The Convicts won their first five pool games, some of them being just by a couple of points, before meeting the eventual competition winners, the Wagga Wagga Crows. Second place was taken by a local team from Discovery Bay, Hong Kong.
Seventeen teams contested the very social Kowloon Rugbyfest tournament, in cool conditions, that turned very wet. By the latter games, it was extremly wet. And I mean extremely wet.
Sydney Convict Matt Vagulans was honoured as the player of the tournament, scoring 6 tries, 3 conversions and being final assist on a few other tries. In taking his award, it was noted that he was the only person who arranged his hair on the walk to the podium.
Celebrations continued throughout the night, noting that what goes on tour, stays on tour.
The Convicts are indebted to three young Scots (there’s a story here, as well) and a local ex-pat who were recruited to enable us to field a team with reserves.
The Convicts on tour were: Gump, Steve T, Josh, B-Train, Baby Bear, Mattie V, Charles, Toby, & Dunc, with Bronnie coach, Raftery physio, Dr Paul doctoring and Charlie Winn supporting.
The first trial matches were played this weekend against Waverly College and Oakley. The boys hit the field at Rodney Reserve in Dover Heights on what must be one of the most scenic fields around. The field is on the cliffs overlooking the ocean, which I can tell you made all the difference. It was a stinking hot day, the first game was on just after midday, so the sun was blaring down in all its glory. The cool ocean breeze was a god send. But still the sweat poured as the boys hit it up for two 40 minute games.
What are trial matches you may ask..? Trial matches are held for the first few weeks prior to the first match of the season. Trial matches don’t contribute points towards the actual season, rather they give coaches a chance to move players around into different positions to see who’s best suited to which position and to sort the players out into the different grades or teams. So it was a bit of mish mash of a game this weekend with payers being swapped all over the shop throughout the game.
The convicts are fielding two teams this year as they have in previous years. Generally speaking the 1st team will field the more experienced players and normally play in a higher grade of rugby than the 2nd team. However some experienced players do opt to play for the 2nd team to help support the new and upcoming players and to ensure the team is still a strong and competitive team. There was plenty of new talent on the field this weekend so it will be interesting to wait and see who will play where. It looks like some of the boys could have a run for their money in securing their position as the new boys try to nudge their way in.
It was just another usual pre-season week for the convicts this week except for one thing… it was Mardi Gras!! The boys didn’t play any rugby matches this Saturday but they did don their rugby gear and strut their stuff up Oxford Street to the roar of tens of thousands. With this years’ Mardi Gras theme being ‘Nations United’ the Convicts’ float was a colourful exhibition of the various rugby nations of the world united together in a mock rugby match. Some of the boys wore the jerseys of nations abroad, whilst others (in the true Mardi Gras spirit) opted for a painted on jersey (hot as…). There was skin, there was rumbling, there was muscle (well okay in some cases there was some other more jelly like stuff but we’ll just call it muscle anyway.), and most importantly there was fun and overwhelming sense of team spirit and belonging. It was a sensational night for all, one that will be remembered by all for a long time to come.
