Who let the dogs out…..?

However, before I delve into the historic events which unfolded at Twickenham Marble Hill on Saturday, let me greet you all to the new 14/15 season. Some of you may have wondered at what stage during the season the mighty Harrodian Vets take to the park considering our more virile cousins in the 1s and 2s have already put down some impressive wins! Vets, however, in the autumn of our playing careers naturally commence our season when autumn has officially commenced it’s and anyway a pitch covered in leaves adds to the cushioning we need in the ever intensified ‘collision zone’!

Interestingly out of season, I often iron my shirts at 0630 on a Saturday morning and catch a bit of Super 15, say a Reds v Canes match and of course the ‘collision zone’ receives much entertaining commentary as one Fijian centre upturns his opposing Samoan Winger! Which brings me neatly on to Vets Touch training!

We too believe in the ‘collision zone’ and Sean Lewis AKA Son of Buster, perfectly demonstrated throughout the whole summer that being a Vets player doesn’t mean we go all soft and gentle in the way we play rugby! However, we still find the ground a tad hard at this time of year so we prefer a later start than others.

And so welcome to the 14/15 season and I sense its going to be a good one! We have yet again seen new faces appear both from within the Club where former players have awoken to the fact that there is only so much late you can drink on a Saturday afternoon whilst reading the large print in the Times and skipping the Editorial, before you realise you are only 38 and still own boots! Likewise, our growing presence in the world of WWW brings new talent to the Club who I am sure you have so much more to offer than just skills on the field…….money talks! But more on all the new faces over the coming weeks.

Preparation for our fixture against Twickenham Bulldogs (TB) started off with impeccable admin from the dependable and Noble St Bernard who this year will help share with me with the Captaincy especially on afternoons when I prefer to critique the Times Editorial section and compose worthy retorts whilst sipping late! So, by Thursday we had 18 confirmed, by Friday we had 15 and come Saturday we had 13 as we had to loan two players to TB who only had 11 players turn up!

But the sun was shinning, the breeze was perfect, plenty of leaves offered us collision zone protection and we were fortunate enough to have the wonderful referee Andy who was equally up for run in the park………..(annoyingly throughout the game I kept trying to place who in my younger life referee Andy resembled…….it was early this morning that it was of course Penfold!!!)

With 13 aside we kicked off and thought we knew that the danger within TB was the two players loaned to them, but in fairness TB put up a spirited fight at the breakdown and in the set piece. Though we had Russ Barnes, who was excellent in the lineout, fantastic in the loose and his worst nightmare came true when it was clear he was pretty useful in the second row too!

Of course as is the norm with Harrodians, the pack does do the lion share of the work only too make the backs look good, sending new cap Will Neal over for two tries……….(err Will…..we don’t do ‘taster days’ to see if you ‘fit in’……you are in……….move house if you have too, but Barnes is now your new home!) We also made Stu Osborne look very good with his new Paxman beard and of course Slats still has magic!

But the player who just never lies down is the Gladiatorial Clappy…called up at the late hour, scores a try, plays for the oppo too and gives us a challenge to take on.

TB did come back at us with a try from one of their own players and also loaned Dave Kassler picking up one for them, but with Frodo, Marek and Jose creating all sorts of options out back, TB spent much of the afternoon on the back foot. Though I take nothing from TB as they never gave up and kept making us work ever so hard and I kid you not when you realise just how much hard work we will need to put in this season to bring some parity to the win/loose stats with local neighbours!

A good first run out and a good bunch of lads making it a cracking game to get our season off nicely……….sweet!
The side that played was:

Marty
JC
Finch
Clappy
Beans
Russ
Aaron
Frodo
Marek
Dave
Jose
Stu
Slatts
Will
Nick
Robin

Tries: Will x 2 Stu x 2 Slatts, Clappy & Finch !x1
Cons: Marek x4 Stu x1 Slatts x1

Next week we are away to Old Paulines followed by the massive Oktoberfest back at HQ, so lets have as many of us there as possible……..

Finch/Skips…..must dash…needs must!!!!
28.09.14