Rugby Weekly update
The weekend started well but did not finish so well today.
On Friday night the mixed touch team, consisting mainly of our girls, who we entered in the winter touch league contested the shield final. Unfortunately they lost but their efforts were rewarded with some medals and as we all know it is nice to make a final and win some silverware. Above is a photo of the team.
Today we had two games. Up at Tin Siu Wai we had the U19s against Discovery Bay Pirates, the strongest team in our league. It was a hotly contested game and we matched them in the pack, where things were very even. It was a hard, physical battle. However their backs were very good and far too often they were able to create an overlap, which their speedy wingers were able to exploit well. We ended up losing 48-0 but looking back it didn’t seem as though we had been outplayed that badly and the Pirates certainly knew they had been in a hard match. One good thing, considering our recent spell of bad luck, was that only one lad had to attend hospital and that was just for a few stitches in a split eyebrow, which will no doubt be much admired at school tomorrow.
The U16s played at Happy Valley against the TSW/Flying Kukris combined team. Again we had about half the team were boys playing only their 2nd or 3rd game and unfortunately a big lad, who had joined us from the Tuen Mun Boys Home and had been playing really well, dominating many of the forward battles, was recalled to the home over Christmas. We haven’t given up on him and hopefully when he gets out again he can get involved once more. Anyway the new boys were given a good lesson in what rugby is all about and unfortunately we lost 60 – 0. A couple of the older lads forgot that they were new boys once and Ivan and Gunny had to give them a firm reminder.
The big positive was that we got 25 boys out at each location and many of them are in the middle of their mock exams. So with injuries and exams keeping a number out, it does show that our overall numbers are holding up this year.
Next week we have organised some 7s practice for the U16 girls against Tai Po, up at Tai Po, which will be good for them. The Tai Po girls are mostly new girls as well. There are no games for the boys.