Game Report - Ebb Tide vs SnowCaps - May 4
MOMENTS OF GLORIOUSNESS AT EBB TIDE FINAL SEASON GAME
Ebb Tide and Snow Caps face-off in Knock-on Challenge
Leadership at the highest levels always sets the tone for the troops and performance. So when old-boys referee Pierre Lachetti left his whistle at home, the conditions were ripe for an afternoon of what resembled rugby. No worries though, some chap just happened to have a spare whistle in his pocket…
Twenty Ebb Tiders and 16 Snow Caps took to the field on Saturday, May 4, 2019 at Macdonald Park in Victoria. The game began with a solid, high kick from the Snow Caps with Ebb Tide captain Paul Eby calling, “My ball!” only to miss it over his head and eventually in the hands of the Snow Caps. The Snow Caps now masterfully in control, bore down on Ebb Tide, intent on scoring the first try, and soon knocked it on. The ensuing Ebb Tide scrum, all 230 stone of it, drove the Snow Caps backward to release the ball for scrum-half Paul Cao to score the game’s first try on a 40 yard run. But after the try, and followed by numerous knock-ons by centre Nelson “I wear mittens” Bath, the Snow Caps secured possession and drove Ebb Tide back to their five. Phase upon phase, the Snow Caps hammered Ebb Tide like stormy seas against a break-water. But the break-water held, denying the surge into the try zone.
The knock-ons continued throughout the second quarter was if both sides had spent weeks training in preparation for this special day. But in the third quarter, the divine nature of rugby was witnessed by fans and players alike. In a blitz of what bore resemblance to a Six Nations final, Ebb Tide came at the Snow Caps with the most spectacular try witnessed in old-boys rugby.
Scrum-half Paul Cao started the charge, bobbing and weaving through the defence, eventually off-loading to Nelson “I don’t wear mittens anymore” Bath who scampered from centre and into the Snow Caps 45 before making a cheeky pass to other centre Kevan Letawske. Keeping with momentum and at pace, Kevan passed to captain Paul Eby who also off-loaded to Nelson (again) all the while running in support. Then with another bonnie pass, Nelson, about to be tackled, hands off to lock Don Swainson who takes on a couple of Snow Caps tacklers and gives the ball back to Nelson for a third off-load. And with that, Nelson “I’m winded now” Bath went in for the try.
The game continued on with both squads slogging it out for ownership of the pill. The knock-ons slowed down as the teams got down to the business of rugby. A few Snow Caps went down with some minor injuries and Ebb Tide offered up players to help even the sides starting with 70-something year old Bill Spiller on wing. It was an offering… Both Rick Kotzian and Don Swainson also joined the ranks of the Snow Caps and soon forgot about their Ebb Tide affiliation. Don even scored the last try of the game for the Snow Caps.
It was another great day of old-boys rugby, comradery, renewal of old friendships, and the beginning of new ones. After the game, Ebb Tide provided a home-made macaroni and cheese lunch especially whipped up that morning by Tim Walshaw from an old Acadian family recipe that had everyone going back for more. Thanks, Tim for a great meal!
And a big thank-you goes out to ref Pierre Lachetti for saving the game day and being our referee. We couldn’t do it without your dedication and commitment. Thank-you, Pierre.
Ebb Tide try scorers:
- Paul Cao x 2
- Nelson Bath x 1
- Paul Eby x 1
- Neil Hagerty x 1
The Ebb Tide Man of the Match was Don Swainson for swinging both ways, and an honourable mention to Paul Cao for the moves on the field.
The Snow Caps Man of the Match was Chris Laine, a try-scoring loose-head prop that answered the call in the scrum and on the field.
Lastly, the Ebb Tide Red Jacket went team captain Paul Eby for being… for the being the captain and always selflessly leading the Ebb Tide squad from the front season in and season out.
Rugby. The game played in heaven.
