CONNECTICUT
GREY
RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
~ est. 1979 ~
Mountain Mist Outdoor Center
Meriden, Connecticut
|
~ est. 1979 ~
Mountain Mist Outdoor Center
|
|
The Hourglass June 14, 1998 A Publication of the Connecticut Grey Rugby Football Club GREYS VICTORIOUS AT CUP Only once in my six years with the Greys has there ever been a more rewarding day in terms of tournament or multiple game events. Not since 1993 and the Grey's victories over White Plains and Boston (yes they did have a team then) in one day has there been such a successful day of rugby. That was until Saturday's games and wins over White Plains and a Yankee old boys side. The Greys, playing in their first CT Cup in an old boy - pseudo exhibition since the Cup is a ten man rugby format - bracket were pitted against White Plains and an assemblage of numerous current and past Conn. Yankees. With game time pushed back from a 1:00 p.m. start to almost 2:00 (or later) the first game against White Plains placed the match in the meat of the heat of the day. To our credit, the Greys came en-masse with over 22 players. It was the numbers that gave us somewhat of an edge against White Plains. The Greys scored first on a penalty kick from Don Brancard. With the score 3 - 0 the Greys were able to gain some momentum and after several long backline breaks were able to connect on a multiple pass line that resulted in John Kerr touching down for the try. The conversion was good and the Greys led 10 - 0. In the meantime White Plains started having numbers problems as a prop had to leave from injuries followed soon after by the loss of Matt Leonard (former Eagle hook) with a good cut on the forehead. Still, White Plains rebounded and were able to score on a forward break off a ruck and convert the kick to bring the game close, 10 - 7 at half. The Grey's mass substitution in the second helped keep needed pressure on White Plains who were unable to connect on several breaks but eventually mustered an attack that led to another Plains try. The conversion was missed and Plains was now up 12 - 10. With little time remaining the Greys were awarded a penalty kick. Fred Seeger was able to boot a clean one through to give the Greys the lead at 13 - 12 as time expired. Touch judge Don Brancard sealed his position as new line judge for the Greys in the penalty kick signal. This was a hard fought game but it was the constant yelling and whining by White Plains that gave the Greys a willingness to win. This usually isn't the case as we now should see what the end result is when all we do is cry and complain about the calls. Let's learn from this!!!! White Plains went on to play the Yankees in the second game and were hopelessly outmatched (or over-tired) by the younger, faster and more fit Yanks. Score is unknown but it was at least 4 tries to 1 in the Yanks' favor. With a brief break after the White Plains game, the Greys marched onto the field for a two 10-minute half match against the Yanks. Picking up where we finished in the first game, the Greys made things happen and stopped all backline runs that the Yanks made. Frustrated, the Yanks weren't able to gain any advantage and the Greys were able to tally the first score off a backline movement with Grayson Gregory scoring the try. The conversion was missed and the Greys led 5 - 0. However, and soon after, a poor pass by Tony Johnson was picked off by a Yank back who was able to run around a couple Greys to score. Their conversion was good and the Yanks led at the break 7 - 5. Still, the Greys held their own against a somewhat stronger opponent and sensed that we could still pull this one out. We have seldom come from behind to win this season (except for the game 50 minutes earlier against White Plains) but it was apparent that there was this will to win - this game! With only minutes left in the game, a forward maul from the Yanks' five meter line was tied up and moved slightly ten meters to the right (near touch) then ten meters to the left. With great effort the Grey pack pushed their way forward and touched the ball down for the try. It's hard to say who actually is credited with the try since there were about five Grey players with their hands on the ball as it went to ground. However, Fred Seeger is the only forward who appears to have had the most control and is credited with the try. The conversion was not good as time expired. The final, 10 -7 Greys. This was a very fine win and a credit to all who played and made every effort to not lose sight of the ultimate goal, a two-game winning day. It was also rewarding to see White Plains drop two. In their defense, it was not the usual White Plains old boys side either. The Greys were awarded a very nice trophy which was displayed (and doubled as a chalice for the Mexican Gods) at