Travels with Dinno update

After literally one request I have found the time to update the blog. When last I wrote we had just visited the place where my rugby journey really started, Huddersfield RUFC.

The following week we started our Yorkshire Cup campaign against Castleford. In previous years I have come up against them with Huddersfield and they have been competent but nothing special. This match was something of a rout. By half time we were 27-0 up. The curse of the kicker had struck again. Three tries from forwards and two by the backs gave us a solid position. The second half saw three more tries but we allowed Cas to get a try on the board. Again two tries from our backs and one form the pack. Final score 42-7.

For the next two Sundays the family and I were in Culdaff in Donegal. We missed a defeat to Wath.

Next up were Grimsby. Again we were at home and as usual the food was excellent. The rugby was also excellent. This was a team I had never come up against before. The game started well with Dinno going to tries up. Then Grimsby hit three tries in return. Dinno pulled it out of  the bag with two more tries. Final score 22-15.

The next week was Yorkshire cup. Yet again we were at home. Doncaster were at this stage one of only two teams to beat us this season. This is also something of a local derby. This was a tightly fought encounter. Tries from Alan, Jake, Angus(3) and Smirnoff helped us to a 32-24 victory. However, our lack of a kicker is becoming an issue. This could have been much more comfortable if we had a strong consistent kicker.

The following week Tom was out in the middle of Sherwood Forest on his DofE. The final score was 15-15.

Last week we went to another new ground for us, Paviors. It was a beautiful ground hidden in the forest. The food and hospitality was excellent. The match started badly for Dinno and by the end of the first period we were 22-0 down. Paviors found a weakness and ruthlessly exploited it. If their kicking game had been better they might have put the game out of sight. In the second period our increasingly multinational team kicked up a gear. Tries from Smirnoff, Dick (2), Ronan and Angus along with 5 conversions saw the situation change. Despite two tries from Paviors the final score was 35-34. The difference was the kicking. Four out of our five tries were under the posts. Silky hit four from four. Paviors scored more tries but we were more efficient. It was an excellent game of rugby. The after match was marred slightly by a parent from our opposition but the president of the club was a pleasure to speak to.

Today Dinno got a lesson in rugby. The lesson was support your runners, don't give away silly penalties and learn from your mistakes. Also don't miss tackles. Selby comprehensively punished mistakes and despite two tries from Dick and Angus we were well beaten. 34-10

It's September so it must be the rugby season again. Travels with Dinno - Doncaster

On a glorious sunny day in September we trooped off to Doncaster. This was a minor miracle as a few hours before my car had broken down. This is a new ground for me and I was impressed with the stadium and grounds and let's get right to it the bacon sandwiches were good as was the hot chocolate. But as these blogs are loosely based on rugby I suppose we had better talk about the day's events.

Throughout the summer and the pre-season the lads have been showing promise after the somewhat strained end to the season. In training the lads are focussed and are showing a willingness to move the ball around and to work as a team. The forwards in particular have impressed. There was a diverse set of views about what people thought was going to happen but my thought was always that this season was always going to be more about rebuilding and if we could show the pre-season form we stood a good chance.

For the first fifteen minutes of the match it was something of a wrestling match with lots of mistakes. The scrum was excellent and we were driving Doncaster backwards. We nearly scored but the try was held up. Neither side was showing any signs of dominance. Dinno continued their dominance and from a ruck the ball came out to one of the Chessie boys, Richard and he passed out to Harry who ran in a try which Jacob then converted. The team was showing strong tackling going forward and was winning a lot of ball and had Doncaster under control. Unfortunately it didn't last and a missed pass in midfield let Donny in and then some poor tackling let them in for a second.

The team worked themselves back in and moved the ball around and the ball worked itself out to Evan on the wing who ran in a try. At half time it was Doncaster 14-12 Dinnington.

The second half of the game started with a number of changes but in a similar manner to the first half. Another missed tackle and Donny ran into score. We struck back with a debut try by Jack which was converted by Brendan. 19-19. Doncaster then ran in two more tries in the corner due to missed tackles. Despite a 'sin binning' the team was good going forward and made chances. Following a penalty Jacob ran in a try which left Doncaster wondering what had hit them. But yet again our tackling let us down and Doncaster put the tie out of reach. Final score Doncaster 38-26 Dinnington.

There were a lot of positives to build on from this performance as the last time these teams met Doncaster demolished us. There is work to do. But a good positive day.

Travels with Dinno - Goole

Following our family's move to the Costa Del Worksop we needed to find a new rugby club for my son. He had played at Huddersfield RUFC since the age of 5. We had a number of club choices in the 'greater' Worksop area. Worksop has a rugby club but not one that plays age group rugby. So the choices were Mansfield, Sheffield and Dinnington. We were invited to the end of season festival at Dinnington and were given a very warm welcome.

So that is where we started the season. The coaches seemed to like Tom and were excited that he could play in a few positions. First match of the season was against Market Rasen. This was a team which we had never played before.  When I was just a parent standing on the sidelines I used to judge a club by its bacon rolls and hot food. Market Rasen served very good bacon rolls and hot chocolate.

Tom started his first match at blindside flanker. He performed reasonably well and did the job he was asked to do. Unfortunately the team lost 31-25. It was a game of two halves with the development team starting the first and showing promise. The first team came on and scored 5 unanswered tries.

The club's next game was a local derby against Sheffield. The last time Tom visited this club he had to play without boots. the last time he played against them he was on a losing team. Two matches were played. The first team played the first game. After a slow start the first team absolutely dominated and came out 31-12. The second team won their match 15 - 13. This was a display of forward power. Two tries were drive over tries and one was a piece of individual brilliance by our beast of a flanker who is henceforth known as Rupert. The boy played on the wing and had a reasonably good game again. Since joining Dinno his tackling has improved somewhat

The food was very good but the parking was lousy.

Today we visited Goole another new club for us. So what did I learn today? That Google Maps has no idea about how to get somewhere. The food was pretty good. Bacon and brie rolls and very good hot chocolate. Only one minor criticism. When you are serving a customer don't tell your helper to give the customer a smaller mug for his hot chocolate.

The rugby was good. The squad was smaller than usual (a mere 24 players). The stars were new boy Jake and the beast that is Rupert. The club has a definite first team and a number of the players in the 'development' team are good enough to be in the first team. The coaches have made a point of telling the whole squad this. The boy started on the wing and made some good drives and some good tackles. At half time the game was comfortable. Changes were then made and the team switched off and then Goole got back into the match. However, the team kept the scoreboard ticking over and ended up winning 36 - 26. The boy had another solid performance and just needs to get the ball in space and he will start to do some serious damage.

The players meal was, according to the boy, the best he has ever had. For the record it was some kind of stew inside a huge Yorkshire pudding.

Throughout the season I will be reporting on our travels around the country to points north, south, east and west.

Come on Dinno!!!!