Latest / The PCR Sports Show / The PCR Sports Show - Friday 19th September 2025 - The Women's American Football Special with Layla Blake and Talita Arantes from Peterborough Royals.

Transcript

The PCR Sports Show - Friday 19th September 2025 - The Women's American Football Special with Layla Blake and Talita Arantes from Peterborough Royals. · The PCR Sports Show

0:00
Good evening, I'm Deepam and welcome to the PCR Sports Show.
0:03
It's the start to your sporting weekend with myself and Nigel
0:06
this week and hope you've had a great week and I'm looking
0:08
forward to whatever sports you're doing or watching or
0:11
listening to in the case of us this weekend.
0:14
Hope you've had a great week and thanks for tuning in.
0:16
As always. Cracking show on tonight.
0:19
We love these guests because they've been on a few times
0:21
before and they're always brilliant.
0:22
We've got Leila Blake and Tolita Arantis from the Peter Royals
0:26
American football team. Always great fun when they're in
0:29
the studio. They've come in to talk about
0:31
how the season's gone, how the clubs, where the clubs are at
0:34
the moment and to talk about their personal journeys in the
0:37
sport of American football as well.
0:39
So really worth looking forward to in a short while.
0:42
But as always, let's get a round up from Nigel of what's been
0:46
happening in our city of Peterborough sporting wise.
0:50
Nigel, how are you? I'm very well, thank you, thank
0:52
you very much. OK, these are your headlines for
0:54
the 19th of August then we'll start with football.
0:57
And the new era for the Turbines started with a win in the FA Cup
1:02
for new manager Phil Brown. His team managed A21 win against
1:06
Hornchurch at Pyms Park last Saturday.
1:09
Goals from debutant Marcel Oakley and Theo Williams scored
1:13
a place in. They secured a place in the
1:15
third qualifying round, where they will face Harbor Town.
1:19
The draw continued to be frustrating for sports.
1:21
Hornchurch were top of the National League South and
1:25
Harborough are currently sitting top of the Southern Premier
1:29
League Central so it's another stiff test for Mr. Brown's boys.
1:33
It's back to league action tomorrow for the long trip to
1:36
Southport in the National League North.
1:38
In his pre match interview Phil Brown said it was an enjoyable
1:41
win in the cup last weekend but the league must be his focus.
1:45
His team will most likely have a new look tomorrow with Aaron
1:48
Powell, Mark Jones and Mustafa Carryall all limping out injured
1:52
of the Horn Church game and most likely won't be fit to start
1:55
this weekend. Meanwhile 2 first half goals
1:59
secured the first three points of the season for Posh as Darren
2:02
Ferguson's men record A21 win over Wickham Wanderers last
2:08
weekend. It was Matt Garbett with his
2:10
first goal for the club and Jimmy J Morgan who provided the
2:13
goals which gave Posh A2 nil lead at half time.
2:17
A goal right at the start of the second-half from Wickham.
2:19
Half the deficit but the home team held on to get their first
2:22
win of the season. Darren Ferguson claimed there
2:27
there was still a fair number of injuries at the club and a
2:30
number of players were nowhere near completing a full 90
2:33
minutes. But he was pleased with the
2:35
effort put in by the players who did play and he thought they
2:38
deserved the win. Back on the road tomorrow for
2:41
the postures they take the long drive to Plymouth.
2:43
Posh fans have already well travelled this season, clocking
2:46
up 1800 miles already, so another 564 mile round trip
2:51
tomorrow won't come as a shock to them.
2:54
Team News Midfielder Ben Woods is back in the squad after
2:57
recovering from a hand injury which has kept him on the
3:00
sidelines since his move from Accrington Stanley.
3:04
All 22 teams at Yaxley Football Club have been suspended by the
3:08
FA after some financial irregularities at the club.
3:11
Information from the Hunts FA is still very sketchy but messages
3:15
have been circulating on social media this week indicating all
3:19
parties are really keen to get to resolve matters and they are
3:23
focused on getting in the club playing again.
3:26
Over to hockey, everyone down at City of Peterborough Hockey Club
3:29
is delighted the new season is finally here.
3:32
The women's firsts will compete in East Division One this season
3:36
and begin with a trip to Norwich City tomorrow.
3:39
The men's first will of course compete in the National League
3:42
Conference after score securing promotion last season.
3:45
They start their season away in Banbury on Sunday.
3:49
If you fancy watching some National League hockey in the
3:51
city, their first home game will be against St.
3:54
Albans on Sunday the 28th of September.
3:58
Home matches to start the season for the remainder of the club
4:01
tomorrow are 10 AM. The men's eights versus born
4:04
deep in fourths 11:30. The men's sevens against
4:08
Newmarket 1:00 PM. The men's seconds take on
4:12
Norwich City seconds 2:30. It's the turn of the women's
4:16
fourths versus Cambridge S fourths, and at 4:00 PM, the
4:20
women's seconds again take on Cambridge S seconds.