Franconia. GREYS IMPRESSIVE IN FRANCONIA Sort of like the swallows in Capistrano, old boy rugby players return to the mountains of New Hampshire for the annual festival each June. Over the past several years the Greys have performed poorly with a cumulative record of 1 and 5. This year appeared to be different based on the pairings that took place on Friday evening. The Greys drew Boston first and would then play Quebec Combined as the second game. Worchester, the perennial Grey spankers, were lumped into the bracket with Amoskeag and Portland. For awhile, it appeared as if the Greys were going to have a spectacular day. The game against Boston was not one of our best but the defeat of Boston is always a lift for the team. The final score was 22 - 10 Greys with notable highlights being two tries by Chicky and another by Dave Berube. Now that the first game was over and an easy game against Quebec was to follow, the Greys slipped into a nonchalant post-game relaxation period. Unfortunately, the weather turned and so did the pairings. Amoskeag, the team that was to play Worchester in the first game, didn't show which meant that someone had to play them as a second game. Guess who? Apparently Boston opted for the weaker Canadian team while the Greys, once again, had the play Worchester. Anyway, forget about the details, the result was similar to past years except that the Greys actually led early in the second half and kept it close until the late stages of the game. The final was a disappointing but close 19 - 10 loss. Nice try scored by Jim Farrell at fullback who split the centers and caught a pass from Brancard who dummied two scissors. The after-game festivities were dampened somewhat due to the colder, wet weather and for some reason, there just wasn't as much champagne consumed prior to the banquet. The banquet wasn't what it was the year before. Consensus is (and agreed to by Bill Good on Sunday morning) that the DJ last year was much better than the live music of Kid Snail and his band of tone deaf mountain mutants. I'm sorry but the live version of "Having My Baby" just doesn't make me want to jump up and get down! CCSU NEEDS WOMEN'S RUGBY COACH Anyone interested in coaching a women's rugby team for Central Connecticut State College (a.k.a. University of New Britain) please contact Matt Lima at (203) 929-4679 (home) or (860) 225-3816 (school). There are no details at this time but I encourage anyone interested to please call Matt. AROUND THE FIELD A couple Greys actually had the stamina (and lack of anything else productive to do) after the CT Cup to partake in the drink-up with the rest of the day's participants. Quote of the week goes to Mike Fotos who asked the question at the CT Cup drink-up, "Are we here to drink or chaperone this thing?" Not to be outdone (or outdated) Meg (a.k.a. Chick's chick) quipped "This makes me feel old!" Which leads us to the conclusion that "you may be young at heart but you were still conceived in the backseat of an Edsel." We all expect to see some new form of wildlife in Franconia but, what was that "thing" that was unleashed by the Worchester team. A real life "Pat," in the flesh - and lots of it!!! Now I see what they used as the model for the "weebles" or "poppin-fresh." She was fat - so fat that she was diagnosed with the flesh eating disease and her doctor only gave her 13 years to live! Worse, she had eyes (only two - thank God) for one particular Grey. Tom Flynn, who was having a fine weekend being solo (not Napoleon Solo like the Man from UNCLE but more like Hans Solo being pursued by Jabba the Hut) was the poor lad who had this "thing" constantly trailing him all weekend. She was so fat that the back of her neck looked like a six-pack of hot dogs! Sitting on the porch of the Franconia sipping a fine brewed Genesee Cream Ale, the "thing" brought to our attention that although it was cold in Franconia, where she was from it was over 100 degrees that day (now, where's that? Mars? The sunny side?). Now nothing ruins a perfect afternoon faster than the picture of this fat "thing" sweating profusely on a real burner of a day. I have since then sworn off Genesee Cream - it sort of tastes like sweat to begin with. And so, on Sunday we all bid a fond farewell to the "beast" as she got into the minivan and drove off to the south, gas tank dragging all the way (that is tank, tailpipe and bumper). Don't worry Tom, we only gave her your address - that way she can only visit you in person. You're safe until they start landing the space shuttle at Sikorsky. We all have to agree that there is a great disparity between referees that we have had the honor (or misfortune) of reffing our games over the past season. We are also very grateful to the company that relocated Paul "the hamster's dead but the wheel's