Season '05

   19/11/2005
Prize Giving 2005!!

Some of the winners at this years Prize Giving...


At the Court Session afterwards, the judge looking authoritative... before abusing his power to the utmost. Bastard!!


Ummmm...


Don!


Zach!


Lee!


Zach, Frank and John


Eddie, Lee and Matt


Don, Eddie, John, Pete


Frank trying to scare away a squirrel that was playing with his nuts.


Post Court Session... Matt, Gavin, Rob, Lee

   22/10/2005
Camp Casey, 9 peeps in a van, 2 to meet us there.
Arrive, disembark, play.
Game 1: Daegu Vs Camp Casey. Final score 2-2; we dominated for much of the game and blew many a try scoring opportunity. Try scorers Lee and Eddie.
Game 2: Daegu vs Osan. Final score 6-2. Try scorers John 3, Gavin 2, Frank 1. Dominant first half, even second half.
Game 3: Fifteens, meh.
In van, destination Chungju. Yogwon sorted, Court Session held, vomit cleaned up, town hit.
Woke up, in van, home.
Excellent debuts by Rob and Peter. Great try scoring by John. Everyone else did the business as per. Thanks to Jeff for playing for us again and big ups to Steve for turning out in the Daegu colours once more. Once again cheers to Frank for organising it all.




















   2/10/2005
This weeks rugby saw the Daegu Dragons (plus travelling ringins, cheers guys!) compete in a Korean Tournament here in Daegu. The first game saw Daegu win 10-5 with trys to Jon and a Korean ringin. That victory put us into the semis where we lost 7-5 with the opposition scoring a late converted try much to our disgust. A tough game played up and down the full length of the pitch with probably the most intense time being when Daegu defended their line for 5 continuous minutes against assault after assault from the Koreans. A blind side run off the scrum saw the Koreans score their one try under the posts. Fortuitous but not totally undeserving.

Kick off... and what a great kick off it was...


Line out... nice work lads.


I've got no idea who has/had the ball but Digger sure is looking intense.


Jon, all business. Digger with his happy face on.


Oh Rich...


Clappity clap clap, bravo you!


Them and us, thems the ones that beat us.

   24/9/2005
Rugby: a game played by people called, 'rugby players'
It was with this profoundness that the Daegu Travelling RoadShow once more took to the highway. Two road travelling vehicles took to the long black snake we often refer to as 'the road' for the journey some would describe as epic, some would describe as insignificant in the grand journey of life and yet others would describe simple as, 3 hours.
Arriving at our designated battleground we disembarked amid fiery brimstone cascading down from the Heavens, the fire breathing dragon tried to scorch us we charged the razor sharp thorn covered venue of death screaming 'death to you all!!!!!'... or more simply, we got out and walked over to the field. Being a notoriously late arriving team we were confused as to where everyone was, to the point of questioning whether we had the correct field. 'We're always late, there are always people here before us! Shite we must be at the wrong place! '
Having time to kill we did something groundbreakingly new, nae!, revolutionary!, to us. We warmed up and did a few stretches. Several people were heard to comment, 'my lord, my muscles, they feel limber, this stretching marlarky really isn't new age science guf!!' Several other people were seen to high 5 one another at their new found flexibilty.
After 30 or so minutes the other teams started to show, Daegu were set to go with the only thing left being which haka to perform. Our first game saw us play Kunsan, having been beaten by them the last time we played we were looking to rectify things. A good first half saw us playing pretty much all of it in their half but failing to finish. We entered the break with a score of 2 tries (Eddie, Frank) to 0. The second half saw us struggle to maintain our territorial advantage and a few wayward kicks and sloppy passes saw Kunsan level the scores with 5 minutes to go. With the pressure going on, Daegu lifted enough and saw an 'on the buzzer' try to Eddie which won us the game. Final score 3-2.
The second game was against Osan, having shaken off the first game slow start which is pretty much traditional we enjoyed a try scoring feast. This time more patience was shown and the passes were sticking. Try scorers for this game were, Joe 3, Gavin 2, Dave 1, Bryan 1, Eddie 1. Osan managed a late consolation try to leave the score at 8-1.
The final game of the day saw us play Humphreys, having also lost to them in our previous encounter we were looking to right the wrong. In a game that saw Lee opening the scoring with a great individual try in the first minute Humphreys came back to lead us 2-1 at the break. The second half was a right doozy with Daegu scoring, then Humphreys scoring, then Daegu scoring then Humphreys scoring then finally Daegu scoring to lock the scores at 4-4 at the full time whistle. Try scorers, Lee 2, Fred 1 and Rob from Seoul 1
All in all a great day of rugby!