4:25
Hayden Levine was The Phantoms hero at Planet Ice last weekend
4:29
when he saved all three penalties in a shootout against
4:32
French side Newly Sir Mann. It was 11 after 60 minutes but
4:36
Cam How Yanni Larkinen and Luke Ferrara all converted their
4:40
shots to give Phantoms victory. The French visitors gained
4:44
revenge however the following night with A5 four win despite
4:48
falling 41 down early in the second period.
4:51
Peterborough BMX Club races won five first place finishes in the
4:55
final round of the East Anglian Championships in Braintree.
4:59
The City club entered 20 riders and an amazing 11 of them earned
5:04
podium finishes in golf. Milton youngster Thomas Peachy
5:08
played well in the company of DP World Tour professional Harry
5:11
Hall at the BMWPGA Championships in Wentworth.
5:16
Peachy won a qualification event to play in the Pro Am which
5:19
preceded the main event and he was supported by a large
5:22
contingent of friends, family and Milton members and father
5:26
Darren acted as a caddy for Thomas Peachy was praised for
5:30
his play by Hall and his caddy Fanny Sunderson who earned fame
5:35
carry in the bag for Sir Nick Faldo.
5:37
His team finished top in top sorry his team for his top ten
5:43
of an event won by American Brooks Kepker, John Terry,
5:46
Robbie Fowler and Sam Quick. The local lad was also delighted
5:51
to meet Ryder Cup star Shane Lowry and Hall went on to finish
5:54
13th. In the PGA event, Ryan Thomason
5:58
defeated defending champion Paul Paul Sparrow two nil to lift the
6:03
Legends Tour Masters Cup and pocket £450 first prize at the
6:08
Court Club in Breton despite not playing his best.
6:11
The Ely based Australian, who won the Legends League in
6:14
December, beat Tom Perry 2 nil in his opening match before
6:18
coming through two deciders against Peterborough's Paul
6:21
Newman in the last 8 and Luke Pinches from Norwich in the
6:25
semis, the latter on the final black.
6:28
And those are your headlines. Thank you Nigel, Stacks going on
6:31
as always but as a potentially a turn around weekend for both our
6:37
biggest 2 football clubs in the area.
6:39
Let's hope so. Let's hope so.
6:40
Definitely the atmosphere around at sports has changed a lot
6:44
recently and people are are really looking forward to the
6:48
game tomorrow. And similarly at Posh, I think
6:52
it was just getting that first win out of the out of the way.
6:57
I think that that's, you know, getting that off their back.
6:59
I think things will change, hopefully change there as well.
7:01
But yeah, just nice to see some goals in the city for a change.
7:04
And both have long and tough away fixtures tomorrow.
7:07
Indeed, Yeah, sports all the way to Southport which is a long
7:12
trip and Posh of course with what 350 odd mile round trip all
7:18
the way down to Plymouth. Posh getting all their big away
7:21
trips out early season. Absolutely, and obviously sports
7:26
progressed in the FA Cup, which is brilliant, Phil Brown's first
7:28
game and got a almost equally tough draw in the next round.
7:34
Yeah, yeah, it was a bit frustrating.
7:36
They could do with the need but you know, it's like Phil said in
7:39
his pre season pre game interview yesterday, it is what
7:43
it is. You know, his focus is
7:45
definitely the league, that it'll be great if they have a
7:47
run in the cup because it will get somebody into the club which
7:51
you know they desperately need. But the league is his focus.
7:54
So yeah, disappointing draw in some ways, but luckily quite
7:59
close. Not far to go.
8:00
Brilliant. Good stuff.
8:01
Good luck to Posh and Sports and any of our local clubs, no
8:05
matter what they're doing. So right, let's take a short
8:07
break and we'll be speaking to Leila and Talita from the
8:10
Peterborough Royals American football team.
8:12
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home. You're listening to PCR.
10:40
Sports. Welcome back to the PCR Sport
10:52
show with myself, Dipam and Nigel this week and you can
10:56
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11:01
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11:33
So right, let's get back to this evening's guests, Layla Blake
11:37
and Tolita Rantis from the Peterborough Rules American
11:41
football team. Good evening, Layla, How are
11:44
you? Hi, I'm good.
11:45
Thanks. How are you?
11:46
Yeah, good to have you on the show.
11:47
And Tolita, how are you? I'm.
11:50
Doing great. Thank you.
11:51
How are you? Yeah, very well, thank you.
11:53
We're allowed to call you Tally, aren't we?
11:54
Apparently. Yeah, it's just making it easy
11:56
for everyone, isn't? It that's fine.
11:59
If if we're friends of yours, we'll call you Tally.
12:00
That's not a problem. Awesome.
12:02
Fantastic. So welcome to the show both you.
12:05
It's great to have you on as always and good to talk about
12:08
American football and and the Peterborough Royals.
12:10
So let's just start a little bit.
12:12
I know Layla's been on before, but it'd be great to hear again.
12:14
But just tell us a little about your your your journey in the
12:18
sport, Layla, and how you come to to be where you are in
12:20
playing American football. Yeah, of course.
12:23
So had no interest in playing any form of contact sport or
12:31
sport at all. And I had a friend on the team,
12:36
previous team manager and captain Tanya.
12:38
I know that she's been on before as well.
