Geddes has six appeal

(CRFU): The second half of the Summer Touch Rugby League started last Monday with all teams starting to play each other for the second time this season. It is a time to put right all the wrongs from their first encounters and for a chance to seek sweet revenge. In Division 1, a high scoring encounter between Appleby and Ogier ended 11-5 to the Apples’ with a record six tries tocaptain Stuart Geddes, taking his season total to 16. The Ogier defence had little answer to the South African’s running angles as he popped up in the right place at the right time, time and time again.  Appleby are coming into good form with four wins in the last five games and their opponents would do well to study the way this team is starting to play. (Photos Caroline Deegan)

Charlotte Beales-Hart also put in a great performance with excellent defence and link play, winning her the MVP award for the game.

Genesis Five Nations completed their first double of the season with their second win over PWC.  Winning 6-4 in the end the ‘Nations were always in command with a three try cushion for the most part.  A brace of tries each for Martin Lang and Philip Fourie showed that quick hands and smart feet will always find gaps in defenses.  PWC never fail to be pleasing on the eye with their fast interplay but Genesis pride themselves on being well organised in both defence and attack, so it’s no surprise they currently hold the top spot.  Louis Greyling won the MVP vote of the referee not only for good rugby but also for excellent sportsmanship, a credit to his team.

DMS consolidated their place in 5th with a controlled performance against Walkers Blue Iguanas.  With their highest try haul since Round 1, DMS ran out 5-2 winners, Tim Rossiter getting two tries on his return to the team after a work-enforced sabbatical.  Both teams have struggled to convert chances into tries and it is largely thanks to solid defence that DMS maintain their position in the table.  If they are going to crack into the top four and take one of those play-off places then they need to find more of a cutting edge.  Walkers, still without a win all season, scored twice through Paul Smith who turned in a MVP winning performance with his energy and drive to keep the Iguanas going forward.

Experience counts for a lot in touch rugby and it was clearly evident when Maples1 started goingthrough the gears against an enthusiastic Team LIME.   The scoreline (11-2) may reflect this difference as Maples1 showed just why they are still unbeaten this year. Special mention goes to Sharlee Henshaw.  Not only did she do the hard yards running set plays up the middle of the pitch, she also scored three tries. 

These were the result of superb positioning to receive the final pass from a team-mate as she drifted off the shoulder of the last defender, giving herself time and space for the easy touchdown.  Katy Bayles and Lisa Bird of Team LIME also had notable performances scoring a try a-piece.  Both crossed the whitewash to a chorus of congratulations from their team, showing that, in spite of recent results, their passion for the game is there for all to see.

In Division 2, the Happyfish Ticklers scored the upset of the round with a cracking 5-2 win over league leaders KPMG1.  Handing them only their second defeat of the season, Captain Jack and his crew of merry buccaneers were delighted with the performance and Onson Mukwedeya stole the show with three tries. I’m sure they will treasure this victory!

The Trident Titans move into second place with an emphatic win over Harmonic (8-3).  The Titans shared their tries out amongst six different players indicating that not only do they have strength in depth but also have a great team ethic, making good use of all six players on the pitch.  As the season unfolds I expect them to be there or thereabouts when challenging for the top spot.

Gareth Edwards, Phil Bennett, JPR Williams, and Gerald Davies – these are but a few of the legendary Welsh players that have entered the lexicon of all-time rugby greats.  However, now I can safely add one more name to that list – Rhian Minty.  Prior to helping Campbells beat Maples2 (6-4), this Lady of the Leek, this Darling of the Daffodil, this Vixen of the Valleys had gone 1,256 days without a sniff of a score – a stretch as dry as a Wesleyan Ministers liquor cabinet.   Against Maples2 she stepped up and delivered a beauty to rival anything Messrs Edwards, Bennett & Co could muster.

