Alcobendas: last chance failed

Alcobendas: last chance failed

On the 3rd of December, 2016, we wasted our last chance to remain in 1st division. The match was against Alcobendas. Last time we played against them, I nearly scored. But this match, everything didn't go as planned in this match!

Cisneros player faces opponent in scrum

 We started very badly, recieving many tries against, and throughout the match, we plummeted. We were nearing the end of the 2nd half when they closed the score. We suddenly went into some weird overdrive and scored two tries and on that the game ended. But then there were two more matches: the 1st senior team and the Official team.

Defeat against CRC Pozuelo

Defeat against CRC

On saturday 19th we arrived at the El Cantizal Rugby pitch to play against CRC Pozuelo. We nearly entered the game with less players than necessary. But the remaining players arrived on time as the B team started playing. They won! It was very hot and sunny and  the players were sweating a lot. The A team went out to train. The CRC did the same. On the pitch was the first chance we had to get a good look at them. They were the Cisneros' worst enemies from a lot. It was a hilarious sight: the CRC with their rugby gear and helmets on and the Cisneros team, with no-one with helmets on and everyone dressed in their uniform only.

Cisneros player charges into CRC defence

The game started. They came in hard, with many tries against us. Wecouldn't do anything against their fast attacks, and even though we squeezed in a try and transformation, we didn't even get close to threatening their victory. The 2nd half was much the same: many tries against. We are obviously going down to 2nd division this year. We've got 2 matches left in 1st division. Let's make the most of them both.

Triangular tournament against French Lycée and CAU FROM Valencia

French Lycée tournament

On saturday 12th November 2016 we arrived at the Lycée FranÇais school in Madrid, the stage of the worst match in my career. We were playing against Lycée FranÇais and, later on, the CAU from Valencia. We lost against everyone. French Lycée and CAU beat both the A and B team.

Spectacular tackle!

 It was sunny at first but then some clouds started to form. First, the A team played the league match against the Lycée, which they lost. Then the B team played the Lycée B, which was also lost. Then the CAU arrived, and all attempt to beat them failed. 

A ruck has finished

No team even got near to beating them! Then came the 3rd time every parent had prepared! It was delicious! Even though I played with the B team against the CAU, I think I did pretty well.

Close call against XV Hortaleza

Close call against Hortaleza

On saturday 5th November, we found out we were last in the 1st division league. So this match meant a lot to us. The weather conditions weren't better than our match against Industriales. It was raining again. The match was at 4:00pm. There we were at the exact time. We were all in  the changing rooms. The B team won their game. Now it was our turn. The game was equal and difficult. At the end of the first time we were 14-7.

During the 2nd time we made a spectacular comeback from 14-7 to 14-19, but a try near the end made it 19-19. From there, we tried to score another deciding try. But in the extra time, a foul against them and a goal, made Hortaleza win 22-19. We were sooo close. But not close enough. We were still last in the league. I played too bad to tell. I didn't even tackle properly! I got no balls to run with. My father nagged me severely for being that bad. I have heard next year's coach won't be that generous with us letting all of us play every match. Some of us will be left on the substitute bench. I will probably be one of them. Sad.

1st team's match against El Salvador

1st team's match against El Salvador

On a pretty sunny Sunday, after swimming lessons, my father was waiting for me at the door and took me to the 1st team's match against Silverstorm El Salvador RC. Father had brought some crisps and refreshments over too. We sat down in the first row, so the TV camera filming would surely capture us both sitting down.

At last, the players trudged onto the pitch I saw every player I knew: the captain (and the hooker), the 7 (right flanker), the 10 (the stand-off), the 14 (the wing) and the 15 (the  fullback). God! I know half the team by now! Then we saw the opponent and were amazed. They were big! Their right 2nd row only needed the hammer and the suit to be none other than Thor! So, the match began. The kick was great! But the Cisneros caught it... from then it was a masacre! And truly, that right flanker was fast and strong! He was in every tackle, every maul, every ruck on the field. He was so good that I even thought he stopped time to get to every situation! Incredible! The hooker was just as good! Let those soccer commentators say the defence are bulldozers! Just look at him push! No matter who he steps on, he just goes forward. Also really good kicks from the stand-off! They helped us with the tries! And look at the right wing run!!! Well, the first half ended with a nice 15-7 after we recieved a try with its transformation.

