Last Game of the Season

Torquay Athletic Rugby Under 11s team played their final game of the season and ended with a win. Though the score was 17 pts to 7 pts they did have most of the play and only dogged defence by North Dorset Under 11s prevented a far higher score line. The season has been a mixed one with several games lost at the start of the season but many players improved greatly as the season when on and the results improved. The photo is of a player who only came into the side half way through the season just about to power his way over for his first ever try for the team.

Training starts again in September, no rugby for 4 months, I suppose it is only fair to give cricket a chance.

The team are always looking to increase their playing strength so if you know any one who will be under 12 next Sept (starting year 7) and would like to play rugby then Torquay Rugby club, or if you don't live at that near to Torquay then a rugby club near you, would like to here from you.

Torquay Athletic Rugby Football Club website

Rugby and The Mail on Sunday

Yesterday I went to watch the lads take on Newton Abbot at home, my first game for two months. While I had been away they had won most of the games they played and drawn one so I set out with some optimism that I would see a winning game. It was a game of two halves as they say but not in the content of the game. The first half was played in bright sun shine with a strong hint of warmth, quiet pleasant, nothing like the strong winds and blustery showers predicted. Half time came as it does and so did the wind and the rain and it was cold. God, will I ever get used to being cold again? The match started with Torquay all over Newton, a try and conversion came quickly and a couple of near misses suggested the game would be a bit of one way traffic. Then the Newton coach shouted very loudly at his team and the started playing instead of standing about in the sun. Two trys and conversions later Newton were in the lead. Newton attacked desperately but Torquay defended just that bit more so and neither side scored again. Still I enjoyed the game without the victory I was hoping for. I did spend a lot of time shouting, "Pass the ball." but to almost no avail. By the end I was muttering, very quietly, between clentched teech as it were, "Pass the ****** ball" and you can add almost any swear wold you like there. A rugby ball is shaped the way it is so it can be thrown about easily. It can also be tucked under an arm even more easily though.

On may way home I dropped in to the Cider Press, possibly the best pub in Torquay, and the way things are going in the pub trade, maybe the only pub in Torquay some time next week. It was busy but there was a spare seat which I gratefully occupied. On the table next to me there was a newspaper, one of several the landlord leaves for us to read. I picked it up and started to make my way through it. Now I entered to pub in a bright almost cheerful frame of mind, we hadn't won but we had only just lost, the wind and rain had gone and I don't have to go to work tomorrow. Now I don't read many newspapers, they tend only to print bad news which while interesting is still bad news. But a little bit of masochism now and then can't be a bad thing just don't over do it. By the time I had got to page 4, (of 102) I had seriously over done it. Alright I know the world holding a closing down sale, there are "Everything Must Go" signs every where not just in Torquay but I never realised how bad it was. Drugs, prostitution, guns on the street, politicians working to hidden agendas, politicians with the aptitude for the job a goldfish would show in a pool of piranhas, world leaders living on different planets, children out of control, welfare benefits the biggest growth industry in Britain, criminals living the life of Reilly (who ever he/she was) an article which suggested no one gave a s**t about global warming, savings worthless, pension funds about to collapse, football player transfers up to £20million, football players wages up to £20 million. OK, I know all this crap is going on out there but this paper seemed to delight in making manure while the world went down the tubes. Not one single note of optimism except for the story about NASA sending up a rocket to look for planets that might just be able to support human life. It then spoilt it by suggesting that those of us who could afford it book a flight on the first trip to this new world, to get away while they still could. I am of the belief that if this newspaper were to be banned the number of people entering doctors' surgeries and saying, "I feel a bit depressed doctor." would go down quicker than some one jumping out of a window in Wall Street.

Then I went home and watched a recorded TV program about Darwin and evolution and decided there may just be hope for humanity yet. It is just a guestion as to which is faster, global warming or natural selection.

Have a nice day. And I really mean that.

Rugby

While I was away the Under 11s rugby team, supported by Stagecoach Devon played 4 games won 3 and drew one. last Sunday they beat Totnes by 52 pts to nil but I didn't get home until 2 hours after the match had ended. The boys didn't have a particularly good start to the season losing several games in a row but all the hard work they and the coaching staff have put in seems to be paying off. They have a home game on Sunday against Newton Abbot. I will be there but so will strong winds and blustery showers. Welcome back to winter sports in the UK.
Meanwhile here in Torquay more shops have closed down including the Pound Shop in Union Square. If you have any spare cash please come to Torquay and spend it. Now. Please, before the whole place shuts down.



Scaffolding has gone up in Fleet Street so much needed work can be done on the shop fronts there. Last year a lump of concrete came loose and fell into the street. The Romans built concrete structures and some of them are still standing 2000 years later. How come modern builders can't manage to make their concrete last as long. In Burnie ( 4th largest town in Tasmania) there is a concrete building there that is dropping bits of it's self on passers by so this problem isn't confined to the UK. And when you consider the number of concrete building dotted around our town centres I watch your head if I were you.

Burnie, the main car park.

Torquay Under 11s Rugby Team

Next Sunday the Torquay RFC Under 11s start their season. I have been watching the team for a couple of years now. As you can see from the shirts they are sponsored by Stagecoach Devon and the Belgrave Hotel. They are also sponsored by TaxiFast. One of the coaches is a bus driver at Stagecoach and the gent in the middle is the Engineering Manger from the Torquay Dept. Without the help of the team's sponsors they would not be turned out as smart as they are and some training equipment wouldn't be available.

First game is next Sunday away to Newton Abbot and the team have been training hard and can look forward to an enjoyable and hopefully a winning season. I will post the occasional report here.

Rugby Team Fixtures

As promised here are the fixtures for next Season.

