Worcester 13-20 Santa Monica by Andrew Hush - June 11, 2005 Worcester fell at the national semi-final stage for the second time I three years, after a 20 point second half saw Santa Monica overcome an 0-8 half-time deficit. A helpful tailwind combined with some excellent phase play and goal-kicking saw the Californians put away the New England champions. It all began so well for Jason Lett's side. Early pressure could easily have led to one or two tries, but for crucial errors at the last minute. However, with excellent tactical kicking from Mark Sutton and Ian Simpson, Wormtown constantly pinned the Santa Monica back three deep in its own territory. Worcester was rewarded for its strong play when Tomas Tauszig was successful with his second penalty attempt in the 25th minute. With half-time approaching Worcester extended its lead with the game's first try. A magnificent driving run by Shane Lett saw him take the ball deep in the opposing 22, before he was somehow able to unload the ball to the supporting mark Sutton, who dived over in the corner, to the delight of Worcester's traveling fans. The eight point half-time lead was the least the side deserved following an excellent forty minutes. The second half began with a mirror image of the first, but this time it was Santa Monica's turn to press. Spirited defense was the order of the day for the Worcester 15, with Sean Hillier, Jason Lett and Rob Cone to the fore with a succession of big tackles. However, the pressure would finally pay off for the California side, who scored first through a penalty and then, with nine minutes remaining, a converted try to give it a 10-8 lead. Still Worcester was not beaten and summoned up the energy to mount an offensive on the Santa Monica posts. Alas, after Tauszig missed a tough penalty into the wind, the ball broke free for a counter attack that saw Monica's second try of the day. With time running out Shane Lett capped a fine individual display with a try that gave his side a glimmer of hope. Sadly, the referee's final whistle put paid to that, leaving Mike Diamantopoulos and his side wondering what might have been and resolving to be back next year. California Dreaming by Andrew Hush - May 22, 2005 California Dreaming! Worcester reached the 2005 national Final Four in San Diego, CA, following a successful weekend in Canton at the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. Following a crushing 47-15 defeat of Boulder on Saturday, Wormtown was made to work hard by a resilient Huntington Beach side a day later but emerged with a well-earned 8-0 victory. Worcester 47-15 Boulder It was a day for Worcester's forwards to be proud, as they backed up their immense work-rate and defense with offensive skills their peers in the backs would have been proud to call their on. Five of Worcester's seven tries came from the big boys up front, with each of the starting front row crossing the line. A tight first half featured some excellent tactical kicking from messrs Sutton, Tauszig and Simpson and these three had a big role to play in Worcester's early scores. Tied at 3-3 following a Tauszig penalty that was cancelled out by an impressive 45 meter drop goal from Boulder's fly-half, Sutton crossed for the first try of the game after a break from Pat Kennedy was well supported by Ian Simpson, whose pass to Jason Lett was offloaded for the speedy Sutton to score in the corner. Boulder was no easy nut to crack, however, and took the lead in the 34th minute when a Worcester pass was intercepted for a score under the posts. The see-saw nature of the first half was completed just two minutes later when Tauszig assured Worcester of a half-time lead with his second penalty, following a Boulder indiscretion that saw one of its number sent to the sin-bin. The second half saw Worcester step up its game and pull away from Boulder. Two tries in the first ten minutes gave the number one seed a lead that, in truth, it never looked like giving up. With the front row to the fore, props Rob Tomlinson and Anton O'Donnell each scored and the side's loyal support was able to breathe a little more easily. The mysterious sin-binning of Rob Cone had no impact on the attacking play either, as the fourteen men added to their lead when Lett once again played the set-up man, putting Sean Hillier away for a try that was converted by Tauszig to make the score 30-10. Boulder responded defiantly with an excellent try of their own following a quickly taken penalty but Cone celebrated his return to the fray with his side's fifth try. By now Worcester was running riot and tagged on two further scores through Kevin Gniadek, who dived on a loose ball in the try zone, and Ben Gerry who crossed after a catch and drive in the lineout. The final whistle brought with it a one-sided score that set Worcester up nicely for Sunday's chance to play in the Final Four. The mood, although jubilant at the victory and performance, remained focused on the next, immediate task that lay straight ahead. Worcester 8-0 Huntington Beach Worcester faced off with Huntington Beach, who had beaten Chicago Westside Condors a day earlier 24-7. Although the game's winning score actually came in just the seventh minute, this was a turgid affair and Worcester's victory was built less on the exciting