HAIL PELICUS!

 

Haiku Up Some Rugby

 

Rugby at the source

England’s home hosts semi final

Saracens win big

 

Irish hearts are red

Wilkinson breaks them in France

A golden left foot

 

Bears fight for a Cup

Revenge for loss at last final

Is Varsity blue?

 

U.S. seats with flock

Crenshaw loves gently chewed dogs

Whither are the refs?

 

Roll up!  Roll up for the Mystery Tour!

 

Per James “Sorry, was I in your way?” Crenshaw:  

 

As of right now, I only have money for tickets from Eric Rauscher, Eugene Baker and me for the USA Canada match on June 21.   We only have another week before we have to finalize the block of tickets.  

Pelicans!   This is a rare chance to see the Eagles beat the Moose Excrements in our own back yard.   Remember that the Society Annual Banquet is to be held in conjunction with this match as well as a Conference on the Game.    If you are interested in going to the match please contact Jim as soon as possible at crenshaw@cal.net.   Or even just send him money directly, because that works as well.

Tickets are at mid-field and are $40.50 each (a 10% discount).

Make the check out to:
NCRFU Referee Society

Mail them to:
Delta Supply
1248 E. Oak Ave.  #D
Woodland, Ca  95776

 

The Bell Tolls For Thee, But Not Always

 

A friendly note from our Master Scheduler and Disher Out Of Sweet Assignments, Peter A Smith:

 

Since we are heading into 7’s season, ref should know that if they are not assigned to a tournament it is probably because it is not sanctioned and as such they have NO insurance and may be liable for any unforeseen issues that may arise. The society can’t tell them not to ref, but they need to be fully aware of their possible exposure.

 

Lawsuits get ugly – especially when you have no insurance.

 

And now on to the games…

 

Fellow Pelicans, our new assignr system has been with us since the beginning of the year and we should all be used to it by now.  That being said, with playoffs and 7s and all sorts of non-standard weekends coming up I feel that I need to relay the following message:

 

IF YOU ARE NOT THE ASSIGNED REFEREE BUT ARE AN A.R. OR AN EVALUATOR/COACH DO NOT SUBMIT A REPORT.

 

Yes, I know that you get reminders from the system but we can all be big boys and girls and ignore them.    Submitting reports as an AR or a coach/assessor throws a left-handed monkey wrench into the works.    There will be several situations in the upcoming month when Pelicans will be assigned as ARs for playoff matches so be prepared to ignore the messages and bully the assigned referee into writing a report.

 

To make my life easier as well – because I know you all want to, dear readers – if you have a playoff/tournament match listed as “TBD” please put the team names and scores into the report.    Muchas Gracias.

 

 

Date: 04/26/2014

Baracus 29 – Sacramento Capitals 27

Referee: Pohlman, John

 

 

What a lovely Saturday to play rugby at Kezar Stadium.

Thats right readers RUGBY at Kezar Stadium.

Baracus hosted the Capitals from Sacramento on a beautiful day.

The field was in great shape, well marked for the most part.

The only down side was parking and short end goals.

 

Both teams were out of the playoffs and playing their last league game.

 

Both teams had good numbers warming up when I arrived.

 

This a great game to watch, play in or referee.

Clean, hard and obviously competitive.

 

Sac’s #9 captain Mike Dopson asked me before the game to play no advantage

on their penalties.  I’d never been asked that before and thought it odd until I watched him play.

 

Baracus scored an early converted try off their first possession.  And then controlled 80 percent of the first half ball.

At eleven minutes in, Captain Mike took his first

quick tap penalty and scored from 60 meters out.

He converted the kick to tie the game at 7-7.

At thirty-five minutes Mike slotted a penalty kick to finish the first half scoring.

Sac 10 Baracus 7.

 

Both teams added a penalty kick early in the first half.

Sac’s #13 intercepted a Baracus pass and ran 90 meters for a try at 30 minutes.

Sac 20 Baracus 10.

 

Baracus scored again at 18 minutes to make it Sac 20 Baracus 15.

Baracus’s #9 scored a converted try at 35 minutes.

Baracus 22 Sac 20.

 

Then added another try two minutes later.

Baracus 29 Sac. 20.

 

Sac was not done.  Captain Mike took another quick tap which ended in a try at 39 minutes.

Baracus 29 Sac 27.

 

Sac kept possession through numerous phases but finally lost possession which Baracus quickly kicked out of bounds to end the game.

Wow what a fun game…did I mention it was at KEZAR.

Thanks Guys.

 

 

Date: 04/26/2014

California 58 – Central Washington 14

Referee: Ranaweera, Aruna

AR:  Hendrickson, Rob; Kenny, Stephen

#4: DeCausemaker, Ron

#5: Wright, Tom

Nosy Observer: Todd, Kat

 

(Editor’s Note:  Aruna travels with his own posse.   Word to your mother.)

 

Cal hosted previously unbeaten Central Washington in a Varsity Cup semifinal in front of a capacity crowd at Witter Rugby Field, which included the Pac-12 rugby webcast crew.  Cal started with a bang, leading 24-0 after just 15 minutes.  CWU held their own in the scrum, but found themselves trailing 48-7 at half because they could not contain Cal’s backs out wide.  Neither team played cohesively in the 2nd half, but Cal rested many of their starters towards the end and won comfortably, 8 tries to 2.  Cal will have their hands full then they visit arch-rival BYU in the VC Final on May 3.