The 2nd half was torture after another try and transformation that put the game 15-14. I was biting my nails in my anxiousness. But after all that, a kick gave us three more points. Pew! And on that, the game ended after another cisneros try and transformation and a salvador kick. 23-17.

The End 

Defeat against Industriales

Defeat against Industriales.

On saturday 22nd October, we had another important match. Against Industriales, from Las Rozas. Their players were huge! I didn't know if this would work! The B team were smashed to smithereens, and we knew that if we didn't concentrate, we would be next. The B team fought well, but they simply couldn't manage it!
When I say that their players were huge, I meant it. If their B team were already big, then I didn't even want to think about their A team! half-scrum was one head and a half bigger than me! It didn't stop raining! The pitch, even though it was artificial grass, was full of giant puddles. At the end of the match our uniform was dark not with mud but with water. So..... let's get on with the match. We got crushed. I'll put it like that. I started the game as the only substitute on the bench, but when I did come in, the rucks were seeing a lot more of me than in other matches. I even tackled, which is already a major achievement for me. 

2nd row tackles industriales player to the ground

But let's stop talking about me! The match must go on! (no pun intended).

B.C entering the Industriales defence

 We kept recieving try after try! 3 mins before the end of the match, our coach talked to us. He said that if we would get crushed by these guys, we would get crushed in a team! We followed his advice and turned up into overdrive till the end of the match!

Match against VRAC

The match against VRAC

On saturday 14th, we had to play our first league match. Against VRAC. We knew this was one of the best clubs in Spain. This was no Quijote RC. This was not going to be easy. CRC was already very dificult, and I had already played against Vrac once in my career against them. Totally unready. I was even rushed to hospital when my right shoulder got pushed too far back in a ruck. It was nothing in the end, but I have dreaded that team since. Well, we were surprise to find out that they turned up late to the Paraninfo, but I was even more surprised when I saw they had a new pink kit. But I didn't underestimate them. As I dreaded, it all happened like the last match against them. I started as a substitute. The only difference to this match was that we played a lot better. As soon as I went on in the second half was that the mud was as tender as can be. That's why I had to shower in the changing rooms after the match. But I could do better so I actually don't know if I deserved that trip to the cinema to watch the continuation of Angels and Daemons and The Da Vinci code, "Inferno". But let's get on with the match. 

The first half went by normally, with its own amount of knock-ons and lineouts. I was the sideline ref, but it wasn't much of a thrill for me, because I had to be the job as we hadn't hired the whole referee team because we weren't of a professional category. By the end of the first half, surprisingly, we were winning!

But our joy didn't last long. In the second half, when I went on, I felt the fury of the VRAC. I missed tackles, never got into rucks with the necessary speed and, on the whole played really badly. After that I was scolded by my dad for that.

So, we lost by 1 try and 1 transformation. 7 points! Our captain was rushed to hospital with a broken finger. Let's see how well our team will do in the next match.

THE END

Match against CRC

Our match against CRC

On saturday 8th October 2016 we arrived at the central rugby pitch. But we weren't playing in the A but the B pitch. Against the CRC, winners of the league the last year. But as we saw who we were playing against, we thought it would be easy to play against them. But it wasn't. Even though they were small, those players sure knew how to tackle! After the B team had won their match against the B CRC, which went pretty well, we calmed down a little.

Cisneros player running for the try line

Who said girls can't play?

 But not for long. The match didn't start well, but at the end of the first half, we simply couldn't believe we were actually winning.

Cisneros player tackling CRC 

But in the second part, everything tumbled down. We scored 2 tries to 3 of theirs. So, we had lost. It was so sad. 24-36. Better luck next time...

Friendly match against El Quijote Rugby Club

Match against El Quijote Rugby Club

On the morning of Saturday 1st of October, wedeparted from our house at approximately 10:15 to get to the Central rugby field. There, the Boss, as we call him, opened the season with a speech. 

 

The Boss with his speech

All the players during the ceremony

When the ceremony finished, we got our picture taken.
 The ceremony had finished, but not our To Do List for the day. We had a match at 13:30 against El Quijote Rugby Club.
When Father and I got to the Paraninfo, we were disgusted. The pitch was a picture. In some places it was as dry as can be, in others it was muddy and in some rare places it was a positive swamp! We would play 1h 15mins divided in three parts.

