Gents wrap up the season with two games. Making a return engagement the Old Poltroons came back to try another win and then the Univ of Michigan alumni joined in for a great day of old boys rugby to kick-off Friends and Family Day at Inwood Park in upper Manhattan. Click for more a game review and summer rugby opportunities...

Gents of NY and Friends,

We had a good spring. Well done. This was a crucial season for us, as well every season is and we pulled it off again, thereby keeping Gents rugby alive for another season. See attached photo of the Gents at F and F day. It will also be at www.newyorkrugby.com as all Gents news is.

How to Play More Rugby:

First up, there is a rugby opportunity this Saturday, May 24th at Monmouth. Brian Cardew says that Monmouth of Wales, is playing Monmouth of NJ and he needs players. bcardewnj@yahoo.com email him if you want to play. There will be a few guys you know there. If and when I get details I will forward them but it should be a fun game of Welsh old boys and then there is always the Monmouth clubhouse.

JoJo Moore is in June and this year I think it’s June 14th at West Point. I don’t have the details. Patty O is helping organize and there can be two teams of NJ and Gents old boys, if we want to get up there. If you guys want to play, email back and I can enter a team. But confirmations are a must.

The NJ Generals are an over 50’s team and heading to Saranac July 31 and that weekend. My usual over 45 team is kaput so if 14 of you want to go up, it’s a great old boys tournament with games on Thursday and Sunday leaving Saturdays for golf or watching more rugby. I would love to put a Gents team up for Saranac but you have to really commit first. Who’s in?

The Monmouth Tournament is probably the end of August. If the weather’s great it’s a good tournament on the beach.

So here’s what you missed if you missed Friends and Family Day, Gents v Old Poltroons and Michigan Alumni.

Long time rivals the Old Poltroons came back to New York which was great of them after last year’s overwhelming loss to us only to lose again. We played a round robin 20 minute period format and we came out on top, against the Poltroons. In the first period they scored twice and made both kicks while we battled back and scored twice also. We made only one kick but that wasn’t the end of it. Buddy Wolfe, who played in a record third Gents game this season kept us in it and Frank Bitner, playing on an old and bum knee provided steady forward play with John Watts. But the game was won in the backfield that while a weak point in the all forwards game against Morris became our strength. Don Kinne powered his way toward the tryline, Delano showed he can play with actual backs and Kirk “Ricky” Miller showed why he should be a fulltime Gent and not a part time Old Blue *&^head. The second period against the Poltroons was a better match up with Matt McCarthy powering in for a try before he shot out his hamstring and hit the sidelines for many many many beers. I think he was dancing later in the night. Making their spring debut were Nick Silitch and NY Coach Gianni Lopez who showed everyone he can still kick, maybe not for drop kicks, but he likes to try.

The match against Michigan was not as good for the Gents as they roundly defeated us, but we played a tough match, until the second period when they started to score heavily. Thanks to Jeff Sterns and Badger for bringing the boys to us. That game saw the retirement of Gent Bob Meyer. A player for Manhattan since the 1960’s, “Uncle” Bob Meyer has been around since before even most of the Gents were born. A prop for years, starting with the front row with such luminaries as John Tait and Jocko Jackson, Meyer outlasted all of them and progressed thru Manhattan to Les Vieux and finally to the Gents. In fact, Bob was one of the original Gents back in 1979. While he went off the field to a round of applause, Meyer, like a bad penny, could always re-appear. In fact, if 73-year-old Joe Bartlett shows up again, Meyer may just play out of spite. And to claim the oldest living ex-MRFC player. The game also featured the debut of Jaz-Michael King, a Welsh back who started the U-12’s program in Brooklyn. A natural forward, he says he’s a center, no wait, forwards hang on to the ball, so he must be a back. Either way, he said he will be back. In the meantime, if you have a kid and can get to Brooklyn on Sunday morning, turn your kid into a rugby player and join him. http://www.brooklyndragons.org

Overall, the day featured strong play, good movement, power forwards, a lot of Gents on the field and plenty of beer and two good sides that traveled to NYC to play us. Well done lads. We finished the fall with an overall winning record of 3-2-1. At least that’s the story I am sticking with.

Special kudos to Mike Delano who went above and beyond the call to bring guys out. We had a few new Gents this spring and we had a full side for every game. Fran Russell and the gang from the Mystic River Hombres joined with the Village Lions to help put some 25 guys on the field and give the Ct Greys a run for their money at their home pitch. Mostly, we came, we played, we drank and we had a great time squeezing one more season of rugby out of these old bodies. Well done lads.

PICTURES FROM F&F DAY

Dave Martin
Gents of NY
oldboyprop@secondrowproductions.com