Or rise to the occasion of the UK Cup.

At least Solana Steve has finally accepted that Americashire is actually British and belongs to the crown.

Take a look at the stats - we kept driving the length of the field and then turning the ball over in the red zone..

The yardage was very one sided - but the Sabres had a CB play the game of his life!

Yeah it was a truly great game! In the dying minutes I was praying for no turnover and after the kick no big throw! I really didn't expect to be close let alone win. It was a really good game! It's a shame to see a strong Admiral out though

But next is the game I've been waiting for... The noisy neighbours and my preview will follow up of the final round. Many tasty ties...

Will you recover from the shock of me buying the beers in time though

Some things can never be processed by the human mind

Week 2 reviews are in and written. Some longer than others and a special review right at the end on the shock of the week and also match of the week in my opnion! A couple of turnaround victories not expected and some drubbings where I couldn't really comment much on because one side were a little more...convincing than the other. Long post but I hope you all enjoy!!

Group 1
Firenze Foxes (ELO 1127) @ Bonnyrigg Bombsquad (ELO 911) 28-34(Overtime)
Group 1 definitely opened week 2 with a massive shock result!! Foxes were expected to top the group, but this is definitely a spanner firmly in the works of Group 1. Foxes started well with a 1-yard TD from their FB Rush early on in the game, responded in kind by the Bombsquad thrower Gonzalez as he avoids the DE en-route to a 2-yard finish to his own account for the season. A defensive fumble 6 and a long 23-yard pass to WR Fitzgerald put the Foxes 21-14 up at the half. All going to plan so far. Plan further executed by the only score in the 3rd coming from WR Nerland.Whatever the 3rd quarter team talk was by the Scottish outfit…IT WORKED. A run in by their HB Hanlon and a 27 second PAT from a WR Tio passing TD…Overtime began. The Bombsquad had just one idea in this overtime and that was to keep the ball. They did that with a 12-play drive to get the winning score with Augustin Waite the FB hero for Bonnyrigg running in to take the unlikely win!! Foxes will be rueing the OT fumble not recovered no doubt. A massive 4th quarter from the Northerners definitely outfoxed Firenze. GG Bombsquad.

Inbhir Narann (ELO 898) @ Xythos Proctos (ELO 603) 10-43
Well the suspected underdogs of the tournament showed they have mighty jaws as the Narann really didn’t show up in Iceland. A nervy 1st quarter from both sides facing elimination for a loss. A FG and a safety for Proctos gave them a 5-point lead, but nothing to relax on. Narann opened the 2nd quarter with a first play throw from the trebuchet arm of Manuca for 52 yards. Coach McGee not happy in the slightest that his defence was caught out so badly, colluding with QB Lunin they proceeded to decimate the Narann with 38 unanswered points. Passes to fan favourite Malik twice and Rawls, runs by Aronsson twice and a field goal by Denisov seal the fate of the Scots in convincing fashion. A chip with 50 seconds to go their only consolation prize. The Thunderclap roared as the Scots were flawed. GG Proctos.

Group 2
Shard End Sharks (ELO 1133,) @ Limerick Lickers (ELO 852) 16-13
If sharks could sweat it definitely would have poured out of Bwadders in this game he thought he should all but seal his promotion to playoffs…in the end he did but it was not without a little nail biting in the 4th. The Lickers edged ahead in the 1st quarter with the only score of the period being their field goal towards the end of the quarter. They took advantage of the opportunities they had with a 1-yard lob to WR Ezell and another field goal to lead by 13, Bwadder’s men could only respond with a field goal before the half. In a low scoring match this was the last flare for the offence of the Irish cohort and Bwadders began to show the resilience needed to win a tournament like this and displayed a common sight down the Fish Bowl of Kang to Hammons to pull the Sharks within 3. This lead was eradicated early in the 4th and final score of the game 6:31 to go to put the Sharks in a 3-point lead. They showed their championship prowess to hold off the desperate lurches forward by the Lickers and put themselves 2-0 and with the other result guarantee progress in the tournament. VERY unlucky Lickers. GG to the enemy.

Adventurers (ELO 961) @ Erdington Doleys (ELO 912) 24-27
Well this was a game I kept a very keen sense of reservation about. I’ll be honest I wasn’t confident going into this game and with good reason, Adventurers are a strong side and I am in re-build. Expectation was low. The 1st half began as I expected it to. Adventurers converted opportunities with a pass to Swisher and a field goal to lead by 10 at the half. For them all was going to the team strategy. A field goal gave the Doleys some hope before the lethal eye of QB Robert was in again and Cimolin crossed to make it 17-3. Erdington heads were low.

