Ooof!
Of all the near-misses so far this season, losing out to Charles River in the dying seconds of last Saturday's match has to be the hardest to swallow. All tied up at 22-all with only a few seconds left to play, Charles River stole the final lineout to spin the ball quickly to their backs, busting through and scoring at the death. Standing under the posts, waiting for the conversion, Portland began to experience the natural grief cycle of anyone experiencing sudden loss: shock gives way to denial, which inevitably leads to anger, then bargaining, then depression and ultimately, some time after the third or fourth drink...acceptance.
This result left Charles River undefeated at 3-0, and Portland struggling to come to terms with a 1-3 record the belies the strong and often times dominant performances they have put on.
Although it was the last few moments of the match that saw Charles River administer a donkey punch all of their own, it could so very easily have been a different scenario, with Portland passing up a number of chances and giving away easy points that kept Charles River in the running throughout the match.
As usual Portland came out cold, giving up two soft tries in the opening minutes and finding themselves in a 12-point hole before they even had a chance to know what hit them. For once though the team reacted quickly and soon put Hannes over in the corner to claw back some precious points.
With its first score on the board Portland settled in to a more controlled phase of play, and although Portland's pack dominated, Charles River was able to secure enough possession to make sure their strong backline was an everpresent threat. Portland were eventually able to draw level however, as Scotty Derrig scampered through traffic from a quickly taken penalty.
As the first half drew to a close, it appeared as though Portland were going to go in to the break level, with the promise of the slope and the breeze in their favor for the second half. This was not to be however, as Portland's concentration lapsed, allowing Charles River to kick a penalty and take another quick try, giving Portland a 10-point deficit to contemplate during half time.
Unperturbed, Portland came out strong in the second half, scoring an early try (Hannes again), and claiming a penalty of their own, and before long the scores were level again. Everything seemed to be going to plan. Portland continued to dominate possession, which offered up its fair share of chances. Two penalties were missed, along with a drop-goal attempt and several other near-misses in or around the Charles River try zone. Try as they might though, Portland were unable to break the stalemate, and as the clock ticked down they began to relax into the prospect of the inevitable draw. Well...we all know how that ended up, so let's not go over it again.
Emotions were still running high in the B game, and although it look like Charles River might have had the upper hand (points-wise) the game was called early thanks to the freely flying fists and general all around bad temper.
Another Saturday, another kick in the nuts.
Portland host Newport at home this coming weekend. 1:45pm kick off at Dougherty Field, off Douglas Street.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Monday, September 25, 2006
Like the heavens, Portland opens [it up] at home
The weather forecast said "scattered showers", but it was a steady rain that greeted fans and players alike this past Saturday. Just the kind of steady rain that has come to be known as "Portland weather". Nevertheless, after a couple of near misses Portland finally got the win they've been looking for, galloping home in grand style against the visitors, Springfield.
Despite an optimistic outlook leading up to this fixture, Portland began nervously, taken aback by by Springfield's early aggression, as they ran a number of quick penalties to gain some significant ground.
Slowly however Portland began to come to life, and it was Ryan Facey, in his first start as A-side scrum half, who got the party started with a 50 yd. breakaway try, leaving Springfield with little to show for their earlier territorial advantage.
From that point onwards Portland began to play (and score) more freely. Initally, given the conditions, it was left to the forwards to do much of the heavy lifting, but after a fair degree of whining from the backs, and with a comfortable points margin established, Portland began to swing the ball around.
For the balance of the half Portland controlled the game, thanks in large part to the kicking of Evan Harding, who would go on to earn Man of the Match for his efforts.
Towards the break Portland went off the boil a little, although much of the damage had already been done. Halftime saw some fresh legs come on in the front row to continue the pressure on the Springfield pack. As usual however, the break in play caused Portland to loose their rhythm, which Springfield were able to exploit by running in their solitary try of the day.
Stung in to action by the lapse of concentration, the home side set about regaining control, and despite several more substitutions they continued to run the show, scoring at will.
All in all, nine tries were scored. Three to Hannes, two to Ryan, and one each for (I think) myself, Jarred, Tom Zabriski and Dan Joyce. If I've got that wrong, please correct me in the comments section below. What I am sure about however is that the final score was 62-5, a just reward for all the hard work put in the preceeding week. Mark Griffin also made 7 of 9 conversion attempts, plus one penalty for a solid day with the boot.
Some great pics of the A game first-half can be found here, and come to us courtesy of Eric Holsinger.
The B game provided more of the same, with Portland dominating a Springfield team that was playing its second game of the day. The scoreline and the scorers are unknown (to me), but if you were involved, please regail us with your exploits in the comments section below. B side Man of the Match went to Ben.
Portland travels to Charles River this coming weekend, who put up similar numbers against Springfield, so it promises to be another good game, for which all troops are required.
Despite an optimistic outlook leading up to this fixture, Portland began nervously, taken aback by by Springfield's early aggression, as they ran a number of quick penalties to gain some significant ground.
Slowly however Portland began to come to life, and it was Ryan Facey, in his first start as A-side scrum half, who got the party started with a 50 yd. breakaway try, leaving Springfield with little to show for their earlier territorial advantage.
