Charleston Outlaws RFC

PRE-SEASON TRAINING SESSION  

PRE-SEASON TRAINING SESSION - SATURDAY, AUGUST 25th 10:00 AM - NOON followed by a mandatory club meeting. (venues for both will be sent out closer to the date).

The training session is open to ALL CURRENT PLAYERS, OLD BOYS WHO ARE WANTING TO COME BACK OUT AND NEW PLAYERS TO THE CLUB.

The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the following:

1. To discuss the expectations and goals of the upcoming 2012 - 2013 Season with a focus on what we as a club want to achieve in the fall from a player development, squad development and skills development perspective.
2. Player responsibilities - an open forum on what each player is willing to commit/not commit to the season, lessons learned from last season and the agreeing of a player commitment charter agreed on by the players and signed off on by the players.
3. To discuss any exec positions that are open and need to be voted on as well as what help the exec needs from the players for the upcoming season.

Please make sure you make a note of the date and time - there is no reason why we won't be done by 2 PM. Your lack of participation for no other reason than you can't be bothered, should be a wake up call to you that the Outlaws are not in your immediate future.

The off season is not an excuse to sit back, drinking your body weight in beer and get totally out of shape. You should already be engaged in some sort of off-season conditioning on your own time. Please don't come to the practice on the 25th out of shape as you will find the session very painful.

Preseason training will officially begin the first Tuesday the week after Labor Day - September 11 and every Tuesday and Thursday thereafter.

Cheers,

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Fall Practice Schedule 

Fall Practice to Start Tuesday September 11 at the Citadel All Weather Practice Football Field

Calling upon all current players, old boys, semi retired, new players to the area and those who have never played rugby before. The Fall Season practices begin Tuesday September 11 at 7 PM and every Tuesday and Thursday thereafter at the Citadel All Weather Practice Field (directions - (Wilson Field)). Our goal is to play 6 competitive games including the Palmetto Cup and one Friday night game under the lights against USC. ALL players are welcome.

It is IMPORTANT to note that we use e-mail to communicate all club updates. Therefore, if you are new to the club and have not yet submitted your e-mail address to the clubs Webmaster, please do so ASAP to webmaster@charlestonrugby.com

Cheers

Posted By: Taffy

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Saturdat October 6 - Outlaws Home Opener 

Outlaws Open Fall Season With 2 Homes Games - Battery Practice Field, Daniel Island

The Outlaws will play 2 games against Armstrong Atlantic University out of Atlanta beginning at 1 PM, followed by the Citadel at 3 PM. The Outlaw family is encouraged to come out and support the club as we begin the Fall Season with many new players making their first start for the Outlaws. Most of which will take the pitch for their first time!

See you there! Cheers!

Posted By: The Honorable and Distinguished Christopher Greenslade

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Outlaws Shine in Early Season Tune-up 

Worldwide Fans, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Yesterday saw the start of our Fall Season with a new look team. Some of last seasons regulars have left, for various reasons, and while we had some of the regulars back it was still a new look team. When this happens there is always a certain amount of apprehension, how will we react and will the new players fit in are some of the questions. Yesterday some of those questions were answered. Here’s how it went.

First, let me start by saying that we were officiated by one of our prime referees from this region and I believe he swallowed a whistle prior to the start. No matter, Gramps started the scoring with a penalty at the 6 min. mark and followed with another at the 14 min. mark. The game was a scrappy affair with a lot of stops and starts and very little continuity. It was not until the 18th minute that we scored a try. Our new fly half, Wes, received the ball from some open play and went over in the corner, Gramps converted. At the 36th minute Wes went blind, from a scrum, passed to Gramps who scored and then converted. From a scrum, just prior to the half, there was a miss pass to Pat who passed to George (new guy) who scored. When the half time whistle blew it was 25 to 0 in our favor.

The second half saw a much improved Outlaw team. We kept possession of the ball and supported the runners well. from the close support we scored several tries. Tries in the second half were scored by Griffin, Pat, Aussie Dave and Matt Williams (2). A far better performance than the first half.

The overall consensus was, that considering this was a new look team, we show signs of promise. New players performed well and fit into our system, obviously with more practice they will become more familiar and the performances will improve.