12:40
She put our post saying there was a rookie day.
12:44
I had no idea what to expect but thought I'll give this a go.
12:49
Go and support my friend. Go.
12:50
And support my friend Yes and then turned up unprepared, but
12:56
had such a blast. Everyone was so welcoming and
12:59
friendly no silly questions and then I fell in love with the
13:03
sport there and then and have been constantly go back ever
13:07
since. I think the funniest part of
13:10
this was this is back when it was COVID so there was
13:12
restricted rules so there wasn't actually any contact at the time
13:16
that I joined. So I think it was about six
13:19
months later when we went into our first contact season after
13:25
COVID rules have been restricted, and I got a first
13:28
taste of what it was like to be tackled and taken to the floor
13:32
and what it was like to tackle someone else.
13:33
And that just maybe love it even.
13:36
Yeah, you do. You want the buzz, Yes.
13:39
Of taking people out and getting taken out, Yes.
13:41
Fantastic. So that was a really gentle
13:43
introduction to the sport then. Yeah.
13:45
I had like AI had they like basically six months to convince
13:48
me to stay. And then it was always like, oh,
13:50
I can't leave now. And then I got hit.
13:52
Yeah. Fantastic and tally.
13:55
How about you? What's your what's your story?
13:56
What's your journey been? Well, I always used to play
14:00
sports when when I was younger and I always enjoyed team
14:03
sports. Then I moved to UK and didn't
14:06
get to do anything like that. And one day it popped up on just
14:12
like a texture session from American football team on my
14:14
Facebook. And I was in a bit of that yes
14:17
man kind of moment in my life, kind of trying different things
14:21
and not saying no to well, of course to the illegal things.
14:24
I know, but you know, it's a thing like, Oh, that's, that's
14:26
pretty how that goes. And I, I just got absolutely
14:30
hooked for the sport because I had never even seen the game of
14:35
American football before I went to the rookie session and then I
14:38
just got hooked. And then I start following the
14:40
sport and yes, being seven years now, non-stop getting over this
14:46
sport. Fantastic.
14:47
Wow. So Layla went to support a
14:49
friend and got hooked. You tally you had a maybe an
14:52
early midlife crisis and got hooked.
14:54
Yeah, what? What?
14:55
What? Fantastic stories and and you're
14:57
both obviously, you know, been in the, in the sport for a few
15:01
years now and and I know tally, you've only just joined the,
15:04
the, the Royals, you've been here one season, but you, you,
15:07
you play, play for other teams before then as well, didn't you?
15:10
Yes, yes, I used to play in my in Norfolk, both type of sports,
15:15
so American football, the contact version and the flag
15:18
version of it. So yeah, I couldn't get enough,
15:21
so I joined both types of it. OK, so and which which one do
15:24
you prefer? Do you do you like Layla?
15:26
You you you like the rough and tumble or did you enjoy the the
15:29
flag version as well? There's they have so it's so
15:33
different, even though it's the same sport.
15:34
There's different scales. But yeah, I can't, I, I, I
15:39
don't, I don't like getting Taco.
15:40
They sound really sweet to live, but you know, they're kind of
15:44
Taco. And then you know, like, oh, OK,
15:46
I'm alive. I'm in one page.
15:47
Yes, let's do this again. Because you have the protective
15:51
gear on, I guess it to a degree, getting tackled and knocked
15:54
around it, it feels a little bit softer, I guess.
15:58
It's not like somebody knocking you over in the street or
16:00
anything like that, is it? Oh.
16:03
Well, yeah, I've never been knocked over in a street.
16:05
Fancy. Well, you can try and imagine.
16:09
Yeah, there there is such a we intentionally, the coaches show
16:14
us how to do it, how how to safely do it.
16:16
So even though you have the massive impact, well, I tend to
16:20
fall on top of someone so I'm double cushioned.
16:23
But yeah, it kind of protects you to receive the impact and
16:27
and you feel safe by going down. Fantastic, great stuff.
16:31
And Leila, you've been, you've been at the club a few years now
16:34
and what's your position on the field?
16:37
Where do you play? So I am a linebacker, which is a
16:42
defensive position and I'm sort of in the middle.
16:46
So I'll sit behind our defensive line.
16:48
I'll sort of check out call, what the strengths of the
16:51
offence are, you know, maybe a player or movement that we might
16:57
see and then yeah, sort of leave the defence hopefully.
17:02
So you're, I guess from what I'm grabbing from what you're saying
17:05
is that you, your responsibility is to to knock others when
17:08
they're attacking you, but at the same time look for plays
17:11
when you're when you're attacking.
17:12
Is that correct? Yes, yeah, yeah.
17:14
So for our defensive line, because they're usually down,
17:18
have their heads up, but they're they're sort of down in their
17:22
line position in their sort of three or four point stance,
17:26
they'll be, they won't necessarily see what's happening
17:29
in the backfield with the between the quarterback and
17:32
maybe the running backs or receivers.
17:33
So I'll call the strength. So we kind of know where what
17:37
might happen. And then, yeah, my, my job is to
17:42
follow the ball and make sure that I catch the offensive fire.
