Fancy a ruck?

Håckes Cup 2012

2012-03-06T00:33:00.001-08:00

So a couple of Uppsala ladies went down to Växjö and Håckes Cup. Big deal.

But hang on a minute... Why are they dressed in black and white? And how the hell did they manage to pick up a southern accent in just two days!? Ok, it goes like this:

When Uppsala tried to sign up for this tournament they realised they were too late (by months). It was jam-packed with quicker thinking teams and those of us who'd hoped to play in blue stripes had to let that idea go. When we found out there was a window of opportunity to participate as guest players for the Trelleborg team some of us were tempted. As we're not holding a grudge against any penguins whatsoever we decided to go black and white for the weekend - and it turned out to be a good choice!

Apart from meeting a bunch of new gals and quickly getting relaxed around eachother (sorry I didn't lift you in the lineout, had to improvise because I was dying for a shit...) we experienced several memorable moments.

1) Realising that you can still have a try denied by the ref for unsportsmanlike conduct. Gothenburg, what were you thinking?

2) Being put in the scrum together, because the props in the first half claimed we needed some "bigger and stronger" girls in there. (None of us can boast more weight than 65 kg, incidentally only half the size of Scotlands no 4 Richie Gray)

3) Hearing yourself unintentionally scream in the worst imitation of a Skåne accent ever!

I expect we would also have heard a lot more screaming and swearing from the stands if this wasn't the case from time to time:

Lunchtime, sunday

Rugby men don't respect women

2012-02-29T02:35:00.000-08:00

Rugby men don't respect women. In fact, the whole rugby culture is degrading to women. So I've been told. Interestingly enough, I've never been told this by a woman actually involved in rugby, neither have I had this epiphany myself. The men's team and the ladies' team seem to appreciate working together, training together, drinking together and watching eachother play games.

Honestly, yes, some of the guys might be way nicer to random flirts at a club than their actual spouses - but does this have anything to do with rugby? I'm convinced these people would be lying and cheating even if they were ballet dancers. And more importantly, these people aren't always men! Truth to be told, yes, there's also the type that seem to go through a constant stream of interchangeable partners, more interested in exploring the physical world than the rest. But again, does it have anything to do with rugby? And just to be clear, it isn't exclusively male behaviour - I'd have to say us ladies give as good as we get. Stay objective and don't confuse a respectless attitude towards monogamy with a respectless attitude towards women.

Rugby encourages women to be confident human beings, it's a sport that rewards strength, skill and speed. It demands aggression and it teaches leadership. Now that doesn't really contribute to the illusion of the weaker sex, does it?

Moi moi Oppsala

2012-02-23T02:32:00.001-08:00

Now this was officially the WORST job for the club ever! I've been behind a bar heaving with drunks and with broken cash registers, I've carried the scrum machine into winter lodging, I've moved furniture up and down spiral cases and sold underwear to my grandparents...but none of those times was as bad as this!

To start with, none of the other jobs started at 5 in the morning... It might've snowed during the bandy bar shift, but at least there wasn't heavy traffic aiming to splatter you with sludge. The signs we were putting up today weren't heavy, but made up for it with being too small and requiring magic fingers to assemble. Cat stranglers: too short, map reading ability at early hours: not satisfactory.

Afterwards, as the Scotsman drove to work, I happened to drowse off for a few minutes. In the middle of this highly enjoyable activity, someone called my mobile and shouted They got the baby, they got the baby! Who? What? When? Yes, my sweet sambo (a royalist in secret?) decided I just could not wait any longer before finding out about Sweden's new princess... After hanging up, the info in this phonecall came back to me in my half-dreams, weirdly mixed with the work we'd just done, and I later had to message my friend Hawkeye, who's girlfriend is due in a couple of weeks: You know, I dreamt about you guys tonight. You suddenly got 15 babies in the back seat of your car on the hard shoulder of Bärbyleden! He seemed a bit frightened.

TOUR TIME

2012-02-21T01:07:00.000-08:00

I hear people have yet to realise it's time to show an interest in this year's tour. If the unlikely should've happened, and you've simply forgotten all about Leipzig and it's events, have a look here:

NOW SIGN UP FOR AMSTERDAM 2012!

P.S. There might also have been some training involved. And a game. Maybe two.

Uppsala RFC på Gränby C

2012-02-20T06:27:00.000-08:00

The day started with finding a text in my phone from one of the girls who'd enthusiastically signed up for working. It was sent after midnight and written in such a hypercorrect mode one couldn't think anything else than that the sender was drunk and eager to hide it. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the PR-thing tomorrow... Bad form.

However, everyone else was true to their word, and so a small group of volonteers put their rugby kit on and started harassing strangers. Hello, we're doing some PR for our club... was a line that worked way better than You look like a rugby player! or the aggressive We need you! A few lineouts impressed a couple of kids so much they begged to be lifted - new recruits to the juniors me thinks!

As the hours went by we became less and less picky - no person was too old or too weak to be informed about the best sport in the world. Astrid proved to be the Sunday shopper's favourite, and she claimed afterwards that all credit was to be given her innocent plaits.

Thank you everyone that came down, whether you actually spoke to people or just flexed your muscles in a tight top... Let's hope it made a difference!

Crossfit Uppsala

2012-02-15T05:07:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a big day for the ladies. We met up at Uppsala Crossfit for a 90 minute session where technique was the main focus - some instructions to enable everyone to do heavier weightlifting correctly. The target of the evening was the so called Hang Clean. Our instructor broke it down to smaller excercises before it was time to try the whole movement, and by that time our legs was already wobbly (although noone complained loudly).

The last 10 minutes was spent doing weighted sit-ups and burpies in teams, myself and B1 panting frantically in the left hand corner, eager to win. Sadly, we did not and had to be content with lifting the heaviest load (Crossfit veterans aside)...

(THIS is a big day for the blog - first video appearence ever!)

Over and out!

2012-02-13T02:31:00.003-08:00

So this is it? Retired from the inner circle of Uppsala Rugby at the modest age of...let's say 29. No more board meetings. No more signing emails with 'ladies representative'. Hm. Does this mean I don't get to decide everything anymore? (Probably not, the club is still just as desperate for more people to take responsibility for stuff.)

The next task I've given myself is to find new players. Since half the starting lineup is gone from the ladies team something needs to be done! For example: come see us at Gränby C on Sunday around lunch - we'll be doing some lineouts and handing out flyers to everyone that seems capable of chucking a rugby ball.

Short update

2012-01-23T07:51:00.000-08:00

Coach Devine made me cry during the weekend! Although I think it was because of pure relief, as the hill I'd run up like a stubborn ass FINALLY ended and I could try to breathe again.

What will tuesday bring? Grubber kick football? Rugby basketball? New moves? Just got a text from a couple of girls who wants to come and try it out, so everyone - be at your best behaviour!

2012 - a brutal awakening

2012-01-19T01:35:00.000-08:00

Yesterdays pre-season meeting was held to survey the troops and set our common goals for this year. It quickly became clear that a gold medal for the ladies would be a fata morgana like no other, and it would be futile to even attempt reaching it. I have counted 18 players in total, half our squad lost to the army, motherhood, work abroad, old age, injuries or even (dare I say it?) ANOTHER TEAM! More than one person shed a few tears down at the club last night.

So, this year is all about recruitment. Any ideas are welcome. We'll repeat the success from 2010, when the recruitment competition brought in 30 new girls to try rugby! At the end of that season Lisa proved most skillful in the art of persuasion. Are you the winner this year?

How you know pre-season is upon you

2012-01-18T02:08:00.000-08:00

Back is still a bit sore after some manly dead lifts on monday

Yesterday you chose fruit salad instead of popcorn!

Your fleece training top is smelly

A royal pain in the arse

2012-01-16T01:55:00.000-08:00

I can't help looking back at all the past seasons I've played for this club, one could call it being sentimental I guess... Throughout the years I've had sort of a mentor - not in the sense that she volonteered for it or even knew about it, but I had someone I looked up to in every way possible concerning rugby. She's basically stopped playing for Uppsala and frankly, I think it sucks!

First of all, she's an outstanding player. She will talk to you and tell you what to do, she will keep going when everyone else has weakened, she will tackle like a fucking gladiator and she will always, always be there in support. (If you're lying about in a ruck, she will pick you up and throw you out in defense - honestly, you wouldn't think someone so skinny could be so strong!) She will catch any lineout and outrun most other players. She makes it look easy too (which is well annoying).

Second: she has the attitude. The stoney winner-face on the pitch only radiates determination, no matter if we're in the lead or really struggling - but off the pitch she's the first one to tell her teammates what they did well, while being very modest about her own skills. All of the above has secured her place as Sweden flanker for several years, and as a royal pain in the arse for all teams playing Uppsala.

I guess my point is, I miss her. Come back and teach me how to own the flank like you do!

Gimme back my fat!

2012-01-13T00:59:00.000-08:00

Getting into shape for 2012. Unfortunately, there's no shortcuts to this and my interest in strength and stamina during christmas has been scaringly close to an all time low (in fact, my goal has been to put ON some fat again. My clothes are too big and I'm always cold. Gimme back my fat!).

This attitude to workout hasn't been appreciated by other members of the household (clearly jealous) so yesterday I was dragged into a car and driven out in the woods with my running tights and flowery sweatband. Reluctantly realising that pre-season is right around the corner I was taken for a few kilometres of warm up running, then it was time for some romantic hill sprints before doing weights under a starry sky. Actually, not too bad (for a training session, I've been on better dates).

Back home, coach Devine decided I'd been good and deserved ice cream. Now that's what I call pedagogic!

