Saturday, Carson (CA), 8:30

Rocky Mountain

Regional Rugby Report

In this Issue:

3-for-2: men’s clubside National 7s Qualifier in Omaha

Fishing Bristol Bay, Alaska: The Sockeye Salmon Run, touch rugby and kick

docks with Bears, Mustang… and a Lion: p 2

Breckenridge-to-Brit ish Columbia

Black Ice Career Appreciation Night Things to do in (and around) Denver When You Can

o Bovine Metropolis Theatre o Denver Botanic Gardens

altitude amidst the f inest attitudes imaginable: GlobalComps: Richard & Trotski

Super XV Rugby Round

Rugby Time and Line - 2 weeks’ hence: p 14

hR’s Back Page(s): pp 15-17

o Daktari’s Rugby Cyphero Down the Whistler: “Super Rugby Playoff Mysticismo Rugby Dogs: “Wrong Tree”o At Rugby Hospital:

USA v Japan Carson (CA), 8:30pm MT on Universal Sports cable channel

Rocky Mountain

Regional Rugby Report

2: men’s clubside National 7s Qualifier in Omaha - luck in that

The Sockeye Salmon Run, touch rugby and kick

with Bears, Mustang… and a Lion: p 2

Brit ish Columbia: Peter Clarke earns an eh +: p

Black Ice Career Appreciation Night and the 7-a-side Continuum Things to do in (and around) Denver When You Can : and that won’t break your bank!

Bovine Metropolis Theatre - Improv your l ife, it ’s udderly amazing!Gardens-sponsored Mt. Goliath trail hike: lessons learned at

amidst the f inest attitudes imaginable: Trotski

Super XV Rugby - 1s t Round Scinti l lators favor homesides and on to Semifinal

2 weeks’ hence: p 14

Daktari’s Rugby Cypher : double-down, Dak! Super Rugby Playoff Mysticism”

“Wrong Tree”

Ice at the Diana Larsen (ba ll above head) sendoff

MT on Universal Sports cable channel

Rocky Mountain

Regional Rugby Report

7.24.14

luck in that draw: p 1 The Sockeye Salmon Run, touch rugby and kick-tennis on the

won’t break your bank! Improv your l ife, it ’s udderly amazing!

lessons learned at

Scinti l lators favor homesides and on to Semifinal

Ice at the Diana Larsen (ba ll above head) sendoff

There are three sides vying for two national qualifying tournament seeds this Saturday at

the Omaha 7s. Denver Barbarians, Glendale Raptors and Kansas City Blues are locked at the

top of our West Geographic Rugby Union (GRU) table with eight points for each; by

sundown on the day, two of the teams wil l be arranging transit to Seattle for USA Rugby

men’s clubside 7s National Championship Tournament, while the third need not bother.

The attainment of a slot in the f inals of Omaha assures the clubs that reach the

tournament’s terminal stage go on to the northwest in a fortnight for premium clubside 7-

a-side determination. To be sure, there wil l be a Dark Brumbie or two in the elite division

mix looking to declare their club champion, or individually impact members of the national

7s selection panel well. Those USA Rugby men and women wil l be on hand spectating or

remotely viewing match video for certain.

No clear, odds-on favorite as the Barbo have recent experiential success making last

season’s championships, Blues were form in taking their own tourney earl ier this month and

those who would discount Raptors would do so at peril . Suffice to say, there wil l be much

more than the weather happening in Omaha, on the banks of the great Missouri River, this

upcomer.

7s

7-per-side

Bruins, Brumbies and one great Lion-heart on the Bay

If you’re young (or just thinking that way) f it and up for it , a six-week working tour of

Bristol Bay, Alaska’s f ishing grounds might be just the thing to put a signif icant amount of

cash in your pocket and perhaps bring into perspective just about everything that needs

bringing in a rugby l i fe.

First there was former Colorado Springs Grizzl ies f lanker and current Cal Poly Mustang

openside, Matt Ryan, who worked the catch in the summer of ought-12, and that bear told

other Grizzl ies; then Dallas Frye and Dan Bird made the trip in the summer of 2013; this

year, 11 rugby-playing young men from our State (plus two Cal Poly boys for a total of lucky

13) traveled to the Bristol Bay f ishery, got jobs aboard the boats that work the enormous

bounty of the Bay, and have returned home each with a s ight more dollars and a

considerable amount more sense than they left home with.