17:46
I feel I need to share a comment that Lana made off her before
17:49
the show when she said that if I get the ball, something's wrong,
17:52
yeah. No, that is true.
17:55
Yeah, so I mean not wrong for the defence, but yeah, if I if
18:00
for some reason, yeah as a defence player for the balls in
18:03
my hand, something has gone wrong usually on the offence is
18:06
part. So.
18:08
So yeah, we were joking about the fact that I don't ever get
18:12
tackled because I never get the ball.
18:14
And if I do have it, everyone sort of stops.
18:17
It's like something. Something's gone wrong.
18:19
Yeah. Why?
18:20
Why has Laila got the ball? Yes, exactly.
18:23
So a perfect game is you not touching the ball effectively,
18:25
yeah. Pretty well, unless it's unless
18:26
I've got caught in interception or I've made a fumble recovery
18:29
and then it's a great day for me.
18:31
Yeah, fantastic. And Tally, how about you?
18:33
What's your position on the field?
18:35
Well, I I play opposite Laila and I actually tried to run away
18:38
from her. She does.
18:42
Yeah, I'm a I'm a offensive player for this past five, seven
18:45
years, neither running back or wide receiver.
18:49
Excellent. So you you you'll receive the
18:51
ball, say from the quarterback and and attempt to get the
18:54
touchdown. And then just run for my life,
18:56
yes. Before anyone can catch you.
18:58
Yeah, Fantastic, great stuff. In terms of the club itself,
19:04
Layla, I think do you do you still have off field
19:06
responsibilities or I know in the past you've had dual roles
19:09
doing, you know, contribute making contributions off the
19:12
field as well as on the field. Yeah.
19:13
So one of my, one of our responsibilities off the field
19:17
is for getting equipment. So if you, you know, don't have
19:25
helmet or shoulder pads or boots or anything, and, you know, you
19:28
cover long, we'll get your kit out for a rookie day.
19:31
And then there's also the option to hire kit.
19:34
So you pay yourself to the treasurer.
19:37
They give me the list. And then I will make sure that
19:41
everyone's got the right kit and jersey numbers and jerseys for,
19:46
you know, home and away days. And then, oh, help set up in the
19:53
morning with equipment. And then, yeah, between myself
19:58
and our social media, we've, we've been looking after the
20:01
socials. But yeah, there's, there's
20:05
always background jobs to do as well.
20:07
Because we've come to the end of of our 2025 season, we're
20:11
actually looking to see if there's anyone else that wants
20:13
to take over those jobs for what I say, jobs, not a job, those
20:18
voluntary roles and responsibilities, those tasks,
20:20
those duties for next season. Just to get everyone else a
20:25
little bit involved. Yeah, just getting sort of
20:27
spread the experience if you like.
20:30
So Tally, do you fancy an off field responsibility next
20:33
season? I know it's you.
20:34
You've just come to the end of your first season.
20:36
Would you fancy doing something extra?
20:38
Oh, we can. We can always just step in to
20:40
help. Isn't it that that's the amazing
20:42
thing about, about the football community and especially this
20:44
team. We are always there to help.
20:46
We're always there to to to hand in a a nice hand and just help,
20:51
even if you don't take official position in the front office in
20:55
the committee. But we always help each other
20:58
because we know, you know, this is what team does.
21:01
They support each other. Fantastic.
21:03
Sounds like a fantastic squad and an atmosphere in the in the
21:06
club itself And yeah, looks like a fun, fun place to to play the
21:10
sport indeed. So right, let's just take a
21:13
short break. We'll be back again with Layla
21:15
and Tally in a few minutes and with some more chat about
21:19
American football. We'll dive a little bit into the
21:21
club itself and how it's set up and the competition structure
21:25
and everything like that, so do stay tuned.
21:26
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24:43
Welcome back to the PCR Sports Show with myself, Tip, Hammer
24:46
and Nigel and this evening's guests Leila Blake and Talia
24:48
Rantis from the Peterborough Royals American football team.
24:52
And we'll be speaking just before the break about their
24:55
individual journeys in the sport and how they got around to be
24:59
playing American football. And a little bit about the the
25:02
culture of the club itself, which sounds like it's
25:04
wonderfully friendly and supportive, which is brilliant.
25:07
So Layla, coming to you first about the club itself, I know
25:12
you've been there a few years. What?
25:16
Just give us a bit of a background in the club in terms
25:18
of, you know, how long it's been around, if you can remember.
25:20
And I think best part, 10 years, I think from what I understand.
25:24
It is our 10 year anniversary. This.
25:26
Year, yes, I know, Can you believe it?
25:28
And I know that when the club first started, when they were
25:32
training for a flag with a bit of non contact everything
25:37
originally there was somewhere in stand ground and then they
25:40
came across to Breton and I believe it was 7 aside that they
25:49
were playing. And when I joined in 2020 it was
25:52
it was 7A side, albeit our our season had just changed because
25:56
of COVID. They changed it to a now a
25:59
summer league. So we get to play out in the
26:00
sunshine, which sounds lovely until you're at all the kit and
26:04
then your sweating bucket, but always nice and hydrated.
