We got our butts whooped over the weekend. 6 - 89. We never scored a try (touchdown for those non-rugby term inclined folks), only two kicks (field goals). But hey, they're like the only NCAA Division 1 women's rugby team in the Midwest (being used as a very general term, extending from Ohio to Oklahoma) and we're a club sport. We don't have a real coach. Or a dedicated pitch (field). Or freaking locker rooms where you can't wear spikes. I dunno. I overheard a vet telling another vet that we'd turned them down to play for the past 4 years. Now I know why.
One thing that bothered me a lot in game was that we stopped caring after a certain point. Girls stopped chasing people or trying to tackle them and didn't give 100%. One time I tried to chase a girl down and I left my spot to do so. I'm a wing so that means I'm the last person on one of the sides. I have to make sure no one gets by me on the outside b/c no one else will be there to stop her. I understand the importance of this and try my best to stay there. But when the person with the ball has broken through our defense and none of her back line is following her through us she isn't going to throw it back to them and get it out to the edges. At this point I think it's ok for me to run and try to tackle her, or at least get a hand under the ball to prevent her from scoring (to get a try in rugby you must touch the ball to the ground, not just get it in the scoring area like football does with touchdowns). As I was running (and catching her) a teammate yells at me to stop and get back to my spot. So I slow down and jog over to the rest of the team (we gather in the try zone while they attempt for a 2 point kick). I tell the girl that yelled at me that no one else was chasing the girl that scored so I had to do something. She says I never would have caught her. I say at least I tried. Our scrumhalf hears us at this point and yells at us to not talk to each other like that and apologize immediately. I do so and receive a less than sincere apology from the other girl. The whole situation makes me mad. The person who scored wasn't remarkably fast, she just broke through. She wasn't too close to me but I was sprinting towards her and probably would have caught her as she tried to score. I could have interfered, I could have stopped this girl from scoring. And I didn't because someone yelled at me to get back in my place.
It makes me mad and it's been about five days. Saw the girl who yelled at me at practice the other day. We had to work together to do a drill. I was less than pleased. It's really a shame too b/c at practices before this we got along well and were often put in lines together during games. Now I want very little to do with her.
Practice actually went really well yesterday. We did a lot of new drills and everyone who showed up was really into it and worked hard. I got nice and muddy and was thoroughly tired after just an hour of practice. It was just a really good practice overall. I had lost faith in the team after the way I was treated over the weekend but this practice really lifted my spirits.
10.21.2009
10.09.2009
Rugby 3
Since my last post I've been to a tournament and a game at home. We've won 3 of 4 games and are looking forward to playing Topeka this weekend...whom we've never played. It's unclear if this is because they didn't have a team before now or we just have never played them. Regardless, I'm glad it's at home instead of being there. That will give us a bit more confidence.
Ok, aside, the people sitting in front of me as I type this on the bus are really disgusting. It's a bus and they're all over each other. Cut. It. Out.
Anyway, back to rugby talk. The tournament was fun. I played two halves, just like all the other rookies. I was on wing, which I like...except for the whole trying to balance being on offense and defense. You see, as wing you have to be there for your teammates when they're bringing the ball up the field but you also have to be the last line of defense on the side when you're trying to defend your goal. So you end up running all over the place. Go up, shift right so you're closer to your teammates. Shift left since now everyone is over here. Run up with the ball, stay on the pitch, don't get knocked out of play. Go back, defend the goal, shift left, shift right, shift left FASTER. Then you're facing 3 girls any of whom could rush you at any time and the rest of your team is on the other side of the field. Your goal is to stop the ball, but they have a huge advantage just by sheer numbers.
The game was ok...we played down to their level so we were sloppy and terrible (hey, just like the people in front of me!). We still won though.
Practice has been tough. I messed up my ankle a while ago and I subconsciously changed the way I run to do so. This ended up hurting my upper leg...which takes longer to heal. So I have issues running. We did sprints and ran more than usual at practice yesterday and as a result I've been limping all week. At least we didn't run the mile like we were supposed to yesterday.
Well that's all the rugby news I've got. I'm sick. I'm tired. I'm on cough meds and taking cough drops like candy. I can't think. You're really lucky you got that much out of me today.
Ok, aside, the people sitting in front of me as I type this on the bus are really disgusting. It's a bus and they're all over each other. Cut. It. Out.
Anyway, back to rugby talk. The tournament was fun. I played two halves, just like all the other rookies. I was on wing, which I like...except for the whole trying to balance being on offense and defense. You see, as wing you have to be there for your teammates when they're bringing the ball up the field but you also have to be the last line of defense on the side when you're trying to defend your goal. So you end up running all over the place. Go up, shift right so you're closer to your teammates. Shift left since now everyone is over here. Run up with the ball, stay on the pitch, don't get knocked out of play. Go back, defend the goal, shift left, shift right, shift left FASTER. Then you're facing 3 girls any of whom could rush you at any time and the rest of your team is on the other side of the field. Your goal is to stop the ball, but they have a huge advantage just by sheer numbers.
The game was ok...we played down to their level so we were sloppy and terrible (hey, just like the people in front of me!). We still won though.
Practice has been tough. I messed up my ankle a while ago and I subconsciously changed the way I run to do so. This ended up hurting my upper leg...which takes longer to heal. So I have issues running. We did sprints and ran more than usual at practice yesterday and as a result I've been limping all week. At least we didn't run the mile like we were supposed to yesterday.
Well that's all the rugby news I've got. I'm sick. I'm tired. I'm on cough meds and taking cough drops like candy. I can't think. You're really lucky you got that much out of me today.
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