Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2017 i Rugby World

THE MEMORY of Danny Care skipping gleefully through the French defence last year to cement England’s first Grand Slam since 2003 still feels fresh in the memory, but here we are again, on the cusp of another Six Nations – but this time with a big difference. Yes, for the first time, in our most cherished of competitions, bonus points are up for grabs. And if there’s any justice, it will stimulate some derring-do from the nations’ attacking arsenals, to give fans a try-laden tournament to remember – hopefully one not overshadowed by a disciplinary furore (P80). All eyes will be on England and Eddie Jones will hope his charges don’t suffer from second-season syndrome after an invincible year. We garner his thoughts on P50. Ireland are emboldened by an…

BEST HOLIDAY Definitely not back in Scotland where I went to school! Two years ago I went to the British Virgin Islands – I would go back there any day. FAVOURITE STADIUM I think the Kingspan in Ulster is a great venue. For a Friday night game everyone gets off work, gets a bus to Ravenhill and it’s really amazing. Sometimes it’s miserable but they sing their hearts out. TOUGHEST OPPONENT I played the All Blacks for the first time in November – I got ten minutes, but it felt like an hour. Brodie Retallick is one of the toughest. I thought I’d smash him… it didn’t happen! BEST MATE IN RUGBY When we are in camp with Italy we always try to room with the same players so I…

Not even close! If we get to the situation where numerous clubs change coaches regularly, then we can talk about hire and fire. Mike Cheshire Yep! It’s showbiz now. Sad, but… Max Leontiev It’s not just “hire and fire culture”. Ticket prices, replica kit, bar and food prices have all risen considerably over the last five years. It’s becoming too much. Ben Watts It’s inevitable, with the advent of professionalism has come financial and other business pressures. Julian Clayton Unfortunate for Cockerill but you can’t take on a role like his and assume you’re fireproof. Don Mammatt He’d been in the job years, hardly way of football just yet. Richard Wardak Does one club’s decision dictate the majority? Stuart Flitton More sponsorship and money, more pressure to perform. Mike McGuckin…

“NOW THERE’S BIG GAME AFTER BIG GAME. THEY KEEP COMING” FACT FILE Age 30 (29 June 1986) Born Moynalvey Province Leinster Position Lock Height 6ft 11in Weight 18st 12lb Test caps 42 (2T) Twitter @DevinToner4 SOMETIMES YOU notice something you had never twigged before – the event behind the event – and it all falls into place. For Devin Toner, one such time came when re-watching The Sopranos. “There’s this moment near the end of season one,” he says. “Two guys try to shoot Tony at the newsstand, after he buys orange juice. It’s a recurring theme from The Godfather when Vito Corleone is shot while buying oranges.” As he says this, it’s obvious – ‘So it is,’ you think. It’s nice when the penny drops. And when it comes…

ROUND ONE 3 Feb ITALY v WALES 2pm, Stadio Comunale Pacifico Carotti SCOTLAND v IRELAND 6.35pm, Broadwood Stadium 4 Feb ENGLAND v FRANCE 7.35pm, Twickenham ROUND TWO 11 Feb WALES v ENGLAND 11.30am, Cardiff Arms Park FRANCE v SCOTLAND 8pm, Stade Marcel Deflandre 12 Feb ITALY v IRELAND 1pm, Stadio Tommaso Fattori ROUND THREE 24 Feb SCOTLAND v WALES 6.30pm, Broadwood Stadium 25 Feb ENGLAND v ITALY 1pm, Twickenham Stoop 26 Feb IRELAND v FRANCE 12.45pm, Donnybrook ROUND FOUR 11 Mar WALES v IRELAND 11.30am, Cardiff Arms Park ENGLAND v SCOTLAND 1pm, Twickenham Stoop 12 Mar ITALY v FRANCE 2pm, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi ROUND FIVE 17 Mar SCOTLAND v ITALY 6.30pm, Broadwood Stadium IRELAND v ENGLAND 8pm, Donnybrook 18 Mar FRANCE v WALES 8pm, Stade Amédée Domenech…

