2.30 on Tournament day and time for the inaugural Tribal Helm RFC to take the field. Led out by Ian Thomas, Peter, Jennifer, Harry, Gustave and Mike open the team's account with fourteen frenetic minutes ahead.
A word about the format; matches are seven minutes each way, with six participants per side. Each team must have a female player on the field at all times. the matched are played across half a regulation sized rugby pitch.
Matches are played according to the laws of rugby, with a referee, but no touch judges. Possession changes sides at the first touch, forward pass, knock on or crossing the touchline.
Tribal Helm start solidly with good ground gains playing left to right. some incisive breaks from Jennifer, Harry and Gustave. The IST team is led by Cameron McHale, who convened the Friday training session for us.
with six minutes gone and no score, Gustave makes a break through a sliver of a gap and fires off a short pass to Ian who steams up the centre field for Tribal's opening score. Tribal turn around at the half one try ahead.
changes at Half time. Quirkie comes on for Mike and Richard for Ian. IST equalise a couple of minutes in with a close run try in the corner. Match tied up at one-all.
Both sides show signs of tiredness n the unrelenting 32 degree heat. The match finishes all square.
According to the Tournament rules there must now be overtime with each side losing a player every minute until the girls remain in single combat. Jennifer, understandably, not very keen on this option.
The overtime ends with a 'golden try', which is scored by Ian within the first minute. Jubilation on the bench and from our small army of supporters drawn from our new friends we coached the day before.
Tribal Helm set up a semi final meeting with Mainline Carriers to be played in mid afternoon.
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
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