Played against my Vikings teammates Kristy and Alex in the Wallaroo trial match
I played in the shadows et al team (The Wenches). The Wenches pack featured two tourists, five shadows (all former Wallaroos bar one) and me (#6). The backline borrowed two tourists, and had one shadow, two ACT players (fellow Viqueen, Nikki, and Owl Tegan) and one local player (congratulations to Narelle, my Vikings teammate – very young but very talented!) Royal Kasey Davis started from the bench for us.
We were coached by Warren Robilliard, although he didn’t have much time with us! Our game plan was pretty simple: I was to stand outside the outside centre off the lineout in attack and get to the breakdown first, followed by Shanno, the #7. Next phase would be a J line in front of the first ruck. After that, we’d roll one way until the backs wanted the ball. In defence, we were to minimise numbers at the breakdown (we were allowed a quick dig for the pill) and fan out.
Aussie management treated the game as a dress rehearsal for the first World Cup match. They were all miked up (Crozier wasn’t, haha). The medical staff were great, I have to say; it was a pretty professional setup.
It all went pretty well. I mean, the Wallaroos smashed us – I think they scored 6 or 7 tries – but there have been bigger scores recorded in the corresponding matches of previous years.
The Wallaroos had a strong scrum and had the Wenches going backwards. Their lineout seemed less crisp, to be frank, but got the job done.
There was a lot of kicking from the back three. At times, it was effective in gaining territory, at others, it turned into a game of forcings back.
The Wallaroos did a good job of playing the game in our half. They applied heat at the breakdown and effectively protected their own ball. They did have strong runners off the fringes of the ruck, and gapped us in pretty tight once with an (apparently) old Sydney move and once in the midfield, but of course most of their line breaks came out wide.
All players got a run, and everyone made it through without serious injury, although there appeared to be a few niggles.
I was pretty happy with my performance, although I’m sure I looked a dill a few times. I dropped the ball in contact the first time I ran with the ball – something I very rarely do. I also managed to get myself unintentionally caught up in the tackle while trying to position myself for a crack at the ball.
But I did force a Wallaroo knock on in a ruck and I outright poached the ball from scrumhalf Cheryl Soon. I was pleased about this because I didn’t see Alex or Rebecca Trethowan (the Wallaroo flankers) get any – I know I cleaned Rebecca out a few times when she was trying to thieve our ball. I rammed headfirst into the ruck, clashing heads, in fact, and my neck, shoulders, back and hammies are still very tight as a result. But she didn’t get the ball on my watch.
I was pulled off for a while in the second half to give Kasey a run. I guess I was the lucky one getting a break because all the other forwards were either shadows or Wallaroos.
I got another run, though, when Ash Hewson was pulled off by the medical staff. I was almost slotted in at fullback – which was exciting, but very scary because of all the kicking that was going on. In the end, Warren remembered Tegan was playing wing, so he switched her to fullback and I had a run marking Kristy Giteau. She said later she was worried when she saw me – God only knows why because she’s so fast!
But I wasn’t so bad as a winger. I got my turnover as a winger and did a few cleanouts. Ran into Crozier at one point but can’t blame him as I’m sure he didn’t expect a winger to come flying in from that particular angle for a cleanout. They did get an overlap on me, but there wasn’t much I could do because I’d been screaming my guts out for them to slide. I took out the flyhalf as she passed to Kristy so she couldn’t back up in support.
So, that’s about it. I’m done for the year, at least until the Vikings and ACT Sevens programs start up.
I’ll take things easy for a week or two. I’ve decided to do a 10km fun run, mainly because I love the serenity of running, but also because I think there’s no harm in improving my aerobic capacity heading into the offseason phase.
And for fun in the transition phase, I’m learning a few Capoeira moves and will be working on my muscle ups and other rings stuff.
In the next week or so, I’ll write up my training program for the coming year.
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