SEOUL SURVIVORS RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
Maybe Next Weekend
IN BRIEF: • Gumi are out for us. The organizers of the Waegook Cook touch rugby team have come to the dark side and are setting up a 7s and/or 10s team. Stay posted for more info about a possible trip down south or a visit to Seoul from the ‘Southern Barbarians’. • Players for this Saturday’s game remember to drink plenty of fluids leading up to the match. Also, there will be a 20,000 won levy for all Survivors who will be taking part in post-match celebrations at Scrooge. • Kit will be available at the field this weekend for those without. Cost 120,000 won. You need to purchase to kit to take the field.
PITCH DIRECTIONS:
•
Leave
Apgujeong
Station
through Exit 6. Walk straight down two blocks and turn right between Hyundai High School and Shinsa Middle School. Walk to the end of the street and turn left following the highway embankment until you can enter the River Park area about 50 metres ahead on your right through the tunnel. Look for the rugby posts.
CONTACTS:
•
Ted Gray (Club Captain) 011-287-9558
•
Roddy Bancroft (Manager) 016-494-7363
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Simon Walsh (Pitch Captain) 010-9417-9554
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Kurtis Taogaga (Media) 010-7263-5878
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Rawiri King (Coach) 010-8698-4982
•
Justin Jackson (Social Officer) 010-5465-6122
V O L U M E
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THE BRITISH ARE COMING! By Kurt Taogaga The Seoul Survivors are gearing up for the impending visit of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers RFC (REME). Coming off the back of an enjoyable tour of New Zealand, REME will look to come away with the honours against an exuberant Survivors squad. The match takes place this Saturday, 22nd of August at 10AM at Jamwon Rugby Pitch in Apgujeong. REME were runners-up in this year’s British Army Corps Championship losing to the Royal Engineers 28-8 in the final. Nevertheless, the British Army possesses the best rugby development programme of any military organisation in the world so the Survivors will definitely have their work cut out for them with a number of key players out of Saturday’s game. The Seoulites have had a solid couple of weeks training since the summer break and expect a physical encounter against a tough and fit opposition. Injuries, vacations and work commitments have ruled out a number of Seoul’s regular starters giving a handful of newbies the chance to impress and claim some spots especially
in the hotly contested loose forward positions. First five Richard Jones’ organisational skills and backline direction will be sorely missed as will bullocking South African lock John Bresler. The August heat and humidity will definitely work in the home team’s advantage. The young Survivors squad have been slogging it out in the midday sun in an effort to gain a crucial advantage over REME this Saturday and City RFC who arrive from Hong Kong the following week. Player/ Coach Rawiri King has been putting the team through their paces on the pitch combining technical, skills and endurance training to get the best out of
the boys with the limited time available. Survivors to watch will be Justin Jackson in the forwards and reliable second five Tim O’Connor. Jackson will be looking to cap off his career as a core member of the squad with back to back wins over REME and City RFC before he heads back to the States in Septmeber. In the backline, O’Connor holds the key to linking up with first fives Nick Goodman and Theron Fau and unleashing the Survivors’ conAfter-match drinks, raffle and Bledisloe Cup game at Scrooge Bar in Itaewon from 5pm.
Credits Editor: Kurt Taogaga Co-editor: Ali McCannell Contributing writers: RJ Karas and Kurt Taogaga Photos: Guangzhou - Robin Ash; Dave Bailey - Justin Courteau; Mudfest Sunny Myung; Orphanage Visit - Sunny Myung and Jordan Smigelsky
Survivors History: Dave Bailey Repatriated Canadian Survivor Justin Courteau reflects on another Survivor Dave Bailey; a consummate rugby man lost in tragic circumstances upon his return to America. Dave Bailey started playing Rugby with the Survivors in 2002 and played off and on (but mostly on) until 2006. Bailey played fly-half for us and toured extensively with the team playing in Manila, Guam, Cambodia and Thailand. He was an integral part of the team, not just because he was a good player or because you could count on him to be at every practice and game but, because he made playing for the Survivors incredibly fun. During the years that he played, the Survivors often played games against the U.S. forces and against another expat team in Busan. So long bus trips were the norm just about every weekend. Dave, along with a few others, made those bus trips the most entertaining part of the weekend. So much so that some guys looked forward to the ride down more than to the game itself. Dave knew just about every rugby song imaginable and when the bus got quiet (which, to be honest, it never really did)
Dave could be counted on to grab the microphone and keep the guys entertained just by cracking jokes and dealing with the weekend’s penalties.
