As discussed in the last executive meeting, we would like to hold a General Meeting with the membership on Tuesday, May 28th after practice.
To review with the membership:
• Club Objectives for 2019
• Club Finance Update
• Breakdown of Division Registration
• Brief Division goals/recap
• Upcoming Social Events – volunteers required
• Sherwood Revitalization
The Sr. Men’s 2019 rugby season kicked off this past weekend at an unfamiliar location to most. Despite the venue change, this was a historic day for our club as it was our first official matches in the Marshall premiership. Though the opponent was a familiar one, for many this was their first test in the top league of Ontario.
With London taking the first match of the day. The 1 XV team kicked off at 1500 hours on a gloomy May afternoon. The two sides split the season series last year with London snapping the Centaurs unbeaten streak at home last summer. In front of a large home crowd the Centaurs wasted no time getting on the board early. Within the first minute, A. Wilson charged down a failed clearing attempt by the St. George skipper, guzzling up a loose ball and crashing across the line, 5-0 home side. From the onset, the Centaurs set the pace of play, the ball coming fast from the base of the ruck and the whole pack went to work. It also didn’t take long for the backline to realize the speed mismatch, with Woodley and Hughes having multiple long scampers. A few mistakes saw London earn some possession and territory, using their size and experience. Having said that, it didn’t take the Centaurs long to answer back after another long break, and by the half time whistle the Centaurs were in control, 24-12.
The second half seemed to slow the pace a bit, both teams still housing match fitness as the season gets going. With multiple Centaur debutants getting their first run-around with Blue, White and Orange. It is worth noting standout and MOM, J McNaughton as he displayed many talents including tidy ball in hand and off-load game. At the final whistle, the Centaurs took the game in a comfortable 43-26 win. As the holiday weekend approaches, the Centaurs will head into the bye week 1-0. Plenty of ironing and cleaning up to do prior to our next test.
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Come try out a fun and exciting session of children’s rugby! No obligation required! If your child enjoys their time, the complete summer program is just beginning! Ages 3 to 12 are welcome to come out, non contact flag – ( U5 / U7 / U9), flag + intro to contact: (U11 / U13). We are a diverse, family-friendly volunteer-based organization, with a passion for sport and rugby, serving the communities of Burlington and Halton for 45 years!
We are located at Sherwood Forest Park @ 5270 Fairview St in Burlington, just off Appleby and Fairview. All are welcome!
More information and registration for the full summer program at http://centaursrfc.com/junior-rugby/ As always, looking forward to old friends and new friends alike! Our motto as always, “Friends Through Rugby, Friends Through Life!”
We welcome back Jon Goldie to the Centaurs as the new Women’s Head Coach! Jonny is a longtime club member and recently was the Canadian Men’s Head Coach at the Rugby Classic’s tournament in Bermuda with their historic win over the South Africa National Classics Team. The Centaurs are proud to welcome Jon Goldie back into the Centaurs organization and look forward to him leading the Senior Women’s Team in the upcoming 2019 rugby season!
The Burlington Centaurs Rugby Football Club are currently searching for a head coach for the 2019 season. The Burlington Centaurs Senior Women’s team competes in the Niagara Rugby Union A division. The Centaurs home is Sherwood Forest Park located in Burlington, ON.
Job Description
The Senior Women’s Head Coach will be responsible for, but not limited to:
The Head Coach will also have to demonstrate the ability to work effectively with fellow coaches, the club Executive, volunteers and captains. The Head Coach will work with the Director-Women’s Game to select the coaching staff.
The position of Head Coach will report to the Director-Women’s Game.
Qualifications
It is with sad news that the Centaurs announce the passing of past club president Trevor Knight. Trevor joined the Centaurs in the mid-70s, having come from Cinderford, England.
Trevor was a talented soccer player and had come to Canada to play for a semi-pro team. After he parted ways with soccer, Trevor switched to the sport of Rugby.
For the Centaurs, Trevor was a talented player and played in the backs in all positions. He was awarded the Endeavor Shield in 1980 and the Endeavour Cup in 1983.
He served as the Rugby clubhouse manager and served as Club president in 1987-1988.
Trevor was also a knowledgeable backs coach and through his direction the Centaurs won the Junior Provincial Championship.
Trevor worked in Burlington at Fisher Ludlow on Appleby Line before being transferred to Michigan.
After a game around the clubhouse you could always find Trevor with a Rye & Coke in his hand and he would be sure to greet you with an “Alight Son”.
Trevor you will be missed.
