Author: Ben Doyle
Ben Doyle
Aboriginal Aussie/Pom, from the ACT, studying MBBS at the ANU and currently running around with Easts Rugby as Uni allows.
Easts v Royals Attitude is a funny thing, some have it, some don’t. For others it flickers on and off like a switch, bemusing crowds and driving coaches to despair. The match between the two lowest teams in the John I Dent Cup certainly had its fair share of attitude issues, with both teams at differing stages in the match losing any sense of urgency, alacrity or passion. Royals started strongly, with poor communication and one on one tackles gifting them early possession in East’s 22. Surely enough, tries came quickly for Royals, and within twenty or so minutes the…
Easts v. Queanbeyan Easts again played host on a stunning Winter’s day at Griffith Oval. However, the day started ominously for the Easts men, with 3rds forfeiting, Colts comprehensively beaten and 2nds scratching together a side only to be beaten by over 50 points. The match started at a pace, and within 20 minutes, the Whites had posted three tries. Fly-half Billy Chalker and inside centre Sam Windsor were consistently putting their players into holes and leaving the Easts players puzzled. The contest at the rucks was fierce, with both sides competing strongly. Easts’ Brumby Jerry Yanuyanutawa was prominent as…
ACT Premier Rugby saw Easts hosted Gungahlin on a sunny but fresh Saturday afternoon at Griffith Oval, a day on which the only smile on an Easts supporters face was down to the questionable fashion sense of an assistant referee. The match started off tight with both teams exchanging blows, with some great tries conjured up through strong backline moves for Easts and Gungahlin. Gungahlin’s 10 McMahon was able to direct play effectively, and was duly rewarded with his own try and a swag of conversions. His ability to organise his backline exposed Easts’ major frailty — their inability to…
If You Come, They Will Build It Welcome to the first round up for the ACT’s John Dent Cup. I had a look at the East v. Vikings game. Easts v Vikings Easts and Vikings met at Viking Park on what looked like a battle of polar opposites. Vikings having not lost a game, and Easts having not won in 1st grade. Weather looked ominous, a wet and frigid 9 degrees would have suggested a match with plenty of dropped balls and a lack of enterprise, but this was not the case. The first quarter was tightly contested, with a…