Matrix Teams

Reminder of the Matrix Teams for Neath, Bonymaen and Loughor...

Games are:

Dunvant (A) 18th Sept / S.Gower (H) 25th Sept / Neath (TBC) 2nd Oct.

Bonymaen (A) 9th Oct / Loughor (H) 16th Oct.

	v Dunvant	v S.Gower	v Neath	v Bonymaen	v Loughor
Back 5	Rhod	Rhod	James	Rhod	Rhod
Back 5	James	Brad	Brad	James	James
Back 5	Brad	Jack	Jack	Ben	Brad
Back 5	Jack	Ben	Ben	Tom	Jack
Back 5	Ben	Tom	Tom	Lloyd	Tom
Back Row	Lloyd	Lloyd	Cam	Cam	Lloyd
Back Row	Cam	Cian	Cian	Cian	Cam
Back Row	Cian	K Morr	K Morr	K Morr	K Morr
Front row	Will	Will	Jamie	Will	Will
Front row	Jamie	K Morg	K Morg	Jamie	Jamie
Front row	K Morg	Aled	Aled	Aled	K Morg
Front row	Aled	Alex	Alex	Alex	Alex
Half Back	Rhys C	Rhys C	Max	Rhys C	Rhys C
Half Back	Max	Nathan	Nathan	Max	Max
Half Back	Nathan	Zach	Zach	Zach	Nathan
Half Back	Zach	TG	TG	TG	TG
2nd row	Sam	Sam	Ryan	Sam	Sam
2nd row	Ryan	Oli	Oli	Ryan	Ryan
2nd row	Oli	Rhys D	Rhys D	Rhys D	Oli
2nd row	Rhys D	Harry	Harry	Harry	Harry

CRUSADERS' TOUR 2012

West Coast International Rugby Festival 2011/2012

May Day Bank Holiday 

Arrive 4th May | Depart 7th May 2012

Tournament Day’s 5th May | 6th May 2012

Age Groups Male | U7 through to U16

Plans are taking shape for our proposed rugby tour this year.

In 2012 the West Coast International Mini and Junior Rugby Festival will take place in one of the UK’s leading Holiday destination’s in North Devon. The Festival of Rugby is an exciting event that has stirred enormous interest in rugby clubs not just in the UK but through Ireland, Northern Ireland and other International destinations. With a first class host club in Barnstaple Rugby Club you are sure to enjoy your time on and off the field. Group matches will be played on the Saturday with Cup, Challenge Cup and Bowl matches on the Sunday.

Teams will be based in a number of holiday villages with John Fowler Holidays accommodation in Ilfracombe as our preferred option. There is plenty of entertainment in the Holiday Village including an indoor pool. Various accommodation sizes will be available varying from 2 berth all the way up to 12 berth including chalets, apartments and caravans. Exact details of accommodation depends on our final numbers and proximity to each other.

We have secured an early booking discount of £89 per person. This includes three night’s accommodation at the holiday park, entry to the rugby festival, entertainment pass & return coach shuttles to and from the rugby festival from the holiday village on the Saturday and Sunday. Ilfracombe is about 4 hours journey and we are proposing to hire a coach to transport us there and back. A proper rugby tour! The coach will cost approx. £30 per head return. Families are welcome to attend but unfortunately there are no discounts available for family groups.

We need firm numbers by October 5th to obtain the discount. Can you also please let us know who you want to share accommodation with?

Please contact Kay with these details by Wed 5th October if you would like to attend.

rav.midha@virgin.net

07949 998772

Thanks

Dan

Game v Neath Away - Sun 2nd October

Below map for directions to the Neath game for the match on Sunday 2nd October
Please arrive by 10.30am
Team is as per the Matrix selection further down the blog. Teamer invites will be sent out later in the week

View Rugby Pitches in a larger map

TEAMER REPLIES

Please can everyone make sure they reply to their Teamer text or email as soon as they know they can make the game on the Sunday. This will help us to organise replacements to the squad we will be taking earlier rather than asking people to come last minute.
If you do not reply to the Teamer invite it will be assumed that you can NOT make the game and a replacement player may be notified to take the place. Thank you

South Gower HOME Sunday 25th Sept - 10.30am

We have a home game this coming Sunday against our good friends from South Gower.
We will be playing in Bishopston, this year as last year we will be on the top pitch the other side of the school. Teamer invites have been sent out based on the Matrix selection for the game further down the page.
See you all there, and see you all in the club afterwards!

Dunvant and South Gower matches

Well done all the boys against Dunvant on the weekend. There is a very brief match report online. Click the Match Report tab above to have a read.
Training again 4.30pm on Friday at Underhill as we prepare to take on our good friends, classmates and rivals from South Gower at 'home' in Bishopston. The Matrix teams are all below and the players involved will also receive a Teamer invite.

As it is a home game for us against South Gower it would be really great to see some of the boys and parents back at the club afterwards. It is something that the club is extremely keen to encourage. They have a new kitchen, and although it hasn't got a Michelin Star yet, it will provide some nice food for the boys and let them be together for a short while after the game. Hope to see you there

BRING YOUR BALLS!

Can all the boys please bring their training ball with them on Friday night
Thanks

THE MATRIX EXPLAINED...

Just to clarify the thinking behind the new Matrix to everyone...

