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.

 

And the winner is…

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On Saturday December 3, 2011 the Cleveland ESRFC family descended upon Claddagh Irish Pub in Lyndhurst’s ever-classy Legacy Village for its annual awards banquet.

The restaurant and bar played host to over 50 East side players, family and general supporters who all but took over two entire sections of the venue.

Those in attendance socialized and were treated to a slideshow that featured shots from games that had taken place earlier in the year, including the Rock n Roll 7s Tournament. Photos were graciously provided by Hannah Derrickson and Harry Visser. A video is available as well. Claddagh provided those gathered with food and spirits – Guinness on tap and tickets for just about anything behind the bar – for the night. When everybody decided to calm down and sit down the business of the night began.

President, Mike Ciccolini, Vice President George Jeney and Mark Match Secretary Viviani presented the winners with their awards, as voted by their teammates:

• Rookie of the Year – Gary Springer
• Most Improved – John Bowens
• Most Valuable Member – Mark Derrickson (for the 10th time)
• Most Valuable Player – Billy Regam

The team is proud to have these people as members of our club and honored to know and play with them – and all our members past and present.

Thank you to Claddagh and the all our supporters. We look forward to seeing you all out during our coming year.

 

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?

 

ESRFC Puts Hurt on Two PA Squads

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The Green Horde faced, and successfully put down, two tough Pennsylvania teams in the past two weeks – and as always they did so in dominating fashion.

First, the ESRFC crossed the border – and a bridge or two – into enemy territory to tak on the South Pitt Hooligans. The two teams faced off against one another at the home pitch of the Pittsburgh Harlequins, the city’s only Division I mens rugby club.

The two teams were competitive against one another the entire match. When one side would score the other would fire back. There were a number of occasions where the South Pitt squad would show flashes of brilliance against their out-of-town competitors and force the Green Horde to stay on their toes. The two team’s packs bashed into each other, trying to wear each other and make breaks for most of the game but once the Green horde moved its more mobile pack members into the back line the tide turned decisively in the favor of the Cleveland side. From that point forward if Cleveland’s centers weren’t doing damage to the South Pitt line it was one of the wing forwards or their squirrely hooker, Mark Viviani.

Final score: ESRFC – 32, South Pitt – 18

Note: Thanks to the Pitt City guys for allowing some of the Green Horde members to stay at their social after stumbling upon Rugger’s Bar uninvited.

 The story when the Green Horde hosted the Westmoreland Highlanders on Sept. 24. This game was one of goods and bads.

GOODS:

1. The Green Horde got to play on an actual good field. Due to lingering field issues, the ESRFC hosted the Highlanders at GaReat Sports Complex out in Geneva. Fortunately, the visitors were not shaken by the last-minute and constant changes to the day’s venue. Even for those who are too delicate to play on turf, it was nice to play on a field that had the proper dimensions to field two full rugby sides and was actually level.
2. The Green Horde notched up a ridiculous score of 102 – 7. Technically, since George Jeney – who was on loan to the Highlanders – scored the opponent’s only try, the Green Horde socked away a total of 107 points on the day. The huge score line ensured that almost everybody was able to get in on the act of scoring. Mike Ciccolini and newcomer Pat Barrett got hat tricks on the day, breaking the Westmoreland line at will. Mike Belanich led off the scoring for the Cleveland pack on the ground while Adam Wheaton took kicks, only missing two the entire day.
3. Everybody got a chance to play. Sometimes getting rookies and dedicated elders playing time is difficult. This day that was not an issue. Some – George Jeney, Thiago Borges, Steve Anthony, Harry Visser to name a few – split time for the bad guys to help fill in their side. Every rookie in attendance got significant time on the clock and their contributions were greatly appreciated.
4. The Highlanders played and partied well. Despite the day not going their way on the field and having a far drive, the Highlanders made the drive to Downtown Willoughby and had some refreshments with the Green Horde following the game. The social was a win for everybody involved.

