SEASONS OPEN
The women’s west coast league has begun play and the premier league kicks off this weekend.
Here are the games on tap for this Saturday:
10AM at Morton Field in Vallejo:
All Blues – Twin Cities Amazons Referee: Aruna Ranaweera
ARs: John Pohlman, Eugene Baker
Seconds: Referee: John Pohlman
10AM in Davis:
Triple Threat – San Diego Surfers Referee: Phil Akroyd
SF Fog women – Seattle Referee: Preston Gordon
These last two games could use AR support. Contact the ref if you can help out.
GAMES SEPTEMBER 4
NORCAL TRIPLE THREAT 24 – San Francisco Fog 15 Referee: Paolo Diaz
Beautiful day at Treasure Island for rugby. Competitive, intense game throughout. Triple Threat had better forward play and better set pieces. Fog made too many unforced errors. It was the difference in the game. Four tries and two conversions for the Triple Threat that included two tries by their No. 14. Should have been a hat trick but she had a ball knocked out backwards in-goal and No. 3 from the Triple Threat jumped on it for the try. Their No. 3 also scored the other try but I think it was another No. 3. Three tries for the Fog, two from their No. 15. I don’t think this is the last time these two teams are going to meet this season.
BLOOMFIELD CUP
Report by Eric Rauscher:
Saturday Sept 4th, Columbia Park, Sunnyvale
1st Bloomfield Cup Tournament (an all Polynesian affair)
I was assigned to the women's division. There were four teams, Sacramento Amazons, EPA lady Bulldogs, and teams from Las Vegas and Utah (but I forget their names). There were two grass pitches full sized but with short in-goal areas. Teams brought tents and lined up alongside both pitches.
[Editor’s Note: we did not receive any reports on the men’s games. Eric refereed all of the matches recounted below.]
There was also a vendors area and a food area (with great food) The game format was two 20-min periods with a five-min half.
SACRAMENTO 34 – Las Vegas 0
Las Vegas is a new team. This was their first game as a team, and the first game for half of the players on the team, so the score came as no surprise.
Later in the day their coach said that they were just happy to be playing and enjoying it all.
SACRAMENTO 31 – Utah 0
Utah looked well coached but were no match for Sacramento's backs, a pattern I would notice all day.
LAS VEGAS 10 – East Palo Alto 0
This was an abbreviated game of 10s with 10-min halves. I think EPA was trying to take it easy before the final and Las Vegas was playing as hard as they could. They were ecstatic when at the final whistle they had won a game. Three cheers for a new team that can head home with their heads high.
Final:
SACRAMENTO 20 – East Palo Alto 0
I was lucky enough to have been awarded the final. The game had a more serious side to it. Both teams played very well, but once again Sacramento's backs displayed superior ball handling skills and were able to fly the ball across the field. It was a very enjoyable way to end the day.
By the way, it was touted as a Polynesian affair, but I noticed token non- Polynesians mixed into several teams.
All day long there was a true festive feel and a real spirit of camaraderie and joy in the game.
I hope it happens again next year and becomes a fixture in the calendar.
PLEASANTON SCOTTISH GAMES
Report by Eugene Baker:
The Pleasanton Scottish Games - Sponsored by the San Francisco Caledonian Club - Were a roaring success in every sense. Clan plaids filled every corner, the smells of multiple roasting pits filled the air, and men, women and children of all ages with the cross of St. Andrew painted on their faces.
Diablo, Stanislaus, the Marauders, Fairfield and a bevy of unattached players filled out four squads. In the first matches - Diablo handily beat Modesto/Stanislaus 28-7, and the Marauders beat Fairfield 7-nil on the lone try.
After a one-hour break for opening ceremonies that included the Marine Corps Band, the gathering of the clans and "Shinty" (apparently similar to hurling) we played a third and final match, a hodgepodge of players from all four sides and unattached players playing three twenty-minute periods with liberal substitution.
The sponsor presented a keg for the competitors and the postmatch included cold brews and sausage with a great view of the caber toss competition...Looking forward to next year's event in Dixon!
USA RUGBY REGISTRATION FOR 2011 NOW OPEN
We’ve had ten folks register in the past week, now all the way up to twenty-six. That’s about a third of our actual membership. Get around to it – join the Society.
https://membership.usarugby.org/IndividualDefault.aspx
Be sure to print the liability waiver, sign it, and mail it to our treasurer along with your $10 dues for the upcoming year.
Note that there are two pages to the waiver, both of which need to be signed and returned, and six paragraphs where you initial. It’s like renting a car in that respect, although more rewarding.
Checks to: NCRRS
Jim Crenshaw
c/o Delta Supply
1248 East Oak Avenue #D
Woodland, CA 95776
REFEREE RECRUITING OPPORTUNITY
Through the generosity of an anonymous benefactor, the NCRRS is offering free Level 1 tuition for any coach from a men's or women's college and one or two players from the team. (Coach attends course with the player.) Players must have at least two years experience.
This would provide benefits to teams (those who attend the course will be smarter players and can handle scrimmages), and to players (full-time students can receive money for refereeing matches). The Society benefits from a greater understanding of the laws among those we officiate, and perhaps some refereeing of regular season high school or adult matches.
We can provide coaching to any new referees at the Sacramento Kickoff Tournament in January.
UPCOMING REFEREE COURSES
Saturday, October 16: level one referee course in San Jose
Sunday, Oct. 17: TJ and AR course in Vallejo
Saturday, Oct.30: level one referee course in Sacramento
November 13-14: level two refereeing course in Vallejo
December 4: TJ and AR course in Sacramento
Please let our recruitment officer know if you would like to take any of these courses, or simply go on-line to www.USARugby.org, click on Referees and then on Sign Up For a Course.
Rob Hendrickson: RCHendrickson@duanemorris.com
THIS WEEK’S PHOTO
Ed Todd took this one in Manhattan across the street from the NYAC.
HAIL, PELICUS!
For the Senate
Pelicus Scriptoris
