Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2016 i Rugby World

BY THE time the last ball is kicked in anger in late June and the northern hemisphere falls silent, most players would agree that the break is long overdue. Time to let weary limbs recharge and indulge in genteel leisure pursuits before the pre-season slog drags bodies back into line. We can dip into Super Rugby and the Rugby Championship – and yes, this summer, as a bonus ball, the wondrous show put on by sevens at the Olympics (P92). Yet this peaceful state doesn’t last. By late August the pull of the new season is irresistible and we’re getting twitchy. For 2016-17 there is much to savour and hope abounds at every club for a rip-roaring season. RW, as always, is here to help. Having assessed every team across…

“If you don’t learn from defeat you’re a fool” LEINSTER IS a club built on tradition. With so many fans and so much passion, it would be easy to be weighed down by expectation but I thrive off it. To captain the province is a huge honour for my family and something I hold close to my heart. Of course, it has its challenges and ups and downs, but the responsibility doesn’t keep me awake at night because I’m surrounded by great leaders and coaches. As a player, I started the season on 149 games so I’m desperate to add to that and even though I’m 34, I still want to play 80 minutes. Apart from a broken arm in the Pro12 semis, I played in every game last year.…

“A few seek media attention in a Lions year” DESPITE WRONG turns (hello 2005) and crushing disappointments over the past 20 years, the rugby public continue to get their collective panties in a massive bunch at the mere mention of the word ‘Lions’. There are always strong fears that professionalism, with its glut of international rugby and endless stream of over-hyped, must-win, must-see matches, might one day render Lions tours anachronistic. But for the moment the concept, teetering on top of a century of legendary players, occasional tour victories and endlessly recycled after-dinner stories, is alive and in the pink of health. Oh, and the fact they actually won the last series helps; losing to the shower that was Australia in 2013 would really have been a nine-inch nail in…

THERE WERE major initiatives launched all over the globe in one of women’s rugby’s busiest summers ever, writes RW’s Ali Donnelly. Australia’s gold medal campaign at the Olympics has helped kick-start a chain of new investments and programmes Down Under, including a new universities-based professional women’s sevens competition. With Australia also set to host a leg of the HSBC Women’s Sevens World Series in Sydney next year, these are heady days for the sevens game there. FIRST 15s However, it is the 15s version of women’s rugby which has been the recipient of quiet focus this summer. Looking ahead to the World Cup next year in Dublin and Belfast, England have announced they will hand full-time contracts to a number of star players in the lead-up to the tournament, becoming…

“RUGBY IS THE ULTIMATE GAME OF SACRIFICE” FACT FILE Age 29 (5 April 1987) Born Bristol Club Bath Position Lock Height 6ft 7in Weight 18st 10lb England caps 23 Twitter @Dmjattwood MY TOP 3s Olympic sports Hockey Heptathlon Diving Foreign stadiums Forsyth Barr, Dunedin Subiaco Oval, Perth Kings Park, Durban DIY jobs Planing Soldering Fitting cupboard doors DAVE ATTWOOD was a talented schoolboy athlete, but he committed himself to rugby under the coaching guidance of former Bristol and Bath full-back Phil Cue. After graduating from Bristol University with a degree in physics and philosophy – who said tight forwards were donkeys? – he made the England side for the Junior World Cup in 2006 and won his first cap against the All Blacks four years later. In June, he led…

THE RATHER unspectacular buildings situated to the side of the Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo belie the hive of activity inside. For while Japan 2019 is still three years away – 20 September marks exactly 36 months until the opening match of the first Rugby World Cup to be staged in Asia – there is plenty to be done. We’re here to see the man heading up the whole operation: the tournament’s chief executive Akira Shimazu. And it’s good to know he’s not all business. The first time we see him he’s proudly showing us his new pair of geta – traditional Japanese footwear similar in shape to a flip-flop but with a bigger, wooden base – and by the time we sit down for the interview he’s opted to…

