RUGBY Good signs for Maccabi in trial win

IT was only their first trial game for 2024, but a solid win by Maccabi NSW Rugby Club last Saturday at Lyne Park over the Sydney Convicts – in a fixture affectionally nicknamed the Barbra Streisand Cup – has energised the playing group. The Maccabi men won the first half by two tries to one against the Convicts’ A squad, and in a non-scoring second half against their B squad, Maccabi scored tries every few minutes with good ball movement to the flanks, opening up holes for their speedy backs, but they also conceded three late tries. Maccabi’s club captain Josh Hoffman, about to enter his 15th season for the Blues, described the trial win as “a really good hit-out for us”. “We have a lot of younger guys in our squad now, and they’ve been mixing in well with the more experienced players at pre-season training. “Today’s game was the first of two or three trial games for us, so it was really all about building cohesion and match fitness, but it was nice to get a win. “This fixture is always nice to be part of, as we have a long history with the Sydney Convicts. We always have a positive experience playing them, and both clubs share a lot of respect for each other.” Hoffman added that the club has high hopes for the 2024 Jeffrey Cup Sydney Subbies rugby season, likely to start in mid-to-late April, and has developed more depth within its squad, which is hungry for success after a few lean seasons. “There’s certainly a sense of excitement about the upcoming season among all of us,” he said. “I’ve been around here long enough to remember times when the club nearly folded, so to see Maccabi Rugby come back to life and field a growing group of younger players who are ready for a positive season, feels very special.”

SOURCE: AJN