Moments of note:
Joe's hat-trick in the 2nd game was legendary, the first hat-trick I believe scored by a Daegu forward. His efforts in all of the games won him the offical Daegu Man-of-the-Tournament title, the prize includes return airfare for 2 to Thailand, an all expense paid trip to your local jimjubang and a bottle of soju (collect tickets and soju from Frank at your earliest convenience). Congratulations Joe!

A loose ball in the Osan in-goal saw a scramble of players looking to ground it. Gavin was first on the spot and as he was about to force it a diving Lee pushed his arm giving the ball the slightest knock forward. Thankfully the ref was a good guy and saw that the try was Gavins despite Lee's shenanigans and graciously awarded it.

Nate the half back from Humphreys being stupidy fast who's trademark move is to collect the ball from the scrum and shoot off down the blindside usually for a try was undone as Fred did a Nate on Nate. Fred picking up the ball scooted off down the blind leaving a diving Nate grasping at air behind him. The fullback was unable to get across in time and Fred scored a nice 60m try in the corner. Always nice turning the tables on ya opposite.

The trip up to Humphreys was most noticeable for the pre-game mental exercises that people performed. In the lead vehicle (VictorTangoCharlieBrown 1) we have Fred, thinking about his job as half/full back, the passes and tackles he will make and the options he will take or possibly just focusing on the road so we don't all die. Lee is mentally visualising how he will unleash the backline, the angles he will run and the plays he will call (usually the ones that don't involve passing the ball to Gavin). Matt is thinking how can he hamstring Lee so he can become FirstFive asserting (in his mind at least) his rightful place as leader of the backline. Dave is... actually I think Dave just slept all the way.


The mental intensity so evident in VictorTangoCharlieBrown 1 is clearly missing from the passengers of vehicle VictorTangoCharlieBrown 2. What exactly Frank and Joe are so smiley giggly about we will never know.


As per usual Daegu picked up a tournament ending injury early in the proceedings... and this weeks winner was Zac!


I really have no idea what's going on here. Fred and Lee might be demonstrating their Rave dance moves that they break out from time to time


Frank


Oh yeah, rugby pics


and some more...


The Dragons in all their splendor



   12/6/2005
This weeks event was a 10s tournament hosted by Daegu. With an 11am kick off time most of the teams managed to get there on time. The teams represented were... Daegu, Casey, Seoul, Kunsan, Osan and Humpreys. Daegu's first game was against Humpreys, with a lack of set phase possession Daegu had to make do with turnover ball. Final score 1-1 (Gavin).
The next game saw Daegu play Osan, with a much better performance by our forward pack we were able to come away with a 5 try to 1 victory. Try scorers were, Eddie 2, Gavin, Mike and RingInGuy (RIG).
Our last game saw us play Seoul, with both teams having a number of ring-ins we took to the field. Seoul got off to a great start and scored a couple of tries before Daegu was able to get into the game. Daegu staged a late rally but it was all in vane as Seoul won 6-3 (Joe, RIG, RIG).
After the tournament most of the players retired to Mr Kims to watch the NZ Maori vs British and Irish Lions. The Maori won 19-13, the spectators within Mr Kims were unanimous in declaring the Lions were shite and a loud cheer reverberated throughout the bar for several minutes after the victory.
Welcome to Matt and Zack who made their Dragons debuts this week. And fairwell to Steve who has been moved further north, it was great having ya in the team... and when you take the field against us in the future, we're gonna ruck ya good! Good luck to ya mate!
In other news... our no.10, Lee, after making a break up the middle against Humpreys was tackled to the ground and banged his head into said ground. As our highly trained professional medics checked him out after the game he was heard to respond to a question with 'shweee.... scooo... shooo... swiiii' as this is often heard when he is also drunk our medics tossed a coin and came to the conclusion that he was in fact concussed. Thus ending his day of rugby.
Playing against Osan a certain No.2 in our team (Frank Charles Pescatello) had an open try line, 5 metres to run and a perfect pass straight into his hands... alas, the excitement of actually scoring an absolute, no doubt about it try got the better of him and he murdered the pass bringing back vivid memories of a similar incident last year on the same ground involving another front rower.
Gavin *may* also have blown a couple of tries but being the modest guy that he is we can put this squarely down to not wanting to have his try tally get too far ahead of his fellow team mates. Oh and the tries involved a lot more work than Franks abomination