attacking play of a day earlier, and more on the strong defense and discipline that has been the hallmark of their play throughout the season. Worcester got on the board early when Mark Sutton, back at fly-half for the weekend, kicked through for Tomas Tauszig, who himself had reverted to his familiar full-back position, to sprint through and touch down. Worcester would defend this lead resolutely until just three minutes remained in the game, when Tauszig added to his tally with a penalty. The dogged Huntington side were a constant threat to Worcester but resolute defense by the black and white striped shirts meant that rarely was the west coast side able to create chances of its own. Despite having large portions of territory and possession, particularly before and after half-time, the Unicorns as they are known could provide no fairytale finish to their play. That a clean sheet was maintained by Worcester was thanks to a total team effort, with bruises and scrapes happily taken for the cause. Captain Jason Lett had a huge game, making tackle after tackle and popping up to support in attack. Lett's men followed the example of their captain, putting in hit after hit on their opposite numbers. Even Mark Sutton was seen in a ruck at one point! The final whistle sparked scenes of celebration on and off the field. However, as flight times and hotel reservations began to be planned, the overriding message for the victorious Worcester players was of a job still to be done. Having had the experience of losing at a Final Four two years ago, the aim now is to take the next step and bring the national championship back to Massachusetts. Worcester Defeats Amoskeag by Andrew Hush - 5/7/2005 Worcester 40-21 Amoskeag Worcester used its entire squad to overcome a spirited Amoskeag side, running in six tries in yet more appalling spring weather. With one eye on the Sweet 16 later this month, coach Mike Diamantopoulos took the opportunity to rest his main panel of players after half an hour of this encounter, giving the club's fringe players the chance to shine. Wind and rain seem to have gone hand in hand with Worcester games this spring and so it was no surprise that this game kicked off with less than favorable elements once again. Worcester, seemingly used to such conditions by now, began strongly and was quickly ahead when Shane Lett dived over in the corner after just seven minutes. Tomas Tauszig continued his outstanding recent form with the boot with an excellent touchline conversion. Dominant in the forwards and with hooker Ben Gerry adapting well following his long-awaited return from injury, Worcester took advantage of its control of the game as prop Anton ? scored his first try for the club, barging through following an excellent rolling maul by the pack. Although Amoskeag fought back immediately with a converted try of its own, Worcester retained its ascendancy and scored again through Liam Plunkett, who displayed superb awareness by choosing to kick through the greasy ball before touching down, rather than risk knocking on. With the first panel seeking warmth on the sidelines, the B-side continued its good work to remind everyone watching of the strength of the club in every position. Amoskeag certainly got an idea immediately following the wholesale changes, when lock Andrew Hush took a short pass from JJ Callahan to burst through the defense before displaying his trademark pace(?) to leave the home full-back sprawling in his wake. Awestruck, many A-side members were heard to suggest the score was a certain contender for try of the season. Guest player Simon Hunt took center stage as Worcester pulled away in the game's second period. Hunt took advantage of two fumbles by Amoskeag to race away to score from 70 meters out on two occasions. With Gary Maynard on form with the boot, the game was sewn up to the extent that sustained Amoskeag pressure and their eventual two scores proved to be little more than consolation efforts. Sweet 16 Top Seed is Won! by Andrew Hush - 5/2/2005 Boston Irish Wolfhounds 15-18 Worcester Worcester secured a 'Sweet 16' berth in the Canton bracket with victory over its hosts, who now must travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan, for the next round. On the back of an imperious kicking display from Tomas Tauszig, Jason Lett and his side took advantage of every slight opportunity on offer to earn a priceless win. As is traditional in games between these great rivals, all three possible results remained possible as the game entered its closing stages. With the scores locked at 15-15 the prospect of extra-time loomed large. Back to full strength following Rob Cone's return from the sin-bin, Worcester made one last attempt to take the game from the national champions, and, following a marvelous kick and chase from Rob Tomlinson, were awarded a scrum in their opponents' 22. As a tense crowd watched on, Jason Lett took the ball from the back of the scrum to move play infield. Ian Simpson's pass to Tauszig was as unerringly accurate as the kick from the Argentinean, which sailed through the uprights to give his side a lead it would not lose. Earlier on the game kicked off in poor conditions and the first half represented a war of attrition between the two sides. Strong kicking