Brentwood College School - Brentonian Yearbook (Mill Bay, British Columbia Canada)

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FIRST XV PLAYING RECORD P 12 For Against 226 161 WON 42 8 LOST 19 24 WON 31 8 LOST 28 33 LOST 28 33 DRAWN 9 9 ♦University School WON 17 6 Royal Roads WON 29 0 Old Boys ' XV WON 17 6 Claremont LOST 6 20 Shawnigan LOST 0 22 ♦University School St. George ' s WON 19 3 CANCELLED ♦Independent Schools Game. Mr. Ford ' s XV UVic Frosh Castaways 2nd XV Internationals XV ♦Shawnigan ♦St. George ' s Representative Honours Vancouver Island XV vs. All Japan High Schools XV. — Ted Dunfee, Brian Hawkesworth, Brian Thorne, Murray Bayles. Victoria XV (U19) vs. Vancouver (U19) — Murray Bayles. Victoria XV (U17) vs. Vancouver (U17) — Derek Arnoldi, Reg Stewart, Robert Williams, Ross Morrison, Jeff Allester, Doug Levell, John Bradford. 1st XV Last year ' s successful team contained many Grade XII ' s and so we knew we were in for a lot of rebuilding. Only four of last year ' s team - Ted Dunfee, Brian Thorne, Eric Paul and Brian Hawksworth returned, and two of these - Thorne and Hawksworth were plagued by injury. So a very young, very inexperienced side took the field in Brentwood 1st XV strip. Brentwood success has for years been built on forward domination. This we were just not physically capable of achieving. We had no lineout forwards although Murray Bayles and Ted Dunfee got ball hy use of skilful deflection and tapping. We were forced time after time to resort to the long throw which at least gave us a 50 percent chance of possession. But we could use none of the moves that the lineout domination of players like Arne Dahl and Rob 28

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SPORTS BRENTWOOD COLLEGE RUGBY CLUB After several years of success, the Brent- wood College Rugby Club was perhaps a little complacent. What many players forgot was that those years at the top were a result of ex- treme dedication, hard training, attention to detail and the ability to play on guts when it really counted. One frequently heard this season that a student was playing for fun, and this in the student ' s mind was synonymous with a casual approach, and a slack attitude to training. I would, of course, be the last person to deny that one plays rugby for fun, but it is the interpretation of this phrase that I differ from many students. The fun comes from the feeling that one is as fully prepared as possible - physically and mentally - and that one is giv- ing everything in the game. If one does this one does not mind losing, and this I am sure was true of the second Shawnigan game at the 1st XV level. Here a side already weakened by injury, starting as underdogs, had the extreme misfortune to lose a player in the opening min- utes of the game. Everyone gave his utmost, and there was no shame in the defeat. This coach had the extraordinary experience of having a team lose by more than 20 points and feeling proud of them. Indeed I have never been as moved by a winning team as I was by this team in defeat. What is unfortunate is that many members of the Club, particularly in the Senior School did not follow the example of the 1st XV. We knew that we were in for a difficult year. Only four members of the 1st XV were returning - Ted Dunfee, Brian Thorne, Brian Hawksworth and Eric Paul - and every outside half down to the Jr. Colts level had left. We had no big for- wards and most of the pack were very young without the strength of maturer players. We knew this was a year of building, and with a weak 1st XV our other teams would be affected. This is where I feel some of our ex- perienced players let us down. Where they could have held together the 2nd, 3rd and 4th XV ' s, containing many young inexperienced players, they offered little. A boy new to the school can hardly be expected to know what the Rugby Club has meant in the past to Brent- wood College. When he hears an experienced player advocate a playing for fun policy it is not surprising he follows this example. I per- sonally cannot see the tun in losing week af- ter week, and an encouraging sign was that many players obviously felt the same way, par- ticularly after the first series of games against Shawnigan. We consider this a bad year for the Rug- by Club and yet if we look at the results of the 1st XV we see the only defeats were by the very fine Shawnigan side, and, as already stated, in the second of these games the 1st XV acquitted themselves honourably. The Junior XV ' s showed ability, and the right spirit, par- ticularly Mr. Davies ' Jr. Jr. Colts. Let us hope for a resurgence of The Brentwood Spirit next season. We had become soft at the top. Now we are down the scale and need the ded- ication and desire to regain our position. To conclude on a brighter note - we did learn to become gracious losers; we did play on good pitches, thanks to Mr, Finnegan and his staff; we did look immaculate and have good equipment, thanks to Mr. Pitt; and we did provide pleasant teas, thanks to the kitchen staff. As always we are very grateful to these workers behind the scenes. I.R.F. 27

