March 1, 2008 - Little Cedar Bayou Park, La Porte, Texas

The weather in La Porte was near perfect as Bay Area was looking to pick up an important win against DII foe Shreveport.  BARC quickly jumped out to a 6-0 lead on two Luke Armstrong penalties.  Then, inexplicably, the home side seemed to go to sleep for the next 30 minutes.  Sloppy tackling and hard running Shreveport backs allowed the Louisiana boys to score four trys.  The Bay Area pack had serious issues matching up against the visitors, letting Shreveport push them back in the scrums and the rucks.  As a result, there wasn’t much clean ball and Bay Area struggled to mount an organized attack.  Bay Area’s only real offensive threat was Armstrong, who went 5 for 5 on penalties in the first half.

The home team seemed to find their focus during the break and came out aggressively at the beginning of the second half.  Improved tackling and several tactical adjustments effectively neutralized most of Shreveport’s attack, but Bay Area just couldn’t find a way to score trys.  To a man, the level of effort put forth was admirable, but the hole BARC put themselves in was too deep to get out of.  Shreveport crossed the goal line one more time and Armstrong added his sixth penalty to close out the scoring in the match.  Bay Area lost another tough match, 33-18.  There are important concepts in sports that all teams learn, the ability to work together and maintain focus for the entire match are critical to winning.  Hopefully, the match today served as an important reminder for the ruggers from BARC. 

Scoring Summary:  Armstrong (6P)

February 23, 2008 - - Little Cedar Bayou Park, La Porte, Texas

Bay Area came up short in another tough match against Division I competition when they lost to The Woodlands RFC 36-16.  The final score flattered the visitors, as the match was much closer than the score indicated.  BARC played perhaps their best match of the season; unfortunately they made mistakes in several key situations that had a dramatic effect in the outcome of the match.  The forward pack was very effective in the lineouts and did well to hold their own in the scrums despite the fact that The Woodlands had a noticeable size advantage.  The solid play of the forward pack produced clean ball on several occasions which allowed scrumhalf Mike Gifford to send the ball out wide and utilize the pace of the BARC backs.  The Woodlands scored 3 trys in the first 40 minutes, but a try and two penalties from outside center Luke Armstrong kept the match close at the half, with BARC trailing 19-11.

The second half was more of the same, a back and forth match where neither side could establish a clear advantage.  Bobby Hill touched down a try set up by a well organized maul, but that was all the scoring that BARC could muster in the second half.  The Woodlands put three more trys on the board, two of which were breakaways following errant Bay Area passes.  BARC also missed out on several chances to add to their point total by passing on kickable penalties in favor of lineouts.  While these types of errors are uncharacteristic of Bay Area, it was clear to everyone what a huge impact they had on the final score.  Moving forward, BARC will need to revisit some of the fundamentals that helped them win so many matches last season, taking care of the ball and taking points every time they are available. 

Scoring Summary:  Armstrong (T, 2P), Hill (T)

February 16, 2008 - Dallas, Texas

Bay Area made the long drive up to Dallas for a DII showdown with the Dallas Reds.  The weather dictated that the majority of the match would be played in the forwards, as cold temperatures and driving rain made ball handling difficult to say the least.  In the early going, both sides struggled to maintain possession and the overall play was fairly sloppy.  Ten minutes into the match Bay Area finally woke up and organized a tight, effective maul off a 5-meter lineout.  The concerted efforts of the pack allowed Big Mike Carbery to score the first try of the match.  Luke Armstrong added the conversion and BARC was ahead 7-0.  Dallas managed to slot a penalty kick following overly aggressive play by Bay Area and the half ended with BARC leading 7-3.

The weather went from bad to worse as the second half started.  Both sides continued to try to work the ball wide, which led to numerous knock-ons and scrums.  Dallas utilized their size well in the muddy conditions, and had the better of the pack play in the set pieces.  What they lacked in the scrums the Bay Area forwards made up for in the open field.  They were able to utilize their speed and conditioning to keep the ball in play and keep the Dallas defense on their back foot.  Eventually, the Reds defense lapsed and Mike Gifford was able to dive over for BARC’s second try.  This was Mike’s first match back after off-season knee surgery, and his leadership organizing the forward pack was a welcome addition.  The remainder of the match was a back and forth affair dominated by handling errors.  Dallas were able to muster one final surge that netted them a try as the final whistle blew, but it was too little too late.  Bay Area earned their second win of the season 12-8.

 

Scoring Summary:  Armstrong (C), Carbery (T), Gifford (T)

Febuary 2, 2008 - Austin, Texas

A somewhat depleted Bay Area side traveled to Austin on Saturday to face off against the Blacks. Several key players were absent from the BARC starting 15, but those who suited up put forth admirable effort and made the home side work for every meter. While the Blacks were clearly the better team on the pitch, their 67-6 margin of victory is somewhat misleading. At no time in the match was Austin able to score at will; the Bay Area ruggers fought hard and played strong team defense. There were, however, periods when the Blacks were able to score multiple trys quickly. They keenly took advantage of every instance when Bay Area looked fatigued or lost their focus and punished them by putting points up on the board. The effort displayed by Bay Area was admirable, but they had their work cut out for them at the opening whistle. You don’t want to be playing the runner-up from the 2007 Division I National Championship when your side isn’t at full strength. Man of the match honors went to Billy Jake Chancery, who seemed to be everywhere on the pitch. He was always near the breakdowns defensively and was strong in support on offense.

