SEVENS CHAMPIONSHIPS
The SF/Golden Gate rugby club did very well at the Sevens nationals, finishing fourth.
On Saturday, they won all of their pool games including one against defending champs OMBAC, and then defeated Milwaukee in the quarter-finals.
In the semi-final Sunday morning they opened strong against Chicago Lions: they scored three tries and were ahead 19 – 0 with not so much as a single tackle having been made in the game.
Chicago rallied, came back to tie the game, and then won it in overtime. This momentum then propelled them to the title over OMBAC.
The Olympic Club and Hayward played each other for 11th place on Sunday. According to the USA Rugby website, Hayward won 26 – 10. However, AmericanRugbyNews and eRugbyNews both show Olympic winning 24 – 10.
Paul Bretz was the lead referee at this event, as he will be at the All-Star Sevens championships in Utah in two weeks.
REFEREES NEEDED
August 18:
Tens Tournament at Treasure Island, hosted by the All Blues
This will be played on Rocca Field. Players have registered individually and will be distributed onto teams Harlotfest-style. Play is anticipated from 10 until 4.
So far, we have one who has volunteered to coach or run touch. That leaves us needing referees. Ready to run?
September 1-2:
The Biggest Little Rugby Tournament in the World:
The newly-reborn Reno Tournament (fifteens) will be played the first weekend in September. Hotel rooms will be available for refs. Sign up now!
September 8:
For Pete’s Sake Tournament in Santa Rosa
One pitch, all day.
The All Blues will also be playing two games this day, against Belmont Shore and Sacramento.
REFEREE RECRUITMENT
NCRRS Recruitment Officer Rob Hendrickson is launching a new initiative in conjunction with the NCRFU to increase our ranks of referees.
The beauty of the plan is that he needs your help: Rob wants to match existing referees up with teams, so that each team can be approached at training and given a ‘sales pitch’. This would entail attending their training or a pre-season team meeting once or twice.
This is probably the most important thing you can do for the future of our society this year.
Here is Rob’s announcement:
“We are expanding our referee recruitment efforts this fall, including having a referee meet with each team in an effort to recruit from our best source for new candidates, etc. To support and facilitate that effort, please respond to recruitment officer Rob Hendrickson (rchendrickson@duanemorris.com) with the following information:
“Your name
Your home address
Where you work (i.e., what city)
A brief description of how and when you got into refereeing
Which team(s) (in NorCal) you played for, coached or are otherwise affiliated with
Any particular team(s) you would like to be assigned to
Would you be willing to work with more than one team
Whether you are willing to be a mentor for a brand-new referee
Would you be able to travel, expenses paid, to one of the outlying teams for this purpose”
EXCHANGE TO NEW YORK
Jim Crenshaw will be refereeing the New York Athletic Club against the Boston Irish on September 8. This is another fixture of the autumn league being played among half a dozen of the East Coast super league teams. (Joe Leisek is doing a game in this competition in Boston a week later.)
WORLD CUP SENDOFFS SATURDAY, AUGUST 18
Get your World Cup party started a few weeks early!
Two parties will be held this Saturday evening for members of the USA World Cup team, to send them off in style for the match with Munster and the assembly in France.
The first soiree begins at 6 PM at the SF/Golden Gate clubhouse, hosted in honor of Tasi Mounga and Thretton Palamo.
Then, at 7:30 at O’Flaherty’s Pub in San Jose (25 North San Pedro St.), Todd Clever will be toasted and wished well.
BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS IMMEDIATELY!
Pelican Pete, the world's largest pelican, celebrates his 50th birthday on August 18, 2007:
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/MNPELpelican.html
And here’s a Big Pelican from Queensland:
http://www.wotif.com/webdata/image/promotion/big_pelican.jpg
THIS WEEK’S PHOTO
Do not neglect body and soul during the off season. Sunrise tai chi, as demonstrated here by one of our feathered favorites, is not a bad way to start the day.
HAIL, PELICUS!
For the Senate
Pelicus Scriptoris
