Days like today are why I love rugby so much.
First of all, it was perfect weather. You don't get many days like this in Oregon in November. Like, it just doesn't happen. And not first of all, it was a hell of a game. Out of all the rugby games I've played in or watched, it was the sweetest. So sweet, that I've decided to not tell you the final score until the end of this post.
The team we played against today was Eastside. They are from the Seattle area and are pretty good. They haven't always been the best team, but lately this team has had our number. Last year, we were in the middle of playoff contention for the first time in about ten years, and they beat us by about three points. Ruined our playoff chances too.
So I actually went to the game this time. It was the first game I've been able to make it out to, so that was nice. We got there at halftime, and the score was 13-5, Eastside was winning. This, obviously, wasn't the best thing to hear.
But it was even worse because this team somehow figures out how to beat us, as mentioned earlier, so by giving them the lead to work with, we weren't really doing ourselves any favors.
So after halftime, the game went something like this: Eastside kicked a goal to make it 16-5, we scored a try, but missed the extra kick to make it 16-10, we scored another try and made the extra kick to make it 17-16, we scored yet another try but missed the extra kick to make it 22-16. Needless to say, we had the momentum in the second half. It was friggin awesome.
Now you would think being up 22-16 with about ten minutes left in the game would be a good thing right? Well it is, but it's not the best case scenario by any means. A try and extra kick is worth 7 points. All they had to do was score a try and hit the extra kick (worth two points) and they would win by one point.
So you know how in football, sometimes a team will need their defense to step up big and hold your opponent scoreless for one reason or another? Well that is what we needed. But in rugby, it's hard to just "rely on your defense." This is because, when you're playing rugby, you ARE both the offense and defense. It's not like you do all the scoring, and send in another 15 guys to play defense and do the tackling. So you're pretty much exhausted the entire time when playing rugby.
As luck would have it, they had the ball for the last seven minutes or so of the game and they were driving for the score. The winning score, no less. So we held them, but not good enough. Not even kidding, as time expired, they scored a try. Not again, this team can't beat us again!
The game would come down to one single kick. This kick would be for "all the marbles", as some people might put it.
The dude was kicking the ball from about ten meters out and way over right along the right sideline. So it's not like he was kicking in from directly in front of the goalposts. So he lines up to kick the ball. As he goes to kick, our whole team runs at him, trying to throw him off. This is allowed in rugby and most teams don't care to do this. But we needed this guy to miss.
The kick was wide left, and we had won. But wait a minute. All we heard was a whistle blowing. The ref stopped our celebrating and called for a re-kick. WTF?!? I don't know if you've met very many rugby players. But let's just say they aren't the most graceful type of dudes. Everyone on the sideline, except my dad, was cursing like a sailor.
So this guy gets another shot. Turns out, we're not supposed to yell at the kicker while we're trying to throw him off. I guess it's really really mean and we hurt his feelings or something like that. Don't ask me, because I still don't get that "rule."
Anyway, he lines up again, and misses again. And we win. It was such a kick ass game.
Final score: Portland 22, Eastside 21
Portland is now 5-1-1, and is second place in the league. We're done with games now, until the spring.
