Holidays

I am off on my hols today so no blog posts for a couple of weeks! Off to the gorgeous Cape Cod for some R&R with the family - feel like a child on Christmas Eve! Although the downside is, it may well scupper all the good work we've done in pre season. I am taking my skipping rope, trainers and a stretchy band to make sure I'm doing all I can.

The beautiful Cape Cod

I'll try and steer clear of those enourmous burgers and corn dogs but I'm not promising anything! We're hoping to get to a Boston Red Sox game as well so I'll try get some pictures and will feedback on the American sports experience.

Ciou for now...

Pre-season giddiness

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” - Benjamin Franklin

Yes, the Rangers are up and running. We've had our Pilates preamble, now for the good stuff! 5 July was the first official session and was met with a confused mix of dread and excitement.

Pre-season is an interesting time for any club. There is not only the unpleasant inevitability of the impending 'beasting' - there is also a level of renewed possibilities and hopeful expectation of the year ahead.

The transfer rumour-mill is in full operation. Admittedly it’s not exactly Sky Sports news on deadline day but there is still a level of excitement generated by new signing speculations. Who has left? Who has come back? Are there any new faces? If so, what position are they? Are they big?! And this year has been no exception. As we look to build on our strong finish to the season and push on up the table, we really need a bit more depth.

The word on the street is William Mateai will be joining us this year. The Winger has played for New Zealand Under17s and comes fresh from the Under20s World Cup where he played for Samoa. A few of the boys suspected that he’d seen our shirts and thought we were Wasps but we’re certainly looking forward to welcoming him.

William Mateia. A Ranger from 16 August.

There is more speculation doing the rounds about Australian Props, Scottish Second Rows and suspicions about a turncoat shower-dodger but I’m sure all will be revealed over the next few weeks!

The training so far has been strangely enjoyable. There has been more focus on Rugby specific fitness - sprint and power work combined with handling skills. Much better than the standard 'run 'til you vom' style...but I don't want to count my chickens!

Fortunately, I haven’t suffered too much because I have been doing bits and pieces in the off-season. Those 7s tournaments have stood me in good stead! I even managed the dreaded Saturday morning hill sprints at the weekend, which I was very happy with.

We have a packed schedule of friendlies to look forward to as well. I will be on holiday for the Maidenhead game but return in time for a game against Oxford Harlequins and the much-anticipated tournament and team building weekend down in Exmouth.

Which all leads up to the Tring vs Chinnor grudge match! This will be the first time I have played against the Oxfordshire side and I'm definitely looking forward to it.

There is a certain history between Tring and Chinnor. Not content with stealing our old coach Jason Bowers, the club has also poached a number of our key players over the past few seasons. Add to that the local bragging rights and should make for a tasty game!

The game has an added personal significance. My Wife and I lived just a stone’s throw from the Chinnor ground for two long years and my Wife grew up there. She has played for Chinnor Chicks in the past, her Dad has also donned the black and white hoops and a number of her friends will be playing. I will be determind to show that I made the right decision to stay with Tring...not that I was ever asked or anything!

So, as the season fast approaches, I am feeling in good shape and psychologically preparing myself for an epic year! 

The Cross Code Conundrum

The debate between Rugby Union and League has raged for decades. With two such partisan sets of followers, I don’t think it will ever be resolved. However, now that professionalism has firmly set down its roots, an increasing numbers of players are leaving League to sample the richer fruits of Union…although with varying success.

I had a discussion on Twitter about one such convert, Sonny Bill Williams – the incumbent All Black Inside Centre and former NRL prodigy. 

SBW shocked the League world when he turned his back on an already glittering League career to chance his hand at Union. By the relatively tender age of 24, SBW had notched up seven League test appearances for New Zealand but ditched it all for the deeper pockets of Toulon and Union.

It was a huge risk but one which certainly seems to be paying off. He has been one of the stand out players for the Crusaders as they battled to the final of the SuperXV competition this year. He has also had an immediate impact on the international scene as well – almost single-handedly redefining his position.

He is one of a succession of League to Union converts; Lote Tuquiri, Lesley Vainikolo, Chris Ashton, Shontayne Hape, Brad Thorn, Stephen Myler. But for every Jason Robinson there is an Andy Farrell, a Chev Walker, a Darren Pryce, and Iestyn Harris – high profile cross code failures which have added fuel to the sceptics fire.

So why have some succeeded where others have failed? What makes a successful convert? In my opinion it depends entirely on the position and the stage of the player’s career when he switches.

