May 29 and 30
Esher RFC, Surrey
RESULTS & FIXTURES
PARTICIPATING
CLUBS
Kings Cross Steelers
London, England
(host club)
Austin Lonestars
Texas, USA
Boston Ironsides
Massachusetts, USA
Caledonian Thebans
Edinburgh, Scotland
Dallas Diablos
Texas, USA
Gotham Knights
New York, USA
IGRAB Barbarians
All over the world!
Los Angeles Rebellion
California, USA
Philadelphia Gryphons
Pennsylvania, USA
San Francisco Fog
California, USA
Seattle Quake
Washington, USA
Sydney Convicts
Sydney, Australia
Village Spartans
Manchester, England
Washington Renegades
Washington DC, USA
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Bingham Cup 2004
OFFICIAL
PARTNERS
Fog Rocks London as ‘Frisco Retain the Bingham Cup
by Andy Harley
LONDON, May 30 –– San Francisco Fog retained the Bingham Cup, the competition for gay and bisexual rugby clubs worldwide, when they ran-in four tries to defeat the UK Manchester Spartans 26-7 at Esher Rugby Club in Surrey this evening.
“.It was an endurance marathon, but we stuck to our game plan – nothing is guaranteed, but I think our fitness played a decisive part,” commented an exhausted but euphoric Fog captain Derrik Mickle.
The Fog opened the scoring with a fast burst down the middle for a converted try and were 12-0 to the good minutes later. But they did not have it all their own way.
Manchester mounted some good attacks, but they came to nothing as the Americans protected their line well.
By the half, the Fog were 19-0 to the good. Spartans, however, fought on and their efforts were rewarded with an opportunist try.
But the Fog never looked in any danger and a converted try late in the game underscored their superiority.
For both teams, the final was their third match of the day – and they both played two matches on Saturday.
True, each match was of 40 minutes duration, rather than the full 80 minutes. But it takes a different kind of fitness. “We started training for this tournament a few weeks after winning the cup in 2002,” Mickle revealed.
“And while nothing is guaranteed, it paid-off,” he added.
The Fog captain said that standards had greatly improved since the first playing of the cup two years ago in San Francisco. “This is good competition and it is truly an international event,” said Mickle who as a kid played American football at school, but switched to rugby when he was at Vasser University 14 years ago.
“It is good to play teams from Europe and Australia – you can learn a lot.”
He admitted that the toughest game of the tournament was the semi-final when the Fog faced the new Australian club, Sydney Convicts. In a thriller, the Fog nudged the Convicts out of the competition with a 6-3 edge.
“They brought their game to us but somehow we manage to survive. To be totally honest, had the semi-final been and 80-minute game, then the Australians would probably have edged us. I am still amazed that the club has only been in existence for five months.”
Sydney emerged as the overnight favourites after winning all three group games on Saturday by massive margins. The Convicts started the day with a 27-12 win against Los Angeles Rebellion in the quarter-finals. At the same time, San Francisco kept the hopes of California alive with a convincing 32-3 win against Washington DC Renegades.
But all eyes were on the two English teams, Manchester Spartans and the Kings Cross Steelers from London, and hosts of the tournament.
Manchester started the day in determined mood as they outclassed New York Gotham Knights. Leading 15-0 at the half, the Spartans defence continued to hold firm, and offensively scored three second half tries for their 32-0 win.
But the real quarter final demolition job was done by the Steelers who thrashed the IGRAB Barbarians 51-7. Four minutes into the game, the Steelers were 12 points to the good. As the interval approached and leading by 26 points, London were rampant.
But the Babas were gifted a try in the final minute to trail 26-7. The second half was a virtual mirror of the first – two tries in the opening minute.
With ten minutes to go, the Barbarians seriously threatened the Steelers line. But the Londoners held firm, even when they faced a tap penalty. The wall held firm, and the Steelers somehow managed to turn the ball over. It was fed through two pairs of hands to centre Greg Bloom who started the 100 metre run before anyone realised what had happened.
As Bloom crossed the halfway line, there was not a player in sight and he could have strolled in for his try – a try that brought back memories of Philippe St. André at Twickenham. In all, the Steelers scored three tries in the final ten minutes for their 51-7 win.
The euphoria was short-lived as the Steelers met their match in the semi final clash against arch-rivals Manchester. The two clubs are on equal terms in meetings over the years and the promised tough battle for a place in the final lived up to expectations.
But it was not pretty. With both teams feeling the strain of three games in just over 28 hours, the affair was error-ridden. Manchester had an opportunity to go into half time with a 3-0 lead, but captain Matt Whiteley’s dropped goal attempt went wide.
Then a penalty attempt in front of the posts early in the second half went astonishingly wide. But the Spartans, with the heavier and more workmanlike pack, dominated. Five minutes from the end, Whitely redeemed himself when his second dropped goal attempt was on target.
The Steelers fought back and twice came close to snatching the win with a couple of strong bursts from winger Rolly Ifill. But the Spartans held firm for their less than inspiring 3-0 win – the closest result of the entire tournament.
30 May 2004