 But one of our players would play on their team every part.

U. started on their team in the first part. We  played phenomenally, and F, a newbie in this team but not in this sport, scored loads of tries. I didn't play this part.

F. racing up the flank for another try

In the Second part F. would help El Quijote. We were aghast. WHAT?! Well, El Quijote's score shot up as F. scored more and more tries. 
Near the end of the second part, something really rare happened: I got the ball. I shot forward through a gap but an opponent was gaining on me fast. At last I made a decision, hit the brakes and turned around, trying to sidestep him as he passed. I was wrong. A shoulder collided with my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I dropped the ball. Chance missed.


During the third part, R.F went over to their side. F was on the bench now. We did score some tries. It was in this part when I got the opportunity. I got passed the ball again. I thundered through the gap between two opponents, carefully handing off both of them. Richard tore after me. This time, I didn't doubt and raced full pelt towards my first try.

 R.F got me, but it was too late. TRY!

My First Try!!

The rest of the match went by in a blur. I missed another try that I could have scored.

END OF THE MATCH

For safety reasons I will not write the full name of players, coaches, etc...

Rugby cisneros summer camp

The Rugby Cisneros Summer Camp

In this post, I'm going to show you the highlights of the summer camp.

On the 27th of June, at the Seneca avenue, 8 in Madrid, a bus was waiting to pick up about 30 children. I was one of them. That bus was taking us to none other than the Rugby Cisneros Summer Camp! I said goodbye to my mother, packed in my suitcase and climbed on board.

After 6 hours of bus travel and a short WC stop, we reaced the Carucedo lake, where we had reserved a series of small cottages. And, guess what? We arrived just in time for snacktime! After that, we prepared our presentations of our cottage posters and totems. We had supper. We went to sleep at about 23:30.

The Papahumas cottage

On day 2 we started with breakfast: some toast, milk, and biscuits. After that, we had rugby practise (no rugby camp can exist without daily rugby practise). We mostly did physical exercises, you know, burpies, push-ups, etc. After the rugby practise, we had the noon fruit (bananas) and went to the Carucedo lake, where we will bathe in the sun and in the water for about an hour, until lunchtime. In the lake we wrestled with one of our coaches but failed miserably (no wonder, he is one of my idol players of the cisneros 1st senior team. He even got made a tribute:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEGWOOZwQr8

Well, we had lunch and got the afternoon task to prepare a somewhat dramatic presentation of our cottage and of the inhabitants. We had supper and, with butterflies in our tummies, presented what we had to.

Day 3! Awesome! Same rugby training and breakfast. But today the coaches had a surprise for us. Canoes! We paddled to the secret beach and the hidden lake. We even got a glimpse of the secret cave!

three men in a boat!

We searched for the undrwater village the highest point of which is the legendary bell tower of the village. But we had no luck, so we would turn the other boats and watch the crew floundering helplessly in the water. We had lunch and got ready for the afternoon task.





Over the camp, apart from the daily rugby training, we played a real life cluedo, had our own Olympics. The last canoeing day was day 12 out of 14. Today, as we already had seen all the fun stuff and wrestled in the water, we thought that today would be the perfect day for turning boats over. NOPE. First of all, every one or two elders had to take a small boy and, secondly, a coach was always following us on their own 1 place canoe (so lucky).That day it was our turn to make true the yearly Haunted House. For me, and I was just the gate keeper, it was difficult not to laugh, also because for the elder groups, after my say, I went behind poking them with my stick. On the last day, some of us missed the party because of an incident I feel I'm not the one to write about it but we all returned home in one piece.

The End

Our trip to Navarra

Our Trip To Navarra

On friday 20th, after school, we went to the Avenida de Séneca to catch a bus that will take us on an awesome journey to Pamplona in Navarra. The first surprise we got was the fact that there were tablets on the seats you could play on. After a quick stop for some fresh air and another 2 hours in the bus, we arrived at the Hostel. We all chose a bed and then hurried downstairs for supper. That was the second surprise (or dissapointment) I got. Potato tortilla for supper! Yuk! I tried to finish off the sixth I had in front of me for the sake of my allergies, but I just couldn´t. After the meal we all proceeded into our bedrooms to sleep. It was already about 9 pm. Anyway, we mucked about a bit and then we lay down at last.