Dallas Frye, former Colorado Springs Grizzl ies backrow dynamo, lately with University of

Northern Colorado Bears and soon-to-be with Lindenwood University Lions, made the

signif icant effort and has the bank to prove it , though “the catch exceeded forecasts and

thus a price drop affected the end pay.” However, Frye states that each worker wi l l receive

a “retro-bump” in pay should the price-per-pound eventually rise through the summer

season.

Locals and working f isherfolk in town looked askance the group of young men tossing the

rugby bal l about on “about the only grassy patch in Naknek,” reports the redoubtable Frye,

“and they asked what we thought we were doing, expecting us to give up (on obtaining the

well-paid, but strenuous work aboard the 32’ f ishing boats that farm Bristol Bay). Well,

everybody got (on) a boat and we even picked up three of those f ishermen, drafting them

into our games of touch and kick-tennis.”

It ain’t easy toi l . “Sometimes at night my muscles would spasm,” says Dallas, of the non-

stop, 18-hour days where they’d f ish “two tides a day”, but at least, “this did not allow for

the cold to creep (into your bones),” Frye claims of the chi l ly, wind-whipped sea and steady

action - kinda l ike on the pitch without the seabreeze!

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Maybe I’d l ike to try it ,” Mr. Frye wil l happi ly hook you

up and he may be contacted via email - frye5144@bears.unco.edu - put rugby in the subject

space of your email.

Though most of the boys returned to Colorado via Cali and are home preparing for the fall

semester, Matt Ryan and his Cal Poly mates are currently backpacking Denal i National Park

in the big state, and that’s not saying they’re malingering… it’s just that their adventure is

continuing!

Dallas Frye’s boat, which also counted Glendale

Raptors Christian Sarmento amongst its crew,

hauled one of the largest catches of al l boats in the

Bristol Bay Fishery region (Alaska has f ive). Those

who know the work ethics of that pair should not

be surprised!

Frye and Sarmento's boat: Sun l ight I I I

PC's Epic Breckenridge-to-Vancouver Bike Challenge

not to scare you or anything, but 2014 Halloween falls on

Friday this year… raise your hand if you’d like to see a

doubleheader, maybe Lady Raptors v Black Ice , and Raptors v

Barbos or possibly Highlanders v Harlequins in the Kettle prior

to a rockin’, rollin’ … perhaps a bit of ravin’ as well…

Halloween Costume Rugby Ball in the stadium

pro sa ic o r p roac t ive

… keep tho se hands up…

He se r io u s?

I ’m af ra i d

so

Wha t i f Mom f i nd s out?

br i ng ‘er

I ’ l l b e H i la ry… a l be i t a

ver y , ver y

st r i k i n g H i la ry

I ’m go in’ , you go in ?

Yep !

Dea n V er no n Wo rme r st i l l ru n ni n g t h e

show t he re ?

are yo u af ra id ?

W e’ l l be Bo n ni e a n d C ly d e

I , a l so , mu st go

Bu nn y an d

who?

I ’m af ra id o f wha t I

mig h t beco me…

slithy tove

Yah, b ut I he ar h e’ s t ry i ng to cha ng e…

T h i n k th e y ’ r e c l a s s y e n o u g h ?

C l a s s ? … s u r e ! I m a g i n a t i o n ?

T h a t ’ l l b e i s s u e

y o u e v e n th i n k a b o u t s t r i k i n g H i l a r y , w e g o t p r o b l e m …

Clarke at Tra i l 's End, Vancouver , BC

By any man’s standard, a tr ip to Vancouver, Bri t ish Columbia, Canada is remarkable, but when you make the transit by bike, wel l that’s another couple of levels above everyday, Middle Kingdom activity. Blue Goose breakaway and former Mountain League Chairman Pete Clarke’s just done it for the benefit of Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center - for dai ly blog reports from the rider, go to: http://www.peterc larke1967.blog.com

Kudos, Pedro!

Black Ice ce lebrat in g Ru gb y L i fe !

Black Ice Women’s RFC turned out in force last Fr iday to honor a few of their own who are

hanging up their A s ide boots in favor a more clement, though yet awesome, old lady-style

tournaments-and-special-occasion rugby competit ion . Diana Larsen’s retirement was the

draw, but as the consummate f lyhalf was quick to share: “our fullback/scrumhalf, ‘Li l ’ Kim

Hil l and Robin Smith, who covers second row and f lanker spots, are also retir ing tonight,”

Larsen reported ensuring, as ever, an equal distribution of the spotlight on teammates she

has shared the bal l and the pitch with for near a decade.