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Hindson had allowed us to develop. In the set scrums we got our own ball by dint of much practice of the concerted shove and Derek Arnoldi achieved a quick strike which got the ball out fast. When the opposing packs got the ball, how- ever, we were in trouble, for they held the ball and tired us out. It was in the loose that we were in most trouble. We had the desire to get there, and drove fearlessly, but we just did not have the strength possessed by older players. Often we saw players doing the right thing, technically, but manhandled by maturer opposition. It was not necessarily a question of size, but of age and strength. We must remember Robert Wil- liams, Murray Bayles, Reggie Stewart and Der- ek Arnoldi were barely sixteen and the rest of the pack not much older. If the problem with the pack was youth and size, the problem with the backs was youth and inexperience. On several occasions we took the field with three Colts in the backline, and they acquitted themselves well. Whereas sev- eral of the forwards were young Grade XI ' s, Jock Olser, Dean Foote and Pat Durban were young Grade X ' s. All showed coolness under pressure - again auguring well for the future. We had dangerous runners in the backs, but we rarely achieved the smoothness to score tries consistently. What good ball we got was often frittered away, again inexperience and youth causing a vital mistake. Stevie Bramall was a constant threat to the opposition, and our wings, John Bradford and Eric Paul looked very dangerous. It was a pity that our most dangerous threequarter, Brian Hawksworth, had a series of injuries accompanied by a loss of confidence and form. Two other backs, Doug Levell and Jeff Allester, were really quite re- markable in how quickly they learned. Neither had played much rugby, yet in a matter of weeks they were playing for the 1st XV - no mean achievement. Not surprisingly, they were inexperienced and made mistakes. So the 1st XV were a very young, inexper- ienced side. They tried to play attractive rug- by, and their attitude was admirable. They play in a tough league, and a lot, probably too much, was asked of them. They were always cheerful, and they learned some invaluable lessons. The experience gained this year will stand them in good stead next season. I.R.F. RUBGY CRITIQUES 1970-71 1st XV DUNFEE. Ted - (Captain and No. 8) Ted played some fine games at No. 8 and proved a good leader by example giving his ut- most at all times. His strength is undoubtedly defense; he covers tirelessly and is a lethal tackier. He does not, however, show the same flair in attack although he runs strongly. I fear he will prove too small for a No. 8 in the senior game and would suggest a move to the front row. THORNE, Brian - (Prop and Second Row) Brian, although nagged by injury, again proved invaluable in many features of forward play. Time after time he set up good ball in the loose, and his work in the set scrums and line- outs is admirable. He is, of course, too small for 2nd row, but he could make a good senior prop. He needs to work on his handling. HOOD. Greg - (Prop) Greg ' s improvement this year was incred- ible; from 4th team scrum half to 1st XV prop is a remarkable jump. He is very strong and soon learned the technique of making life un- comfortable for the opposition. A tireless work- er, he also showed speed with the ball in his hands, and a run he made in Victoria against University School sticks in the memory. ARNOLDI. Derek - (Hooker) Derek has a fast strike, and it was unfor- tunate that our pack was invariably outweighed He nevertheless gained a good supply of the ball. He is still rather small for this level of rugby, but gets through an incredible amount of work, particularly in defense. He should have a good season next year. STEWART. REG - (Prop) Reg was I think the smallest prop ever to play for Brentwood, and he certainly had a hard time of it against older and harder props. He has, I am sure, learned a great deal from this experience, and if he continues to grow, as he has recently, this plus his mobility and de- termination will make him a real force next year. BAYLES, Murray - (2nd Row) There is no greater tribute to Murray ' s play than his selection for the Island under 19 team. Though still under 17, he made his mark in a position requiring strength and maturity. He is not yet particularly big, but can take on the biggest of opponents because of his tremen- dous desire. He is absolutely tireless, loves con- tact, and by sheer application has turned him- self into a more than useful lineout forward, a feature of the game for which he is not really equipped. 29