BLUES Titles Three Last year 11th Coach Tana Umaga Odds 25-1 Key man Injury curtailed Sonny Bill Williams’s sevens stint, but when he recovers he’ll be aiming to make his mark in 15s again. Prospects They’re looking to make the play-offs and have the squad to do it, with plenty of young talent – check out the Ioane brothers, Akira and Rieko – alongside stalwarts like Charlie Faumuina and Jerome Kaino. BRUMBIES Titles Two Last year Losing qualifiers Coach Stephen Larkham Odds 20-1 Key man They’ve lost Stephen Moore (Reds) and David Pocock (sabbatical), so expect underrated workhorse Scott Fardy to play a more important role. Prospects Christian Lealiifano is still undergoing treatment for leukaemia so the pressure is on Wharenui Hawera to dictate play from No 10. They…

QUICK-FIRE PROFILE Name Patricia Garcia Nickname Patri but Pat to most people Age 27 (2 December 1989) Position Nine or ten Describe your personality Passionate about rugby! Society would be better if we could bring rugby’s values into everyday life Favourite film I don’t have a specific film but my favourite director is Pedro Almodóvar, from Spain Best holiday New Zealand How you switch off from rugby I watch rugby games or go to the cinema Other sport you’d like to play professionally Squash, football or boxing TOUGHEST OPPONENT Portia Woodman. She’s so quick and strong that if you do not defend properly you’re in trouble SURPRISING FACT On the field I can be aggressive in terms of contact. I am not like that off the pitch. I am very…

BEETROOT CAN HELP REDUCE YOUR RESTING BLOOD PRESSURE IF WE asked if you were harnessing the true nutritional benefits of nitrates, you would most likely look puzzled. But studies have shown that increasing your intake could maximise the efficiency of your muscles during exercise. As James Morehen, our resident elite nutritionist from Liverpool John Moores University, puts it: “Nitrates help in getting more blood into the muscles via dilation of vessels.” Ever wondered why beetroot juice had become so popular among some of those who take their sport seriously? Evidence has shown that consuming beetroot, thanks to its high nitrate content, helps reduce your resting blood pressure. It’s also been suggested that fast-twitch muscle fibres benefit from an increased intake of nitrate – which may be of interest to those…

Harlequins’ Dom Palacio shows how quickly you can turn defence into attack… What’s the objective? To run back a deep kick to set up a try-scoring opportunity. How it works 15 fields the kick and runs back into contact; forwards attack the short side to draw the defence, then 12 hits up the middle. The forwards drive once more before the backs go wide – where there should be an overlap. Key points Attack the space between the five to 15m line, don’t get dumped into touch and backs must realign to exploit the overlap. WIN! Post a video of your team completing this month Pro’s Playbook move in training or in a game for your chance to win 22 Shock Doctor mouthguards for your club. Tweet @shockdoctoruk #SDPROPLAY CUT…

THE MORE AGGRESSIVE OF THE TWO TURNED TO ME FOR AN OPINION LIFE WAS very different when the late, great Cliff Morgan made his Wales debut against Ireland in 1951, as this tale from his autobiography shows. It relates to his bus journey from Trebanog to Cardiff Arms Park to play in the match, which finished 3-3… “Luckily for me the bus used to stop outside the house and toot to hurry me up. It was full this morning and all around they were talking about my first cap without recognising me. One conversation was unbelievable. One man asked, “How will he cope with them big fellows, McCarthy, McKay and O’Brien? ’E’s only a titch – too bloody small. I know ’im well, see ’im regular. Bet you ’e’s not…

WINNER EXPOSURE FOR WOMEN'S GAME The news that the Women’s Six Nations will be shown live on TV and/or streamed on YouTube and Facebook, plus a dedicated highlights show on the BBC, is further proof that the women’s game is making progress. LOSER HEAVY FINE Timisoara Saracens were hit with a €30k fine after their match against Stade Français had to be called off due to a frozen pitch. Okay, the club's prep wasn't up to it but is such a large fine necessary for a club from a lower-tier nation? WINNER FIVE-YEAR RESIDENCY RW have long been an advocate for a longer residency ruling in international rugby and with England and France backing the changes, the hope is that project players become a rarity rather than the norm.…