Daegu huddle, Frank looking pretty shagged in his dirty shirt which he failed to clean since the last tournament, dirty.


Daegu vs Seoul, Frank (playing half back) watching as his opposite picks up the ball and goes for a run


Daegu vs Seoul, people pushing each other, others rolling on the ground and yet others watching. Is Digger (left of pic) actually posing for the camera??


Photographic proof that Gavin does make tackles... well it could be provided the guy didn't bump him off and continue running.


Boys, girls and spectators between games, hanging out, chilling, taking 5 etc



   28/5/2005
10s Tournament, Camp Casey, kick off time: 12 noon.
After a punctual meeting at 7am outside Camp Walker, the Daegu Dragons road team hit the road

From left to right, top to bottom... Fred, Lee, Eddie, Frank and Susan

Picking Gavin up on the way the Dragons steamed northward, nothing would get in our way, Camp Casey or Bust!

No time to stop for matters of the bladder... Tangy, yet refreshing! 'Yoo Tea' anyone?

After arriving at exactly the time we planned we disembarked and prepared ourselves for battle... being a little light on numbers we welcomed Rob and Rich into the team and stole an Osan and a couple of Humphreys lads. Our first challenge was against the home team, Camp Casey. With a makeshift forward pack we took to the field, using swiftness and guile we moved the ball around and defeated Casey 5 tries (Eddie 2, Lee 1, Rob 1, Gavin 1) to 2.
After deciding playing 10s was beneath us we combined with Humphreys to play 15s against Seoul. Lots of running later we were defeated 5 tries to 2 (2 Humpreys' really really fast guy). Twas delightful to play some 15s playing the style of rugby we're used to (rucks and mauls etc). A great day of rugby. Once again cheers to Fred for organising the mini-van and driving us all the way up and back and welcome to Susan who made her official Dragons debut. Now that you are official you must learn the secret handshake, be our 'lead' drinker in the boat races and learn the Dragons victory song.

Humpreys Vs Camp Casey


Seoul Vs Camp Casey


The combined Humpreys-Daegu 15


Frank navigating... Fred and Eddie asking directions after we got lost...


On the road again...