games were a feature as high punts sought to pin each side deep in its own half. Worcester soaked up a good deal of pressure in the early stages and had skipper Lett to thank for a try-saving tackle in just the sixth minute. In a rare early counter Mark Sutton made a break that threatened the Hounds' line but, following his kick ahead, he collided with an opponent and the chance was gone. The game exploded into life as the interval approached. Wolfhounds were first to get on the board when, following a win against the head in a scrum, the number eight drove over the line. However, Worcester showed a sign of the resilience, which would be a feature of the weekend by immediately winning a penalty. Tauszig did the rest and the sides went into the break with just two points in it. Worcester made a great start to the second half and again had Tauszig to thank when, following his own chase of his huge kick, Wolfhounds were penalized in front of their posts. Tauszig tagged on the points to give Worcester its first lead and would make the score 9-5 just minutes later with another penalty following inspired work from Rob Tomlinson. However, Wolfhounds struck back immediately with a penalty of its own. Liam Plunkett chose the last quarter of the game to unveil his secret weapon, which was as surprising to his own coach as it was to his opponents, dropping a goal to give Worcester a priceless four-point lead. A key moment in the game came with just thirteen minutes to go, when Rob Cone was binned following a dust-up with his opposite number. Immediately following this, the blow to Worcester's hopes was compounded when Wolfhounds capitalized on its man advantage with a try under the posts that was subsequently converted. As the clock ticked well into the last ten minutes, Worcester went back on the attack and evened the score with Tauszig's fourth penalty. Cone returned shortly afterwards and the scene was set for Tauszig's final act of heroics that meant so much. Worcester 20-15 Charlotte This game almost never took place, as heavy overnight rain following the previous day's games rendered the field at the Irish Cultural Center unplayable. Fortunately, following some frantic phone calls, events were switched to Mystic RFC's all-weather turf field. As the battered and bruised faced up to another tough shift and the prospect of seeing all knee and elbow skin disappear for some time, Worcester started the game well and took the lead in the twelfth minute when a penalty try was awarded against Charlotte, whose persistent infringement incurred the wrath of the referee to the point where he also sin-binned an opposing lock for a late tackle. Charlotte would counter straight away and made light of their disadvantage with ten unanswered points of their own as their backs sought to establish a stranglehold on the game. Worcester has some pretty hand backs themselves, however, and their prowess was demonstrated in the 34th minute. Kevin Gniadek was once again rock-solid under the high ball and set off on a mazy run which saw several defenders left sprawling in his wake. A calm lay-off to the supporting Shane Lett saw the outside center crash over for the try. Tauszig converted and Worcester had turned the game on its head, to lead 14-10 at half time. As Worcester's loyal support dared to dream about entering the Sweet 16 as top seed, Charlotte rocked them back into the real world with a try in the early stages of the second half following missed tackles. Shaken by this blow and some strong words from coach Mike Diamantopoulos, Worcester marched up the field once again and, following some of the best continuity play between backs and forwards over the whole weekend, were awarded a penalty that Tauszig duly converted. In a two-point game both sides tightened up as full-time approached. Charlotte missed a straightforward kick in front of the posts and was made to pay by the ever-reliable Tauszig, who took his personal tally for the game to ten points with another penalty, after Charlotte was punished for not releasing the ball in a ruck. The final whistle was welcome relief for all concerned and marked the end of a terrific weekend for all associated with Worcester RFC. The Final Four weekend in San Diego is now just two games away and Diamantopoulos, Lett and company can look forward to the Sweet 16 encounters with some confidence, knowing the ultimate prize is very much in sight. Worcester - Pittsburgh by Andrew Hush - 4/24/2005 Worcester 25-0 Pittsburgh Harlequins Despite torrential rain and unseasonably cold temperatures, Worcester avoided these obstacles and all that Pittsburgh could throw at them to continue on its road to another tilt at a national championship. