Schedule Shaping Up for Winter and Spring

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As the start of the new year approaches, it is time to look forward to the future. Here’s a list of what the Green Horde has on its social and competitive schedules so far:

• Jan. 20 – Visit to Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital 1:00pm – 3:00pm (Thank you Dom and JV for stepping up to volunteer to help distribute the toys first. We need two more.)
• Mar. 16 and 17 – Savannah Tournament
• Mar. 31 – High School Rugby Festival at SPIRE
• Apr. 7- TBA (Erie or South Pitt) at Home
• Apr. 14 – Scioto Valley at Home
• Apr. 21- BG Away
• Apr. 28 and 29 – Playoffs
• May 5 – Canton Away
• May 12 and 13 – Nationals
• May 19 – TBA (Pitt of day off)
• May 26 – TBA (Cleveland Cup)
• Jun 2 and 3 – Final Four or Cleveland Cup

It is a busy schedule so far but there is more to come. Be on the look out for more hospital visit dates, toy collection events, another high school skills clinic and other social events.

It’s shaping up to be a big year and a busy year for the Green Horde. Be on the look out for new developments, updates and maybe a new Web site.

 

Field of Play: A Matter of Standards

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It’s probably very safe to assume that very few rugby players in the Midwest, especially in the lower divisions, have played on a regulation rugby pitch. This is to be expected because there are very few rugby complexes in the US or sports complexes equipped to hold a rugby pitch to begin with.

There is, though, a big difference between a field that is a little too short or a tad too thin. There is even a case to be made for fields that are not the most level or well manicured patches of earth in existence. These allowances have their limits, though.

Land is not cheap, especially in this climate of worthless 40IKs and $5.00 gallons of gas (All rights to that saying reserved for Roger Mazzarella), but if teams are going to invest the money they have in a location they should at least find themselves a decent piece of land. Neglecting to do so is a detriment to the game in a number of facets and irresponsible.

First, if a field is not level to an extreme degree it is hazardous to the well-being of players who are going to be competing on it. Take, for instance, the line-out. If one team is on a higher patch of land than the other they are at a clear advantage; but more than that, if the jumper comes down funny on the unlevel turf at the very least that’s a hurt ankle. At worst, the downed player could get trampled. Also, if a player is running the ball and does not see a sudden drop in elevation he or she could bring their weight down ont their wrong and severely injure their foot.*

Second, finding a field that is somewhat out in the open is important to have as well. If the only field that is available is in a fenced-in area then that is fine. There is a big difference between setting a field inside a park and shoving it onto a plot of land sized for use by children. The issue comes into play here when the fence interferes with play. There’s a field in Pennsylvania where the fence surrounding the pitch juts out into one of the try zones. Not only does this make for an awkward try zone considering the field’s boundaries extend past the point of the fence, but it is a serious health hazard to the players competing on the field. hay bales in front of a metal post can only do so much.

Also, shoving a field into a park surrounded by busy city streets creates a dangerous atmosphere. Not only is there the possibility of debris on the field, but when every kick goes into the street it puts players in danger of getting hit by cars. Nobody wants to lose a rookie that way.

Once a team finds a field, outfitting it with the proper amenities is a must. This doesn’t mean a team needs to shell out thousands of dollars for the finest of IRB USA Rugbyregulation goal posts, flags, cones and pads, but it also doesn’t mean to half-ass your field set-up. Times are tough and wallets are notoriously light but there are cheap and effective alternatives available at most stores.

Need flags to mark the lines? Dicks Sporting Goods has sets for sale online. Need cones? They’ve got that too. Field paint can be found at just about any paint shop.

Cones, flags and paint are cheap and easy fixes, though. Goal posts are bigger more complicated issues. There is virtually no way to purchase a cheap set, so teams often turn to creating their own. Everything from PVC pipe to metal pipes have been used to construct uprights and crossbars on rugby fields. Those, if done right and with care, will more than do the trick. The key is that is should be done right. This means care should be taken to ensure that:

1. the pipes are straight
2. the pipes are the proper height
3. the crossbars should be level with one another
4. the goal posts are proper dimensions
5. the crossbars are straight
6. the goal posts are sturdy

The goal posts are the most important part of a club having a legitimate field and, on the same token, a legitimate team. This is because these elements of the pitch play a pivotal and direct role in scoring points during a game. Plus, if the posts are not as strong as they would be they could fall down and seriously hurt the players and referee on the pitch.

