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Rocky Mountain Regional Rugby Report

11.30.13

In this issue:

Young Guns of the West: Black Ice WRFC

Colorado Crusaders Camp – high school 15s prep

Upcomers by the Numbers

Autumn Internationals

EuroComps

Young Guns: Black Ice WRFC

A successful rugby club is made up of a mixture of many elements. Chief among those myriad parts is the

constant and consistent flow of new talent.

Age and attrition being the greatest determinants of a club’s “playability”, it is critical to the long-term health

of that club that it recruit and empower its rookies with basic rugby skills. Those newbies will then be able to

function well and truly at their positions within the framework of the team, thus enabling the entire squad

(novitiates and veterans) to attain the ultimate match goal: victory.

We’re taking time over the snow season to recognize these fresh faces on the pitch with brief profiles-by-club,

in series. Black Ice Women’s RFC kicks off:

Blaine Mary Sue Martin – the Calgary, Canada

native has played for half-dozen years everywhere from

8-man (her position of preference) to wing. Martin

began her rugby playing career with Brown University

Women’s RFC and has been favorably compared to San

Diego Surfer and USA Eagle, Emilie Bydwell.

Blaine claims, “rugby is my favorite thing in the world,”

though admits a fondness for snow-skiing as well.

Of her fast-finishing flyer, Black Ice head coach Wendy

Cook says: “We are glad Blaine came to play with us.

Her leadership and style of play have been assets to our back line,” and Cook concludes, “Her willingness to

play any position is a coach’s dream.”

The closer will spend the break, when not on Colorado’s snowslopes, maintaining and increasing her fitness

levels by following this regimen: “Yoga twice a week; long (45 min+), cardio thrice a week; and strength training

(lifting, power/agility, crossfit) thrice a week.

Blaine’s long-term goal regarding our sport is: “To continue to play the next few years with this amazing group

of women, and to continue to be inspired by their strength and their fortitude every time we step onto the

pitch.” – admirable expectations and ones that are well within the grasp of this rising star!

Martin: pointedly exceptional image: Rebecca Gates

XV

Sara “Bobby” Shanley – a native of Virginia, this scrumhalf has seven years of craft and cunning behind

her estimable sling. The distributor’s deliberate service is fast, fluid and finely functional.

She began play with

Northern Virginia

Women's Rugby and has

donned jerseys for

Virginia Commonwealth

University, (Washington)

DC Furies and Glendale

Raptors RFCs.

Ice head coach Cook is

well aware of Shanley’s

worth at the crucial

halfback slot: “Bobby has

been an excellent

addition to the club,”

which can be noted onfield by Shanley’s rifle-like shots from the set pieces.

The form #9 interests outside of rugby include: “My puppy dog, Bentley,” who can be seen on sidelines

cheering his owner’s actions of a gameday.

“Bobby” states her goals simply: “Win a D1 Championship (and) continue to grow with the game and

my teammates.” Considering the scrumhalf’s ability and determination… achievable targets, all.

Shanley, at left by ref, prepares to distribute from the wonscrum image: R. Gates

Martin, in the center of the opposition, uses her left arm fend-off to break tackle and obtain space image: R. Gates

Alice “Boot” Plant – Black Ice’s solid standoff, and occasional center, hails from St. Helena in the Napa

Valley of California. She picked up rugby’s basics while in school at Colorado College and it is her

onfield synergy with halfback partner, Shanley, that has streamlined Black Ice’s distribution along its

three-quartersline and resulted in the upleveling of the club’s rugby.

Plant is both playmaker at the pivot and points-scorer reports Cook: “Alice has

come on and taken over an important role as our kicker. She is a strong runner,

decision maker and she is punishing on defense,” all qualities in a #10 critical to

effective linkage and succesful rugby overall.

“Boot” now calls Bridgeport, on the eastern side of the Sierras, home and enjoys,

“Riding horses and working on a family friend's ranch” in California when not

engaged wholeheartedly in the Ice campaign to national prominence. Plant is

looking to contribute to Ice’s continued success and, “be a force behind Black Ice winning nationals in

2014.”

Plant’s workout regimen over break includes, “lifting three-four days a week, cardio/sprints two-three

days, 1 day rest” – good ingredients for anyone’s winning recipe.

Ashleigh Parkhurst – The native of Fort Riley, Kansas was raised in Colorado Springs. In the two short

years that she has been on the pitch, the loosehead prop has shown confidence and competence of an

accomplished veteran. Parkhurst began her rugby with University of Denver Women’s Rugby Club and

in her short time with the Ice, has made a valuable addition to its formidable tight five.