You will see that your son will have been allocated a "position". That is to help balance the team for each match. Though it is more likely that they will be playing in that position on the day, they will be moved around to develop their skills in other positions as well as to accommodate injuries during the game.

For instance, though there are only three "back row" players for each game, we think that at least two of the "front row" and all of the "second row" can play in the "back row" in any specific game. 

We will stick to a rotation policy on the field as well. Depending on the final number for the day, it is likely that your son will have around 70% of the playing time on the pitch. Noting that wingers have the least amount of activity during a game (fewer passes, tackles, rucks etc), there are approximately 2 backs and 3 forwards replacements for each game.

At the end of the first cycle of games, we will review the matrix allocation, adjusting where necessary.

It is essential that players: 

1. Don't become a one position player.

2. Experience a range of positions over the season.

3. Get as much game time as possible.

4. Want to learn new skills based on WHAT THEY HAVE DISCOVERED FROM PLAYING, not just because we have told them that it is the right skill.

MATRIX TEAMS

Dan's patented Matrix has outputted the following teams for the first five teams of the season. The combination of complex equations, years of rugby experience and drawing of straws has resulted in selections that should see equal game time for everyone.
Ongoing analysis by our team of experts will make any alterations needed to the matrix before releasing teams for the next round of fixtures...

Games are:
Dunvant (A) 18th Sept / S.Gower (H) 25th Sept / Neath (TBC) 2nd Oct.
Bonymaen (A) 9th Oct / Loughor (H) 16th Oct.

	v Dunvant	v S.Gower	v Neath	v Bonymaen	v Loughor
Back 5	Rhod	Rhod	James	Rhod	Rhod
Back 5	James	Brad	Brad	James	James
Back 5	Brad	Jack	Jack	Ben	Brad
Back 5	Jack	Ben	Ben	Tom	Jack
Back 5	Ben	Tom	Tom	Lloyd	Tom
Back Row	Lloyd	Lloyd	Cam	Cam	Lloyd
Back Row	Cam	Cian	Cian	Cian	Cam
Back Row	Cian	K Morr	K Morr	K Morr	K Morr
Front row	Will	Will	Jamie	Will	Will
Front row	Jamie	K Morg	K Morg	Jamie	Jamie
Front row	K Morg	Aled	Aled	Aled	K Morg
Front row	Aled	Alex	Alex	Alex	Alex
Half Back	Rhys C	Rhys C	Max	Rhys C	Rhys C
Half Back	Max	Nathan	Nathan	Max	Max
Half Back	Nathan	Zach	Zach	Zach	Nathan
Half Back	Zach	TG	TG	TG	TG
2nd row	Sam	Sam	Ryan	Sam	Sam
2nd row	Ryan	Oli	Oli	Ryan	Ryan
2nd row	Oli	Rhys D	Rhys D	Rhys D	Oli
2nd row	Rhys D	Harry	Harry	Harry	Harry

PONTARDAWE GAME

It was great to see so many of the Crusaders make the journey up-river to Pontardawe on Friday night. A fantastic turn-out, some exciting rugby on the big pitch and overall a really positive evening topped off with the customary warm welcome and sausage and chips in the clubhouse.

Keep an eye out on the blog for teams for the next five weeks which will be posted as soon as I can figure out a way of putting them up without grinding the internet to a halt.

THE MATRIX UNCOVERED

No longer just an urban myth, new evidence has come to light revealing the existence of Dan's patented u12 Rugby Matrix. This anonymously emailed picture shows Dan hard at work on the super computer needed to run such a complex system, keenly aided by the Carol Vorderman of Mumbles, Kay Midha.

The teams for the next 5 weeks have all been worked out and will be posted on the blog after the game on Friday night

PONTARDAWE - Post match food at the club

Pontardawe are kindly putting on food for all the boys at the rugby club after the game.
All are wlecome back there to enjoy their usual hospitality.

FRIDAY 5.30pm v PONTARDAWE

Whole squad to play a training game against Pontardawe on Friday night. This will provide all the boys with a good opportunity to get used to the 15 a side full pitch set up after the long lazy summer of perpetual sunshine.
MEET AT 5.30pm Teamer invites will be sent out PLEASE REPLY TO TEAMER!!

We will be playing on the senior pitch, which is at the end of the industrial estate, by Wall Colmony.
NOT AT THE LEISURE CENTRE - see the map below...


View Rugby Pitches in a larger map

International Tickets - 6 Nations

Anyone interested in tickets for next year's six nations can buy them through the club. But time is running out. All you need to do is go to the ground floor bar in the club house, and write your name on the list pinned up on the column facing the bar (or ask Skinny where the list is). If tickets are over subscribed, there will be a lottery, however at the moment there are not many names down (France and Italy are the home matches) and there is a good chance that you will be offered tickets. Please include a contact telephone number, and indicate the team (under 12s) that you are part of.

Lists will only be there until the end of the week (because we then need to apply for our allocation) so if you want tickets go now.

TRAINING SUNDAY - 10.30am

We will be training on Sunday at 10.30am at Underhill - See you all there!

TRAINING FRIDAY 4.30pm

Training Friday 4.30pm in Underhill
Those who haven't handed in registration
PLEASE BRING 2 x PASSPORT PHOTOS
and we can do the registration forms there and then

IF YOU HAVEN'T COMPLETED A REGISTRATION CARD
YOU ARE NOT INSURED TO PLAY FOR THE CLUB!

FIRST MATCH NEXT FRIDAY!