While Powell River Otago Rugby Club faced a Victoria Castaway Wanderers team that had seven first division players and an international player on the pitch, Otago managed to acquit itself well, scoring five tries against its tough opposition.
Otago travelled to Victoria for an exhibition match on August 26 after the Victoria side travelled here earlier this year, also for an exhibition match. Otago coach Jack Beardmore said it was a phenomenal game of rugby, with the final outcome being 51-29 for the Castaway Wanderers.
“We got blindsided a little bit after me specifically saying let’s keep this a third division game,” said Beardmore. “It was anything but. They actually had an international player out there from Zimbabwe and he was something else. He was on an exchange and wanted to get one last game in before heading back. He scored three tries on us.”
Beardmore said the game kicked off and five minutes in, Otago lost its captain, Steve Quigley, who had a hamstring pull at training before the Victoria game and it popped on him after his first contact.
“That was demoralizing because he is a leader out there and the guys really look up to him,” said Beardmore. “Then, we lost two more players after that, so we were down three players after 18 minutes. I had some spares there but losing some guys in critical positions hurt us.”
Beardmore said for the first 20 minutes of the game, Otago controlled the field.
“They hardly even touched the ball,” said Beardmore. “We went up and scored a try on them and we were up early in the game. About 18 minutes in, we made a little mistake and that guy from Zimbabwe grabbed the ball, was gone and scored. Nobody was catching him because he has international speed.”
After, the game went back and forth, said Beardmore, adding that he so proud of the way Otago played. In the end, Victoria beat Otago convincingly, but Otago put five tries on the opposition.
“I was really pleased with that,” said Beardmore. “My nephew Jordan Hamilton scored a hat trick – three tries. He started on second row but I moved him onto the flank.
“As far as forward play we were the better team, but once they got it out to their backs, they were gone. In the next five or six practices, we will be working on back line defence. They weren’t getting up quick enough to take away time and space. You can’t let those kind of guys have a run at you because you’re hooped.”
Beardmore said the Castaway Wanderers were regularly subbing in players, but with the injuries, he was unable to do so, so for the last 25 minutes, Otago players were knackered.
“That’s when the game got away from us,” said Beardmore. “Up until then we were right there with them.”
Beardmore said the game was a good learning experience and afterward, at the clubhouse, Victoria players had a lot of accolades for Otago.
“They admitted that had they fielded a legitimate third division side the game might have had a different outcome,” said Beardmore. “Having the weekend together, you could see our guys coming together, so it was a great weekend.
“The Castaways are a big club and they are just building and building. They start with nine-year-olds and work them all the way through the system. Many have been playing rugby since they were nine years old. My hat is off to them because they have a phenomenal program.”
Beardmore said he told the Victoria club about the mini-camp Otago held for young players this summer, and the high school program that’s in place, and their members were impressed.
Looking back on the experience, Beardmore said Otago grew immensely from that one game.
