Rugby across the pond
By USsharksfan May 3 2008
Rugby has worldwide appeal, not just in the "major" nations. Sale has a connection with the US in the form of ex-Sharks fly half Mike Hercus, as well as a couple of known supporters from the left side of the pond. As here, competition in the US is hotting up, reaching the territorial finals stage. USsharksfan watches from the sidelines as Reno Zephyrs take on Mission RFC.
Rugby has worldwide appeal, not just in the "major" nations. Sale has a connection with the US in the form of ex-Sharks fly half Mike Hercus, as well as a couple of known supporters from the left side of the pond. As here, competition in the US is hotting up, reaching the territorial finals stage. USsharksfan watches from the sidelines as Reno Zephyrs take on Mission RFC.
The Reno Zephyrs quest towards another national championship started in
earnest on Saturday April, 26 and Sunday April 27th. After finishing
the year in the Northern Division of the NCRFU (Northern California
RFU) in first place with an unblemished record of 6-0 and having the
biggest point differential, we were seeded first in the PCRFU Territory
Championships with the winner moving on to Austin, Texas May 17th
and18th for the Elite 8 to face the winners from the other 7 US
territories to determine the national championship game in Golden,
Colorado (Outside Denver) on may 31-June 1.
Brackets were:
Reno Zephyrs v. Mission
Location: Fresno, Ca (Central California)
Game day: Saturday April 17th
KO: 11:15 AM (8:15 pm London)
Field: Fresno Sports Complex
Weather: 90 - hot and humid!
Turf: Needs a lot of work, solid but very patchy.
Oppo Strengths: Fast / Fit / Solid Tacklers / Good Kicking game
Oppo Weaknesses: Smallish front rowers, undersized IC / OC
As we are about a half Tongan / Samoan and Half American team we decided as a unit to honor both cultures by creating our own version of the Haka and with the help of the entire team we came up with a winner. We unveiled it at the beginning of our game against Mission to the delight of the crowd. It was a heck of a way to get the day started! Ok, on to the game.
We lost the coin toss and Kicked off at around 11:25 or so. The kick was high and right and settled into the hands of their open side flanker and the game was on. The first few minutes saw Mission move the ball in bits and spurts picking up a yard here a couple there until they were about 20 meters out and to the SURPRISE of everyone their IC dropped in a goal! Score 3 – 0 Mission
The following kick off was the beginning of the end for Mission as one of their front rowers booted the ball and our winger scooped it up and was on his way for a 35 meter scamper which ended when our #3 caught a pass from our SH about 4 meters from the try line and preceded to run over the only guy in his way and touch the ball down for 5. (XP Made) Score 7-3 Reno. The next two possessions were quite similar as we moved the ball with ease up the field with fine passing and good hard nosed straight running. Running by our IC / OC and our #11 opened up a big whole on the left side of the pitch which our #8 exploited for a try (XP good) Score 14 – 3 Reno. Again same thing swift hands hard nosed running led to our SH squirting over from about 3 feet out and touching it down for another try. (XP good) Score 21-3 Reno.
Some loose play followed which let Mission creep a little closer before the halftime whistle. Bad kick and chase by our FB left a huge overlap on our left side which they exploited with their very fast 12-14 and they touched down a very well done try with about a minute left in the half. (XP good) Score 21-10 Reno. Following a stern talking to by the coaches the second half would see some fine tries by both sides.
The first 20 minutes of the second half saw some fabulous team work from the Zephyrs as the world came crashing in on Mission. Try one: an all out manifesto on pure speed by our FB as he took the ball around the corner inside our 22, busted their winger and FB down and left them shaking their heads as he ran by them like they were standing still. (XP Missed) Score 27-10 Reno. Try two: after turning a ball over on their 15 meter line we recycled the ball quickly to our #8 then he to our IC then he to our winger then he to our FB! THAT’S right 4 passes in 15 meters. A darn rugby match broke out! Try! (XP Made) Score 34-10 Reno. Try 3: You ever hear of a bull in a China Shop? Well we have three of those types. Our #8 and #7 are both well over 6’3 and 275 lbs and our #3 is about 5’10 and 285. Our 8 received the KO and rumbled over and around half of the Mission team, popped to our Flanker and he picked up another 20 meters running over the other half of the team and then our prop decided treat their FB to a mild concussion by running him over and possibly stepping on his head when passing over him. Try! (XP Good) Score 41 – 10 Reno. The next ten minutes were shaky as bit of laziness due to the score and the darn heat let Mission creep back in with two tries within about a three minute span. (XP missed on both) Score 41-20 Reno. Mission realized they had little time to score and started cheating a bit which lead to the final points being two PK’s by our FB.