from complications with Tuberculosis. According to doctors, Dave was one in a million who react negatively to TB tests which are considered mandatory by his local teaching union. As a testament to his character, rugby players from around the world showed up to pay their respects at his funeral. Many of the Survivors who were good friends with Bailey couldn't afford to fly to the U.S. to see him for the last time so it was decided that an emergency fund should be created funded totally by players - in the event that something like this should happen again. It was put to good use when, a year or two later, a team member lost a parent and the team was able to subsidize their trip home. Dave Bailey and Justin’s partner For those that knew Bailey, he will Jocelyn. always be remembered. For those that came to Korea after Bailey had left, the next time the Bailey fund is passed In 2006, Bailey decided that it was around, put a few dollars in and take a time to move back to West Virginia moment to remember the guys who with Jamie - a girl he had met in Korea came before you and built this team. - and start a family. Everyone on the Survivors wished him the best and Once A Survivor; hoped that he'd be back. Always A Survivor. Unfortunately, Dave Bailey died shortly after moving back to the States
Dave Bailey (centre) following the game closely.
Dave Bailey, Jocelyn Kaiser and Roddy Bancroft enjoying the good times.
Player Profile Name:
Justin Jackson
Nickname: Cock Block, Glory Boy Position:
Prop
Birthdate:
04/06/1982
Hometown: Bettendorf, Iowa A native of The Hawkeye State, famed for it’s vast cornfields, Jackson acquired the nickname ‘Glory Boy’ in the famous Cambodian Pool Games of ‘07. His other nickname has its roots in the habit of ‘running interference’ in the bars of Itaewon. Starting with the Survivors as a loose forward, he has made the successful transition to the front row especially in his running game on the fringes. First rugby memory: Showing up my first practice and being placed at prop because I was a fat ass. What are you doing in Korea? Trying to keep the local Itaewon bar economy afloat through liberal spending on booze. Favourite thing about Korea: The very liberal attitude towards drinking.
CITY RFC HEADING TO SEOUL By RJ Karas The City Rugby Club of Hong Kong will travel to Seoul for a full day of festivities on August 29th. The day will kick off with a Colts match; both the Survivors and the City Rugby Club of Hong Kong support an under-18 squad. Needless to say that will be the most frenetic match of the day. Although most of the youngsters lack the skills to be selected for their respective senior teams they certainly will have a leg up on the veterans when it comes to conditioning. Baring a significant climate-change event between now and the next Saturday said conditioning will come in quite handy in the late summer heat that has recently ravaged Seoul. There will hardly be a break in the action when the Colts walk off the pitch. The second match of the day will
showcase the Seoul Sisters pitted against the City Rugby Club of Hong Kong’s women’s team. The Sisters, predominately comprised of ex-pats from in and around Seoul, will be looking for a strong result against their opponents. If their training is any indication the Sisters will be relying on strong play from a skilled forward pack while their back line will be looking for any opportunity to break through the City Rugby Club of Hong Kong’s defense. After two cracking matches the Seoul Survivors will take the pitch in the day’s main event versus the City Rugby Club of Hong Kong’s men’s senior team. Undoubtedly the Survivors will have two tough acts to follow and, assuming the Survivors do not want to leave their
Least favourite thing about Korea: The very conservative attitude about everything else. What do you like most at training? Sweating out my hangover What do you enjoy about your posi- and feeling like I accomplished tion? something on a Saturday. Winning a scrum. What do you like least at trainWhat don’t you like about your posi- ing? tion? The noises Kurt makes when he Anything that causes me to scrum down in tries to breathe. the first place. What are your interests outDo you have a good luck charm/ritual side rugby? for games? Books. I tend to put away a book I always say a prayer and offer up liba- a week. tions to Ted Gray in the hopes he deems it fit that the weather will be good and the Do you have a favourite quote battle will go our way. or saying? “Very little is needed to make a What do you miss most about home? happy life; it is all within yourself, Ma and Pa and the great corn fields of in your way of thinking”. --Marcus Iowa. Aurelius
loyal supporters with a sour taste in their mouths, the Hanboks will look to make it a clean sweep of the day. With that being said, the City Rugby Club of Hong Kong certainly have no plans of rolling over. Seoul will once again rely on their stellar defensive record; the Survivors have only allowed ten points to their Yellow Sea Cup opponents through two matches, and look to capitalize off of their opponents mistakes. So far this season the Survivors have no one to blame but themselves for poor results. Barring a lack of discipline, the Hanboks should have little problem disposing of the City Rugby Club of Hong Kong and, in doing so, complete the sweep of the day.
How would you like to improve yourself off the rugby field? I’d like to get a better work ethic. If you were to die tomorrow, what would you be remembered for? No clue but I hope it has something to do with going out in a blaze of glory that in some way involves Megan Fox, firearms, alcohol and a high speed police chase.
Survivors Summer
MUDFEST IN BORYEONG
Survivors resplendent in pink hats
The boys quickly find a match
GIRLS ORPHANAGE VISIT
Group photo after the excellent BBQ
The big winner on the day
Prizegiving at Jamwon for Games Day