DIY rugby

2011-12-14T06:58:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is our last training this year. Winter sessions at Katedralskolan haven't been well visited but enough to play some touch and get sweaty. One rookie even said training with few people was preferable, no need to disturb a big bunch of people with basic questions and consistently dropping the ball. I think in general these touch sessions have been helpful for new people to practise some easy ball handling and staying onside - but some more pedagogic than others.

A question has arisen whether our men's team actually has an outspoken game plan or if Uppsala simply favours improvisation? Considering the large number of players practising DIY rugby I'd say the latter is more probable. A fair few people seem to think there's no point in passing the ball, which is fair enough - we all love the ball. But they are also reluctant to take the contact. If their road is shut, they'll go left, stop, go backwards, go right and basically anywhere as long as they can. Do I really need to mention where the support is by this point? (Offside, confused and standing still is a good guess.)

Against an unorganised defense this still has a chance of working of course. We all know about players in different teams here that usually scores after a solo performance. However, my opinion is that no team can afford to field more than a couple of players with that kind of creativity. Not knowing where the hell your teammate is going will effectively prevent you from planning ahead your next phases. You can just hope to win the ruck, go from a stand still and play a slow ball. Again.

This sort of play during winter touch confuses all the new players. We tell them to go forward no matter what, but that isn't what they see. How will they learn if we don't follow our own instructions? Choose a running line and stick with it. Yeah right!

Not your average thursday

2011-12-12T08:20:00.000-08:00

As a member of a club within the big, cosy community of the Swedish rugby union you might from time to time be asked to step up. (Ta en för laget så att säga.) I'm not talking about throwing yourself head first towards someone else's studs to make a try-saving tackle, nor about drawing five defenders and offloading the ball microseconds before getting smashed and breaking a few ribs in the process while your winger scores points and glory. During winter season the most heroic thing you can do for your team is to prove how wholesome and pure our club is. This you do by peeing in a cup when you get a visit from the Swedish Doping Board (a better name would maybe have been Swedish Anti-doping board, but what do I know?)

Last thursday four players were picked to participate in said event, all four evidently dried out after an hours touch rugby without water break. Let's just say it took some time. Some were more annoyed than others and complained loudly about swedish way of doing things - maybe because he only managed to squeeze out 3 of the required 90 ml? For all I know he might still be there...

This isn't him!

P is for party

2011-11-21T12:29:00.000-08:00

Don't worry, I'm more responsible than I get credit for said my co-host the day before the fantabulous shenanigans of 2011, obviously sensing me getting fidgety. The gap between someone obsessed with detailed perfection and someone sporting a laissez-faire attitude has never been bigger.

However, as the staff showed up on time, the caterer delivered and there was enough booze to keep a whole rugby club happy I could relax a little. Speeches were held, food was eaten and people seemed happy - after a surprising family grand slam during the awards ceremony one could even say caution was thrown out the window...I (and most others) hit the bar.

KG showed his skills on the dance floor like every year, the band was awesome and the bartender was working hard. No wonder love and lust was in the air. I think no annual party has produced more pictures of people making out with slash picking up random people. A reliable source discovered something quite curious in relation to this - all four Beggos use the same kissing technique! Now I don't even like to speculate in how such a phenomenon could have happened...

Slightly tipsy (haha) I sent the barman home at 4am, and spent the next half hour repeatedly falling off my bike due to hitting the curb or being run into by Best tackler of 2011 - the other one, that is! =) The last thought running through my head as my forehead slammed down on the pillow was I'll never be able to sleep while the room is spinning...

About two seconds later the alarm went off. Feeling like roadkill I put some clothes on and cycled - still relatively unsteady - back to clean up together with a few other heroes. When the red wine was gone from the floors (and walls, tables, sound system...) the annual party of 2011 was officially over. Can't wait for next year!

annual party

2011-11-09T03:16:00.001-08:00

Expect mayhem as usual. Apart from that: just testing my new blog app...

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Disappointed!

2011-10-12T08:13:00.000-07:00

Of course I was looking forward to the feeling of Uppsala Rugby on tour, the extra training, the position-specific tactics I was gonna learn and the rugby world cup final we were gonna watch together... But hey, most of all I was looking forward to some back row tips from Sunday Times Sportswoman of the year 2010! Damn it.

UPDATE: after complaints from someone not getting it, I feel the need to clarify. I'm still going to the training camp in Vänersborg. Maggie Alphonsi isn't.

Uppsala ladies on TV

2011-10-07T02:05:00.000-07:00

Got quite excited when rugby people started sharing a link on fb...local tv coverage of a training doesn't happen every day you know. Have a look HERE if you want to see some Uppsala mauling and a blonde little captain explaining that we like to bosh the crap out of people...

Looking forward to our team meeting tonight where we can focus together and maybe even have a good time while we're at it =)

Rucka skiten!

2011-10-05T01:22:00.000-07:00

Nice session yesterday! I claim credit for one black eye, some extremely non-pedagogical intructions (No no no NO!, not as good as someone else's Försvinn! though) and sleeping with the assistant coach. Can anyone beat that?

TV crew

2011-10-04T06:59:00.000-07:00

Allegedly there'll be a TV crew and a photographer from the local paper down at training tonight. I hope everyone is planning to wear their best rugby gear, intricate braids and an unhealthy amount of make up - since those are the most important factors in rugby!

Or maybe we can go like this: Rugby for models

Is all PR really good PR?

ET phone home!

2011-09-29T01:41:00.000-07:00

Blog reader history

Waterford 20 sept 19:10
Wellington 27 sept 11:06
Vientiane 27 sept 12:14
Leipzig 27 sept 12:19
Kampala 27 sept 13:54

Just a quick hello to our players in exile, I know you're out there and that you're still thinking about us! I hope some of you will be back for next year - it's gonna be a good one...

But who needs eyes to swallow!?

2011-09-27T02:16:00.000-07:00

After a fair amount of desperate tackling, of kicking and screaming, cheating (you know of whom I speak), running like a fucking nutjob, making all sorts of stupid decisions and eventually going insane with rage, Uppsala ladies made it to the final and Enköping did not. Celebrations were in order.

A combined victory/40th birthday dinner took place at the club, where our very own comedian (west coast born and bred) entertained with a disturbing story about a frog. The musical Bergvall sisters sang the sad story about a drunken ant and our faithful bartender smiled weakly as he mixed the 10th Screaming orgasm in a row.

As the hours went by, some of us realised that paying the entrance fee to Flustret wasn't such a bad idea after all. In fact, it was the best idea ever! But not even 3 hours of dancing could help get rid of the built-up tension from the game, and the 40+ white trash woman picking a fight in the queue to the coat room was suddenly facing not just the skinny bitch who pushed her (quote) but rather half a drunken rugby team with black eyes and bloody scratches. She left.

Cheers babes!

Assistant coach

2011-09-21T00:31:00.000-07:00

Did anyone else feel bad after training yesterday? I know I did.

At the moment we have a fair amount of reasonably new or even first time players. At training yesterday we didn't have time to answer any of their questions properly - at least that's how I felt. We're all very eager to train, do the excercises well and focus on the game on saturday - and noone can spare the time to explain why we're doing some of the stuff we do. Do this, and then this! But why? What are we simulating with this excercise and which rules are behind it?

My point is this, we need another assistant coach. I think I'd be a win-win if we could split into two groups - one for explaining rules and practising basic passing and tackling, one for working on this weekends game plan and match preparations.

That's all, folks.

Bellman and the dansk and the norsk

2011-09-20T00:33:00.000-07:00

Stämningen i bilen till Göteborg:

I know so many snuskiga historier! Have you heard this one about Bellman and the dansk and the norsk... Lisa underhåller efter ett misslyckat försök från damansvarig att undervisa bussen i Junggrammatikens nytänkande. Vi ser att de andra kallar sig Disneybussen och utnämner oss själva till Snuskbussen utan någon längre betänketid.

Stämningen i bilen hem från Göteborg:

En talande tystnad. Fem av åtta spelar Wordfeud (med varandra och med främlingar, den sprider sig som en smitta, den appen). Broman kör utan att klaga hela vägen till Stockholmen.

---

Jag kan inte tala för alla, men vet att i alla fall jag själv måste sluta bli förvånad och distraherad när någon inte spelar schysst. Om någon fuskar med flit blir det fel i räkneverket hos mig, jag förväntar mig att vuxna människor följer regler - och att man blir upptäckt och ställd till svars om man inte gör det. Den approachen funkade väldigt dåligt mot Göteborg kan jag säga (här är det fritt att dra egna slutsatser).

Ska vi behöva vara tuffare mot varandra så att det inte blir en så uppenbar skillnad mellan träning och match?

no more Mr Nice guy

2011-09-09T04:05:00.001-07:00

I think we've all felt the change. Not just in our own dedication to the team and the game, but in the angry scotsman's attitude towards cardio excercises... Honestly, didn't we all think 'yay, no more Heinz Mullers!' as soon as the first rumour about Henke's comeback reached us? Think again, ladies. This was training before summer compared to what next month will bring forth...

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Bra väder. Nytt kit. Samma spöke. Nu jävlar.

2011-09-03T00:33:00.000-07:00

...

Rock bottom?

2011-08-07T01:42:00.000-07:00

Back from lazy(?) summer hols...and not really a splendid comeback either. Yes, we were robbed. But you didnt deserve it anyway he said. I think he's wrong - if you're the better team you DO deserve it. You all know what you did wrong he also said. The thing is we don't always know what we need to change - that is sort of WHY we have a coach. To help. H E L P. Nota bene: to scream that you're a useless fucking idiot is not helpful.

