End of the minor rounds roundup (day 5)

Okay, first up the 'I saw that coming games'

USA v Eng. As expected USA won 24 to 4 in a game I didn't see but assume was never in question.

Canada v Japan. As a complete aside to this match I was today half a fence away from chatting with Canadian head couch Gary Gait as he came over and started talking umpires to one of the Iroquois in the group I was leaning over the fence I was chatting with. One degree of separation kids, read it and weep :P

Anyway, back to the game. I did not go and see this game. The CSTT guy Gary who Team TV knows from our 2006 adventures and who had helped sort out my hotel this trip had invited me out for meal and beers straight after the Australia v Iroquois game so I was pre-booked and pre-occupied while this game was on.

I do know Canada had a flag the size of a small tennis court set up behind the north most goal and I assume this distracted them as they ONLY won 26 to 3.

Which brings us to the last game of the big kids pool, the Australia v Iroquois game which effectively the make or break game to decided 3rd, 4th and 5th place.

Lets start as usually with something I prepared earlier

12 mins into 3rd. Iro 13 to Aust 10. We are up with them and are scoring and getting ball..... but..... when they score they score they score quickly.
Eng got up and Iro came back fast.
We are 3 down.... 2 down (man up goal) but we are working for ours. Iro just seem to be able to wait and then take them.

Later I wrote more

Last Q - 15 mins in. Gone from 14 all to 14-16 down in about 90 sec. When they score they score QUICK. I don't think you can even be 'safe' in front of this team.
Slightly ill-discpilled (sic) at time but fast scorers when they need.
2 down, 5 mins, not sure we can do it.
3:30 to play - they score. 3 down. That will prob seal it.

With a 17 to 14 final score I was probably right. We played well. Some good solid lacrosse from our boys wearing the dark green, and in my view more attractive, "home" uniform and at times we forced the Iroquois into some simple basic errors esp in the last quarter. However having the other side in the box for an offside doesn't really count much if we are not scoring quicker then they are. I feel watching that we set up some very good attack and worked the goal well. Indeed we did lead the game at various stages.

However, like my game notes stated above, Iroquois is a team that can score fast. Late in the game just before number 19, fifteen year old Lyle Thompson, scored the last goal in the match, one of the Australian supporters in the stands was yelling out not to let them get settled. I sat there thinking 'no, let them get settled, they score less off the set plays.'

Iroquois are a good team. If they are disciplined enough to beat a team like the impressive USA who of course came from seven goals behind to beat Canada remains to be seen but at this stage they are a team that has definitely earned their ranking of third in the pool.

Final pool rank
USA
Canada
Iroquois
England
Australia
Japan

Don't ask me what happens now - some of the red teams now get a crack at the low placed blue teams and USA Canada get a few days off. Exactly who plays who.... check the official website as I got it wrong last time :)