Senior Rugby

This Saturday I played my first game of senior rugby. It was quite different to my normal Junior rugby. I play down at Heath rugby club (next to the Garden centre in West Vale). I've played junior rugby at Heath since I was 14. That is training on a Wednesday night and playing on nearly every Sunday from mid September till around early May.



Heath have 3 senior sides. 1st, 2nd and 3rd 15. The first team are all young and well skilled players. The second team is fringe 1st team and not 1st team standard players. The 3rd team is old men, unskilled players and young player, like myself. I played in the 3rd 15.



I went down to Heath expecting to find. a lot of old guys who couldn't run any more, and some old young talentless players. This is what I found. The tight end prop could even walk properly, never mind do anything else. Also it seemed to be a requirement for playing in the 3rd 15 that you have to have a belly.

I started on the bench, which I expected to. The game kicked off and we started really well. A try inside the first five minutes, under the posts. Only for the conversion to be charged down. Fortunately Selby (opposition) gave away a penalty near their own line, which we converted for another 3 point. 8-0 inside 10 minutes. We were looking very dominant. Unfortunately I was wrong.

The old guys fitness levels only were 10 minutes. 3/4 of the team were tiring already. Unfortunately our opposition weren't. Selby were such a big club that they had 5 senior teams. We were playing their 4th 15. So their fitness levels were much better. By the end of the half we had been under pressure all the rest of the half. The score reflected this. 8-17 down.

I came on at half time to a alien position to me. I normally play in the front row, in the forwards. I was playing on the wing. So bit different. I did well thought holding up one try (holding the man up when he was over the try line so he couldn't put the ball down). I also had 1 of two line breaks in the second half. I didn't really get the chance to do much though, because I didn't get the ball.

We lost the game.I don't know by how much as i wasn't concentrating on that. I did learn quite a lot from the game though. I learnt that this level of rugby is not above me at all. The players enjoy playing but they don't have the fitness level to keep going. This is good for somebody like me, who does have the fitness levels. I have also been asked back to play any time I can. I hope I can keep on playing and learning at this different level.