26:10
And then for a couple of years, from 22 and 23 for 20/20, was it
26:19
2020220223? We went up into the Nines
26:24
League. Then 2324 we also played in the
26:29
Nines League and then made the decision at the end of last year
26:33
to go back down to our sevens league, which we're in now.
26:37
And yeah, we've had a pretty successful year, yeah.
26:41
Fantastic. We'll hear about that very soon,
26:44
Tally. It's been your first season with
26:46
the Peterborough Royals and what's your kind of first
26:49
impressions been? To be honest, it was it was a
26:52
bit daunting because they were always our rivals, yeah.
26:58
Absolutely. I don't know, like you really
27:00
like the girls, but then when you're on the field, you you
27:02
want blood. And it's like there's no their
27:05
French black. I really need to beat them.
27:06
I really need to run faster than them.
27:09
But I knew from then on the sidelines that making that
27:12
decision to join the picture girls, I knew the welcoming
27:15
would be great. I knew the girls that were there
27:17
and there was no second thought to join them because you could
27:21
see on the sidelines and you could see on the field that the
27:24
culture that they hit the team had.
27:26
So it was a no brain. I go in there even though I was
27:29
like, how is it? How does it feel now?
27:31
Now I'm actually playing with the people.
27:33
They used to chase me away and take him down.
27:36
Yeah, it's just like from day one they just made you feel home
27:40
and yet there's no looking back. Fantastic.
27:42
Sounds like yeah, you're you're you're one of us already, so to
27:45
speak. Yeah, absolutely.
27:48
Brilliant. A long way that continues.
27:50
So, so going back to the season just finished, Layla, give us
27:54
the the highlights of what's been happening in the season
27:56
because I think you've done rather well.
27:59
We have, we finished the top of the season or the, the league
28:05
that we're in. So we were fortunate to, to get
28:10
eight, well, let's say eight games.
28:12
There was, there was 8 teams this league and we, the way that
28:16
we've played the seven structure is we have two games on a day
28:18
typically. So I believe we had eight, eight
28:23
games. So it was 2282 each tournament
28:27
day and and yeah, won seven, lost one.
28:32
That's a mighty good record. It is especially coming off the
28:36
back of a two year losing streak in nine.
28:39
So yeah, it was just really nice to, you know, some of the girls
28:43
that have been on the team and have been around for a few
28:45
years, they'd never won a game before.
28:47
And so, you know, it's just you know, what Tally's already said
28:51
about, you know, as being a, you know, a solid team and everyone
28:55
sticking together, every coaches and players.
28:58
I think that that first tournament was a home tournament
29:02
and we played two games, won both games.
29:04
And it was just, it was the feeling that we, I felt like we
29:11
deserved it. And I'm not saying that because,
29:14
you know, to be the kind of, but we played hard, we played fast.
29:17
We'd worked our socks off from January all the way through to
29:22
May. And it was just an amazing
29:25
buzzing experience. And you know, with any, any
29:29
sport, I feel like, especially in American football, you don't
29:33
know what way it's going to go. And the one game that we lost,
29:37
you know, we put up a good fight.
29:39
We played a great game. It just wasn't, wasn't in the
29:43
scoreboards that day. But it doesn't, you know, take
29:45
away from all the the great and hard work that that everyone put
29:49
in, including front office and coaches and players.
29:52
And that was sort of in the middle of the season.
29:54
And then we came back and won a couple of more.
29:57
So yeah, so So what are you putting that down to then the
29:59
the losing streak and then a massive winning season.
30:02
I guess Tally's going to say that it down to her.
30:05
It's down to tally. It's all tally that was that was
30:08
a great transfer. I nines and sevens is 2
30:15
completely different sports. And I think that, you know, this
30:20
year, because of the experiences we've had over the past few
30:23
years, we've learnt to grow together as a team and like to
30:29
communicate and address any injuries or niggles.
30:34
And I mean, if, you know, you're a rookie and you're coming in
30:37
and you're getting introduced to a brand new sport that isn't
30:41
necessarily well recognised, you know, we don't play American
30:45
football in schools like we would play rugby or football.
30:48
And to then get given a position, then given a playbook,
30:52
then told to do this, you know, do these drills.
30:54
And you're like, there's so much going on, which is one of the
30:57
reasons why I love it so much because you've got your offence,
30:59
you've got your defence. And then if you play nines,
31:03
you're your special teams. And then you've got, you know,
31:06
the theory and mechanics behind the doing.
31:10
It's just as important. It's a complex, aren't they?
31:13
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that was that was a
31:14
culmination then of all that hard work you.
31:16
Know the hard work, yeah, that we've put together definitely
31:20
fantastic and Tally? And tally.
31:23
Tally sounds like you're MVP for the season.
31:26
Honestly, honestly, I wouldn't be anywhere before than for
31:30
those girls, you know, it's just incredible.
31:33
Like when I was saying about that, that loss, I used to say
31:36
to my husband, because it took, it took us a while to lose.
