Tag Life

On Friday night the Eagle Owls marked the end of their venture into Tag Rugby in style at Exeter University with an 18-2 victory over the “Scottish” contingent of the regular Tag organisation. It followed a highly successful departure from the team’s natural environment of Touch, which saw three wins out of five games.

Adaption had been key throughout the tournament for the squad, adjusting to the slower format of the game and the better organised defences that came with it. The Tag “tackle” however also brought greater opportunities for running hard that were snapped up by the EOs’ pacier members, with Jon Aplin and Emma Cole in particular regularly breaking the gain line and stepping in to score. Tactics were shifted by the EOs’ regular “Mid” and “Link” players in the centre also. The greater flexibility to run short lines off shoulders and break hard from tight switches was exploited heavily, and the room given to our main playmakers was undoubtedly well used. Credit goes to Max Anderson and James Webber for their backline organisation and distribution.

Our self-nominated MVPs for the tournament were Gyles Southwell and Sylvaine Lacrosse, both of whom ran some excellent lines in attack and excelled in defence, with some stunning “tags” from seemingly impossible angles.

The successful “campaign” was supplemented by a hugely warm welcome from the Tag club, who hosted us magnificently. It was pleasing to hear the organisers and the teams we played against compliment the EOs regularly on their ability, conduct and enthusiasm. Roll on the summer fixtures!