Magic. Unfortunately, Scott was brought back down to ground, literally, as he was sent aerial by the Victorian number 8, ‘Big Eddy’, as he stormed towards the try line. And thus momentum shifted with this moment of symbolism, Victoria henceforth thrusting the RGS away as they ended up victors by 12 points. The loss, although lamentable, was not without comedy as our own number 8, Ruffman, resorted to desperate measures with an attempted chip ahead: the ball went at right angles to its intended direction of trajectory, to the amusement of everyone watching, least of all himself.

And on the Under 16 Rugby, Nick Richardson writes…

The first game on tour was always going to be a tough test for the 16’s. However, the team adapted well early on to terrible conditions and the pouring rain.  The first half was a close affair with strong defence from the which only  we allowed the opposition to penetrate the line 3 times, which resulted in a 19-0 lead to the home team going into half time. Though RGS had butchered several chances with aimless kicking. Unfortunately the second half wasn’t the same story the defence crumpled time after time to leave the score at 48-0 at the end. RGS hardly touched the ball in the second half, and the size of the islanders was a key factor in this. However the pitch was in an awful state.  Mass improvement will be needed for the next game.

U16 netball A team vs Firbank Grammar School, Hettie Williams…

The game got off to a brilliant start, turning over Firbank’s first centre pass, giving us an immediate advantage. We continued to turn over balls, bringing us up by 4 goals towards the end of the first quarter. Our strong lead was kept throughout  the second and most of the third quarter but Firbank managed to take the lead at the end of the third quarter  to 24-23. Determined not to lose and let it get us down, we went into the final quarter on the attack. We turned over all but two of their centre passes and teamed with the goals from our own centre passes, brought the score back up to 34-24 and two final goals from Firbank in the last 45 seconds took the final score to 34-26 to RGS. An impressive start to the tour for the girls who are all looking forward to their next match on Thursday.

Under 16-B Team-Captain Alice Kennerley…

The team was apprehensive of the competition although after watching the A team’s victory it felt as though a good result was achievable. In the first quarter Firbank had a healthy lead although in the second quarter Sarah Cheesebrough and Grace Seeley had great movement In the D and Gobeni Mohan fed in some lovely balls meaning that RGS managed to win back a lot of the goals and won the second quarter. In the third quarter there was a changing of positions; however, Firbank managed to go on to win the third and, only narrowly, the fourth quarter. The B team gelled well as a team and had good movement throughout the match, and while overall the score was 28-14 to Firbank but it was by no means a failure.   

           

Central Coast

The difficulty of obtaining wifi at less than $1m a go slows reports down a little, but we had a ball in Sydney even without the 1st XV match. Walked miles, opera, made friends at the rather good Australian Hotel on the Rocks, surfed and had fun at Manly, jet boats... Can't add many piccies here, bloomin' connection's too slow...


Arrival...

Manly Ferry

Manly beach, including 7st weakling with surfboard, C'mon Brownie...

Jet boat, and aftermath...

As you can see, life's hard

Game Off

We have just been informed that following last week's heavy rain in Sydney, the 1st XV's game against Eastwood, tomorrow Tuesday 25th, is off. 

More will be posted soon, including the views of players and more details of what's to come.

On the up side, safe and sound in Sydney! Off to the Opera tonight...

First games. Boys Lose all Three & Girls Win one Lose one

Underway at last. Playing the Victoria State XVs, all three side went down to defeat. In a close game, the 1st XV took a lead midway through the first half, before going in 10-7 down at half-time; this observer thought the RGS were the better side for much of that first half, putting on serious pressure in the line out and at the breakdown. In the second half, it was harder to establish a platform as the referee's interpretation of the breakdown hurt us, as did some boys of Polynesian extraction the size of the proverbial brick facility. Despite and excellent Pearston try, tries either side from them kept them in front and they ran in two in the last few minutes to flatter them somewhat.

Earlier, the 2nd XV lost having been 19-0 up at half time before a mixture of tiredness and substitutions let the opposition score 36 points without reply in the second half. Meanwhile, the Under 16s in a mudbath fought out a close first half before crumbling against some more rather large Polynesian backs in the second half to lose 51-0: bit of a lesson in the end.

The honour of the RGS was however upheld by the girls' Netball A team, who came from behind to win their game in the last quarter; the Bs lost a hard fought game.

More, with photos, to come. Sunny Australia?

 


Well, the sun does shine sometimes... training yesterday...

On the bench at the MCG. Unfortunately, on the first night we went to what was quite possibly the worst Aussie Rules game in history, mostly notable for ten jet-lagged party's tendency to fall asleep and the locals amusement at an entire row of girls asleep (and it was bloomin' cold).

The Sky Tower was, well, high...

These lads may well now weigh up to five times more following the vast quantities of food their billets have given them. Others have been to a Samoan dance, gone to church (oh yes), Lord knows what!


Meanwhile, if Mrs T is reading the beer is not hideously expensive, I am not in a rather nice bar with (finally) free wifi and yours truly definitely did not end up in the place below in the early hours! What a country!

Sydney here we come......

Arrived and trained

We're here

WHAT A GREAT CITY

All the boys and girls out in billets
Photos tomorrow when there is good internet access

We are all over jetlag

Getting Ready for the Off

Well, the time is almost nigh. As we get ready, here's the tour party as seen back in  the dark days of winter...