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Archive for the ‘Rugby’ Category
Sat, May 31, 2008 9:31 am By James Coolridge  Printer friendly version
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 The Rugby Football Union on Wednesday said that they were in talks with the Professinal Rugby Players’ Association over the issue of performance-related pay on international stars. RFU says that ”The RFU can confirm that it is in talks with the PRA (Professional Rugby Players’ Association) and players representatives regarding match fees, for the period July 2008 to June 2012. PRA cites this contract offer as “unfair”.
According to the latest reports, England players are currently paid £9,000 each per game, a flat-rate regardless of the result. Instead of paying players around £100,000 a year in total, the RFU have offered a smaller amount of about £65,000, with the rest to be topped up by win bonuses.
Another report suggested the players could be prepared to take strike action that might affect next month’s two-Test New Zealand tour.
PRA chairman David Barnes told the media: “There is a bit of a problem at the moment - not exclusively about money.
“The major bone of contention is win bonuses on a match-by-match basis. In a team game in which anything can happen and the team can play very well and lose, we believe that to be unfair.
“I don’t believe England players are frightened of the concept of an end-of-tournament bonus being paid on top of a fair and negotiated match fee calculated on their finishing position in the Six Nations and World Cup.”
Meanwhile the Rugby Football Union say talks are continuing in a “positive and productive manner” over England players’ match fees.
Tags : Rugby Football Union, Professional Rugby Players’ Association, match fee
Fri, May 30, 2008 9:30 am By James Coolridge
 Steve Borthwick has been named as the captain of England rugby team for its tour of New Zealand next month. He also captained the team for England’s Six Nations victory over Italy three months ago. The news was a matter of surprise for Borthwick. He expressed, “there are a number of quality players around and quality leaders. I heard my name being mentioned, but it was a case of concentrating on these games we have got coming up with Bath. When Martin called me and asked me to captain the side, you can’t expect anything like that. So, yes, it was a surprise.”
When he was asked if he saw himself as captain for the long run, he replied, “”No, I wouldn’t say that at all. To aspire to something like that is not in my make-up. What I aspire to is playing at a level and conducting myself at a level that has the respect of my peers. If I am seen fit to do a role like I have been for this tour, then fantastic.”
Borthwick thus leads a squad of 32 men that includes six uncapped players.
England squad:
Backs: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Paul Sackey (Wasps), David Strettle (Harlequins), Topsy Ojo (London Irish), Mathew Tait (Newcastle), Mike Tindall (Gloucester), Jamie Noon (Newcastle), Toby Flood (Newcastle), Olly Barkley (Bath), Danny Cipriani (Wasps), Charlie Hodgson (Sale Sharks), Richard Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), Peter Richards (London Irish), Danny Care (Harlequins).
Forwards: Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks), Tim Payne (Wasps), Matt Stevens (Bath), Jason Hobson (Bristol), Lee Mears (Bath), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), David Paice (London Irish), Steve Borthwick (Bath) (c), Ben Kay (Leicester), Nick Kennedy (London Irish), Tom Palmer (Wasps), Tom Croft (Leicester), James Haskell (Wasps), Joe Worsley (Wasps), Michael Lipman (Bath), Tom Rees (Wasps), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Luke Narraway (Gloucester).
England will fly to New Zealand on June 2 and Rugby Football Union’s elite rugby director Rob Andrew will take on tour manager responsibilities.
Tags : England, Rugby Football Union, New Zealand tour, Borthwick
Thu, May 29, 2008 9:29 am By James Coolridge
 England Saxons rugby team has been announced for Barclay’s Churchill Cup to be played in Canada and USA in June. The 28 men squad will be lead by Harleqins Will Skinner. He is joined by several other Harlequins team-mates including Sale Sharks scrum-half Ben Foden, wing Ugo Monye and fly-half Adrian Jarvis.
The strong squad also includes Matt Banahan, who is one of the three specialist wings. He is currently the Guiness Premiership’s top try scorer.
The squad is now taking a more experienced appearance with its seasoned England internationals such as George Chuter, Andy Titterrell and Alex Brown.
According to Saxons Head Coach Steve Bates, Skinner was selected as the captain for the squad because “He’s a very positive guy and is very well respected within the squad, so he seemed like the obvious choice to lead the squad.”
England Saxons squad:
Backs: Nick Abendanon (Bath), Anthony Allen (Gloucester), Matt Banahan (Bath), Lee Dickson (Newcastle), Ben Foden (Sale Sharks), Paul Hodgson (London Irish), Adrian Jarvis (Harlequins), Ryan Lamb (Gloucester), Ugo Monye (Harlequins), Ollie Smith (Leicester), Tom Varndell (Leicester), Dave Waldouck (Wasps).