Please show up to training from now on so we can work on our stuff and not experience such an unnecessary and humiliating defeat again this season. And don't ever say you want to give 100% and win a gold medal if you don't follow through. You let everyone else down.

And ps. If I played for Enköping I would've bought a lottery ticket yesterday. And a win would almost definately have to be split with the ref. Anonymously of course.

Summer hols

2011-07-20T04:04:00.001-07:00

Since rugby is on hold I made a grand comeback at the gym yesterday with a group weights session. As said earlier, you know you're doing well if you have a strong urge to hide your face in the sweat towel and cry during your work out. Some people were clearly there only for 'leisure weightlifting' or similar, since they had energy left to do 50 press ups while everyone else was stretching. Myself, I wobbled downstairs and went home with shaky limbs...

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had the craziest dream...

2011-06-21T23:14:00.000-07:00

It was all so very real.

Before the game between us and local rivals Enköping, they were complaining about lack of players - and especially afraid that their english girl would get injured because then, apparently, they wouldn't be able to continue playing in the league this season... Hence they asked us not to play uncontested scrums, but rather to play the whole game with touch rules! Lots of arguing followed as The Coach seemed to go along with this, while me and several Uppsala players were desperate to ensure we would be allowed to ruck and maul.

Woke up very confused.

(Then: got text message. Ran out to the bus stop to pick up today's copy of 018. Rugby girls everywhere!)

Punda punda

2011-06-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

You get what you deserve. If you try to cheat during a playful game of relay at training and end up with shoulder pain from hell, your boyfriend won't even feel sorry for you. That'll teach you not to cheat at training, I only cheat in games he says... Then he prods me on my bruise and goes off. Clearly, next time I want to nudge the other team off course I shall aim better and not hit a sharp bone on the opponent...

Luckily, I was having too much fun during piggyback-touch (so called touch, I want to claim two mauled in tries for My and myself) to be disturbed by it, same goes for the punda punda game. We started off slightly confused, but at the end it wasn't bad understanding of the game that kept us from scoring, it was hysterical laughter from witnessing both My's spectacular performance and Henke's appreciation of it! Look out for video footage.

Top of the league

2011-06-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

God, it feels good to go into the summer break as top of the league! Gothenburg can moan all they want about missing players as we had a flanker as scrum half, a number 8 as 10, a second row on the wing and a winger in the front row! Our own missing Sweden players will have to make a bit of an effort to claim back their positions now that we all proved to be so versatile.

I look forward to tuesday on the park ready to have some fun according to The Coach (that could be anything though, as our ideas about fun don't always sync). Hopefully we'll do a bit more of the stuff we've done lately - brain work. Think, and then act. It's difficult to do two things at once you know. I spent last season on the flank just looking for the ball and did screw all pushing in the scrum. This year I do a lot more pushing and less looking. Eventually, maybe, I'll learn to do both!

Prop love

2011-06-19T09:59:00.001-07:00

Lite liniment kan bara vara bra!

Status - fredag förmiddag

2011-06-17T01:02:00.000-07:00

Det kan inte ha varit bara jag som kände auran av fokus när vi avslutade träningen igår. Tysta, tänkande spelare. Lätt nervositet, beslutsamhet... Drömmen om den där jävla bucklan skymtar i pupillen på alla jag känner, vi har väntat så länge nu. Kom igen tjejer, jag är så överladdad att jag spricker! Let's get ready to rumble!

The woman, the myth, the legend...

2011-06-12T05:52:00.000-07:00

Spelare över hela Sverige ställer sig frågan: Hur kommer det sig att Uppsalas nummer 8 aldrig blir trött? Ny forskning har nu visat att hon är s.k. superhuman. För att inte framstå som ett freak låtsas hon ibland att hon tycker att Heinz Müllers är jobbiga, men för vår hjältinna är det egentligen bara another walk in the park. Dessa övermänskliga talanger tar sig också uttryck i att liksom scouterna alltid vara redo. Alltid redo att blanda en White russian i baren, laga efterrätt till 80 personer på årsfesten eller alltid redo när en lagkamrat efter ett ogenomtänkt beslut klockan noll två noll noll dansar i glas och blodar ner Flustret. Nummer 8 halar då fram sårtvätt och flera olika sorters plåster ur sin nattklubbsväska! Alkohol biter sällan på henne, vilket gör de få tillfällena hon är full alltmer spectacular - hon är upphovet till flera klassiska citat där mina personliga favoriter är det lösryckta Jag har en korv i väskan och gårdagens redan klassiska Vem fan behöver trosor när man ska till Flustret? Må hon aldrig sluta spela rugby!

Achtung!

2011-06-09T11:39:00.000-07:00

Hm. Efter att ha spenderat hela träningen skrikandes instruktioner utan att någon frågat efter dom fortsatte jag i samma anda på vägen hem. Alltså, jag fick jobba hårt för att inte läxa upp andra cyklister som 1) inte visar vart dom tänker svänga, 2) kör mot körriktningen och 3) kör I BREDD mot körriktningen. Lika bra att jag aldrig kom i på polishögskolan den där gången, jag skulle vara olidlig i uniform...

Matchdag

2011-06-02T00:14:00.000-07:00

Är det redan dags igen? Fokusfokusfokusfokus....

Lund blackouts

2011-05-29T02:06:00.000-07:00

There's a special club for us ladies team players who've done it. I joined yesterday. How can it be so hard to recognise the lines on Lugi's pitch? Maybe because they deliberately try to confuse you and 1) paint the half way line dotted, 2) paint the 10 meter lines solid, 3) don't have 22 meter lines or 4) have a try area smaller than my bathroom...! Or maybe there's no excuse and we're just all too eager, diving over with 5 metres to go? I believe I am in good company with a winger, a number 8, a fullback and possibly someone else too?

All new or half-new players got good game time and especially one second row was desperate for a try. She was a couple of inches away but the opposition squeezed in beneath the ball and it was declared held up. Despite that the atmosphere in the minibus on the way home was high spirited to say the least. Credit must be given to the Bergvall sisters for knowing the lyrics to every song ever written, to Lisa and Sara for quoting Yrrol endlessly and to the skinny people sleeping in the back for not snoring!

Picture stolen from Mikaela!

The Dam of Amster

2011-05-24T03:18:00.000-07:00

Tour rule number one applies, of course. But ok, here goes:

1) Awesome as usual. I love you Saints.

2) No need to mention any match results since most teams were national sides NOT there to socialise but to scorn at and (trywise) humiliate those there to have a good time.

3) Evening activities include trying to swap your wizards hat for an Italy tracksuit (didn't go too well, did it Brinsley?)

4) Did you leave your room in a good condition? Eeeh, of course... (Blatant lie)

5) Words of wisdom passed on by Ellis, on the subject of prop positioning in the scrum: You're a happy cat going for a shit.

I think this pic sums up our feelings for tour pretty well. Bliss.

KLM 13.10

2011-05-20T00:13:00.000-07:00

I'm outta here!

Fyllehybris?

2011-05-16T06:31:00.000-07:00

Efter en seriepremiär är man lagom mör i kropp och själ. I kroppen av naturliga skäl (om nu 14 skåneflickor som kastar sig över en är "naturliga skäl"?) och i själen då coachen kallat en för idiot (förlåt, långsam idiot ska det vara). Det som allra mest behövs då är tydligen ett par öl på klubben. Det kan, de facto, vara så trevligt att man glömmer sina sorger och lovar bort sig till B-lagsmatch med herrarna dagen därpå! Nu var det ju dock inte jag som glad i hågen satt i en fåtölj med en Andersson och hade fyllehybris, utan någon annan. (Det var faktiskt fler som uppvisade klara hybrisdrag på lördagen, men nu handlar det om Ingrid.) När söndagen kom visade det sig inte vara hybris alls, det var en sjujävla envishet och tacklingslusta som tog sig uttryck i en jönköpingska på Årstafältet! (Hon är nu min hjälte.) Brave display, min själ!

Match morning

2011-05-14T00:46:00.000-07:00

Wake up early. Belly unsettled. Hungry but cannot eat. Thoughts keep coming back to rugby. Must be first game of the season!

B game

2011-05-12T04:56:00.000-07:00

If you're only interested in great rugby quality, then maybe you stay at home and watch a pro game on tv instead of going to Fyrisfjädern a Sunday afternoon. But lower levels of local rugby has most of the qualities that matters, and offer MORE! There's the young and promising home grown player doing his senior debut...fearless tackles by players half the size of their opponents...drama (injuries and ambulance)...people having their dream come true (right, David?) and something you rarely see in Super 14s (but rather on tv1000): twin on twin action! I say give it a go, Uppköping deserves an audience!

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Friendly Exiles?

2011-05-08T00:25:00.001-07:00

Despite the fact that both teams were missing quite a few players currently showing off in Spain, Uppsala decided to go to Årsta for a pre season friendly. What better way is there to spend a sunny saturday anyway? Since the number of girls available was low we decided to play 10 a side, but 3x20 minutes. Welcome to hell! There's a reason we only play 10 a side once a year you know...

Ref insisted on applying 10s rules as well, which confused several of the new players and effectively prevented our kicker from actually practising her thing. Oh well. I think we all enjoyed the space in attack, where especially our hands were good today! Some great passages of play with support and off loads proved successful and we scored a fair few tries.