REMEMBER THOSE six seismic days in Rio? By the time the glorious Fiji team sang God Bless Fiji at the medal ceremony – Ben Ryan already having established himself as the coach of the season – and after the woman reporting live on BBC radio from a delirious Suva had managed to stop crying long enough to deliver her words, many prayers for the inaugural Olympic sevens had been answered. World Rugby worked like crazy for years on the advent of sevens in the Olympics. We criticise them, but would we swap them for the IOC or FIFA? Onwards. Men and women of World Rugby, I hope you have energy left. You have urgent work. You must apply yourself to rugby, big rugby, with props and locks. You must unravel…

THE FUNNIEST “We’ve got a couple of lads in the team who will take their jokes a bit too far. Chris Ashton likes a practical joke but it goes too far and I’d say Alex Goode is also very similar in that respect.” THE CHEAPEST “I will say the cheapest guy at Saracens right now is Kelly Brown. Without a doubt it’s him – he is just so tight. People always say it about us, but he gives us Scots a bad name!” THE WORST DRESSER “Ooh, I’d say it has to be one of the South African lads, but which one… actually scrap that. It’s Scott Spurling, one of our academy hookers – he is by far the worst one. He dresses terribly” THE WORST MOVES “The worst? That’s…

• Junior clubs may only have 20-30 minutes a week for lineout practice, and that’s spent on calls and systems. So get to training half an hour early and spend time with lifters and a thrower drilling good technique. • Perhaps buy a jump mat, which measures explosive leg power and how high you jump. • To encourage vertical jumping, set up some cones and get jumpers to take off and land in a specific area. • Explosive step-ups and jump squats will develop the fast-twitch muscle fibres needed. Use a Thera-Band or put weights on a player’s back. • Create competitions in training, such as calling a cone colour and seeing who’s quickest to jump at that spot.…

What’s the objective? To fool the opposition into thinking you’re going to attack on the open side. Run what looks like a move you tried earlier, but this time exploit the 5m channel. How it works Defending forwards are unlikely to contest the throw as they look to stop the catch-and-drive. Let them think that’s what you plan to do. Add to the deception by running 9 from the front of the lineout towards the tail. Key points It’s a one-off move and you get one shot at it. Everyone must know their role and play their part in the deception. Throw/jump and timing must be spot-on.…

 ANNUAL RUGBY tours between Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago have happened since 1927 and the two countries have competed for the McGregor Cup since 1929, writes RW reader Eddie D’Andrade. “HE PUNCHED THE LATE TACKLER WITH A JOE LOUIS UPPERCUT” Trinidad have triumphed more often, but in 1964 we had a very good Guyana side and the match was close when an incident occurred late in the second half. One of our Guyana stars, who was fantastic in getting us ball in the lineout, was regularly tackled late by his opposite man, but the referee kept ignoring this. Towards the end of the game, our star could take no more and punched the late tackler with a Joe Louis uppercut. The Trinidad player dropped like a brick and the referee…

WINNER SHORN IN SUPPORT It was sad to hear star Christian Lealiifano must fight leukaemia, but it was touching to see the rugby family show their support – first with Wallaby team-mates shaving their heads and then others following suit. LOSER RETIRED BY CONCUSSION As former Sale No 9 Cillian Willis sues his former club for alleged clinical negligence, after a career-ending concussion in 2013, the game must ensure, whatever the outcome, that player safety is at the top of the agenda. WINNER HISTORIC SCOTTISH VOTE The Scottish Rugby Union set an important precedent as they elected their first-ever female vice-president. Dee Bradbury, of Oban Lorne RFC, was voted in on a two-year term at the latest meeting of member clubs.…

PREVIEWING THE season stretching ahead of Treviso, new boss Kieran Crowley details some changes inapproach, writes Alan Dymock. “Rugby is an entertainment business,” says the former Canada coach and 1987 World Cup-winning Kiwi. “You have to be prepared to risk things. I saw Treviso win their first games of the last season, back in February, and almost didn’t win by trying not to lose. You are more successful when you have a positive approach and get the mental aspect right – leadership, values.” There is a great deal of change needed and Crowley saw one of his first jobs at the club as clearing out the personnel from previous regimes who were either collecting a pension or happy to scrape by with a few wins – a hard task, especially…