31:40
I think it took about about three or four games to actually
31:43
lose 1 game. And he's always, you're always
31:45
in there high and high with the, the wheelies and it's always
31:48
great, you know, But I used to say to my husband, I was like,
31:51
we will know what this team, this team is made of on the
31:56
first loss that we face. And I tell you what, those girls
32:00
just prove me proud of them even more because, you know, I'm not
32:06
hit at the moment in losses. And the people can lose their
32:08
heads. People can start returning to
32:10
each other because it's competitive.
32:12
And as there is that element that you want to do well, you
32:15
want to get better. And there was none of that.
32:18
There was just like supportiveness and pushing and
32:21
helping each other. But there wasn't like anyone
32:24
feeling that that loss was on them individually.
32:27
It was, come on, guys, we can do it better.
32:29
Let's improve as a team. And I was like, you know what,
32:32
you know what? Same.
32:33
And you, you know their heart on that loss.
32:36
And, and the Royals proved me that they had a huge heart and a
32:39
huge team spirit on that loss, more than any winning game that
32:44
we had. Because of the support, because
32:46
of the encouragement every single player got, no player was
32:50
allowed to put their heads down coming out of that field.
32:53
We're always like, come on, take a chin up, get up.
32:55
Let's do it again. Let's push it again.
32:57
Let's try it again and that just shows the amazing team and what
33:01
does the sport does to us. Amazing.
33:04
It sounds like a wonderful place to play the sport absolutely
33:06
does. And just give us a you mentioned
33:09
the six sevens and the nines. Just give us a bit of a
33:11
distinction between them and how how the how it differs.
33:15
So I'd say the biggest difference other than in nines
33:19
you have 9 players on the field and sevens you have seven
33:21
players on the field. In the nines it's played on a
33:25
bigger pitch, so slightly bigger pitch than the sevens and you
33:28
also have what we call special teams.
33:33
The only thing I can relate it to is sort of very similar to
33:36
the NFL style with a kick off kick return, you'll have the
33:40
opportunity to punt and then you have a punt return team.
33:44
So that's the biggest difference.
33:46
In sevens we don't play special teams, we just have our offence
33:49
and our defence. And I think especially when
33:53
you've got a small team as, as you know, as strong as we all
33:57
are and as you know, big as all of our hearts are when you're
34:01
playing two positions. So if you were going to be on
34:04
offence and defence you would probably be expected to do
34:07
special teams as well. And that's a whole nother, you
34:10
know, play in the playbook and a whole nother responsibility and
34:14
something slightly. Different and a switching of
34:15
mindset as well. And a switching of mindset.
34:17
Yeah, definitely. So the plan I believe, no,
34:22
unless it's changed, I don't think it has.
34:25
We're going to do one more year of sevens next year and really
34:27
build on what we have, what we've achieved this year and
34:32
then look at approaching going back into the Nines League
34:35
again. Just to give everyone a bit of
34:37
experience of what American football offence do, because
34:42
once you kind of understand the principles of offence and
34:46
defence, you know, you can then add in those next layers, but
34:49
without the foundations and the fundamentals.
34:51
Fundamentals it's, you know, it's just running around with a
34:56
helmet on and hoping for the. Best which is.
34:59
Unfortunately, what some of the girls face their first year, so
35:03
yeah. Tally how about you?
35:04
Do you do you prefer nines or sevens or you're not that that
35:07
fussed which one you play? Well, I haven't played ninth yet
35:11
and, and I was hoping to do that with, with the girls and the
35:15
Royals, but I am even happier to be able to help them and to
35:19
build back into it. But yeah, it's, it's different,
35:23
isn't it, as a, as a running back.
35:25
And the first field sessions there with the 9th, I was like,
35:27
oh, there's a lot more field to run.
35:30
It doesn't feel so confined. But but yeah, its strategy is
35:33
completely different. I think 7 to get way more
35:36
fast-paced. They're no nines.
35:39
But of course on nines you have special teams as like I said,
35:43
there is so much more involved than there is 100 yards to, to
35:47
run, isn't it? I, I can't, I don't think there
35:49
is one running back that I know that wouldn't like to go for the
35:53
glory and just to run those 100 yards and tackled, you know, for
35:56
the glory on the end zone. It's the dream.
35:58
It's the dream. So just tell what's what is the
36:01
difference in the size of the pitch.
36:02
Then obviously you mentioned a tally 100 yards in nine.
36:06
So that's, that's, that's almost the first full size pitch, isn't
36:09
it? Yes, that's the the full size
36:12
pitch and then the 7th it is 1/6.
36:15
It's 25 each side with a 10 yards in time.
36:19
Yeah. So it's a reduced size,
36:20
obviously. So yeah, it must, it must feel
36:22
different when you're playing sevens to nines and in terms,
36:24
certainly in terms, in terms of your own sort of stamina and
36:27
physics sort of physical effort you need to put in.
36:29
Yes, it does, because of course the defenders on an offence
36:33
point of view, the defenders are very close to you.
36:37
So your running windows and your gaps that you need to make cuts
36:40
and and take advantage of, they close very quickly.
36:44
So you need to make quick decisions, needs to move
36:47
quickly. But there's also so much
36:48
strategy on it from an offense point of view.