WITH TALENTS like Maro Itoje and Garry Ringrose emerging from the U20 Six Nations in the past couple of seasons, we look at six players primed to set the tournament alight this year… NICK ISIEKWE, ENGLAND A standout for both the England and Saracens U18 sides, this physically-imposing lock is ready to follow in the footsteps of Itoje and shine for club and country with his athleticism and technical skill. With England set to be without a number of players due to club commitments during the tournament, there will be significant pressure on Isiekwe to lead the world champions on and off the field over the next two months. REUBEN MORGAN-WILLIAMS, WALES This electric scrum-half began to make a name for himself in last year’s tournament and helped Wales to…

LIONS POSTS The British & Irish Lions named three key hires – head of strength and conditioning Paul Stridgeon, head analyst Rhodri Bown and head of medical Eanna Falvey. BLACK FERNS BOOST New Zealand (right) have contracted 20 women’s sevens players for 2017. Among them is Lyric Faleafaga – a Wellington player who is still in her last year of school. FRENCH CONNECTIONS A spate of players have confirmed they will play for Top 14 clubs. Aaron Cruden joins Montpellier and Cheslin Kolbe moves to Toulouse, both next season. Fiji Sevens star Savenaca Rawaca joins La Rochelle immediately. RYAN IN RED The WRU have taken on Ben Ryan – the coach who led Fiji to Olympic gold – to work with all their men’s teams outside the national squad, and…

“Links between teams are closer than ever” FOR THE best players in Europe, the first couple of months of the calendar year bring a bucket-load of stress. Each week brings up another huge game, whether in European pools or in the domestic leagues, where if you don’t carpe the diem your club is going to find itself scrabbling around with the also-rans for the rest of the season. But at this time of year these quotidian pressures are set against the intimidating backdrop of the Six Nations. In that regard, there are the obvious worries about selection and performance, as well as the practical ball-aches of constant travel between club and country, the deprivation of liberty at a five-star training base and, finally, the hassle of figuring out what to…

“If you start to feel comfortable, it’s a dangerous place to be” YOU HAVE to have the goal of winning the tournament you’re in and that’s very much our target going into the Six Nations. It’s how we go about doing that. If you look at the desired outcome versus the actual outcome in terms of results in the autumn, it wasn’t what we wanted (Ireland lost to England, Canada and New Zealand), but in terms of performance and development it is what we wanted. Several new caps got game time and we got to play against high-calibre opposition. Mairead Coyne was outstanding at full-back – she stood out for me – and Nichola Fryday was soaking up all the information she could in that environment. It’s World Cup year…

“WE’VE NOT WON THREE GAMES IN A SIX NATIONS FOR A LONG TIME” FACT FILE Age 26 (23 April 1990) Birthplace Dumfries Position Centre Team Glasgow Height 6ft 2in Weight 16st 3lb Scotland caps 19 Test points 25 (5T) Twitter handle @alexdunbar13 OPTIONS ABOUND for Scotland in midfield but there is one reassuring constant – Alex Dunbar. The big Glasgow centre has had his share of problems, notably a ruptured ACL in 2015 that cost him almost a year of his career. But he’s now brimming with optimism as the Scots aim to give Vern Cotter the ideal Six Nations send-off before the coaching reins are passed to Gregor Townsend… Scotland go into the Six Nations with confidence. We’ve won six of our last eight matches, giving us real momentum.…

Bonus points will be in force in the Six Nations for the first time this year, with a point for scoring four tries and/or finishing within seven points in defeat. Plus, if a team wins all five games they will receive three bonus points to ensure a Grand Slam winner always wins the title. But how would the system have affected previous years? If bonus points had been in force since the Six Nations started in 2000, there would be only two different winners – in 2007 and 2013. Here’s how the tables would change……

ONE OF the most fascinating aspects of rugby in the next few months will be to watch the tackling of Devin Toner, Jim Hamilton and Luke Charteris. The new protocols and law changes, which World Rugby have grouped together under what they call a “zero tolerance” approach to tackles to the head, have made legal defending by giant players incredibly difficult. The fact is that any high contact in the tackle (or even away from the tackle) is now subject to sanction, and just how our big three, who stand 6ft 8in or taller, are going to get low enough to stop a small player legally is impossible to say. Who knows, but there could be a major renaissance for the shorter and squatter rugby player, particularly at inside-centre, because…

