Over 45's Final VS Virginia Cardinals

The temperature was cool, the clouds were out and the field of dreams was firm, green and lush. Perfect for a running game of rugby, but hopefully not too much for us old bastards.

Through the cheerleader squad we entered the field and set up for our Haka. Captains met and we ripped into our final game haka with camera's flashing left, right and centre.

Kickoff was ours and the ball went long, game on. The first half we probably let ourselves down with loose ball not being secured, to much snatching at the ball in prime positions. We were maintaining constant pressure on the Virginia Cardinals but were unable to crack their line till well into the first half. The try came eventually from a ruck right in front of the posts, Fred Waititi was playing halfback, he picked the ball up scooted wide, ducked under and through a couple of tackles to step around the final defence and score under the posts (GO THE TANIWHA)! The conversion was slotted but no more points before half time came.

Second half kicked off with us maintaining pressure, we weren't allowing the Cardinals much time in our half as our game plan was always to send the ball deep into their half from kicks and build pressure there. But they were still too close for comfort, and when a penalty was awarded straight out in front, we took the kick...very un-mauler like, but points none the less. The Cardinals were now trying to run from everywhere and our defence was smacking them over ,with irrepresible Puss leading the charge from the side of the scrum. we were to eventually able to score with our American imports providing two of them from tight play I believe (hopefully I'll find out the names soon). Unfortunately for us and more importantly Puss, he got badly damaged with what we think is a dislocated shoulder. Off in an ambulance he went while the game carried on. By now we had the opposition well and truly camped in their own half as the wind was now on our side and rain had made an appearance at one of our games. An attempt at running it from their own twenty two ended up with a turnover about ten out, Flipper was gifted the ball and all he had to do was to jog over the line untouched, game over. The scoreboard displayed 30 to nil, haven't quite worked out the math for that, but hey we're the over 45 champs.

Time for a shower and a beer, many many beers before the nights out I'm thinking.