Diablo Gaels Gazette

February 08

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DIABLO GAELS   vs OLYMPIC

Saturday 16 February 08

DIABLO GAELS   vs SAN MATEO

Saturday 16 February 08

Referee: Mitch Damm (Texas, West)
Touch Judge and Reporter: JC Van Staden
Assessor: Bryan Porter

With the sun warming up all the winter bodies, the plate was set for some great rugby. With San Mateo making there their presence felt with some hard hitting right from the start, but it was Diablo that impressed on the scoreboard. At half SM had to score 2 times too keep up with a young, but impressive DG. Needless to say SM half time pep talk paid off, by doing just that. Leveling the score with another 28 min to go.
The inexperienced of the young DG team showed in the second half, by getting 2 penalties reversed against them, after trying to coach the ref, after receiving the penalties. SM on the other hand, still applying a lot of pressure and playing the offside line so tight, that they ended up with 2 yellow cards. Diablo seemed to lose their wheels a little and could not take advantage on the 15 against 13 players, in fact they conceded a try while 2 men up. With a game that could swing any way, San Mateo walked away as winners, with 41-29.
 

DIABLO GAELS  10 vs HAYWARD 22

Saturday 02 February 08

Cold rainy weather saw two teams play up tempo rugby and five trys being scored in a classic Nor Cal Division I game match.  Diablo playing strong defense and counter attacking, Hayward (2007 USA
D I Champions), likewise, attacking and throwing everything at Diablo.  Hayward scored and converted and 10 minutes later scored again.  Not to be out done Diablo mounted it's own strong attack and scored but missed the kick.  Hayward put one more and converted but not to be out done Diablo delivered another score and another push over that was not allowed as the referee out of position.  Vaai, Mic, Possi, Jack, Barry, Jr., Mark, Sione and Mitch played a very strong game against a determined Hayward pack.  The back line of John, Adam, Mike Jake, William, subs Nikko and Jordan kept Hayward bottled up.
Jack Boyl's comment, "it was anyone's game " was an accurate description of a hard fought match.
Coach Batten's charges played well and as the preseason progresses we are seeing positive growth from this team.    

Reported by ARN  

For Hayward it was an important evening, as they tried to build on their win over SFGG's almost Super League side last week. On a very cold and windy night Hayward emerged 22-10 victors over the Diablo Gaels.

"Diablo played really well," said Hayward president Manu Finau. "I think they had more of the ball, and they spent 10 to 15 minutes in our 22 during the second half. It wasn't easy."

Because Diablo could not field a second team, Hayward was permitted to run extra subs of their younger players, which might have made the score closer. Still, it was clear that Hayward were the stronger side, with Semisi Finau scoring two tries, prop Paula Fukafuka and scrumhalf Luki Veikoso also scored tries.

What the Ref had to say:

Diablo Gaels 10 – HAYWARD 24

Referee: Jim Crenshaw

Saturday's a rugby deluge.

I cruised by UC Davis on my way to Danville Saturday to watch UCD take on Sac State. It was raining off and on, but at game time it was a little more off than on. It was windy and a little bit nippy. Matt Eason was there to watch JC Van Staden, Kat Todd-Schwartz was there to watch Bruce Bernstein and Don Walsh and I were there to watch.
UCD pulled out the win in the first match, and Don and I left a little before halftime of the second match.
I arrived in Danville at the Gaels Mustang Soccer fields around 6:30 for the 7:30 match between the Diablo Gaels and the Hayward Griffins. The rain wasn't really coming down as it was coming in sideways. Kind of like a cow p!**ing on a flat rock.
It let up for about 10 minutes and then it really started to rain. It wasn't causing any problem for the all weather field, but some of the players looked like they might rather be somewhere else. Oh well, we're here, let's play.
It was a typical Gaels-Hayward game, with plenty of big hits and lots of wide open play. The conditions caused a fair number of knock-ons and errant passes, so it was a low scoring affair. 12 to 5 Hayward at half and 24 to 10 at the final whistle.
By the time I got home it had stopped raining. Ya gotta love it!!!

Seconds: Diablo Gaels – Hayward CANCELED

DIABLO GAELS U23'S  17 vs HUMBOLDT  7

It was a muddy, cold and wet day at the Diablo Valley College and the fans saw two evenly matched teams take the field.  Our U -23 team having a full compliment of players, allowed Coach Thompson to use his troops to maximum potential.  Humboldt scored first and converted.  Battling back the U - 23 side played ball control and scored under the posts and converted to close out the first half.  The second half saw key substitutions in both back and forward positions playing conservatively converted a penalty kick and though muddy the pack scored a final try and converted.  
A good win against a very good team, we hosted them to pizza at the field and even better even the season at 2 wins / 2 losses.  

 

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