Having, essentially, a bullshit, half-assed rugby pitch is a detriment to everybody involved with the sport. It sends the message to outsiders that a crap field with goal posts that have caution tape for crossbars is passable by our standards. It shows incoming rookies that are new to the sport that they have just gotten involved with a program and a sport that has low standards and expectations from its players. It shows people who the ruggers at that pitch doesn’t take themselves, their club or their sport seriously.

Midwest Rugby Union

Perhaps it would help to have people inspect fields clubs play on. Perhaps referees could do note it as they officiate a match. It would add more responsibilities to the already big job that comes with being an official, but it would only be a benefit to the sport of rugby as a whole. Standards help people have an idea of what level they need to reach. Setting standards higher, even at the lower divisions, will raise the bar for everybody and give the sport, its clubs and its players a newer, better look.

*I know that rugby is a rough sport and that every player that signs up for it does so knowing the inherent risks involved, but why take any chances and create more opportunities for injuries to happen?

 

Green Horde comes up trumps against Rovers, short against Erie

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Last week the Eastern Suburbs Rugby Football Club played, arguably, one of the most important games of the season outside of Midwest. They took on their cross-town rivals, the Cleveland Rovers. All week, emotions ran high and supporters came out in force to support the starting 15. With the practice field filling up the days leading up to practice, the Green Horde was able to put together a game plan to all but assure a victory.

When Saturday rolled around the Green horde family showed in force, crowding the sidelines of the field constructed in Forest Hills Park in Cleveland Heights. Not to be outdone in the realm of sideline support, the Rovers brought out the best the West side had to offer to support their side.

The game went back and forth for the entire 80 minutes. Both teams took shots at the other’s defenses, trying anything and everything they could to put up points. Despite the Green Horde’s kicker having a rough day and the referee letting the Rovers turn a bad take on a penalty and a knocked ball into a try, the Green Horde brought home a 20 – 17 victory. The  complete write-up can be seen here.

The Green Horde was spurred on to victory against the Rovers, carrie don the back of inspired plays by Mark Viviani, Billy Regan and the team’s Captain Mike Belanich. Unfortunately, the flashes of brilliance brought on by these men wasn’t enough to propel the Green Horde to victory as they headed across state lines to attempt a clean sweep of  their Pennsylvania competition.

The best word to describe the bulk of play from the Cleveland side is: uncharacteristic. Normally spot-on tacklers were running high and getting palmed off like rank amateurs. Cool heads erupted as trash talk from the opposition squad came to a head with cheap play outlandish calls made by the referee.

Still, the usual flashes of brilliance were there as the East side squad’s heroes came to the team’s rescue only to have Mike Belianich’s try not be counted because the referee was out of position. At the end of the day the ESRFC suffered a controversial and crushing loss that resulted in them surrendering first place to Akron, who toppled th Rovers that same weekend.

This weekend’s match against newcomers Steel Valley will be the true measure of how greatly the loss to Erie has affected the Green Horde. If they are intent upon rebounding, it will show in their play and most likely result in an unpleasant Saturday for the Youngstown team. Should they come out with lack-luster play and their heads hung low, the result could be very different.

The game kicks off at 1:00pm at Forest Hill Park in Cleveland Heights.

 

Fall’s Schedule for 2011

2011 Fall Schedule

 

 

Rock n Roll 7s taken by storm

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The day was hot and sunny, and the ground was hard as pavement – perfect conditions for the fastest tournament in Cleveland to take place. This year’s Rock n Roll 7s tournament took place at Kreuger Park in Mentor, Ohio; and with over 30 teams entered throughout a number of brackets there would be no shortage of competition.

The Green Horde’s competitive side landed in what some might see as a disappoint fourth place finish. People from the outside looking in might be wondering how a team who is hosting a tournament could come in so unprepared and only finish in fourth. What those same onlookers do not realize is that the ESRFC squad pulled itself together with little more than two solid weeks of practice and, with that little time to play together and get into shape, pushed 1823′s second side to the limit twice, beat a college side out of Michigan composed of younger players with more chemistry and put down one of the Midwest‘s best rugby schools – Bowling Green State University – in convincing fashion.

Throughout the entire tournament, the ESRFC’s squad never looked like they were out of any game. While communication and execution on defense was lacking in some scenarios, the Green Horde played with near perfect execution on offense. Mike Ciccolini and Al Caserta ran took explosive runs with the ball, either taking on defenders or passing them by with ease. Newcomers Alex Carter and Gary Springer ensured that the opposite wingers and pack members were on their toes and ensured that their side retained possession. Billy Regan was the catalyst for a large number of the team’s tries, setting up teammates for scoring opportunities or putting defenders to shame on his own.