In defense we tried to have an organised line, lots of screaming and shouting from some players helped but we seemed to be vulnerable 1) around the fringes, because more often than not, we'd left a poor prop alone on the wing, probably quite foul-mouthed as she tried again and again to chase after a quick little Exiles runner... And 2) in the middle, since a lot of the tackling seemed to be done at chest height and not around the legs. Reason no 1 we can blame on not being used to playing 10s, but there's no excuse for no 2 and we'll have to work hard on that during training in the weeks to come.

When the game was over, we'd officially won with 25-17 (although 25-22 is more likely?) and since it was still pre season, we treated the home team with a special performance - our tour haka. Thanks to Exiles for organising the ref and great food afterwards! Myself will also have to apologise for being a bit confused during the last 20 minutes - after being swapped round between second row and center a few times I simply couldn't remember where I was supposed to be, and left the back line quite deserted as I happily joined the scrum. The poor new girl who was supposed to be in the second row didnt have it in her to protest, so she stood on the side and was probably even more confused than I was! Sorry!

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Junior training

2011-05-05T02:09:00.001-07:00

'Poor kids' I thought when I arrived down to the pitch and saw the juniors doing push ups, wearing shorts and tshirts in freezing weather. They all seemed quite happy though... I recognised several faces from last year and counted just as many unfamiliar ones. The spectacular thing today, and the reason I was down there in the first place, was that Uppsala (maybe for the first time in history?) this year can field a girls only junior team! Admittedly, more than one was new to the game, but nevertheless showed valuable rugby skills like speed, communication and a certain flair for stealing the ball whenever it was loose in the vicinity.

These girls will play against teams like Enköping during the season and matches will be 7 a side with 3 people in the scrum. All girls were promptly invited to attend the senior ladies trainings should they so wish - and vice versa! Myself will be down a few times to give the girls a chance to practise on their own and I hope I get some company.The mixed juniors team also have a game on the 14th of May, before both the senior games, so it's a big day for the club. Show your support and cheer us on! See you there!

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Uppsala v Södertälje. PREMIÄR!

2011-04-30T08:20:00.001-07:00

Seems like some team bonding in german student clubs helps... Uppsala celebrated Valborg the best way possible - with a win in their first away game for the season! The home team had clearly done some serious research beforehand, as we overheard them discussing our tour to Leipzig while warming up.

Uppsala took the lead early with a penalty kick by today's welsh no 10, and as the rain died down both teams tried to play a fast game with offloads, quick lineouts and quick ball from the rucks. Unfortunately it seemed like Södertälje was doing a bit better, they won territory by a few good kicks and managed to score two tries in the first half. Uppsala however scored under the posts after a teamwork that, according to one of the involved, 'was so good should've been caught on camera'.

In the second half Uppsala cranked it up a notch and showed great determination in defense AND offense. After a good session of pick and go from the forwards a flanker eventually scored what might even be his first Uppsala try? Magnus, is that so? Scrums worked really well, but it took like 20 minutes before we won a single lineout, including our own. Ref gave a few penalties our way and good kicking from no 10 again (top point scorer in his first A team game! Unofficial man of the match?) put Uppsala ahead with 24 against 17. Several new players got game time, and one old forward made a short comeback (although he confessed it felt like an eternity before the ref blew the whistle for full time...)

Great work and happy Valborg everyone!

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Lineouts

2011-04-29T01:10:00.001-07:00

Doing lineouts for an hour makes the lifters cry with sore arms and cramping fingers. Luckily I'm a jumper. I've never managed to lift anyone properly and I don't think that will change in the near future... By the end of training my lifting group really got the hang of it though! Cred to B1 getting so awesome so quickly. Sometimes all it takes is an old scotsman laughing at you...

The news about the recently started gay rugby team in sthlm travelled fast and when training was over I think more than one went home to read QX. You go, guys.

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Sprint, dammit!

2011-04-27T12:15:00.001-07:00

As a warm up before the post-easter rugby comeback, myself and S went for a run on monday. The four days of bbq, booze and general slacking, not to mention the unnaturally warm weather, took me out early. 'you go on without me, run, I know when my time has come...' Imagine my happiness when tuesdays rugby session started with a surprise - sprinting! Oh well, we did our best and the scotsman was happy. Only one week 'til the training game! Please make yourselves available, it's so worth it before the start of the season...

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Sour Balls Syndrom?

2011-04-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

Friday morning several people were sporting shades, bed heads and tiny little blacksmiths working away inside their heads. Despite this, none was missing at breakfast court! Off we went for our first training session that day - oh, how heavy you feel when you go from astroturf and moulded studs to a sandy grass pitch and real second row shoes. Especially if you first sat on a bus for 19 hours and then played some rugby the day before...not to mention danced at a student night club necking 1 euro drinks like water in Sahara.

When everyone were in desperate need of some relax time and the ladies team had lost the Battle of the hot water, our german hosts sorted out lunch and took us downtown. Pictures was taken left, right and centre (if you could fool someone to point at something, and by that break tour rule number 3, that was extra special). A lot of us started blaming the town of Leipzig for some foul air pollution, possibly from the power plants nearby, but turned out to be one bearded player who clearly had had one too many the night before... Beer drinking in a public place is btw completely OK in Bundesligaland and highly recommended.

When everyone had found their way back to the bus we drove once again to the pitch, curiously comparing shopping bags and eagerly awaiting some pre-training snacks. Bellies full with bread, raisin, nuts and juice (ready for more air pollution the next day?) the men's team went out training on their own and the ladies spent a memorable 90 minutes with the Leipzig ladies where some lucky second rows got treated to a full frontal! Woo woo! I was glad to see people were sticking to the flower power theme, even in very private details.

By the time dinner was served (slightly slowed down by tourists not remembering what they'd actually ordered) some seemed to be quite cranky. We realised it might be the late hour that caused some people not being able to take a joke they weren't even involved in, but more probably it was SBS - the male version of PMS (Sour Balls Syndrom). The choice between taking the tour bus back to the hotel and staying out late the night before the game was free, but clearly people felt very responsible and went to bed early. Surprise, indeed!

Eier Mann

2011-04-18T06:18:00.000-07:00

THURSDAY MORNING
Woke up on the bus floor. Bus was on a ferry to Allemagna (remember to respect tour rule 2) and breakfast was gonna be served as soon as you get your butt up to passenger deck, we were informed in the bus speaker system. We fought for seats against a crowd of Almtuna hockey juniors and managed a hostile takeover next to the slot machines. The presence of low-lactose yoghurt made a tired Berg cry with appreciation - and the state of the eggs made me cry inside for a completely different reason. Ruben, in charge of the eggs, apparently thought is was a great idea to cook all 80 of them at once - result: runnier than a mexican shit. We rolled off the ferry at 9 and had 4 hours to go.

THURSDAY AFTERNOON
First training after 18 hours on a bus can be nothing but painful. German spy Steve attended the men's training, no doubt in hope of picking up sneaky tips on their weaknesses and secret calls. Looked like they played touch, so I doubt he found it useful. Ladies did some lineouts and other set pieces, but eventually the long journey got the better of us and everyone was quite happy to check in at the hotel and have a shower.

THURSDAY EVE
Six huge taxis came to pick us up and take us to dinner - myself was quite looking forward to my chosen Leg of pork with beer sauce... For everyones benefit (ours and other customers) we had been put in a seperate room with our own bar! Unfortunately, in a beer country such as Bundesligaland, they rarely stock cider - hence myself and Paulo felt lost for a while before he decided on a scaringly green cocktail and I dared to try the local brew. Worst offence this evening was SS general Dory losing the black book! (Does NOT look good in the tour hitlers' eyes.) Some people moved on to a student pub but myself took a taxi home while listening to LillBeggo screaming for senf (mustard) and Mattias pretending to understand the taxi driver's long monologue in german and replying with eeh, natürlich. Eloquent man, he is.

3, 2, 1...DEPARTURE!

2011-04-18T02:22:00.000-07:00

WEDNESDAY EVE
After months of planning and waiting is was finally time. The bus was fully packed with gear and booze and everyone looked happy and excited apart from the two bus drivers that, for some reason, had agreed to transport 50 rugby players to Germany and back. For once, we managed to leave on time! Last person to arrive was Magnus - AND with 30 seconds to spare, where the former didn't surprise anyone but the latter definitely did. On our way south little bags were handed out with tour shirts and, even more importantly, tour rules.

TOUR RULES
1 - What goes on tour stays on tour
2 - Mentioning of the words Germany/Tyskland/Deutchland is prohibited
3 - So is finger pointing
4 - Everyone must attend breakfast court every day
5 - Tour virgins will perform a haka before every training and game

(Rules apply on Autobahn country soil)

A few drinks were consumed before most people fell asleep somewhere in Denmark. So far, no reason for drivers to complain.

Friendly

2011-04-13T06:15:00.000-07:00

Our men's team went to Bosön to play what was supposed to be "a friendly" last sunday. Despite the friendliness one center is now on crutches, one scrum half lost vision on one eye, one winger dislocated his collarbone (didn't even know you could do that!) and one center almost hurt himself properly, so he decided to limp off just in case (spot the odd one out!). This meant all the newbies got to play at the same time, so two wingers, one fullback (not the ultimate first game ever position?) and one second row took turns to swear quietly over the ten people "helping out" on the side line by screaming all sorts of contradicting advise.

Since we lost by several points the team talk afterwards wasn't all roses and hugs all round - KG accused most of the players of something strongly prohibited, namely tittygrabbing, I wonder if this rule will be advocated on tour as well? Nah, it has less to do with tits than you think...

I guess there's nothing left to say about this game apart from gossip about the other team slightly (I mean, it's what we do, right?). Rumours say the Attila scrum half has been seen in the company of several well-known, scantily dressed female felons of dubious character - himself in slight disguise but still showing a serious lack of judgement! Oh behave!