Rugby League is a punishing game of brute force, power and physicality. Tackling plays such an important role in League and players are renowned for their upper body strength. But what is really interesting about League players – and what makes them such a hotly desired commodity – is their skill level and ability to make decisions under pressure.

League demands strong and reliable ball skills throughout the team but also needs highly creative minds to unlock defences. This is true of Union as well but more so in League as you are faced with a flat wall of defenders for each of your six tackles – there are no breakdowns to suck in defenders, no driving mauls. This means backlines need to be inventive and cunning with their patterns.

The successful League-to-Union converts in recent years have all been at the peak of their careers and physical condition. Jason Robinson was able to make such an impact because he still had his searing pace and quickly picked up the tactical awareness. Andy Farrell, however, came to Union in the twilight of his career and no longer had the physical edge to become the player England had hoped…although the signs are looking good for Owen!

Positions are also important to a triumphant conversion. Chris Ashton has made a huge impact since he crossed over to Union – arguably because his position is very similar in both codes. When Andy Farrell crossed over, there was no real idea where he would play. Perhaps Saracens wasted the opportunity by trying to play him in the back row? I suspect Toulon will have a similar issue with Willie Mason this year.

So where does that leave us? Big spending Union clubs will always be tempted by top League players to bolster any backline. There are headaches around coaching the strategic differences but the pace, power and skills of League backs will always turn heads and flutter chequebooks.

The same can’t be said of forwards though. I think there are far too many intricacies of technique in the set plays and cheats learnt through experience for a player to succeed in the pack.

I am looking forward to seeing how Kyle Eastmond gets on at Bath. From what I have seen, he has the full package and is an extremely exciting prospect. Oh…and if Billy Slater and Benji Marshall ever fancy a go at Union, they’ll be warmly received at Cow Lane!!

Touch Rugby World Cup 2011

Last weekend saw the exciting climax of the 7thTouch Rugby World Cup in Edinburgh. The event, held at the University of Edinburgh’s Peffermill playing fields, hosted some 1,400 participants from 28 countries over an exhausting five days. My Father-in-law and I made the journey to Edinburgh to watch the wife play for England in the Mixed Open category.

Touch is an interesting sport. It was first invented in Australia in the late 1960s as a way of sharpening Rugby League techniques and soon took off due to the social nature of the game. It is a well-established institution in the Southern Hemisphere, especially Australia, New Zealand and with South Africa not too far behind.

Zoe in action for the England Mixed Open team

Now…we’ve all played Touch at some point, whether it’s as a warm up before training or just in pre-season to keep the hands going. But to see it played at the very top level was not only breath taking but also showed just how different this game is from the Rugby we all know.

Firstly, the pace and skill levels required are nothing short of awe-inspiring.  Rather than a '7s-style', off the cuff reliance on pace and footwork, Touch employs a complicated mix of explosive set piece patterns. But there is plenty room for flare – I watched open mouthed at gravity defying sidesteps and saw things I didn’t think were possible with a Rugby ball!

The game itself is all-inclusive. It is billed as the ‘sport for all’, which was certainly reflected in Edinburgh. There were seven different categories in competition; Men’s Open, Women’s Open, Mixed Open, Men’s Over 30s, Men’s Over 35s, Men’s Over 35s and Senior Mixed. How many sports do you know where Men and Women can compete equally at the top level?

The interesting side to touch is the discipline it requires. The dummy-half (scrum-half figure who starts each play) cannot score or be touched. Any handling errors, even if it goes backwards, result in a turnover so passing has to be precise.

Touch is centred around a social ethos and the spirit of the game is integral to the laws – if you don’t give the ball to the opposition at a turnover or after a touchdown then it is a penalty. If your touch is deemed too hard then you can be penalised or even ‘force subbed’. All this to think about whilst playing at a frenetic pace with a constant stream of rolling subs can make it something of a whirlwind!

The action took place at the foot of Arthur's Seat

The tournament panned out across ten pitches in the shadow of the iconic Arthur’s Seat. The bright and colourful array of kits, countries, accents and flags was more reminiscent of a Quidditch World Cup rather than any Rugby tournament I have ever been to!

There was a genuine cultural exchange with the Pacific Island teams performing Hakas, the Welsh singing songs from the Valleys and the Italians in a particularly stylish kit. The Cook Islands’ warm up was more akin to a Zumba class but was still entertaining. 

The action itself ended in disappointment for England. Australia dominated proceedings, winning five of the seven categories and played New Zealand in four of those.