Forwards: Steffon Armitage (London Irish), Richard Blaze (Leicester), Alex Brown (Gloucester), George Chuter (Leicester), Alex Clarke (Bristol), Jordan Crane (Leicester), James Forster (Gloucester), Tom Guest (Harlequins), Chris Jones (Sale Sharks), Nick Lloyd (Saracens), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Will Skinner (Harlequins) (c), George Skivington (Wasps), Andy Titterrell (Gloucester), Rob Webber (Wasps), David Wilson (Newcastle).
Tags : England Saxons, Churchill Cup, Will Skinner
Wed, May 28, 2008 9:27 am By James Coolridge
 Wendell Sailor is expected get back to Rugby after two years break. The 33 year old former Wallabies star was banned from the sport after being tested positive for cocaine while contracted to the NSW Waratahs in May 2006. The ban expired during the mid night on Sunday.
Sailor’s former Maroons teammate Smith said he would be more likely to figure in Queensland’s Origin plans in 2009, but would not rule out a call-up this year.
“Maybe not this year, but Wendell looks after himself pretty well and I wouldn’t rule out the possibility if Queensland lost a game or two and Wendell was playing well for St George Illawarra,” Smith said.
Evergreen New Zealand forward Ruben Wiki, 35, agreed, claiming the former Broncos winger would “come back as good as ever” provided he retained the passion to excel at league.
“I’m looking forward to playing with the Dragons and also Shellharbour for the first couple of weeks.
“I’d like to thank Brownie and the Dragons for giving me the opportunity to come back and put things right and to finish on my terms.
“I’m very excited. I’m a young 33-year-old - I feel like I’m 18 or 19. I couldn’t wait to get the gear on and I can’t wait to meet the guys’ were Sailor’s statement at the Press Conference.
Tags : League, ban, Sailor, Cocaine
Wed, May 28, 2008 5:34 am By James Coolridge
 The International Rugby Board council has agreed to the introduction of a year long worldwide trial of 13 changes to the laws of the game. These will kick-start at the beginning of the next European season.
The trial of the Experimental Law Variations (ELV) includes 13 of the 23 ELVs that have been tested in various tournaments across the world over the past couple of years.
According to the IRB’s statement to the media, the implementation of the global trial of ELVs acts as a crucial milestone for the future of the game.
Meanwhile England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU) has said it believes some of the changes could “fundamentally change the nature of the game”. On the other hand, some former internationals have condemned the changes as “unnecessary”.
The changes in the game to be trialled include:
• “Players can defend a maul by pulling it down.
• Introduction of an offside line five metres behind the hindmost feet of the scrum.
• No restriction on the number of players who can participate in the lineout from either side (minimum of two).
• The receiver in a lineout must stand two metres back from the lineout.
Further ELVs to be trialled in an elite northern hemisphere competition include:
• For all offences other than offside, not entering through the gate, and Law 10 - Foul Play, the sanction is a free kick.
• If the ball is unplayable at the breakdown, the side that did not take the ball into contact will receive a free kick.
• If a maul becomes unplayable, the team not in possession at the start of the maul receives a free kick.
Tags : International Rugby Board council, the Experimental Law Variations (ELV), world wide trial
Tue, May 27, 2008 9:26 am By James Coolridge
 Australian Rugby union player Matt Henjak made his surprising appearance in the starting team for ACT Premier Division club Royals last weekend, almost three months after the Western Force tore up his contract because of an assault on team-mate Haig Sare. His position of choice is scrum- half and he is currently a free agent after being sacked by the Western Force at the start of the 2008 season.
Henjak has now taken a new role of training adviser to Royals’ young backline players, including Brumbies Academy scrum-half Brent Hamlin.
He made his Super 12 debut in 2003, playing for the ACT Brumbies in a match against the Chiefs.
Henjak was called up into the 27-man national squad as cover mid-year 2004 after Elton Flatley broke his arm. Henjak made his international debut in 2004, on June 26 against England where he came off the bench onto the wing with 10 minutes remaining in the game after Clyde Rathbone was injured..
Henjak was once tipped to succeed George Gregan as Australia’s long-term number nine. But, his altercations with Sare at a Perth pub crippled the player’s ambitions.
His Wallabies career seems to be near to the dead-end after four Tests. It is learned that Henjak could potentially leave Australia in as few as three or four weeks.
Tags : Henjak, Australia Rugby union, Wallabies
Tue, May 27, 2008 5:39 am By James Coolridge
 Former Rugby union referee Mike Titcomb(75) has died. The Rugby Football Union, which announced Titcomb’s death Tuesday, said the Englishman fell ill five years ago, but did not disclose any further details of his death.
He officiated his first match in Moseley as the substitute referee when the one originally scheduled failed to show. The RFU were impressed by his performance and Titcomb quickly made it to the international ranks.
He was the youngest referee to officiate an international game when Wales faced Scotland in 1966. He also officiated in five England trials, three Barbarian fixtures and 26 county matches, including three finals. He also became the only Englishman to referee England in what was recognized as a full international against a President’s XV in the RFU centenary year of the 1971/72 season.
