BARBOS END SEPTEMBER HOT AND COLD
Your Denver Barbarians opened up their XV’s fall season with four wins on the trot. After a high scoring opening weekend, the try scoring continued on through Ruggerfest weekend. There, up in Aspen on Wagner Field, the Barbos fell just short the the Gentlemen of Aspen. It was no gentle match, with both teams dealing blows through the final seconds. While men in Green & White scored more tries on the day, the final result was a loss at the death. 36-32 Aspen victory.
Having seen many Barbarian teams go to Ruggerfest throughout the years, I can say that it is no easy task to perform at a high level when breathing thin air (Aspen’s elevation is 7,891 feet above sea level (2405 meters for the metric enthusiasts)). Performance is also challenged by the nature of the tournament. Four matches on Saturday (20 minute halves), followed up by an 80 minute final on Sunday … it’s a tournament that can create challenges for player safety. It takes a village to field a team that will last through the weekend.
Regardless of the challenges, it’s a tournament worth playing (and winning). But it takes methodical planning, recruitment, and lastly, the most important part …... execution. Time to start thinking about how we can do better next year. Who’s putting the down payment on the team AirBnb? I’ll bring the air mattresses.
Joe Goldbloom was physical all weekend at Ruggerfest. Above, he delivers a thud to an Aspen defender before he is finally brought down. Unfortunately, he landed awkwardly and is dealing with a hip pointer. A hip pointer is a bruise on the iliac crest, the bone on the outside of the hip, that results from a direct blow to the hip. It’s basically a sac of blood lingering on the tip of your bone.
All photography by Casey Ritt. You can find her work here.
The team enjoyed phenomenal passing from Diego Fortuny at hooker.
SEPTEMBER SCORES
The score lines for both your 1st and 2nd VX are below:
September 7th:
Denver Barbarians 1st XV defeated the Water Dogs 48-43
Denver Barbarians 2nd XV defeated the Denver Harlequins 47-28
September 14th:
Denver Barbarians 1st XV defeated Park City Haggis 35 - 20
Denver Barbarians 2nd XV defeated the Colorado Springs Grizzlies 58-38
September 21st:
Denver Barbarians 1st XV defeated Boulder
Denver Barbarians 1st XV lost to Randwick RFC
Denver Barbarians 1st XV defeated Colorado Mountain Allstars
September 22nd:
Denver Barbarians lost to Aspen Gentleman 36-32
September 28th:
Denver Barbarians 1st XV lost to the Denver Waterdogs 42-17
Denver Barbarians 2nd XV defeated Northern Colorado Flamingos 50-31
Christian Rubio prepares to throw a lineout (old boys Jim Bob Glabman and Ryan Walker look on)
Sean Kilfoyle delivers a pass against Park City
Dion Falconer runs it straight
Selevasio Iosefo (pictured above leaping over the try line) was electric both Saturday and Sunday at Ruggerfest.
Joe Goldbloom (back of scrum) & Kierian Langskov (open side flanker) prepare for a scrum.
After a loss on home soil to the Waterdogs, the men in Green & White look to bounce back with a big weekend of club rugby. This Saturday, October 5th, the Denver Barbarians 1st XV host Aspen at Infinity Park at 1pm. The match will be followed by the Denver Barbarians 2nd XV vs. Queen City RFC at 3pm. These matches will be a pivotal point in the fall season for both squads. Aspen showed their strength in Ruggerfest, and will be sure to field a strong side in their first league clash with the Barbos. Queen City has shone strength in years past and will look to utilize their team speed through standouts Luke Buckley, Etienne Pierre & Jakob Fei.
Be sure to come Saturday to support the Men in Green & White. Be sure to wear our colors cheer your asses off!
As always,
Bleed Green