Zoe’s team were robbed by a physical Niue side…and some suspect refereeing decisions! They finished fifth out of 19 teams in their category – but it could have been so different if they had played South Africa in the 1/4 final instead of the formidable Australia.

However, it was not all doom and gloom – Touch is definitely a growing sport in Europe and encouraging performances from the likes of Japan and Singapore shows the sport’s global appeal. The next stop is Italy for the European Championships in 2012.

                                                                                      

The OTHER Giggs Affect

Whatever your personal feelings towards Ryan Giggs are these days – no doubt vastly different from two or three months ago – you mustn’t let it cloud your opinion of him as an athlete.

21 years at Manchester United; 876 appearances; 159 goals; 11 league titles; 4 FA Cups; two Champions League trophies…the sparkling list of accolades goes on.

His revelation that Yoga and Pilates were the main reason for his longevity has sparked a sudden rush to the gym classes. Crystal Palace were quick to jump on the bandwagon, boss Dougie Freedman had his team stretching almost immediately. “If it’s good enough for Ryan Giggs, it’s good enough for us,” he stated at the time…although you’d be hard pressed to hear a similar quote these days!

And so, this Yogic explosion has filtered down to Cow Lane. Our glamorous physio duo, Emily and Alex, have been leading Pilates and core strengthening classes on Tuesday nights.

Rugby and Yoga is an uneasy combination. Not for its obvious ‘girly’ connotations but it makes the ungainly look utterly ridiculous. I felt like even more of a lumbering goon than usual as I wobbled and hobbled around!

The boys doing the 'crab walk' across the pitch...painful and difficult!

However, far from treating these sessions with disdain and indifference, the boys are getting stuck in. You can’t ignore the science and if anything is going to help prevent injuries, keep us playing for longer and give us an edge with improved balance then we’re all for it. I’ll be donning the leotard and flouro sweatbands next week.

His personal profile may be disappearing into the mire but, professionally, Giggsy knows what he is talking about. We’re just hoping for the same level of benefits…well some of the benefits, eh Ryan! ;-)

West Country 7s

Another weekend another tournament, this time the much anticipated West Country 7s down in Keynsham for the mighty Otters. The Gilbert Pups had shaken up the National Series by taking top honours the day before - now it was our turn to pitch our wits in the Sunday Social tournament.

The Otters are now a recognised and respected team on the 7s circuit. Now in its 10^th year, the team started life as a University halls of residence side from Loughborough. As the years have passed, the O-Unit has opened its welcoming arms to all newcomers, creating an exciting mix of Loughborough old boys and a few other stragglers – myself included in the later!

It was an early start as Keynsham is a surprisingly long way away – the M4 just seems to keep going forever! – and the weather wasn’t doing much to enthuse me. Despite some last minute injuries, we still had a strong side and the team’s chef de mission Neil Fischer did the necessary introductions.

Our first game was against the Chichester Sabres, a young, strong and energetic outfit. The first game at a tournament is traditionally a shocker as no one really knows anyone, no one talks, everyone is still a bit cold, (insert more stock excuses here). The Sabres were a muscular team who played a very physical brand of 7s.

In the first half we simply didn’t get a touch of the ball. We were naïve at the restarts and missed key tackles. However, the second half was encouraging. When we had the ball in hand we looked dangerous and a try a piece from Jack Bird and Matt Smith clawed back some respectability. But the final 31-14 score was a major disappointment.

Following some stern but encouraging words from Coach Hubbs, we got our campaign back on track against St Brendan’s Old Boys. They may have been a much weaker side than the Sabres but we were starting to gel more as a team and a comprehensive 31-0 victory restored our confidence.

We moved onto the main pitch for our next game against Brecon Old Boys and we were starting to build some real momentum. They were a good side but we bullied them at the breakdown, Shaun, Briggy and Josh relentless in the tackle. We exposed them out wide and ran in several well-worked tries. It seemed the O-Train was steaming ahead!

The Sun made a welcome appearance as we reached the knockout phase of the tournament,. We were drawn into the Plate competition after our opening loss and would face Banana 7s. Again, they are a strong and reputable side on the circuit but our momentum was reaching a peak now and we proved unstoppable.

The O-Unit

We learnt important lessons from the Sabres game and were now dominating the restarts. It seemed wherever Fisch kicked, my hands were sure to find! We won four or five restarts in a row and didn’t give Banana a look in. We racked up several first half tries which put us out of sight. They fought back in the second half but our defence was now working like a well-oiled machine. The final score 40-7 and we progressed to the semi finals.     

