South Delta Rugby

While the Grade 8 team competed in a Fraser Valley Playoff game, the crowd gathered in anticipation of the annual SDSS ‘Old Boy’s’ game, played each year on the second Friday in May.  Clearly, the high school team was pumped for the encounter. Coach Minns had his best fifteen take the field while the ‘Old Boys’ patched together a squad with a few bodies to spare.

The Devils came out hard and controlled the ball well, working their way down the field with quick rucks and a variety of distributions, a few to the backs and then the forwards would run it effectively up the middle.  Their persistence paid off, when early in the first half they worked it down the field and scored in the corner off a scrum blind side attack about 15 yards away from the line.

The ‘Old Boys’ were punished with some excellent running by the Devil backs, Mike Van Straaten, Jermey Wollin and Alan Casey.  However, the Old boys backfield defended well and prevented any further scoring.  Then, late in the first half the Old Boys scrum started to gel and they won some good ball and moved within the 22 meter line of the Devils team. Some good work by the Old Boys No. 8 Ryan Hummel and Prop Tim Ivens allowed the Old Boys to take one over the line to even the score at 5 each.  The Devils came back with several fresh attacks but both teams held their ground.

Right from the kick off to begin the second half, the Old Boys came out hard and moved the ball nicely down field with some textbook rucking and managed to control the ball through several phases. Then just inside the 22 meter line, Ryan Hummel picked from No. 8 and initiated a blind side attack and the Old Boys scored in the corner giving them a 10-5 lead. Later in the half, Josh Parks had a nice run for the Old boys scampering 40 yards for a score and making it 15-5.

Then late in the game the Devils applied pressure after a kick and managed to collect a bouncing ball and take it for a score. With the clock ticking down, the Old Boys managed to fend off several aggressive attacks and held on to their lead until the final whistle. Paul DeLauries, Phil Lipton and Mike Pinfield did well in the backfield, while John Sruthers, Dane Young and York Graham worked hard in the scrum for the Old Boys. In York’s case, it was his first match in 22 years and he really got stuck in.  

In the next match up, the Old Boys took on the Young Boys in a hard fought match. While the Old Boys joints were just starting to limber up, the Young boys took some time to organize and the Old Boys took advantage, by scoring shortly after the starting whistle with a good pack burst up the middle.  Once they got their bearing, the Young Boys played some good ball and it was clear that Lee Thompson had been playing some after school rugby and Adam Jarrett had only improved his moves down the centre. Jeff Hartman, Seungjoo Kee and Blake Rogers also played hard, helping the young boys take a 10-5 lead going into the half.

In the second half, the Old Boys managed to slow things down with some good possession and forward control.  Midway through the second half, the Old Boys broke from a 15 yard scrum and worked their way over the goal line to tie things up at 10.  Both teams pushed to break the game line but both sides defended well while the scrums controlled much of the play up the middle. The game ended in a draw, a fair outcome in a tough match.

The young boys then took on the Devils and it too was a battle. There was some good distribution by the Devils and some good running by backs Mike Van Straaten  Alan Casey and Jeremy Wollin. Tyree Alleyne, Ryan Helferty and Tanar Rushworth played hard in the scrum.  The teams traded tries in the first half and in the second the Devils came out hard wearing down the Young Boys until they score on a nice drive up the middle.  The Young boys countered later and not wanting to end the game in a tie, they played a little longer but neither team gcould break the line so they settled on a 10-10 tie.  

After the game, Charlie presented some fun awards which included several bricks and golden boots. He also provided tiara’s for the ‘men of each match’.  Luckily the recipents were not forced to wear them later on at the Tsawwassen Golf Course where we had a burger and brews and did some catching up. Next years game takes place on the second Friday of May. Hope to see all the Alumni out.                         

It wouldn’t be going out on a limb to declare 2008 the most successful season of rugby ever at South Delta. In March our senior team toured Ireland with a squad of 39 players and four coaches. Our ‘A’ squad won 3 of 5 games on the tour and most of these games saw the whole squad get playing time. The tour however, took it’s toll on the senior team and injuries prevented this year’s team from reaching it’s full potential. Healthy, this years senior team was certainly one of South Delta’s finest.

We fielded six rugby teams in 2008; two senior squads, two junior sqads, a grade 8 squad and new this year, a senior women’s squad composed of grades 8-12. Close to 150 students participated in this years rugby program and currently the Juniors, grade 8s and the women’s teams are active in the Fraser Valley Championships with games scheduled into late May.

On Friday, May 9th at 3:15 p.m. we celebrate our 20th Annual ‘Old Boys’ Alumni rugby game. It takes place at South Delta Secondary. Once again, former coach and founder, John Narbett, will come out of retirement to coach the Old Boys. The SDSS annual ‘Old Boys’ alumni game celebrates our friendships, our school and our sport.

We welcome the community and particularly former alumni to come out and watch this classic match up and challenge all former Sundevil rugby alumni to brush off their boots and put on the old school jersey for this annual friendly match. Festivities get under way around 3:00 pm at the South Park field. Later we’ll head over to the Tsawwassen Golf Club for dinner and hoist a few at around 6:30 pm.