The week was dragging. Remember when you were little how long the week before xmas or your birthday took? Dragging!
I should not have been excited to the extent that life just would not pass me by, but I was. The first rugby game of the season. Travis’ first gallop with “the pill”
Anticipation! Fear! Dread! I mean, if it all went pear shaped, who was going to pick up my pieces, let alone the kids?
It had started out looking a little disconcerting, with Travis informing us he was probably to play at full back. Mmmm….. He has good hands, can catch and has a set of wheels? He knows nought of the tactics of the game, positional play, the job of the wingers to support and the offensive role of the number 15 jumper. Where can he “mark” a ball and when kick directly to touch. All these negatives were too much for the “seasoned-sideline-campaigner” and “pot-bellied-armchair-coach” I have become.
Figure my relief! The day I met the coach, I was able to broach the subject with him, mindful that kiwis have little respect for the manner in which South Africans approach the game. So coach, where are thinking of playing the boy? He in the manner of all serious coach types, dismissed my question with a blunt, “on the wing, with wheels like that he has to play on the wing!” “Great, coz I waz worried. He tell me he can like to play by ra fifteen. Nah! Dat are bedonnerd. Dat lighty nevva did play before, datsh why I waz wonnering it wont like be a prollem for him wiff all le tactics and stuff!? (My tongue are firmly in my cheek)
So with that settled, visions of “slap chips’esque” runs and Percy Montgomery tackles the work week drew to a close and Saturday morning rolled into town. I was up at sparrow, beating the dawn by at good hour. Des was up at 7, so we could be away at 8 to drop her in Waikanae for her 8.30 start. We left at 8 for the 10 minute trip, to make sure we located the nearest bus stop and check the departure times. All this was necessary as Travis’ first game was on the other side of Wellington, from Kapiti, so a long trip down there and his 11.30 kick off meant we not be able to collect his mom, who knocked off at 11.30.
The preparations were almost in place. All he now needed was the head-guard I had been eyeing at a local chain store and the black track pants he had omitted to inform of us earlier, was the preferred “uniform” for travel to the game. The chain store, did not have his size head-guard, but all footwear and clothing was 30% off for this weekend only. So picked up a pair of track pants and the overdue replacement tekkies for $26. A good deal and off we go to meat the team.
A contrast to note here! On my way from dropping Des, I was stood at a robot and noticed a rugby team alongside the road. 10 Year olds, I reckon, but the excitement was obvious. They were smiling and playing with rugby balls, scooting around with the exuberance and unbridled excitement of the young. Travis team, milling around almost sombre. Not much chatter and the coach meaning business. I learned later that the boys had decided, at a team meeting, that they did not just want to participate, but wanted to compete. The core of this team had won through grading to the top half of the competition and lost in the final last season.
By the look on the faces of these kids, they were pretty focussed and ready to go! Off we headed on the 50 km trip to Upper Hutt College. Arriving there in good time and earlier than the hour-before-the-game the coach had demanded.
The hour and half to kick off felt like a week and a half……………..
Travis is not in the starting line-up, as a precaution. He had hurt his wrist quite seriously at the skate park and had been nursing it through training the past two weeks, ensuring it was strapped and contact minimised. The coach wanted to run him, but was worried about playing so early after the injury and it still being so early in the season. I agreed, naturally, but at least give him a little run was what I was really thinking.
Thirty minutes into the first half, 3 tries to nil up. An injury to the outside centre. Left wing moves to outside centre and Travis gets his chance on the wing.
One missed tackle, raced up on his opposite number which made it easy for the fellow to slip the tackle. Oh No! He is doing it again, racing up to make the tackle, the winger slips to the side but Trav has a hold of his collar, gets really physical with the lad and wrestles him and the developing maul to the ground. Mothers nightmare stuff, the maul rumbling over the kid, bodies everywhere, studs glinting on the mid-morning watery sun (you get the picture).
“Trav, Trav, you can’t go diving in on the tackles like that. Line up the player, then put him away, with the shoulder!”
Half time! I stay away!
Travis stays on the park for the star of the second half. Ruck midway between the 25m and halfway line, 10m in from touch, opposition half of the field. Ball comes slowly, but possession is secure. I see Trav getting into a good position hard up against the touch line and starting to hit his straps, the scrummy spots what is on and pops the ball into Trav’s path. He gathers, the opposition defence reacts and the cover starts moving. Too late, he has easily blasted through the first tackle and runs out under the cover defence. Explosive! He is ankle tapped on the line, gathers himself without dotting down and runs away from the defenders for the second time, to dot down under the posts. A special try. A real wingers try. The Kapiti College parents are making comments like, “He been chasing Gazelles?” "Where you guys from?" Somebody has a made an impression! A big one!
His coach walks past and as he catches my eye, gives me a knowing look and a big smile, as if to say, I told you. With those wheels and ball skills, we just need to give him the ball and he will do the rest.
We got it right!
Suddenly Trav has grown in confidence, he makes a thumping, head on tackle on mid-field, driving the lad back. He makes a good tackle on a break-out, gets straight up and buries the opposite wing, on the opposite side of the field, in a smothering ball and man tackle, tasking play over the touch line.
He saves a ball from going out by jumping up and knocking it in field, catches the ball, sets off across field, offloads in the tackle and Kapiti score again.
A really good start, for him and his team! He cements the 11 Jersey on that performance and we hope he remains relatively injury free, given his approach to his sport, 110% commitment with little regard for his own well being!
We dash off after the game, so I can make my 2.30 kick-off in Levin. Travis gets a 15 minute run in the team as we are a couple of reserves short. Yep! He makes an impression, winning ball in the mid filed, taking on defenders and even having a left footed dig at goal from the edge of the box. He will now get a 20 or 30 minute run every week and there was talk he can just replace me!
We drew 2-2 with a really youthful and pretty useful Levin outfit to retain our unbeaten start to the season. Back to the club for a few Export Gold draughts and then home to parade our bruises and embellish our performances, well, only my performance..........…………….
Hopefully this week passes by, reallllly quickly!