Are the rumours true? I think we have proof...

Mugshot

2011-04-06T05:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes one can be so focused on practical, on location details regarding a trip, and so concerned about all the other travellers problems with going, that you forget to think through your own participation of the event. So we have lunch on friday, okay great, what about the bus drivers, do they stay sober the whole trip or just while driving? The hotel have been talked into serving breakfast early, perfect, the pitch is booked and sightseeing planned, what about training, do we do thursday, friday, friday, saturday? Oh so-and-so can't go now because of this and so-and-so pulled out because of that. Yeah and so-and-so thought he couldn't come because his passport expired but he's got a new one... FUUUUCK!

I have been planning this for months. MONTHS. And at least the three last times I used my passport I looked at it and found it would expire soon. March, as the matter of fact. Still my brain waits until 7 days before departure (weekend included where no work gets done towards stupid peoples passports) before it realises I will actually have to apply for a new one!

This thought arrived in my head at 4 pm yesterday while at uni. A hysterically quick check on the web showed me that the police station's passport department close at 5pm. Naturally, I had the world's heaviest bag with me including my computer, and I was wearing heels as I left the library with long, second-row strides. I got there and eventually even got called in with ten minutes to spare, hair unwashed and windswept (not in a good way), no make up and eyes wild with stress (humanity once again screwed over by Murphy). You're not allowed to smile in your picture says the police man. Not to worry, I don't feel like smiling at all. Result: mugshot type A.

Peace!

2011-04-05T04:48:00.000-07:00

KG on Leipzig tour 2011?

Seriously, let's go all in on this fancy dress occasion! And remember: a little face paint and a flower in your hair goes a long way for those of you who are the shy type (not that there are many of you in the rugby world)...

just another tuesday

2011-03-31T07:47:00.000-07:00

Since I was watching from the sideline, prevented to take part by an uncooperative ankle, I did my best to collect action snaps and shout encouraging comments. Coach gave me sweets, possibly to quiet me down.

We tried on sizes for the new kit before warm up

My fav!

Time out

2011-03-28T01:47:00.001-07:00

First sprained ankle this season. Have been told I'm not to exercise it yet. Sigh. Apart from this little mishap the saturday indoor session was good fun. Just typical the only lineout I screwed up and got injured in was the one where I didn't even go up in the air...

Dirrty

2011-03-26T01:53:00.000-07:00

I was talked into going to the gym with my curly-haired spainophile friend. I mean, why not? But let's get this straight, bringing this second row to a latino dance class is a bit like letting R2D2 try to reenact Christina Aguilera's Dirrty-video... Fair enough, if you feel like watching hot girls shake everything they got this is a possible place to go. But remember there are also middle-aged men shaking everything THEY got, that's the beauty (?) of Friskis. YOU, skinny older man in the blue football top without rhythm, you made my day!

By the way, I feel for the traumatised 8 year old who was sitting behing me watching his mum simulate spanking in a pair of shorts from 1989. I really do.

Morituri te salutant

2011-03-24T02:53:00.000-07:00

After having read 8 emails from different people saying they couldn't make training I was expecting 90 minutes of push ups or similar since we'd be too few to practise proper game play. However, coach no 1 was home with a bad back and coach no 2 home with a cold and an energetic 5 year old. With Kattis in charge we practised new calls, some old moves and positioning without fear of being verbally abused by anyone. Everyone was in a great mood all training (all ten of us) and we finished with a volontary Heinz Müller in honour of our absent coaches. Morituri te salutant!

Bandy final Sunday

2011-03-24T02:30:00.000-07:00

Opened my eyes severely dehydrated and with an urge to be sick on my pillow, much like any other sunday, only this day I got woken up by William Wallace telling me we had to leave for the bandy bar work in 20 minutes. Oh, and your armpits are still green by the way... (Wallace had been accompanied by the Wicked Witch of the West the night before...)

Down by the bandy area there was sunshine, free coke and not much to do - I've had worse hangovers I guess. I guarded my food ticket like Gollum would the ring until Big Boss told me to use it, and after that visit to the food stand nothing could stop me from opening beers til my fingers went numb or selling my hat to a drunk bandy fan... Apparently the bar on the other side of the stands was so crowded it caved from the sheer pressure of thirsty people, AND their tills went down when they lost electricity! I guess for once I was lucky.

Pizza for dinner a day like this isn't a choice. It's compulsory.

FINALOMGÅNG!

2011-03-19T02:52:00.000-07:00

Rumours are once again saying people are planning to get shitfaced. (Me, I need to stay sober enough to assemble tonight's fancy dress outfit.) Have not yet decided whether to cheer for Scotland or Italy. Hmmm...

Comeback

2011-03-15T08:45:00.000-07:00

Oh, the humanity! After a week's lying around on the couch feeling sick I dared a comeback. Sick feelings conquered by veterinary friend (Berg), fruktsoppa and white bread. Unfortunately, that diet doesn't make you fit to lift just as heavy as you did before illness. No. But one can try. Not even halfway into this gym class there was no distinguishing sweat from tears on my face. Glad I had towel to hide in when things got painfully hard. Ouch.

Tack Mikaela!

2011-03-12T03:44:00.000-08:00

We might not have any match reports från Håckes, but we have some pics!

If you happen to bring your biggest prop to a 7's tournament,

you might as well let her run havoc with the opposition!

And if you bring a new speedy back you let them try to outrun Attila's flankers...

Finally, the hairdo is everything...

Tack Mickan för bilderna! (Det finns fler på hennes facebook.)

Växjö shenanigans

2011-03-11T10:52:00.000-08:00

Not much can be said about this week. I've been ill and not attended training, nor have I been to the gym. A full week without training makes me feel like a lump of dough, but I have a strange feeling that if I'd go and try to bench press anything heavier than a stamp, I'd choke on my own sick and then probably cry.

There's no report from last weekend's shenanigans in Växjö, but I think the girls had a good time even though they lost all their games. No need to speak of it further.

This weekend BBC decided to air the ladies game (!) where England meets Scotland in an attempt to secure the Grand Slam title. Read more about it here: http://www.scrumqueens.com/news/692-live-coverage-of-england-v-scotland-confirmed.html

Du hinner!

2011-03-04T06:17:00.000-08:00

Fem (5!) stackars ensamma damspelare joggade iväg på löpträning igår. Ytterligare tre hade annonserat att de inte kunde komma. Var FAN är alla ni andra uppsalabor, vi saknar ju er!? Nog om det.

Under kvällens träning kom vi fram till två viktiga slutsatser. Nummer ett var att hålla sig framför den som ätit ärtsoppa till lunch. En jävligt anonym källa sa under jämfotahoppen uppför trappa: alltså, min mage gör uppror. Varning! Vi andra tog det hela på största allvar.

Dagens andra uppenbarelse kom under de korta intervallerna. Vi förstod äntligen den underliggande betydelse som finns när du sprintar mot försökslinjen med bollen under en match och någon ropar: du hinner! Detta betyder utan undantag: du har ingen support! Förslag på ytterligare uttryck med dubbel mening mottages tacksamt, vi kanske kan göra ett litet uppslagsverk.

Nu återstår bara att önska Uppsalas damer (och Paulo) LYCKA TILL på Håckes i helgen! Vill man under lördagen hålla koll på hur det går kan man se alla matcher live på nätet:

http://www.okv.se/play/direkt

Spelschema finns här:

http://www2.idrottonline.se/WexioRK-Rugby/Hackescup/DokumentHackescup/

(Uppsalas damer ser ut att spela 8.20, 11.40 och 16.00 på lördagen)

Monday treat

2011-02-28T09:35:00.000-08:00

If one put on heavier weights than usual and decided it was nearly manageable, does she not deserve a monday treat? Yes she does! (Don't worry, fitness coaches! It's corn on the cob and not a mozzarella-dripping pizza. After all, it IS only monday...)

Theory session

2011-02-27T12:07:00.001-08:00

Well, SOMEBODY needs to be the one to ask lots of stupid questions, so that others dare to ask THEIR questions, stupid or not... As the ladies representative I accept that responsibility.

Are you saying I can never pick and go from the scrum if I play flanker? Now come on, how silly is that!

Springtime please!

2011-02-23T04:01:00.000-08:00

I never thought I'd get warm again. Hot shower didn't help. It took me four hours in sweats, socks and a hoodie underneath double covers (teeth chattering) until I felt ok. Springtime please!

On thursday the whole ladies team will assemble at the club for a theory session which I think everyone looks forward to a lot, not just the rookies. What do those second rows really do? What is the difference between first and second center? And what the hell am I supposed to do all the way back here alone? not to mention What position will I play this season?

Fatigue goes in, game plan goes out

2011-02-18T09:23:00.000-08:00

Since tuesday training got cancelled (but why would the council clear our pitch from snow? That's an outrageous demand!) a surprisingly large number of players agreed to show up at the late training time on thursday instead. Those of you who weren't there - you missed out on something very special.

Training consisted mostly of passing the ball in every possible way, and thinking ahead while doing it! Now come on, how hard is that? (Very.) This is the remedy to the famous white line fever and all other brain freezes during games, where you don't see your options because your mind is too slow. Brain needs practise too! We also played a bit of touch and noticed how, when fatigue goes in, game plan goes out.

Now to the special bit. Not only (NOT ONLY!) was this great session led by someone who (do I dare say it?) not uttered one swear word, but it was also accompanied by positive remarks, smiles and laughter (not just us girls!). AND it was followed up by an email telling us how great we are!