Thank
you to everyone that attended the Centaurs AGM held last night at the
clubhouse.
We
had a great season and we reached many of the club’s goals both on & off
the field.
After
being promoted this season the Senior men finished a very strong 2nd
in the league and setting a club record competing in the McCormick Cup
semi-final game.
Coach
Chris Kelly was recognized by the Burlington Sport Association for Champion of
Sport and Cam Hogg was recognized by Rugby Ontario as the Club Player of the
Year.
Moving
forward the club continues to grow especially with our Junior/Mini Division and
the Centaurs Rugby Academy thanks to the foundation being built by Alex Rappos,
Bill Clayton and Clayton Gillis.
The
Club also welcomes Jacob Smiley who will be working with us as our intern from
the Niagara College Sport Management Program.
Thank
you for the hard work and dedication over the years by club executive members
Jeff Ellis, Mark Chesser and Davy Jones who will be stepping down this year.
We
would like to congratulate and welcome the new 2019 Executive Members of the
Burlington Centaurs Rugby Club.
Please
feel free to reach out to us anytime to get involved with our great club.
“Friends
through Rugby, Friends through Life”
Club
President – Nick Manz
Director
of Administration – John Guilfoyle
Director
of Finance – Peter Ratcliffe
Director
of Facilities – Andy Maunder
Director
of Games – Tim Morton
Director
of Social – Terri Jones
Director
of Senior Men – Dave Wilson
Director
of Senior Women – Rebecca Rosa
Director
of Juniors – Alex Rappos
This past Saturday, Rugby Ontario hosted there annual awards banquet. Our very own Cameron Hogg was the recipient of the Senior Mens Club Player of the year. Congrats Cameron and well deserved.
It was a packed house this past Friday at the Burlington Lions Club. Centaurs, friends and loved all came out to celebrate a fantastic year for the club.
Ceri
Jones Womens Rookie Of the Year – Holly Baker
Women Most Improved – Olivia Cook
Women Coaches Award – Amber Aquin
Women Coaches Award – Steph Passmore
BOTY Award – Jeff Brownson
GIMP – Louis Hinshelwood
Rookie of the Year – Ryan Matthews
Ironman Award – Colin McLeod
Most Improved – Graeme Francolini
Berties Award – Lee Cranmer
2nd XV MVP – Kyle Wilkins
1st XV MVP – Cam Hogg
Junior Endeavour – Laiken Littlejohns
Endeavour Cup – Trevor Atkinson
Endeavour Shield – Alex Rappos
This is the official notification of the upcoming Annual
General Meeting, to be held on Tuesday, December 4 at the Clubhouse at 7:00 pm.
Under Section XII (a) the purpose of this meeting is for receiving
reports from each member of the Executive Committee, election of new officers
and such other business as may be noted on the notice for the meeting.
Also, under Section XIII (a)
“Members in good standing, and only members in good standing, may make
proposals or nominations, vote on any matter under discussion or stand for
office.” This means that if you owe any monies to the club, including
registration or the bar, you are not in good standing.
All Executive positions are open for election and all incumbents are willing to stand again.
Nominations for these positions must be duly nominated and
seconded. Nominations can be forwarded to the Director, Administration, or added
to the poster that will be displayed in the clubhouse.
If you are unable to attend, you may submit a signed declaration designating another person to register a proxy vote on your behalf. This proxy vote, see attached, can relate to specific questions, or be general and apply to all questions. This declaration must reach the Director, Administration, John Guilfoyle, prior to the count of the vote at the meeting. Please see the link below for the proxy sheet
If you have questions regarding this notification, contact
any member of the Executive, or John Guilfoyle specifically at johnguilfoyle99@gmail.com.
Last years minutes can be seen below;
The Burlington Centaurs (10) Cup run has unfortunately come
to an end. The squad returned to “The Square” to face the battle tested Markham
Irish (3). The semifinal berth would mark the farthest the Centaurs Sr. Men
have ever been. And also, would make them 1 of the 4 teams left in the province
which included Brantford and The Beaches. Nevertheless, the Cinderella story
has finally come to an end as they fell short 57-20 to the home side. The Irish
were a well-structured, big and aggressive side which pressured the Centaurs
for a full 80-mins. The Irish set-piece and forward controlled attack caused
problems for the Centaurs which infiltrated their defense.
Tries were scored by Josh Jones, Zach Shurtleff and Tim
Morton. Brendan Bryan also had one penalty and one conversion. Noteworthy
mentions also include A. Wilson, J. Tanner, Jeff Brownson and T. Atkinson who
battled for an entire 80 mins in the losing effort.
