Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2017 i Rugby World

THE EYES of the rugby world will be fixed on Ireland this month for 18 glorious days of Women’s World Cup action. Thirty tantalizing fixtures will be played in all as the action moves at a gallop from Dublin to Belfast, with England looking to retain the trophy they won in Paris three years ago. The tournament promises to be the most competitive yet, with Ireland, New Zealand, Canada and France all capable of unseating Sarah Hunter’s Red Roses. We’ve given the event the top billing it deserves, with more than 20 pages devoted to the game’s most colourful characters and greatest talents. To give context, Stephen Jones (P64), a Women’s World Cup regular, explains how much the tournament has evolved since its tentative first steps in 1991. That’s not…

THERE ARE sports, football and basketball for example, whose global popularity lies partly in their intrinsic simplicity. Rugby is not one of those sports. To fully understand what is going on, why the referee is blowing his whistle so often, what all the pudgy guys traipsing from melee to pile-up to rammy are actually doing, requires a cultish, anorak-like knowledge. Witness the endless debate following Romain Poite’s innovative interpretation of Laws 11.6 and 11.7 in the final Lions Test. Lord Denning would struggle to pick a route through rugby’s Byzantine statute book, so it is little wonder the rest of us (and most of the TV commentators especially) tend to struggle. For many positions on the pitch, actually playing the game is equally as complicated. Some guys get it easy…

“WHEN I CAME TO RUGBY, PEOPLE TOLD ME IT WAS THE GAME THEY PLAYED IN HEAVEN” ISRAEL, nestled between the Philippines and Singapore at 59 in the world rankings, aim to reach the 2024 Olympics through a crowdfunding initiative. The Israeli Rugby Union’s CEO Amir Tito says of the ambitious plans: “The crowdfunding page is open to anyone who fancies supporting rugby in Israel. Although it’s a long shot, our dream is to build our professional game to a level that we can realistically qualify for the 2024 Olympics.” Rugby in Israel is hardly in its infancy. It was first played in the 1960s, by British and South African expats. They have been a World Rugby member since 1988 and have 1,000 registered players, of which 150 are women, but…

“I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO KNEW I’D SCORED WHEN I STOOD UP. IT WAS MENTAL” IT MIGHT just be the defining image of last year’s Aviva Premiership. The moment when Exeter, who had battered away at Saracens for most of their semi-final but found themselves down by three against the continent’s back-to-back champions, summoned one final giant effort and crashed over the line from a driving maul to book a place back at Twickenham. As the pile of bodies untangled, replacement No 8 Sam Simmonds emerged as the try-scorer. “I was the only one who knew I’d scored when I stood up. It was just so mental how it happened,” the 22-year-old says. “Knowing how good Saracens are, it was such a good performance to beat them. On the…

LOOKING BACK at all seven Women’s World Cups to date, let’s start by contrasting the reactions post-match at the first in 1991 and the last two, in 2010 and 2014. They speak eloquently of an extraordinary advancement. And so there we were, at Cardiff RFC on a Sunday in 1991, watching the USA play England in the very first final. It was an enjoyable occasion and the match was won quite comfortably by USA because they were more mature as a rugby nation in the women’s game than England. The English played bravely, with Emma Mitchell at scrum-half and Gill Burns at No 8 outstanding. It was striking that none of the players had a long kick, so there was no real punishment for offenders and the game was rather…

CAROLYN McEWEN has swapped spins for scrums, twist lifts for lineout lifts, ice skates for rugby boots. The road from figure skater to rugby player is certainly one less travelled, but the 31-year-old has now reached a higher level on the pitch than she did on the ice. She first pulled on skates aged three and her talent was spotted quickly, with her moving into the competitive, rather than recreational, stream at five. “By the time I was ten I was training four hours a day, five times a week, and I competed in national qualifying,” she recalls. “I started with single skating and then moved into pairs.” With her partner, Gord Willemse (with whom she’s pictured above), she finished fourth at the 2002 Canadian Junior Championships. But at 18…

BUY SAUSAGES WITH A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF MEAT WE ARE officially in barbecue season. Grill, braai, barbie – whatever you want to call it, we love it, but as a serious athlete you need to do it right. James Morehen, our nutritionist from Liverpool John Moores University, has all the tips you need. First, consider what you’ve done that day. If it’s the evening of a rest day, you probably don’t need loads of carbs. But if you’ve had a heavy training day or it’s a lunchtime barbie, some carbs would be okay. We’re talking about sweet potato wedges, wholemeal pitas instead of white, brown wraps and brown rolls. Barbies are also great for getting different sources of protein on the grill. Buy sausages with a high percentage of meat…

