AECC RFC Tour Report 2009 (May 2009)

AECC RFC Tour Report 2009

This weekend just gone the AECC RFC went on tour to Peterborough.

Our heroes.

This is their story.

After arriving early at the ground, the boys had some time to kill before their 5pm kick-off, so indulged in a spot of sun-worshipping, games and partaking of many of the 52 ales on show at the beer festival. Soon, though, it was time for business.

AECC RFC 24
Peterborough RFC 3rd XV 10

The Chiro boys extended their unbeaten season, which has included rugby, netball, and an astounding one-two finish in the Pub Quiz the other week, witha hard-fought victory over a tenacious Peterborough 3rd XV. The College started well, with captain Mike Richards winning the toss. As Richards said, "always a head". Wise words indeed.

The momentum from the coin toss was obvious, as the kickoff allowed an instant foray into opposition territory. With Peterborough proving a handful at the breakdown, the Chiros found it hard to recycle quick ball and attack the home team on the back foot, though pressure was fairly continuous with a lot of early exchanges taking place in the Peterborough 22. A quickly taken penalty finally caught Peterborough on the hop, though, and some slick passing allowed Ninja Tots to burst through the defence and under the posts. As is customary on tour, the try scorer took the conversion, successful in this case.

Though most players didn't seem to mind, some though the College's insistence on kicking in a tour match was impolite, and not in the tradition of rugby tour. This reporter for one agrees, but that's how the water under the bridge crumbles, or somethink.

The pressure from the Chiros continued, with lightweight Laurence Plant proving a handful in the lineouts alongside the rangy Callum Forrest. The Chiro forwards also disrupted a lot of scrum ball, depriving Boro of first phase oxygen to feed their struggling attack. All this counted for nothing, though, when stand-off Matt Bateman threw a pass too ambitious even for him, intercepted by a Boro flyer who "returned it for a touchdown" as they say in the good ole' U S of A.

Fortunately this was not to prove the undoing of the lads, as they carried on as before, and some good interplay down the left wing led to Jonny Coller's superb finish. The boys turned round 12-5 up, and the wind in their sails. The wind disappeared, though, and the sails became mothbitten, as the Chiro scrum began to fold, Number 8 Callum Forrest doing his best to tidy up at the base. For a while the game became a comedy of errors, until Ninja Tots fielded a kick, span the ball wide to Mike Richards, who broke down the right wing, beating several players before throwing a frankly inept pass back to Tots' feet. Fortunately Tots managed to regather the ball over the tryline to score.

The next Chiro score was to come from another quickly taken penalty, Ricky Davis giving the ball to Richards who exploited a gap in the Peterborough defence before switching with Joe Frost who darted under the posts, converting in the process. At some point Peterborough must have scored another try, but I can't remember how it happened, must have been because I bumped my head. It might have come from the Peterborough 10's ourageous moment of skill, throwing the ball behind his back to grubber through the stunned Chiro defence. It might not have, though, so don't worry about it mate.

That was it for the rugby, the boys hit the showers and set off for the beer tent. Cue choruses of "Bread of Heaven", "Father Abraham" and "Sunshine Mountain", a request from the beer tent for us to go and sing for them, and a packed dancefloor all singing along to Wonderwall.

Yes, we're cultured. Why do you act surprised?

Sunday was a bit more low-key, with a stroll into the town centre for breakfast where a really quite unpleasant woman "served" us our meals. After a visit to the cathedral (yes, the cathedral) the boys returned to the rugby club to watch a bit of the Sunday rugby, before acquainting themselves with the Peterborough ladies' rugby team, a team dinner, and a very good night out in Peterborough town centre.

I would like to personally thank all the guys for a fantastic weekend. The singing, consuming, games and general good nature of the entire weekend has impressed me no end and I am proud to be on a team with all 29 of you. Always remember - the boys make the tour, the tour don't make the boys.

Some of my fondest memories in brief:

Ed Crawford not being as good at rugby as a pink-haired girl.
Tom White going missing
The bar refusing to sell us THAT MUCH beer
"I look like a Filipino hooker"
Sunshine Mountain in the president's lounge
Mickeau's wonky teeth
Disgusting accommodation
Matthew Bateman's missed tackle on Ed Crawford
Bram being slow to catch on (especially with the brick)
Snuff Bill and his horribly unpleasant song
"I've only got two hands"
Le Roux II's purchase
"Don't Look Back in Anger"
Our extremely polite, confused compliance with Snuff Bill's horribly unpleasant song
Father Abraham
Spud's outstanding streaking incident
The Naked Chef
Luca, in general
Toich on one knee
Le Roux II's Sunday morning life contemplation
Callum's fiancee
Ricky's brick
Stage diving in the president's lounge
Mr T