Ebb Tide tackles Evergreens in decisive 6-1 match on Sunday
They came in droves. It was a red tide of old boys coming out from the shoreline to play in the final game of the first half against the Evergreens at MacDonald Park. There were even some new forty somethings, like Castaways Wanderers explosive 3rd Div new comer Moses Mukasa, making a debut.
“Where has everybody been,” queried Dave Millard, Ebb Tide’s vice-president, in bewilderment. “Why can’t we get these many guys out when it’s raining?” The obviousness of his statement was not lost on the squad.
But truth beknown, it was because Ebb Tide was honouring two of the original 15 that left us to join the RIP Tide roster earlier this Fall. Mel Davison and Frank Gower were two of the Original Over 40’s team that are now playing heaven’s game on Immaculate Field. Everyone came out to honour and remember Mel and Frank with a moment of silence and a raised glass. It was fitting too that the Evergreens were present to participate since the team was also one of the original teams Mel and Frank played against. About 30 Ebb Tide members came out to pay their respects and to go for a run.
A good thing, because the Evergreens were just shy of fielding a full squad. So, in true old-boys rugby fashion, five Ebb Tiders headed over to provide their level best – honorary Evergreens Barry Wheelhouse and Tim Walshaw (both who recently toured with the Evergreens to Argentina), Russ Lazaruk and Chris Poulton (two flanking hooker back props that’ll do anything for a game and a beer), and some guy in yellow shorts.
Set-up for success, the Evergreens launched with a formidable attack in the first 10 minutes of the game leaving Ebb Tide in a state of amazement. But it was to no avail. Under the watchful eye of our esteemed official, the nimble and youthful Ebb Tide back row (and the rolling subs every two minutes) proved to be a reckoning force for the hardened Evergreen line.
Played in the truest tradition of old-boys rugby, the match was more than just a game between opponents. It was a game of comradery and of legacy passed on to us to carry forward for the next generation of old-boys.
Coming up during the winter break, Ebb Tide looks forward to more “buggers and beers” to keep some resemblance of fitness during the holidays, the Evergreens’ Christmas rugby festival, the Ebb Tide Christmas Dinner with wives, girlfriends or both and the annual “fun-spiel” curling fundraiser in the New Year.