Though the season was filled with a lot of highs and some
lows, the club culture is moving in the right direction. Many thanks to our
coaching staff, travelling fans, many alumni and committed players who
continued to train even though they were not selected in the 23-man roster.
The Burlington Centaurs (10) history making season persisted as they travelled to ‘The Square’ in a McCormick Cup Quarter Final against the Toronto Scottish (2). The Toronto Scottish were coming off a week one bye. The Scottish had another stellar season in the Premiership, sporting an 8-2-0 record, losing only to the Markham Irish and the Brantford Harlequins. A true David vs. Goliath matchup, the Centaurs were making the trip playing with house-money as they had the only upset of Round One.
As kick-off loomed, it felt as though the sun was at its
hottest. With clear skies and a slight breeze, the referee blew his whistle and
the Quarter finals were underway. The game initiated with a ferocious tempo and
it was the Scottish who looked untidy early on. The Centaurs defensive line
speed wreaked havoc for the home side as a clearance kick gave the Centaurs
early ball possession. The Centaurs pack took control initially, led by the
revolting and dynamic back-row, D. Wilson, A. Wilson & Hogg. Multiple
phases building pass the gain line had the Scottish defense clambering. As the
visitors inched closer to the try line, newly position prop Colin Mcleod would
not be denied as he muscled his way over two defenders touching the ball down
for the first points of the game. A miss conversion kept the game at 5-0 and
the underdogs had drawn first blood.
Though somewhat rattled, the Scottish kept their composure
and started to apply some pressure on the Centaurs. The Centaurs defense
continued to cause chaos up the middle of the field; yet, the Scottish were
able to move the ball wide and with some timely offloads they scored in the
corner, the game was tied 5-5. Un-phased the Centaurs upped their work rate
which was wearing down the Scottish pack. Credit to the Centaur pack as their
scrums and Lineouts wore down the large Scottish front 8. As the game unbolted,
spark-plug halfback Zack Shurtleff identified a mismatch as he stepped a
Scottish front rower, which produced a line break. Backing himself he was able
to outpace the opposing 15, touching down in the corner, 10-5 Centaurs after
the first 40 mins.
The Half-time talk was concise – Keep the energy up, maintain
possession, sustain the defensive line speed. With all the pressure on the #2
ranked side they came out hot to start the second half. Hard attacking lines
and ball possession awarded them with a penalty under the posts. The kick was
good, and the gap was reduced, 10-8 Centaurs. As the game went on tactical subs
and attrition came into play. Fresh off the bench, Tim Morton executed an out
the back pass towards the Bryan brothers who were able to spring dangerous
winger Matt Woodley. Woodley known as a finisher, completed the score with a
great step and spiteful fend off, 15-8 visitors. Although, there was a good
portion of the half left, the current score overwhelmed the home side as
frustration stepped it resulting in an increased penalty tally. One of the
penalties was in B. Bryan’s range as he made it a 2-score game with a
successful conversion, 18-8. Centaurs
As time wound down, both teams dug further into bench looking
for energy. The Scottish play then turned sporadic and the Centaurs stout
defense closed all gaps. Punishing tackles at the breakdown and in the centre
of the field kept the home side on their back foot. A costly turnover gave
Burlington possession and fate was in their own hands. After consecutive slow
balls the referee gave Shurtleff the nod and the ball was punted into the
sidelines. David had slayed Goliath, final score 18-8 Burlington Centaurs.
A very proud moment for some travelling alumi as well as some longtime Centaurs who have never experienced such a bitter sweet victory and birth into the Semifinals. It truly was 23-man club effort for the Centaurs who laid their bodies on the line against one of the top teams in the province. Big thanks to everyone who made the effort to travel down. With the triumph, the Centaurs continue their road to the cup as the playoff bracket has them returning to Markham to face the Irish. With only 4 teams left a win will reward the Centaurs a McCormick cup final birth.
For the first time in a long time, the Centaurs found themselves in a McCormick cup game. The cup seeding had the Burlington Men (10) make the long journey up Highway 7 into the Kawaratha’s to take on the Peterborough Pagans. (7)
Peterborough and Burlington are the classification of contrasting storylines going into the McCormick Cup Playoffs. The Peterborough Pagans have found themselves relegated to the Marshall Championship for the 2019 season, after only one year in the Premiership (2-8-0 record). The Burlington Centaurs – on the other hand – were able to dominate in their first year in the Marshall Championship, going undefeated for a good portion of the season and they ultimately finished with an 8-2-0 record. The Centaurs narrowly missed out on promotion after a tough overtime loss to Waterloo in the Ontario League Playoff Championship Final. Though the narratives differ, everyone knows cup rugby brings out surreal enactments and it’s a gamble for vengeance.
