News

Balls still taken in hand after integrator disintegrates

Small reseller on the Isle of Man has not only snapped up collapsed 2e2's operations on the island, but also agreed to sponsor a rugby club previously backed by the crashed integrator.

All eyes were on 2e2's staff, customers and creditors when the biz hit the skids six weeks ago, but Douglas Rugby Union Football club - whose players' shirts feature the 2e2 logo - was also braced for the worst.

Today club chairman Peter Horsthuis told The Channel that 2e2 Isle of Man's new owners, Argon Technologies Ltd - a reseller that salvaged the operation and 27 island jobs - has come to the sport team's rescue, too.

"We were coming to the end of year two in a three-year sponsorship," he said. "The club's president met with the new owners [Argon] to agree shirt rebranding and sponsorship."

Horsthuis said Argon's branding will emblazon players' tops and fresh kits will be dished out next season.

Douglas Rugby Union Football club is the oldest of its kind on the island and sits in second place in the South Lancs-Cheshire second division, although promotion is seemingly a dead cert after 19 wins out of 21.

The Argon logo will appear not only on the shirts and the club's stadium, but will have pride of place on Quarterbridge - the "busiest" roundabout on the island, the chairman said. Horsthuis would not disclose the terms of the deal, and would only say it was "good value". Presumably players can expect oranges at half time from their new sponsor.

http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2013/03/13/2e2_douglas_rugby_club/ 

2E2 Douglas Rugby Club welcome league leaders and newly promoted Sefton to Port-e-Chee this weekend in the South Lancs/Cheshire division 2 top of the table clash this saturday. Sefton have already secured promotion to division 1 next term and a win would guarantee Douglas a berth alongside them next season.

Earlier in the season in the reverse fixture this was the battle of the unbeaten teams and this time round Douglas have a score to settle having received a firm beating at the hands of their opponents that day.

The pack for Saturday should be similar to the one that took on Southport, Niall Killey is available for this game and should be where he belongs in the number 8 shirt. James Creasey and Craig McGee should fill the other back row positions. The front five should be the one that has been pretty much ever present with Todd, Ferns, Pote, Hooson-Owen and Thompson hoping to provide good clean attacking ball from the set piece. Douglas will have Craig Lea and Liam Murphy from the bench to provide attacking impetus when introduced.

In the backline, everything should remain the same as the Southport game with mercurial Snellgrove at scrum half and Skipper Goodall at fly half with back rower Christian Brew filling in at full back should Mike Hebden be unavailable. Stephen Tansell and James Wood should be the willing strike runners in midfield backed up by speedsters Callum Carine and Nathan Pierce. 

Douglas know they have to be on top form this weekend to topple Sefton and although Sefton are already promoted Douglas know that this does not mean there will be complacency from the Liverpool outfit. Douglas only require 3 points to guarantee promotion so there is a carrot at the end of the tunnel, however with Sefton 7 ahead at the top Douglas will look for a bonus point win to move to within 2 points of their opponents and then attempt to take the title race down to the final games of the season.

Kick off is earlier this week at 2:15 and all are welcome to attend and hopefully support the team in the quest for promotion.

2E2 Douglas Rugby club travelled to Southport on Saturday and ran out victors with a 22 - 3 victory however for the second week in a row could not get the fourth try bonus point.

The game didnt start too well for Douglas when 2 players were injured during the warm up which hampered the options on the bench and meant there were a few positional changes. In the wind and rain at Southport the first ten minutes was not terribly exciting rugby as both teams had a share of position and were looking for the weaknesses but neither team found them. It wasnt until 20 minutes in when a Southport series of indiscretions ended with Douglas infront of the sticks for a penalty which Bryn Snellgrove converted.

The remainder of the half played out with even possession and Southport battering the Douglas line on occassion but the defence stood firm. Douglas put on little pressure and cleared their lines and progressed up the pitch. A series of scrums later and there was grass for Douglas to run into and they managed to complete some good offloading play with a speculative pass in the mix and the ball found its way to James Wood 10 metres out who made sure of the score. Half time score to Douglas 8 - 0.

The second half started much the same as the first with no real flow to the game. After 10 minutes Southport enjoyed a period of possession and it became obvious that they had some talent in their backline with their full back making the yards on the outside and their 12 prepared to break the line in crash ball fashion. It was from a bullocking run from their 12 that resulted in Daryn Thompson receiving a yellow card right in front of the sticks and Southport converted.