Crabbie’s Team of the Month Paignton A BIT of the Exeter magic is rubbing off on Paignton, where DoR Nick Bodnar and head coach Trevor Harris – both former Chiefs captains – are spearheading a revival. The duo favour an old-fashioned approach and the matey spirit it’s engendering took the club to second spot in Cornwall-Devon by the start of this year. They would have been top but for two five-point deductions, for an admin error and not fulfilling a fixture last Easter. “We feel they were mildly unfair,” says Bodnar, a sign maker, “but we’ve taken them on the chin.” The sanctions are fuelling the fire but more significant has been a policy of “getting Paignton boys back in Paignton shirts” after many left when replaced by paid outsiders.…

QUICK-FIRE PROFILE Age 32 (23 Aug 1984) Born Hertfordshire Series debut Edinburgh, 2008 Height 6ft 5in Weight 16st 7lb Twitter handle @James_Rodwell CRABBIE’S SEVENS FACT Collins Injera is the leading try-scorer in Sevens World Series history. The Kenyan (right) had 235 tries after Cape Town, five ahead of Argentina’s Santiago Gómez Cora (retired) and ten clear of England’s Dan Norton. “I THINK WE’LL BE IN AN INCREDIBLE PLACE” AS SOUTH AFRICA swarm around ball-carriers and Fiji empty another would-be rucker, it is apparent that sevens now has a physical feistiness to it. According to England’s most-capped sevens player, James Rodwell, though, it wasn’t so long ago that industrious giants like him were hard to spot. “I look back at when I first started and generally all seven guys on the…

1 CHECK THE SPEED “First of all, it’s all about how quick the ruck is and whether you’re on the front foot. How quickly has the ball come back out of the ruck? Was the ruck created because of a good carry? If it’s a yes to both, then it’s a good option to run.” 2 WHO’S THERE? “As you approach the breakdown you should look to see where the defenders are and who’s in front of you. Forwards or backs? Are the defenders tight or is the spacing wide? If they’re wide, it’s a good cue because there should be some holes.” 3 BODY ANGLES “Once you pick up the ball, run laterally, almost in an arc, to get outside the first defender. As you get closer to the…

What’s needed Lots of balls and cones, plus suitable targets such as a net, rugby posts, board with hole, and catchers who offer hands as target and call “yes” or “no” to judge the accuracy of a pass. These challenges are designed to improve youngsters’ handling skills – and all passes should be made off both hands. Target practice Set distance to suit ability; five passes off each hand. One point for a bull’s-eye. Ground pass Work on good feet and body position to fire an accurate pass off the floor at target. Take & give Receive short pass from coach or team-mate at a jog and pass to catcher on the move, using a push pass. Spin pass Aim a spiral/spin pass at a net, post or similar target.…

Sevens not heaven I’m frustrated that there do not appear to be amateur opportunities to play sevens, aside from end-of-season events. As someone of modest stature, ideally built for the condensed version of the game, I would absolutely love to play it but I haven’t been able to find a single dedicated sevens club in the London area. Am I just not looking in the right places? Michael Jones South-East London RW says: Sevens is still mainly an end-of-season sport. Ask your local club if they plan to play in any events and you could join now to train. Or try a touch league – many run in winter. See in2touch.com Let’s have two refs With all the controversy of the George North incident and inconsistent cards, should World Rugby…

“Sam needs time to find himself as a player” BE CAREFUL what you wish for is a mantra I like to follow, especially when coaching, but it seems strange to be feeling like that when surveying a Welsh Six Nations squad that has a fresh look of youthful exuberance tallied with experience and proven Lions quality. The Welsh rugby public has been calling for change for some time now from a playing style point of view, but the emergence of some home-cultivated talent, some telling injuries – Gethin Jenkins will be a big miss – and key players losing form suggests Rob Howley’s hand has been forced in his selection for the championship. Olly Cracknell, the barnstorming Ospreys back-row fits the Gatland mould and is an unsurprising selection, if merely…

ON 22 FEBRUARY, Rosslyn Park will hold a dinner to raise funds for a little-known injury charity that punches above its weight. Hosted by Park’s Obolensky Association, guests will be entertained by speakers including David Flatman and Andy Goode. The Rosslyn Park Sports Injury Trust was set up after Shaun Parry-Jones, captain of Llandovery College, suffered paraplegia playing in the 1980 National Schools Sevens. At that time schoolboys had inadequate insurance so the Trust was founded to support him through university and was later extended to other young athletes who have had life-changing injuries. Parry-Jones went on to become a lawyer and is now a trustee. He is still a rugby fan. “We prefer to make grants for equipment that will help an injured sportsperson be more independent or make…