Plant (scrumcap) with form tackle on Atomic Sisters’ #8 image: R. Gates

Ashleigh occupies time off the pitch in a variety of arts- and crafts-related activities and states of

possibilities outside of rugby with a healthy tongue-in-cheek: “There is always time for adventure…”

Over break, in preparation for Black Ice’s spring run, #1 will concentrate on: “lifting (focusing on legs)

and core strength; eating healthy (paleo); and cardio,” fitness.

Parkhurst (on right w/topknot) in support image: R. Gates

You got Rugby?

Best hand it over…

Colorado Crusaders Camp takes place Saturdays at Mountain Ridge Middle School in the northern reaches of

Colorado Springs from 2-4pm. It is open to all high schoolers, 8th grade and up and is cost-free. That would be

nada, nichts, and/or bupkes! No out of pocket expense for the highest grade-level instruction available in

Colorado as the spring (2014) season approaches. Elite coaches will be on hand to impart current standards of

the game to attendees. Pick up your game! Only two more sessions left – come, see what you’ve got…

By the Numbers

If this is November 30, 2013 then there are:

244 days until kickoff of Women’s Rugby World Cup in Paris, France;

91 days until inaugural PRP double-header matches in Kettle at Infinity;

84 days until NSCRO’s Battle on the Frontier : UNC Bears v DU Pioneers;

62 days until the kickoff of the Pacif ic Rugby Premiership;

31 days until 2014;

How’s your f itness? Gotta regimen to fol low? Better get one – 2014 is gonna be

huge!!!

… hike

USA Eagles had a f ine showing in their fall international Tests. After losing the halft ime

lead in the City of Brotherly Love v New Zealand Maori , the Eagles went on to record an

historic, last -second victory over Georgia , 25-23, in Tblisi, and then the lads walloped

Russia in London to complete their campaign with a winning slate this autumn.

Canada suffered agonizingly close defe ats to Georgia (by one, in an extremely fractious

affair) and lost by four to Romania in Bucharest before dropping Portugal , 52-8, in Lisbon

and exiting Europe.

Those irascible Georgians had an extremely successful fall , topping Canada in the

aforementioned donnybrook and, after losing the heartbreaker to US , recording a famous

victory over Samoa , 16-15.

Samoa , ranked #8 in the world by IRB heading into the Autumn Test Series, lost all three

matches and will do well to maintain its previous standing on the world stage.

As did Tonga , losing to Wales and France , after being edged by Romania in Bucharest, 18-

19 at the start of its tour.

But the story of the fall , and one that wil l bear repeating any number of t imes by the great

shannachies of Eire et al , was the Ireland-New Zealand Test last weekend. The Irish put the

All Blacks on their rear leg immediately, dotting thrice before the match had reached its

quarter mark for a 19-nil advantage that left one wondering… where’d the ABs go? Jonathan

Sexton’s conversion of Rob Kearney’s 80 meter gal lop konked awry off the post and the

f lyhalf missed a three-pointer later in the match, but all credit to New Zealand , who waited

with diabol ic patience, chipping away at the Irish lead until replacement fullback, Ry an

Crotty, crossed at the death to knot things (my stomach included!) and then Aaron Cruden,

cool as you’d l ike, popped the added deuce through for the win. Nightmare loss for Ireland

and unbeaten International season for NZ – the best teams win the close ones!

Last match of November

Tests today at the MillStad

Prediction:

Wales 22, Australia 21

Aviva Premiership

Won Lost Drawn MPts

Saracens 7 1 0 30

Northampton Saints 6 1 1 30

Bath Rugby 6 2 0 26

Harlequins 5 3 0 23

Exeter Chiefs 5 3 0 22

Leicester Tigers 4 3 1 22

Sale Sharks 4 4 0 19

London Wasps 3 5 0 18

Newcastle Falcons 3 5 0 13

Gloucester Rugby 2 6 0 12

London Irish 2 6 0 11

Worcester Warriors 0 8 0 2

Saracens rule the English r oost with only one loss, but that a signif icant 20 -41

drubbing by chaser, Northampton Saints, on the road in Franklin ’s Gardens at the end

of October;

Second-place Saints pair of blemishes came on the trot in a draw with Leicester in

mid-September, (19all – no cr ibbage score, that) ) and a deuce-defeat (24-26) to

struggl ing Gloucester at Castle Grim in early October. However, Northampton are

level with the leaders on the points table ;

Third place Bath tal l ied two losses at Sarr ies (17-31) and on a vis it to the Shark-

infested environs of Manchester , 13-19, and are four points off the f irs t-place pace;

Slots four through eight are occupied by sides separated by 5 points (a joyous

weekend’s result) on table ;

With more than one-third of the matches played, Worcester have yet to win though

they’ve a pair of bonus -point losses v Falcons and Irish;