From that point onwards Portland began to play (and score) more freely. Initally, given the conditions, it was left to the forwards to do much of the heavy lifting, but after a fair degree of whining from the backs, and with a comfortable points margin established, Portland began to swing the ball around.
For the balance of the half Portland controlled the game, thanks in large part to the kicking of Evan Harding, who would go on to earn Man of the Match for his efforts.
Towards the break Portland went off the boil a little, although much of the damage had already been done. Halftime saw some fresh legs come on in the front row to continue the pressure on the Springfield pack. As usual however, the break in play caused Portland to loose their rhythm, which Springfield were able to exploit by running in their solitary try of the day.
Stung in to action by the lapse of concentration, the home side set about regaining control, and despite several more substitutions they continued to run the show, scoring at will.
All in all, nine tries were scored. Three to Hannes, two to Ryan, and one each for (I think) myself, Jarred, Tom Zabriski and Dan Joyce. If I've got that wrong, please correct me in the comments section below. What I am sure about however is that the final score was 62-5, a just reward for all the hard work put in the preceeding week. Mark Griffin also made 7 of 9 conversion attempts, plus one penalty for a solid day with the boot.
Some great pics of the A game first-half can be found here, and come to us courtesy of Eric Holsinger.
The B game provided more of the same, with Portland dominating a Springfield team that was playing its second game of the day. The scoreline and the scorers are unknown (to me), but if you were involved, please regail us with your exploits in the comments section below. B side Man of the Match went to Ben.
Portland travels to Charles River this coming weekend, who put up similar numbers against Springfield, so it promises to be another good game, for which all troops are required.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Johnny Law Gets His Say
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!
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!
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...
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Sweet lovin' from the Insurance Man
Hey, he's not just our Treasurer, he's also Vice President of the HCR Group, which means he's like...one step away from the top guy. Kind of like Dick Cheney.
Yes Sir-ee, and when he's not shooting his friends in the face or hiding in his bunker, Al Parks is brokering some sweet deals with The Man on his health insurance. That's right, 'cos sadly we're not blessed with universal healthcare in this country and we have to pay for the privilege of waiting for hours in the ER with all the other whack-jobs. Too bad.
Anyhoo, if you're one of the great uninsured and that's been one of your excuses for not playing, then it's time to cross that one off the list. Click this here link, and after the jump you'll be whisked away to insurance land where The Man can see you right. Be sure to use Agent Code Q0805, which is the industry code to get you into the VIP Room.
I peeped these rates myself and for a hundred bucks a month I've got coverage up the ying. That's right, just one-hundred-large, and that's for a wheezy old health-risk like me. Imagine what you healthy young pups could get away with.
If that process all sounds a bit too hi-tech, or if you're worried about that nasty pre-existing condition that just wont clear up, you can always call Al directly for a good dose of hisSnake Oil professional courtesy. Here's his digits: 773-5111, then hit ext. 202.
You think if you hit x. 201 you'll get to the Prez himself? Yeah, from what I hear x. 203 gets you the secretary, and their ain't no 204. Vice President...meh!
Yes Sir-ee, and when he's not shooting his friends in the face or hiding in his bunker, Al Parks is brokering some sweet deals with The Man on his health insurance. That's right, 'cos sadly we're not blessed with universal healthcare in this country and we have to pay for the privilege of waiting for hours in the ER with all the other whack-jobs. Too bad.
Anyhoo, if you're one of the great uninsured and that's been one of your excuses for not playing, then it's time to cross that one off the list. Click this here link, and after the jump you'll be whisked away to insurance land where The Man can see you right. Be sure to use Agent Code Q0805, which is the industry code to get you into the VIP Room.
I peeped these rates myself and for a hundred bucks a month I've got coverage up the ying. That's right, just one-hundred-large, and that's for a wheezy old health-risk like me. Imagine what you healthy young pups could get away with.
If that process all sounds a bit too hi-tech, or if you're worried about that nasty pre-existing condition that just wont clear up, you can always call Al directly for a good dose of his
You think if you hit x. 201 you'll get to the Prez himself? Yeah, from what I hear x. 203 gets you the secretary, and their ain't no 204. Vice President...meh!
Monday, September 11, 2006
Ooof! Old Gold takes Home Opener, City Weeps
Portland made a less-than-auspicious return to Division 2 this weekend when they dropped their home opener to Old Gold.
On paper at least it appeared as though the planets were to align in Portland's favor, with a large home turnout presenting a veritable red sea of shirts to welcome the smaller Old Gold contingent. Sadly though the numbers belied a lack of cohesion on the part of the home side, as they failed to string together much in the way of multi-phased play and Old Gold, through tenacious tackling, did well to shut down the Portland offense.
Things started brightly enough for Portland as they opened the scoring when someone (Hannes?) broke away from a maul five meters out from the OG line. A typical Portland try that may have fooled the home side into thinking that things were going to go according to the script. On the contrary. Old Gold soon regained their composure and mounted a concerted counter attack, using their forwards to attack off the fringes of the rucks and mauls to great effect. Before long the pressure told, and the inevitable OG overload ensued. Despite OG's protestations of poor fitness in their own match report (not to mention beating me to the anti-French Henry IV reference), Portland proved even less fit as defensive alignment broke down quickly after just a couple of phases of play.
