Both teams lose

A team loses against VRAC

B team loses against San Isidro

On Saturday the 4th November, at Paraninfo, the air was crackling with tension. Today was a heavyweights confrontation. Our team, the Complutense Cisneros, was playing the VRAC, from Valladolid. Everyone was nervous. My dad took me to the pitch on his motorcycle. The first team were waiting. They were as nervous as anybody. They were facing the greatest of our many foes. But they trooped onto the pitch ready for a hard game.



The game kicked off, literally. After two minutes of intense play and a great run we scored the first try! And the crowd went wild! They went even more wild when the ball roared through the uprights. The score rolled up to 7-0. The crowd was ecstastic! Our team were starting to get more confident on the pitch. A little too confident. After two minutes, we got a try too! The transformation failed, but this got our team going. The game was getting more harsh every time. After 8 minutes, with another tremendous run, our centre scored our second try. Once again, our full-back gunned the ball between the posts. But, as they say, history repeats itself. Our team relaxed again. In twelve minutes, we had recieved another two stinging tries against, that hurt even though the transformations failed. The score now was 14-15. We were losing. The VRAC had taken the lead. The game got even more volatile if possible. The score remained the same until the end of the first half. We all knew the second half was not going to be easier.
Nonetheless, during the break, our players had regained their cold methodism. They played extremely well, although couldn't stop the 4th try (with transformation) 5 minutes into the 2nd half, or the 3 penalty points we got 5 minutes after that. But incredibly, we went very near their try line many times in those 30 minutes left for the end of the game. But we couldn't catch up. Final score: 14-25.


But now, the B team were playing against San Isidro. The match was pretty late,  so we put on warm clothes and got ready. The other team arrived. We were up. The game was difficult, as they were bigger and had won us in pre season, but today was going to be difficult.

We trooped onto the pitch. The game kicked off. We were immediately hit by their forwards. They always managed to evade us and score. Their plays always managed to avoid us. But we withstood the whole game, but without managing to score a try. Final score: 63-0.

First team wins against El Salvador, B team loses against Colmenar Viejo

Victory against el Salvador, Defeat against Colmenar Viejo

On saturday 28th, we were up for one of the hard battles in our first division: against El Salvador. These guys are in the toughest teams. We had something to worry about. Really. These guys are legit. Even before the match, we could see the difference in size. This was going to be hard.

The match started. After a short tussle in between both teams, during the fourth minute, our best runner sprinted round the defences for the first try of the match. The Cisneros crowd erupted into a cheer as our full-back transformed the try with a great kick, leaving the score at 7-0. But the team relaxed. We got tried in the next minute with a transformatio that left the score at 7-7. In the next minute, El Salvador lived up to expectations and scored again, with a transformation included. 7-14. But after nine minutes of biting our nails, our skinny and agile flanker weaved in between the defense to score our second try! The crowd oohed as the ball flew, inches from the posts... And so the match turned to 12-14.

 3 minutes into the second half, El Salvador scored another stinging try, but without transformation. 12-19. They had crossed the line. Our team went into overdrive. Only three minutes after, we scored the try we needed. 17-19. The transformation missed. After that, we scored two quick tries, with about a 2 minute interval, the last of which at last got a tranformation. The game was set: 29-19. But,  about 20 minutes from the end, we got a penalty try against us. 29-26.

Now, it was our turn. We had played against Colmenar Viejo before, but we were up against some real hard guys.The game was appaling, even thiugh we sometimes got close to their try line, we didn't score one try! Instead, we got the whole wrath of Colmenar Viejo.We had big guys popping out of nowhere with the ball and heading for the try line. This continued on like this for the rest of the match. We were tired, bothered and angry when the game finished. This was not good. We were not used to this. At least the players were kind to us and congratulated us...

A team wins against Majadahonda RC and B team loses against URO Alcorcón

A team wins, we lose

On saturday 21st, crude reality hit us in the face. We weren't invincible.

The games were played at Paraninfo. We arrived just as the A team started their game. But there really wasn't much to see. Majadahonda had ascended to first division last year. So the game started. Oh my god, talk about carnage! 










Our forwards lunged forward, like they're supposed to do, and overwhelmed the Majadahonda in such a way, that I felt sorry for the players. I stood near the substitute bench chatting when I saw the Alcorcón arrive. You've gotta be kidding me! Their whole front row were nothing but giants. How were we supposed to win? And how come they descended down to third division? We asked our coach if there was any chance that some substitutes from the A team helped us. But all our pleas were in vain. We were playing Alcorcón. 

