Navel Gazing...

Peter once used this term for our rugby team after we had put together a highlight film - at that point in 1994, we seldom won a game, we had some flashes of brillance but overall we we're a few years off - I think we made that video to encourage us to keep going, there was some good stuff (included on the video) but we also had some things to work on and overall we had some growing up to do.

I sit here this morning putting together a "Review 2006" Video - it's alot of time and effort - and it was a long season. We started off in January at the Dundee Dome in Moncton, playing full on Rugby and hardly showing any rust from our 2005 campaign, then came Pilates by Garda - 15 sweaty rugby guys being put through their collective paces by a very understanding and patient Susie (Shout out to Garda,Al and Susie), then We went to Boston to play the Irish Wolfhounds - we lost this game 48-26, but it was closer than it sounds and they went on to be the national runners up in the USA. Then exhibition game against Bellisle, then Uprites of Spring Tourney where we won all 5 of our games - then Edmonton, where we were unfortunate to lose our first two games against the # 4 (Alberta Champs)and 5th (UBCOB Ravens) ranked teams, we then regrouped to beat the #12 (Manitoba Champs) and #2 ranked (Ontario Champs) teams and came home, 9th best rugby team in Canada.

Most of the guys went on to play for the Spruce, who enjoyed their best ever season 3-3, good work while the men's and women Loyalists got busy with Tournaments - Our women's team won every tournament they played in all summer, which was quite a feat, our men's team won the Rebel 7's (in the final against ourselves)

The Women's Fall season was all over the place, with wins over Moncton and narrow losses to the Trojans - They did continue a summer trend by winnin g the Atlantic Invitational Championship in Newfoundland by defeating the Swilers and The Dogs in one weekend. Unfortunately the ran into a very good Moncton team (Who went on to be Provincial Champs) in the Provincial semis and were sent home a week too early.

Then came the fall season for the Men's 1st side- We started off with a home loss to the Trojans (the first since 2003 and second since 1999) then we turned ourselves around the men went undefeated from that point on, capturing the Aliant Atlantic Championship on the Road after two hard fought games in Newfoundland, We won the NBRU League, The NBRU Provincial Championship and went on to win our third straight Caledonia in Frigid Kentville. We played 24 games from April 22nd to Nov 4, won 20, lost 4 , our record over the past 3 years is 35-5.


The men's second side had a decent season, with some great road wins, and some unfortunate home losses - and finished off the year by winning the NBRU third Div Championship over UNB B side (Made up of several future Loyalists)

All in all a fairly decent year - We also had some new arrivals - Cameron, Sophie and Ava.

Back when Peter said that we were naval gazing, maybe we were - maybe we were trying to see if we had the guts to become the team that we've become. You should always know what you've got inside before you start out on a great adventure, you simply have to know how far you'll be willing to go before you could possibly get there. Once you arrive it's good to have another hard look inside to see what things helped get you where you are (Heart, Determination, Hard Work...) So that you'll be able to figure out, not only where to go next, but what things you'll have to work on to get there.

Tomorrow night will be the payday for all the hard work we put in since January, you may even catch a few people checking out to see if they are an outtie or an innie...