Why We Play The Game
by Rupert McCall (an Aussie)

When the battle scars have faded
And the truth becomes a lie
And the weekend smell of liniment
Could almost make you cry.

When the last rucks well behind you
And the man that ran now walks
It doesn’t matter who you are
The mirror sometimes talks

Have a good hard look old son!
The body not that great
The snoz that takes a sharp turn sideways
Used to be dead straight

You’re an advert for arthritis
You’re a thoroughbred gone lame
Then you ask yourself the question
Why the hell you played the game?

Was there logic in the head knocks?
In the corks and in the cuts?
Did common sense get pushed aside?
By manliness and guts?

Do you sometimes sit and wonder
Why your time would often pass
In a tangled mess of bodies
With your head up someones arse?

With a thumb hooked up your nostril
Scratching gently on your brain
And an overgrown Neanderthal
Rejoicing in your pain!

Mate – you must recall the jersey
That was shredded into rags
Then the soothing sting of Dettol
On a back engraved with tags!

It’s almost worth admitting
Though with some degree of shame
That your wife was right in asking
Why the hell you played the game?

Why you’d always rock home legless
Like a cow on roller skates
After drinking at the clubhouse
With your low down drunken mates

Then you’d wake up – check your wallet
Not a solitary coin
Drink Berocca by the bucket
Throw an ice pack on your groin

Copping Sunday morning sermons
About boozers being losers
While you limped like Quazimoto
With a half a thousand bruises!

Yes – an urge to hug the porcelain
And curse sambucca’s name
Would always pose the question
Why the hell you played the game!

And yet with every wound re-opened
As you grimly reminisce it
Comes the most compelling feeling yet
God, you bloody miss it!

From the first time that you laced a boot
And tightened every stud
That virus known as rugby
Has been living in your blood

When you dreamt it when you played it
All the rest took second fiddle
Now you’re standing on the sideline
But your hearts still in the middle

And no matter where you travel
You can take it as expected
There will always be a breed of people
Hopelessly infected

If there’s a teammate, then you’ll find him
Like a gravitating force
With a common understanding
And a beer or three, of course

And as you stand there telling lies
Like it was yesterday old friend
You’ll know that if you had the chance
You’d do it all again

You see – that’s the thing with rugby
It will always be the same
And that, I guarantee
Is why the hell you played the game!!

Here is a link to a facebook page that has information on this wonderful book put together by John Drysdale. We are going to try and work some web magic and make it available on our website for purchase. The book is available to clubs at wholesale price and then we get to make a chop on it. We need 20 folks to make it happen. Who wants to buy a book?

Email president@bangalowrugby.com to get the ball rolling.

Written by John Drysdale

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rugby-North-A-History-of-Far-North-Coast-Rugby-Union/174855442616302

This year we are very lucky to have secured fitness trainer and kick boxing champion Damien Schofiled from Kaos Fighting Fit and Head Coach Paul Barrett previously Assistant Coach of Southern Districts from Sydney’s premier Shute Shield Competition.

SENIOR TRAINING TIMES:

Monday 6:30pm  Fitness Session with trainer Damain Schofield, Bangalow Sports Fields

Wednesday 6.00pm  Skills and Team run with Head Coach Paul Barret, Bangalow Sports Fields

Fitness Trainer Damien Schofield, Club President Richard Kelly and new Head Coach Paul Barrett

Celebrating its 10^th anniversary this year the Bangalow Rugby Union Club is looking forward to a successful 2012 season. In a massive coup for the club Paul Barrett will be head coach of the senior side playing in the expanded 12 team Village Competition. Paul hails from the Illawarra area having played for Kiama and Southern Districts in the Sydney competition. He also represented Illawarra, NSW Country and was a member of the NSW Waratah development squad. His coaching credentials include assistant coach to the Illawarra zone team and more recently assistant coach of the Southern Districts team playing the Sydney Shute Shield Competition. Relocating to the north coast late last year with his wife and new born, Paul will continue running his award winning building business Bush Pavilions and is excited with the clubs prospects having retained and recruited well for the upcoming season. Training has commenced with renowned fitness guru Damien Schofield from Kaos Fighting running sessions every Monday night from 6:30 and Paul taking normal training sessions from 6pm on Wednesday nights at the Bangalow Sports Fields. For all current, past or aspiring rugby union players this is a great opportunity to further your playing abilities and enjoy a fun, family orientated club. For further details contact manager Simon Balcon on 0416287786

5:30pm start for 6:00pm Seating

Cost $50

Includes:
Beer & Wine, 3 course meal, live band
ticket in the lucky door prize

Post prezzo entertainment by
“TRE Hombre”

Rsvp to president@bangalowrugby.com
phone/text: 0415 773 06