At last a good performance! One of the senior members spoke to the BM after the game and while he congratulated the performance he felt we shouldn’t get too carried away with one decent showing in our last five. He has a point, we shouldn’t forget how bad we were only two weeks ago but on the other hand there are too many easy fines for me to ignore…..so let’s drink beer!

Let’s get the easy ones out the way. Porter you are first. In trying to ‘out’ me (not in the homosexual way…..not that there is anything wrong with that……we accept everyone in this club…..Jerry?!) you insinuated that I may actually be that little twat Nails…that is quite some insult, bring a case.

The winners. And Porters blue socks....

Captain Not-so-Fantastic, you are next. Dunlop awarded quite correctly Big T with the MVP award and then retrospectively awarded Bobby (quite incorrectly) with the MVP award in the Renegade game having already assigned it previously to Church. Does the coveted MVP award mean so little to our Captain that he just randomly reassigns it? Who will pick up the pieces of shattered self-esteem? Poor Church. Dunlop a case.

Chris Stafford made his debut start in the front row and acquitted himself very well in both the tight and the loose. Well done mate, for your endeavors we will enjoy your case.

Big Will, for your outburst on the sideline directed at one of your own players you can bring a case too.

That’s 4 cases and I haven’t even mentioned Donal yet!!

I suppose I had better talk about the game. For once we started well and I honestly put it down to the good vibe at training the last couple of weeks, there was a certain confidence about us and definitely a bullishness especially from our forwards that has been sadly lacking for a while. We really took it to the Police pack, our lineouts and catch and drive clicked from the off and the Backs kicked and chased really well, constantly pinning the opposition in their own 22. It’s somewhat surprising to say but we were actually playing to a game plan and it was working!! Jack was first to score, from a great driving maul the ball went first to Bobby then Scott who spun out of a tackle to hand off the ball at close range to young Jack who piled over in heavy traffic. Conversion missed but it was a good start.

Jack on his way to try number 1

Not long after, from more good work at close quarters we were awarded a penalty near their posts. The option to pick up an easy 3 points was obvious but as Greg stepped up to kick the penalty he clearly had other ideas. With amazing accuracy Greg drilled the ball against the upright, Jack followed up and produced an equally precise helicopter collision with an unfortunate Cop, as they both fell to the ground dazed from the impact the ball ballooned up, straight into the hands of Tank who dived over for a try. It was a quite brilliant text book move straight off the training field! Well done fellas…absolutely hilarious! Greg this time missed the post he was aiming for but ended up with the conversion. 12-0 up.

Our next try actually did come off the training park, from the back of the scrum Bobby picked up and went blind, popped to Nails, who has returned even more fragile than before, who held up the ball just long enough for Jack to pick his hole and sprint to the corner. Try. 17-0.

We completely dominated the first half mainly as a result of some brutal hitting led by Big T. T singled out Police’s biggest player, Lammies, for special attention. Lammies isn’t usually a dirty player but he was clearly rattled by the phy

Nails had an outstanding performance. Bloody legend. Even if he did kick it backwards .... shh .. don't tell the Beer monitor

sicality of the hits and even managed to find some sympathy from the Ref who awarded some penalties against us ‘for tackling too hard’ maybe?!

Having been so completely on top the first 10 minutes of the second half came as a bit of a surprise. Police scored almost immediately and reminded us that they remain the sort of team that can score from anywhere. The converted score was soon followed by a penalty and all of a sudden the PoPo who had brought on their new giant in the pack and the much improved Zuill on the wing were now only 7 points adrift. If anything though we then picked up our defense. Our kicking was not quite as precise as in the first half but our outside Backs hustled well and everyone (with theexception of Nails) was putting in hits. Donal had a really good game in defense and was responsible, with a sizeable helping hand from Devrae, in putting in a momentum changing hit on the hapless Lammies, it was a ground shaker and the boys on the sideline loved it. Dev actually made some memorable cover tackles as did Bobby…there was no way we were going to lose this game.

So committed were the lads that the nicest man in Bda Rugby, Little Harry Andrews, set up the next try with a big hit on their hooker. The hit dislodged the ball and Tank for the second time was the grateful recipient of a lucky bounce as he raced away to get our bonus point 4th try and effectively end the match as a contest.

The last 10 minutes were a bit scrappy, Harry humorously threw the ball on the ground to no one and then proceeded to block everyone from getting it as the Teachers support couldn’t decide to laugh or cry at the rugby skills on show from our stand in Stand Off.

Great performance by the entire pack ........

Right at the end of the game the misfiring Police lineout once again threw straight to Aldo who must never ever have received so much ball in one game. He set off for the line but was dragged back yards short, Teachers piled in and hammered the try line for a couple of phases before Donal popped up and ran in for our final score. 31-10. A really good performance from the team but sod that! Can you believe that was Donal’s first try ever!!! Hooray the beer gods are smiling on us! Here is a first, yes Donal you will be bringing a case of beer ……..and a bottle of bubbly to training.

I’m not quite sure this was the message the TRFC old boy I mentioned at the beginning was trying to get across but I can’t help myself.

See you at training…all this will mean nothing if we fall flat next week against the League Leaders.

BM (Bubbly Monitor)