Table is spreading… time to ei ther panic or stand in the English League now-now

XV

Aviva

Premiership

Rugby

French Top XIV

Won Lost Drawn MPts

Toulon 7 4 1 36

Clermont Auvergne 7 4 1 36

Toulouse 7 5 0 35

Montpellier 6 5 1 33

Castres 6 5 1 31

Stade Français 7 5 0 31

Perpignan 6 6 0 29

Grenoble 6 5 1 29

Brive 5 6 1 28

Racing Metro 6 6 0 27

Bordeaux Begles 5 7 0 26

Bayonne 5 7 0 25

Oyonnax 5 7 0 21

Biarritz 3 9 0 16

Superier Quatorze is wide open just now with half dozen clubs within reach of the top

spot currently being shared, unco mfortably one should think, by Heinieken

Cupholders RC Toulonnais and its present nemesis, Clermont Auvergne, each with

identical 7-4-1 records and 36 MPts;

Toulouse is one table (match) point off that run at 35 and 7 -5;

then comes Montpel l ier at 6 -5-1 and 33 pts;

numbers 4 through 11 are within a bonus-point victory of one another – testament to

the vitality of competition in T14;

2013 champs, Castres, are currently in the fourth slot and five points off the top o’

the heap;

Oyonnax RFC, winners of ProD2 in 20 12-13 and thus promoted this year to top f l ight,

have beaten league leaders Toulon an d Clermont at its homegrounds in Stade Charles

Mathon so far; The city of Oyonnax is located in the southeast part of the country by

the Swiss border, some twenty miles west of Geneva if you’re a crow ; RC Oyonnax is

made up of largely of unsung heroes and, with near half the season’s competit ion

already done, looks to maintain its Top XIV appointment

RaboDirect PRO12

Won Lost Drawn MPts Munster 7 1 0 31

Ospreys 5 2 1 27

Leinster 5 2 1 26

Glasgow 6 2 0 25

Ulster 5 3 0 25

Scarlets 4 3 1 20

Dragons 4 4 0 18

Cardiff Blues 3 5 0 14

Edinburgh 3 5 0 12

Benetton Treviso 2 6 0 12

Zebre 1 6 1 8

Connacht 1 7 0 7

Munster are leading the league just now with its only loss, a 19 -29 defeat to

Bennetton Treviso in the Italian north country, which Munster ensured with

uncharacterist ic bad behavior , earning four yellow cards in that contest;

Both Munster chasers, Ospreys and Le inster, have been beaten by th e Irish

provincials in Limerick at the Thomond Park, but wil l relish the re-match on their

home turf;

Ir ish provinces occupy three of the top f ive seats at table just now with a bit more

than one-third of the season done, dusted and placed in a position of prominence and

honor on the mantle

Heineken Cup

Pool 1 Won Lost Drawn MPts Leinster 2 0 0 8 Northampton Saints 1 1 0 5 Castres 1 1 0 4 Ospreys 0 2 0 0 Pool 2 Won Lost Drawn MPts Exeter Chiefs 1 1 0 6 Toulon 1 1 0 6 Glasgow 1 1 0 5 Cardiff Blues 1 1 0 5 Pool 3 Won Lost Drawn MPts Toulouse 2 0 0 9 Connacht 1 1 0 5 Saracens 1 1 0 5 Zebre 0 2 0 0 Pool 4 Won Lost Drawn MPts Scarlets 1 0 1 6 Racing Metro 1 0 1 6 Clermont Auvergne 1 1 0 5 Harlequins 0 2 0 2 Pool 5 Won Lost Drawn MPts Ulster 2 0 0 8 Leicester Tigers 1 1 0 6 Montpellier 1 1 0 4 Benetton Treviso 0 2 0 0 Pool 6 Won Lost Drawn MPts Perpignan 1 1 0 6 Munster 1 1 0 5 Edinburgh 1 1 0 4 Gloucester Rugby 1 1 0 4 Next f ixtures in the Cup upcoming this weekend and the following Friday-through-Sunday before the lads break for the holidays. Can you feel the heat?

With the first of three rounds

complete, results have been

what you may have expected

save for a dull surprise

provided to Top XIV

titleholder, Toulon, by the

Cardiff Blues in Wales. JW

slotted five penalties for the

French giants, while Leigh

Halfpenny struck 11 points

from his toe and Gareth Davies

got the winning try late to

bring the high-flying

continentals to ground.

Hottest tubs just now are #s 2

and 6 with one and two points

separating the clubs

respectively.

Bit of a languish, one should

think, for the Quins as they

find themselves in unfamiliar

terrirtory at bottom of their

swimming hole. They’ve home-

away with Racing in the next

fortnight where most, if not all,

will be revealed.

this is the

picture…

do you get

it?