RW contributor Adam Hathaway suggested getting rid of the Aviva Premiership salary cap and docking clubs points if they don’t include a certain number of English-qualified players (po.st/ScrapCap). So should we scrap the cap? Full disclosure is the way forward. No one can deny what’s happening then. If we are supposed to respect rules on the pitch that make us different from football, then why for God’s sake do we allow less than that off the pitch? Graham King It should stay. But turning a blind eye to the big boys who transgress is like having no cap at all. Financially, it should be an equal playing field and not a free-for-all. Glen Gould I like the concept of docking points. Could stop rugby going the way of football? @JonnoSaurusRex…

“I SAY WHAT I THINK. I LIKE TO BE UPFRONT AND HONEST” FACT FILE Age 23 (29 April 1993) Born Church Village Region Cardiff Blues Position Flanker Height 6ft 1in Weight 16st 4lb Wales caps Three Twitter @EllisJenkins_ MY TOP 3s Musicians Take That Ed Sheeran The Lumineers Films Interstellar Harry Potter series Lord of the Rings series Cheat meals Any type of cake Pizza Indian IN BETWEEN signing autographs for young fans – some politer than others, it has to be said – at a Cardiff Blues community event to mark their new partnership with Land Rover, Ellis Jenkins talks RW through his rugby career… I loved rugby straightaway. I played football in primary school but at comprehensive lots of the boys I played football with played rugby as…

“THE FASHION FOR ATTACKING OPENSIDES SUITS ME DOWN TO THE GROUND” FACT FILE Age 24 (May 18, 1992) Born Aberdare Club Wasps Position Openside Height 6ft Weight 16st MY TOP 3 HOLIDAYS Orlando, Florida “You can relax, enjoy the sunshine and do some shopping. Perfect.” Cancun, Mexico “There are some superb beaches and the food isn’t bad. I try to top up the tan.” Las Vegas “It’s a crazy place. The size blows you away, but it’s good fun.” OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS. It’s a well-worn phrase but seems apposite for Thomas Young, the next Welsh openside to roll off the overworked conveyor belt. The Wasps No 7 only turned 24 in May and with George Smith – who gave the youngster a ringing endorsement – taking the high road back to…

WHO IS HAMBO? The former Leicester prop broke his neck during England U21 training in 2005 and was left paralysed. He has gone on to set up a charity, the Matt Hampson Foundation. WHO IS GENGE? The 21-year-old has represented England at all levels from U17 to U20, and won his first cap earlier this year. He started his career at Bristol and is now a Leicester Tiger. EDDIE JONES gave Ellis Genge his England debut against Wales in May and the 21-year-old prop has now moved to Leicester from Bristol on a permanent deal having been on loan last season. But his journey to the professional rugby ranks has not been a smooth one, as Matt Hampson discovers… Matt Hampson: How’s life at the Tigers? Ellis Genge: For a…

BELIEVE IT or not, little research has been done into the effects of high-velocity collisions on an athlete’s gut. One thing we can tell you, though, is how best to eat during this time of the season in order to maintain good gut health. So here James Morehen and Jamie Pugh – high-performance nutritionists from Liverpool John Moores University – explain the best feeding practices. First, protein. If you want to take on nutrients as well as repair your muscles, you should choose whey isolate over concentrate because it’s purer for protein and amino acids. Next is caffeine. We all know that a few strong coffees can upset the gut. You have to prepare your body so try out some caffeine gels and pre-workout supplements outside of heavy competition or…

What’s needed One ball for every four or five players, plus cones to mark out square grids – adjust the size to suit playing ability. How to play Put players into groups of four or five and let them take it in turns at being ‘Piggy’, whose job is to ‘tag’ the other players as many times as possible in the space of a minute. A tag in this game means touching another player on the knees, or below, with the ball. The ball-carrier cannot throw the ball at the other players, and no one is allowed to leave the square in a bid to avoid being tagged. Tactics There are two main tips for the tagger. First, they should carry the ball in two hands, concentrating on a firm…