Saturday was the big day. We arrived at La Única's field at about 8 a.m to find we were the first team to get there (excluding La Única). I'm saying this because there was something else we didn't realize there were other teams in the tournament. There was a  particularly nasty french team that started fighting for no reason at all. Well, everything went a lot better after our game against the french team (which we won). We played against La Única, the game resulting in a 18-18 draw.

All the teams pose at the end of the tournament

 For third time we had a ginormous (and I mean ginormous) paella that disappeared off the plates as if by magic.

The Cisneros team gobling up the paella.

 We were then given the trophies for participating and got back on the bus. We were taken to a beautiful park with a variety of different birds. There was also deer. After a tour of the park, we stopped at a BMX park and ate some sobados before the bus took us back to the Hostel. There were sausages with potato puré. Yum! Sleeping time was the same as yesterday.

On Sunday 22nd was the day on which the semi-finals of the cup of spain were celebrated. We were taken to the VRAC's field in bus. There, we watched the game, where we lost. After congratulating and comforting the players, we piled back into the bus and drove back to Madrid.

Parents vs children

Parents vs Children

On the 14/5/2016, after I'd come back from my swimming lessons, we left almost at once for the Central Complutense University rugby pitch. We watched how the U-18s played a game of Forwards vs Three-quarters, but all of us were thinking "what and who are we playing against?" We were told to go to the B pitch. There we recieved the terrible news: our parents were playing against us! Well, we all tried to keep a straight face, but all of us suddenly had butterflies in our tummies. Against our parents? No, that couldn't be right. We were wrong. It was right. In less than half an hour, the game started. It was not a tackling game, just grabbing. At least we didn't have to tackle our own parents. And some of them were really hard to tackle. Then we got more bad news. Our coaches were playing on the parents team! We tried really hard and scored a couple of good tries. But by then we were exhausted. My poor father had to leave the game about 15 minutes before it ended because he hadn't warmed up and had a pain in the left leg. Nowadays he keeps fit, but he still needs our support. I also got a pain in my ankle just when the game finished. Then we drove back home in time for lunch.

The 1st senior team's final

The 1st senior team's final

So, right after the prizes had been given to us and to the CRC, the 1st senior team came out to do their pre match training. I saw all of our coaches and a few of our summer camp helpers, tough (and I mean really tough) rugby players. The 1st senior CRC was not that strong against the hardened seniors as the U-14 had been against the A team. The tries started, one by one. We had found a high spot to watch the match, and we cheered and protested, as the match got more tense. Eventually, relief flooded inside us. The match was finished... and the 1st Cisneros senior team had won the Cup of Madrid! The 1st senior team hadn't won a final for about 31 or 32 years now because they always stumbled over the VRAC  1st senior team in the final. So it was quite an event.

A young player poses with one of his coaches that happens to be from the 1st senior team

The First team's final

The first team's final

After having lunch at Ginos and a quick shower at home, we rode on father's motorcycle to Orcasitas, where the 1st senior team and the U-14 a team were playing against the CRC (Canoe Rugby Club). This was the last game of the season not only for us, but for the rest too. Well, the least I can say is that the a team lost the final and the Complutense Cisneros A was 2nd in the league.

My best match in my career

My Best match in my career

On the 7th May, the league for us was finished. We played our last match in the season against the XV Hortaleza.

Everyone was surprised to see me in action. An action I had never been able to get into. It was incredible what I could do. I attacked cleverly going down the left wing, although I was tackled more than once. I think I drank too much water after our tries, so I got a half-flatus. I could barely run. But I was determined to continue and, after the break, I had fully overcome the flatus and had got fully in the game to continue. It was incredible what some adrenaline and some tiredness could do to a half-tired person. I got more active in the game and, although I was flattened by a half-tonn giant from the other team (I calculated the weight roughly, for he was quite really plump), 2 other players and I were praised by the coach because we had run at him and had not cowered behind. So in that match I made some major achievements. The ultimate score was 43-22 and we had won. We went to have lunch at the Ginos Restaurant. I deserved it, my father said. I thought so too.

For safety reasons I will not write the full names of players, coaches, etc.

