Caravan Of Love

…brotherly love, that is.

This Saturday promises to have a festive air about it, thanks in no small part to the large prescription of bustrip that has been prescribed to all for our trip to Amesbury (FDA Warning: side effects may include nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, tone deafness, sleeping in the spare room, “bus itch”, amnesia and loss of dignity). The ride promises to be a good one as the Old Boys join us and share their wisdom and war stories. I’m sure you’ll agree that this’ll make a nice change from the wisdom and war stories shared by the regular old geezers who play for us.

Once at the ground the rugby will already be in full swing, with our old pals Seacoast taking on the Mountaineers and no doubt leaving right afterwards for an early night. A few of the older ones should be allowed to stay up late though, as they mingle with our own Old Boys for some kind of kick around scheduled for 4pm.

Then comes the headliner at 5:30, when the Portland boys take on Middlesex Barbarians (What’s in youer wallet?) under the lights and seek to finish the regular season with a clean sheet. It’s been many a year since the club has had something to smile about, and even if it did taking getting sent down to D3 to get here, there is a true sense of history in the making. So, just like Woodstock, Game 7 of last year’s ALCS, the ’66 World Cup Final and that time Joey fell off the picnic table, do you want to hear about it from others for years to come or do you want to say “I was there”?

Be at the "real" Park 'n' Ride across from Bally's at 1:30pm and bring $20 on top of your regular pocket money to help pay for your prescription.

Cake

a wind has blown the rain away and blown the sky away
and all the leaves
away, and the trees stand.

i think, i too, have known autumn too long.

e.e. cummings
(Seacoast scrum half, 1922-1935)

Yesterday Portland played hosts to the only other undefeated team in the league, Seacoast, in the penultimate regular league fixture. Once again the fixture was shifted to the Cumberland Fairgrounds, on account of all this beautiful weather we've been having. Not that it should have mattered to Seacoast all that much, since this had been the site of their Spring-time victory, and one of the lower points in PRFC history.

Indeed, the wind was in the process of blowning pretty much everything away, so Portland took advantage of the Pulling Shed once more for their warm up. We shall miss ye sheddy, and your drafty, horse sh*t covered comforts. But, despite the rustic surroundings, the home team took the field warmer than the hardy spectators, and seemingly warmer than the visiting side. Whatever the excuses, Seacoast came out flat, allowing Portland to dominate the first quarter of the game and rack up 17 unanswered points. Early scores went to Hannes and Tractor as the forwards picked up where they left off against the Wolfhounds. This time however the backs got in the act as well, swinging the ball through several pairs of hands for Dan Joyce to touch down in the corner.

By then Seacoast were starting to show signs of life, with their pack running hard off the fringes as they sought to create room for their backs. Unfortunately they didn't need too much room for their nippy winger to get up steam and score their first points of the game. Portland responded with another try before half time, this time from Jeff Keating, as he iced another period of strong forward play. 22-5 at the half.

Half time saw a couple of substitutions, and then the action resumed with both sides exchanging tries. True to form on both sides, they scored another break-away, and we ground another one out through the forwards. Yours truly got that one. 27-12.

Portland started to get lazy and Seacoast sensed their opportunity, piling the pressure on. At this point Jeff Keating picked up a yellow card for some kind of tackle infringement, that left Portland spread thin, not to mention in shock that such a fine upstanding pillar of the community should commit such an act. To think that during the week Jeff is shaping the minds of the country's youth while at the weekend he is blatantly flouting Article 10, Subsection 2, Paragraph (a) of the rugby laws. For shame.

Anyway, back to the game. Portland defended hard but eventually gave up another score to the Seacoast back-line, bringing the score to 27-17. Soon however Portland were back to full strength and wrested control of the game to score again, with Tractor defying gravity to pick up his second try of the game as the ball came down just before his feet landed in touch. Much love to the Seacoast touch judge for calling it like he saw it.

You'd think that was enough drama for one day, but just as Portland brought the ball inside the Seacoast 22 again for a possible final score, that tricksy Seacoast winger intercepted a midfield pass to run the length of the field and touch down under the posts. 32-24, game on. But, oh dear, there goes the final whistle and it's all over. Too little to late.

The B game, other than being superbly officiated, saw one of the baldest Portland back lines in many a year. It followed a similar pattern to the A game, with break away tries for Seacoast and forward grinders for our lads. In the end they cancelled each other out, with the final score tied at 15-15. Not that Portland didn't squander plenty of opportunities to win it, with sloppy handling and needless obstructions, but hey, that gave us all an opportunity to listen to the ref blow his whistle. Big ups to Stu Dunlop for making his annual appearance, and to even making it to the drink-up despite his long drive home.

Speaking of the drink-up, I have to give a mention to Seacoast for their dissapearing act after the game. No doubt they had to head home for an early night in anticipation of their game against North Shore tomorrow. I hope it turns out to be worth it, since they missed out on a great spread of food (cheers Beth) and even a special "5-0" cake that Ed bought.

That about wraps it up. Portland travel to Amesbury on Saturday for their final league game. A bus is still on the cards, so dust off your kit and get on board.