Scotsmen sure know how to surprise you...

Jump around hop along

2011-02-10T12:45:00.000-08:00

Picturing myself in a cloud of snow, tumbling down Slottsbacken due to lack of spikes on my running shoes (and bad body control in general) I bailed on my team today. That's not all. I reached out to drag someone down with me in this moral downfall and succeeded - me and S went to the local gym instead to participate in what she called jump around hop along training... We both agreed we shouldn't settle for anything else than crawling out of there, since we felt we had to pay for the offense we committed against our teammates.

As always, I checked out the competition (make no mistake, despite the so called relaxed atmosphere at Friskis it's always a competition) and felt like we were in with a chance. That's until we realised these other people had practised the moves and we, sadly, were newbies. I hear you thinking But how hard can it be, eh? Hard, believe me. Not so much the skippy jumpy bits, more the weird exercises the instructor apparently invented after watching G.I. Jane one time too many. Why would you do regular sit ups when you can pedal your legs and wave your arms at the same time? For someone with coordination like a spastic kid at a funfair this particular one proved impossible...

The instructor also deserves a comment or two. Apart from his apparent flair for Demi Moore and semi-erotic work out positions he had a surprisingly girly scream to tell us when to move to the next exercise. AND his ass was the tightest mankind has seen since the Muscles from Brussels was in his 20's...it sort of hypnotised me and seemed to say You will NEVER be this fit. But what the hell. At least I crawled a little on my way out. Mission completed.

Scrumqueens

2011-02-09T06:21:00.000-08:00

If, after the first contact session of the season, you come away with only a fat lip I think you should consider yourself lucky. Rucking was excellent - remember most of us have had a three month break from boshing friends around. In april our defense arounds rucks will be so low and hard no cocky second row can attempt a pick and go without regretting it!

TV coverage of the ladies 6 nations has been, well, non-existent so far...but for those interested there's always info and video clips to be found. I highly recommend www.scrumqueens.com to those who wants to stay updated about women's rugby around the world (they're also on facebook).

If you want to watch the France-Scotland game (despite it being extremely one-sided) here it is:

http://orange-sport.orange.fr/vod/cnosf/rugby-france---ecosse-2454.html

and if you want to see England's tries against Wales:

http://www.rfu.com/News/2011/February/News%20Articles/061102_Women_wales_report.aspx

On Saturday we start a bit serious with the annual members meeting, and then when England-Italy kicks off we hit the bar (not before the meeting like last year, please. You know who you are!). Rumours say some people plan to get shitfaced. Me? Would I?

the Buttkiller

2011-02-03T12:39:00.000-08:00

How do one end up running TO running practise? It seems to me like a too ambitious idea... Well if the old cow behind the counter at the bus station refuse you to buy a student bus card you just might (because the local bus company doesnt accept the local student ID...now that makes sense).

Ladies team had record attendance tonight with seven happy faces! We were easily divided into two fashion categories: tight fit and baggy with holes in the crotch. Each to their own. We ran off to our usual dwelling behind the castle where unfortunately lunges and frog leaps were on the program... To finish the evening off we sprinted uphill and jogged downhill, sprinted uphill and jogged ah I think you get it. That exercise is now called the Buttkiller (for future reference).

See you tomorrow at the club for Wales-England - 6 nations kick off, WOOP WOOP!

Elevensies

2011-02-02T10:50:00.000-08:00

The downside of suddenly training four times a week: I'm constantly hungry! Seriously, I just had dinner and I'm starving again. Being this ambitious is proving to be scaringly expensive... I've had to talk with a private food consultant who recommends not just lunch and dinner but also elevensies and supper (not to mention the afternoon snack). I now understand a hobbit's point of view!

Alright then. Bring on the nosh!

Superfitta

2011-02-01T13:50:00.000-08:00

Superfitta 1) plur. adj. av eng. fit att vara mycket vältränad(e) 2) subst. det som finns i Wonder Womans trosor?

Allvarligt talat, har vi inte alla en akilleshäl? En hatövning som varje vecka får en att vilja låtsas att man sträckt sig preciiiis när det är tio minuter kvar av träningen? För några av oss är det Herr Müller såklart, några fasar för ups and downs medan vissa snyftar vid bara tanken på 75 sekunders kullerbyttor i full fart. Men vi gör det ändå! Varför? För vi vill vara superfitta såklart!

SM-guld här kommer vi!

Kamelen som knäckte mig

2011-01-31T12:47:00.000-08:00

Om man knappt orkar ta på sig jackan efter ett skivstångspass, då har man väl jobbat bra? Eller? Den sista övningen (tydligen kallad Kamelen) tog knäcken på mina armar efter att jag blitt lite väl ambitiös i bänkpress. Min taktik är att välja ut nån annan på passet och sen gå in för att lyfta tyngre i varje övning - den lyckliga idag var en före detta högstadiekompis som tydligen fortfarande anser att vi har beef, trots femton års tystnad.

See you all tomorrow! Looking forward to running my lines, bashing the bags, being shouted at by a loud scotsman (no names mentioned) and crying with exhaustion. Woop woop!

Ät bajs, din jävel

2011-01-27T12:02:00.000-08:00

Nu vet jag vad Per Elofsson pratar om för vägg. Jag har sett den. Splatt.

Dagens löpträning började från klubben då ett snille hellre ville lägga av sig sina värdesaker och ytterkläder där än på en parkbänk bakom slottet. Bra tänkt. Efter en lång uppvärmningslöpning till och slutligen upp bakom slottet körde vi lite höga knän och stegringslopp innan det var dags för det roliga: långa intervaller i backe. Dagens coach förklarade sig "inte så despotiskt lagd", vilket föll Monki i smaken. Om någon skriker argt på mig, då blir jag anti och går hem! menade hon, men Mysan invände att om ingen skriker så gör jag inget. Det funkar tydligen inte att be henne snällt om en liten Heinz Müller heller... Ät bajs, din jävel säger jag då! (äkta citat) Okej.

Efter två varv (varav båda kan benämnas "Dödens varv" om man vill) var det oklart om tårarna rann på grund av fartvind eller en plågad kropp. Då var klockan lyckligtvis redan tio i åtta och vi avslutade det hela med jättesteg uppför trappen till borggården. Det här var ju värre än Heinz Müller sa S och skrattade sådär svagt som man kan göra om man är döende. Humöret var dock på topp mot alla odds, och ett förslag lades fram om att gå på Stocken eftersom vi alla hade våra hetaste underställ på oss. Förslaget röstades ner.

Ställningen nu är alltså:

Anna J 1 - 0 Heinz Müller

TOUR

2011-01-26T00:54:00.000-08:00

You'll get all the info soon enough. Well, maybe not ALL the info...

Visst gör det ont...

2011-01-26T00:47:00.000-08:00

Herr Müller och jag har ett ansträngt förhållande - ibland kan han vara bra att ha, men ibland är han bara för mycket. Ärligt talat, när han vill ses för tredje gången samma kväll känner jag mig kvävd! Just idag är jag extra besviken på honom eftersom vi hade en stor fight igår kväll som han verkar vinna - kampen om blånageln.

Allvarligt talat så vet man att säsongen är igång på allvar när stortånaglarna lossnar. Aj.

I want YOU!

2011-01-23T06:24:00.000-08:00

So pre season has officially started... Not just for us, every gym session everywhere is fully booked so people are apparently still going strong with their new years resolutions. Ladies' running practise on thursday was poorly visited though, where the hell was everybody? Six brave musketeers with our no 8 in charge did the best they could to trim their lungs and legs... Come on girls, I want YOU there next week!

As a january treat I booked myself on a weightlifting session tomorrow - primary goal: lift heavier than my sister. Looking forward to tuesday - first proper rugby practise 2011! Woop woop!

Don't forget that the recruitment competition for 2011 starts NOW!

I quote Cinderella

2011-01-10T12:01:00.000-08:00

For those of you who've never organised any major event I want you to know that things would go so much smoother without any people involved. People who can't decide whether they can attend or not. People who decide they can't, but then change their mind last minute. People who don't pay. And that's just the people invited! Let's not even mention the domestic fights over details within the planning committee (blood has been spilt over lesser arguments).

I therefore seek support in my blue-eyed anticipation of this year's tour, as I find myself suddenly in the middle of planning it. Finding a nice warm place within a reasonable distance, with green grass pitches AND women's rugby is hard enough without having to find a men's team in the same area that won't completely destroy our guys! Not to mention lodging and travel. Or getting the coaches to actually come along. Wait, why are we doing this again?

Det kan ju vara dötrist och tråkigt och...alldeles, alldeles underbart!

Batman, Pacman and..?

2010-12-27T09:21:00.000-08:00

What could be better than to spend one of your christmas holidays carrying someone elses heavy stuff in and out of a truck? Constantly reminded by the mirror about the phenomenon christmas weight, a few of us were desperate enough to agree working extra for our beloved rugby club. Even though one of us snoozed a bit too much, we started early and worked hard - cheered on by today's Big Afro Daddy. The poor truckdriver was frequently reminded by a traffic warden that we ought to move asap, maybe that's why he over-consumed nicotine all day? (Seriously, if you manage to smoke a whole packet before lunch, do you really have to use snus in between your cigarettes?)
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We were treated to lunch between truck load one and two, and there was also lots of chocolate at the new place where we unloaded the furniture, which made us temporarily forget today's fitness target. But I guess even if our weight stayed the same maybe we got a wee bit stronger? One can hope... Aside from the stiff competition for riding shotgun whenever we moved, there was also the ongoing argument between Sleepyhead and myself who was gonna be Batman and who'd have to be Robin. Eventually a rule became established, whoever screwed up most recently was Robin until something else happened.

