After what seemed an eternity, Blue Giant rugby returned after a wash out against Blue Mts away and then the following weekend’s Kings birthday long weekend.
It looked like rust took hold fairly quickly for the Kentwell Giants as they looked all at sea and suffered a surprise lost to Mosman on Old Colleagues day. (Boo)
Disappointing especially as I had been spruking the possibilities of the Kentwell Cup season to anyone who would listen for 4 hours at the previous days exceptional Long Lunch.
Talking about the Long Lunch, plenty of laughs from Wallabies Gita,Ashley Cooper and Drew Mitchell (who said later it was one of the best lunches they had been to for years). All magnificently MC’ed by our own Ben Wood (not woods lol)
A big representation by the 1996 Giants reminisced as Club President Chris Price went through the stories and personalities that made up that incredible season 30 years ago.
A presentation by Cam Ireland launched the fund raising drive for the revamp of the club hse facilities was well received and on that point now is the appropriate time in the financial year to make a tax deductible donation giving back in a small way to our great club
Donations for the club can be made through the Australian Sports Foundation. Old Colleagues will remember this was the successful process that raised moneys to build our Club House opened back in 2003 and now the envy of every subbies club.
Round 7 (of 12), The Blue Giants traveled to Boronia Park to face old foe Hunters Hill. Perfect conditions saw a fast moving game in the Kentwell Cup with Hunters getting away with a big start and the Colleagues grinding away in the second half to get very close before some defensive lapses, indiscretions a yellow card (again) proved damaging and the team suffered a brave loss against the team to beat this season.
The Days Highlight was the gritty and welcome back win for the Burke Cup. I suspect more to come for the Burkies as their combinations look to become more settled.
Next game sees the start of the second round V Waves away on 27th June,
then Shammies at home on the 4th July and then the Mts away catch up game on 18th July.
The Club’s teams are well positioned in each of the grades but experience will tell you these next few games are the hard yards and there are valuable points on offer before the back end of the season ( hear endeth the lesson)
As a special mention to the Colleagues “Blue Birds” girls team whose presence lit up the room at the long lunch, and whose rugby is respected by all opposition teams . (such a welcome addition to the Colleague family.)
See you on the balcony!
Go the Colleagues
Boothie
Verbal Rugby. Vance Lowry (Author: Sky Blue Winters)
The Game
‘In 1823, William Webb Ellis first picked up a ball in his arms and ran with it. And for the next 156 years, forwards have been trying to work out why.’ (Sir Tasker Watkins President of WRU)
‘Rugby is a good occasion for keeping 30 bullies far from the center of the city.’ (Oscar Wilde)
‘Nobody in rugby should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein.’ (NZ Jonno Gibbs)
‘Rugby players are either piano shifters or piano movers. Fortunately, I am one of those who can play a tune.(The ever- modest Pierre Danos)
‘It’s the first time I’ve been cold for 7 years. I was never cold playing rugby league.’ (Johnathan Davies on his return to rugby union)
‘The only thing you’re ever likely to catch on the end of an English backline is chilblains.’ (David Campese)
‘Rugby is a game for big buggers. If you’re not a big bugger then you get hurt. I wasn’t a big bugger but I was a fast bugger and I, therefore, avoided big buggers. (Spike Milligan)
‘Sure there have been injuries and deaths in rugby – but none of them serious’. (All Blacks team Doctor, John ‘Doc ‘Mayhew)
‘If History repeats itself, I think we can expect the same thing over.’ (NZ Anton Oliver)
‘You never want to be the guy that talks it up and then can’t back it up, training like Tarzan and playing like Jane’. (England’s James Haskell)
‘You’re a clever fucker, aren’t you’: hooker to winger. Winger to hooker: ‘Yeah well you’re short, fat, bald and old and your wife doesn’t love you.’(anon)
Young scrum half on debut to opposing experienced half: ‘Don’t hurt your back putting the ball in, old man.’ Retort: ‘I would give you some abuse but I have no idea who the fuck you are.’ (England’s Andy Gommersell)
Refereeing
‘Refereeing is the only job where you start the game with no friends and actively work to make it stay that way.’ (anon)
‘Without referee’s rugby would be just a bar fight with uniforms.’ (anon)
‘I’m the referee. One of us is right and the other is you.’ (Nigel Owens)
Referee to argumentative player: ‘You have been under the misapprehension that this is a dialogue…. when it is, in fact, a monologue.’ (Nigel Owens)
‘I’m not sure we have met before, but I’m the referee.’ (Nigel Owens)
Referee to 2 disagreeable players in a ‘he fuckin started it’ confrontation: ‘I don’t care who started it, you can both fuck off with your yellows right now or continue it and fuck off with your reds later. What’s it going to be?’ (anon)
‘Referees: masters of flags, whistles and silent stares.’ (anon)
‘Why do referees carry cards? To handle adult arguments quickly.’ (anon)
‘Abuse directed at the ref is self-explanatory – or kept simple enough so he’ll at least understand it.’ (Justin Brown)
‘We want consistency, but don’t want a consistent referee to consistently blow their whistle.‘ (Murray Mexted, All-Black)
Unsteady Eddie & his visionary role model view: ‘We need to make sure that we have respect because we are asking kids to be respectful to the referee and if they see coaches being disrespectful it gives them an example of how to do it at their level.’
Reality of the same Eddie, May 13th 2026 SMH – Footage of Eddie Jones pacing the sidelines and abusing a young referee in Coffs Harbour has emerged after a complaint from Rugby Australia led to the Wallabies & England coach being suspended for 6 weeks by the Japanese RFU.
Jones was suspended for 4 matches and fined for his behavior toward match officials during a Japanese under 23 Tour of Australia in April. He was also fined more than $10,000 because of verbal abuse directed at local match officials.’ He was stunned by the severity of his punishment and apologized having deeply regretted his behavior!
‘I never comment on referees and I’m not going to break the habit of a lifetime for that prat.’ (Ewen McKenzie, Aust Coach)
Rugby and Relationships (all anonymous)
‘My wife told me to choose between rugby & her. I said sure, just give me 90 minutes to mull it over.’
Text between troubled couple – 3pm girlfriend: ……’Me or rugby?’ 5pm boyfriend: …. ‘You, of course, darling’.
Perspective on Rugby Players: ‘I can tell from the people you attract that you are, indeed, quite popular with a certain type.’
First date to Rugby Player: ‘I don’t think I drink enough to date you.’
Girl friend to Rugby Player: ‘Your orthodontist sure had his work cut out for him!’
Rugby player to Lecturer after a loss on the field and a failing tutorial grade: ‘I chose your class for its awesome student-to-pompous- asshole ratio.’
Date to rugby player: ‘Having met your brother, I thought you’d be really hot.’
Rugby player to date: ‘Let’s go Dutch. I don’t want you to have any expectations.’
Girlfriend to rugby player: ‘I need to discover who I am without you’.
Coach to rugby player: We both failed. You failed to succeed and I failed to drop you sooner.’
Coach to rugby player: ‘You’ve got a very bright future ahead of you in another club.’
‘Rugby is just like love. You have to give before you can take. And when you give the ball it’s like making love—you must think of the other’s pleasure before your own.’ (French full – back Serge Blanco)