Last season the team were sponsored once more by Stagecoach in Devon , stand at a bus stop and we'll come along, and The Belgrave Hotel , which is situated one of the best sites on Torquay Seafront, and by a new sponsor TaxiFast of Torquay (01803 60 60 60), office just up Torwood Street near the Clock Tower, who I trust you will use on those rare occasions when the bus just will not do.
The Belgrave Hotel is presently undergoing a refit and will soon reopen as Premier Travel Inn, watch out for details here.

TORQUAY RFC U11S FIXTURE’S till the end of the year.
September is Training only, games start in October.
Matches are played on a Sunday morning KO at 10:30
Home games at Torquay Rugby ground by the Grand Hotel
05/10/2008 NEWTON ABBOTT HOME
12/10/2008 TOPSHAM HOME
19/10/2008 IVYBRIDGE HOME
26/10/2008 PAIGNTON AWAY
02/11/2008 BRIXHAM HOME
09/11/2008 KINGSBRIDGE AWAY
16/11/2008 PLMSTOCK AWAY
23/11/2008 TOTNES HOME
30/11/2008 SALCOMBE AWAY
07/12/2008 TEIGNMOUTH HOME
14/12/2008 DEVONPORT AWAY
21/12/2008 To Be Arranged
28/12/2008 To Be Arranged

Torquay Under 11 s Rugby

Last year they were the Under tens but as with all things they are now a year older. One of our drivers, Chris Coverdale helps coach the boys and I get along to some of the matches. Running a rugby team tends to be expensive which is why players, parents, coaching team and us supporters are grateful for the financial assistance the team get from the sponsors.

Last season the team were sponsored once more by Stagecoach in Devon , stand at a bus stop and we'll come along, and The Belgrave Hotel , which is situated one of the best sites on Torquay Seafront, and by a new sponsor TaxiFast of Torquay (01803 60 60 60), office just up Torwood Street near the Clock Tower, who I trust you will use on those rare occasions when the bus just wont do. Hopefully these generous patrons of the game will once again assist the boys in there sporting endeavors and you, my readers will in turn make use of the services provided by our sponsors.

A new photo and next year's fixture list should be out soon.

Under Tens V Brixham

An other local derby, not Torquay's best performance this season. But it was a nice sunny day and better than working and the pint after was fine. As usual Sponsored by Stagecoach Devon and the Belgrave Hotel. I just wish the lads could do a bit more passing, the ball is that shape so it can be thrown about.

Under Tens V Paignton

An other Sunday off and it wasn't quiet raining so I made my way down to the rugby ground, The coach Chris Coverdale who also drives a bus promised me it would be a good hard game and he was right. It is nice to watch other people playing rugby and getting all the knocks I can remenber from my playing days, league not union but who cares these days. Torquay wom but it could have gone either way. The team are as always Sponsored by Stagecoach Devon and the Belgrave Hotel.

Under Tens V Davenport

A bright sunny day so down to watch the under tens rugby, Sponsored by Stagecoach Devon and the Belgrave Hotel.

Better game than the last one I attended, the forwards got stuck in and managed to break through a determined Davenport defence. Plenty of rucks in the game but I would like to see more passing, poor wingers stood out on the touch line doing not a great deal all game. Davenport managed to come back into the game late on and almost snatch a winner in the last minute.

Under Tens V Ivybridge

Day of so I went to watch Torquay RFC under tens, Sponsered by Stagecoach Devon and the Belgrave Hotel. The boys hadn't played for over a month and it showed. Ivybridge are a strong team and had had more match practice and won by six tries to two. Plenty of games coming up in the next few weeks to go and watch. Plenty of support at the game which is good to see.

Things like this

Emails like this turn up from time to time.

Before you bother read it I should point out I don't have a PayPal account and if I did they would not email me like this. Just delete this crap:-

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Talking of teams I went to watch the Torquay Athletic Under 10s to day for the first time in a couple of months.

They were stuffed 6 tries to nil by a well prepared, well drilled Ivybridge team this morning. Ivybridge played better and had more of the play than a fairly weak Torquay team. As we say in the bus trade, "Things can only get better." Thought I am sorry to say, they usually don't. I mean look how much room the Ivybridge winger, in green, has here. Oh yes, he did go on to score

Torquay Athletic Rugby Under 10s

Well the boys played their first game of the season against Brixham. Torquay in the red. They didn't do as well as hoped, ending up 4 tries to nil after 30 minutes of Rugby. This season is the first season they are allowed to push in the scrums (only a 3 boy scrum as yet) and they didn't quiet get it right loosing most of the scrums to a strong Brixham pack. Still plenty of time to work on their scrums. Apart from this problem they played as well as the Brixham boys with some good open play and passing. Apart from loosing it was an entertaining game and was enjoyed by the players and spectators alike on a fine sunny morning which we get so often here in Torquay.

The team are sponsored by Stagecoach in Devon and The Belgrave Hotel as last year and by a new sponsor TaxiFast of Torquay (01803 60 60 60) who I trust you will use on those rare occasions when the bus just wont do.

Under Nines and the Belgrave Hotel

The Belgrave Hotel Torquay

The Belgrave Hotel, on Torquay's sea front is not only a 3 Star hotel, they also sponsor the Torquay Rugby Club under 9 team. I go and watch them when I can but was away on holiday and missed a great display by Torquay who ran out winners by 45 points to nil against Salcombe away from home. Nor are they just sponsoring the lads but the are providing them with a Christmas Diner tomorrow and they have also arranged for a couple of taxis to take the lads back to the club's ground where they will be ball boys in the first teams match against Penrynh.

A big thank you to The Belgrave Hotel for taking the time and trouble for the team.

And to Stagecoach Devon, their other sponsors.

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