By Maxx Steinmetz
This past week the Rutland Roosters Rugby Football Club (RFC) began the second half of the season by traveling to Ludlow to face Black River RFC for the second time.
The day was sunny and the Rutland Roosters arrived with a player to spare, but hadn’t gotten to the pitch in time for sufficient warm-ups. Luckily, Black River’s team did the same. Plus, they started the game short handed with only 12 players taking the pitch (as opposed to the standard 15).
Play from the Roosters was more fiery and relentless than it was cool-headed and “clinical.” Black River kept up in terms of pace through valiant and impressive efforts from all involved — unfortunately, however, they could only convert on one occasion when Black River’s Sam Brown ran in their single try in the first half.
At the blow of the final whistle ending the game, the score stood at 96-5 in Rutland’s favor thanks to a grand total of 18 tries.
Man-of-the-Match honors (each team votes for who they felt stood out for the opposing team) went to Keith “Crazy” Duncan from Rutland’s side and Matthew Wood from Black River’s side.
With this victory, Rutland has won three successive games in a row and are 4 and 1 for the season, which brings the Roosters up to second place in the standings.
But they have a challenge ahead of them as they are due to host the undefeated, division leader, Mad River RFC of Stowe this Saturday, Oct. 18.
