The heroes of DIOK Athletics had an early start for the first of two games against the champions of the first division, brought forward to accommodate Waterland 2’s championship party.

After Bassie missed a first minute penalty attempt into a strong headwind Waterland took full advantage of the 10 minutes it took yet another DIOK 2 selection to gel and ran in two tries, missing both extras, 10-0. Slowly but surely the heroes grew into a force to be reckoned with and mounted a few attacks of their own while putting in lots of hard work in defense to snub out the best Waterland could throw at them until the half hour mark. Again Waterland failed to convert 15-0 at half time.

The second half had a totally different shape with DIOK spending the first 20 minutes camped within 10 meters of the Waterland line. The only answer that the home team could offer to the constant battering their line was suffering was continual offending, giving away penalty after penalty. Finally referee Sean Mallon had seen enough and pulled out the yellow card. From straight in front of the posts Bassie made it 15-3, less than 2 tries difference.

Clever, but “barely-legal streetwise”, play in and around the tackle/ruck area tipped the balance back in favour of the hosts and they managed to score another unconverted try. Then after all the DIOK reserves had been used DIOK 2 went down to 13 men: Ginger Ninja to a yellow card for a deliberate knock on and Sexy Lexy with a shoulder injury. Waterland capitalized and scored one more try and finally a conversion, which was probably the hardest kick of the day, 27-3.

The 13 men picked themselves up and forced their way back into the Waterland 22. From yet another penalty they set up a maul from the resulting lineout the 6 “larger” heroes and steamrollered the 8 man opposition back over their try line leaving Jacob the simple task of falling over to make the score 27-8. Bassie was unable to add the extras with what turned out to be the last kick of the game.

It is a result that DIOK 2 can be very proud of as only the Pink Panthers (number two in the league) have recorded a better result against this year’s champions so far this season.

All in all a good game played in great spirit with a good ref what more can you ask for: thanks to all involved and congratulations to RC Waterland with their double championship season. We look forward to welcoming Waterland 1 in Leiden the weekend after next to play the fixture that was postponed earlier in the season. We also wish their first team success in the premiership next year when they will return to Leiden to meet DIOK 1.

For those that don’t know DIOK 2 are a group of guys that due to various commitments can’t train regularly as a complete unit, who come together on a Sunday morning not knowing if they even have a full team, hoping to have one or two reserves, playing week in week out against first teams of aspiring premiership clubs. That is why they have earned and deserve the nickname “Heroes”.