AIL 2007-08 | Bruff Rugby Football Club

By my own calculations (and I’ve only been able to go back to 2000 on the IRFU Website so far, and even these are a little hairy due to a tabling error on the site in that year and the previous one) the record for lowest points against in any season is held by Instonians in Division 3 during the 2002-2003 season with 120 points against them for the full 15 games.

Next in line are Young Munsters, (2005-2006, Div. 2) and Greystones (2004-2005, Div. 3) both tied on 136 points against them.

I’m currently trying to source tables for any previous seasons, but beyond the changeover to the current league setup they might not have any value. I’ll let ye know when I come across any further information.

We currently stand in top place at 45 against with Banbridge in second place on 80 against, Third place held by Mick Lynch’s Young Munsters in Division 2 on 86 points. Looks like the previous “Points against” record could be broken by a couple of teams this year. It’ll probably go down in AIL annals as “The year of the Defence”. It’ll definitely go down in ours, no matter how it pans out in the last four games.

Everyone says that it was all going to come down to this game. That’s not quite true. There’s a lot of work to be done still before this season is done. The club defibrillator was nearly put into use on more than one occasion over the ninety minutes of last Saturdays epic.

Having survived an onslaught for the first fifteen minutes from Instonians, which garnered them the try which was their only score of the game, Bruff managed to hold out until half time keeping the score to 5-0, some would say by the skin of their teeth.

The second half of course saw a complete turnaround and Bruff were the only side that looked like scoring. But not known for doing things the easy way, as usual fate had a hand and Bruff managed to knock on constantly and generally failed to make the last pass go to hand. Two penalties by Brian Cahill (having missed two earlier) meant that the last ten minutes of the game was an extremely tense affair with Bruff defending the slenderest of leads. Bruff spurned the chance of a kick at goal with three minutes to play, opting instead for the kick to touch and the resulting lineout but the play ended with an Instonian break out and having ventured out of their half of the pitch for only the second time in the second half, Instonians were granted a penalty about fifteen metres right of the right post with almost nothing left on the clock. Shades of last years losses against Ballynahinch and Old Wesley raised their ugly heads around the ground but to be honest this was fated to be Bruff’s day. The loudest cheer of the day greeted the miss by the Instonians full back after he managed to leave it to the right of the right post by about a yard.

The toughest day out of the season to date leaves us with an away trip to Ards this coming Saturday, the last home game against Queens Saturday fortnight follows a week off for the Ireland -Scotland game, and finally the away games to Naas and Banbridge complete the schedule for 2007. Next Saturday’s schedule sees Queens and Banbridge play which means that at least one of those will be out of the equation.

We’re having the time of our lives watching ye. Keep it going this weekend boys.

Yup, we’re in there with the best of them. It’s a season of records for Bruff.

Did you know that Bruff are currently joint second (with Greystones in 2004/05) for the most consecutive wins OF ALL TIME in the AIL? We have sixteen (11 this season and the last five games last season). The last game lost was to Old Wesley on the 17th of February, 2007.

Shannon are on top with 18 in the 2005/06 Season. If we continue our good run we could go top of this list before the end of the league stage(Before the play-offs) only two more to go to equal it. I have to talk to this man about our points against record and see how we stand on this.

As a matter of record here are only 6 teams with a 100% record in a season in any division in the AIL since it’s inception.

The full list of Stats from Des Daly is linked here: Irish Rugby : AIB League: Records, Records, Records

Bruff Senior Squad play Ards RFC on Saturday away @2.30pm.Bruff will be hoping to continue their good run this weekend having defeated Instonians last saturday in a hard fought game by 6pts to 5ts.

Yup,

Game on. Top of the table clash Instonians Versus the locals in what is likely to be the AIL division 3 decider. Whoever wins tomorrow goes on top and will be hard to knock off that lofty perch. Yeah, winner takes all, kinda like a cup match.

Whatever happens we wish our visitors the very best for their trip to our domain.

Good luck Bruff.

Bruff Rugby Football Club

About the points against…..

Bruff 6 – Instonians 5

Bruff go 12 months straight without being beaten in the AIL.

Bruff Senior Squad travel to Ards RFC on Saturday 16th Feb.

Game of the season tomorrow.