With that being said, the question to be asked is not one of the squad’s limited achievement. The question to come out of the day is: “Why isn’t the team more active in the summer?” With such dynamic and decisive play after a few weeks of practice, a well-oiled 7s side could at the very least be competitive with the top teams in the region.

When the final game had been played, the focus was on 1823′s A side, which had taken top honors in the Men’s Qualifier bracket. This netted the Columbus squad some crucial points to go towards their Midwest tournament ambitions. 1823′s coach stirred the pot a bit when he complained toe RugbyMag.com about the lack of competition in this year’s tournament. If competition was the issue, why didn’t 1823 take their squad to the Lakefront 7s tournament? With teams like the Chicago Griffins, Chicago Lions and Indianapolis Impalas - to name a few – there would have been no shortage of competition to be had, that is if competition was really what the team was after.

When all is said and done the winners have already been crowned and, after looking at the results and considering all the facts, 1823 wasn’t even the biggest winner at the tournament. This isn’t because 1823 only had to face their B side and the Wolfhounds after receiving a BYE in the first round or that they barely pulled out their victory in the finals.

This is because the women from Lakewood made a huge, if somewhat unrecognized, statement by taking home top prize in not one but two brackets of the tournament this year. First, a team of Lakewood High School alumni came together, having little to no preparation time before the tournament to successfully take down their competition from Dayton and Scioto Valley. The younger contingent, not happy to let the older women take all the glory, shut down Mayfield’s girls in grand fashion and staved off an aggressive Parma team to secure the U-19 title.

When people think rugby powerhouses in Cleveland, Lakewood may not be the first name that comes up in that conversation. if the Lakewood women have their say that won’t be the case for long.

 

Suburbs snag top prize at Mad Anthony tournament

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The weekend of May 7 marked the 16th annual Mad Anthony’s Ale Tournament.

Erie hosted three other teams – South Pitt Hooligans, Harrisburg and the ESRFC – for a day of rugby. The ESRFC truly was the visiting squad, being the only squad crossing state lines to participate in the competition.

Not only did the Cleveland team have to drive almost two hours to the tournament, but their ranks appeared to be greatly depleted since a number of starters and familiar faces were absent from the line-up. Despite the fact that they traveled relatively lightly, the Green Horde did the best with the personnel they had and placed each player where he would be the best fit. Those careful placements helped the Green Horde secure the three victories they needed to take the tournament.

Miles Papas, Richard Day and Matt “Kangas” Capp  helped solidify the pack. Papas jumped into the line-outs – literally – and scrums as a solid jumper and lock. Papas grabbed almost every ball thrown in and stood firm in the scrums. Capp and Day were forces in open play as well as in the rucks.

Steve Anthony, Alex Carter and Brian Rankin took turns at the wing position, each adding his own touch to the position. Carter’s speed and agility made tackling him a difficult task for opposing defenders. Rather than evading would-be tacklers, Rankin and Anthony took more direct routes when running their lines.

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The familiar faces in the line-ups did their parts as usual as well.

Mark Viviani kept every opposing pack player on his toes when he wasn’t keeping the refs honest. George Jeney made penetrating runs at center and set up his partner Mike Ciccolini for a number of long runs and even a score or two.

Every victory was a team effort, but the Cleveland squad owes its 9 -7 victory to the excellent kicking job done by flyhalf Adam Friedermann who, literally, kicked the team to its narrow victory. Though he was three for four on the game, he made the kicks when they counted.

The final game pitted the Cleveland team against Harrisburg. Unlike the previous two games, this competition seemed to be an offensive shoot-out, with one team scoring only to have the other answer back with another quick score. The ESRFC managed to obtain the lead late in the game, but the margin was narrowed in the dying moments as they put in a last–ditch try. Fortunately, the ESRFC had managed to get a large enough lead to hold off the Pennsylvania team. When the final whistle blew the ESRFC was ahead.

All in all the day consisted of three hard-fought victories for the ESRFC. Every player who traveled contributed in his own way to the success – even Micah Stein who battled through an injury he sustained earlier in the week to man the neon yellow flag and be touch judge in the hot Pennsylvania sun. He truly is a hero.

Final scores:

• ESRFC – 10, South Pitt – 0
• ESRFC – 9, Erie – 7
• ESRFC – 33, Harrisburg – 29