still spinning" Gauthier to some southern state (with all the other brain-dead morphs). But, we really appreciate the dedication of Jeff Bouvier (an intellect rivaled only by garden tools) as our "referee of choice." Sort of like the "prime cut of officiating." However, we don't know many of Jeff's other accomplishments. We knew he was a teacher but weren't sure what subject (spelling???). Anyway, during the recent CT Cup as Jeff was reffing the game between White Plains and the Yankees, we overheard one of the spectators ask to another "Is that professor Bouvier?" "Professor?" Since when was this honor bestowed upon Herr Bouvier? Now, I'm not sure but I don't believe Darien High is a nationally accredited institution of higher learning and I've never once referred to one of my high school teachers as "professor." "Asshole" maybe but not "professor" or even "doctor" and even rarely "sir." So, with this little tidbit of info, we set out to determine why "professor." We came up with several scenarios. The first, is Jeff's possible desire to be shipwrecked on a deserted island with Dawn Wells (you know, Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island) and, therefore, the alias "professor." The other is his fantasy of taking an English-accented trollop who wants to learn more about literature and befriends a pickled professor of Pulitzer prizes who "shows her the ropes." This has also been referred to as ERS or the "Educating Rita Syndrome." Or, it could possibly be that since Jeff or "the professor" has traveled extensively and is all-knowing in the ways of the world that it is only elementary that he be recognized with such distinction (we find this option unacceptable). Finally, we have decided upon the most practical reason for the moniker "professor." Jeff was cocked, in a bar, surrounded by a bevy of boy toys and thought hey, now how can I, an over-50 school teacher who spends most weekends administering punishment to younger men that according to him, had erred in their judgment (also known as refereeing a rugby game) really impress these lasses? Most men of stature would just drop their drawers. But, since being next to Jeff in the urinal line, this act for Jeff would be less than "impressive." Word has it that they were thinking of making a "beanie baby" in the form of Jeff's manhood but it would have only taken two small beans and one slit pea to replicate the actual size (and then the label would still cover it all). Anyway, still pondering his predicament and potential peccadillo, Jeff decided that since he couldn't impress them with his peni-undulata he would use his cerebral cortex. Where upon Jeff exclaimed "I'm a professor!!!" Which greatly impressed all the young girls who immediately surrounded Jeff and admired him for his credentials. You see, the girls actually thought he was Russell Johnson a.k.a. "the professor" from Gilligan's Island. TOP TEN THINGS YOU'LL NEVER HEAR A GREY SAY 10. "We really could have used Marinaro today!" ROCKCATS GAME INFO Ed Carr has taken time to get information on a Grey's cookout and ballgame in New Britain. Please see the attached information and form for the event. This can be a really good time to get back together before the fall season. One correction, the date for the event is Saturday, AUGUST 9TH - not the 2nd since many of us will be in Saranac. For more information, please contact Ed Carr or Tony Johnson. ROCKAWAY 7s Please contact Brendan Coffey or Ed Carr (860) 521-4442. The date is June 20th - next weekend. SARANAC LAKE Call Tom Flynn to know more about the Lake - or if you want to play in the tournament.
New Britain Rockcats Game Is there interest? We will have a picnic at the stadium beginning 1 hour prior to the game. Game starts at 2:00 PM, so we can get in at 1:00 PM, and have all we can eat until a ½ hour after the first pitch. Specifics:
We need to know As Soon As Possible if there is interest in this event. The dates are going fast, and we have to put a $100 non-refundable deposit down. To make things easy, please fill out the form below and mail to Ed Carr with check by July 1st at the latest: Ed Carr 1203 Farmington Ave. West Hartford, CT 06107 860-521-4442 Make check payable to Ed Carr DIRECTIONS: From Rt. 84:
From Rt. 91 or Rt. 15:
----------- CUT ON DOTTED LINE SO YOU DON'T LOSE DIRECTIONS ----------- Name:________________________________________________________ Phone Number:_________________________________________________ Number of Adult Tickets (over age 13) _______________ Cost:______________ Number of Children Tickets (5 to 12 ) _______________ Cost:______________ Total Enclosed:______________ Thanks for a prompt response. We will notify you of any changes. If you don't hear from us plan on being at the ball field at about 12:45PM to pick up your tickets.
|