Made my way down to WIN on Sunday for the first matches in the Junior Gold Cup. A good crowd turned out to cheer on the locals but the boys were caught just a little bit short on the day. The Sydney North squads are considered by those who should know as probably the strongest squads coming out of Sydney for this tournament. They certainly came ready to play and our boys found it hard to keep up in both matches. Soundly beaten on the day I reckon there were plenty of lessons learnt and the day was a bit of a wake-up call for all as to what to expect throughout this tournament. Onward and upwards.
Speaking of WIN Stadium. This really is a first class Stadium of which we can be proud. It was pouring rain all morning where I come from and was still belting down as I drove to the ground. I was starting to wonder if the games would even go ahead. The rain stopped about half an hour before kick-off and the field looked like there had been no rain at all. The teams took the field and the ground proved to be dry and fast with no signs of any of the water we had experienced all morning. No wonder the ground is getting the reputation as being one of the best playing surfaces in the country.
There is also some renovation works underway at some phone number library other Illawarra rugby grounds. Work is well under way at Vikings Oval on the western mound restoration work. A new length of the field retaining wall is almost completed creating a new look western side to the ground. The first stage will be completed for the start of the comp and later stages will see terracing and eventually seating on the hill. The long awaited Grandstand at Eridge Park in Bowral will start to take shape at the end of the 2014 season. This work will also include some alterations to the existing Building. Let’s hope the work includes some bigger change rooms.
Super Rugby gets into full swing this weekend with a full round of matches. The Lions and Sharks had wins in South Africa last week as the tournament got underway. The Sharks had a big win over the Bulls in Jake White’s first match in charge. I’m sure there will be plenty of people in Canberra keeping an eye on how the Sharks are traveling under the former Brumbies coach. The Waratahs look very strong on paper and if they can carry on with the form they showed toward the end of last year they should be able to start with a win against a new look Western Force. The selection of Foley and Beale beside each other will be worth a good look. They say that Beale has been training the house down and that he has his head in the right place. Coming off surgery for a crook shoulder and having had more than his share of injuries over the years, let’s hope that his body can withstand the extra rigors of playing in the centers. My tips for this weeks matches: Crusaders, Cheetahs, Blues, Brumbies, Sharks, Stormers and Waratahs.
Speaking of tipping, the Rogue went pretty well last year in tipping winners, except Grand Final day. Do you reckon you can beat The Rogue? Soon you may get your chance to try. Watch this space.