Final Score: Reno Zephyrs 47 Mission RFC 20
Yours truly is still unable to play and suffered horribly watching his mates have to play without him. But still a good day… being injured SUCKS!
Brackets were:
#1 Reno Zephyrs v. #4 Mission RFC
#2 Bend Oregon v. #3Camelback, AZ
Reno Zephyrs v. Mission
Location: Fresno, Ca (Central California)
Game day: Saturday April 17th
KO: 11:15 AM (8:15 pm London)
Field: Fresno Sports Complex
Weather: 90 - hot and humid!
Turf: Needs a lot of work, solid but very patchy.
Oppo Strengths: Fast / Fit / Solid Tacklers / Good Kicking game
Oppo Weaknesses: Smallish front rowers, undersized IC / OC
As we are about a half Tongan / Samoan and Half American team we decided as a unit to honor both cultures by creating our own version of the Haka and with the help of the entire team we came up with a winner. We unveiled it at the beginning of our game against Mission to the delight of the crowd. It was a heck of a way to get the day started! Ok, on to the game.
We lost the coin toss and Kicked off at around 11:25 or so. The kick was high and right and settled into the hands of their open side flanker and the game was on. The first few minutes saw Mission move the ball in bits and spurts picking up a yard here a couple there until they were about 20 meters out and to the SURPRISE of everyone their IC dropped in a goal! Score 3 – 0 Mission
The following kick off was the beginning of the end for Mission as one of their front rowers booted the ball and our winger scooped it up and was on his way for a 35 meter scamper which ended when our #3 caught a pass from our SH about 4 meters from the try line and preceded to run over the only guy in his way and touch the ball down for 5. (XP Made) Score 7-3 Reno. The next two possessions were quite similar as we moved the ball with ease up the field with fine passing and good hard nosed straight running. Running by our IC / OC and our #11 opened up a big whole on the left side of the pitch which our #8 exploited for a try (XP good) Score 14 – 3 Reno. Again same thing swift hands hard nosed running led to our SH squirting over from about 3 feet out and touching it down for another try. (XP good) Score 21-3 Reno.
Some loose play followed which let Mission creep a little closer before the halftime whistle. Bad kick and chase by our FB left a huge overlap on our left side which they exploited with their very fast 12-14 and they touched down a very well done try with about a minute left in the half. (XP good) Score 21-10 Reno. Following a stern talking to by the coaches the second half would see some fine tries by both sides.
The first 20 minutes of the second half saw some fabulous team work from the Zephyrs as the world came crashing in on Mission. Try one: an all out manifesto on pure speed by our FB as he took the ball around the corner inside our 22, busted their winger and FB down and left them shaking their heads as he ran by them like they were standing still. (XP Missed) Score 27-10 Reno. Try two: after turning a ball over on their 15 meter line we recycled the ball quickly to our #8 then he to our IC then he to our winger then he to our FB! THAT’S right 4 passes in 15 meters. A darn rugby match broke out! Try! (XP Made) Score 34-10 Reno. Try 3: You ever hear of a bull in a China Shop? Well we have three of those types. Our #8 and #7 are both well over 6’3 and 275 lbs and our #3 is about 5’10 and 285. Our 8 received the KO and rumbled over and around half of the Mission team, popped to our Flanker and he picked up another 20 meters running over the other half of the team and then our prop decided treat their FB to a mild concussion by running him over and possibly stepping on his head when passing over him. Try! (XP Good) Score 41 – 10 Reno. The next ten minutes were shaky as bit of laziness due to the score and the darn heat let Mission creep back in with two tries within about a three minute span. (XP missed on both) Score 41-20 Reno. Mission realized they had little time to score and started cheating a bit which lead to the final points being two PK’s by our FB.
Final Score: Reno Zephyrs 47 Mission RFC 20
Yours truly is still unable to play and suffered horribly watching his mates have to play without him. But still a good day… being injured SUCKS!
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