This stirred Douglas who then enjoyed a possession period of their own, and their were holes appearing the opposition defence. Stephen Tansell made the yards and when the ball was recycled quickly Snellgrove fed Skipper Goodall who slid in under the Sticks and Snellgrove converted.

Douglas were soon back to full compliment and piling on the pressure, a scrum on the Southport 5 was reset twice and at the third time of asking Douglas got the shunt on, Southport were backed over their own try line and when their flanker left the scrum early and kicked it from Liam Murphy's hands the referee didnt hesitate and Douglas were awarded the penalty try again converted by Snellgrove.

Southport were still looking dangerous and their full back was prepared to run everything and was making yards. Eventually he ran out of support and Douglas retained some possession again with minutes left to play Douglas chased that illusive fourth try but try as they might the Southport defence if anything were resolute and the final whistle blew.

This was a tough match for Douglas and having never won at Southport before Douglas were happy to break that duck. Credit has to go to Southport, they showed why they have a strong home record this season as they were extremely tough and physical and never stopped playing. They had constant threats in the backline and Douglas had to be fully aware to stop these players getting too much time to plan their attacks.

Unfortunately for Douglas promotion is not yet a guarantee with results elsewhere not going their way but they still hold a healthy 22 point advantage over third and they welcome league leaders Sefton to Port-e-Chee on 23rd March when they will look to secure promotion and hopefully close the gap on Sefton at the top and send the season right down to the wire.

2E2 Douglas Rugby club travelled to Southport on Saturday and ran out victors with a 22 - 3 victory however for the second week in a row could not get the fourth try bonus point.

The game didnt start too well for Douglas when 2 players were injured during the warm up which hampered the options on the bench and meant there were a few positional changes. In the wind and rain at Southport the first ten minutes was not terribly exciting rugby as both teams had a share of position and were looking for the weaknesses but neither team found them. It wasnt until 20 minutes in when a Southport series of indiscretions ended with Douglas infront of the sticks for a penalty which Bryn Snellgrove converted.

The remainder of the half played out with even possession and Southport battering the Douglas line on occassion but the defence stood firm. Douglas put on little pressure and cleared their lines and progressed up the pitch. A series of scrums later and there was grass for Douglas to run into and they managed to complete some good offloading play with a speculative pass in the mix and the ball found its way to James Wood 10 metres out who made sure of the score. Half time score to Douglas 8 - 0.

The second half started much the same as the first with no real flow to the game. After 10 minutes Southport enjoyed a period of possession and it became obvious that they had some talent in their backline with their full back making the yards on the outside and their 12 prepared to break the line in crash ball fashion. It was from a bullocking run from their 12 that resulted in Daryn Thompson receiving a yellow card right in front of the sticks and Southport converted.

This stirred Douglas who then enjoyed a possession period of their own, and their were holes appearing the opposition defence. Stephen Tansell made the yards and when the ball was recycled quickly Snellgrove fed Skipper Goodall who slid in under the Sticks and Snellgrove converted.

Douglas were soon back to full compliment and piling on the pressure, a scrum on the Southport 5 was reset twice and at the third time of asking Douglas got the shunt on, Southport were backed over their own try line and when their flanker left the scrum early and kicked it from Liam Murphy's hands the referee didnt hesitate and Douglas were awarded the penalty try again converted by Snellgrove.

Southport were still looking dangerous and their full back was prepared to run everything and was making yards. Eventually he ran out of support and Douglas retained some possession again with minutes left to play Douglas chased that illusive fourth try but try as they might the Southport defence if anything were resolute and the final whistle blew.

This was a tough match for Douglas and having never won at Southport before Douglas were happy to break that duck. Credit has to go to Southport, they showed why they have a strong home record this season as they were extremely tough and physical and never stopped playing. They had constant threats in the backline and Douglas had to be fully aware to stop these players getting too much time to plan their attacks.

Unfortunately for Douglas promotion is not yet a guarantee with results elsewhere not going their way but they still hold a healthy 22 point advantage over third and they welcome league leaders Sefton to Port-e-Chee on 23rd March when they will look to secure promotion and hopefully close the gap on Sefton at the top and send the season right down to the wire.