The Centaurs got off to a great start, rolling through phases enroute to the opening score of the match from skipper Jeff Brownson after some innovative backline play down the far touch line. A second and a third try followed to put the Centaurs comfortably ahead. However, the Pagans would respond with a kick-off retrieval and some patient possession, working the ball over the line for 7 points and making their own statement in the contest. The Centaurs scored again, some more attractive play from the Wilson’s and scrum half Zach Shurtleff giving the Pagans defense trouble – and despite a last minute threat on their goal-line at the end of the half, the under dogs huddled on the sidelines ahead at half time– but the lead was anything but comfortable.
The half-time chat – it’s going to take another 40 minutes of hard work – all gas and no brakes. The home team took advantage of some second half substitutions, rolling in subs early and often, and played a structured and very physical game. A couple of rest weeks may have caused fatigue for the road warriors. During the opening stages of the second half, it was all Pagans. Some unanswered tries by the home team proved a pesky opponent, answering back in kind to keep the game within reach. Fatefully, kick-offs which have been an issue all season for the Centaurs sealed the deal. A great catch and run by Brian Woodley ignited at 75 Metre try finished off by Ken Warring in the corner. Though the home team added another score before the final whistle, they could not close the gap, 48-36 Burlington Centaurs. The high scoring, shootout provided an exhilarating substance for the home fans and a few of the Centaur Travelers.
It was a really great club effort for the Centaurs who dug deep into the trenches to pull out a long road win. Big thanks to everyone who made the exertion to travel down, including the run-on’s who helped fill the bench and our supports. With the victory, the Centaurs draw a tough quarter final match up against the second best team in the province, the Toronto Scottish. Again, the Centaurs will travel into enemy territory at Fletchers field this Saturday, Kickoff 3pm. The road to the cup continues and the men will remain the underdogs throughout the playoffs as they were the only upset in the first round.
“Through the Years”
Our memory book was released on Saturday at our 45th Anniversary Banquet and sales were very brisk, so much so that we may need to print more. We are running out of copies!
If you want your copy and you are at the club, pay through the computer. Or, you can eTransfer $40 to Jeff Ellis at:
When we see your name in the system we will deliver your copy to you.
If you have questions please contact:
The New Marshall Provincial League championship format held a new twist and the Centaurs now had to battle through a semi-final and final in order to claim promotion and the trophy. Travelling down the 401 to meet Waterloo County. The two teams split the season series against one another and the rubber match forced all the chips across the table. No doubt, It would take a massive effort from the Centaurs to stick County with the silver medal.
It was Waterloo with the first score after a quick counter attack and some weak kick coverage defence from the Centaurs. The momentum continue for the home side as another score put them up 14-0 early. To add to Burlington’s woes, flanker Dave Wilson exited early with a hamstring injury.
Fortunately, a Burlington score was soon to follow off a hard, tight line by Nate Bryan, rolling over a defender and across the try line. His brother then got involved striking a penalty kick closing the gap, 14-10 Waterloo. The momentum seem to be slightly changing to the road warriors and the score remained the same heading into the half.
The teams exchanged penalty kicks in the second half but the next big impact on the game came from a Burlington lineout and driving maul which County struggled to defend all afternoon. Andrew Wilson pulled the ball (and his calf muscle) out and limped down the sideline to finish off a forward dominated try. With a missed conversion, the Centaurs took a 1 point lead.
The crowd was buzzing as the Centaurs continued to push deep into Waterloo territory, several phases of attack earned the visitors a team penalty on the home side’s 22 metre line. The conversion was successful giving the visitors a 4 point lead with 4 minutes remaining.
With the clock working against County, Burlington did have the game in their gasps; yet, the home side were not going down without a final push. After recovering their own kickoff, a mistake tackle down the middle of the field allowed County to cross the line for a third time and this time directly under the posts, 24-21.
With 2 and half minutes to go, one might have thought the game was over. However, let me tell you the fans go their monies worth on the day. The Centaurs managed to gain entry in their oppositions half, again, hard work by the Captain lead to another team penalty. With less than 1 minute to play, B. Bryan hit another penalty kick to tie the game 24-24.The full time whistle blew and after a short meeting at centre field it was decided: the game would go to sudden death overtime.