They faced a seemingly unclimbable mountain…and then it happened. The Adventurers had a minute of game time to forget. The Doleys grabbed a clutch run TD by young starlet Magnum before a first play interception by Phillips on the Adventurers 20. Doleys were equal 3 plays later thanks to draftee RB Abdul crossing from 4 yards. 4th quarter began and it began well for the Doleys, leading for the first time in the game with WR Schroeder catching a vital throw from Morrow. The defences held for the Admirals sides and defence came up big for the Adventurers on 4:45 after over 6 minutes of action with no score to pick off the Doleys QB and return for the 6 and a PAT tying the game out. Tension was high, each play both coaches turned away for fear of seeing something they did not want to see…but Morrow is an intelligent QB and managed the game exquisitely to hold the ball until the dying seconds to send on Pires for the game winning field goal with only 43 seconds left. Adventurers had two plays to return but no avail. Doleys snatch a win in what can only be described as an awesome game of RZA football! Big handshake to the Adventurers and an unfortunate exit for them. GG Doleys.

Group 3
Pittcairn Bounty Mutineers (ELO 962) @ Hebridean Academicals (ELO 830) 47-3
A quote from Athos to open; “the Mutineers Headcoach Korberano is a supremely classy gameplanner”. Boy was he right! Nothing more to say about this result than the Scottish Jewels were definitely hanging from the Jolly Roger after this one. Highly unexpected result by such a margin from a side on paper were not as high class as the Academicals outfit. But “beware the intangibles” was another quote from Athos. 2/2 so far as the Mutineers saw FB Mortensen run in and HB Janssen run in twice for touchdowns, whilst in the air they found the hands of TE Gonsalves and WR Roden twice to round out their scoring with a couple of field goals from Colburn. Academicals could only find a field goal consolation in the 4th from Dewar. A night to forget for the Academicals as they sadly bow out of the tournament in a less than ideal fashion. Mutineers however set themselves up nicely for a big tie this week to see who will progress from the group. A big push of confidence from this scoreline showing their offensive capabilities. GG Mutineers.

Leeds Celtics (ELO 1200) @ Stockport Sabres (ELO 935) 27-24
Well the Celtics managed to scrape by another win in the group to seal their promotion with the Sabres and Mutineers playing off next week but I am sure they would have liked a more comfortable scoreline. They dominated the yardage by doubling the distance their opponents gained but their defence allowed the Sabres to swipe them aside with whatever possession they did manage to grab and convert it into a very competitive scoreline. Taking nothing away from the Sabres when I write this, because they are a very good outfit with a lot of options available to them when I look at their team, as was shown in their ability to convert their possession into the scores they gained.

The game started well for the Celtics with a TFL into a sack on the second play, despite a 13 yard pass the Sabres had to concede the ball. It was very too and fro but the Celtics gained a good yardage advantage each possession which resulted in an early cross of the line by Lafferty from a Hategka pass, 12 yards registered for the TD. Sabres struggled to 3 and out, with the Celtics showing their prowess pushing for an early 2nd quarter TD from Bartley running over from 5 yards at the Scrimmage. Sabres O struggled once more but their D came up big with a delicious pick for 6 to keep them in the game from CB George. Celtics ticked the scoreboard over just before the half with a field goal to give them the 10-point lead into the half. A first play fumble recovery by the Sabres D again showed how they could have been the deciding factor in the game, as the resulting drive gave Perryman a chance to hand off to Mejbri for an 8-yard run in, Sabres in sight. A long and controlled drive by QB Hategka allowed a resulting run over again, this time by Sturgill to register the score. Sabres were looking worried at 10 down, with a trade of field goals by both kickers respectively in the 4th quarter the game was looking to be potentially too much for the Sabres. They dug deep on a possession and with 2:39 on the clock Perryman looked to Mejbri again on the ground and converted to hope the defence could come up with something big…which they did…they put the Celtics 3 and out. From their own 45 they threw for 13 to Starling on the 2nd and 10 to try and get field goal range to force the OT…but Cletics had other ideas. In particular star MLB Eric Rapley who sat Perryman down 9 yards behind scrimmage for the sack.