But Diana and company are not call ing it entirely quits, you’l l be able to catch them - if you

can - on the pitch with Black Ice’s newly-formed, mature and quite Awesome Old Ladies

(AOL) side that wil l get together as circumstances dictate for vintage extra-time action.

More info on the AOL may be gotten by contacting Jess Lincoln via email -

l incl inc77@yahoo.com, or cell 303.907.3406

Bovine Metropolis Theater

When’s the last t ime you laughed so hard you cried,

your sides ached, and you had trouble catching your breath

for the situational hi larity? If you can’t remember (or even if

you can!) a must see is Improv at the Bovine.

Lines come fast and funny from actors “on the spot”, yet

the wit f lows seamless and continuous at Denver’s home

of improvisational comedy. The Bovine, located downtown

in the 1500 block of Champa, is an academy of wit that

provides both instruction and performance in the

l ively art of impromptu comedic spontaneity.

Camilla Modesitt is typical of an atypical crew of actors: “ I got into improv about four years

ago, but honestly don’t totally remember how. I remember looking online for something to

do and… googled, “comedy” and an introductory class at the Yes Lab, another improv outfit

in town, came up,” Camilla relates regarding her entrance into the world of off-the-cuff

humor. “I signed up (for the minimal-commitment, 2.5 hour class) and the rest is history.”

As to the whys and wherefores of her own improv immersion she is comprehensive and

concise: “First and foremost, it is super fun and the improv community is full of wonderful

people. Second,” she continues, “thinking about improv is cerebrally fascinating. The

human brain is amazing; its abil ity to create stories, relationships, emotions, characters and

places all in a matter of seconds is incredible.”

Basic Tenets of the Act and Consequences

Camilla is emphatic about the benefits

of improv beyond the stage: “The

fundamentals of

improv are l istening, supporting and

discovering,” with an abiding principle

being the verbal ization of the phrase,

“Yes, and…” followed by the ever-

evolving sketch. These active

interaction skil ls are improv stock in

trade and are, “practiced constantly…

so inevitably,” she states, “they

eventually infi ltrate into your

everyday l ife. And that is fantastic,

The Bov i n e: D en ve r ’ s F i ne st an d a

Co lora do O r i g in a l a t 152 7 Cha mp a

Mod esit t , front le ft , an d Fr iend s

because practicing those skil ls makes you a better version of you.” She f inishes simply: “ In

sum, I do improv because it is great fun, a fascinating art form and (it ) challenges me to be

a better version of me.”

Some shows, l ike the monthly Tuesday “Adventure-prov” (next one’s August 12t h) night

shows, are audience-driven: at the conclusion of every short set, the crowd is given

opportunity to vote via cell phone for the topic-prompt of the following sketch. This

interval also provides blessed time to catch one’s breath before the ensuing laughter erupts

again, engulf ing the house.

More information may be gotten by accessing the Bovine’s website:

http://www.bovinemetropolis.com - Shows are open to all age groups and do not cost an

arm and a leg, either. If you’ve not seen l ive Improv before, then now is your t ime. It ’s

been said that laughter is good for the soul; wel l, Bovine brand laughter is good for the

heart, mind and soul!

udder ly amaz ing fun !

2014 Colorado Crusaders Camp

high school boys

Sundays, every 2 weeks, in “The Crater”, Mountain Ridge Middle School, 2pm - 4pm

1st ups: September 14th, running through December “what rugby is all about”

15s

This year Colorado Springs Grizzlies Rugby Club continues

with the every-other-Sunday, fall-to-winter solstice

camps that Director Otis McGregor confirms are

guaranteed to be formative, fun and open to all. What’s

more the camps are the best four-letter “f” word of

ever… F-R-E-E!

15s

2 the measure of separation between Brumbies and Chiefs in Canberra;

the home team had a comfortable, 12-point advantage at the half, 22-

10, on groundings by #s 9, 11 and 15, Nick White, Robbie Coleman and

Jesse Mogg resp. by the f irst ’20, roll ing out to a 19-3 lead in that

init ial quarter and they surged ahead 25-13 early in the second stanza;

but visitors stormed back, with dots by #s 12, 9 and 13, Bundee Aki,

Tawera Kerr-Barlow and Tim Nanai-Will iams resp., and the sides were

locked at 25-all by minute 54; each scored a further try, though

Brumbies converted and Chiefs did not, for the result of 32-30 those

wild mustangs;

