Bembenek Tours England

Following the 7th Annual Saxon's 12 Bars of Christmas, six bottles of water, and five advil Mike Bembenek took flight from Ontario, Canada for London, England. Since his arrival he's made contact with a number of rugby clubs throughout the United Kingdom and played his first game on January 8th, 2005.

PART TWO

Former Club President and Saxon's veteran Greg Conway put me in touch with the Croydon RFC just before I left for the United Kingdom. Croydon, which is a suburb of London, is large city with a population of around a quarter of a million people. The communities rugby club has only recently changed it's name to the Croydon RFC in hopes of better community recognition. Although still sometimes referred to as the Shirley Wanderers, the club is located on the outskirts of Croydon and features a club house and three playing fields. The large club has three men's teams and popular junior and developmental sides.

On January 15th I made the hour and a half long trek to Croydon to play in a friendly match against the London Fire Brigade 2nd's XV. The game was setup to allow a few seventeen year old players to get their first senior game under their belt in a controlled situation.

However, the entire day had a sad tone to it. The night before, a seventeen year old player, Luke Murrell, passed away in hospital. All Croydon games that day were being played in his memory.

When I arrived, the Croydon Colts developmental side coach, Brian, asked where I normally played. I told him hooker and back row but in times of desperation I have been known to play with the backs. Due to a large number of forwards Brian decided that this is where I was needed and decided I could play scrum half.

As far as I've ever known the scrum half really only does two things at this level; pretend to try and tackle the other scrum half and pass the ball long distances. The most refined part of my game is the pretend tackle but as for passing long distances I am bullocks. I can throw to the right side fine but the left side I just have never been able to give good ball. There was no way I could go an entire game and not throw left. Scrum halfs also have to kick on occassion but if I was ever put into a situation like that I'd just give the ball to the fly half... if I could pass it to him! After explaining this to Brian he moved me to inside center and I was a happy man.

Considering we were down a man for almost the entire game, all went well. I made my tackles although got caught offside once which led to a try. I even passed the ball left once but for the most part I stuck with the tried and true pop up. I think this pissed off the outside center but he knew I was out of position.

We lost the game but it really didn't matter. It was only a friendly. After a few pints at the Croydon clubhouse I headed home.

Croydon RFC

PART ONE

Located just South of Bristol, England on the road to Weston-Super-Mare in Somerset are the small towns of Nailsea and Backwell. When combined the two towns are just a little smaller then Cobourg and Port Hope. However, the comparison between the four towns doesn't end there. Nailsea and Backwell, like Cobourg, is home to small town rugby.

Complete with three pitches, three teams, a youth program, and clubhouse the Nailsea & Backwell RFC is a reminder of what the Cobourg Saxons RFC is fighting to build. The team even boasts a Canadian, hooker Brad Brewer from Lindsay, Ontario. Anyone who recalls LCVI destroying both CDCI East and West back in the mid ninties may have played against him. Believe me, after Brad jogging my memory several times I sure do.

This all began for me back in the summer of 2003. Due to a job in Toronto, I made the hard decision not to play for the Cobourg Saxons but rather for the now disbanded Toronto Lions. It was there I was moved from hooker to back row and paired up with a British hooligan named Paul Collins or Colesy for short. Two years later I'd be sleeping on his couch and eating his food to both bring in the New Year and to get in a game of rugby with the Nailsea & Backwell RFC.

After successfully bringing in both British and Canadian New Years with a bang, I attended my first English rugby training session. Considering I have trouble getting through Saxon training without collapsing with exhaustion I was, needless to say, a little nervous about playing with a bunch of guys who had ate, slept and breathed rugby since early childhood.

The first two concepts I had trouble getting over were "running," and "coaches." Most would think that, as a Canadian rugby player, I would have trouble getting through ten minutes of the practice let alone the whole thing, but I managed. I wouldn't escape the torment of being called the Canadidiot. However, it'd all pay off as that Saturday I would start for the clubs 3rd's XV team in an away game against Walcot, just outside of Bath.

Saturday I arrived with Colesy at the clubhouse with my kit ready to play. Unfortunately, due to Walcot, the 3rd's XV game was cancelled and it looked like my rugby kit would have to keep me warm on the 2nd's XV bench.

Luckily, because of some last minute injuries and no shows the manager was able to slip me in at hooker to start the game. With gale force winds playing havoc with any passes made by both teams backs, the game was played mostly within the forwards and with a lot of kicks. Back and forth both teams fought until finally Walcot scored on a missed tackle breakaway. Missing their conversion Walcot managed to only get ahead five to nil.

At half time the team would give me a round of applause for a half well played. I was happy to have got in the game at all. The second half started with me on the sideline chatting with some spectators when suddenly the manager asked me why I wasn't out there. I quickly counted only fourteen Backwell jersies and sprinted back on to the field and into the action. Soon after we scored on a wingers breakaway, but another missed kicked meant it was all tied up five to five. It was a tough battle and with ten minutes to go, I was subbed off to much applause from the gallery of fifty or so onlookers. Needless to say, I was glad to know that I hadn't made a complete ass of myself. The game would end in a tie, which for someone whose all time mens playing record is 2 - 60 (seriously), I was happy with that.

Post game cermonies involved your typical colas and song with a decent performance from yours truly in the "Make The Canadian Drink Two and Half Pints of Blackthornes Cider" Competition. With a little training, I think I could get the pints down in one go.

Next up is a game on January 15, 2004 with Greg Conway's former London team, Croydon RFC. If all goes as planned, over the next few weeks I should get in games with both Croydon and Stourbridge (West Midlands). To anyone thinking of touring on their own, I highly recommend it.

Nailsea & Backwell RFC Website