The first points of any kind, even a kick, would win the game. Several minutes into the overtime period and it looked like a kick would indeed seal the deal, and it was B. Bryan again lining up the posts from a very tough angle and distance. The angle was proper but the distance was short and after an extra 10 minutes of rugby, the score remained unchanged.
The Second and final 10 minute overtime period began with the teams switching sides and a Waterloo restart. Kickoffs which seems to haunt the Centaurs all season remained a problem today. A knock allowed Waterloo a chance at a scrum, the scrum resulted in a penalty against the Centaurs and the Waterloo 15, who seem to not miss on the day lined up for a tough penalty. Unfortunately he made no mistake and with plenty of real estate the kick was good. 27-24 Waterloo.
Although it was not the result the Centaurs had worked for – there was a lot to be proud of this season. In particular their depth really showed this game that lasted 95 minutes and had several key players go out with injury. Next up– Burlington men hope to have a strong showing in their first McCormick cup appearance in a decade. Mark September 8, 15, 22, 29 in your calendars. Given their seeding, the Centaurs will be on the road throughout the tournament- win and move on, lose and the 2018 season will be fade into the past.
It was an outstanding Saturday and the Centaurs Sr. men’s team was looking to taste a 1st round playoff victory versus the 1st place team in the Eastern division – both teams aiming for promotion to the Marshall Premiership. The boys jogged out in their wedding white jerseys, and took care of business.
The game was not one to take lightly, and the men sure didn’t. Final score 94-0, with 14 tries.
Full Credit to Ajax who hosted two games with somewhat of a depleted lineup and they had to face a Centaurs team that was absolutely chomping at the bit. There were many Centaurs who stood out, but worth a mention: Daryl Tharby settled in nicely as a 1s player catching restarts and ferociously hitting rucks. Cam Hogg, the tackle factory was back from injury and again leading in this category.
Next week brings another playoff match up as the Centaurs seek revenge against Waterloo County on their quest for promotion! This game will be played in Waterloo and the winner will also claim the league championship title. Training will be important this week, as the men prepare for their biggest match in over 10 years.
We will be organizing a FAN BUS to travel to Waterloo to cheer on the boys as they Battle for Promotion.
Stayed tuned for details for bus departure time as we finalize the game details and location.
Bus tickets can be reserved for $20.
The 23rd of July had the Centaurs back on the road to face the Toronto Nomads. The trek up to Fletcher’s is very familiar to some and new for others. Not always a tranquil place to play as a visitor; though, the Centaurs were ambitious to get back to their winning ways.
The 2nd XV kicked off at “the square” at 1330 hours and looked well organized in the first few minutes, managing to score twice on long phases of possession. The home team responded with a score after some great rugby of their own, and just like that the game was on.
Some line up adjustments from the coaching staff provided the spark to light the Centaurs flame. The pack was controlled by Rose & Ellis which exhilarated Mr. Tim Lammers to score his first ever try! The new combination of D. Jones and Z. Dundas in the halfback/stand-off positions opened up holes for the Centaur centers. B. Woodley and C. Sharpe diced up the opposition all afternoon and the back 3 of Mathews, Brotman & Howes attained benefit playing ‘follow the leader’, or in this case the ball carrier/battering ram.
With the Centaurs holding a slight margin at the half. The talk at half time was about improving the defence, but that’s not an easy task facing a gritty Nomads team. The Centaurs managed to hold off the Nomad squad and snatch their first win of the season, 34-14. Well played to everyone involved, the rugby looked fantastic, absolutely a total team effort. The long awaited “W” will keep the morale high as they face-off against Waterloo County next weekend.
The 1st XV took the field shortly after and were looking to avenge their first loss in over a year. The men needed a big win over the Nomads to hang on to top spot, and they showed that intent right from the opening kick. After an unsteady 10 minutes, it didn’t take long for the Centaurs offense to get rolling, some sleek handling by Giboney & Brownson provided an open lane for Atkinson to dot down the first points of the game, B. Bryan to convert, 7-0 visitors. After two informative training sessions, the forward pack held their own against the mobile Nomads side that was quick over the ball. Hard work offensively opened up gaps up the middle of the field which assisted T. Atkinson as he scored his second of the game next to the uprights. The field remained titled during the latter half of the first 40 as both Brownson and Gilbert showed power & pace scoring tries and securing the bonus point, 26-0 half time lead.
