Our performance at this tournament was similar to the weather; at times miserable, at times blowing hot and cold, at times really hot!

After a reshuffle of the original schedule, (to please the usual group of moaners) we as Red Saints fear no-one, obviously unlike some others. We opened the account with Söderlund (a mixture of Erikslund and Södertälje), this mixture allowing them a full squad plus substitutes. This was well fought, and despite our non-existing substitutes, our ten men stayed on that pitch for the full twenty-four minutes, took and gave hell, to produce a 15-15 result.

Frölunda with a full troop of nineteen players, and six years of experience, offered a formidable force. After the first bruising battle with Söderlund and an all too long two-hour break, we found ourselves mentally and physically lacking in our approach to this match. Frölunda ran in try after try, we never regrouped, and a crushing 10-55 was the result.

Our last match on Saturday was against Trojan, a team that we have crushed twice already this season. However with their sixteen man squad, our ten men fought a hard fight; again, after a two-hour wait. But this time the lads had sat for half an hour self-analising themselves as a team (a tough, hard lesson in life), and looking slightly nervous our boys came out, and did perform a well, only to lose 20-25.

SUNDAY – Vänersborg came out fighting, still licking their wounds I feel after being beaten by us already this season, and their well-drilled team did not want to suffer a repeat performance. Our Red Saints held up well, result 20-25; a bitter disappointment to our brave lads.

Our final match was against Enköping. Our constantly growing team of heroes knew what to do. From the first to the final whistle, we on the sideline were a witness to poetry in motion. A thoroughly deserved 30-15, VICTORY!

In short: Played 5, Won 1, Lost 3 (2 of which with 1 try), Drawn 1.

FINAL SUMMARY: This was our first long-distance tournament, a new experience for many, and definitely for us as a team. So now we know how it feels to travel long distances, sleep and eat in unfamiliar surroundings and have to play matches, so next time this will not come as a shock. We will insure in the future, that all times we will travel with all our players. The Red Saints U15-team needs and will come first. We now have a fifteen-man squad and when all are assembled we have an unbeatable team. We entered this season an unknown quantity/quality, we have established our name and place in Sweden Rugby; four tournaments – two silver medals – pride intact – and a great future ahead. The team spirit and behavior of our lads, on and off the pitch, is second to none, as all who were at Gothenburg can bare witness. Let us all, players, parents and coaches look forward to even bigger and better tournaments and gatherings in the second half of this season, and indeed, the seasons to come.

On a separate note, huge thank you to Cecilia, for a problem-free, excellently organised trip; accommodation, food, Liseberg and bus – TOP JOB! A huge thank you to all those who made Saturday night a party to remember (hope to see even more parents next time). On a final note, thank you to our brave Red Saints team, who make all this possible.

Nigel and Richard

Our three U17 players teamed up with Trojan and Hammerby to form “Piraterna”.

After just one  hours practice together they took on Exiles giving them a good match, going down by only 3 tries. The next match was a tough one against Vänersborg, but the “will” was still there and good tackles were put in.  A come-back in the last minute earned a great draw against Wexiö in the last match on Saturday, unfortunately missing a conversion for a win.

At 11.00 on Sunday it was up against Vänersborg again, our players strengthening the Wexiö side. Vänersborg, the eventual winners of the U17 were held out until long into the first half. This match was followed immediately, by joining Piraterna again to give Exiles a tough match, just going down by two tries.

The last match was against Wexio winning by 2 tries and thereby taking out 3rd place. Not only that but Piraterna won the Fair Play prize also.

Guy Taylor

Any artist will tell you; ”to create a masterpiece, you must have the right raw materials” and boy, do we have them! Due to dedication at training all of our Red Saints are developing beyond all hopes and expectations. Arriving at Brommaplan on a tournament day, always fills me with a great sense of excitement, wondering what treasure-chest of memories is today going to bring us all. I pity any and all teams that turn up to tournament, over-confident or lacking confident, and then face our lads. The pure determination, the never-say-die attitude is just beyond all criticism. We opened our account against Exiles (and if we continue at our present rate, they will exile!). The first, all important, five to ten minutes (as anyone who was witness will agree) we had a fifty-fifty situation. Neither side was able to break through. Then digging deeper than they have ever done before, and with a succession of lucky breaks, they started to move ahead. Sure we made some vital errors, but fancy handling picked up over seven years can and will take its toll. Sometimes luck is with you and sometimes not. Our lads continued to fight, and would not give up. We left that pitch wiser and stronger. Everyone I spoke to said the same thing, “This Red Saints team, they can take it, and give it. They really have a great future!”

After lunch we re-grouped with new vigor, and with pride intact. Enköping did not know what hit them. These Red Saints hit them with hard tackles and even harder desire to win. Despite the oppositions constant ability to high-tackle (even from off-side positions) and other forms of questionable play and behavior, the lads came through victorious, and pure-playing clean winners; 30-0.