As a result OG were able to run in two scores of their own before the half, giving them a comfortable, but not insurmountable 12-5 lead.
Tip-toeing gently through the minefield of substitutions made throughout the game, I will say that the second half opened at least with the slope in Portland's favor, so the game was still very much alive.
To their credit, Old Gold did well to snuff out any attempts at a Portland fight back. Tenacious tackling meant that Portland frequently failed to make the gain-line and too often resorted to some aimless kicking down the throats of the waiting opponents. Counter attacks ensued, and precious energy was wasted clawing back the yards lost.
Another Old Gold score widened the gap to 17-5, but with 10 minutes to go, Scotty Derrig found the try line from the fringe of a Portland ruck and Andy Nelson made the conversion to bring the score to 17-12, and for a moment it looked as though the home side was in with a shout.
Alas, Portland's bubble was soon burst as they gave up a penalty deep in their own half, only to see Old Gold deliver the donkey punch and make it a two-score lead with less than 10 minutes to go. Portland simply didn't have the fitness to mount a serious counter attack from there, and the game ended like the final scenes from Rocky, with both sides struggling to stay on their feet as they traded blows. Unlike Rocky however, there will be no sequel and no Mr-T to beat on next time. 20-12 the final, with Man of the Match honors going to Jeff Keating, for tackling like the rest of us ought to.
The B game did however offer up some consolation, not least because Old Gold didn't have enough extras to muster up even a sevens team and had to suffer the indignity of looking to us for extras. In addition to the grovelling, our B's proceeded to lay the hurt down, and despite a late fight back from the Old Gold/Bates motleys, we romped home with something to spare. Man of the Match honors went to the Midfield General, Matt Winch, from bringing together a bunch of new faces and steering them in the right direction.
Thanks to all those who came out to play and support the side, and apololgies to all those same folks for the result. The season is still young however, with plenty of rugby to play, so watch this space for more positive news.
Portland travels to Providence this weekend for more D2 style lovin'
On paper at least it appeared as though the planets were to align in Portland's favor, with a large home turnout presenting a veritable red sea of shirts to welcome the smaller Old Gold contingent. Sadly though the numbers belied a lack of cohesion on the part of the home side, as they failed to string together much in the way of multi-phased play and Old Gold, through tenacious tackling, did well to shut down the Portland offense.
Things started brightly enough for Portland as they opened the scoring when someone (Hannes?) broke away from a maul five meters out from the OG line. A typical Portland try that may have fooled the home side into thinking that things were going to go according to the script. On the contrary. Old Gold soon regained their composure and mounted a concerted counter attack, using their forwards to attack off the fringes of the rucks and mauls to great effect. Before long the pressure told, and the inevitable OG overload ensued. Despite OG's protestations of poor fitness in their own match report (not to mention beating me to the anti-French Henry IV reference), Portland proved even less fit as defensive alignment broke down quickly after just a couple of phases of play.
As a result OG were able to run in two scores of their own before the half, giving them a comfortable, but not insurmountable 12-5 lead.
Tip-toeing gently through the minefield of substitutions made throughout the game, I will say that the second half opened at least with the slope in Portland's favor, so the game was still very much alive.
To their credit, Old Gold did well to snuff out any attempts at a Portland fight back. Tenacious tackling meant that Portland frequently failed to make the gain-line and too often resorted to some aimless kicking down the throats of the waiting opponents. Counter attacks ensued, and precious energy was wasted clawing back the yards lost.
Another Old Gold score widened the gap to 17-5, but with 10 minutes to go, Scotty Derrig found the try line from the fringe of a Portland ruck and Andy Nelson made the conversion to bring the score to 17-12, and for a moment it looked as though the home side was in with a shout.
Alas, Portland's bubble was soon burst as they gave up a penalty deep in their own half, only to see Old Gold deliver the donkey punch and make it a two-score lead with less than 10 minutes to go. Portland simply didn't have the fitness to mount a serious counter attack from there, and the game ended like the final scenes from Rocky, with both sides struggling to stay on their feet as they traded blows. Unlike Rocky however, there will be no sequel and no Mr-T to beat on next time. 20-12 the final, with Man of the Match honors going to Jeff Keating, for tackling like the rest of us ought to.
The B game did however offer up some consolation, not least because Old Gold didn't have enough extras to muster up even a sevens team and had to suffer the indignity of looking to us for extras. In addition to the grovelling, our B's proceeded to lay the hurt down, and despite a late fight back from the Old Gold/Bates motleys, we romped home with something to spare. Man of the Match honors went to the Midfield General, Matt Winch, from bringing together a bunch of new faces and steering them in the right direction.
Thanks to all those who came out to play and support the side, and apololgies to all those same folks for the result. The season is still young however, with plenty of rugby to play, so watch this space for more positive news.
Portland travels to Providence this weekend for more D2 style lovin'
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