Richard Whiffin shows how a scrum-half can launch his outside backs from an attacking scrum… What’s the objective? To create multiple scoring opportunities by isolating the opposition 13. How it works 9 runs a loop with 12, forcing their 13 to make a decision. If he jumps at your 13, 9 hits 11 out the back and you can attack the space outside. If 13 reads the ball out the back and goes for 9, the 9 can put 13 through the gap with a short pass. Key points 9 must run hard and fast – and he must square up after taking wrap-around from 12 to straighten the attack. 12 must commit his opposite number. PLAY A 9 fires a miss-pass to 12, loops round, straightens and hits 11…

WINNER ACTION JACKSON Ed Jackson has been documenting his recovery from a broken neck on social media with humility and humour, so it’s heart-warming to see him walking, with help, after 100 days. Keep fighting, Ed! LOSER SKEWED FORMAT The Aussie Super Rugby sides have had a woeful time of it this year, and it’s unjust that the Hurricanes, who won 12 of their 15 regular-season games, got a quarter-final away to the Brumbies, who won six of 15. WINNER TIGER TRAVELS We’re all for rugby spreading its gospel, and that’s just what Leicester Tigers’ international camps are trying to do. They have hit Malaysia, the US and Japan (pictured), with more countries planned.…

MONTPELLIER HAVE ADDED PICAMOLES, CRUDEN, PIENAAR AND SERFONTEIN TO AN ALREADY POWERFUL-LOOKING SQUAD WITH MEMORIES of Lions heroics in New Zealand slowly fading, the drumroll of the new domestic season draws ever nearer. The English Premiership will trot out on the first weekend of September, with the newly forged Guinness Pro14 (P48) out of the traps on the same weekend. Across the Channel in the Top 14, they’re knocking lumps out of each other by the end of August, but for those of you more interested in signings than sunloungers at this time of year, here are your big movers and shakers… The riches that have flooded into the Premiership through a lucrative broadcast deal with BT Sport have seen a glut of world-class stars arriving in the league and…

ISLAND INVITATION Fiji have been included in Australia’s National Rugby Championship and will kick off their campaign against Brisbane City at Ballymore on Sat 2 Sept. GOLDEN OLDIE Worcester have signed 39-year-old scrum-half Peter Stringer (right) on a six-month deal as cover for Francois Hougaard, who’ll be on South Africa duty. LAW BOOK Eleven law amendments will be trialled in the northern hemisphere this season, including tacklers having to play through the ‘gate’ once back to their feet. See po.st/11Laws EXCHANGE SCHEME Fans who leave early on Women’s World Cup pool days at UCD can donate their tickets for resale so more fans can see games, with proceeds going to the IRFU Charitable Trust. See rwcwomens.com LEADING ROLE Dylan Hartley has been named Northampton captain for the upcoming season, taking…

THE 2019 World Cup is taking shape. USA, Fiji and Tonga have all booked their spots in Japan in recent weeks, leaving just five of the 20 spaces to be filled, writes RW’s Alan Pearey. USA became the first qualifier since the draw after clinching the Americas 1 place for the first time. Having drawn 28-28 against Canada in Ontario, the Eagles swept to an eight-try 52-16 victory in the second leg in San Diego – by far their biggest win in the fixture. No 8 Cam Dolan and hooker Joe Taufete’e both got doubles to mark Todd Clever’s final Test in style. “I’ll be at the World Cup in 2019 but in the crowd cheering them on, not on the pitch,” said the retiring skipper. The day was tinged…

SEILALA MAPUSUA AGE 37 POSITION CENTRE TEAMS LONDON IRISH, HIGHLANDERS, SAMOA I’m a coach development officer and resource coach in Otago. We’ve shifted focus from players to developing coaches. If you do a session with kids it’s awesome. But when you leave, coaches can go back to what they know. So work on one person and they can influence a whole team. I was in Japan for five years. For the first three the whole family stayed, but for the last two my son was ready to go to high school. Those last two years were hard. I almost don’t recognise the game in NZ. I was away for ten years. It’s so professional – kids are coming out of schools as athletes. It’s scary. I’d love to coach Samoa…

