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Long Way to Go for a Replay
Jun. 11th, 2006 09:20 amSaturday afternoon, David Gallaher and I arrived early for the Ireland A-New Zealand Maori match in Santa Clara. There was a line of cars queued up to pay $5 to get into the parking garage. I told Dave to turn right instead of left and we parked for $1.50 in the Caltrain parking lot. Few people seemed to notice this option was available.
( My impressions of the match )
In the end, Ireland were unable to score any more points than the US had against the Maori, but were not destroyed by NZ the way the USA Eagles were. Final score was New Zealand Maori 27, Ireland A 6. (Link is to a news story about the match from American Rugby News.)
We had an opportunity for a bonus match, as the American semi-professional Rugby Super League played their championship game right after the Ireland-NZ match; unfortunately, Dave needed to get back to Fremont to help![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dinogrl tear down her classroom. From what I read, the RSL final was a much closer affair, with OMBAC scoring the winning try in injury time to defeat Belmont Shore, 36-33.
I'm glad that I was able to attend all three of the Churchill Cup games in the newly-expanded format. In previous years, only four teams played in the Churchill Cup, and all of the games were played in Canada. This year they expanded to six teams and played two sets of pools, one in the USA, before the final round in Edmonton. NZ Maori will play Scotland A for the Churchill Cup, while England and Ireland will play for the Plate and, as expected, USA and Canada, coming last in their respective pools, will contest for the Bowl.
Despite the home sides being dominated by the visitors, I'm glad to see the International Rugby Board and the sponsors of the Churchill Cup including the English Rugby Football Union taking an interest in developing rugby in North America. The only way the US and Canadian sides will improve is by playing better sides like this. I heard an announcement at the game that the same six sides will contest again next year. I'd be surprised if they come back to Santa Clara, only because I'd expect them to play somewhere else to give another city a chance to see the matches, but if they do come back to the Bay Area, I expect I'll make an effort to see the matches.
There will be more international rugby at Buck Shaw Stadium in a few weeks as the USA takes on Barbados in a Rugby World Cup qualifying match; unfortunately, it will be on July 1, and I'll be a bit busy in San Diego at the time.
( My impressions of the match )
In the end, Ireland were unable to score any more points than the US had against the Maori, but were not destroyed by NZ the way the USA Eagles were. Final score was New Zealand Maori 27, Ireland A 6. (Link is to a news story about the match from American Rugby News.)
We had an opportunity for a bonus match, as the American semi-professional Rugby Super League played their championship game right after the Ireland-NZ match; unfortunately, Dave needed to get back to Fremont to help
dinogrl tear down her classroom. From what I read, the RSL final was a much closer affair, with OMBAC scoring the winning try in injury time to defeat Belmont Shore, 36-33.I'm glad that I was able to attend all three of the Churchill Cup games in the newly-expanded format. In previous years, only four teams played in the Churchill Cup, and all of the games were played in Canada. This year they expanded to six teams and played two sets of pools, one in the USA, before the final round in Edmonton. NZ Maori will play Scotland A for the Churchill Cup, while England and Ireland will play for the Plate and, as expected, USA and Canada, coming last in their respective pools, will contest for the Bowl.
Despite the home sides being dominated by the visitors, I'm glad to see the International Rugby Board and the sponsors of the Churchill Cup including the English Rugby Football Union taking an interest in developing rugby in North America. The only way the US and Canadian sides will improve is by playing better sides like this. I heard an announcement at the game that the same six sides will contest again next year. I'd be surprised if they come back to Santa Clara, only because I'd expect them to play somewhere else to give another city a chance to see the matches, but if they do come back to the Bay Area, I expect I'll make an effort to see the matches.
There will be more international rugby at Buck Shaw Stadium in a few weeks as the USA takes on Barbados in a Rugby World Cup qualifying match; unfortunately, it will be on July 1, and I'll be a bit busy in San Diego at the time.
