Now that we have celebrated the success of a winning 2010 season its time to secure our position at Westerns.  We are in the middle of our off-season but NoCo Rugby has decided to get an early start on our training.  The team is getting together Tuesday and Thursday nights to train and get warmed up for the upcoming spring season.  Tuesday nights the team will be doing Boot camp training at Anytime Fitness in Windsor, http://www.anytimefitness.com/en-us/clubs/735/windsor-ca-health-club, training starts at 6pm.  On Thursdays we will be practicing indoors at The Edge Sports Center in Fort Collins, http://www.edgesportscenter.com (times vary, see below for details). 

To ensure our place at Westerns this year we need to stay focused on what we accomplished last year then build on top of that.  Get out practice and get a run with your team, secure your position and looking forward to the first hit of the year.

Edge Sport Center Training Dates/Times

1/13 – 8:15 pm
1/20 – 8:15 pm
1/27 – 10:15 pm
2/3 – 10:15 pm
2/10 – 8:15 pm
2/17 – 9:15 pm
2/24 – 9:15 pm

The Northern Colorado Flamingos soundly defeated the Glendale Raptors Saturday at the Wildwing pitch 49-19.  In a very important division match, NoCoRugby made their season record 3-1-1, with the tie coming at the hands of the Denver Barbarians last week.

A cool windy day set the stage on a fast pitch.  The Flamingos set the pace with a try from Jeff Brundage 14 minutes from the opening whistle and Tom Staab converted.  Steve Robinson led the pack with a close support try in the 29th minute after the pack rumbled with the ball for 7 phases making the score 12-0.  Inside center Bryan Hyland went into the try zone three phases after a lineout making the score 17-0 in the 33rd minute and unfortunately, was injured during the play.  Glendale finally got into the books with a sneaky try by the flyhalf with three minutes left in the half and the flanker kicking the conversion making the score 17-7.  Northern Colorado was having none of that and answered with a try by winger Drew Grigsby kicking the ball at the 10 meter line and outhustling the defense to dot the try in an excellent individual effort making the score 22-7 at the half..

With the wind in the Flamingos favor, they started the half slowly, but finally scoring resumed with a total team effort rolling down the pitch and Jeff Brundage touching the ball down for a try in the 49th minute making the score 27-7.  At the restart, hooker Dan Sylvius took a short kick and ran unhampered for  meters until the opposition wing slowed him till NoCo support came to rumble down the side with wing Todd Oswald running on the weak side for five points making the tally 32-7 with 31 minutes left in the match.  After ten minutes of great defense and good effort NoCo again took the ball in multiple phase rucking and lineout mauling  toward the try zone with wing Drew Grigsby finishing with another try, 37-7.   at the 65 minute mark Nick O’connell ran for a scathing try from loose play after replacing injured no. 8 Dave Luedtke, with Craig Sherman kicking the conversion, 44-7.  Glendale was not going to give up and scored a try and conversion with 10 left in the match, score 44-14.  Jeff Brundage then scored his hat-trick try at the 72nd minute making the score 49-14.   Glendale’s completed the scoring at the final whistle by their loose head prop making the end tally 49-19.

Northern Colorado Rugby captain summed the play up by saying, “You Flamingos are really in trouble now…. You showed me what you can do.  YOU are in big trouble!”   With Boulder next on the schedule and two more division matches this fall, the Flamingos have an interesting challenge ahead.  Please come and support you Northern Colorado Rugby Flamingos!  

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This last weekend the Northern Colorado Flamingos took the field as they squared off against the Denver Barbo’s.  This wasn’t a league match but still a huge battle for the team.  The Fort Collins Flamingo’s, now the Northern Colorado Flamingo’s have not had a good recorded when it comes to the Barbarians.  Over the last seven + years the Fort Collins (NoCo) Rugby team has lost every game when facing Denver.  This season we showed up to the match with a different outlook, more confidence and the will to win.

Knowing that we were going to face Super League athletes and a very technically skilled team we came out with our aggressive style of rugby and showed Denver that we were here to play.  It was a back and forth match for a full 80 minutes of play but in the last five minutes Denver came away with a breakaway try to tie up the game.  As the final whistle blew the score was 29 to 29, not a loss.  Though we would have liked to walk away with a win, controlling the field position while implementing our game plan was a huge accomplishment for NoCo Rugby against such a skilled team.

Man of the Match goes to Brian Hyland, inside center.  Brian played a fantastic game of defense, he was in the Barbo’s faces all day long.  Being aggressive both offensively and defensively gave the Barbo’s a rough time trying to work against him in the back line.  Congratulations Brian.

Northern Colorado Rugby Club defeated Denver’s Queen City Rugby Club Saturday with a convincing score of 42 to 28.  After a warm-up ERRFU tourney the week before, NoCo Rugby was eager to show local fans and supporters what to expect in the upcoming year.  Open play support was very vigorous and dominating from the start whistle.  

Flyhalf, Tom Staab opened the scoring with a penalty kick in the 12th minute of play with Chad Grappler following close behind with a try in the 15th minute.  Two penalty kicks by Queen City kept the score at 8-6  Captain and flanker, Sol Mascarenas completed excellent rucking and mauling by the entire 15 with a try in the 20th minute and Tom Staab made the conversion.  Not to be outdone, flanker Harms ran thru heavy opposition, dished to scrum half Jeff Brundage, supported the play and got the ball back to run in for another five points with Staab making the conversion.  Queen City made another penalty goal at the 35 minute mark.   Drew Grigsby finished with a long run for a try just befor the half whistle making the score 27-9.

Queen City came back after the half determined to put more points on the board with a try by their outside center five minutes into the second stanza, with their prop excecuting a long run for another try shortly after and a conversion.  Northern Colorado realized they took their foot off the gas and got back into the scoring with a try by fullback Sherman in the 57th minute.  Queen City answered with a try in the 61st minute by their number 8.  Jeff Brundage broke for a good gain in stiff defense and after supporting play ended with a 5 pointer.  Queen City was still down, but not out with a penalty goal at the 68th minute mark.  Dave Luedtke sealed the win with a rousing try after great forward control and rucking in the 77th minute.