This turned out to be the game winning play, with no other option than a speculative field goal to attempt the drawn game to overtime, the 66-yard effort was too much for the Sabres kicker. A valiant effort from the Swordbearers as they took on one of RZA’s stalwarts and took them to the edge. Heads to be held high by the Sabres as they took a strong side to the wire. Celtic’s Rapley man of the match for me for the game winning sack. GG both sides but particularly Sabres.

Group 4
Melittlemenonthepitchinhitchin (ELO 1019) @ Munich Runners (ELO 1080) 17-37
Melittlemen would have liked to have seen a much closer scoreline than this, having seen their pd set far back by the Blitz last week and another gap of just shy of 3 scores all but seals their coffin unfortunately. They would need to bot score the Aliens and hope that the Blitz get bot scored by the Runners. Now in this competition anything can happen, but San Diego Botkrieg doesn’t have the same ring to it. However, a strong inspired performance by the Bavarians and they will be pushing their defence hard this week in training as they will know if the Aliens win and what the needed points difference will be to qualify on a loss. A scouting mentality shared by their opponents going into the game.

Talking of the game! The Runners D had a good start holding the Hitchin to a 4-play drive before a punt on their 5th. Their offence loosened up and ended their first effort with a field goal for 3, nudging them ahead where they ended up staying all game. The second Hitchin drive was a tad longer, but not by much and the Runners responded in kind with a controlled march down the field to cross with Hofman picking out Schneider on the left side to give Der Mannschaft a comfortable position at the end of the 1st. The 2nd quarter was a very similar story, Hitchin had the ball carried over from the 1st and couldn’t make it out of their own half. Ball back in Hofman’s hands. Same result as last time, the Hitchin end zone invaded, this time by FB Naiko from 10 yards out on the ground. Hitchin heads dropping, on steps Lofton and co. Some new-found mojo rallied the troops for a 9-play touchdown pass to WR Omehia! It was almost as though a new offence came out that decided they wanted to win the game, but their defence still hadn’t heard the plan allowing a 1-yard run from RB Wagner with just under 2 minutes to go.

The 3rd quarter started out with Runners padding their lead with a chip for 41 yards. Both sides then proceeded to go 3 and out, 20-point deficit for the English side, their next drive could have only 1 result if they had any hope of staying in this game. Lofton came up big again and 5 minutes later they were crossing with a cheeky run to the left by FB Siuda. Game on! Well, until the Runners offence came onto the pitch. They needed to crush any hopes of a resurgence and that they did. They held the ball to see out the 3rd and opened the final quarter with a 14-yard run from Wagner and 4-yard lob by Hofman to Mikus. PAT converted and basically game over. The sides exchanged field goals but other than that they game was finished. Offence of the Runners achieved 200+ yards more than their counterparts and that was likely the difference. The defensive superiority to hold the Hitchin in the first half allowed the unassailable lead to form and allow them to just match the Englishmen in the second half to set themselves up for victory. Their biggest test awaits them next with Uncle Sam’s favourite preparing for Allgäuer Bergkäse. GG Runners.

San Diego Blitzkrieg (ELO 1292) @ Torchwood Aliens (ELO 1060) 34-35
OH-EM-GEE!! I wish I could say my game was match of the week, but I think I would be lying! This thriller definitely takes that crown as Captain Jack proves he never dies! He must have used the greatest minds at Torchwood facility (yes, apparently there are some in Cardiff) to manufacture a playbook out of this world and it is safe to say he succeeded with flying colours. The Blitz baffled as to how they were behind for most of the game, to lose it with 1:04 on the clock to a moment of magic it seems. They thought the Saints were bold with the onside kick, let’s see how Jack managed to halt the Blitz…

Aliens decided to kick off, having faith in their defence to start the game well. Faith is all it was. Blitz rotating the two QBs took only 8 plays to find WR Valicek on the left from the arm of Gapparov and open up their account with a familiar position to them…winning. Obviously still cold from the Welsh winds the Aliens HB Taylor fumbles the ball for no return. A short-lived visit for them only to end the resulting drive holding out for the 3 with maybe those Welsh winds helping them out by sending the 21 yard kick from Romero. A kick from that short a distance you’d think my nan would send straight down the middle, maybe she needs to coach Romero there as he may well have cost his side without realising it! Thanking their lucky stars, the winds favoured them, the Aliens decided to give their offence another chance. One which they converted very well over a 4-minute drive, resulting in a 1-yard pass from Pasquet to Hibbard. PAT good and all square. 1st quarter advantage to Aliens really as they could be facing much worse of a scoreline with that fumble.