Frank sleeping... on the way up and passed out on the way down



   30/4/2005
Second tournament of the season, Southern Baabaas vs Samsung SDI, Osaka and a Korean University Team.
First game saw the Baabaas play Samsung, after winning the toss (again showing Franks tossing skills are very well developed) the Baabaas, more precisely Frank, elected to play into the not so slight wind. A good competitive 30 minutes saw Samsung score a converted try and the Baabaas an unconverted try to John (Daegu). With the whistle blown we expected to change sides and play with the wind only to be told that the game was over. Samsung 7, Baabaas 5.
The next game saw the Baabaas play Osaka, this time playing with the wind the Baabaas recorded their first victory 12-7, tries to Momo (Ulsan) and Gavin (Daegu).
The Baabaas last game was against the Korean University team, this time playing two actual 15 minute halves it was a good game, well played by both sides. The Korean side beating the Baabaas 7-5 with the Baabaas try going to Mitch (Ulsan).
Just taking a quick look at the try scorers... all Kiwis, can the other nationalities in the team please pick your game up.
Moments of note: in the first game, Baabaas vs Samsung, Samsung were awarded a penalty, after several players started questioning the decision and with Lee yelling at the ref asking if he was on the 10 metre mark one of the Korean players started yelling at Lee who then yelled back at the Korean player. The poor referee, being Japanese and not speaking any Korean or English must have been thinking, 'what the fucks going on here?!?!' (in japanese of course).
Same game, John using his very best Korean to ask the referee what a certain call was about, stood rather complexed wondering why the referee wouldn't tell him what was going on. It was only afterwards that he realised the referee was Japanese and not Korean.
In a post tournament race dubbed the 'The Fastest of the Slowest', the 3 slowest players from Busan, Daegu and Ulsan lined up to race over 50 metres, surprisingly all the participants were front rowers. Proudly representing were, Rich (Busan), Frank (Daegu) and Nathan (Ulsan). In an epic worthy of its own feature film (ala Chariots of Fire) the 3 contestants set a blistering pace which many a Zimmer framed 90 year old Grandmother would be proud of. Narrowly winning was Frank closely followed by Rich who was closely followed by Nate.
Later in the day (and after a couple of beers), Frank, spurred on by his previous victory then challenged Gavin to a 100 metre sprint, at stake was the ignominy of being the 'Slowest Player in the Daegu Team', combined with endless bragging rights and of course, beer, with odds of 6 beverages to 1 in favour of Gavin, Frank then set about proving his doubters wrong and absolutely crushing Gavin in a display of pure athleticism.
In the aftermatch socialising the Earth was once more brought back into it's natural orbit with the Daegu Dragons 5 Man Official Boat Racing Team dispatching Ulsan in a display of pure drinkmanship, bragging rights are now ours, punks! (and stop eating our Salt and Vinegar chips damnit!).
It was a good night socialising in Ulsan with the Ulsan and Busan folks, not sure why you removed all the people off the streets though.
Also apparently Nathan from Ulsan is finally heading home to Asstralee after many a year here, good luck to ya big fella, will MISS YOU LONG TIME DARLING, NEW JEELAND MAN No.1 BUT YOU OK TOO, OK? OK! OH MY!! ^+^ If ya ever back in Korea, stop by Daegu... you owe us beer from that try you absolutely murdered when you dropped the ball with the try line open!!!

   12/3/2005
John's Stag Party...
For the record, the Southern Hemisphere defeated the Northern Hemisphere and the Backs beat the Forwards in the boat races...

   26/2/2005
First tournament of the season! Beach 5s down in Busan... after awaking at some crazy ass hour in the morning and meeting up with everyone on the train we settled in for the 2 hour train ride down to Busan. Arriving at Busan station we caught a couple of taxis and made our way to the beach (SongJeong Beach, next beach round from Haeundae). The beach was actually very pretty, in a hard rugby man what-the-fuck are you looking at cunt? kinda way. If it wasn't so bloody cold the water might have even looked half inviting. As per all rugby played in Korea by expats, the expected 16 teams became 8 on the day. With 2 groups, aptly named A and B, the tournament started. The Dragons first game of the day was against a Korean University team, reasonably physical it was a good contest and the Dragons came away with a 4-3 victory. Our second game was against those filthy bastards from Ulsan, with Nathan (from Australia, enough said) in their team we were reasonably confident... alas as with all good stories the good guys (er, us) had to get spanked to near death (to later in the season rise up and vanquish their foes, win the chicks and meet the president) and went down 6-1. Our 3rd game was against another Korean team and we beat them 10-0. Our 4th game, and as it turned out the most important was against Samsung SDI. While we played with a lot more heart (a sign of good thigs to come me thinks) we still went down 7-2. That result put us 3rd in the round of 5. The play-offs pitted 1st from A against the 1st from B, 2nd from A against the 2nd from B etc. Samsung was top of our round (undefeated), Ulsan was second (1 loss) and we were third. In pool A, Seoul was first, Busan korean teachers team were second and Incheon Rugby Club were 3rd. We took to the pitch to play IRC and ran out the victors several tries to 1. Ulsan beat Busan and Samsung beat Seoul.
The after match was an excellent event with a fantastic BBQ, plates piled high and plenty of left overs for seconds. Plenty of raffle prizes and plenty of drinking. Alas Daegu also went down to Ulsan (filthy bastards!) in the boat race. A pass mark for our first up game of the season but plenty of work to do on and off the training pitch. Should be a good season!

The fellas representing the Dragons

Joe scoring a length of the pitch try!!

Frank being knocked into touch...

The Dragons in their new strip