Yesterday under forlorn skies and annoying drizzle, the Castaway Wanderers played host to the James Bay Athletic Association in a first division rugby match at Carnarvon Park. The venue itself was a trip down memory lane as Carnarvon Park has not been used for rugby games for a number of years, although it was the scene of many clashes decades ago between JBAA and the Oak Bay Wanderers as well as a team called The Castaways decades before those two teams were forced to amalgamate.
Adding to the sense of history were the stalwarts watching the game. A number of Ebb Tide players accompanied Eric White, there to watch his son Tiegan toiling for James Bay. Nearby, Rod MacDonald, Peter Simmonds and Bernie Sinclair huddled together chatting about their physical maladies while occasionally glancing at the action on the field. Not far from the sideline where Mike and John de Goede stood, Jono could be heard talking about his upcoming Mexico trip as Ian MacLean feigned interest. Further down the field a gaggle of CW fans added their voices to the sideline cacophony.
The actual game had a strange ebb and flow which was evident in the final score line. From the outset it was evident that today’s rugby at this level is now is particularly demanding physically as constant tackles and collisions are now standard in the game. This is due largely to the fact that no teams are willingly give up possession so less kicking is evident and turnovers not resulting from errors come from jarring tackles and aggression at breakdowns. Just such a tenor was set a mere 3 minutes into the game when the Bays’ Tiegan White unleashed a monster tackle on a CW ball carrier which resulted in an injury time-out and although the CW fellow was able to walk, he did walk off.
The entire first half of the opening session was played in the CW end where the Bays were assisted by a slight wind and the ability to block kicks, aided by the fact the CW kicker seemed to enjoy pounding the ball into the outstretched hands of the guys in navy blue. Despite the huge territorial advantage in this early going JBAA’s first score did not come until the 22nd minute following another crunching White tackle gained possession for Mitch Sora to chip ahead for speedy winger Keith Graham, who pounced on the ball in the end zone for the first tally of the game. The Sora convert put the Bays up 7-0.
After this initial score the boys from CW seem to become energized and start to carry the play into the visitors’ end. Multiple consecutive tackles by JBAA, many made by Gregory Raymond, Peter Masimo and White, stymied this attack until a fiesty ginger-headed CW flanker carried several would-be tacklers into the end zone to tie the score at 7 each. CW barged over for a second try to go up 14- 7 just prior to the whistle to end the half.
A mere 3 minutes into the second half, an errant JBAA clearing kick was gathered easily by the CW fullback an d several passes later the third try was awarded to the home team and the score moved to 19-7. Coach White began to give some younger guys field time midway through the second half and these changes along with the superior size of the CW forward began to exact a toll on the Bays’ defenders. A giant bald-headed second row player from CW played a major role in the demise of the visitors as the Castaway Wanderers scored 3 more unanswered tries in the dying minutes in a 38-7 spanking.
Despite the loss, the smaller/younger Bays were tenacious to the end, defending valiantly against the onslaught.
Overall, an entertaining game with both teams retiring to Windsor Park for pizza and beer in the change rooms.