Picking up the ball on the halfway line she went round one, round two, a side-step, another side-step, dummy pass, round three and sprinting to the corner dived full length to score the try of the season.  Sadly there is no camera footage of this amazing feat, and I did not see it myself, but I am reliably assured by Ms. Minty that this is exactly what happened!

When the news of the score filtered back to her homeland, grown men spontaneously gathered in small groups and instinctively burst into song with close-harmony renditions of Bread of Heaven, Cwn Rhondda and The Green Green Grass of Home. I believe a famous rugby commentator once said, “You can bet they’ll be singing in the streets of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch tonight!” Indeed they will!
Sir Anthony Hopkins, Max Boyce, Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, Kelly Jones, Aled Jones, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jones the Milk, Ivor the Engine  and Shakin’ Stevens all stand up and salute the new princess of Wales.  She’s Minty fresh! 

Maples2 are currently going down the rankings faster than a bungee jumper singing Tom Petty’s Free Falling.  Without a win in four games, player shortages are taking their toll.  When questioned, Captain Andrew Dean said, “Some players just Don’t Come Around Here No More.  We have crashed but we are Learning to Fly again.  However, I Won’t Back Down as I believe there’s still Room at the Top for my team – we’ll be Heartbreakers once again!”

DART continued with their insurgence of form and played out a 3-3 draw against UBS.  They valiantly tried to break through UBS lines but some last gasp fingertip touches kept UBS in the game and a score in the last few minutes drew them level.  The game was played at a fast pace and both teams should be proud of the effort put in.  The points takes DART off the bottom of the table for the first time this season, UBS remain in the play-off places in fourth.

In Division 3, a valiant effort by Queensgate Grizz’s Old Fellas was finally thwarted by KPMG2 as the Old Fellas just ran out of puff.  At half-time the game was evenly poised at 4-4 with both teams showing some good attacking moves.  Two tries each for Dave Bailey and Caroline Deegan kept the Old Fellas in the game but after the break KPMG2 stepped on the gas and left their opponents gasping for air.  Two tries each for Erik Ballanger and Ian Roberton and a hat-trick for MVP Lopez did the damage – one of which was straight from the kick-off running round the edge of the defence for a score.

Island Heritage notched up their second full win of the season with a 5-2 victory over bottom-of-the-table Ernst & Young.  Lilia Conolly had a great match scoring her first try of the season and catching the eye of all those watching.

In a match between the 3rd and 4th placed teams, Credit-Suisse and Rawlinson & Hunter played out a 4-5 match to ensure that R&H reversed those placings to go third.  Conrad Proud scored another two tries taking his scoring stats to 15 in eight games.  He is now only one of three players in all three Divisions who have scored in every match.  Michelle Bailey also scored two tries which keep her atop the leader board as the highest scoring female player with 11 so far.

In a late game Deloitte beat GCM 3-0.  In a very close match, it was the speed of Riley Mullen that eventually made the difference between the two sidesas he ran in three tries.  After six consecutive wins, Deloitte are now top of the table.

Player of the Week
This week’s Heineken Touch Player of the Week goes to Stuart Geddes.  Six tries in one game earns you six Heinekens in one bucket! Great stuff.  Collect from the bar at the Rugby Club at your leisure – well deserved

ROUND  8
Division 1 Results
PWC 4 v. 6 Genesis 5 Nations
Walkers Blue Iguanas 2 v. 5 DMS
Maples 1 11 v. 2 Team LIME
Ogier 5 v. 11 Appleby
   
Division 2 Results    
Maples2 4 v. 6 Campbells
Harmonic 3 v. 8 Trident Titans
KPMG1 2 v. 5 Happyfish Ticklers
UBS 3 v. 3 DART
   
Division 3 Results    
Island Heritage 5 v. 2 Ernst & Young
Rawlinson &Hunter 5 v. 4 Credit Suisse
KPMG2 9 v. 4 Queensgate Grizz’s Old Fellas
GCM 0 v. 3 Deloitte