Bullies Best Tigers in Friendly!
Memphis 8/26/2017— The Memphis Tigers hosted the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Memorial Field as the end of their development camp Saturday August 26. The Bulldogs were invited to come to town so the Tigers could work on game situations following a full day of skills training.
The match featured four 20-minute periods so each team could coach the players during breaks. As hoped, the Tigers improved each period of play.
And there were some very bright spots. Conlan Sweeney debuted as captain and will be a tremendous leader this year. He was constantly watching over his mates ensuring their safety and engagement. He was an encouraging force on the field throughout the day.
The first try of the year was scored by Ramon Cantu standing at hooker. He took the ball from a lineout on a 35 yard run to mow down the opposition fullback with a tough hit, then had the presence of mind to dot the ball for the try.
Ethan Scott followed in his brother’s footsteps and showed that he had a golden toe. He converted Cantu’s try from the sidelines with a beautiful soaring kick. Ethan stood outside center for the day and probably made more tackles than any other player. He was consistently tough on defense. Unfortunately, the Tigers were on defense too much… one item we will be working on this week.
Ethan, Conlan, and Ramon
Conlan Sweeney was named Man of the Match for his leadership on the field. Ramon Cantu was honored as the Best Forward Rookie and Ethan Scott was honored as the Best Back Rookie. The rookie awards were tough since we had excellent play by our rookie mates.
The end of the day was capped with a social at Audubon Park where burgers and dogs were consumed in massive quantities. The Tigers mingled well with the Bullies and friendships were made. That is what rugby is all about.
Wilsons and Roedels
A great bonus for the weekend was seeing a second generation pair stand with their fathers. James Wilson played fly half and Brittin Roedel played scrum half this weekend. Approximately 20 years ago their fathers were playing together for the Tigers. The legacy image was profound and helps us understand why we appreciate Tiger Rugby so much.
More pictures are available from Tom Sweeney here and from Stacy Scott here. We appreciate so very much our parents who capture these moments and share their incredible talents.
Thanks to all families, fans and supporters who came out to support the Tigers. Thanks to all who freely donate money to support the club. For those who wish to help the team, please visit the Donate page. More opportunities for support are available below.
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