We had picked up a couple of injuries along the way, par for the course really, but generally, we were looking in good shape for the semis against a competitive Old Redcliffians side. We had watched them beat the much fancied OBOSH earlier in the day so knew it would be a tough game.

A disastrous start put us on the back foot straight away. We tapped back the kick off but no one was there to claim it except the Old Reds winger who happily scampered in for the first try. It got worse as well, conceding two further tries to put us 19-0 down – their strong physical runners took their toll.

We did manage to regain some composure and fought back. Aggressive tackling and good support play lead to three scores of our own and had a series of shocking refereeing decisions gone our way we might have turned it round. But alas, it was not to be. The final score an agonising 19-17.

It is easy to blame the referee and I don’t want it to sound like sour grapes – Old Reds were an excellent side and went on to beat the Ladiators in the final. However, there were some criminally poor decisions which ruined the game for us, especially one so close.

Otter of the day was the irrepressible Matt Smith for his impressive try count and exceptional scramble defence.

But overall, it was a fantastic day. We played some great Rugby and further enhanced the Otters’ reputation as a force to be reckoned with. Next stop for the O-train, Slough 7s – 2^nd July.

 

 

First silverware of the summer

I approached last weekend’s Beaconsfield 7s with mild trepidation. The weather looked questionable and the Old Berkhamstedians had been struggling for numbers all week. However, my fears were soon allayed as I arrived in beaming sunshine to a full squad of enthusiastic youngsters, not only keen to play but actively warming up!

There may have been some questions around the eligibility of our team. A few Exeter Uni ringers were drafted in at the last minute but the core of the squad had walked the hallowed cloisters during their formative years.

And it really did feel like being back at school as we were drawn against RGS Wycombe Old Boys in our first game. I have to admit, despite enough water passing under the bridge to swamp a nation, I still harbour a deep-seated resentment of RGS! I have been on the receiving end of far too many royal drubbings at their merciless hands – now the mere sight of those maroon and green shirts sends shockwaves or irrational hatred coursing through my veins!

My heart sank further when I saw one Nathan Lambden in their midst…a man I had previously revered and respected! For shame. For shame.

There was an all too familiar start to the game as well, the RGS centre rounded me with consummate ease and callously trampled over poor Henry Kirchner to score. However, we fought our way back into the game and even held the lead in the second half. Heart-breakingly and somewhat inevitably RGS scored with the last play of the game to snatch the victory by just two points.

Back row: Jerry, Sam, Chris, Matt, Jimmy
Front row: Me, Tom, Owen, Mike

The disappointment was palpable but we did not crack. In fact, the Tall Boys – a team from Weybridge Vandals RFC – felt the full force of our frustration. We played some genuine textbook 7s, holding depth, spreading the ball from wing to wing and patiently waited for the gaps. A 31-0 scoreline reflected our boost in confidence.

Next up were Marlow, who had also looked strong in their previous games. We started well and dominated the first half, continuing our good form from the last game. Our defence was tight and we kept the ball well when in possession. We took the lead through a break away from Chris Brooks. However, we didn’t capitalise on our possession and Marlow forced their way back into the game in the second period. Despite our best efforts and some crunching tackles, we spurned a gild-edged last minute chance and lost 12-7.

Again, there was a real sense of disappointment as we felt we had thrown it away. A well-disciplined 33-0 trashing of Beaconsfield Vets did raise our spirits slightly and our place was booked in the Plate semi-final.

The squad was starting to disintegrate as we approached the business end of the tournament. We had lost one to a knee injury, Mike Taylor to a hamstring strain and Jimmy Jackson’s had a back problem. However, even a scratch seven was enough to admonish the feisty Young Guns 31-0.

Old Boys stalwart Jerry Goss stepped into the breach for the final, defying doctor’s orders to replace the departing Henry who had a ‘prior engagement’. Our opponents were the Tall Boys again who had enjoyed success against Beaconsfield.

Both teams were feeling the effects of a full day’s play and the Final lacked the effervescence of previous rounds. However, we dominated throughout, wearily crossing the line 20-5 to win the Plate.

The tournament may not have been of the highest calibre - nor was the standard particularly awe-inspiring – but it was an enjoyable day and certainly good practise for more challenging tournaments to come. 

It was good to see some fresh faces in the Old Boys set up and it was certainly an encouraging start to the 7s season for the team, with several tournaments planned for the summer. A special mention must go to Sam Dines for rounding up the troops.