As we left after a hard day's work I discovered that the Bartender didn't appreciate drawings on his car window...especially not ones of Pacman and a hefty cock... But that's a classic!?

Like an obituary but not really

2010-12-21T08:57:00.000-08:00

Losing a player on the team usually requires a mourning process for a few of the people staying on, whether players leave because they're up the duff, injured, too busy, just feel too old to go on or because they move somewhere else. For some, they might just've been the fullback with the weird accent or the drunkest girl at the rugbyclub...but for others they might've been someone like-minded and a constant partner in crime. Someone who'd listen to your moaning, bring you chips and dip when you're hungover and drink the last of your beer when you can't take anymore. A really good friend. Someone who'd encourage you to treat yourself to nice things and discourage you from getting involved in stupid things (even if you don't listen).

In the big, warm and sometimes slightly incestous family that is our rugby club, someone is missing. There's now a pitch black hole shaped like a small irish girl holding a pint in one hand and - for some reason - a christmas goat in the other...

But to look at it from the bright side - more Kexchoklad for the rest of us! See you soon!

What happens on tour...

2010-12-19T03:47:00.000-08:00

Oh, I'm desperately looking forward to this! Last time it was an unbelievable weekend where everything happened and nothing should be mentioned, because, well...what happens on tour stays on tour. Amsterdam 7's, Stockholm 10's, regional series and an Uppsala ladies team ready to fight for glory and titles... Next season could just prove to be the most interesting so far.

OA's (1st team) 2008, beaten in the quarterfinal by the Czech national side

www.amsterdamsevens.com

Merry Rugby Christmas

2010-12-12T11:47:00.000-08:00

As I tuck in to my second pizza of the day and watch rubbish sitcoms in preparation for monday morning, I can't help being truly impressed by Irish who went into work this morning to split some cells (!) before our hungover hangout. Yesterdays christmas party wasn't well attended, but the few of us there really gave it our best shot (and shot would be the key word here). When the Greed game was over and Pär the pink christmas goat had found a new home (enjoy the Emerald isle, Pär!) there wasn't much else to do than to trick fellow drinkers into downing vile shots of whatever the Bartender and his accomplice could dig out from the dusty shelves behind the counter. When we'd all been carried outside by the grumpy staff and got the door slammed in our faces (pure luck we left with coats and bags, I tell you!) we made it downtown one way or another. We couldn't really agree on where to go next, but after a 30 minute loo visit Max burgers finally proved the strongest alternative. For the record, a burger has never been more delicious... Let's all remember until next year: Absinth is a one way ticket to Hangover Hell, first stop Vomit city...

The official Uppsala Ladies song (melody Heja Bamse):

URFC, laget som vi gillar

våra damer klär i babyblått

Festar, tränar hårt med våra killar

svett och blod det tycker vi är hot

Ruckar, maular, tacklar, slåss - ni kan inte stoppa oss

Fyrisfjädern är vårt hem, vi slåss för liv och lem

Vi är Upplands glödheta valkyrior

och vi viker inte oss en tum

SKÅL

Off season

2010-12-05T05:18:00.000-08:00

The off-season period is going slow... With a pitch the council won't sort out until after New Year and with temperatures under -10 training has basically consisted of a few brave people running round town with numb fingers and red noses. Highlights so far have been the core sessions in the changing room afterwards where we can defrost and admire Magnus' lycra babygro.

Lets hope for a good turnout next weekend when we combine our christmas party (and Greed game!) with selling unpopular drinks cheap in the bar. Rumours say the shrimp vodka is still regular price though...

Party princess of the year

2010-11-24T10:21:00.000-08:00

The usual mayhem took place last weekend in a well known location far from watchful eyes and patrolling police cars... Experienced players even had nick names for the surroundings, make out forest for example (although I seriously doubt anything happened in that snowy slope. But I could be wrong).

Dinner got off to a good start with a toast madame very much prepared, a speech from the club president that wasn't too long and a starter that didn't make the pregnant guest throw up. Team Front row took charge of the entertainment competition with a couple of performances and remained in the lead for quite some time, until the Halfbacks captain decided to give them a run for their money and got everyone involved in a highly dangerous let's have drunk people in heels dance around on the furniture-game.

Awards were given out which made some people smile, some people grit their teeth with greed and some people cry with disappointment on the inside. The usual 45 minute speech with beer awards from the men's coach was avoided by bribing him with the trophy for Player of the year, a cunning plan! Most worth mentioning I think is the Party princess of the year award, which I now have at home in safe keeping until it's rightful owner lands on home soil next week (I miss you Blondie!).

The home built bar got busy after that and the dancefloor was packed with people you only see dancing once a year. On the stage we had a troubadour working his arse off and I saw several people trying to get their secret missions done before they got too, let's say, liberal with booze money. Good work, especially to Berg who I witnessed squeal with awkwardness as she interrupted a tête-a-tête just to ask someone about their favourite toothpaste or similar. As the hours were lost, so was judgement - some people clearly more affected by this than others. Most famous afterwards is the guy who tried to pick up one of the lesbians! Amused as she was, that special mission impossible (oh to convert a lezzer! or maybe get invited back to her girlfriends place!) didn't go well and he had to settle for someone else later on...

As usual, everyone in the party committee said I'll never organise this again! but we'll slowly forget it until next autumn. Bring on 2011!

Swing lo' sweet chariot

2010-11-09T10:05:00.000-08:00

It was a cold thursday eve when a few swedes arrived in the big city of London for a weekend of romance, shopping, rugby, drinking and an awful lot of public transport. Friday arrived and romance was quickly brushed aside when the happy couple was rushed down Oxford street by a shopping-eager second row in her pursuit of a dress for the annual party. That done, we looked everywhere for a pair of shoes for our often injured center, but realised our limits when we religiously tiptoed down Old Bond street in the rain (you can't afford to seek shelter in a Gucci store!).

Friday night barhopping was made extremely difficult by someone who wouldn't visit places with loud music and young people, the old man wanted a proper english silent pub with drunks in tweed coats dammit! We met a former Uppsala player and his rugby friends, who had some trouble realising us girls were players too (but didn't say anything to our faces because they're, well...british). A good night and great warm up for the big day!

We all thought we were well ahead of schedule when we left for Twickenham several hours in advance...but so did everyone else. Four hours before kick off the train was rammed with rugby fans hoping to be able to down a pint or eight before going to the arena. By a lucky coincidence we ran into the Bartender and his number 8-sambo (Happy couple no.2) in the William Webb Ellis pub and, after some sneaky stealing of chairs and a display of a drunk England fan's newly tattooed buttock, we managed to get a table and order some food. Happy couple no.1 arrived as well and we were in a brilliant mood as we 1) actually got our food, 2) got it in time, 3) without any mix ups, and 4) had drinks in our hands...

The game was great, not much kicking at all (unlike last year's clash), some good running, thrilling last second tackles and a sold out arena with 80'000 people singing Swing lo' sweet chariot when Toby Flood put another three points on the board. We were all quite surprised when England's last try was disallowed when the very similar All Blacks one wasn't, a fact that people around us unsurprisingly blamed on "the sodding frenchman" reffing. Add exploding pints of Strongbow to this and you know we were in for an exciting afternoon...

We followed up with a train ride from hell and ended up in Chinatown (as you do). Quite peckish we found ourselves a greasy china buffet of questionable quality next to a brothel... Some of us were reluctant to go in due to "lack of atmosphere" but as an impatient first row said: Are we gonna eat or are we gonna have fun!? We had a little fun as well when we discovered that there was no age restriction for the kid's menu, but you couldn't be taller than 1.20 if you wanted to order from it. You weren't allowed to stay longer than 45 minutes at your table and if you didn't finish your food, you had to pay extra per 100g leftovers!

I said goodbye to Happy couple 1 and 2 at a sparkling Piccadilly. Next time I'll bring high heels and Magnus, I WILL go to places with young people and loud music. Exclusively.

Oktoberfest

2010-11-09T10:03:00.000-08:00

We will not mention it again. (Not until next October, that is...)

Piggy back

2010-10-27T10:26:00.000-07:00

Last nights session started with an interesting warm up-routine, including walking touch, piggy back rides and some waltzing as a punishment for being slow... (Some guys lost the game so often they seemed to do it on purpose to get to show off their dancefloor skills.) We did some ball handling and some rucking, all good fun until I sprained my ankle and was left as a spectator. The amount of concern was touching, and ranged from offers to wear their warm clothes, clever tips (tape, elevate, ice! Where would I get ice?) and a doe-eyed man willing to take the blame for my injury despite the fact he's twiglike and couldn't hurt me if he tried...

Sadly, only a few was sporting a full german moustache in preparation for Saturdays Oktoberfest... You still have time, guys!

Saturday fun

2010-10-24T11:53:00.001-07:00

Way too early on Saturday I got picked up by the Bartender to take care of a couple of small jobs for the club. It was quite obvious I got picked not for my impressive strength but for loyalty and being so true to my word I show up even though I'd rather stay at home and puke in a bucket... First thing to take care of: navigate a bar desk down three flights of spiral stairs, through Uppsala and back up several stairs again. The Bartender disappeared mysteriously when it was time to carry it upstairs. Just saying.