But there was no way we could change what was coming. The match started. These people didn't look a fraction as bad as they did two years ago when we beat them. We kicked off. But in that first ruck we saw how extremely heavy they were. We had  a problem. A really heavy problem.

 And that problem was hurtling towards us. We had to act. At the start of the game, we had a pretty equal score, but then, they started scoring more tries. Things became more difficult. As if we weren't trying already. But we continued. Incredibñy, near the end, we started to score some more tries. So the score was pretty close, but we lost. I hope we have better luck next week when we play RC Colmenar Viejo.

As an aside, but a very important aside, I want to add that a teammate, who is also a friend, has fractured his tibial malleolus. He's had 3 pieces of titanium inserted to help his leg to cure, but he still can't play rugby for four months. I just want to send him good luck with that leg and a "get better", as we really need him on the team.

Spectacular wins against the French Lycée

Great wins against the French Lycée (A and B team)

On Saturday 14th, we had a difficult day ahead. But it was the perfect day for rugby. We were playing against the French Lycée, a bitter enemy. In previous years, we always lost or got off with a close shave. I was terrified. I've always found it difficult to cope with their hard tackles, running and passes. But today would be different. We sat and watched as the A team played.

 It was as close to a football match as you can get. The same tension was in the air. The match was hot.

 But, little by little, the A team was advancing into their 22-line. And they scored once. And when they scored, the Lycée's defense lost a lot. Even though they put up a pretty good resistance, they couldn't counter our three-quarters. The referee blew her whistle. The match ended. The A team had won.

Then, it was our turn. We trooped onto the pitch. Our opponents looked as fierce as ever. We got ready for another hard clash ahead of us. We needn't have worried. As we kicked off, their player fumbled an easy catch. We weren't expecting this. Their junior teams, along with ours, were some of the best in Madrid, some even the best in Spain! We saw that our opponent was weak and zoomed in for the tackle.  

It was relatively easy to win the ruck. We started to get bolder and started to score tries using the most elaborate plays. But in what was the first time we defended, one of our players fearlessly tackled a Lycée player making a spectacular Superman jump. The bad thing was that the poor boy was left groggy and, ignoring his pleas to continue pllaying, he was taken off the pitch. Strangely, I got close to scoring down the left flank.

But, if there was something that we never did well, that was the touches. I was always ready behind to sweep in if the people being lifted failed to grab the ball. I got the ball this way many times. We were good in defense and in attack. I'm proud of this match. I'm proud of myself and of my teammates. Today was a good day to win.

First match

The season's first match

On Saturday 7th October, we had a match scheduled against Alcobendas C. We hadn't done so well during the pre-season matches: we were crushed by both CRC B and San Isidro RC. But today was another day, today was a good day. The sun was shining, the turf was soft, this was our home, El Paraninfo, which had recently been converted from dirt to artificial turf pitch. This was the reopening. The A team lost by 2 tries to Alcobendas A.

The A team attacking

 We would pick up where our mates left off. We would win. The other team looked pretty big, but as we looked on, their passes weren't that good, their scrums weren't that good and their tackles could improve a lot. We started training. We all tried our best. But, the thing was that the anxiousness to win was something new that day. Our eye of the tiger was growing. We were improving. It was a good day to play (and win).

THWACK! The other team kicked off. But we were ready and had spread out on the pitch in a different way: defiant. We caught it and ran. Our tries started piling in. Time and time again the other team kicked off from the centre. Our forwards were working overdrive. The scrum-half and fly-half were working so fast that I wondered if they would get numb hands. No, we couldn't have that. Our halfs were the most important in the team: we had no replacement for them.

 It was our wings and our flankers that did the job. We would pass and they would ram into the defence. But, suddenly, I got the ball. I glimpsed an opportunity down the right flank. I sprinted and got away from their wing, but the full-back got me. Anyway, we tried. The game continued. I then eventually saved the ball by nosediving in between someone's legs and catching it. We were radiant. But then, doom came: half-time. Basically, we had already won.

The second half was our downfall. We thought we had won, but they were not giving up. We were now relaxed, they were looking to catch up. The second half was a hard time, repelling their forwards as now, their tries piled in. We thought that we were done for. But then, we scored a pair of tries. This got our morale up. Then, in a ruck, our scrum-half just threw the ball when one of those excited forwards from the Alcobendas crashed into the ruck. I was the person he crashed into, and got a crack in my nose and he got a hummiliating shoulder in the stomach from me, which sent him sprawling. Finally, after what seemed to be eternity, the referee blew his whistle. We. Had. Won.

