Vikings View - 25th June 2007

Vikings View

www.vikingsrugby.com.au

25th June 2007

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John I Dent Cup Match Results and Reports:

All Vikings teams had a bye on the weekend which provided an opportunity for players to get over niggling injuries and freshen up. Round two of the competition starts this weekend with Vikings taking on Uni/Norths at ANU.

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Eulogy to Wacca: By Max Crozier

Where do I start to describe Wacca?

He was simply put my mate.

I'm sure that everyone, whether it was from the services, the department, his neighborhood or from his greater rugby family, can claim the same. We were ALL privileged to call him our mate. We will miss him.

Before I talk about rugby specifically I would like to mention a couple of observations about Roman in this last challenging and ultimately tragic year. It occurred to me very soon after his initial Kemo therapy that every time I visited him or talked to him on the phone he always asked how I was! His response to how he was feeling was always pretty good mate, a bit tired and my blood is looking good.

What he was doing was making it easier for me! Typical…

This is the Wacca I will remember most of all. Selfless, Gracious, with a wicked sense of humor. He was brave, tenacious, committed and completely loyal. He loved the Navy, he loved his family and he loved his rugby.

I remember Wacca when he first joined the Vikings, at training on a freezing Tuesday night at Padua, running along with most people wondering who this "OLD" bloke was?; but at the same time Wacca kept up and showed a tenacious and skillful side. He soon displayed his incredible passion for the game amongst the Vikings, and with his rugby brothers. We witnessed his dedication and commitment at every level in the club. As Wacca recalled the other day he turned up to play 4th grade and Tim Hutchison was injured so Bob Hitchcock asked him to play 1st grade. He didn't hesitate.

I remember Wacca's tremendous generosity and dedication in whatever grade he was picked and particularly to those young players who were nervous or unsure. Wacca was there supporting them every step of the way.

Wacca was respected by his Front row opposition and anyone who underestimated his strength, skill and desire would pay the consequences. I remember we were asked by ACT Coach John Kelsey to pack against the ACT team for scrum practice, our front row was Wacca, Stu Sidbury and Daryl Adam and on the ACT were Didier, Marco Caputo and Chris Hutchison. Wacca called the scrum in and said "OK boy's we just need to hold, nothing silly we don't want any injuries". We got the hit, Kelsey went nuts, and Wacca said to our pack "let's really have a dig at them". The next scum the ACT side went backwards and John Kelsey really spat the dummy. Wacca loved to tell this story. For me it was typical of his quite confidence and his leadership. No matter who he was up against he respected them and by the end of the game they respected him.

Wacca retired as a player at 42. In his 42nd year he led Lanyon to a GF. He told me recently it was one of his most enjoyable seasons as a rugby player. Great friends, a family friendly group of old buggers that welcomed everyone no matter what size you were or even if you had never played the game before. He said he never understood why it was axed.

I asked him recently about some of his favorite moments. He had no trouble recalling the time. He, David Assenheim and I went to our favorite Thai eating house for a lazy lunch on a Friday. David arrived and announced as matter of fact that he would not be drinking as he had a Brumbies trial on the next day. He would be trailing at FB and he did not want to miss the opportunity. Well we had a fantastic lunch that went for several hours, we then retired to my house for some cleansers. Wacca got a cab home at 11pm and I believe David got home at about 6am. Wacca and I dually arrived at the ground to support David in his attempt to win a place in the rep team. David's attempt to win a place lasted about 10 minutes. Wacca has always believed we knobbled David's chances of ever making a rep side again.

He also recalled the time Mick and Kerry Reyn, He and Donna came to dinner at my place and as we had an open fire we needed to cut some timber at 3am. If you can imaging Wacca, Mick and I, many fine reds and a couple of cognacs, outside in the middle of winter and me wielding a razor sharp Keesteel competition axe in the general direction of an unsuspecting but very safe piece of red gum. Well Wacca never missed the chance to remind me that as soon as the sparks started (from the axe missing the timber and hitting concrete) my wife appeared, confiscated the axe at which point in a moment of clarity Wacca looked directly at Mick and said "That woman probably saved someone's life tonight". Then Wacca looked at the piece of red gum and said you were never been in any danger of being hit".

Wacca's other favorite story was when one of our second rowers a guy named Doy arrived late to training and continually complained about soreness in his feet. Wacca was the captain and kept telling Doy to ignore it and get on with the training. But Doy continued to complain until Wacca in complete frustration said "Doy what is the problem? Doy responded that these were his usual boots and they were killing him. At which time Wacca looked at Doy's feet and immediately announce that "If you put your boots on the right feet it will solve all your problems". Those are just a few of his most cherished moments.

He said he wanted me to mention a couple of things and they are these.

Roman played for

Warringah

West Harbour

Navy

ASRU (Australian Services Rugby Union)

The Bucks in Singapore

The TRUFC

He could not imagine his life without the people and experiences he has had with each and every club. He had endless stories about games post and pre-match. More amazingly he could remember most people's names he had ever played with and he could recall game details from ship, club, rep and social games.

Favorite player

Everyone

At the Vikings he had special mention for Steve Briggs, Aiden O'Mara, Daisy (David Austin) and in his words he thought that Daryl Adam "was the best prop he ever played with"

Who was his favorite player to coach?

Everyone

However as a coach he had no greater joy than to see reserve grade players picked on form for 1st.

In my time at the club I have witnessed great cultural change and I would like to see a return to focus on local players and coaches.

I also want to share with you the speech Roman gave to the Vikings first grade before the jumper presentations a few short weeks ago. I do this because he wrote it, it's his words and in its own way gives us a truer view of the strength and dignity he carried until passed.