BAD:

1. The ESRFC only got the points for the forfeit. Unfortunately, the Highlanders came with such depleted numbers that they did not meet minimum requirements to field a team do they had to forfeit.

 

 

Eastern Suburbs Found Lacking in Akron Opener

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When the dust settled in Akron on Sept. 10, 2011 the Cleveland Eastern Suburbs Rugby Football Club was on top of Akron 33 – 27. While this result puts an early win in the scorecard of the Green Horde, the victory was far from a clean one and a far cry from the kind of wins the East Side team has put together in recent competitions.

In recent meetings between the two clubs, Cleveland had trounced Akron by incredible margins. Last week’s close score could be credited to a number of factors. Speculators will suggest whether Akron have gotten that good or if Cleveland is on the down swing. What si for sure, though, is that the Green Horde seemed somewhat unprepared and undisciplined for a tough team and an imperfect referee.

Akron pushed the physical pace of the game as they always did, bringing hard hits at every breakdown and phase of the match. This aggression allowed Akron to do something that few teams had even been able to do: challenge, and in some cases, shut down the Green Horde at the set pieces. Mike Belanich did his best in the line-outs and did what he does best, making getting the ball difficult for Akron. It was not the easy dominating job that is usually was, though. Rather than merely foiling their plans in the air, many times it came down to doing the hard dirty work on the ground to ensure that Akron did not score. Akron also made times difficult for the ESRFC in the scrums. Though the Green Horde’s big men wheeled and pushed Akron’s pack at will, it was Akron’s scrumhalf that made life difficult for the Green Horde on the offensive side of the ball. His tenacity made sure that getting the ball from srumhalf John Bowens to flyhalf Billy Regan would not be an easy task. On a number of occasions 8 man Justin Rutledge had to make get the ball to his no. 9 so he could make a clear pass. The story was much the same in the rucks, except for the fact that Akron was able to contest and turnover ball. Needless to say, this wore down the ESRFC’s men a great deal.

The trouble with Akron’s aggression came when the southern side’s flyhalf continually performed illegal and dangerous tackles. The dangerous play coupled with the Cleveland side’s fatigue led to unnecessary penalties and scoring opportunities for the opposition. Two of these penalties were compounded when members of the Cleveland side yelled at the referee for his decision-making and his apparent inability to make proper penalizing calls against the home team. The Green Horde was also assessed a penalty, which could have easily been a card,  for stamping late in the game. This came after the team had fought their way deep into Akron’s territory and been awarded two penalty advantages. The decision to step on the opposing player killing the ball cost the Green Horde at least five points and could have put a man in the bin.

The good guys – the ESRFC – came out on top, though; and they left Akron with a victory and the knowledge that this season is not going to go as easily as past seasons. Aside from the more physical aspects of the game, the ESRFC realized they needed work on fitness and discipline as well. They take on South Pitt on Sept. 17. Video highlights of that game will be available along with the match coverage.

The B side put on a good showing against Akron, though their hosts came up trumps against them on this occasion. The meeting between the two sides was still a positive one for the Green Horde, though. It got rookies Ted Kozlov, a former Marine and absolute newcomer to rugby, and Sebastian DiRienzo, who has played for a year and is being looked at by national coaches, a chance to get some touches on the ball. Both men ran straight and true breaking tackles, securing scrums and demolishing rucks. Thanks go out to Mark Derrickson, Mike Ciccolini, Goerge Jeney, Rich Day and the other players who took the field with the B side and our rookies to show Akron the toughness they will have to deal with in the future.

The score so far:

The Score So Far - Week One of 2011 Fall

 

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

 

Suburbs stopped short by Scioto Valley

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On April 9, the Green Horde made the long trip down I-271 to Columbus to face off against the Columbus-based Scioto Valley. Based on size alone, it the game was to be a David-and-Goliathtype face-off. Take into account that Scioto Valley would be fielding their Division I squad, and that notion gets kicked into second gear.