“WE DON’T HAVE MANY OF OUR PEOPLE EXCEL IN THAT SPHERE. KJ IS A PIONEER” APPEARING AT a press junket in Los Angeles to talk up new US television show Riverdale, New Zealander KJ Apa excitedly spoke about holding down the lead role – playing Archie in a series based on the Archie Comics franchise. However, Apa’s face lit up when rugby was discussed. After all, he comes from rugby royalty – Apa’s uncle is the former All Blacks flanker Michael Jones – and the teenager played the sport with great passion, until his acting career took off. “It was rugby or music, never acting,” Apa says. “I don’t know how I’m doing this at the moment.” Riverdale is a darker take on the sunny All-American world of Archie, Betty,…

“WHATEVER BALL SPORT I’M PLAYING, I JUST LIKE TO SMASH IT” FACT FILE Age 25 (12 July 1993) Born Lautoka, Fiji Club Wasps Position No 8 Height 6ft 5in Weight 19st England caps Three Twitter handle @NateWJHughes FIJI-BORN Nathan Hughes came to England via New Zealand in 2013, and has since become one of the Aviva Premiership’s most destructive performers. Having made his Twickenham bow against South Africa last autumn, the Wasps No 8 talks about his upbringing in Fiji, the emotion at playing for England and the excitement of facing Europe’s best… I first took up rugby properly at the age of 16. I had mucked about with a bit of touch rugby, but I was definitely a late starter in the game. My mother and father played hockey…

“WE JUST NEED TO NAIL THE NEW STYLE” FACT FILE Age 25 (21 June 1991) Born Ascot Region Scarlets Position Lock Height 6ft 6in Weight 19st Wales caps 21 Twitter @Jake_Ball4 AN ODD thing happened to Jake Ball’s social media accounts in early October. He suddenly gained hundreds of new followers and, considering the Scarlets lock had done nothing more than play four Guinness Pro12 matches, the attention was unexpected. Then the penny dropped. Ball realised his new followers were mostly Asian cricket fans and the Jake Ball they were after was the England cricketer who had just taken five wickets on his one-day international debut against Bangladesh. “I don’t know how they are getting us confused as I don’t look anything like him!” laughs Ball. It was an ironic…

QUICK-FIRE PROFILE Name Chris Morgan Nickname Morgs, or Fossil Age 35 (6 November 1981) Born Burnham-on-Sea Married? Wife Hayley, sons James (3), Alex (19 months) Twitter @chrisjmorgan Personality Honest(ish!), hard-working, emotional Last book read Bounce by Matthew Syed Best holiday New York. We went there on honeymoon TV show Game of Thrones Surprising fact I did ballet at primary school I like to cook… A roast Childhood rugby hero Lawrence Dallaglio Other sport you’d like to do professionally Formula One Toughest opponent James Merriman (ex-Bristol) One person you’d like to have met Muhammad Ali BEST RUGBY MOMENT Winning the British & Irish Cup final against Munster in 2010, partly because that was the start of a really good period for the club EMBARRASSING MOMENT When I was only 19 or…

Drills-wise, play two-on-two to practise getting outside the first defender. If the second defender turns in, then put the pass out wide; if he stays wide, try the dummy. Be patient – you can’t pre-empt a dummy. It just comes with space. You have to wait for the option, rather than go looking for it and make a poor decision. Sometimes you’ll go a whole game without an option coming along and you have to wait for the next game. Keep the ball close to your hip so if you don’t throw the dummy, you’re still in a position to pass. The people running on the outside have to be committed and convincing.…

RESISTED SPRINT WITH BANDS 5 x 10m REPS With partner holding a resistance band, run straight ahead. Aim to accelerate fast while maintaining a steep forward lean. BAND-RESISTED WALL DRIVE 6 x 6 REPS EACH LEG With resistance and a wall 1m in front, set in a low drive position. Accelerate up and forward using hands to push against the wall. LATERAL SLED DRIVE 3 x 20m REPS EACH SIDE Using weighted sled and harness around waist, use lateral crossover step to power sideways. Change direction to do same on other side.…

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