By Dan Henderson, Director of Rugby
No need for closing the grounds!
Feeling like it had been an eternity away from playing our great game, it was a relief to finally see the Dirty Red jumpers running around our home ground, getting stuck into our first games of the competition’s second round against local rivals St Pats.
Solid defence was the policy for the 4th graders putting in a fantastic 1st half effort against the No.1 ranked team in the competition. Several tries went begging in what could have been a very different result. Time together and a little training will see this team climb into the top four and be a real contender come final rounds.
3rds again suffered from a case of “talent-over-team” play in a match that got away from them in the final 15 minutes.
Colts (31-17 Win)
Being forced to play later in the day thanks to weather and Council rulings had no effect on the confident squad. And it was the squad who really stood up as changes to the starting team and shuffling of key positions made for a slower and less dominant start as the cobwebs were cleared. The promising signs, combinations, competition and depth are really showing dividends as this team looks for the constant improvements necessary to be contenders as the rounds tick by.
2nds (18-5 Win)
This win is an important stepping stone for the season as the players look to secure a spot in the top 4. With changes to a few key positions, the team looked to combine experience with structure and natural ability. Most importantly the team found shape on several occasions to score some great tries, with outstanding defense being the teams foundation.
1st Grade (34-10 Win)
After a very disappointing first round effort this squad had much to prove.
Words of pride and history within the jersey that is ‘Dirty Red’ came to a calm dressing room moments before kickoff from DDRFC Club man (Nathan Wicks) which seemed to focus the lads as the whistle blew. The team were creating a lot of space thanks to understanding our evolving game shapes and ability to attack space. One of the most pleasing signs as a coach is seeing the bench & ‘fresh’ legs, kick the team into another gear and drive the nail home.
Perfect build for the ‘Club Strong’ Colleagues.