36:51
And then you've got tricky plays.
36:52
So they look at one side, you're on the other side.
36:55
There's quite a few things that we can do to try to trick the
36:58
defense and get the glory runner the glory pass over them.
37:03
Fantastic, great stuff, right? Let's take our final break.
37:06
We'll be back with Layla and Tally in a few minutes.
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39:57
Sports. Welcome back to the PCR Sports
40:10
Show with Dipam and Nigel this weekend guests Layla Blake and
40:14
Talia Rantis from the Peterborough Royals American
40:17
Football team. We've been talking there just
40:19
before the break about the season.
40:21
They just had a really good and successful season and playing in
40:25
in what's known as a 77 aside American football and looking to
40:29
continue sevens into the season, next year's season as well.
40:33
So they can build upon that and hopefully up to nines the year
40:37
after. So setting the foundations very,
40:39
very well. So Layla, you, you're going to
40:44
have some rookie days soon, which means people can try out
40:47
the sport, is that right? Yes, we are and I'm so excited.
40:50
Our first one's next weekend, the 27th, I feel we had our end
40:54
of season awards on the 31st of August and that's the last time
40:59
I saw most of the girls and I used to see them every single
41:02
week so I missed them. So the first rookie day is 27th
41:06
next weekend, so and. Where does that take place and
41:09
what time that? That from arrive at 9:30 as a
41:13
rookie we can get you some kit to try on and then we'll usually
41:19
be on the field at Britain Rugby Club at 10 AM to warm up drills.
41:25
And then with a rookie day we try out different positions,
41:30
have a chat to you know some vet players and and find out you
41:33
know a little bit more about the sport.
41:36
Just. Throw a ball around, catch a
41:38
ball, have a go over some tackling and that's.
41:41
That's at the Peterborough Lions rugby Club in Preston centre
41:43
isn't. It Yeah, next Saturday is our
41:46
first rookie session, so yeah, from 9:30.
41:50
And what kind of equipment do people need to bring with them?
41:53
So we usually just ask if you've got trainers.
41:55
If you've got football boots, great, if not trainers,
41:59
something comfortable, sporty leggings, I'd say a drumper
42:05
maybe just because I'm not sure about this September weather.
42:08
And then water bottle and a gum shield if you have one.
42:12
We have and helmets and the shoulder pads and.
42:17
All the major you can provide all the.
42:18
Major group you can provide, just not gum, shield and boots.
42:21
Absolutely. And Tally, you're the newest
42:23
member of of the the one of the newest members of the team.
42:26
You said you attended a rookie day and loved what you saw and
42:29
and joined the club. Just give us a bit of first hand
42:32
experience of what the rookie day was like for you and why
42:35
people should come along. Oh well, gosh, they don't even
42:40
know where to start. Haven't got an extra hour to go
42:42
on about it. Not this time, but you can come
42:44
back anytime you want. It's just like, I know people
42:49
can be very conscious, like, oh, I don't, I don't even know.
42:52
I never seen or never watched American football before.
42:56
That really does not matter. Come along, things will make
43:01
sense, you know, as you did the drills, as you take part.
43:04
So not knowing the sport, not being a fan, it's not a reason
43:09
to not try it out. Also not like, oh, I'm not fit
43:14
enough or, or, or I don't run fast enough or I'm not strong
43:18
enough. Also not another reason because
43:21
we build each other up, you know, and it's a sport today.
43:24
So inclusive that everyone has a spot on the field.
43:27
So it's not a sport that everybody needs to be very
43:31
athletic and very thin and very tall because I'm 5 foot short.
43:35
So. I'm not on the tallest speaker
43:37
on the team. So it, it has a room for
43:39
everyone. So for anyone hoping or just
43:42
kind of interested, just go because I can guarantee you,
43:46
you're going to find a place that you like and you're going
43:48
to meet a bunch of girls that are genuinely very nice, very
43:53
supportive, and it's just they are addictive.
43:57
You'd go around and be around. Fantastic and there's a rookie
44:00
day every month until the sort of pre season starts, which is
44:04
good. So there's one in September,
44:05
October, November and then in January as well.
44:07
So plenty of opportunities to try out, get to know the girls
44:11
and it's a safe environment, isn't it Tally?
44:13
You're not going to be, you know, knocking each other around
44:15
so much. It's just more about looking at
44:18
just getting used to it and get the feel of the place that the
44:20
squad and and maybe some sort of basic technical skills and
44:23
things like that. Is it?
44:24
Exactly, exactly. So we we don't get there, put
44:27
the helmets on and start smacking each other.
44:29
That's absolutely no, no, we learn the basics, the
44:32
fundamentals of the footwork, the positioning.
44:35
So we make sure that we are safe doing it and the person that
44:39
that's been tackled is also is also safe.
44:42
So there's a lot of groundwork involved that that are important
44:46
on the rig days. We're trying to show them a
44:49
little bit of everything, but at the same time, we're making sure
44:52
that everything is safe. Our coach are absolutely,
44:54
absolutely amazing, you know, sharing their experience but
44:58
also teaching us how to be safe in the sport.
