Proud was a word regularly used in the J3 Maroon after-match speeches this year.

We started the year combining players from a previous J4 team with players new to rugby and players from a couple of the 2021 season J5 teams. With new coaches to the team, there were a number of unknowns to start the season, so our focus was to bring the players together as a team and get them playing for one another. Immediately there was a bond amongst the group, and it was clear they enjoyed each other’s company, and this only grew throughout the season.

The start of the season saw us on the wrong side of some heavy losses, however, the team kept fighting for and pushing each other in training to get better and better. A team not blessed with any absolute speedsters meant we had to play smart rugby and control the ball for long periods of time to break down the well-drilled defensive teams we often came across. Training revolved around creating a fun environment, ball recycling and playing supportive direct rugby. In the second half of the season, this really showed through with opposition coaches and parents alike commenting on what a different team we were to the earlier in the season, how much the team had improved, commenting on the ability of our pack to recycle, pick and drive and make yards before feeding our back line to do the fancy stuff.

Proud sums up the season for J3 Maroon, proud of the team’s development, their drive to play for one another, their never say never attitude and proud of the support of the parents week in, week out, wind, rain or shine. LTC, and let’s do it all again next year!