Doha RFC

 

It was with great excitement (we had lots of players) and some confusion (flights were still being confirmed) that we got off to Bahrain on Thursday.  We were taking 29 players to form two teams with subs!!!  This was almost unheard of and meant spirits were high.  However, we arrived to find that there was no Vets section as in previous years, and that we would be facing young, keen opposition.  Still, the DOGS took this well and entered the tournament with a solid resolve to play good rugby regardless of the outcomes.  We were going to focus on:

1. Not over commiting to the breakdowns

2. Making sure we supported the ball carrier

3. Making our first-up tackles

 

I am not going to go into details about all the games, but to summarise, Team 1 played 3 games on Thursday evening and Team 2 played 2.  Focusing on Team 1, the first game was two tries each and a single conversion seperated the teams.  The opposition had scored quickly while Doha were still trying to get warmed up, having had to start playing as soon as we got there.  The DOGS came back and were the stronger team in the latter half of the game, but were just beaten.  We learnt from this and in the second game we came on strong, playing the good rugby we had promised ourselves and doing the basics well.  We won a hard fought game against a Navy team that was almost as suprised as we were at how the game had gone.  In the last of the 3 games the DOGS cut loose and scored a number of tries and played some fabulous rugby.

 

MOM for the day was the free-running Pat McCormack who scored a number of tries popping up in the centre and on the wing and showing excellent pace and stamina.  COM went to Jason Clark for his 'diplomatic negotiations' with the referee (all of whom didn't seem to know the rules fully).  This was carried out looking down and leaning over the ref at high volume!  Luckily for the ref he couldn't understand him and he couldn't 'DANCE'!!!  However, aside from these players the whole team played well and I was especially proud to be playing alongside them.  Luke Godley (AKA Like Goddard) was particularly effective and tireless on the pitch along with Superman Garret who failed to get into a fight with any of the oppositions. 

 

However, a clear highlight for me of the Thursday games was the deft try scored by one Nicholas Lewis who threw a shallow pass to Luke Godley, looped round deep (causing me, on the side line, to groan in dismay) and then threw an outrageous dummy, sidestepped and punched through the opposition's defensive line to run 30 yards to score, evading a last ditch tackle. 

 

A mention has to also go to Woody who played in the backs and the forwards and had some bullocking strong runs, taking defenders with him and breaking the line on a number of occassions.  He even managed to kick well at times and some passes even made it to the backs... He was a good motivator for the team and played strong, hard rugby.

 

Team 2, on Thursday was stewarded by Marty Blackburn until Curtis' arrival and Marty was an example of strong determined running, giving his players heart throughout.  Indeed, Marty was MOM for Team 2 on Thursday.  COM was James Charnock for off the field endevours in failing to navigate the hotel fire escape (nuff said!).

 

Friday, as usual was a different day with hangovers and sleep deprivation affecting the DOGS.  We also arrived late, trying to offset these effects and so were slow starting.  It showed against AL Khobar who ran in two quick tries and despite Team 1 coming back strongly, they just out did us.  It's at this point that my memory gets a bit fuzzy, due to me sitting with my leg up drinking some 'amber painkillers'!  So reporting on the  games there after is a little sketchy.

 

Team 2 continued to put in plucky performances but the young, fast oppostion were hard to beat.  Tour virgin Matthew (who did a good job with the kits) showed good form and there were strong runs from the oldest of our playing Vets, Brock 'Thanos' Fownes.  However, the MOM of the day went to Colin McIsaac who did a sterling job in the scrum half position for Team 2.  COM for Team 2 was Marty Blackburn for trying to play for everybody (he supported Team 1 playing both Hooker and in the Backs).

 

Meanwhile, Team 1 had managed to do far better than they actually wanted to (in the end, a point lower would have put us in the next section down and got us some silverware) and so ended up in the final against Bahrain First Team.  Bahrain were young, fit, well trained and disciplined and the DOGS were... well, a lot older (Bahrain's oldest player was 6 year younger than Team 1' s yougest player). 

 

Nevertheless, there was a smell of an upset and MOM of the day Shabby Lewis showed some excellent skill, chipping the ball though and retaking his kick, tackling like a demon (yes I am still talking about Shabby) and generally not making any major mistakes (as he has done in the past to get his name on the COM jacket).  Also, there were huge runs from Clarky and big Rob Plunkett, with Dale now added to the engine room to keep banging away.  Mark Spencer was handy in the loose and the usual consummate line out jumper and Downey (who got COM on a technicality - for his kicking), Spraggy and Gary were holding their own well in the backs. 

 

However, Bahrain were proving too well organised and pinned the DOGS down for most of the first half, scoring a brace of tries.  However, credit must go to the DOGS for the come back in the second half that allowed them to pull back a well deserved try and to finish strongly in the tournament.

 

Lastly, overall COM or COT for the trip and recipient of the coveted Yellow Jacket went to me... allegedly for being made of glass and not finishing a tournament!  If I had known all I had to do was snap my knee to get the COM Jacket I could have done that ages ago... oh yes I did (different knee).

 

Anyway, hope that was of interest to some of you and you didn't die of boredom whilest reading it.

 

Cheers

 

Hopey