LARC v Malibu RFC
Sunday 28th October 2007
By Julian Bristow.
LARC traveled to Calabasas to play Malibu RFC in an early preseason fixture.
Due to the recent fires in the Malibu area the game was moved from Saturday at Bluff Field to Sunday at A.E. Wright High School.
Even with the late changes both clubs had good attendance and were supported by a USC v Pepperdine College game and supporters.
Malibu RFC is a relatively new club to the SCRFU Division 3 and looks to have a good squad of keen ruggers that should do well in the 2008 season.
After the first week of preseason training LARC was able to field 22 players for the match and all 22 were needed.
The conditions were hot, the air was not the best and the field was covered in land mines in the shape of sprinkler heads and outlet covers.
It was a bit of a reality check after our last 2 games of '07 at the OMBAC clubs beautiful Little Q field in San Diego.
LARC welcomed many new players to the club with John Yuhus, Simon Poulton, Sean & Kyle McBride and Jesse Compton all getting game time and doing very well. Some 'old' heads were able to get out and hit the track, most impressively was the one and only Joe Katoa who showed all of his experience leading a young and new forward pack into the fray.
LARC did field a large forward pack with Joe, Gabe and Chuck weighing in at 780 lbs up front, and Billy and Stu in the 2nd row, followed soon after by Kana when Stu went down with a shoulder injury. The back row was also very well represented with Chris, John and Simon doing an industrious job in all areas.
The backs were always a threat, Marcus and big stride Hunter McGee in the center, and the raw speed out wide of Omar, Erik (black) and Kyle running wild.
LARC had difficulty adjusting to the refereeing 'style', however, after the LARC fly half was yellow carded for being an idiot the game took on a new meaning. Omar shifted from wing to fly half and dominated the match, creating opportunities from nothing and demonstrating his awesome talent.
All the reserves got on in the second half and by the end of the two thirty minute halves LARC had scored seven trys to one. The best being on the stroke of full time when Jesse Compton, the soccer stud from (funnily enough) Compton, swooped on a loose ball and showed his raw speed to race sixty yards for a score under the posts. ZULU!
LARC welcomed new players, a new coach, and a new season with a comfortable first up win over a determined Malibu RFC.
LARC Players: Joe, Gabe, Chuck, Stu, Billy, Chris, John*, Simon*, Sean*, Julian, Erik, Marcus, Hunter, Omar, Kyle*, Gary, Justin, Mazolu*, Andy, Jose, Brandon & Jesse*. Also, a big thank you to Dave & Megan Lockridge for coming out and supporting the team.