Second thing to take care of: moving the scrum machine indoors for winter storage. Bear in mind a full scrum of eight hasn't managed to move it all season - but five of us was more or less ready to have a go (four was ready and the fifth just had to suppress a cascade of vomit first). After a long session of slave labour where the gravel bags had to be cut open and emptied by hand (all this while distracted and occasionally scared by a tiny mouse), we could lift the damn thing and slide it onto the trailer while the Bartender reversed the car to and fro - all to make it more interesting. When we'd finally placed it in the garage three of us was muddy and miserable, while both the Bartender and Big B looked quite untouched. Again, just saying.

The hard work had me thinking we all earned the right to have pizza in "the world's best pizza place in Uppsala". Not sure how that works, but they were good anyway...

Wide reciever

2010-10-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

Ganska exalterade och lite frusna anlände jag och mina partners in crime, Berg och Mumin, till Gränby sportfält där vi hoppades få dunka på några andra än våra rugbyvänner för en gångs skull... (Jag kan meddela att även om vi tycker att vi har dålig uppslutning på våra träningar så är det festivalstämning hos oss jämfört med detta.)

Första hindret: hur får man på sig dom jävla skydden?

Andra hindret: hur ser man något med gallerhjälmen på?

Tredje hindret: hur ser man den lilla bollen innan den slinker mellan fingrarna?

Vi testade lite olika löplinjer som wide reciever och upptäckte att här jublas det inte om man fångar bollen in the basket, smack i fingrarna ska den sitta... Till sist var det i alla fall dags för det vi väntat på: tackling! Åtminstone jag blev lite besviken när jag insåg att man inte alls får tackla vem som helst, man får bara blocka nån som inte har bollen. Suck. Vi övade en märklig teknik som verkade gå ut på att mosa motståndarens bollbärande hand med sin hjälm, både jag och Berg var fundersamma. De passar ju ändå aldrig bollen i öppet spel, varför tackla i brösthöjd? Mumin var nog kvällens toppvärvning för 86ers, både aggressivast och förstod taktiken bäst. Dessutom såg hon läskigast ut i hjälm.

Men, fick vi åtminstone vara krigsmålade? Nej, inte det heller...

Tre gröna rekryter och en gammal räv

Female intuition

2010-10-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

Being a spectator at today's training session, I had all the time in the world to admire some peoples technique, and make cheap jokes about others. There was only a normal amount of swearing going on from the man in charge, but enough to surprise some new girls. Frankly, I have no problem seeing how you can get the instructions wrong for an exercise - what with the accent it's presented in and all. Although, the one person to misunderstand was the only other scotsman on the park (you can draw any conclusions from this)...

I left with one question still unanswered: why would you come to a training session without joining in, without knowing anything about the sport and without any interest to learn? My female intuition ventured a guess - Alan, they want you!

Walk of shame

2010-10-16T06:44:00.000-07:00

It might have been the drink. It might have been the atmosphere. I'll blame it on anything - but truth is the shame and guilt won't go away regardless of what I tell myself. I can't believe I did this to one of my life's great loves, it's a treachery without comparison and I deserve nothing but scorn and public humiliation. When I looked in the mirror this morning I saw a truly despicable figure with a moral hangover nothing can cure. There's never been a walk of shame more worthy of it's name...

Yes. It is true. I partied with the Uppsala 86ers... But Rugby, I still love you!

Manhood demolition

2010-10-14T12:16:00.000-07:00

Winter training was like we expected: freezing and poorly visited. I'll have to apologise for crappy passing, slow legs, shouting at new people (again!) and the demolition of someones manhood (good thing he already reproduced). The tiny rubber balls from the pitch are now everywhere in the apartment - in some people's case they didn't leave since last year! Heard about spring cleaning?

All this aside, it's good fun and a lot better than indoor training. Hope to see you there next tuesday!

Vem?

2010-10-11T13:05:00.000-07:00

Efter lördagens prestation på fyrisgräset kände nog de flesta att medaljen inte bara kunde hängas någonstans utan att först skrytas med...så med guldet om halsen inleddes firandet mycket civiliserat. Sushimiddag och findrink (eller i mitt fall pyttipanna och fulgrogg) övergick dock snarast till en kväll i tävlingens tecken - hade vi inte fått nog?

Vems drink var först urdrucken? (Eriksson)

Vem hade läckrast skor? (Holmgren)

Vem hade störst blåmärke? (Bergvall)

Vem kunde ge bort flest äckelshots? (annan Bergvall)

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Vem drack dessa äckelshots? (även här Bergvall)

Vem kräktes flest gånger? (Broman)

Vem var fullast? (Somberg, Berg som god tvåa)

Vem borde ha druckit ett helt glas med gin och följt med ut? (Johansson)

Vem dansade häcken av sig? (Näslund)

Vem var hungrigast? (Karlsson)

Vem poserar på det vackraste kortet från kvällen? (Olsson)

-----

Vem hånglade utanför klubben? (Ja, vem var det egentligen...)

Second thoughts

2010-10-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

Jag känner hur jag långsamt börjar vilja äta upp mina egna ord.

När vi inte gick till Elitserien tidigt i somras var jag i hemlighet lättad - vi hade under våren slitit och kämpat på matcher där flera spelare egentligen hade slutat på grund av ålder, flytt eller lätt ointresse. Varje vecka fick desperata samtal ringas till dessa stackars plikttrogna som inte tränat på veckor eller månader... Träningarna hade en svag till måttlig besöksfrekvens, en hel laguppställning var mycket ovanligt och gjorde att vi aldrig kunde köra team run eller ens inkast eller backlinjemoves - trycka på klungmaskinen ska vi inte tala om. Hösten skulle alltså bli vår stora upphämtning, vi skulle rekrytera! Vi skulle spela matcher mot lag som vi i vanliga fall slår en dålig dag, och resultatet kunde inte spela mindre roll. Det är ju SM-guld or nothing som gäller...eller?

Nu står vi här - vi har haft trettio (!) nya tjejer som provat rugby under året, några har stannat och några inte. Inför den allsvenska finalen imorgon har vi plötsligt 23 spelare som vill vill vill vara med. Mitt problem är att jag inte bara vill vara med längre, inte bara tänka långsiktigt och öva inför nästa säsong. Jag är desperat efter att vinna, även om det bara är en andra gradens titel. Jag hoppas att jag inte är den enda.

Skammen

2010-10-07T11:54:00.001-07:00

Idag har varit en svart dag för min roll som pedagog. Sur på jobbet - vansinnesutbrott på ungar som inte är drillade som spartaner och, giv mig styrka, måste testa om det kanske idag av alla dagar är okej att bete sig som ett as.

Men höjdpunkten, eller snarare all time low, i dagens pedagogiska bottennapp var när jag blev frustrerad på rugbyplanen och skrek åt en av nybörjarna... Vi hade ju övat rucks hela kvällen, det kunde väl inte hon veta att man inte får ge sig på den som står guard. Fan att man inte kan hålla käften stängd.

Juniorshow

2010-10-04T07:51:00.000-07:00

Några glada rugbyintresserade dam- och herrspelare tog sig till Fyrisfjädern i lördags trots att ingen av dom hade match - tillsammans med ett gäng föräldrar och tränare var vi istället åskådare när juniorerna spelade mot Erikslund, Exiles och Enköping i U13!

Uppsalas killar (utan kapten Mimmi) kämpade hårt i sin första match mot de gröna från Täby, men fick se sig ganska klart besegrade. När sen Exiles vann stort över Enköping förväntade vi oss en ojämn match mellan Uppsala och de gulsvarta stockholmarna, men blev glatt överraskade. Uppsala försvarade bra, gjorde flera försök och höll sånär jämna steg med Exiles ända till slutminuterna.

Höjdpunkten på dagen var nog 15mannamatchen på slutet, då spelare från olika lag mixades för att få ihop två vettiga klungor och två backlinjer. Fyra coacher fanns på planen hela tiden för att instruera och leda "sitt" lag, vilket ibland ledde till förvirrade spelare. Om domaren skriker låt bli bollen! och din tränare skriker ta ut bollen!, vad ska man göra?

Vi på sidlinjen fick se bra passningsspel, finter, sidesteps, några fantastiska tacklare och dessutom totala nybörjare som öste in försök. Lovande, säger jag bara.

Rookies

2010-09-28T13:13:00.000-07:00

De bara fortsätter att drälla in! Värvningstävlingen är inte över än - det är långt till den 20e november... Berg håller hårt i ledningen men borde nog sätta lite fart om inte undertecknad ska gå om och håva in priset!

Girls only

2010-09-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

I hurt everywhere. Whether it is from the splendid game we played or from falling over at Uppsalas worst meat market dancefloor remains to be said. We lost some girls early in the night when they decided to "rest a little" before the party, a nap they didn't wake up from until it was too late. Rookie mistake. It was a girls only pre party where we unsurprisingly enough gossiped about the mens team and everyone else who was not present. We decided to crash the guys party a little before midnight and joined them in a walk downtown towards BJ's - there was drinks to be bought and mistakes to be made! When you can no longer hold your drink (and I mean hold the glass in your hand!) and the last bus is about to leave it's time to get your coat. Only luck made me wake up in time for my stop instead of at the end of bus line 7.

Focus?

2010-09-25T01:31:00.000-07:00

Our focus on thursday training was somewhat questioned by a grumpy assistant coach, when we pulled the cover off the scrum machine to find a shivering hedgehog hiding underneath. Suddenly our bloodthirst was swapped for aaaw-ing noises and plans to save his ass from front row feet.

Today though, there's no hegdehog in sight. Thank God.

Rosa nagellack

2010-09-21T14:17:00.000-07:00

Skruvdobb, glidningar, rugby league, ruck för kung och fosterland. Behöver lite manikyr efter kvällens träning...notera att det regnat hela dagen.