amHerst game, Fall 2007

Since I had joined the rugby team in the fall of 2005, we had not beaten amherst in an A-side game. We lost in the Spring of 2006, lost in the Fall of 2006, and again in the Spring of 2007 (I scored in that game, no big deal).

I remember we scored early in the game but lost the lead in the second half. We were down by 6 points, I think 13-7, and 80 minutes were up. Final possession of the game, we had a 5-meter scrum on their half, we messed up the scrum, they got it back and fed it to their fly-half for a clearing kick. The guy could have literally just kicked it in any direction to end the game, but kicked to one of our players instead (I think it was Desir). We kept control of the ball for a phase. A ruck on the left side of the field. I gave the ball to the line. Bulaevsky skips Blowhole to give it to our outside-center/line captain, Ted Wiles, who feeds Taylor Nelp (best kicker ever). Nelp then feeds Matt Desir (who only played for that one season). Desir happens to be really fast, burns the opposing wing and fullback on the right side of the field. Could have easily touched it down at the corner but ran it in between the posts instead. Honestly, most amazing sequence of rugby I've ever been a part of.

But we're still down 13-12. Nelp has a real easy chip shot, but must have been harder than it looked. We all interlock in a line behind Nelp. Game is over after the kick says the ref. Nelp lines up, perfect kick for the win. We go crazy.

Check out this ref report for amherst's reaction:
http://www.nerugbyrefs.org/schedules/disciplinary_report.cfm?dr_id=370

And this video for the game-winning kick:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh7IKMg6wI8&feature=related

And post-game speech:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJx9l76K7_8

Nihil,

José (Butternut) Pacas, '08