"Prem Reserves" Beat Nanaimo 39-12

Short players, the Nanaimo Hornets had to borrow men from the VRC to field a full 15 in what ended up in a one-sided contest this Saturday at Brockton.
A Rowers lineup consisting of experienced veterans and rookies who would generally fill out a third division roster thrilled the home crowd with a solid effort that made for an entertaining middle stanza to a thrilling Rowers Family Day home opener.
The Rowers Pack pushed their opponents around, winning all of their own ball and most of their opponents’ ball in the shortened contest (the sides played 30 minute halves).
Natural hooker Lendl Magsipoc, playing the loose head prop position had a strong game on offense, running a hard lines off of the half back for several big gains and finishing the day with one try. Magsipoc seemed to never run out of gas, running for big gains and sticking all of this tackles. The front row forward finished with one try on the day.

Starting flanker Ryan Chapman played a characteristically strong game, and made the Rowers regret sending him to fill out a shorthanded Nanaimo side in the second half, scoring a try against his own club.
Playing bound up to Magispoc in the front row, in his first game as a Rower, Englishman Rory Sanderson got the attention of his teammates and the coaching staff with a strong, hard-charging performance that demonstrated both stamina and rugby IQ. The game’s other rookie starter Donal Dignan, brother of Rowing Club Legend Sean Dignan, delivered a solid debut for the thirds from the second row position. Dignan played the kind of game that other forwards and keen observers can appreciate, providing a strong push from the 2nd row, defending hard, and creating several turnovers by keeping his feet in the tackle, and executing a clean poach.

The back line really delivered on the clean ball delivered by the forward pack. Captain “Godfather” Steve MacGillvary found the very familiar end goal once, while rookie fullback Taurean Sheehan scored his first try for the Rowing Club, and his first ever try in rugby union (Sheehan is accustomed to playing league). Rookie Kyle “Newfie Kyle” Stanley put out an excellent effort in his first game at outside centre, showing the stamina to involve himself in multiple phases and make great decisions with the ball in hand. Stanley finished with two tries on the day. Coach Seyler singled out both Sheehan and Stanley after the game as intelligent back-liners whose games suit the pattern well.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Coach’s post game comments for all three games centred around pattern. “When we play the pattern, we win. When we don’t…”
The Prems Reserves will take that pattern down to Trump’s America next week, and run it against Seattle.

All photos stolen from Facebook. If you have photos of this game, please send them to rowersrugby@gmail.com.