If you're tired of reading my fair and balanced match reports, you can now click on over to the newly created New England Refs website, where refs will get to sound off about how nobody loves them.
Although the site is largely under construction, the Match Report section seems to be up and running, although some refs seem more conscientious than others about filling these out. Nevertheless, it's a good spot to pick up a little intel. Here's another perspective on the Providence game, finally a scoreline on the Newport/Springfield encounter, a brief look at the Burlington upset over Hartford, and much, much more.
Just more stuff for you rugby junkies to obsess about. Enjoy!
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
Portland Still Winless; Foxy Lady Fails To Ease The Pain
Portland took their "Back in D2" tour on the road this past weekend, bringing the goodness to the fair city of Providence, where, after years playing rugby in the seamy back streets of the "Beehive of Industry", the Providence Rugby Club has graduated to the rather tony surroundings of East Greenwich.
This week Portland were sporting a bit of a new look themselves, with a significantly restructured side from their earlier loss to Old Gold. While some changes were by design, others were enforced due to injury or absence, leaving only a handful of players in their original starting positions from the previous match. Nevertheless, the lineup was a strong one and as you'll see, the team played with a confidence belying the unfamiliar lineup.
Portland were able to apply some decent pressure right from the kick off, but for the most part the well timed kicking from the opposition fly half kept Providence out of any serious danger in the early stages. Having said that however, Portland did appear as though they were threatening to score at one stage, after some cohesive forward play left a 3-on-1 overload on the far side. Faced with few defensive options, the opposing winger chose correctly, picking off the interception to turn the play around completely to set up a try at the other end. Ouch! Not a very fitting reward for the early effort.
While still reeling from that early disappointment Providence were able to run in another quick score, putting Portland in a 14-point hole with only a quarter of the game gone. Certainly not the start we were looking for, and one that could have easily gotten out of hand if we weren't careful.
From this point on however Portland dug in, and thanks to a pretty dominant lineout performance coupled with some improved tackling at the fringe of the breakdown, the visitors were able to stop the rot and even mount some offense of their own. Portland ended the half with their tails up, and a sense that they could make a game of this yet.
Shortly after the break Scotty Derrig turned this belief into points with a swift blindside break from about 10 yards out, scooting in to the try zone unmolested. Andy Nelson converted to bring the scoreline to 14-7 and breathing some life back into this contest.
From there the play ebbed and flowed for a while, which is a nice way of saying that I can't remember what went on, but I do know that Providence scored next after creating an overload on the open side. The angle fo the coversion proved too much and the lead was only increased to 19-7.
This time however Portland struck back immediately, taking a scrum against the head which was worked to the open side, to see Evan then pop it back inside to Scotty, who crossed the line for the second time. Mark Griffin converted this one, bringing Portland tantalizingly close at 19-14, with 10 minutes left to play.
The last minutes were played at a frenetic pace, but time after time Providence were able to clear their lines, sending Portland back to regroup and mount another assault. The pressure began to tell, with Providence picking up two late yellow cards, but alas the clock ran out before Portland could capitalize, leaving the final score at 19-14, with Portland receiving some consolation as they picked up their first point of the season for the narrow loss.
The "Killer" B's however experienced no such disappointment, as they borrowed a couple of local lads and dominated their game from the start. At the helm was a fired up Ryan Facey, who marshaled his troops expertly, with assistance from several A-side veterans. Man of the Match honors went to Bob (who's last name I'm ashamed to say I still don't know) who displayed some deft handling and strong tackling at center.
So, after a (mostly) glorious Spring, dropping two games on the bounce may have brought on a strange new feeling of impotence, and sometimes you need a little reminder of what it is to be a man. So, when the Providence drink up is no more than a keg toss from the renown Foxy Lady, the temptation to find love in the arms of a stranger is really too hard to pass up. For that brief moment you can convince yourself that you are loved by (or in love with) this vision before you, who surely is only stripping to pay her way through med school, and is just waiting to be whisked away from it all. That is, of course, until you run out of singles and the fat guy flashing the twentys shows up, and then there you are, all alone, still 0-and-2, being told that you shouldn't sit so close to the stage if you're not going to front up any more cash. Right Al?