Practice at Windsor Park - May 9, 16, 23, 30
Ebb Tide practices return to Windsor Park in Oak Bay for the month of May. We are not at MacAulay Elementary on May 9 as originally posted to Facebook. Beverages to follow at Christies Carriage House.
May 9 - Windsor Park
May 16 - Windsor Park
May 23 - Windsor Park followed Ebb Tide AGM
May 30 - Windsor Park
TGIF - Friday May 3
TGIF this Friday, May 3rd @ 4pm is at 550 Warren Ave.
ALL ARE WELCOME, but if you paid a deposit for the mystery tour you should make a special effort to attend. There is a good chance you have been drawn for a prize. See you soon.
Ebb Tide 2019 Awards Night - June 20
Date: Thursday, June 20th is awards night at Gorge Point Pub starting at 6:30 pm at the Rear Patio.
After a long fought season, this is the night that the club recognizes all the hard work of all our players. Plan on attending the evening to celebrate all of our accomplishments.
Practice - May 2
Thursday night run will be at MacAulay Elementary school in Esquimalt on May 2. Click on school name for Google map.
Penticton Sunfest 2019 Tournament - June 8-9
Penticton Sunfest 2019 tournament information is attached for your review.
Eric is booking rooms and sorting out the bus.. we need to know Firm Numbers ASAP. Interested Players can reply on Facebook..Teamer.. or Email Eric White.
The hotel can hold rooms until April 28th and meeting tomorrow with the other groups to decide on plans and costs.
The rooms are to be allocated by April 28.. we still can change our individual minds until June 5. Make your Commitment Now so he can make arrangements.
Eric wants to know if there is any interest in sending a team to Penticton Sunfest , please advise Eric , I will post on Facebook and ask Darren to post a notice on Teamer. Since the tournament is on June 8th and 9th we would need to jump on this event very quickly.
If there is interest then the logistics will be worked out such as Hotels, transportation, carpooling, and costs dependant on modes of transport and hotels it sounds like a well run tournament.
David Millard
Game Report - NOBS vs Ebb Tide - April 27
INTERNATIONAL RUGBY COMES TO JUAN DE FUCA PARK
Ebb Tide and Northwest Old Boys Clash in Pacific Battle by Ace Reporter Christopher Poulton
Another great day of rugby was played in Canada’s south pacific when the Northwest Old Boys sailed in to town on Saturday, April 27, 2019. The international match was the first one played by Ebb Tide at Juan de Fuca Park, home of Westshore RFC.
The game was played as any other game this season with the gnarling and gnashing of teeth as the forwards were grinding it out, fighting for the ownership of the pill and advancing down the field. The backs, with their finesse, moves and agility that can only be seen in over 40s rugby, left their indelible mark on the field setting up a few plays so a couple of forwards could score a try. And in the background over all the testosterone clashing about on the field could be heard the NOBs scrum half, Amy Drackert (with her husband in support), as she called to order her squad, preparing them for phase after phase trying to break through the Ebb Tide line.
“It’s great to see the ladies out there playing with us,” said Dave Millard, Ebb Tide’s VP. “Having them wear the red shorts really gets everyone in the game playing.” One way to fill an increasing gap in old-boys club membership is to have women who still want to play come out and play, he said.
The first two halves of the match were dominated by Ebb Tide scoring seven trys. Then in the third quarter, the NOBs managed to break through Ebb Tide’s defence to score their only try of the match, under Amy’s masterful leadership on the field. The fourth quarter went back to Ebb Tide where first time old-boy and prop forward, Neil “Nitro” Hagerty (of Westshore RFC), bolted from 22 to 22 with the hidden speed of a gazelle to set up Ebb Tide’s ninth try by Nelson Bath. A tenth and final try was scored by second year veteran lock Jeremy Harvey, his first ever try…ever.
Ebb Tide try scorers
- Aaron Cook (back) x 2
- Paul Eby (captain) x 1
- Paul Cao (scrum-half) x 2
- Matt Gordon (winger) x 3
- Nelson Bath (back) x 1
- Jeremy Harvey (lock) x 1... first one ever.