“THEY SAID THAT MY FITNESS SAVED MY LIFE. IT STOPPED ME HAVING A HEART ATTACK” WE ALL have Sliding Doors moments, when a 50:50 decision takes our life down a different path, but few are as seismic as the day in 2013 that Vicky Macqueen chose to go to A&E after a scratch on her shin became infected. “I’d been to the local walk-in clinic where they gave me antibiotics, but I’d been sick so they’d suggested I go to hospital and have them intravenously,” says Macqueen, who as Vicky Massarella won 23 England caps at full-back from 2004-09. “I went home and it was touch and go whether I bothered going; I had a four-month-old and 18-month-old and it wasn’t convenient. But later in the day I went to…

Wales 1991 Candy Orsini, a USA centre, electrified the tournament. There was also the sheer sense of wonder from participants, and the class of two England players, Gill Burns and Emma Mitchell. Scotland 1994 This brought England’s first world title, based on an unforgiving and ruthless heritage of forward power, which shattered USA 38-23 in the Edinburgh final. There was a major advance in focus and standards. Holland 1998 Won by a Black Ferns side that is the best I’ve seen in women’s rugby. Vanessa Cootes (right) and Louisa Wall were superb finishers while captain Farah Palmer had that famed sporting arrogance familiar in so many All Blacks. Spain 2002 The first truly outstanding final, when New Zealand beat England 19-9 in Barcelona. For the first time, the event made…

SARAH HUNTER One of the best in the world – men’s or women’s game – at controlling the ball at the base of the scrum, Hunter has an impressive work-rate and a wealth of experience (93 caps and counting). England’s captain is also the reigning World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year. ALEX MATTHEWS Such is her talent that she made her Test debut as a teenager in 2011. A real grafter, Matthews has soft hands and the ability to break the line. Injuries – concussion most recently – have prevented her from collecting more caps but she looked strong during the Women’s Series in June. HARRIET MILLAR-MILLS The Women’s Premiership Players’ Player of the Year for the past two seasons, she was a standout performer in England’s 2017 Six…

1 LINEOUT IN 22 “If the opposition have a lineout near their 22, I’ll be on halfway in the middle with one of our wings tight to the same touchline as the lineout. If they box-kick, our wing is there to take it and I support him. If they kick cross-field, I’ll move across to cover it.” 2 SCRUM IN 22 “For an opposition scrum in their 22, I’ll be deep behind halfway. Our wings are further forward covering the touchlines. I’ll look at their kickers and the way the scrum wheels to predict where the ball will be kicked, then work in a pendulum with the wings.” 3 MIDFIELD LINEOUT “For an opposition lineout around halfway: one wing covers the touchline, the other is about 15m in from the…

IN THE days before the final Test, me and a few others who had been ruled out by injury – Chris Cusiter, Gavin Henson, Gordon D’Arcy and Gareth Cooper – went to Queenstown, with Gav’s mate Dai joining us, writes Shane Williams of the 2005 Lions tour. It was one of the maddest few days of my life. We arrived in the afternoon and went on the beer all day. Back at the hotel, Gav had this idea that none of us should sleep that night. Every time anyone started to nod off, they were given a dig or a poke. Dai and I had booked a bungee jump for the next morning, and we were worried enough without trying to do it after a sleepless night. I’m terrified of…

Help in retirement Justin Harrison’s piece on retirement (July issue) was sensitive and thought-provoking. As he said, we’re in the first era of top rugby players retiring and having to find a new living. Rugby is not alone. David Frith’s book By His Own Hand covered suicides by cricketers and it made for grim but important reading. The reasons included a loss of earnings and a lack of self-worth. It is vital that rugby learns from other sports that have not helped their past performers. David Rimmer Hertford Heath, Herts Voicing opinion I read with interest Stephen Jones’s piece on coaches getting too much airtime (July) and agree in the main. However his assertion that “I have never come across a Test that I feel was affected by what anyone…

I’VE KNOWN Phil Camm, the English CEO of Dallas Griffins Rugby, for a long time. After I was sacked by Bath, he invited me out to have a look last summer and I accepted the job of director of rugby in June this year. It’s a new slate because we’re going into a professional league next year, Major League Rugby (MLR). So it’s a great opportunity for me to build a winning environment, using my experience over the past 35 years. My role is anything to do with rugby, from signing players and picking the team to setting up camps and developing our relationship with University of North Texas (UNT), where they already have a rugby team that we’ll develop into a high-performance academy. Also I’m on the board, which…