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the road to San Diego will go through Canton next week, when Worcester faces defending national champion Boston Irish Wolfhounds in a seeding play-off for the Sweet 16. Worcester dominated possession and territory in the opening half but was unable to turn its pressure into points. On two occasions when it seemed that the forwards had pushed over the line their claims for a try were rejected by the referee, who cited that the ball had been held up each time. A 13th minute penalty by Tomas Tauszig was the difference between the two sides at the break, with the home side keen to press home its advantage in the second period. Defensively, Worcester's men were well organized and tackled everything that moved. That defensive mettle was tested in the second half when wing Shane Lett, who had been responsible for some of the biggest hits, was sin-binned following a high tackle. Reduced to 14 men, Worcester responded in inspired fashion and, following two more near misses when the ball just could not be touched down, finally added to its lead when center Pat Kennedy burst through to score under the posts. Tauszig converted and, with his earlier penalties, the score was more comfortable at 13-0. Kennedy's try effectively broke the Pittsburgh resistance and Worcester, sensing the tiredness of its opponent, went for the jugular. Rob Cone was rewarded for an excellent display with a score in the corner following good work from Declan O'Riordan and Jamie Gniadek. In the final minute Shane Lett celebrated his return from the sin bin with his side's third try, which gave the score a more one-sided look and reflected the dominance of the home side. So it is on to Canton for the Wormtown boys. If they win the showdown with their old foe, the Sweet 16 seeding on offer will see them remain in Massachusetts. If not, Michigan will be the destination. Either way, the sunny climes of southern California are only two games away. On a cold, rainy day in New England, that is probably inspiration enough for Jason Lett and his men. Portland - Worcester by Andrew Hush - 4/21/2005 A-Side Game 1: Portland 0-62 Worcester After a long journey and several discussions about the best way to get over a bridge into Maine, Worcester started slowly but ultimately made their class tell with a ten-try performance. The star of the show was center Liam Plunkett, who scored four tries. In the hot sun Worcester, whose defense was once again impregnable, at times struggled to put together consistent phases of play in attack but individual sparks of flair made up for the occasional mistake. As Portland's resistance weakened in the second half further tries followed, with Kevin Gniadek, Sean Hillier, Jay Laliberte and Barry O'Neill among the scorers. There will be bigger, tougher challenges to come but, with the side in a healthy winning habit, workouts such as these can only be worthwhile for Jason Lett's side. B-Side: Portland 10-15 Worcester Worcester bounced back from the previous week's humbling at the hands of the Wolfhounds to make it a 100% day for the club. The game was a good-humored affair with Portland (plus guests) putting up spirited opposition. Worcester began well and opened the scoring through a penalty by fly half Gary Maynard. A try followed shortly afterwards when strong rucking by the forwards created a platform for wing Greg ? to dart over the line. The second half was tight and Portland struck back early with a try from a man who resembled Worcester's own Robert Cone. Surely some mistake? A trademark barnstorming run from Sean Potter restored Worcester's comfortable margin, which they held on to despite another late try from Portland. Nerfu-05 by Andrew Hush - 4/11/2005 A-Side Game 1: Worcester 13-7 Newhaven Worcester struggled to a narrow victory over its rivals from Connecticut and, by doing so, assured itself of a home tie when next round of the race for the national title pairs Mike Diamantopulos' side against an opponent from the MARFU (Mid-Atlantic) region later this month. A scrappy game saw too many stoppages to make the play eye-catching for the large watching crowd. However, it was the result that was all-important and Worcester's defense proved immovable to provide the platform for victory. Early on Newhaven took the game to their hosts and scored first following a breakaway. Worcester's cause was further hampered by a nasty facial injury to prop Rob Tomlinson, which required hospital treatment. However, the home side hit back, as skipper Jason Lett went over. Tomas Tauszig converted to restore parity to the scoreline. The second half developed into something of a war of attrition, with Worcester unable to take advantage of its large share of possession and good field position. Newhaven defended stoutly but, on two occasions when they did overstep the mark, Tauszig's steady boot tacked penalties onto the score. In hot conditions the two sides fought hard to the end and the final whistle was certainly a welcome sound for the home side. Although the performance may have left something to be desired, the result did not and Wormtown moves on. A-Side Game 2: Worcester 39-0 Old Blue What a difference a day makes! Worcester turned on the style with a terrific second-half display to clinically dispatch their opponents from New York, who had caused the shock of the weekend the previous day with its 9-3 win over defending national champions, Boston Irish Wolfhounds. On another perfect spring afternoon, the first half saw both sides spar with each other and strong defenses on both sides saw half-time approach without the deadlock having been broken. Worcester was forced to play with 14 men for ten minutes following Shane Lett's banishment to the sin-bin following a high tackle. On the stroke of the break, however, the home side edged ahead with a penalty