Sports Reports
126
St John’s College:
A Quarter Century of Excellence
Rugby
Rams 1st XV Captain’s Report Another season’s has come and gone, and been added to the college history. Preparations for the 2011 season began early into the first term. The first taste of rugby for this year came in the form of sevens. This training and the training for the tour to St John’s College in Johannesburg, was all part of the foundations for the season in the second term. With the dreaded fitness sessions from Mr Moores giving us a taste of what we didn’t miss, the work towards our season began. After returning from a good tour, playing some very high level South African schools, the Rams went on to the annual Cottco Schools Rugby Festival. Using this as a chance to try out new combinations and give players a chance to prove themselves. The Rams won all three games at Cottco. The first game of the 2011 season was against a strong Peterhouse side, with a good performance from both teams, showing that both sides still had much to work on. The Rams produced a convincing win. With a victory and still potential for improvement we went on to play the age old foe St Georges away. With a good start to the game the rams lead going into the half time break. With weather conditions getting progressively worse the game shifted to favour the bigger St Georges pack, after much trench warfare the Dragons won narrowly. The following weekend some of our men travelled down to Falcon College for the national trials. Of these six made the National Craven Week side. These were, Daniel Rorke, Kevin Merrington, James Forrester, Wilson Seremani, Joshua Smallbones, and Andrew Wilkinson. Well done men. The next week we travelled down to Esigodini to play Falcon College on their home ground. This is never an easy task. The game was a very tight encounter, with attempts being stopped at critical moments for both teams, a remarkable defensive performance by Wilson Seremani saved the Rams from conceding a late try. The Rams emerged the victors. The challenge that stood ahead was one that would challenge any teams’ limit. The Prince Edward Tigers on the much respected Jubilee field. The Rams hadn’t beaten the Tigers on Jubilee for
three years. The match was an extremely physical contest in the forwards, and one of skill and pace in the backs. The game came right down to a final minute try by flyhalf Ulrich Kontchou and conversion by James Forrester to snatch the win for the Rams. This made Rams 2011 the first Rams team to win on Jubilee in three years. After the half term break, a Rams side weakened by many injuries and illness, travelled to an unfamiliar ground at Harare Sports Club. Playing the curtain raiser game to Zimbabwe vs Kenya. Here we took on the Churchill Bulldogs, the game was a close encounter with many of our new capped members playing bravely and proudly. The match came down to a final scoring play being disallowed for the Rams and so we went down narrowly. After such a defeat the Rams pulled together and determined to prove it is not over, the men trained hard and long in the week before we faced the Lomagundi side. In a loose game the Rams played as a close unit and won comfortably. With more injuries and national call up, many new caps would gain the chance to step up and play for the Rams. The return matches followed, first St Georges then Churchill at home. The Rams fought proudly and bravely until the ends, unfortunately the number of players missing affected the strength of our side, and the Rams went down in well played and hard fought games against St Georges and Churchill. The final game against Peterhouse away was always gonna be hard with so many members missing, with the Zimbabwe players electing to play in the under twenty world cup qualifiers, but the men who stepped up to take their places and the game came down to a final minute penalty kick being missed by the Rams. In all the Rams played nine games, winning four and losing five. What we got out of this season stretches far beyond the scores and results. The friendships made and memories shared are what make school boy rugby the special thing it is. For the Rams of 2012 we wish you all the best. It is an honour to have played with everyone who represented the Rams of 2011.
Phillip Jeans Captain