Scanlan Cup Rugby & Summer Ball - April

Rugby: Penguins v Guy's Hospital Present XV (The Scanlan Cup)

Saturday 30th April 2016

Paul Scanlan played for Guy's 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th XVs from 1984 to 1993 and was a founder member of the Penguins XV.
He was 1st XV Vice-Captain, Student XV Captain and a GHRFC Vice-President.

He qualified in 1989 and was the first of his year to achieve Consultant status, as an orthodontist working in SE London and Kent.

His irrepressible humour, energy and zest for living were tragically curtailed by an acute illness which rapidly took his life.

He remains sorely missed and is remembered by the annual Penguins v Guy's Present XV match played for the Scanlan Cup.

Adios Amigo.

Portrait painting of Paul Scanlan, which hangs currently on the wall of the Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham, Kent at the entrance to the Paul Scanlan Orthodontic Suite.

The Minute's silence

The 2016 Cup Match Write-Up

There is little as intimidating as a flock of mature penguins bent on revenge. Last year saw the Scanlan Cup wrested away by a very talented Guy's Present team. There followed a period of intense Penguine introspection. Ben Thorpe employed a heady mixture of engagement, persuasion, cajolement and near-peer pressure to produce a formidable XV this year.

The day commenced with the traditional minute's silence to remember the late, great Paul Scanlan who died tragically 14 years ago. Gone but not forgotten. Adios Amigo.

The Present kicked off and battle was joined. Ben's astute captaincy had placed Pete Davis and Ben Challacombe in the Centres, bargaining on the 'Ackerman effect' rather than silky running skills. Geraint Thomason and Charlie Beardmore, partnered together in the boilerhouse for at least the 250th time, were banking almost solely on accumulated age and mass to win the day. The student team were a little slow out of the staring blocks. To be fair they had enjoyed a rather fulsome AGM, and post meeting discussions, the night before, but even so there was a distinct torpor. The Penguins waddled in for the first try within 2 minutes, with a brace more following rapidly. It looked like a walk in the snow-park. Half time arrived with a 20 point lead and the potential for a rout.

It is not known what the students did, or consumed, during half time, but they were transformed after the break. Cavan Awho and Tom Crisp caused considerable annoyance to the Penguin's back line, running in 2 quick tries. Dan Osei-Bordom made scrummaging distinctly uncomfortable and the Penguins were very rapidly on the back webbed foot. The gap rapidly narrowed to 1 point. Was this again going to be a bitter disappointment for the flock? Cometh the hour, cometh the man. With five minutes remaining, Chris Howell, the King Penguin, strode on like a colossus. He is not very young these days but retains a steely resolve and was determined to prevail. Very rapidly, control was reasserted. A solid Penguin scrum saw the ball shipped rapidly to Israel Sotonwa who went over for a score in the corner. Two minutes later, Howell, sensing a potential gap, surged forward, a suggestion of a side step and hint of a body swerve wrong footed his hapless opponent. He shipped the ball to a rejuvenated Jackson who passed to Challacombe to go over and score [at least that is how it was relayed to the correspondent]. Final score Penguins 45 Present 34. An excellent game played with great spirit. Thanks to Jon de Mendonca for sympathetic refereeing. The Scanlan Cup has returned home.

All proceeds of the PAC fundraising will be given as a grant to Birmingham Children's Hospital in direct support of the Scholefeld family.