The semi-finals

The Semi-finals in Alcobendas

On the 30th of April, we woke up pretty early. Why? Well, on that particular Saturday there was a particularly important event being held. The semi-finals of Madrid's rugby tournament! We arrived at the field, quite different from what I remembered it on that cloudy match we played against the Alcobendas when there was no B team. It was a sunny, extremely hot summer's day and we were ready to confront the Alcobendas B. Well, that is to say. As not all of the B team turned up on time, the Alcobendas B would have to play against The Deleitor, a Portuguese club that had come to visit. After a hard training, we confronted the Alcobendas B after they'd lost against Deleitor.

When they kicked the ball off the centre spot, we caught it and sent attack after attack into their defence. In nearly no time at all we were near their try line but it took us some extra effort to score our tries. I got the ball 2 times but, as I found out the hard way, the Alcobendas B had a total different way of tackling and tripped you up, so your reaction was to drop the ball and to put your hands out so as not to bite the dust. That's just what happened to me. 

Well, after a hard match that we won (yaay!), we confronted the Deleitor. They used the same technique we used against Staines (see The London Trip post). They let their 2nd year giants do all the work in the first half and then let the 1st years try to finish off the match.

Well, there is no way I could say we won the match. Then, the Alcobendas B coach gave the captain and the half-scrum of each team a small trophy (for the captain) and a flag of the Alcobendas each. He then gave the best player another Alcobendas flag. Our team captain went home with 2 Alcobendas flags and a trophy. 

After having the 3rd time, the A team played the return game, we watched and cheered. The end of the match was a relief but it also gave me butterflies in  my tummy. The A team had gotten into the final match! We ran onto the pitch and congratulated them, slapping their backs and giving yells of joy.

For sfety reasons I will not write the full name of players, coaches, etc.

The Tournament

The tournament

On saturday, we woke up at 8:00 a.m. to get to the Complutens University as fast as dad's motorbike would take us.  We arrived right on time. While the A team started the tournament's first match, me and my friend R.F. put up all the sponsor posters. Then we watched a bit of the game until it was our turn to play. We played againt La Única from the Basque Country and lost miserably. All the day's matches gave us no doubt of the fact that we would get the "wooden spoon", an expression that says that that team has lost all their matches. All 5 games we played, we lost all of them. With the scores getting worse and worse, we had a breakthrough in our last match when we played against Colmenar Viejo. Our fast runner J. scored our first try in the tournament. Well, we all felt bad, but the consolation came soon. You see, one of our sponsors was Telepizza, something like England's Pizza Hut. We all had pizza and chicken nuggets after all the matches.

The Cisneros captain pondering the team's next move

 On Sunday we woke up at about the same time as on saturday. We got to the pitch really early, so we had some time to muck about on the pitch. But then the rest of the teams started to pour in and we decided to continue after the tournament was over. Well, the B team had 2 remaining matches in the tournament. We lost the first but we won the second. Afterwards, the A team had to play the final against a portuguese club. They lost, but all the team, including the losing B's, got the silver medal.

The Cisneros captain smashing into the opponent's defence with two helpers

 So, that was that. We cleared the pitch up and that was the end of the Rugby tournament.

For safety reasons I will not write the full name of plaayers, coaches, etc.

 

London

The London trip

On Friday 15th, at 15:00, we were all at Madrid Barajas airport checking in our suitcases because we were going to a trip to London to play against Staines FRC. The long wait plus the problems we encountered were worth the wait because after the 2 hour flight to Luton Airport we had embarked on a heavenly adventure. The hotel was quite good. After a short walk, we strolled into a Pizza Hut. There, we had a feast. The salad bar was emptied immediately. Then came the pizzas. Crunchy, tasty and good in every way, they disappeared off their plates in a split second. The ice cream machine had to be refilled twice!

That night the coaches split us into 2 groups. One of them would sleep in a ginormous 24 bed room. The other, including me, slept in a 8 bed room with a bathroom. Everyone except me and one of my friends, M.C, left the room during the night.

The next morning we went for a stroll to the park so that our appetite was 100% ready when we came back for breakfast.
 
In the bus there was immediate chatter as we arrived at The Reeves football and rugby pitch. There, we rapidly changed and trotted out onto the rugby pitch. Our opponents looked bigger and stronger. I wasn´t playing in the first half so I took out my camera. Our team struggled to score but when they did, they wantede more. The first half ended in 0-22 for the Cisneros. I played in the second half in which, I must say, a giant player from the other team jumped on top of me instead of tackling me and my shoulder cracked. Yikes! Even though we scored one try to their four or five, we still won 12-29 for us.