4 the points differential at Kings Park as Sharks held off a determined

Highlanders traveling troupe to move onto the second playoff round;

the travelers were up by four after ’40, 17-13, but they could not

prevent the homeside from battl ing back to draw level at ’54, 20-the-

house, and though the guests took the lead at ’63 on a dot by 12, Phil

Burleigh, and Lima Sopoaga’s conversion to make for a scoreline of 27-

25, a brace of f lyhalf, Frans Steyn-sticksplitters at ’73 and ’79 meant

joy in Durban and SA at 31-27 victory; 16 points for Steyn’s boot,

while his opposite number, Sopoaga, counted 12 from the toe; Big Fish

trys by blindside f lanker Marcell Coetzee@’12, captain Bismarck du

Plessis@’52 and replacement number 11, Tondi Chavanga@’55, while

‘Landers scores came from: #13, Malakai Fekitoa@’31, loosehead Kane

Hames at the half and inside center, Phil Burleigh in the 62n d minute

Super XV

Rugby by the

numbers

Upcoming Super XV Rugby Semifinals

Crusaders v Sharks at AMI Stadium,

Christchurch NZ, Saturday 7:35pm local , 12:35am MDT (Saturday morning)

Sharks were the business when the two teams met during the season in

Christchurch, but the Crusaders were lacking a body of signif icance one should

think: and that is one Mr. Daniel Carter, who’s a player of remark as wel l as a

man who keeps the scoreboard ticking over; but Jake White is saying he’l l start

Pat Lambie, a Sharks player of note and move Frans Steyn from pivot-to-12,

which means he’l l go against Mr. C, as Colin Slade looks to stay at 10 for the

homeboys. Wouldn’t be far off base predicting a blinder here in the Land of

Rugby:

Crusaders 35 , Sharks 33

Waratahs v Brumbies at

All ianz Stadium, Sydney AUS, Saturday 7:30pm local, 2:30am MDT (Saturday

morning)

Lotta similar it ies in the clubs that spl it their brace of f ixtures this season: big,

fast and powerful forwards abetted by swift, throttl ing backl ines; the sides

matchup well with maybe the only difference being that ‘Tahs #10, Bernie

Foley, wil l look to put his man into space while Brumbies #10, Matt Toomua,

may look to take the gap (or make one) himself and then let loose his center-

stall ions; an explosive, al l-Australia clash on the upcomer from the Magic Land

of Rugby:

Waratahs 31, Brumbies 30

Australian Rugby Conference

Club Won Lost Drawn MPts

Waratahs 12 4 0 58 Brumbies 10 6 0 45 Force 9 7 0 40 Reds 5 11 0 28 Rebels 4 12 0 21

New Zealand Rugby Conference

Club Won Lost Drawn MPts

Crusaders 11 5 0 51 Chiefs 8 6 2 44 Highlanders 8 8 0 42 Hurricanes 8 8 0 41

Blues 7 9 0 37

South Africa Rugby Conference

Club Won Lost Drawn MPts

Sharks 11 5 0 50 Bulls 7 8 1 38 Stormers 7 9 0 32 Lions 7 9 0 31 Cheetahs 4 11 1 24

War atahs 12 4 0 58 Crusaders 11 5 0 51 Shar ks 11 5 0 50 Brumbies 10 6 0 45 Chiefs 8 6 2 44 H ighlander s 8 8 0 42 Hurr ican es 8 8 0 41 Force 9 7 0 40 Bul l s 7 8 1 33 Blu es 7 9 0 36 Stormers 7 9 0 32 L ion s 7 9 0 26 Reds 5 11 0 28 Ch eetah s 4 11 1 24 Rebels 4 12 0 21

Final 2014

Super XV

Rugby

Standings

2.3

0.9

1.6

Rugby Life

23 24 25 July 26, Sat: Vail v Barbarians July 27, Sun: Women’s 7s at Infinity, 2pm on StoveTop, mini-Tourney 28 29 30 31 August 1, Fri: USA v Ireland at 2014 WRWC, Stade Marcoussis, France August 2, Sat: SkiTown Rugby Tournament at Missoula, MT 3 4 August 5, Tue: USA v Kazakhstan at 2014 WRWC, Stade Marcoussis, France 6 7 8 August 9, Sat: SSRFC v Glenwood, Breck v GJ, Vail v Aspen 10

