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BBR

 

The Standard

 

What a lotta Otters!

This year the Barebacks brought an international flavour to the French capital with a team comprising of 3 Scots, 1 Spaniard, 1 Saffer, 1 Aussie, 2 Taffs and 1 resident of Englandshire. Although, between them they only represent Scotland, England and Wales at touch.

The scene was set of an epic encounter with our rivals in the south, the London Otters. Their captain Justin Conway had recruited wisely and brought a strengthened team to Paris this year knowing the key players who were representing the BBR. He even drafted in the welsh wizard Kieran Hopkins who had last year been the thorn in our side.

As if by fate the two teams were at opposite ends of the draw and after several hard fought battles, including a narrow 3 – 2 win by the BBR over the French side Fifty Fifty TR, the two teams met in the grand final. For this match the pitch had been amplified to the full international dimensions (70m x 50m) and a full refereeing complement (3 refs) was in place.

Clare Gregor strides out against Celtic Touch

It was hard fought battle to begin with, each team trying to sound the other out, similar to a boxing bout with each pugilist finding their range. The BBR were first to concede and ended the first half 3 – nil down after two horrific calls by the French referee. In the second half the BBR picked up their game and would have finished it 2 – 2 but for another heinous call by the same referee. This time denying Becks Knights a score from a Sanjuan scoop. Our only score came from our welsh debutant Gareth Revell as he galloped in from the half way line after a clever inside pass from captain Sanjuan beat Hopkins, 5 – 1 the final score.

In conclusion the better side on the day were victors but the margin was magnified by some below average refereeing. Last year 3rd, this year 2nd can only mean that next year the BBR should walk away as gold medalists.

And as for the afterparty, carnage as usual. Another excellent BBR weekend

The Team