From a coaches standpoint here’s what I saw and thought. Whenever you play, you play what is in front of you and overcome obstacles. One of the bigger obstacles was the whistle and decisions, however, good teams overcome this and go on to win, we did, but we let it unsettle us and didn’t adjust until the 2nd half. This was partly my fault because I haven’t addressed these issues but we will. When the play is constantly interrupted and the flow is reduced we must learn to play a tighter game until we can get control of things and then go back to our game plan. Taffy and I have been reluctant to place an emphasis on a tighter game because if we go that route we will lose. There has to be some middle of the road that we can adapt. Our concerns with the tight game is that if we use pods to lockdown the ball and then the ball goes wide, who will ruck for it? The obvious answer is the backs, but every single swinging dick must be onboard with that or else the tight game goes by the way. If the ball has gone wide and the ruck is won then the forwards will be available midfield to carry it up again and start the lockdowns, or running, or whatever, but our commitment must be total, by everyone. Forwards can’t be expected to play a forward game then run wide, win the ruck and start again. We would have no forwards in the 2nd half if we did.

Another concern is the depth, timing of the passes and the spacing in the backfield. For the most part the continuity was spoiled by the whistle and some scrappy play, but again, when this happens we must react in a positive way and go back to what I was saying earlier, we tighten the game until everything is settled. The question is, if we tighten the game up can we go back to our more expansive style?

In the coming weeks we have Atlanta, they will be big, they will be fast and they will be organized. By this time our game must be in order, both the tight game and the open game. Opportunities that went begging in the second half, in this game, must be turned into scores. At one time we had a full back line, and then some, with no defense out wide. The forwards got white line fever and wouldn’t let it out, that sort of thing has to be seen and corrected.

Overall it was a good win, we have witnessed what we have available and what talent we have and I would be remiss in not saying that I was pleased and somewhat optimistic. We will definitely improve over the coming weeks and I look forward to some of the harder challenges we face.

I could not stay for all of the div 3 game, age, fatigue and a drive from Florida at 4:30 am wore me down, but again, we had a mix of new faces and veterans and from what I saw things looked far more promising than what I first expected at the beginning of the season. To all the new guys, I hope you enjoyed playing your first game for the Outlaws, we enjoyed having you come out.

Posted By: Disco Dave Hawkins (Newly, Fully Retired)

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Saturday's a Rugby Day! 

Charleston Rugby Fans!

We have 2 home games scheduled for tomorrow (10/20).

Atlanta Old White - 1 PM KO
Southern Pines - 3 PM KO

Both games will be played downtown at Annsonbourgh Field opposite the Aquarium, (directions). For parking, take Calhoun street toward the Aquarium and you will see a public parking garage on your left.

Immediately after the matches, join the Outlaws at the post match party at Molly Darcy's on East Bay street (our new sponsor). Come hoist a pint and show good lads from Atlanta and North Carolina a great time. And remember, Charleston always wins the party.

Posted By: TaffEE

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Match Results 

Worldwide Readers and Fans

I know most of you will be anxiously awaiting this review, I wish I had better news. We lost our first major game of the Fall and improvement is paramount. Final score 28-20 to Atlanta.

Now, a mention about the Div 3 side, what a difference. While a lot of those guys are new guys they never lacked for effort or heart, they were ably led by some of our veteran players and never quit. It is all a coach can ever ask for, go out there and give your best for 80 minutes and these guys did. They were beaten by a more experienced team but after being 30 points down at the half they came back to within 4. It was a great effort and if there was a man of the match award it would go to all these guys. Well done Guys.

This upcoming weekend your Outlaws travel to Greenville to compete in the Palmetto State Championship - results to follow.

Posted By: "Disco Diamond" Dave Hawkins

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11/3 MATCHES CANCELED 

Home matches for November 3rd vs Atlanta Renegades have been regrettably canceled.

Posted By: Webmaster

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Two Home Matches - 11/17 

Come on out and support your Outlaws this coming Saturday. We have 2 games:

Our Division 3 side will play the College of Charleston (1 PM KO)
Our Division 2 side will play Hilton Head (3 PM KO)

Both games at Annsonboro Fields Downtown adjacent to the Aquarium. Party to follow at Molly Darcy's.

Posted By: Taffy

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