The Rogues Rant

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The annual Referees exchange with our friends from across the ditch is on over the next two weeks. Welcome to our guests from NZ this year, Mark Andrell and Ben Lissaman who will be on deck this weekend at Tech Waratahs. Mario Cinello and Neill Greaves are in New Zealand representing Illawarra Rugby. In other Ref news, I’m sure everyone will join me in wishing outstanding rookie Referee James Penman all the best as he travels overseas to continue his University studies. Hopefully we will see James back in the Illawarra sometime in the future. Good Luck James from us all. Richard McMullen has been struggling for the last six weeks with a calf muscle injury he sustained in round 3 at Woonona. Get well soon Richard. A welcome also to David Gunning, who joined our District this year from Newcastle. An experienced first grade referee, it didn’t take David long to make first grade down here.

What a difference a week can make in Test Match Rugby. The first test in phone number library Brisbane a fortnight ago was a romp for the Aussies against an understrength and ill prepared French side. Every now and then our game can throw up an ugly match as it did in Melbourne last week. With the French making ten changes to their team, it was a different story altogether with Australia scraping home with a lacklustre 6-0 win. Let’s hope the return to the traditional 3.00pm Saturday afternoon kick off this week at the SFS brings us a more entertaining game.

Organizers of the Illawarra Ladies 7’s were very happy with the roll up at the Open Day last week at Nicho Park. A couple of dozen girls turned up and signed up for the upcoming 7’s tournaments. Training will now be on each Sunday in preparation for the matches starting in late July. For further details contact Ron Davis 0437022311 or Tammy Fletcher 0423271956.

Mark down Saturday July 5 in your diaries for the match between Avondale and University at Gerry Capetta Oval, Kanahooka. The Wombats and the Bulls are the form sides in this year’s comp and with both sides at full strength this should be a cracker of a game. Both sides boast strong hard working forward packs and backlines with strike-power right across the field. Bring it on.