The Green Horde was far from fazed or afraid, though. Taking inspiration from their recent victory over Erie, past defeats of the Columbus Rugby crew and the fact that Scioto Valley was writing them off as an automatic victory, the Cleveland side felt more than ready for action.

The line-ups looked like a reunion of sorts with both sides carrying a number of notable alumni of Bowling Green State University‘s rugby club. Scioto Valley had Ryan Deal and Rich Hines ar lock and 8 man, respectively, as well as Nick and Boomer Brandenstein guiding the back line. The Green Horde had Mark Viviani, Justin Rutledge and newcomer Eric Nutter filling in the pack.

Despite the personnel on the field, the match was a shoot-out from the first kick-off. Scioto Valley’s forwards would retain ball in open field play, securing rucks successfully and taking hard crashes straight at the Green Horde’s defenses. Then they would swing the ball out wide to their backs, who ran lines with speed and purpose, only to have their wing forced out-of-bounds or one of their other speed demons make a misstep due to the pressure from the Cleveland  defensive line.

The Green Horde made Scioto Valley earn every inch they took, coming up on defense and meeting the attacking forces head on. Tackles were strong and firm. Resets were straight and true, daring opposing defenders to get in the way. Unfortunately, ball retention was lacking against the poaching prowess of the Columbus squad. Lone runners and late support cost the Green Horde valuable real estate on a number of occasions.

Line-out against Scioto Valley

Scioto Valley drew first blood when they were out hustled on defense. A line-out shortly after would put Dustin Pasalasqua across the try line for Cleveland and put their kicker in position to draw his team ahead by two points. A poached ball and a strong run from Scioto Valley put them back in front at the end of the first half.

The second half saw the scoring sway squarely in the favor of Scioto Valley. The Green Horde was more than a match for them in line-out, but faltered a bit in open play and scrums as the game wore on. Fresh legs supplemented the East Side’s offense but were to do avail in the long run. Scioto Valley managed to barely stay ahead of their Cleveland opponents who scored late in the proceedings.

Final score: ESRFC – 17, Scioto Valley – 29

 

The Cleveland rugby social calendar

The snow is starting to melt and all the dormant rugger are starting to peek

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their heads out of their holes. The ESRFC is prepared for the seasonal thaw with a number of fun events and fundraisers to bring the team together for a good cause: raising beers while raising money.

The earliest scheduled event is the next Happy Hour special at Roc Bar. The event is planned for Saturday Feb. 19 Located on Old River Rd. on the East bank of the Flats,  Roc Bar hosts bands on an almost nightly basis and caters to a variety of tastes.

The Deal:

• $10 at the door
• Free drafts from 6:30pm – 9:00pm
• Admission into the night’s shwo following Happy Hour

There are convenient parking options in front of the bar on the street and around the area. Tere is also a lot directly next to the building. Though parking on the street is free, those coming for the event get discounted parking in the bar’s lot.

It’s that time of the season again. It’s Six Nations season. Claddagh, in Beachwood, is showing the games. Like the Roc Bar event, cover is $10. Claddagh will be providing food and drink specials for all those in attendance, including $6.99 Irish Breakfasts.

The schedule of remaining games:

• 2/26 – Italy v. Wales, 9:30am; England v. France 12:00pm
• 2/27 – Scotland v. Ireland, 10:00am
• 3/12 – Italy v. France, 9:30am; Wales v. Ireland, 12:00pm
• 3/13 – England v. Scotland, 11:00am
• 3/19 – Scotland v. Italy, 10:30am; Ireland v. England, 12:00pm; France v. Wales 3:45pm

There will also be a Big Ticket raffle at the Saturday showings. Tickets are $10 a piece and the grand prize is a 50″ flat screen TV. Those interested in purchasing at least one ticket should come to the events or contact Mikc Ciccolini via the main site.

Future events and fundraisers involving Happy Hour specials, raffles and World Cup viewing are in the works. The team hopes to raise enough money to pay for trips to Midwest, Nationals and other places, while still having a slush fund for future endeavors.