Penrith Colts players lead Warringah in a prayer after their game on Saturday. Photo: Karen Watson

by Brendan Bradford –

PenRats –

It’s not always all about winning. It’s not even always about rugby. The latest evidence of this came on Saturday afternoon at Rat Park where the Warringah Colts hosted Penrith. The Emus often struggle to get numbers when they play away from home, and so it was last Saturday with plenty of Penrith players in Grade and Colts forced to back up for more than one game.

First Colts kicked off on the front field and an already seriously depleted Penrith side soon lost five players through injury. The tiring but brave Emus were on the verge of being forced to reluctantly forfeit the match when the Warringah reserve players took it upon themselves to pull on a Penrith jersey, fill the numbers and play against their own teammates.

Rats Colts Nicholas Condon, Sandy Butterworth, Cameron Milling, Caleb O’Neill and Andrew Scognamiglio all threw on the Penrith kit while Condon paid the ultimate price by suffering a season ending ankle injury.

In the end it wasn’t about winning or losing. The score was inconsequential. It was just about playing the game in the true rugby spirit. In moving scenes at the end of the match, Penrith players gathered everyone around, knelt arm in arm in the middle of the pitch and led a prayer of thanks in honour of the sportsmanship and camaraderie the Rats had shown on the day.

The inspirational scenes come just a month after a similar event at Woollahra Oval when Easts’ Director of Colts, former First Grade Captain, Pauli Taumoepeau was prompted to write a letter to the Penrith coaches that has since been widely circulated on social media.

“The way your team behaved and celebrated after their day was very humbling and brought us all back down to the simple fact that we are first and foremost playing this game because we enjoy it,” wrote Taumoepeau after Penrith beat Easts in Second Grade Colts but were struck down by injury in Firsts.

“This is a fact lost on successful teams when things aren’t going right. I spoke more about your team and your positive behaviour than I did of our performance. I think this competition needs Penrith more than Penrith needs this competition. So I thank you for being so humble and playing your boys and for the boys willing to come out and play in the spirit that they did.”

Congratulations to Penrith, Warringah and Easts for playing the game in such a great spirit and reminding us all that there’s more than simply winning and losing.

The PenRats pose for a group photo after the match. Photo: Karen Watson.

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Sareiously –

Still at Rat Park, congratulations to Warringah First Grade coach Haig Sare who welcomed his second daughter, Sienna Rose, to the world last Tuesday. He celebrated by lacing the boots and scoring a try in the Rats’ last gasp 30-28 win over Penrith in Fourth Grade.

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Lyon Lane –

Moving south now, it was good to see former Manly coach Tim Lane taking in the action at the Village Green on Saturday afternoon. Back in Australia for a couple of weeks before the French pre-season starts up, Lane – who was the last coach to lead Manly to a Shute Shield title back in 1997 – would have liked what he saw from his former charges who despatched Eastwood 42-22 to remain undefeated and retain their spot at the top of the ladder.

Lane guided French side, Lyon to the Pro D2 title where they finished 19-points clear at the top of the table and won promotion to the Top 14 next season. Lyon have signed Wallabies legend George Smith in preparation for what Lane described as a tough challenge but one he’s ready for in the French top league.

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Bye bye, Blakey –

Current Manly coach, Phil Blake, will be joining his predecessor, Lane in the European coaching ranks next year. Blake had been appointed coach of the North Harbour Rays NRC team but has been named as the defence coach at Leicester Tigers in England.

Manly Marlins players were told the news at their video session on Monday night with one player saying it was sad news “but that’s the business.”

It remains unclear who will take over the North Harbour Rays head coaching position with Haig Sare telling Rugby News that no developments have been made in terms of his role with the franchise. Norths coach Scott Fava and Gordon coach Geoff Townsend were unavailable for comment.

A professional and diligent coach, we’re sure Blake will be a success in England but will maintain 100% focus on finishing off Manly’s stellar start to 2014.

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Hart Starter –

Former Southern Districts halfback Grayson Hart, who’s playing for Edinburgh in Scotland, has been called into the Scotland national side ahead of their Test match against the USA this weekend. The 25-year-old former New Zealand age-group representative made his Super Rugby debut for the Blues before moving to Sydney and starring in Southern Districts’ run to the Grand Final in 2012. The nephew of former All Blacks coach John Hart, Grayson played for the Waratahs over a couple of years before getting picked up by Edinburgh. He’s eligible to play for Scotland alongside former NZ teammate Sean Maitland courtesy of a Scottish grandmother and was called in after an injury to Glasgow scrumhalf Chris Cusiter on the weekend.

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Doyley –

While Hart prepares for a possible Test match debut, another former Rebel, Sean Doyle, is planning a move back to Australia. A talented backrower, Doyle was picked up by Irish club Ulster in 2012 and went from strength to strength before recently signing a contract with the Brumbies for next season. Doyle will leave a big hole in the Ulster backrow with coach Mark Anscombe saying “we’ve just lost a beauty.”

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You Hungry?

It’s June, so it must be lunch season. The Port Macquarie Pirates are having their 40th reunion next weekend while the famous ‘Laffo’s Long Lunch’ is on Thursday, 12 June. At Doltone House in the city, Laffo’s long lunch raises funds for the Matt Laffan Scholarship which enables students with disabilities to attend St John’s College at Sydney Uni. An inspiration to all who knew him, and many who didn’t, Matt Laffan was a lawyer, disability activist and rugby tragic – to name just a few – whose memory is honoured at the annual fundraiser.

Rugby fans are spoiled for choice the following weekend with Gordon, Norths and Manly all hosting lunches on the 20th. The Gordon lunch at UTS features guest speaker, former Wallaby and Sydney Morning Herald scribe Peter FitzSimons while Norths’ annual Bon Andrews lunch at Darling Harbour has Greg Clarke as MC and Michael Cheika as guest speaker. Manly’s annual Sportsman’s Lunch is at Doltone House on Hyde Park and will be MCd by Sean Maloney with Australian cricket and soccer international Ellyse Perry as the special guest speaker. What does she know about rugby you ask? As well as being a sports-mad dual international herself, Perry’s partner is Brumbies and Wallabies playmaker, Matt Toomua.