This is not what this debate is about and I don’t believe the attitide of ‘footballers’ was present throughout the tournament having played against every college (miunus Alcuin) and drank with other colleges afterwards. My biggest concern is with the complete lack of truth in this article. I patted someone on the back and congratulated him scoring his try, all be it after ‘hurrying him up’ before hand. After this, I shook his hand and we spoke on the touchline!

The injuries throughout the tournament and the nature of the fight are something you rarely see from those who take their rugby a little more seriously. Seems like everyone got a little overexcited!

To refine my last point then; the typical footballers’ attitude has no place in rugby. I’ll leave it up to you if you believe that it was present for the tournament, although I’m sure Dan Taylor will have plenty more to say on the subject…

We played a hard but fair game of Rugby. If nobody does like us (which is frankly not true) then who gives? We are proud of the fact that everything that wen on on the pitch, stayed on the pitch. James and Alcuin came back to our bar for some beverages and all teams shook hands and gave three-cheers for the other team after the match.

This is an article from an individual who clearly has no knowledge of Rugby and judging by his use of grammar/punctuation and wording of his excuse for an article, clearly not much better at writing for our uni rag.

Secondly, I’m beginning to get pissed off with this whole debate. Continuing this is only going to keep making people flame up about it from one direction or another. Yes, the whole ‘Alcuin thing’ probably shouldn’t have happened, but shit does sometimes happen…and to continue to talk about who did what, who’s fault etc after it’s all been settled and done with, really isn’t going to help college rugby any more than the incident itself. If anything, for me it is detracting even more from what was a nice day with some good fun had by all.

Thirdly, I think what you percieve as arrogance is probably what would be more accurately described as confident good natured banter, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Banter like that is always going to happen before and during this sort of fixture, all part of the act. So I believe I will end by saying: Get over it, feel free to disagree with anything i’ve said, but lets look forward to the next tournament and future fun to be had shall we?!

Secondly, yes there is anti derwent feeling whether you’ve noticed it or not. Teams love to beat Derwent not cos of their supposed brilliance but because of their arrogance towards any other team. Its good that the players can all go for a drink which i enjoy aswell. We all get on but there will always be that stigma around beating derwent at a rugby event because you bring it on yourself. I think that was what Criss was reporting on, everyone at the event loved it when another team scored against derwent!

Thirdly, I dont think Criss once mentioned that derwent played crap rugby, he just commented that it wasnt as exciting as james or halifax. Which is obviously the case when you play a forwards game as opposed to a backs game. However there were elements of derwent getting stoppy however you try and pretend that there wasnt in your defence or not. Derwent should behave more on the pitch, fact!

Fourthly, stop going on about losing your no. 9 or 10, not a single team had its first squad. James had lost one of there best tacklers in the forwards and also one of our best backs due to OTC! James played to their strengths. If derwent had played a better forwards game then perhaps they wouldnt have ended up fourth. Alcuin didn’t have a game plan or special talents in any department as far as i could see and they still came out above you.

Derwent should stop moaning about this article just because the truth hurts. Derwent play agressive, (attempted) intimidating rugby, and it failed on the day. Everyone had injuries, and yes people dont like derwent.

One last thing, all your entries and compliants about this article show your arrogance about your team. You were beaten by better players, get over it.

Very true I’m sure but there was certainly no animosity between Alcuin, James and Derwent when the three teams were sat in the bar afterwards. Nor was there any animosity between the (stand-in) captain of Derwent and the Langwith captain during their game when it was suggested that the two teams meet up for a drink after the tournament. If ever there were grounds for animosity it would surely be after a physical 0-0 draw between possibly the two biggest rival colleges on campus.

“Derwent had one of their games cancelled”

Correct. Alcuin also had their game abandoned. The referee made the correct decision to abandon it as tempers frayed, which is regrettably sometimes part of rugby. Immediately after the abandonment the majority of both teams shook hands, and apologies from both sides were made.

There appears to be a great deal of selective journalism. Yes, Dan Taylor showed commitment (to what proved to be a lost cause against Halifax) when chasing down their player. Again, you appear to have overlooked the fact that the two players shook hand immediately. I’m not sure what’s worse – a biased journalist or one that is ignorant of the topic on which they are reporting.

Might I suggest that, any journalist worth their salt, wouldn’t go around collecting quotations for their scoop from peoples’ facebook profiles but research their topic (in this instance rugby) more thoroughly.

