Hi Chaps
I would not have thought 30 years ago when I started The Bulldogs that we would still going and putting out such a fantastic team of players 3o years later!!!
Our game against Grasshoppers on Saturday was fantastic and every player and supporter felt very proud to be a Bulldog!!
It was Terry, the Grasshoppers Captain’s last game and he had invited all the players that had played for him to take part in that game. A total of 30 players in all and quite a task for our 15 players and with no subs!!
Our game plan was calculated accordingly and designed to conserve our energy and to pace us for the whole game against 30 players and this was quite a task but every Bulldog player played out of his skin and gave 110% plus and more.
Our game plan was to use Ben’s very fine boot at No 10 and James’s at fullback. The idea was to push the game constantly into the Grasshoppers half and to play the game wide when in their half. Our forwards were smaller and shorter than Grasshoppers and we could not compete in that direction so once aging the plan was to move the ball away from the forwards and to get the ball out to our outsides.
This plan was held and it proved to be a very winning formula indeed
Benn started the scoring off with one his typical side stepping move and went over for a very good little try to put us 5 points ahead
Our forwards with Tinks, Johno, Andrew, Simon , Peter, Jack , High and Kiwi Dave constantly chased the ball from Ben’s kicks and put continuous pressure on Grasshoppers …the constant barrage and pressure started to take its toll even though Grasshoppers kept bringing subs and then alternating players.
From a perfect base move and the ball finding our outsides Benn found Frank and Jamie in the centre and Jamie went off for a darting scything run through the defence to put in another try that Ben converted to put us 12 points ahead.
With Matthew at scrum half playing a very shrewd game and feeding his outsides we started to show our strength with Ben going over for a great starter and unconverted try .. A fantastic position considering the strength and standard of the opposition.
However, against the run of play Grasshoppers came back with scorching rundown the wing to put on 5 points and a conversion.
We steadied the team and with again good concentrated basic rugby we started to push back into the Grasshopper half and from a mid field forward move Johno found the ball and with a very strong run put down another try for Ben to convert
We now stood at 19 points to 5
The subs on the Grasshopper touchline were amazed at our determination and our defence and tackling was some of the best we have seen this season from every player but a try slipped in to give a final result of !9 points to 12 to The Bulldogs
We regained our Annual trophy and it is now in our home base at The White Swan
The effort that was put into this game has been very well captured by Iron man Tony’s great end of season photos where his skill with the camera really shows up the game so very well and far better than my report.
A score that we held to the last whistle and a fantastic well earned win BUT this week we played and kept to our game plan and won against 30 good players but the previous week we threw the game away to a good little side but not as strong as the Grasshoppers and only 15 men!!
Afterwards we had a few beers with the opposition who entertained us well and Jamie was the Man of the Match although in my opinion there were 15 such players
Well done and a great way to finish off our 30th year
The celebrating continued to Tinks great party in Cavendish Square with 16 or so Bulldogs in attendance to a cracking band ….if you missed it …be there next year …they are great parties
Once the tour is over next week we will have a summer committee meeting to put in a few dates…we have the end of season party, a possible Jazz boat do and I know Tharn is looking at doing something for the Bulldog youngsters
O.K. and a golf programme for Sat pm is being started and of course there will be the club nights to avoid withdrawal symptoms and of course a tour reunion!!
Colin Lenthall
Founder, Captain
, Spiritual Leader etc etc