Rugby lads gain experience

Irish eyes were smiling as Bermuda’s top youth rugby players concluded a tour to Dublin.

While the results did not go all their way, the young lads gained valuable exposure to build upon in the future.

Last Saturday the Under-12s played Willow Park, which is the junior school for Blackrock College, and is a feeder school for Leinster rugby team.

Both the senior and junior teams played with great determination against sides that finished undefeated in their respective seasons. The senior boys went down seven tries to one while the junior team lost six to zero.

After the matches they attended the Heineken Cup Semi Final Rugby match between Leinster and Toulouse at Lansdowne Road. The Bermuda boys became instant Leinster fans and enjoyed a game of rugby in a field near the stadium on the way back to the Stillorgan Park Hotel.

On Sunday the two sides were involved in a round robin tournament against Cill Dara and Naas RFU.

In the senior games, Bermuda first faced Naas, the local champions. While the game was back and forth, Bermuda ultimately prevailed by three tries to two. The Bermuda rucking made the real difference. The second game against the host's, Cill Dara, was an intense and physical affair, but Bermuda defended fiercely, and kept their heads in the game, overcoming the odds and winning 2-1, spending most of the last ten minutes in desperate defense in their own half.

In the junior tournament, Bermuda narrowly lost to Naas 2-1, though the game seemed ready to be won at any moment. In the second junior match Bermuda lost a heartbreaker, having led 4-1, but being caught from behind and losing 5-4 right at the death.

More rugby was in store for the lads on Monday against Gorey Rugby Football club.

The senior  side played in a very physical encounter against a much larger side and narrowly lost by four tries to three. The game was played with a lot of commitment and intensity and the Gorey’s side match experience was ultimately the difference between the teams. The Gorey side played in excess of 20 games during the season scoring in excess of 100 tries and only conceding 10 tries.

The junior side played two additional games losing the first one five tries to nil with the Gorey side being more clinical in executing their scoring chances. The Bermuda side retained their fighting spirit and they prevailed two tries to nil in the final game.