45:01
Fantastic. Sounds brilliant, really good.
45:04
So Layla, So first Rookie day 27th of September, which is next
45:09
week and then 18th of October, 22nd of November, 10th of
45:15
January and then pre season training starts 17th of January
45:18
for the season is April isn't. It season yeah usually starts
45:22
around April, May but yeah pre season hitting it early wow
45:25
early January. Getting there, fighting fit.
45:27
So Nigel's been doing some research on the squad, found
45:31
he's found something really interesting.
45:33
Nigel, what have you found? Haley, I've been looking through
45:36
your socials. And Haley, who was on the show
45:40
with us last time, Her nicknames An obvious 1.
45:44
Haley. Skip Skipper.
45:46
Yeah. Tell me, who's the butcher?
45:49
The butcher, The butcher, It's our ills and she is an actual
45:55
butcher and that's why she's called the butcher.
45:58
That's her train, not her, not her characteristic on the pitch.
46:03
Depends what day you catch her on.
46:05
And this could be an interesting one.
46:07
Jess Tequila Guthrie. Why is she called Tequila?
46:11
Let's not, let's not give Jess a tequila.
46:15
I'm sure if you give her tequila, she'll find out why
46:17
she's called tequila. But yeah.
46:19
And I'm, I'm almost scared to ask this one, but Nikki, big
46:24
guns McDonald. She has the biggest guns you'll
46:28
ever see on a on a safety of the team.
46:34
So yeah, she has the big guns. Don't mess with big guns.
46:36
I think all these nicknames are revealed as you go through their
46:39
social media pages. So please go and have a look if
46:42
it was this and go have a look. And then if you do go down and
46:45
watch the Royals, you'll know what to call them.
46:47
Absolutely. And Layla Tally, are you going
46:50
to admit to any idea or nicknames?
46:53
Silence. Well, I mean mine.
46:56
Mine's not very interesting. My nickname is Michael only
47:00
because I play middle linebacker and in the playbook the middle
47:03
linebacker. Is identified and something
47:05
Michael is like a tactical name for the middle linebacker.
47:08
Yeah, MM Backer. But it still sounds funny.
47:10
It does sound. Like Michael Blake.
47:12
Yes it does. And tally, Oh.
47:15
I don't think I have a nickname yet.
47:17
Not not that they call me in front of me, but you know you'll
47:20
never. Know not yet.
47:22
That's to come in your second season.
47:26
Maybe. Sausage, isn't it?
47:28
You get a nickname on a second. Yeah.
47:29
That's it. Maybe that's a job for the
47:31
rookie days. We need to find a a nickname for
47:34
Tally. Absolutely fantastic, right?
47:37
We've come to the end of the show, Layla Tally.
47:40
Absolutely amazing having you on the show as always.
47:43
This always, always great fun to have Peter Royals on the show.
47:46
And then tonight's been no different at all.
47:48
So just a final reminder later, rookie day and how can people
47:53
kind of identify themselves to come along to it and what can
47:55
they expect? Perfect, so first rookie day,
47:59
Saturday the 27th of September, so that's next week.
48:03
If you want to turn up the morning off, great, we'd love to
48:06
see you at Breton Rugby Club. If not, you can contact us on
48:10
our socials. So either Facebook, Instagram,
48:14
drop us a message and just say looking to come down and then
48:19
one of us can have a chat with you.
48:20
So at least you you've spoken to someone before you turn up.
48:22
But yeah, get in touch and if you can't make this one, come on
48:28
to the next one. And as as you said last time, if
48:30
you ever see anyone who's wandering around Peterborough
48:32
with a purple hoodie and gold Royals on the on the on the come
48:36
and chat to you. Absolutely anyone and I stand by
48:40
this. You see me in a Royals hoodie,
48:42
come and have a chat. Fantastic, brilliant.
48:44
Thank you Layla. Thank you Tally and wishing you
48:47
all the best for the next season.
48:48
We might, in fact we might speak to you before the season starts,
48:50
actually see where you're at and get you in for another update.
48:53
But other than that, good luck with the rookie days and the pre
48:57
season and we'll speak to you very soon.
48:59
Thank you very much. Thanks, Tally.
49:01
Take care. Thank you.
49:03
Bye. That was Tally and Leila from
49:07
the Peterborough Royals. Nice, thank you very much.
49:09
As always good luck to Sports and to Posh on long away days.
49:14
Tomorrow Posh at the Plymouth and Sports at Southport for the
49:19
for field Browns first league match.
49:21
Yeah, looking forward to that one early start you're.
49:23
Travelling with them, aren't you?
49:24
Yeah, I am. We're off at 8:15 in the morning
49:26
leave so be a long day tomorrow, but a very good one and
49:30
hopefully come back with three points from from Southport.
49:33
Fingers crossed. Good luck to Mr. Brown's boys,
49:37
right? Thank you for joining us and
49:39
enjoy whatever you do sporting wise this weekend.
49:42
Have a great one. Do it safely, do it well and
49:45
we'll see you same time, same place next week on the PCR
49:48
Sports Show. Bye for now.