Unfortunately Tuesdays night pre-season training well have to be postoned due to a function. We will be starting pre-season training on Thursday night 17th May meeting at the front gates at 1815 hrs, we really need to be punctual. We will show you all the facilities. Please comfirm if you intend to be there, if you need any more details contact mcrothersirfu@hotmail.com
Senior Section Serbia Tour 2012 Reort & photo’s
LRFC had once again been kindly invited to attend the “Luka Marin” rugby tournament. This competition attracts Rugby Teams from all over the Balkan region all of whom were vying to win the coveted Trophy. This year was no exception with the added value that international teams from; Croatia, Hungary and of course Ireland as well as the inclusion of the local Vojvodina team. The tournament is held in a Stadium located in the town of Novi Sad in Serbia and runs from 5th – 8th May. For those who are not aware this annual tournament is a celebration of the life of Luka Marin a very promising young rugby player whose life was tragically cut short by a car accident.
CLICK HERE for the pictures
After a long and demanding yearlong fundraising effort by the playing squad, on Wednesday 2nd May twenty players and officials set of for Serbia from Plough Bar in Hillsborough. A special mention also has to be made to our three Australian tour members who showed their dedication by setting out for Serbia thirty two hours earlier and met up with the delegate in Budapest Airport. To add insult to injury their travel wasn’t finished there and after arriving close to midnight we set off for Serbia with a bus full of beer (and what should have been a 4 hour bus journey took close to 7 hours with various stops and rigorous border controls). Some of the guys learnt a valuable lesson – where by much has to be said about having a passport picture that actually resembles your current appearance (Jason Brownlee).
The rugby tournament did not commence until the Saturday, and we arrived early on the Thursday morning which allowed us a few hours much needed rest before exploring the country and the local sites. The Lisburn players were known to take to the training pitch to join in with our hosts (Vojvodina club) with one of their weekly sessions. This gave a few guys the chance to blow out the cobwebs as some had not played in several months due to injury or laziness and also experience the different weather conditions in which they were to get reacquainted with the game. This also gave the coaches a chance to look over our players from Perth Bayswater Rugby Club to see if their skills had improved any from their emigration to Western Australia. Following the training session the players in true Irish fashion took full advantage of the hospitality of the local bars, restaurants and night clubs. Of all the bars we found the Shamrock bar was to be our new found home for the duration of the tour, call it sentimentality for reminding us of home. The Vojvodina team where kind enough to organise the “entertainment” in the bar on the first evening which was readily enjoyed by all………..
Fortunately for the players after the previous night’s shenanigans the next day was a rest day for those nursing a severe hangover, so the Tour party had a late breakfast followed by sampling the local “sights” of Serbia. Of course the players where taking the tournament very seriously with Dougie Durrant tucking everyone into bed for 10pm sharp. We do consider ourselves professional amateurs of rugby and ambassadors of our country and that’s before we even consider the pressure of ensuring we remain reining champions!
On the Saturday this “drinking team with a rugby problem” got down to business of playing in the tournament. Having lost Chris Jones to a free transfer to the team from Croatia the guys looked on. Whilst having suffered a broken wrist several months earlier it was good to see Chris running about in full flow on a rugby pitch, putting his rusty skills to use. Having said that he put in a very good shift at hooker for the Croatians against a youthful Vojvodina side, eventually getting what was a comfortable victory. This gave Lisburn the first glimpse of what could well be their opponents in the final on Sunday.
Then it was the turn of the guys from Lisburn to compete against the visiting team from Belgrade. As it turned out the Lisburn’s Team performance was better than expected against the side who were tipped to be favorites for the tournament, they were beaten comfortably 54 – 15. The team from Lisburn showed no ill effects from the previous days consumption with the pack dominating from 1 to 8 with Phil Jefferson, Jamie Dickson & Chris Kidd giving their front row counter parts a tough day at the office and Alan Hughes, Adrian Daley and Chris Hodkinson dictating the lineout, with Matt Edgar showing why he is wasted in the front row running some hard yards from number 8. This gave the lightening quick Lisburn backs fast front foot ball allowing Stewart Pringle to show why in some circles he is regarded as the “best” number 10 in the club pulling the strings all match with some fancy footwork laying on trys at will. This allowed Ryan Hill and Robin Brown to open up the opposition with good lines of running. Try scorers were Robin Brown (3) Adrian Daley (1) Adam Melville (1) Jason Brownlee (1) and Penalty Try (2). All in all a perfect example of what Lisburn rugby club can do on a pitch.
On the Sunday the confidence was high in the Lisburn camp, and despite the 30 degree heat, Lisburn were ready to take on the Croatians in what was to be the final game of the tournament and the title decider. From the kickoff Lisburn knew that this was going to be a tough encounter with the physical opponents holding their own at the set piece and breakdown. The first score came after 15 minutes with Lisburn having one of their best scrumages of the game pushing the Croatians over from 10 meters with Matt Edgar having the simplest of tasks of falling over the line, (By dinner that night he had ran 50 meters to score) which just goes to show sometimes brute strength is all that’s needed to get the job done. Not to be bested after several slow phases the backs moved the ball quickly with David Harkness doing some good work on the wing to enable Alan Hughes to power over in the corner for Lisburn’s Second. Having then switched off thinking the game was won the Lisburn side conceded a penalty just outside their 22. With great arrogance and sublime skill the Croatian outhalf stepped up and as the burn thought he was kicking the corner they were caught with a deft chip and chase for the opposition to open their scoring. The game descended into what was an arm wrestle for possession, several penalties could have been the undoing of the Lisburn side but some good defending saw their lead stay intact. Then Adam Melville stepped to the fore with what was easily considered the try of the tournament showing why he was leading try scorer for the past several seasons. If only he had of been fit this year the “Burns” league position could have been all too different. Running the ball out close to his own 22 meter line, the lightening quick winger turned center for the tournament beat 4 players and had a sublime chip and chase of his own to put some breathing room between the Lisburn and their opponents. With 10 minutes to go the Croatians heaped yet more pressure on and got a break away try as a reward. With the clock running down Captain Phil Jefferson sealed the win and the trophy with a try of his own. It was concluded with Stewart Pringle taking the game out of reach by putting over his third successful conversion of the day. Winning the game 26-12 The Tournament Trophy was collected by our Tour Captain Philip Jefferson, and our club stalwart Dougie Durrant. After the tournament we met up with our hosts at their very own nightclub Orcas’. Where they kindly laid on food and drink, there was much merriment and singing took place at their “Clubhouse” in to the early hours.
The following day after brunch (it really was too late to be considered breakfast) a few broken men went and sampled the food and fine wine of the Petrovaradin Fortress overlooking the Danube. Taking time to relax as the next day we all frequented an underground bunker in Belgrade to partake in some shooting practice allowing us to get down to some all in all Northern Ireland stereotyping. It was a very surreal moment when the coach approached a suburb of Belgrade with apartment blocks surrounding a small door way entrance leading to a full arsenal of weapons. I think it’s safe to say that some guys have never had such a big weapon in their hands before and it was enjoyed by all under strict safety guidelines.
Eventually, after a week away the Tour party departed for home arriving at Lisburn RFC safe and sound on Wednesday evening. Lisburn Rugby Club would like to thank the following Tour Sponsors, without whom the tour would not have been possible and we hope that you will continue to lend the club your kind support;
• Connect Telecommunications,
• NI Body Guard Surveillance and Survival Service,
Subway,
•Toyota,
• Six Sigma Apparel,
• The Plough Bar, Hillsborough.
In addition we would like to thank Aaron at Selective Travel and Gavin & Michael at Onside Sports for providing all of our tour kit.
