February 18, 2009
TRAINING
Continues for all levels this week. The Senior Men have a big game vs the storied Meralomas this weekend over in Vancouver. Let's see our continued high output at training sessions that make for a strong bench for these away games. The Meraloma Clubhouse at Connaught Park is a place to see with much history.
THIS PAST WEEKEND
Prems: U-Vic 34 vs Cowichan 3
1st Div. Men: U-Vic 42 vs Cowichan 28
1st Div Women: Cowichan 42 vs Port Alberni 0
U-16 Boys: Cowichan 53 vs Velox 12
GAMES REPORT (with exerpts by Don Bodger, Cowichan News Leader)
The last two games against the students were not memorable for Cowichan RFC as we were "schooled" in all four games. The transition to Premier Rugby is a big one, yet the club is making strides to perform better at this, the highest level.
It was another Thomas Kay day at the club this past Saturday, where friends and family turned out to halp raise some loot for Thomas' medi chair. $2000 was again raised so great news here.
U-Vic is probably one of the best club sides we have seen this year. They are very talented and don't seem to have any weakness'. Fresh players brought in off the bench would most likely start on many of the other teams we have faced so far. They are deserved leaders in this league and some say they may be the best club side in North America!
Practice and patience are going to make perfect for Cowichan Rugby Club’s top two men’s teams. Nothing is going to come easily, as the Cowichan Premier and First XV Piggies have discovered in the first four games since the restart. The Premier side dropped its fourth straight Saturday at the Herd Road Grounds by a 34-3 count to UVic. The Firsts fell to 1-3 after losing a wild 42-28 game to UVic.
Robin MacDowell’s penalty goal in the first half pulled Cowichan to within 8-3 during the Premier game, but UVic racked up 26 unanswered points after that. Coach Dave Grisdale was pulling all the positives he could out of the game which was a much better performance than the previous weekend at UBC
The Firsts game got off to a disastrous start for Cowichan, as UVic put 19 points on the board in the first 10 minutes. Cowichan came back at 13 minutes with a try by fly half Josh Sutton off a quick tap penalty.
UVic added a converted try at 19 minutes before Sutton hit a drop goal six minutes later. It was 28-8 with five minutes left in the half when young John Dubiel scored a try for Cowichan on a strong run and Sutton converted.
UVic started the second half with another try, but Cowichan hung around and tightened the game up considerably.Greg Stone scored two tries on similar plays, but suffered a serious injury that caused the game to be abandoned with 11 minutes left. Sutton added another penalty previously.
It doesn’t get any easier for both teams with a visit to Meralomas this weekend
RAH RAH
The club's senior men's sides need to learn to win which will come. The excitement of Premiership Rugby in the Cowichan Valley has increased the Senior player count by 20% and the club saw it's largest gate in many years for the CW game. With a club membership now close to 300 individuals, Cowichan has grown again and can be counted as one of the largest rugby clubs in BC.
Our Senior Women's team took their undefeated record to Port Alberni where their 42-0 win have the 1st div. women at 3-0. Port alberni are a young side, but the trip is always an eventful one to one of the best rugby facilities in the Province. There was a bit of snow around, but that didn't stop the game. Carolyn Gudmundseth and Angela Buick again had good games in leading Cowichan to the win.
The U-16 Boys also continue their undefeated ways by upending Velox 53-12. This group is another very talented bunch and are led by #10, Patrick Kay (Thomas' little brother) These kids, with no U-15 league to play in this past fall, took on a very good touring Abbotsford side (Fall BC U-15 finalists) this past November and upended the visitors 69-5. The club looks forward to watching this set of youngsters, all of which have played rugby since 8 or 9 years old, move up through the age grades and into the men's programs one day.
The 3rds had the weekend off.
NEW CLUBHOUSE STUFF
Cowichan RFC just finished an extensive renovation of the clubhouse which includes new serving area, refurbished wood floors, electrical, plumbing and new changerooms under the clubhouse. The old log house was packed Saturday night with students and Cowichan types until wee hours.
Cowichan Rugby Football Club would like to thank the following companys and individuals for supporting RUGBY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA and making some of our clubhouse project come to fruition:
SHOCKEY MODERN INTERIORS (New Bar and serving area)
COWICHAN GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB (New Piano)
VANCOUVER ISLAND BREWERY (New serving equipment)
HOPPS HARDWOOD (Refurbished hardwood floors)
ANDREW GUDMUNDSETH (Wiring and Electrical)
HERITAGE HOUSE TROPHIES AND FRAMES (Refurbish pictures, awards and plaques)
THE MUCK FAMILY (Behind the scenes labor)
KRISTY MARTIN (For putting it together)
MAY, RHONDA, ANGIE, PAM and others (for their work to help make this happen)
Cowichan's next project is to twin our current pitch, move the covered grandstands and consolodate the club infrastructure to make it more user friendly than it already is.
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