Erikslund, (a once thorn-in-our-side team) came up against the constantly new and improving Red Saints. Maybe due to the heat, the early good start against them, or our on-going lack of match experience, we had a last conflict of brilliance and simple errors. The consequence of this was four unnecessary tries against us. But eight well deserved, hard-worked-for, team-effort tries in our favour, a fine and well-earned result 40-20.

Scotsmen are not famous for being passionate, ask my wife! (But we are the best lovers in the world.) Rugby is my passion, and the passion our lads give and show, gives us as trainers and parents all the reasons to continue on this path. To encourage, insist and leave no achievement out of our reach! The lads, the trainers and the parents together will succeed!

Best Regards,

Nigel Matthews

Whats up this week?

Wednesday: 18.00 cleaning up the Attila clubhouse and players meeting

Thursday: 13.00 game against Södertälje at Årsta

Sunday:14.00 game against Exiles at Årsta

/Kotte

We play at Bromma Saturday the 16 against Uppsala.
Time: 15.00
Come down and support us!!

pictures from the game:

http://www.andreassandstrom.se/bildarkiv/bildarkiv.html

It’s a good job this is written and not verbal, as those of you who were at Monday’s training can acord, my voice is still not back to normal (thanks lads, but no funny comments needed!).

Where do I start, and how do I finish this summary? The simple answer to that is, as our performance in the tournament itself.

After a good warm-up, and a serious assessment of the task in hand, we were all aware of the mountain ahead, but climb it we would! Using all our arsenal of fitness, drills, guts, determination, passion, desire to conquer, and team-effort, we entered the season’s first étap. Despite a lack of match-experience, and playing against teams with five to seven years of match-experience, we rose to the challenge directly. Drawing first blood in the first half against the host-team, Trojan. This was not luck! This was how we meant to go on! Minute by minute each individual grew in stature and confidence. Lifting and encouraging each other to push on harder and better together. First Trojan fell under our hammer 20-5, and Enköping was quick to suffer the same fate, 15-5, and despite a few simple errors, the mountain became our friend!

However a travesty hit us, the loss of Johan with a fractured arm. To lose any player in this team is a disaster, and most teams would fall apart, but not Red Saints! After a quick reshuffle, with players out-of-position (playing in positions they weren’t use to)and a mixture of experienced and less experienced players, the mountain started to fight back. But did we back down? Did we f#%@! Not a chance. Fighting for possession, tackling like men possessed, and with no reserve players we looked back on our two victories with pride! And rightly so.

With a very limited time to re-cooperate and recharge the batteries, we entered our final attack for the summit. We found ourselves outnumbered two-to one!!  At half-time some discourse had crept into the ranks, but with a few choice words, the fresh memory of what we had already achieved, the lads dug deep. All that extra winter-training (indoors and out) were about to pay off. Ten MEN hit the pitch (all wearing red) and despite not winning the last match, took the fight to the opposition (who found themselves lacking). We left the pitch wiser and more proud than my humble words can say. As for our opposition they must have felt thoroughly shocked by the outnumbered new-comers belief in veni-vidi-vici!

On a final note a huge thank-you to all the parents! Your contribution in driving to and from training and tournaments is fantastic! Your support during matches and overall contributions are very much appreciated! Especially Carina, Pia and Anki who took care of our fallen man. A huge thank-you to you all! It was a great day and a great moment to see our lads receive their medals at the season’s first tournament. We all look forward to see much of the same in the near future!

Yours,

Nigel, Richard & Cecilia

We got a training game against Exiles Saturday the 18 Th in Eskilstuna. More info about time and were we meet will come out soon.

Kotte

The practise for BRSC  and Attila are from today at Bromma.
Time 18.00-19.30 Mondays and Thursdays.

Extra training Saturday the 4 Th 11.00 Bromma!!!!

See you there Kotte

Today is the last Practise at Enskede IP. Thursday practise are at Bromma 18.00.

/Kotte

Yesterday we had a players meeting with Attila. Over 35 players there!

Looks like we going to have a good season!
We play in the allsvenska with Attila and have B-teams games when we got people enough.

Training times:

March

Bromma Red Saints and Attila together at Enskede (outdoors, bring running shoes and shoes for artificial grass)

- Every Tuesday 18.30-20.00

- Every Thursday 19.30-21.00

Bromma Red Saints and Attila Tour to Dublin! 25th to 30th March

April

Bromma Red Saints and Attila training together at Bromma Pitch

- Every Monday and Thursday 18.00-19.30

Rest of the season

Bromma Red Saints and Attila training together

- Every Monday at Attila’s new pitch in Fisksätra (Times not yet decided)

- Every Wednesday at Attila’s new pitch in Fisksätra (Times not yet decided)

- Every Thursday at Redsaints Bromma pitch(Times not yet decided)

For be able to play with the A-team you need to training monday and thursday practise. Wednesday practis is optional.

Chairman and Coach Kotte