The 2nd Stanza saw both teams go to the benches, but it was the Centaurs who had more depth on the day. As the game continued to be expansive, supporting lines and work rate was paramount. Jones, Waring & Tanner score all very similar tries, being beneficiaries of following the ball and supporting their teammates. With the game becoming somewhat out of reach, the Nomads shifted their play in order to get some points on the board. Though the visitors defence bent, it did not break and with D. Wilson sealing the deal on a well-anticipated intercept, try off a lineout- the Centaurs were able to blank the home side. 52-0.
Full credit to everyone who played on the day, it was a good day to be Centaur. The 1st and 2nd teams are back on the road next week against Waterloo County. This will be the concluding weekend of the regular season and for the 1XV top spot and home field advantage is on the line. Well played to everyone involved, the rugby looked fantastic, absolutely a total team effort. The 8-1 record currently has them at top spot; yet, County is just 3 points behind and has put together their own winning streak. The Berties/3rd XV are scheduled next door at Crusaders Park.
There were storm clouds distilling around the pitch on Saturday, but it turned out to be a full day sunny skies and plenty of tries. With 3 regular season games to go, two men’s sides were at home for possibly the final time this summer.
The 2ndXV came into the day looking to regroup, and they knew this was no easy tasks facing a hefty London Squad. Unfortunately there was a similar story line as last week. The home side went down two scores early. However, there was a familiar man at the scrumhalf position and he wasn’t going down without a surge. Mr. David Jones scoring the first two tries for the Centaurs, the second on a textbook pass from Callum which closed the gap. The Centaurs push back only seemed to fire up the visitors as their defense became relentless. Bryan Hannon having a hell of a game despite some challenging ball flow and no room to attack, his boot was on, which kept the game close.
Falling behind early has been the 2ndXV’s Kryptonite all season and today was no different. Though a strong defensive game was played by D. Tharby (as usual) and D. Kelly- the lack of execution close to the try line was detrimental for the 2s. The game quickly turned into a bit of a shootout and on the day, London had more ammunition, 45-26 Visitors. Still searching for their first win, the boys will make the trek up to the square next weekend to face the Toronto Nomads. A winnable game, let’s keep the numbers up at training this week.
All good things come to an end. The 1stXV needed a win over the travelling London St. George to clinch onto the top spot, and they showed that intent right from the opening kick. It looked as if the Centaurs were going to keep on rolling as usual. The celebratory beers were all but poured…..
A well prepped London squad created havoc for the Centaurs. Multiple phases but minimal yards and a strong wind in the opposite direction hemmed the Centaurs on their side of the 50. A missed tackle close to the breakdown saw London draw first blood, kick was good and the Centaurs were down 7. Not daunted, the Centaurs pressed back as Andy Wilson crashed over the line earning those hard yards. A missed conversion kept the Centaurs down, 7-5. As the game began to open up a blocked grubber inside the Centaurs 22 shot T. Atkinson out of the stable. A pickup off the deflection sent the Centre on 70-yard gallop, and the home team took the lead. It seemed though the Centaurs began to settle into their groove, a penalty kick and a great individual effort by the electric Brenden Gilbert made way for a ginger-to-ginger connection, Jordan Tanner in the corner, 20-13 at half time.
The second 40 started off with more fortune for the Centaurs, as Brownson’s second effort lead to a tally after a London handling error. Heads were down all across the red line; though with potentially their season on the line, the visitors were ignited. Penalties, possession and territory tilted in the London direction. Strong scrummaging & lineout ball took liberty on the Centaurs. London began to press as precious minutes ticked off the clock. A London try off the back of a scrum and multiple slotted penalties made for close final minutes. Extensive time defending alluded to card trouble for the Centaurs and with only minutes to play, London’s 5th penalty convert sealed the deal – 27-25 Visitors. An exciting 80 mins and in the end, London had more gas in the tank.
And therefore the unbeaten streak comes to an end, for over a year no one could solve the Burlington Centaur’s team. With a streak like that comes enormous pressure, everyone brings their best in attempt to knock off the top dogs. It was a tough loss, but the end goal remains the same: secure promotion and carry the momentum into the playoffs.
In closing the Centaurs would like to thank Cam MacArthur for lending us the Rugby vs. Cancer Kit. Though the scoreboard result stung, the fact the Burlington Centaurs, London St. Georges and all the supporting fans could raise close to $1,000.00 on the day is a great success. The effort by all the volunteers won’t be over-looked and the money raised is a high point on the day.