In Wacca's own words:

Thank you my friends for your support in the past months - I cannot tell you in words what it means to me to be in your thoughts and hearts. Today I found myself crying, crying from joy, but also from sadness that the moment is now behind us. What a privilege and honor it has been to train, coach and play along side each of you.

With heart and soul I salute you all.

Roman Warcaba.

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Australian Schoolboy Championships Viking Park:

The Australian Schoolboys Rugby Championships will be held at Viking Park from the 3rd - 8th July. Six teams will contest the Championships, two teams from NSW and QLD and one each from ACT and a Combined States team. Entry is free to all the games

Game Schedule and Times are:

Tuesday 3rd July 2007

· 1200 Match 1 - CS v ACT (non - competition)

· 1330 Match 2 - NSW I v QLD II [Pool A]

· 1500 Match 3 - QI v NSW II [Pool B]

Wednesday 4th July 2007

· 1200 Match 4 - NSW I v QLD I (non-competition)

· 1330 Match 5 - NSW II v ACT [Pool B]

· 1500 Match 6 - QLD II v CS [Pool A]

Friday 7th July 2007

· 1200 Match 7 - QLD II v NSW II (non-competition)

· 1330 Match 8 - NSW I v CS [Pool A]

· 1500 Match 9 - QLD I v ACT [Pool B]

Sunday 8th July 2007

· 1000 Match 10 - Redraw (25 minute halves)

· 1120 Match 11 - Redraw (25 minute halves)

· 1240 Match 12 - Championship Final

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Sponsors Luncheon:

The annual Sponsors' Lunch and Lawn Bowls was held on Friday at the Vikings Town Centre Club, with former Wallaby and Brumbies Prop Bill Young as Guest Speaker.

Bill attended training on Thursday night and put the Vikings forwards through a scrumaging session.
On Friday a record 48 bowlers turned up at 10.30am ready to roll and by all reports everyone who participated enjoyed the morning.
After lunch Bill Young took to the mike and entertained the many sponsors who attended with rugby stories. He was also happy to respond to questions from the floor and to share his personal thoughts about the state of rugby.
A special mention goes to Sue Chhor and Sam Luu from the Thai Amarin Restaurant in Erindale. They successfully bid for a 2006 signed Brumbies jumper that was auctioned off.
To all the sponsors and invited guests thank you for your support and we hope you enjoyed the day.

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Bledisloe Cup News:

Gregan prepared for All Blacks - June 25, 2007

Story by: Sportal

Qantas Wallabies scrum-half George Gregan does not believe New Zealand's punishing travel schedule gives Australia any advantage ahead of Saturday night's Bledisloe Cup match at the MCG.

Gregan said New Zealand had coped well with short turnarounds in previous years thanks to its large and talented squad and would do so again after Saturday night's come-from-behind win over South Africa.

"Historically they've traveled pretty well so you can't take that on as too big of an advantage because they manage that particular travel aspect really well," Gregan said after a training session and fan day at MC Labour Park on Sunday.

Team-mate Lote Tuqiri said Australia, which has a two-week break between matches, was not counting on a 'softened up' New Zealand line-up following last night's bruising encounter in Durban.

"I think we've got a day start on them and just that whole recovery and everything is a very important part of the game this week," Tuqiri said.

"You've got to take every advantage you can in this game and hopefully we can take advantage of that and hopefully that shows on Saturday night."

The Australians have a number of players suffering minor colds, but Gregan said they should all be OK by mid-week and available for selection.

"It's not too bad. There's a few blokes with a few runny noses but that's pretty normal," Gregan said.

"We've been on the road for about a month so everyone is a little bit jaded (after the) big travel from South Africa but everyone will be right by about mid-week I'd say."

"Nothing that a bit of Lemsip can't fix."

The New Zealand result puts added pressure on Australia to win on Saturday night and keep its chances of taking back the Tri-Nations trophy and Bledisloe Cup.

But Gregan denied the match was a 'must-win' affair and Tuqiri said the team was just focused on taking care of business at home.

"You just want to win your home games and then hopefully pick up a win away," Tuqiri said.

"We're looking forward to getting that started on Saturday against the Blacks and following up that next week against South Africa."

A pleasing sight for Wallabies fans at today's training session and fan day was the appearance of fullback Chris Latham, who joined the team for the first time since he had a knee reconstruction in January.

Saturday night's Test could be Gregan's last in Melbourne and the scrum half is hoping for a similar result to the last time the Bledisloe Cup came to town in 1998, where Australia won 24-16.

"It would be nice if history could repeat itself," Gregan said.

LIVE on Channel 7 from 7.30pm

LIVE on Fox Sports 2 from 7.00pm

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Thursday 28th & Saturday 30th JUNE

End of Financial Year Sale!

Full Body Paraffin Wax Wrap
Moisturise your body and stop the itch from the cold - Be wrapped in Paraffin!

Normally $120.00

Thursday only $70.00

Half Price Waxing
Pay ½ Price for all waxing!

Free Eyelash & Eyebrow Tint
With any facial over $65.00!
The above specials are only available on Thursday 28th June and Saturday 30th June.

Gift Vouchers are not available to be used in conjunction with this special.

Phone 02 62926230 to make your reservation.

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This Weeks Games:

Tuggeranong Vikings take on the Uni/Norths at ANU. Please make an effort to support the club this weekend and get out and see the matches as they promise to be another entertaining day of rugby.

Kick Off times;

1st Grade v Uni/Norths 3.05pm
2nd Grade v Uni/Norths 1.40pm
Colts v Uni/Norths 12.15pm
3rd Grade v Uni/Norths 12.15pm
4th Grade v Uni/Norths 10.55am

Division 1 v Harden @ Harden 3pm

Women v Queanbeyan @ Campese Oval 1.40pm