Thirds Beat Caps, Top Teams Lose Close

The Rowers Third Division turned in a convincing 24-11 win this past Saturday against the Capilanos at Klahanie. Short numbers all week, and without the benefit of having drilled together, the Thirds leaned on experience. They ran the ball in space and remained physically dominant in tackles and at the breakdown. Centre back Evan Hughes had a great game, featuring a few good long runs and two tries. Hughes’ speed and a talent for tackling make him the type of standout that the Thirds risk losing to a higher division. Brian Andrerson’s Rowers resurgence continued as he scored a try off of a between-the-legs feed from Godfather Steve MacGillivary. Anderson was also carded (yellow) for a high tackle, which put him an injury short of the “Patty O’Gorman Hattrick”.

Brian Anderson - File Photo

MacGillivary Executes a more conventional pass
File Photo

Fullback John O’Brian, who suffered a bad concussion the last time he played at Klahanie, played with great class, hitting 2 of 4 conversions. Eighth man Will Andreucetti scored a beautiful try picking from the base after a hard charge by 2nd Row Brett Illing, who had a characteristically strong, physical game. The try capped a drive that went the length of the pitch, and began with a quick jackal by an opportunistic Brian Andrews while the Rowers were backed up against their own goal line.



The Rowers Firsts (Library Square Division) lost a very physical game to the Caps by a score of 29-20, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort. The Rowers showed tremendous defense against a physical and hard running Caps team, and declined to sink to retribution in a decidedly dirty game. Outside center Adrian Meiring filled the score sheet for a second straight week, tallying a try on a beautiful give and go with inside centre Luke Baker, two conversions and two penalty kicks. Baker had several punishing tackles that may have been audible from the top of Grouse Mountain. Club newcomer, flyhalf Rory McClennan, set up the third try with a lightning quick pass to the blind side from the base of the ruck. Young Brendan Balon, playing his first game at fullback, took the pass at pace and continued on through to the end-goal. Captain Brendan Fagan praised his squad after the game for showing emotional and physical toughness on the road against a team that out-weighed them considerably. This Firsts team is showing a lot of talent and a lot of guts. The Ruck Muck predicts that the success will come as experience playing together stitches them tighter as a unit.

The Rowers Premier Team (Mainland Cup Division) lost yet another heartbreaker to a very physical and talented Capilanos Team by a score of 32-30 in the last minute. Irish hooker Jason Carton scored 2 great tries in an excellent effort and spearheaded a technically proficient scrum that performed very well against a Caps pack that had a distinct weight advantage. Caleb Hansen scored a try off the wing from a beautiful inside feed by fullback Ben Harris. Centre Brian Durham played a phenomenal game, converting all three tries, adding three successful penalties for good measure and having what would have been a sure try off of turnover ball called back for being offsides, which he clearly was not.

Coach Jeremy Sabell will be expecting the Prems to be more physical and defend better than they have been this coming Saturday at home against the Maralomas. Despite losing key individuals to injury, this squad is playing good rugby and has been a solid contender in every game they’ve played so far.


All three teams are at home at Brockton against the Maralomas this coming Saturday. Come on out and show your support!

Rowers 1 and 1 at UBC Oct 10th, drop both Ravens Games Oct. 3rd

The Rowing Club “Super 2s” first division side gutted out a well-earned 21-15 win Saturday against UBC behind a standout performance by center back Adriaan Meiring and a solid effort from all players and substitutes. Meiring scored the first 3 of the Rowers’ 21 points on the day, converting an offside penalty from just inside the 22 around the 23’ mark.

Adriaan Meiring missed 1 of his conversions on Saturday.
File Photo

UBC pressed shortly afterwards, but hard defense turned the ball over and gave the Rowers a chance to kick it clear. Mounting a strong attack shortly afterwards, Meiring took advantage of a penalty about 15 meters out, carrying a quick tap across the line to score in the corner and make it 8-0. A well-drilled UBC team was able to put one in at the 29’ mark, finding rhythm in a quick attack slowed down by a wet pitch. They slotted the conversion to make it 8-7. Relentless, the Rowers forwards were able to turn it over cleanly in a ruck and get the ball back to Meiring (again), who crossed the line in the corner, but put it down under the posts to make the kick a gimmie and the score 15-7.

The huddle at the half featured Captain Brendan Fagan and coaches Mergui and Crowe reminding the squad of the previous week’s game against the Ravens, and the early lead squandered to penalties and lapsed defense.

The young UBC side brought on fresh substitutes, including several summertime rugby league standouts, and were able to renew their high paced attack to put in another try and make it 15-12. Undaunted, the Rowers were able to defend well and tackle hard. The red and white turned a loose ball over cleanly around midfield at the 30, frustrating UBC into coming into the ensuing breakdown from the side and earning Meiring yet another shot at a penalty, which he converted. 18-12. UBC answered with a penalty of their own, making it 18-15, before Meiring slotted his final contribution on the day, making it 21-15.

The well-conditioned Thunderbirds put on a strong attack with ball in hand and no time on the clock, but strong defense including several punishing tackles by 8^th man Alex Nichols kept them out of the end-goal until they eventually knocked it on to end the game.

Having scored three penalties, two tries and one conversion for all of the Rowers’ 21 points, Adriaan Meiring is no doubt wondering how he managed to miss that one conversion.

Prems

The Rowers Premier side fared poorly against UBC, scoring only 2 penalty kicks to put up against a 34 point performance by the hosts.

This one was all UBC, with the Birds scoring from phase play, then from a maul, then by taking advantage of an overlap on the wing, and finally from an 8^th man pick off of a scrum.

The Prems were still trying to shake off a last minute loss to the Ravens the previous week, coming as the Ravens ran in a try in a half that ran conspicuously long, on a try scored by a player that the entire sideline saw go in to touch, with the exception of the touch judge. The Ravens game represented a disappointing end to a well-fought and entertaining performance that featured a 70 yard try from an interception by scrum half Duncan James, and a strategic kick into touch by notable back row forward Michael Jordan, who looked surprisingly comfortable booting it a good distance to the near sideline and chasing his teammates into onside positions as it bounced out in good field position.

Returning fullback Caleb Hansen kept the Ravens off the board with a fantastic cover tackle in what linear chronological time showed was the final minute, only to have the Ravens eventually punch through, miss the conversion to keep it 15-14 VRC, and lose 19-15 on the aforementioned tightrope job as the timekeeper’s watch expired.

Overall, despite two disappointing results, morale remains strong. The feeling in the clubhouse is that this Rowers club has what it takes to contend in the CDI Premiership. All three divisions will be away at Klahanie against arch rival Capilanos next week.