Match against Hortaleza B

Match against XV Hortaleza B

On Saturday 6th May, we would play a match against Hortaleza B. When we got to the pitch, we saw them already there, training. Wow! Even we couldn't get up so early. We made a conclusion that these were no-nonsense players facing us today. We started training ourselves to get ready for this match. We were getting ready for what we thought would be a difficult and balanced match.

We were ready. We steeled our nerves and went onto the pitch. We made our way, getting in rucks and defending every ball like there was no tomorrow. We got surprisingly little resistance. So we started scoring tries. We were on fire. Then, I got the ball. I weaved in and out of Hortaleza players, sometimes spinning like a top, until I scored. A try! Officially a try! I felt a rush inside me and felt like I was in heaven. 

Later during the game, I decided to try my luck at a few drop kick transformations. I missed both kicks. So I felt the duty to compensate those four points. So came my second try after a spectacular run down the left flank and a great feint which the defender fell for. Another try for the collection of three official tries.

In the second time, I played for Hortaleza, alongside some of my friends. We were okay, but all the Hortaleza's official tries were scored by Cisneros players. Some of us were taken off because we didn't let the Hortaleza players score the tries. Well, it was our effort, right?

Trip to France with U14, U16 and U18

Cisneros trip to France

Day 1

On Thursday 16th March, after school, we drove to the Colegio Mayor Ximénez Cisneros to get on time to the bus that would take us, the U14 team to a trip to southern France until Monday 20th, 21:00. To waste time, I tried looking out the window, but it was too boring, so I had to leave it. I, for my part. was very nervous that I'd get put in a room with U16s and/or U18s and wake up in the morning full of toothpaste, or without an eyebrow... Anyway, we were stuffed in that bus until 21:30, when we stopped to have dinner at a restaurant. We were given pasta with tomato sauce, meatballs and pudding which I found a little rancid. From there to 1:45am, there was even more bus. When we arrived, I discovered with relief that there were different blocks for each category. Some went to sleep in their normal clothes, so tired we were.

Day 2

In the morning, after causing a racket, as always, we changed into our rugby kit and headed for breakfast. We had all we wanted some pain au chocolat, cereal, nutella. We didn't need anything else. For breakfast.
We got in the bus and drove to the pitch where we would train that morning. But, unfortunately, I got tackled and, when I landed, my back gave a sickening crack and ached for two days. I got treated with reflex and continued training. After training and a hot shower, we all piled into the bus yet again. We got taken to a restaurant for lunch, where we ate paella, steak with fries and ice-cream. After that, we were given 90 minutes to do whatever we wanted. We saw this as a great opportunity to waste some money. Some of us even bought butterfly knives for 4€! The rest bought supplies for this night. In the evening, we went to St Jean de Luz, where we explored the beach, the shops, the food and the church.  We had dinner at the hostel. 

Day 3

This mmorning, we played a touch rugby game in the green. I scored some tries. Today, we also had our match in France against the... GETXO?! But those are spanish! It turns out that Getxo had joined the French league. We lost. But U16 won against La Única. In the evening, we were taken to the Toulouse-Bayonne rugby match of the Top 14 rugby League. I bought a Toulouse flag. Although Bayonne won, it was pretty awesome. We bought our dinner at the shops around the stadium.

Day 4

Today, we had another match against the St Jean de Luz Olympique. But we got some help from our sub 16 buddies. We won. Such a victory, I had never seen! Even I got close to the try. However, the U16s who playedd with the U18s had it more difficult. After the victory, we went to Biarritz, where we wasted the remains of our money in pringles, chocolates and sweets (I also bought a couple of postcards for my parents). After that, we had dinner at a Pizzeria nearby. It was great! Finally, we were driven back to the hostel. There, we all went into one room and turned on the TV. We watched and ate. Until 1:00am, when our coach Koi, a strapping, young english rugby player, burst into the room and demanded what was the racket about. We didn't want to mess with our coaches, especially with people like Koi. But we slept OK.

Day 5

Today was our last day in France. In the morning, we visited the Train de la Rhune, an incredible train that goes up a mountain using a complicated system of zips that lets the train advance when the wheels turn. After riding to the top of the mountain and back down after a short stop, we boarded the bus and gossiped until we arrived back to Madrid. There, my dad was waiting with the car. We drove home, where I showered and went to sleep.

This was an awesome trip. I loved it. We played two challenging games. One, we lost. The other, we crushed. But we had a great time at the match and had many great experiences. I hope we manage to go on more trips like this.