10/17/2009 Northeastern @ Army (West Point)

Army did a good job reporting on the game here:

http://www.westpointrugby.com/News/latestresults/09-10-19/brothers_start_strong.aspx

This game really tested my fitness. I had already refereed a ladies game earlier in the day...and traveled the hour from their to the West Point facility.

The score was 93-3...and I was running wind sprints. The Army boys were simply more athletic and organized, running excellent lines and breaking tackles all game. Army did test me from get go with scrum feeds and tackle law but I set the line for them.

I think Northeastern may have been a little offside during the first half...but the Army scrumhalf's delivery was slow....and even when I gave penalty advantage...Army would break tackles and score.

In sum, some notes for myself:

• Fitness is good. Need more COMPETITIVE games at this speed to practice keeping my mental clarity up. My ankle performed extraordinarily well in this game, from the fans I heard there was virtually no limp
  
• Need to be strict on the offsides as teams creep up while the game wears on. This happened earlier with the ladies and the Northeastern guys had the habit...it just did not effect the game much.
• Very pleased with the openness and athleticism of the game.
• I threatened a card by pulling my ref wallet out during the game. The player thought I had carded him and left the field. Future notes: do not take out the wallet, don't want the player to think he has been carded when he has not.

Hopefully I will make some video later.