BEST HOLIDAY DESTINATION I’m a big fan of America and have been to New York a few times. It’s my favourite city to visit – it’s very multicultural and there’s always so much going on there. BEST RUGBY MOMENT Beating Saracens (24-20) in the 2014 Premiership final. Celebrating that success with friends was very special. It took years of gradual improvement and progression to reach that point, so it meant so much personally and as a squad. CHILDHOOD HERO Tiger Woods. I’m a keen golfer and he was in his prime when I was growing up. His level of performance was so far ahead of everybody else and he was so consistent. FAVOURITE BAND Red Hot Chili Peppers (right). They’re a proper band and I still listen to their old…

COACHES ARE happy in pre-season. Their teams are unbeaten. The bright dawn of a new season brings optimism and hope. They have dissected all of what went before, moved on, brought in new players and put a plan together. Players… well, players generally aren’t in love with pre-season. There are a few exceptions. A new coach may bring a breath of fresh air that even the seasoned pros gravitate towards. Younger players coming from the academy also have a chance to make an early impression and the energy they bring can be great. Of course, the opposite can happen. If pre-season is too long, or there aren’t enough breaks or variety, the rot sets in. Seasons can go dramatically wrong as a result. They say even the best-laid plans can…

In the June issue, Sarah Mockford argued that plans to introduce an 11-month season in the UK were farcical (po.st/RantRest). Here are your views on the subject… Simon Smith Player welfare has not been high on the agenda in reaching the 11-month conclusion, it’s ridiculous. We need less rugby but of a higher quality, otherwise we will see more players taking a year off to recover from the constant battering. @ArmyRDO The playing cap needs to be policed as players will want to play in big games. However, this will not affect 99% of the player population! @MSaundersUSA Have a 6-week break from the autumn Tests until new year, or during the coldest winter weeks until March. Mark Stephenson Nobody cares if a bricklayer works over 11 months a year…

“IT’S A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE. I KNOW I’VE MADE FRIENDS FOR LIFE” WHEN ELLIOT DALY took the long, solitary walk of shame off the Twickenham turf after being sent off for taking Puma Leonardo Senatore out in the air, there would have been much scoffing had you suggested he’d be starting three Lions Tests in New Zealand. The Wasps back has been on the slow burn for years, racking up more than 150 club appearances but only reaching double figures for England in February, with Eddie Jones warming to the Whitgift-educated player’s varied skill-set. While consistently shining for Wasps, where his wicked outside break has helped bring him 36 tries, it was only after an eye-catching try against Wales that an ability to play anywhere in the outside backs marked him…

THE FORMAT This could change but here’s what RW understands: • There will be two conferences of seven – each with two Irish teams, two Welsh, one Italian, one Scot, one SA – with teams in a conference playing each other home and away. • They will play each team from the other group once, home or away (like the Six Nations). That’s 19 games. • Derbies will also be preserved, with Irish and Welsh teams playing another tie against both national rivals from the other conference an extra time each. This makes a total of 21 regular games. • The Italians, Scots and South Africans – with only two teams – face their national rivals three times in all to play the same number of games. • The top…

MIKE HALEY SALE SHARKS • The back three is all about support play – communicate and understand what you’re trying to do in defence. • Work out what’s best for your team, whether you use the nine and eight in the backfield with the 15 or drop your wingers. • To take a high ball, you need a high knee, high elbows, high hands – and your eyes on the ball. • This is a drill focusing on support play: someone puts up a box-kick to you and a support player. You take it and decide whether to pass, run or go into contact, with the support player to clear out. • Here’s another training game: the attacking team kick from just outside their 22. The defending team kick it…

1 LYING START ACCELERATION 5 x 4 REPS From flat, pop up and sprint forward. Ease off after 10m. Have 20 seconds’ rest between reps, 60 seconds between each set. 2 SINGLE DB ROW FROM FLOOR 3 x 10 REPS EACH SIDE In press-up position, dumb-bells in hand, explosively lift one arm to your chest. Keep your core tight. Lower and alternate arms. 3 TYRE FLIP 3 x 4 REPS Grip under the tyre. With chest up and back flat, extend your legs to lift. As balance shifts, drive forward to flip the tyre.…

T-SHIRTS A. Fineside F-trail T-shirt From Jonny Wilkinson’s range, this is 100% cotton and has a FNSD tab on the hem. £30 at fineside.com B. Asics short-sleeved graphic T-shirt Lightweight cotton tee with standout graphic for mooching in the sunshine. £22 from asics.com C. Barbour outdoor T-shirt Join the country set outdoors with this bold printed tee made from 100% cotton. £29.99 at rugbystore.co.uk D. Salomon Road Trip T-shirt For a cool summer vibe. As the graphic says, “Move freely and expand your playground!” £25 at salomon.com…