from Tomas Tauszig. The second half exploded into life with Worcester playing some of the fast-paced, attacking rugby for which they have become known. Old Blue's line was broken constantly by incisive breaks and tries duly came for Shane Lett (2), Pat Kennedy, Jason Lett and Kevin Gniadek. Tauszig was in fine form with the boot too, adding four conversions and two penalties. For coach Diamantopulos, the performance was almost as important as the result: "The guys who played together took the field with the level of focus I want and expect from them. I was disappointed yesterday with our overall display but today was more like it." Worcester advances now as Northeast champions and will play Pittsburgh Harlequins a home on 23 April. B-Side: Worcester B 0-47 Boston Irish Wolfhounds Early indiscretions saw Worcester fall behind against a tough, well-organized Wolfhounds side, containing several first-teamers still smarting from their loss to Old Blue. Wolfhounds capitalized on being awarded two early penalties to take a commanding 14-0 lead and never looked back. Worcester, to their credit, fought on bravely and several individuals turned in excellent performances. Jimmy Mulloy was once again very much involved everything around the breakdown. In the backs, Jay Laliberte showed up well with strong tackling and running, as did Paul Foley at full-back. Mystic by Andrew Hush - 3/26/2005 A-Side Report: 5-39 Worcester Worcester ran in seven tries in this one-sided victory, which served as an excellent warm-up for its upcoming play-off weekend. Despite the margin of victory, however, Wormtown will have to step up its game somewhat against tougher opponents down the line. The result itself was never in doubt, particularly following fullback Mark Sutton's two tries within the opening ten minutes. The first followed an excellent break from prop Rob Tomlinson and was quickly followed by Sutton sprinting onto Ian Simpson's kick through. The remainder of the opening half was somewhat scrappy and featured too many whistles and not enough action. Persistent infringements blighted Worcester's efforts to build on its lead and the sin-binning of captain Jason Lett was a further setback. However the half finished on a high note when Tomas Tauszig marked the occasion of son Lucas' first game with a try in the corner. Following some tough talking at the break, Worcester emerged determined in the second half and tagged onto four further scores. Tries came from Rob Cone, Pat Kennedy, Jamie Gniadek and a.n. other. Although the side will feel it could have done better in some areas of the game, the match practice was vital and sets Worcester off nicely on its road to another run at a national title. B - Side Report: 12-24 Worcester Worcester's second string emerged with an excellent victory against their young, energetic opponents. Built on the foundation of strong defense and a dominating first-half displays by the forwards, this four-try performance is a good sign for the forthcoming season. Skipper Mike Seifollahi led the way with two tries in the first half, both of which were scored from close range. Further scores came from Andrew Hush and JJ Callahan (?) to put the game out of the home side's reach by half time. The second half was much more even as Mystic spent a good deal of time on the attack and were rewarded with their second try. However, strong Worcester defense ensured that they would be breached no more. An excellent team performance meant that there were many individual displays to savor. Special praise, however, should go to Seifollahi and hooker Jimmy Mulloy, who did double duty following his game with the A side. St. Patrick's Day Tournament - Savannah, GA by Andrew Hush Worcester got its 2005 season off to a great start with victory in the annual St. Patrick's Day tournament in Savannah, GA. Over thirty club members traveled south for the weekend, keen to get onto the field following a tough winter training indoors. Worcester wasted no time getting back into the swing of things and quickly found the form which propelled them to first place in the New England region last fall. Day one of the tournament saw Jason Lett's men sweep aside the Atlanta Renegades 29-0 and Frederick (MD) 21-0. Following a night of 'team bonding' Worcester faced tough opponents in Cincinnati Wolfhounds in Sunday's final. The first half was something of a struggle and half-time came with Worcester behind 9-0. However, following strong words from coach Mike Diamantopulos the side came out for the second half revitalized and came back into the game when Shane Lett crashed over. Full-back Mark Sutton converted from distance and Wormtown were back within two. However, as time ran down it looked as though the Wolfhounds would hang on to their slim advantage. Worcester won a scrum and packed down knowing the next time the ball went dead would signal the full-time whistle. A scrappy scrum saw the ball pop out straight to Tomas Tauszig, who dropped for glory. As the ball sailed through the uprights the black and white shirted victors raised their hands high to celebrate an excellent comeback. Based on sound defense which prevented a try being scored on them all weekend, Worcester's victory is, they hope, a sign of things to come in the long season ahead.