Hi Chaps

With so many players away or on the injury list following our away game to Uxbridge and some rather tough games I found that we were hard pushed to get a side out to play at home to our old friends Grasshoppers

We mustered 10 Bulldogs …some still with a few bruises but we managed with the help of a few players from Grasshoppers to get to the full 15.!

It was quite an achievement and I was feeling rather chuffed at getting a side out to play the Grasshoppers 4th team. In fact I was so confident of a good game at our own level after recent week’s matches that I even put my boots on to play at my old position of No 8!

On the pitch we looked around for a few familiar faces…recognised Terry the Captain and his mucker Rickie but after that it was a new side completely with about 10 or so subs all kitted and looking pretty good waiting on the touch line!!

After the game was over we found that the 2nd team had no game and that a few of the guys we played against were 1st team players coming back from injury!!!

At half time they brought on 5 subs!! However we had contained the score to around the two tries but as the game progressed we conceded a score of 26 point to nil BUT we were congratulated by the Grasshoppers on never giving up and we kept the score to a very reasonable level.

However, and once again, playing at this level players are pushing themselves to the very limit and we had another injury with Dave U going down with a knee injury within the first 15 mins of the game.

But let’s get down to the game itself ….we had a number of guest players including Stuart who used to be a member last season and has now decided to have a few games when there is a spot for him… (preference must always be given to fully paid up Bulldogs members before guests are played) …We lost the toss and that meant that we had the kick off….Roger found form straightaway and kicked the ball beyond the 10 yards and we were in business and game on!!

But the opposition of trained and fit Grasshoppers were off immediately on their many runs of the day…tough running and with forwards that could move around like our own backs. We were soon very much on the defensive. In midfield we had Matt and Stuart and they formed formidable pair making many crunching tackle and Stuart adept use of the boot and his touch kicking got us out of jail on many an occasion!

Our forwards played with great heart but we were up against a heavy and fit pack very experienced and able to push off our own ball far too often. This meant we had slow ball, if at all, and very bad ball to try and make any impact. The plan in the second half was to try and keep the ball in hand and carry out damage limitation policy of restricting opportunities to the opposition of gaining possession. This worked well and we did keep the scoring down to the final result of 26 point to nil.

A very worthy result and one that in the circumstances was a great effort and morale victory.

The Man of the Match went to one of our guest players for having a very god game …getting tackles, in shoring up the midfield and very good use of the boot…well done Stuart.

It was a close run thing with a number of other players who also put a high work load in to contain the score.

I personally enjoyed my first run out this year although I had expected to have a somewhat easier run…. I appreciate that I am past my sell by date and it was very kind of Roger to shout out and remind me and the rest of the team, opposition, and spectators and to tell me more than once to clear off the pitch and bring a Grasshopper sub on in my place. This gave me great confidence … as I walked to the touchline and spectators …and also made me think of the future ….

Some of you are aware of my age but I have no intentions of giving up this great game and this great Bulldog Team that I started so many years ago and that has brought so much fun and firm friendships to many of my Bulldog players over the last 28 year or so…long may it continue and with your support and backing I have every confidence it will

My speed around the park was hampered by the fact thatThamesians had played on it earlier in the day and the ground had been churned up and was very heavy….I had my special “go fast studs on” that were designed for light ground and this did cause me a problem!

Bulldog rugby is not about winning but about playing the game and enjoying the company and let us never loose sight of that ethos that has kept us going with such an appalling win record…..

OK the fixtures are being overhauled for next season but we have to run with the current ones that have been arranged.

See the other emails re tour and “problems”

THIS WEEK WE ARE AWAY TO READING AND WE WILL HAVE TO MEET AT 1200 TO GET AWAY INGOOD TIME TO BEAT THE TRAFFIC AND GET TO REDAING INTIME FOR A 2;15 K.O. I WOULD ANTICIPATE MEETING AT THE WHITE SWAN AND LEAVING AROUND 12;25 .

It is important to have a team of 15 confirmed by Wed evening otherwise we will have to call the game off.

PLEASE CONFIRM AVAILABITY FOR THIS AWAY GAME BY WED 28TH FEB.

Cheers

Colin Lenthall, Founder, Spiritual Leader and Captain of this greata eccentric team called The Bulldogs RFC

p.s. Did anyone pick up my scrum cap…thye don’t make ‘em like that anymore