After the match, Westshore RFC hosted Ebb Tide and the NOBs in the Juan de Fuca Field House to a jambalaya lunch. The good times and comradery extended well into Saturday night with all coming together and hitting the pubs in Victoria – brothers and sisters in rugby.
Ebb Tide’s red jacket was awarded to Jeremy Harvey for his determination and play on the field but really it was because he scored his first try.
Ebb Tide’s selection for Woman of the Match went to Amy Drackert for her leadership and play on the field.
NOBs selection for Man of the Match went to Paul Cao for his unwavering endurance and play with an honourable going to “Nitro” Hagerty for his prop forward hustle down the field, inspiring old and young props alike.
Rugby. The game played in heaven.
Game Report - Ebb Tide vs Twits - April 14
As the road warriors converged on Chatterton on a cool Sunday in April to head to Burnaby, the thoughts going through a lot of our heads were ”This is a lot of Forwards”. 14 players were accounted for with a few supporters in tow (Bob Love, Draino, Myself, Millard and Johhny Lyles significant other Mel and Jim Turner). Of the 14 we had 11 forwards and 3 backs which called for an interesting lineup and some playing out of place.
As we boarded the bus to head to Burnaby a dark cloud over the Burnaby Area could be seen in the distance and would for sure bring conditions that are not conducive to clean play that we all know and love.
Luckily as the Road Warriors took the field, besides sub 10 temperatures the rugby gods staved off the rain which made for a pretty clean game. With our Forward pack made up of Grizzled vets the backs welcomed Mike Joss at number 12, Jeremy Harvey at number 13 and Don Swainson pulling on the number 15 Jersey joining Paul Cao (9) Rob Phillips (10) and Sean Ross (11). The game plan would be forward driven (Literally) with some well-timed crash runs by Joss and Harvey. Twits were able to loan us a few players that helped us round out the squad to 16 players.
The game started with some good forward play as the Ebb Tide were able to dictate the play from the breakdowns and lineouts. But as the game went on the Twits were able to find chinks in our armor with some well-placed kicking and runs from their backs. Twits scoring 5 tries to our one scored by Paul Cao towards the end of the 1st half.
With a rousing speech from Captain Paul Eby, the tide came out strong tackling well and again putting together good phases but alas did not result in the tries that we needed to get back in the game as the Twits would score another 10 minutes into the second half. But with the never give up attitude Ebb Tide put together a solid few plays that sprang our number nine to score the last trie of the game which in Old boys rugby means a win.
Final Score: Twits 6 Ebb Tide 2.
Bob Love had a quiet day only having to go out to the field once to check on a player and no major injuries to report for this game. That being said please heed Dr Loves advice for cleaning scrapes after showering, just ask Captain Paul Eby! As the boys headed into the change rooms the effort given especially for those playing out of place was indicative of what rugby is all about. Whatever I need to do to help the team I will.
Back in the clubhouse Paul Cao was the Twits choice for Man of the Match while Ebb Tide chose the Twits number 10(not sure of name). The coveted Red Jacket went to Don Swainson for his inspiring words throughout the game.
A special shout out to Jaime Avantini who worked on an excellent meal of Chicken Rigatoni with Italian sausage and side salad, an excellent meal after a hard fought game. That was the final road game for the season, only 2 games left before the summer break. See you all at the Mac for Ebbtide vs NOBS Saturday April 27th.
Game report written by Jonathan “Can run for 10 minutes on a treadmill” Romphf
Game Report - Ebb Tide vs Nanaimo - April 7
The weather was iffy in Nanaimo on Sunday but participation was even more perilous. 15 Ebb Tide players made their way over the Malahat and were met by 17 Yoos to Bees. With three Ebb Tide players injured over the course of the match, one Yoos to Bee crossed the pitch to join the Tide – much appreciated. Then we pared back to 14 then 13 aside.
