Front row: Rozger, Trezza, Newcombe
Second row: McHale (c), Gubser
Back row: Ali, Kallman, Raia
9 Chia, 10 McKee, 11 Adil, 12 Champ, 13 Davis, 14 Salgado, 15 Wilson
Subs: Verdu, Carey, LaMorgia, Kuiken, Morales

It's a rainy day, and everyone's excited to wear their metal studs finally after an unseasonably warm fall. We're playing against Morris in Flanders, at the Flanders Swim & Sport Club to be exact - best known as the home of the Jersey Cup. The start of the A side match is chaotic. The Argentinian ref is 30 minutes late, then we are looking for the jerseys, the B side kit is not here. Board, we must do better in the future!

First half: The game starts just as the rain stops. Morris spends most of the first 15 minutes of the game in our half, but the Lions defend well against several lineouts. Then Morris goes for a maul in mid-field, nice pass, and one of their backs tears through our defensive line, breaking three tackles and scoring close to the touchline. Missed conversion. 0-5.

Nice kickoff, Morris can't control the kick, and we win a lineout 5 meters from their try line. Nice take and drive into the try zone, but we can't ground the ball before being driven out the back of the try zone. A minute later, Andy McKee kicks it beautifully over the defensive line, and the ball stops in a water puddle just at the Morris try line. A Morris player dives on it, and your match report writer thinks he moved it across his own line and grounde it. But the ref says play on. On the counter, Morris comes at the Lions with another running attack. Again, they break a couple of tackles and score. Missed conversion. 0-10.

Coach Mike Barry's comment from the sideline: "Forwards, you're losing this game! Wake up!" The Lions are attacking with fire now, but can't convert a penalty kick. We keep up the fire, and Stevie takes a quick tap penalty that gets us within 5 meters of a try. Ali makes a nice run and reaches for the line, but the ref calls it off. The Lions win another penalty and go for a lineout 5 meters out. Nice take and drive, and Stevie Raia scores a beautiful forwards-created try. Missed conversion. 5-10.

Two minutes later, another great Raia run, and Neil Champ kicks it. Morris drops the ball into and out of their try zone. We get within a meter of a try before dropping the ball, but the ref played advantage, and Andy McKee kicks a good conversion. 8-10.

A few minutes of back-and-forth ensues. Then a beautiful Salgado-Ali pass combo gets the Lions into Morris territory again, but we drop the ball. Half time score: 8-10 Coach Mike comments: "You're having fun out there, which is good...Pick up that intensity." We must go in faster and with more punch to get the ball out more quickly. Coach Adrian: The backs are looking good, and Johnny Chia is doing nice passes, but we could switch things up more with some No. 9 darting runs and kicks as well. Most importantly, this is the last game of the season, so "leave everything on the field today!" The "Lions" scream echoes through the woods surrounding the field as your loyal match report writer feels the fire in the Lions' bellies.

Second half: We get a penalty early and kick it into the corner. Nice 5 meter lineout yet again, beautiful drop pass to Newcombe who makes a nice run, ball goes out to Adil, and he runs it in as if he was 5 years younger. McKee converts nicely. 15-10.

Roaring "Yeah, Lions!" chants from the sidelines, and your match reporter can't suppress a "Who's your daddy!?!?" Several minutes of back-and-forth. Suddenly, the ref calls a penalty against us...they kick it over. 15-13.

It's a tight game, and both teams have their chances. Neil Champ goes off with a hurt back, Kuiken comes on. Late in the game, the Lions get inside the Morris 22, but Morris makes a nice long clearance kick across the field. The ball bounces awkwardly for Terry Wilson well inside our half, and Morris is up fast with several guys. They pass it out fast and score it. Conversion is good. 15-20.

Another great Morris run, passes to the outside, and they are in again. 15-27. The Lions are not ready to quit though. We get a lineuout well into their half and run at Morris, and again and again. Several Lions phases, but then they boot it down the field, we reply the same way, and Morris knocks it on, but the Lions don't make anything out of it. Late in the game, Morris goes for a fast 22 dropout, but we block it, and Chia catches the balls and goes for a great run. Another penalty, but our ruck gets cleaned out. In a counter-attack, Morris scores another try from the wing. Conversion is good. 15-34.

At the end, we go for one more try as Ali reaches over the try line, but the ref rules a knock-on. Final whistle blows. A tough 15-34 loss. Captain McHale: "I'm a little bit pissed off right now. There were fits and spurts where we played like a really great rugby team." Next season, we can build on this, he says. The fact that we had little continuity in players' presence has made this a tough fall season. Steve concludes: "That said, this is a fucking great club to play for." Coach Mike agrees that there was great rugby out there, but also some school boy errors. "We cut out the school boy errors and we're golden." Coach Adrian says watching us play is disappointing, because we play well and then lose concentration, and the opposition takes advantage. "Get fit over the off-season," and we'll launch another run next year, he concludes..