But of course, no amount of silicone can heal the hurt you feel inside, and the only real cure is to go to training, and to stick it to Springfield, so for pity-sake get a hold of yourself man, get over it, and get to training.
So, I guess the victory dance stays on the shelf for another week...
This week Portland were sporting a bit of a new look themselves, with a significantly restructured side from their earlier loss to Old Gold. While some changes were by design, others were enforced due to injury or absence, leaving only a handful of players in their original starting positions from the previous match. Nevertheless, the lineup was a strong one and as you'll see, the team played with a confidence belying the unfamiliar lineup.
Portland were able to apply some decent pressure right from the kick off, but for the most part the well timed kicking from the opposition fly half kept Providence out of any serious danger in the early stages. Having said that however, Portland did appear as though they were threatening to score at one stage, after some cohesive forward play left a 3-on-1 overload on the far side. Faced with few defensive options, the opposing winger chose correctly, picking off the interception to turn the play around completely to set up a try at the other end. Ouch! Not a very fitting reward for the early effort.
While still reeling from that early disappointment Providence were able to run in another quick score, putting Portland in a 14-point hole with only a quarter of the game gone. Certainly not the start we were looking for, and one that could have easily gotten out of hand if we weren't careful.
From this point on however Portland dug in, and thanks to a pretty dominant lineout performance coupled with some improved tackling at the fringe of the breakdown, the visitors were able to stop the rot and even mount some offense of their own. Portland ended the half with their tails up, and a sense that they could make a game of this yet.
Shortly after the break Scotty Derrig turned this belief into points with a swift blindside break from about 10 yards out, scooting in to the try zone unmolested. Andy Nelson converted to bring the scoreline to 14-7 and breathing some life back into this contest.
From there the play ebbed and flowed for a while, which is a nice way of saying that I can't remember what went on, but I do know that Providence scored next after creating an overload on the open side. The angle fo the coversion proved too much and the lead was only increased to 19-7.
This time however Portland struck back immediately, taking a scrum against the head which was worked to the open side, to see Evan then pop it back inside to Scotty, who crossed the line for the second time. Mark Griffin converted this one, bringing Portland tantalizingly close at 19-14, with 10 minutes left to play.
The last minutes were played at a frenetic pace, but time after time Providence were able to clear their lines, sending Portland back to regroup and mount another assault. The pressure began to tell, with Providence picking up two late yellow cards, but alas the clock ran out before Portland could capitalize, leaving the final score at 19-14, with Portland receiving some consolation as they picked up their first point of the season for the narrow loss.
The "Killer" B's however experienced no such disappointment, as they borrowed a couple of local lads and dominated their game from the start. At the helm was a fired up Ryan Facey, who marshaled his troops expertly, with assistance from several A-side veterans. Man of the Match honors went to Bob (who's last name I'm ashamed to say I still don't know) who displayed some deft handling and strong tackling at center.
So, after a (mostly) glorious Spring, dropping two games on the bounce may have brought on a strange new feeling of impotence, and sometimes you need a little reminder of what it is to be a man. So, when the Providence drink up is no more than a keg toss from the renown Foxy Lady, the temptation to find love in the arms of a stranger is really too hard to pass up. For that brief moment you can convince yourself that you are loved by (or in love with) this vision before you, who surely is only stripping to pay her way through med school, and is just waiting to be whisked away from it all. That is, of course, until you run out of singles and the fat guy flashing the twentys shows up, and then there you are, all alone, still 0-and-2, being told that you shouldn't sit so close to the stage if you're not going to front up any more cash. Right Al?
But of course, no amount of silicone can heal the hurt you feel inside, and the only real cure is to go to training, and to stick it to Springfield, so for pity-sake get a hold of yourself man, get over it, and get to training.
So, I guess the victory dance stays on the shelf for another week...
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