Even more importantly:

“I feel that I have no further need to comment on this issue.”

Absolutely incorrect. As far as I can recall, the newspaper under whose guise you are reporting was supporting the idea that people be held account for their actions in the most recent events. Therefore, having written, not independently but as an associate of a student union newspaper you should absolutely be held to account for such libellous comments such as the “banned for life” comment.

“The “banned for life” comment is not something that I said personally, it was something being discussed by officials that was overheard so I can’t take any direct responsibility for that.”

If you can’t take any direct responsibility for that comment you unequivocally do not write it in the public domain under your name or any other name/society. In the real world this could end up in court.

As for the wave of anti-Derwent support, so be it. I think you’ll find that other teams were cheering when Halifax were beaten. In previous tournaments James came to drink in Derwent after the XVs tournament with no animosity and both James and Alcuin came this time with the same effect. The crux of your argument that “the vast majority of the student population dislike the Derwent squad” is frankly nonsense. The vast majority of the student population couldn’t care less about a small one-day tournament, and arguably, out of those that attended the event many were ambivalent towards Derwent.

Oh, and ‘Miles’ I agree with you wholeheartedly – it’s not the most exciting style of rugby but it was our best chance of winning!

Seriously though it’s a blog not a sports report, and a very entertaining one.

Criss’s criticisms of Derwent’s style of play is not what most people, including my self have complaint with.

It’s his incorrect, biased and quite offensive personal attack on Derwent players and the way he he totally misrepresents events.

If Nouse aims for the higher quality side of journalism, why does it put out things like this nonesense?

The “banned for life” comment is not something that I said personally, it was something being discussed by officials that was overheard so I can’t take any direct responsibility for that.

I have said previously that I do not personally hate Derwent, it’s playing style or any of it’s players specifically. The idea for the blog came throughout the afternoon when several of the players and spectators on the touchline remarked on how they were not fans of Derwent, but everyone else was ok.

I admit that if I were on the other side of the pitch where a different set of players and spectators were residing, the opinion put forward in the blog would probably have been different. The title of the blog itself came from a James College player asking another player “Why does everyone hate Derwent so much?”. Again, these are his views not mine.

I will say once more that what I say in the blog is for entertainment purposes only and is not to be taken seriously.

Like it or not, Derwent were one of the three teams other colleges were keen to beat (the other two being VII’s James and surprise- package Halifax). It’s fair to say that after the successful XVs tournament last term, both Alcuin and James were out of revenge, not because of any individual involved, but to regain some pride and honour.

People who have commented saying that it makes sense for Derwent to play a forward’s game are correct, playing to your strengths as a squad is crucial to winning in any sport, espeically rugby. This isn’t what Criss took exception to, however, merely that the slow, grinding build up play of forward’s rugby is less interesting to watch than the quick, cutting back’s rugby. Fair point, I’d say.

Also, you say you were there Criss, but were you actually watching the match. I dont condone violence, espeically on a college sport pitch, but if Joe Rankin should be “banned from rugby for life” then so should the player who saw it necesary to stamp on the Derwent Prop lying on the floor, AWAY from the ruck (much worse than a little handbags!!). Additionally Joe got hit himself, but he realised it was in the heat of the moment and therefore did not feel the need to ‘persecute’ the person responsible.

Criss you have a very mis-informed view. Just because you hate Derwent doesnt mean the rest of the teams did. James and Alcuin went to Derwent bar for drinks afterwards (like they did after the 15 a-side tournament). Derwent James and Alcuin have built up a relationship with each one respecting the other…ill feeling is left on the pitch and we all get on off it!

Moreover, questioning the Derwent tactics makes you seem like someone that knows little about rugby. THe game is about playing to your strengths, look at England in the world cup, hardly an inspiring running game. If you have big forwards keep it in the forwards, if you have big backs, keep it in the backs…obvious isnt it?! The proof of this lies in the fact that Derwent are more of a 15s team rather than a 10s team, shown by their victory last term!

I would have to agree with ‘JACK’ for your anti-Derwent bias, why is this?? you have failed to answer that question throughout your article and posts??

Literally, the biggest load of journalistic crap I have ever read from no-use. Maybe you should partake in the college tournament next time. Or even et a Nouse team together. I’m sure they’d be better like than Derwent…