It was the first Scribes-Rowers club day to be scheduled for scenic Stanley Park in over a decade, and after some fits and starts, Brockton Point was finally declared playable. The action got started Saturday morning under calm but cloudy skies.

WOMEN: match highlights

The Scribes Women’s Team found themselves in the unusual position of trailing in the first half, thanks to a fast strike by the Rowers’ formidable forwards, but the response from Scribes was timely and asymmetrical. Scribes poured in four tries before the home side could regroup, and it was a confidence-building momentum that the visitors would enjoy throughout the match.

Scribes did especially well to challenge the Rowers forwards at the breakdown and force their defense to play narrow. This opened up some huge gaps out wide, and the speedy Scribes backs took full advantage. Of note, Emer Casey scored her first try for Scribes on an exhausting 60m dash along the touch line.

The tries continued to pile on in the second half, with Scribes racing away to a well-earned 47-12 victory.

MEN: match highlights

The Scribes Men again brought their trademark brand of scrappy, persistent and occasionally brilliant rugby to bear against Rowers, and it paid off in the early going with the Turkish Tank, Aksel Erzinclioglu, bosching his way over the line from short range to notch his first-ever try for Scribes.

Rowers would reply with a try of their own, followed by a second try moments later, to take their first lead of the game. It was a lead they would hold onto for the balance of the match.

Scribes openside flanker, Dave Tipping, did his utmost to claw Scribes back into the game, first by racing onto a loose pass with a clever fly hack forward to claim an important marker before the halftime break. He was again the danger man for Scribes in the second half, taking a short pass from Josh Knight and evading a trio of Rowers defenders for a vital score.

Sadly, the Scribes remained adrift by 10 points over the game’s closing moments and were unable to narrow the gap any further, falling by a final score of 19-29.

Thanks to our referee crews and a special thanks to Rowers for hosting us.

Scribes have next weekend off, and will return to the pitch on February 17.