Beeb set the pace I read The Final Frontier (Sept 2016) with a wry smile as non-traditional media platforms aren’t as new as many think. In fact, the first live webstreams of international rugby were broadcast by BBC Radio 5 Live from RWC 1999. The limitations of the technology and restrictive bandwidth meant the quality was far from what it has become and the audience was tiny, but the aim even then was to come up with “unique viewer experiences on whatever platform audiences choose”. Dennis Johnstone Insch, Aberdeenshire Creative thinking Further to your recent items about lack of a rugby pathway for girls: I got involved in the Melbourne (Derbyshire) girls’ section, the Minxes, a few years ago and through trial and error we’re in a good position. We…

Age range of sevens players (men and women) at the Rio Olympics 5 Number of different try-scorers for Wasps in their 31-28 Singha 7s final win over Exeter – Guy Thompson, Frank Halai, Tom Howe, Christian Wade and Tom Cruse 18 Number of yellow cards picked up by Bath in the Aviva Premiership last season – more than any other club £23.8m The average budget for a Top 14 club – up 140% from €9.67m over the past ten years 30   Number of carries made by GB’s Emily Scarratt at the Olympics – more than any other player in the women’s event The first proposal of the Olympics came at the sevens, Marjorie Enya asking Brazil’s Isadora Cerullo to marry her The top tacklers in the 2016 Super Rugby…

FINAL DESTINATION The Aviva Stadium in Dublin will host the Guinness Pro12 final on 27 May 2017. For tickets see ticketmaster.ie GOLDEN MOMENT Ben Ryan (right) who coached Fiji men’s sevens team to an Olympic gold medal, has been made a Companion of the Order of Fiji, the highest title that can be awarded by the nation. The rest of the players and management were made Officers of the Order of Fiji. The day of the awards has been made a national holiday in their honour. BRIS BUSINESS Andy Robinson, the former England and Scotland coach who guided Bristol back to the Premiership, has signed a new three-year contract. RECORD BREAKERS The world record for the largest scrum was broken at the Golden Oldies Festival in Cardiff as 1,297 players…

FUNNIEST TEAM-MATE Rob Buchanan. He’s very dry. He moans about everything so we mock him for that – and his hairstyle. He went from a shaved head to more of an edgy, hipster cut. FAVOURITE STADIUM The Stoop obviously – there’s a great atmosphere, it’s family friendly and I’ve got good memories there. I also like the Rec for its location – that’s where I first started watching rugby. BEST RUGBY MOMENT Winning the Premiership in 2012. That was massive. There was the walk across from the Stoop and going out afterwards. There was a lot of Champagne! CHILDHOOD HERO Jeremy Guscott. I liked the way he played. My family lived in Bath so we’d go along to watch him. BEST HOLIDAY Hvar – it’s an island in Croatia. I’ve…

“There are strong clubs in the Championship and we’ve prepared for the onslaught” EVEN THOUGH I’ve been working in South Africa, I’ve kept a very close eye on English rugby by speaking to people like Mark McCall and Conor O’Shea, people I count as close friends. Someone else I count in that category is London Irish chief executive Bob Casey, who I both played alongside and coached. He looked me up in South Africa recently and over coffee we discussed affairs at the club. When they got relegated, we spoke again and I said continuity was key and that Tom Coventry should stay on. Two weeks later, Bob phoned me up and said, ‘Look, Tom’s resigned and we’ve got a crisis. Can you fly over to London and look at…

“IT WAS DIFFICULT AT TIMES – I’M NOT A GREAT WATCHER” FACT FILE Age 26 (17 Sep 1989) Born Cork Province Munster Position Back-row Height 6ft 3in Weight 16st 9lb Ireland caps 31 (1T) Twitter @peterom6 MY TOP 3 OUTDOOR PURSUITS Kayaking “I used to go around the little islands out near Cork.” Surfing “I used to teach a surf clinic but preferred the faster stuff” Shooting “I’d go out to try and get a few pheasants – a rare few!” IN DETAILING the travails of Ia long time out injured, Peter O’Mahony comes across as the kind of character you would want piloting your plane in a thunderstorm. With almost Zen-like calm, the Munster flanker explains that when he learnt he would be missing months of action because of…