He officiated five England Trails, three Barbarian fixtures and 26 county matches, including three finals. Several of the matches he refereed are well remembered including when Oxford University beat South Africa 6-3. The most famous moment of his career came in 1968 when he wrongly awarded a drop goal Gareth Edwards of Wales.
Mike is survived by his wife and three children. His funeral will take place at the Cathedral Church of St Peter and Paul, Pembroke Road, in Clifton, Bristol on Tuesday May 13 at 12:30pm.
Tags : referee, Mike Titcomb, Rugby union
Mon, May 26, 2008 9:24 am By James Coolridge
 Rugby star Danny Ciprian was injured during his side’s 21-10 Guinness Premiership play-off victory over Bath yesterday afternoon. The young fly-half will require six months to recover from a fracture dislocation of his right ankle. Ciprian has undergone a surgery last night. He will be kept under observation in London’s Lister Hospital for the next couple of days. The 20-year-old is seen as Jonny Wilkinson’s successor in the national team but since he is injured, it seems that he is unlikely to play for England until next year’s RBS Six Nations Championship. Hence, he is unlikely to feature again before 2009.
“Everyone was disturbed by the injury,” said Bath lock Steve Borthwick, who will captain England on their tour to New Zealand. “You never want to see that happen to any player. He’s a sensational rugby player and all that matters now is that he gets fit.”
After Alex King left Wasps in the summer of 2007, the fly-half position at the club became vacant, and, after playing in a series of positions for Wasps in the early games of the 2007/08 season, Ciprian played 2 games in a row at fly-half, against Gloucester and Munster, London Wasps winning both.
He has played in most of London Wasps’ matches in the first half of the season at fly-half. His mixture of good vision, kicking and pace has got him praise from many sources.
Cipriani, who has been nominated for a host of end-of-season awards, will now miss the tour. He has won three caps, making his full debut against Ireland in the Six Nations, knocking Jonny Wilkinson out of contention.
Tags : Cipriani, Six Nations Championships, Guinness Premiership
Sat, May 24, 2008 12:46 pm By James Coolridge
 The International Rugby Board (IRB) on Monday announced a 48 million pounds funding program, known as the High Performance Investment Programme, in order to raise the standards of the sport’s developing nations.
It is anticipated that the investment program will benefit 22 nations since the IRB continues to try to grow the sport and increasing the competing spirit in the upcoming Rugby World Cup.
This latest investment represents a 20% increase in funding on the previous 2006-2008 cycle.
“I am pleased to say the continued success of Rugby World Cup now means we can invest a further 48 million pounds ($99.2 million) in the game’s continued development,” IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset said in a statement.
The investment is on top of the IRB’s annual budget for grants, tournament funding and various training programs meaning a total investment of $316.2 million earmarked for the 2009-2012 period.
Mr Lapasset added that the IRB’s commitment to developing unions was already producing results, pointing to the performances of Argentina and Fiji at last year’s Rugby World Cup.
Argentina, surprise semi-finalists at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, will receive an $8.26 million funding package once its union has completed a restructuring.
Tags : International Rugby Board, investment program, developing countries
Wed, May 21, 2008 12:04 am By James Coolridge
 The 12-men squad of New Zealand Sevens team for the final two tournaments in the IRB Seven World Series has been named by the team’s coach Gordon Tietjens.
The tournament in London is from May 24-25 and Edinburgh from May 31– June 1.
The two new caps include 22-year old midfielder Ben Nowell of Canterbury and 25-year-old fullback Kendrick Lynn of Southland.
“Ben and Kendrick are promising players with good skills, and they have demonstrated that they are ready for international rugby. They have taken well to the Sevens game and this is an ideal opportunity for them to show their talent and ability on a world stage,” Tietjens said.
New Zealand Sevens squad: Tomasi Cama (Manawatu), Edwin Cocker (Auckland), Israel Dagg (Hawke’s Bay), DJ Forbes (Counties Manukau, captain), Nigel Hunt (Bay of Plenty), Tafai Ioasa (Hawke’s Bay), Solomon King (Bay of Plenty), Zar Lawrence (Bay of Plenty), Kendrick Lynn (Southland), Ben Nowell (Canterbury), Lote Raikabula (Manawatu), Nafi Tuitavake (North Harbour).
The 2007-08 series has seen New Zealand set several records. They became the first team in the nine-year history of the IRB Sevens to have won the first four events of a season, having won the Dubai, South Africa, Wellington and USA tournaments. During the USA Sevens, they broke their own record, set in 2001 and 2002, for most consecutive match wins in the IRB Sevens. The team extended their streak of tournaments won to the first five of the season, and a record seven overall, by defeating South Africa in the final of the 2008 Hong Kong Sevens.
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