AGSM Wombats – Their Diary

AUTHOR: Alex Martin and Rod Chisholm   DATE: 01.05.05   ISSUE 1, 2005

It was the Wombats dinner that really brought home the fact that we were actually going away on tour at the end of March. This feeling was temporarily pressed into the background during the weeks of intense exams. However once exams were finished, the team made its way to Duke University in North Carolina. Some took advantage of ‘cost-efficient’ stopovers along the way - I regretfully had to stop in Hawaii for three days. The visit included visiting the infamous Pearl Harbour and some surfing at Sunset Beach. The consumption of one or more Pina Colada’s led to the purchase of some outlandish Hawaiian shirts. Whilst on our way to Duke, we also had the luck of meeting Mike Tyson (see picture below), however he did not respond well to our offer of a spot on the Wombats team.

The 2005 Wombats Team at Duke University, North Carolina.

Once we touched down in Duke we had dinner together as a team after which we joined the teams from other b-schools for a few beers at the official kick-off function. But after that it was down to work. We had a training run at 10 the next morning in preparation for our first match, however due to inclement weather our scheduled opening match against Duke was postponed until the next day, Saturday morning.

"Harvard was dispatched 86-0."

Our first match of the tournament was against Harvard B during which our backs managed to “click” with devastating results. Harvard was dispatched 86-0. Our second match was against Michigan who proved to be significantly tougher opposition, however we got some early tries on the board and eventually ran out winners, 17 - 3. The final match of the first day was against the hosts of the tournament, Duke. Their forward pack cut a different figure from what we had come up against in previous matches. Many of them were converts from gridiron and this was clearly noticed in their approach to tackling. It was a bruising encounter, and the hosts were spurred on by an early try, one of only two scored against us in the whole tournament. Showing typical Wombats determination, the team dug deep and came up winners in the end, 12-5. Day One was only marred by the injury to Pedro Araujo, our present captain with a broken leg.

"Wherever we were on those two days became the hottest spot in town."

If Day One was a “Backs” day, Day Two was when the forward pack came into their own. During the quarter-final and semi-final, AGSM’s dominance in the scrum was such that the pack only lost one scrum, regardless of who put the ball in. In the quarter-final, we played Cornell. The forwards’ dominance paid off twice, with a pushover try and a try scored from a rolling maul. AGSM ran out winners 36 – 0. Ivey, the representative school from Canada were dispatched in the semi finals setting up a final showdown with the young Irish team from Smurfit.

"The final would prove an agonizingly close match."

The final would prove an agonizingly close match. Smurfit had a team which contained both youth and experience with a good number of U23 club players. Their backs had been devastating all tournaments, running in tries at will. Yet thanks to a huge defensive effort by our backs and loose forwards the Smurfit machine was contained whilst our forwards ground up the yards to give us a 6 – 3 lead going into the final quarter. Then disaster struck. A chip kick over the AGSM backline took a wicked bounce into one of the hands of the Smurfit centers who proceeded to score under the posts giving the Irish team a 10 – 6 lead with ten minutes to go. The last ten minutes saw AGSM in terrific attacking position being camped ten meters away from the Smurfit line. Three penalties were awarded to us in close succession enhancing our chances of scoring. Twice we were denied whilst over the line. In the end, time ran out and the World Cup was on its way to Ireland.

The Wombats meet Mike Tyson.

It was hard to have come so far, played so well and leave empty handed. But not even two hard days of rugby and the disappointment of that final 10 minutes could dampen the Wombats spirit on Sunday night and Monday. Wherever we were on those two days became the hottest spot in town and an invite back to the team hotel after party was a sought after commodity.

The Wombats tour is no easy project; taking a team of busy MBA students half way round the world, and beating most of the world when we get there. This would not have been possible without the support of our sponsor, Pacific Road Corporate Finance and the efforts of our President - Rory Fagan and Captain - Fiachra Sweeney. We also owe a debt of gratitude to our coach, John Morrison and wish him well as he moves on to bigger and better things (or at least better paid things!).

The campaign for 2006 starts here. With a strong 1st year core from the 2005 team, the 2006 Wombats will return to retrieve the World Cup trophy. We will be entering touch rugby competitions through winter and spring with our training ethic matched only by our commitment to regular Wombats social events. Watch this space!