THE FACTS GREGOR TOWNSEND Age 43 (26 April 1973) Born Edinburgh Club Glasgow Warriors Position Head coach Scotland caps 82 Points 164 (17T, 8C, 14P, 7DG) Lions caps Two WHEN GREGOR TOWNSEND took the reins at Glasgow Warriors in 2012, it was a coaching baptism of fire. The rugby correspondent of the local newspaper, The Glasgow Herald, publicly and loudly questioned his credentials, almost willing him to fail, and the scepticism seemed well-placed when a team which had reached the league play-offs the previous season lost their first five matches under the rookie head coach. Yet Townsend was not fazed – “the players were working hard, I knew it would come” – and four years down the line, the landscape could barely be more different. Having rallied to finish that…

BATH Ground address The Recreation Ground, Spring Gardens, Bath BA2 4DS | Phone 01225 325200 | Website bathrugby.com TALKING POINTS After a disastrous season – they followed 2015’s Premiership final appearance with a ninth-place finish – director of rugby Mike Ford was unceremoniously dumped. And the new coaching set-up has had little time to stamp their authority, having been confirmed late in the summer. Bath waited until the Crusaders’ Super Rugby season was over before Todd Blackadder and Tabai Matson were appointed. They at least have some continuity with Toby Booth and Darren Edwards staying on as coaches, and former captain Stuart Hooper moving into management. Having lost Kyle Eastmond, Ollie Devoto and Horacio Agulla, they are spread thin in the backs. Can Dan Bowden, Matt Banahan and Jonathan Joseph…

1 JUMP STRAIGHT “It seems so obvious but I’ve seen lots of players jump forwards or backwards instead of straight up. You need a strong core, rigid body, legs straight – you’re jumping to point your toes. Exeter’s Damian Welch (above) is one player with excellent technique.” 2 USE YOUR ARMS “Another common failing is players letting their legs do all the work. Propel yourself with your arms in an explosive upward movement. That not only gives you a crucial couple of extra inches but puts your hands in the right position to make the catch.” 3 ONE STEP WILL DO “When stepping forward or back into the jump, why take two or three steps when you can do it in one? A split-second can be the difference between winning…

SUITCASE CARRY 3 x 20m EACH ARM Hold a weight that is challenging to the grip in one hand and walk briskly, back straight, for the set distance. HALTED KNEE-HIGH DEAD LIFT 4 x 3 REPS Set up a regular dead lift. Push hard through the heels to raise the bar. Pause for three seconds when the bar reaches the knee. Return the bar to the floor and repeat. STRAIGHT-ARM PROWLER PUSH 3 x 20m REPS Grip the prowler using the upright bars with straight, locked-out arms. Keep the body stiff and parallel to the floor while driving the ball of your foot into the ground.…

NEW JERSEYS A. Scarlets home shirt West is best with this top. £50, scarlets.co.uk B. Saracens home shirt Maro Itoje and Owen Farrell will don this sleek black number. £60, blksport.co.uk C. Stade Français alternate shirt Yes, they’re pink space invaders. Truly unique! £59.99, rugbystore.co.uk D. Glasgow home shirt Back in black. £85.99, glasgowwarriors.org 1. Connacht baseball cap Support the reigning Pro12 champs with this striking cap. It’s £15 from lovell-rugby.co.uk 2. Springboks long-sleeve polo Show your support for the Boks during the Rugby Championship. £45 from asics.com 3. Nike MetCon 2 trainers Multi-purpose training shoes (priced £110, lovell-rugby.co.uk) with a lightweight design 4. UA Storm Hustle II backpack Water repellent with plenty of room. £45 at underarmour.co.uk 5. Canterbury Phoenix boots Hard-wearing boots suited to industrious back-rows. £49.99 from…

DANNY’S ONE-WORD ANSWERS David Flatman Comedian Music Relaxed Bath Beautiful Social media Time-consuming Animal Bear Colour Blue Food Healthy Duncan Bell Lazy FORMER ENGLAND lock Danny Grewcock was known as a hard man during his playing days, but now he’s helping youngsters cope with the pressures of sport. Having been in charge of the Bath Academy, he recently became director of sport at Oundle School. He talks through his life and times… I was pretty average academically. The career officer never said I was going to be a rocket scientist, but I put the graft in. Luckily, I took to rugby and, helped by supportive parents, managed to do alright. I know I had this hard-man image but to me I just wanted to be competitive. I didn’t know how…