Our Half-scrum passing the ball as a scrum ends

During the 3rd time, we had meat, potatoes, peas, carrots and broccoli with gravy (of course). After that came a yummy apple pie with vanilla cream. After the meal, we had a series of contests such as "who eats their mars bar the fastest" or "which team can get most Maltesers into their mouthes on a tape measure".

Both teams' family snapshot

 We lost all of them, but we do have the excuse of never doing it before. Then the Staines captain made a speech and M.C translated it to the players on our team that didn't speak fluent English.The captains gave each other presents (everyone got a Staines badge). After that, the Staines 1st senior team played.

The Staines 1st senior team doing their pre-match training

We watched some and then we piled back into the bus. We stopped at Twickenham stadium (the world's Rugby Cathedral) on our way back there was a great hulabaloo to get into the gift shop first. You can't imagine the things you could find in there. Shirts, balls, salt and pepper pots, England rugby team water bottles and much much much much more.

That afternoon (and well into the night) we had a 4 hour trek around London, stopping at Buckingham palace, the Big Ben and the London Eye. After that, we were very hungry so we stopped at a KFC.

That night nobody moved from their beds.

On Sunday we made our suitcases and left them at the hotel for a bus to come and pick them up. We then went for another stroll around London stopping at the Marble arch, Hamleys, Oxford Circus and Picadilly Circus. We then went back to the Marble Arch where the bus was waiting. It took us to the airport. There, even though the boarding gate would close at 18:00, someone had the bright idea of going to a Macdonald's. The result: we all had to pour our chips into our empty paper cups and run to the gate. In the plane, we finally relaxed in our seats.

 Read the section in the centre:
http://www.stainesrugby.co.uk/v5/base.php 

 For safety reasons I will not write the full names of players, coaches, etc.

Getafe RC

Getafe RC

Today we played Getafe rugby club. As all our trainers were away, we got trained by the 1st senior team trainer. I chose my boots with short studs because we were playing on artificial grass. The other team's captain was a girl.

the referee and the captains before the match.

We had seen our opponents as soon as we got out of the car. Their team  didn't look but I think there was a U-16 boy in their team. Anyway, as soon as the game started (I was a substitute) I caught a glimpse of the typical hard leaders of the team. Hard to tackle, hard to avoid boys that are the most problematic in a rugby match.

Nº 54 player zooming up the right flank to a try

In the 2nd half, as soon as I had got in my position, one of them was already storming through the middle. When they did that, they looked good, but after they scored, our players would get up from the ground with a red hand mark on their necks (hand-off to the neck. That's illegal in rugby, you see). But we continued playing and continued scoring until the referee blew the end of the match. I believe the final score was something like 20-57. I liked it. Also, I liked being trained by the 1st senior team trainer. A true honour.

Our new trainer inspecting our passing practise

For safety reasons I will not write the full name of players, coaches, etc. 

CRC Pozuelo

CRC Pozuelo

 

Today we played against CRC (Canoe Rugby Club) from Pozuelo. 41-14. We won. Although I didn't do much for the victory. I didn't touch the ball, I didn't enter the rucks like other people did. I don't know whether it was the sun or whether it was the slight temperature, but I just couldn't play properly. Let's hope next game goes better.

Defending a ruck.

 For safety reasons I will not write the full name of players, coaches, etc.

What a shame!

What a shame!

Today we played Alcobendas B rugby club. We lost about 30-45. But it was still a challenge. We played the best we could but we had no luck. They did have some giants, though.I was substituted in the 2nd half, but I had played like a pro. Well, at least I think so. Ontop of that, there was a part when I nearly scored... and nearly lost the ball.

Our Half-Scrum dribbling too many opponents

Anyway, my friend S.V has outdone himself on this one. He even scored a couple of tries. But, as I said, we had no luck.

SV thundering down the field

Nº 39 cisneros player bocking a possible clearance of the ball

http://www.rugbymadrid.com/index.php?seccion=resultados&cate_id=259&categoria=ALEVINES 

For safety reasons I will not write the full name of players, coaches, etc.