2nd quarter began with San Diego finishing off the drive they pushed before the break and on the rotation this time Gregoire managed to pick out Waters on the left for a 10-yard stroll in to restore their lead. Romero kicked from further back this time, but saved his blushes by easily converting the PAT. The final 10 minutes was all action as the Blitz bolstered their lead with a slow march down for Gapparov to find his man Valicek again, only to be answered by the Aliens refusing to rollover with an 18-yard alleyoop to Campbell. 21-14 and within a score at the half is good for the Torchwood gameplan. 3rd quarter score wise seemed more like Steve padding his lead to turn the corkscrew, scoring two field goals to go 13 points up. But it was not only Romero affected by the winds, after the Aliens D came up trumps with a pick on Gapparov to return the ball deep into the Blitzkrieg territory, only to fall short and disappoint Jack with a 24-yard miss. Was it more nerves than the winds for these kickers? Knowing full well this game is going to be decided by them? Who knows. But the facts were 27-14 to the Blitz with 15 minutes of play remaining. BUT ball in Pasquet’s hands on the Blitz 11…
A big speech was needed by Jack to rally his side. No more mistakes. No more hiccups. No more falling short. Could they deliver for their coach? Play 1 was just the ticket for them, an 11-yard pass to Washburn on the right to pull the Aliens to within 6. The game was back within reach and their defence needed to come up big. And they did not disappoint as with 13 minutes on the clock CB Sorensen rises high and intercepts for a 25-yard return!! Two passes were all that Pasquet needed, first to Campbell for 10 then to Cowles for another 10 and the touchdown!! Aliens lead by one thanks to Barksdale’s PAT. First time in the game the Blitz were not in the driver’s seat. They soon sought to change this. A very controlled drive from their rotating QBs and 13 very well-planned plays later they were back in familiar territory thanks to Dusty Orlando running over the line with half of the quarter left to play. Each down became a nail biter. Both coaches desperate to see their team come up big.

The Aliens began their march, converting well and often to put themselves to the Blitz 15. But you don’t win as many trophies as San Diego without a trick or two up your sleeve. And that trick came in the form of veteran Tyrell Earle with a MASSIVE 10-yard sack as the FB had to block DE Jakab, leaving Pasquet open to the crosshairs of the formidable linebacker. 2nd and 20 and the pass only went for 4 yards. Field goal range but with 1:35 on the clock as they went for the 3rd down, it wasn’t going to be enough. There was one and only option. Pasquet snatched the ball, looked up and saw Worrell as the only open man, not his first choice of hands but there wasn’t time for any other consideration, faith was well placed as the 26-year-old hung on to the pass for dear life and somehow…somehow made 18 yards on the play!! First down on the 3!! Pasquet, despite the pressure of the situation knew exactly where he wanted this throw to go. He knew he had only one chance at toppling the Blitz and he had to go to the only hands he felt safe with. There was an eruption in Torchwood as Daragh Campbell, fan favourite and season 18 draftee by the Aliens came up HUGE as his blades grounded firmly in the Blitz end zone!! Game tied with the PAT to come.

53 seconds on the clock…the game is up for grabs… Barksdale steps up. Both kicker struggled for confidence early on in the game and Barksdale, desperate to not only redeem himself, but also to win the game for his team, lined up the kick…IT’S GOOD!! Too little time to make a play even out of their own half the Blitzkrieg fall by a single point! Awesome game to watch back and even bigger than the roars in Torchwood for Campbell are the ripples throughout the rest of the tournament. The Blitz can be beaten… The bigger sides in this will have taken note of the game as they prepare to finalise their own spot in the playoffs. Will the Sharks smell the American blood in the waters? Can the Celtics move past Uncle Sam’s favourites like he moved up the M1? All questions in the mind but for now, Torchwood parties and rightfully so! Great game and even greater result for them! GG TORCHWOOD!!

That rounds up week two for me. Some very good results this week showcasing why this competition is well enjoyed by teams involved and why nothing is certain when you gather the UK best in RZA and this year splash in a few outside challengers!! Final week next week and best of luck to all except Bwadders (even luck won’t help him win). Previews by Athos and I to follow in a couple of days for the final round…

Nice

It’s good to see that I am improving your English as well as your RZA skills

WOW, what a recap !!!!

I got a bit carried away lol

As for my RZA skills we shall see Wednesday