23 24 25 July 26, Sat: DHRFC 22n d Annual Lester Townshend Memorial Tour de Chump Bicycle Pub Crawl… leaving no bike intact since 1992 27 28 July 29, Tue: Harlequins 1s t 15s training, 6pm Cook Park 30 31 1 2 August 3, Sun: Colorado Rush, Board Meeting, 11am 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

next 2 weeks

or

thereabouts

a l l c on t en t h er e in

Back Page(s)

*Daktari’s Rugby Cypher last week’s solution

solution #1: “The effort was good, but the

execution was very poor,” Reds captain James

Horwil l on season

solution #2: "We could have done with another

few minutes,"

Plessis, referring to

“L’yx niyxu epmmlmd ips l

oksxe exrxlylmd vsomulmd iyoslim;

to solve: substitute letters in the pattern above to determine the rugby

phrase .

h er e in a n d t h e re i n a n d ev er yw h er e i n RM3R © h R

Daktari’s Rugby Cypher* ast week’s solutions :

#1: “The effort was good, but the

execution was very poor,” Reds captain James

Horwil l on season-ending loss to ‘Tahs

"We could have done with another

few minutes," - Sharks skipper Bismarck du

Plessis, referring to late try surge v Stormers

yx niyxu epmmlmd ips lm Vfumxf,” Coeosogv znlmuvlux Qorbpxv Hisdlxsxe

oksxe exrxlylmd vsomulmd iyoslim;

hint : i = o

text is encrypted

substitute letters in the pattern above to determine the rugby

Dak tar i o n the H an R iv e r , Seo u l , SK

m Vfumxf,” Coeosogv znlmuvlux Qorbpxv Hisdlxsxe

substitute letters in the pattern above to determine the rugby-related

Down the Whistler h R ©

XV r u g

b y

t i m H o r s e s w i l l r i d e o f f i n t o t h e S X V s u n s e t c o m e t h a t S a t u r - t i m e

M o n e y w h e r e m o u t h i s ! A f i v e r , m e t h i n k s ?

C a r t e r v t h e n e w l y r e - r i s e n L a m b i e

y e a h , b u t n o

w h o ’ s a t 9 ?

o n e t i m e I w a s i n a

f i g h t… b o y d i d i t h u r t !

I s e e y o u h a v e n ’ t

s h u t u p , y e t ?

i t ’ s o n , i n n i t? O h , v e r y m u c h s o

a f a i r f l u r r y o f ‘ e m l a d d i e b u c k !

C a r t e r v S t e y n , S l a d e v L a m b i e

Not-just-big … but, awful tal l…

oi!

‘ T a h s o r

H o r s e s ?

T h e n y o u , m y

f r i e n d , s h a l l l o s e y o u f i r s t … o h I b e e n

w a i t i n g f o r t h i s fo r e v e r !

i t ’ s a b i g w o r l d … a f t e r a l l , i t ’ s a b i g w o r l d … a f t e r a l l , i t ’ s a b i g w o r l d … a f t e r a l l

So , bac k i n t he d ay , m y

pro ge n ito rs s por te d

inc i sor s a s lar g e a s yo u r

he ad . How’ d yo u l i ke a n i c e,

b i g a nc e st ra l m emory t r i p ,

yea h? I ’ l l g iv e you b i t e…

Rugby Dogs

F r i g i d a i r

So , I ’ ve b e en ta lk i ng

to t eam mat e s w hat

own dog s a n d th ey

te l l me, “ a ca g ed

pu b by b i t e s no

couch .” W ha dd aya

th in k o f t ha t? New

mea ni n g to t h e t e rm

ke n ne l - u p, y ea h?

R a l e i g h H i l l s

Y ’ kn o w I w a s

ke n n e l e d o n c e ?

o w n

c o n s t r u c t i o n ?

w h y y e s … y e s I d o

I b e t ‘ T a h s

w a n n a b e t?

N o r w i l l I . T h a t ’ s i t ,

l e t ’ s g o … p a r k i n g l o t !

RSVP

the cryp

Well I have to tel l you, and I ’m seein g i t more and more

these days , th ere’s th i s… I don’t know, i t app ears to b e,

y ’know… in s id e th e card io -pulmonary archi tectu re…

Aaaaaa-aaaah! Daktar i , g ive i t to me

st ra ight , l ieb er Gott ! I ’m done fer , a in ’t I?

No, n -no, no, not at a l l… i t

just seems that you’ve got a whole lo t o f

rugby in your heart and a l so in

the b lood as wel l

Y e s , y e s ; w e kn e w th a t . I t ’ s G r i z z l i e s .

m o r e t h a n t h e y !

À l’Hôpital de Rugby