 

Thanks to Rob Hendrickson and Stephen Kenny for their help as AR’s, Ron DeCausemaker and Tom Wright for their help as #4/5 officials, and Kat Todd for post-match feedback and analysis.

 

 

Date: 04/26/2014

Chico 11 – Berkeley 13

Referee: Richmond, Jeff

 

This was a more intense match than I imagined, not having seen Berkeley play in many years. There was solid play all around and it was a fast-paced game. Chico wanted the win bad but couldn’t quite get there as Berkeley was able to control the possession for most of the match. There was a bit of controversy over a try attempted by Chico but not awarded after discussion with the touch judge.

 

I hung around to ref a 20 minute B-side match, which was a bit of a disaster – I should have quit while I was ahead!

 

 

Date: 04/26/2014

CSUMB Women 60 – Santa Clara University Women 0

Referee: Asonye, Elvy

 

Santa Clara forfeited prior to game start so CSUMB scrimmaged each other.

 

 

Date: 04/26/2014

EPA Razorbacks 38 – Santa Rosa 39

Referee: Bruno, Jordan

 

Great game well contested by both sides.  EPA won the first half and SR won the second, never backing down under the pressure. Two penalties in overtime led to SR with a kick to go over by one.  An EPA player disputed a call so we advanced another 10 meters.  The kick was slotted and SR won by a  point.  Not the friendliest conditions after the match from the home side fans, but the EPA players played well and although disappointed hosted a good game.  Thanks to Nome and Tony for ARing.

 

 

Date: 04/26/2014

EPA Razorbacks 38 – Santa Rosa 39

Referee: Tiatia, Nome

 

No report received

 

 

Date: 04/26/2014

Sacramento Lions 60 – Fresno 10

Referee: Zanarini, Tom

 

Fresno woke up a bit in the second half and played with a bit more intensity.  But, Sacramento had the upper had in talent and tactics.    Thanks to Mark and Anthony who used plenty of opportunity to make me look better and to Dave for assessing.  And a special thanks on top of that to all three who left a high school tournament that was understaffed on refs to help with this very important D1 Semi-final match.  Congratulations to Sacramento and good luck in the final.  Also, contratulations are in order for Fresno, who made the semi-final in their first year in the D1 league.  That a great accomplishment.

 

 

Date: 04/26/2014

SFGG Women 29 – Sacramento Amazons 36

Referee: Donnelly, Kevin

 

A bright sunny day with a modest breeze off the bay.  SFGG women batted the visiting Amazons from Sacramento.  The game proceeded with gusto from start to finish with a couple of lead changes and the score hovering no more than a try or two in either direction.  The game was clean and hard-hitting as Sacramento chose to run crash-ball off the phase play while SFGG passed the ball out to the back-line and out to the wings.  It was quite a contrast in styles, with both strategies rewarded with score after score.  Sacramento maintained a lead in the last ten minutes and were victorious.  Congratulations to both teams for a well-played game with all the qualities expected of play-off match-up.

 

 

Date: 04/26/2014

St. Mary’s College 105 – Santa Clara University 10

Referee: Akroyd, Phil

 

SCU lead 0-3 and St. Mary’s didn’t score for the first 15 minutes, then scoring 105 points in 65 minutes.  You get the picture.

 

 

Date: 04/26/2014

Stanford  (The number of alleged angels that can dance on the head of a pin) – BYU (The alleged number of cold days in Hell)

Referee: Tetler, Jen

 

Great game!  Stanford goes on to Final Four with 1 try over Cougar Women (BYU).  Cougars didn’t look quite as sharp as they had the night before.

 

 

Date: 04/26/2014

Western Washington 22 – Long Beach State 64

Referee: MacDonald, Neil

 

Western Washington 22 – Long Beach State 64

 

 

Date: 04/26/2014

Long Beach State 22 – Arizona 29

Referee: MacDonald, Neil

 

Long Beach State 22 – Arizona 29

 

 

Date: 04/26/2014

Cal 5,324,332  – Texas A&M   -e/5* pi

Referee: Tetler, Jen

 

Cal pretty handily beats Texas A&M with a much stronger scrum and faster backs.

 

 

Date: 04/26/2014

UC Davis 43 – Alumni 24

Referee: Franzoia, Tom

 

The old guys were fresh out of the gate, rucking well and knowing how to present themselves for an impending tackle. The 2 point lead by the alumni soon gave way to the the much younger squad and their outside game. The rest would be history with explosive runs in the middle as well.

 

 

Date: 04/26/2014

Vacaville 27 – Sacramento Blackhawks 29

Referee: Tucker, Chris

 

A joy to referee — two teams had one loss between them coming into this game.  A place in the final 16 for the D2 championship was on the line.  And did they both know it.

 

Blackhawks opened up with two quick tries, but the home side gradually began to get into the game after the first 15 minutes, and clawed their way back into it, taking the lead just before halftime.

 

The second half was a bruising affair, but down 3 with 5 minutes to go, the visiting Blackhawks were battering down the door.  Vacaville made a fine goalline stand, holding back many, many phases.  Finally the visitors span it out wide, where team talisman Sione Latu faced 4 defenders on his own.  And scored his 30th try of the season.

 

Big thanks to both teams for the best game I’ve been part of all season.  Good luck to Sacramento against Snake River.

 

Hail, Pelicus!

For the Senate

Pelicus Pedem Referre