The wily Ian Cameron our yellow short winger caused Nanaimo no end of confusion and played the entire game with no breaks. when he went into contact with the Nanaimo player, they had to stop reset from a Ruck and commit two players to restart. Basically Ian took two players out of the play at each tackle.
I am sure Ian would appreciate a nice glass of wine or two from the home bodies that missed the game.
Almost a Red Jacket performance but he skipped out before we could award it to him so the other Ian Ward was awarded the jacket for his hard work out of position but played like a man possessed.( who also was concussed during the game)
Harold Butler was doing his best to imitate Ray Ramsey with a Broken Nose and needed it straighten when we got home.
In the end, Nanaimo lads outlasted the Road Warriors by a score of 6 – 3 but served up a delicious hosting post-game.
Try scorers: Dave Jacks, Kevan Letawske and Paul Eby. Man of the Match was Ian Ward.
Game Report - Ebb Tide vs SOB's - March 27
EBB TIDE LEAVES SEMIAHMOO SQUAD ‘SOB’ING
Oceanside Classic brings out the Best of Old Boys Rugby
One of the finest touring sides in the Pacific Northwest Over 40s Rugby Union came to visit Ebb Tide on Sunday. The Semiahmoo Old Boys (SOB) brought 18 seasoned veterans of the sport to Macdonald Park in James Bay for a test of skill and agility…but mostly for food and beer.
Ebb Tide, coming off a colossal match three weeks earlier against the Piggies, had spent a good portion of that time working on their fitness. A new enhanced and robust ‘buggers’ training session was introduced where two hand touch was decreed to be below the waste.
“We wanted to train like we play,” said Tide captain Paul Eby. The idea was to simulate getting low, as if you’re going to make a real tackle. “I mean what’s the point in touch, if you can’t tackle”, he added. For the most part, this new style of Thursday night buggers worked well, and was soon forgotten in the bar afterward.
But on Sunday, something clicked for Ebb Tide’s twenty-four man squad (and it wasn’t the creaking of old bones). The lads came out ready to play with a forward pack that remained steady and tight throughout the four quarters with a back line that was firing on all cylinders creating the gaps for some long run scores.
“I hadn’t seen rugby played like that…ever,” said John Rompf, from Ebb Tide’s injured list. “I wanted to get out there and play too,” he said.
Ebb Tide scored the first nine trys in the game with the SOBs turning on the afterburners in the final five minutes to squeeze out one try before the whistle blew. Some say that in Old Boys rugby the last try wins. But everyone on the pitch that day were winners because of the love of the game and what good competition means among long-time friends and old colleagues.
Try scorers for Ebb Tide were…the backline, go figure:
- Harold Butler for one
- Paul Cao for three (and SOB’s honourable mention)
- Nelson Bath for three (and Ebb Tide’s red jacket pick for Ebb Tider of the Match)
- Rob Phillips for one, and
- Sean Ross for two (SOB’s pick for Man of the Match).
The non-shut out try for the SOBs went to Rich Eacret (or at least it looked like Rich dropping in try zone).
After the game, the SOBs were hosted by the unparalleled Mike Joss and his staff from the Gorge Pub. Everyone in attendance fed well on barbeque pulled pork sandwiches and coleslaw with pub made kettle chips plus copious amounts of beer. A big thanks to Mike and his staff for making it happen!
Looking forward, the lads will continue another robust session of buggers and beers on Thursday in preparation for their next match with the Yoos-to-Bees in a fortnight. And in between then, some of the lads will spin off to their affiliated third division squads to ready for a match between Castaway Wanderers RFC and Westshore RFC on Saturday. Old boys supporting their clubs, playing thirds and recruiting over 40s.
Rugby. The game played in heaven.
February 14 - Practice Cancelled - Snow Day
Victoria Parks has closed all fields so no practice and no pub night. Take your significant other out for Valentine's Day.
March 7 - Practice at Bullen Park
Bullen is open. We will run on the grass field and then have drinks at the Gorge Point Pub.