Scoring Summary: Armstrong 2P

January 18, 2008 -- Home vs. HARC

The Bay Area Rugby Club came up on the short end of the score sheet in a tough match against HARC on January 19, 2008.  The normally pristine pitch at little cedar bayou park was a muddy mess, but the conditions didn’t seem to affect HARC.  HARC started quickly, pinning Bay Area deep inside their 22.  After several unproductive phases, fullback Ross Bellaci was finally able to clear the ball.  HARC countered quickly and ended up with a lineout 5 meters from the Bay Area goal line.  The HARC pack were well organized off the lineout and managed to maul the ball over for their first try on the day.  On the ensuing kick, Bay Area seemed to be finding their game when things took a dramatic turn for the worse.  At the 11 minute mark, starting 8 man John Isaacs was sent off on a questionable red card.  This would prove to be a pivotal point in the match, as it provided HARC with a huge momentum boost.  From that point on, Bay Area just couldn’t get things going.  They struggled to complete passes, especially between the 9 and 10.  This shortcoming effectively took Bay Area’s dangerous backs out of the match.  The forward pack fought admirably, but they just couldn’t man up with the pack from HARC.  When the final whistle blew, the tally was HARC 32, Bay Area 0.  To say that the loss was disappointing would be an understatement.

There was no shortage of individual effort on the pitch during the match and there were many positive points in the match.  The rucking and mauling of the forward pack was excellent, and there was a marked improvement in the lineouts and scrums compared to previous matches.  And though the backs weren’t able to contribute much offensively, they played solid defense as a unit. Unfortunately, amid all these positives, there was also a huge void.  The cohesive team effort that was evident throughout last season was nowhere to be found.  If Bay Area is to overcome this setback and seriously contend for a title in Division II, the ability to play together will be critical.

December 8, 2007 – Home vs. the Austin Huns

On a cloudy December day, the Bay Area Rugby Club kicked off their 2008 Season against the Austin Huns.  The match started out quickly, with BARC pinning the visitors deep in their own territory.  Bay Area’s forwards played stifling defense around the breakdowns while the backs stepped up quickly and forced the Austin backline to run parallel to the gain line.  Then, after a long stretch of sustained pressure, the BARC forwards mauled the ball forward allowing Dave Yeoman to score an apparent try.  Unfortunately, the sir felt as though the ball was knocked on and ordered a 5 meter scrum to the Huns.  Disappointed but not discouraged, the Bay Area packed again set up a sustained maul near the goal line and gave Todd “T.O.” Oliver the opportunity to touch down just right of the uprights. 

After the ensuing kickoff, the teams traded possession several times in the center of the pitch without gaining much territory.  Then, just across midfield, the Bay Area backline strung together several passes that allowed Jason Reverendo to turn the corner on this man. The Austin fullback stepped up to stop the BARC captain, but Reverendo recognized this quickly and played a cheeky chip into the corner.  Fullback Ross Bellaci closed on the bouncing ball and dotted down just inside the touchline.  The whistle blew a few minutes later and BARC went into halftime leading 10-0.

The Huns came out quickly to start the second half.  Their forwards executed an organized rolling maul that carried them deep into BARC territory.  After several thwarted attacks, the Bay Area defense cracked and the Huns scored a try in the middle of the field.  They made the conversion kick, but that would be their last points.  The team went back and forth for the rest of the match, neither side being able to establish dominance.  Opportunistic play by the Bay Area backline created two long breaks that were finished by Ross Bellaci.  Luke Armstrong converted the last try, closing out a difficult day for the normally accurate kicker.

While it is always good to start of the season with a win, BARC realizes that there is still much work to be done.  The forward pack played well in the set pieces, but could have dominated the match had they employed better body position.  The Huns were clearly superior in the lineouts, using their height to disrupt most of the Bay Area throws.  BARC will need to focus their efforts if they want to regain the dominant form that they showed in lineouts last year.  The backline executed their phases reasonably well, but there was a shortage of clean ball available for scrum half Justin Gifford.  The entire team will need to improve in this area, as it will enable BARC to utilize the pace of their backs. 

Two players deserve special mention for their play during the match.  Flanker Tal Young and #8 Dave Yeoman played exceptionally filling in for Bryan “Cowboy” Daenan and John “Ike” Isaacs.  Even though they were missing two of their impact players, there was no noticeable let down in the level of play.  Those familiar with Bay Area Rugby will immediately recognize what that says about the efforts of Dave and Tal during the match.

Scoring Summary:  Armstrong (C), Bellaci (3T), Oliver (T)

Preseason Summary

After a long run deep into the DIII playoffs, the men from Bay Area took a well deserved break over the summer.  As fall approached, the ruggers laced up their boots once again and began their preparations for the upcoming season.  Based on their performances last year, BARC was elevated back into DII in the Texas Rugby Union. 

While most of the fall was spent focusing on fitness and individual skills, BARC did find time to play three friendly matches.  Bay Area posted a win against New Orleans RFC in the first friendly, but came up short against HARC and San Antonio.  The losses served as an important wake-up call and reminded everyone on the pitch that it was going to be a much tougher season.  Last year, Bay Area was able to win several matches on the strength of several key players.  Going into the first cup match against the Huns, it was clear to everyone that success in DII would require a concerted team effort.