Innholdsfortegnelse for Apr-2018 i Rugby World

“Should Six Nations games be played at different venues?” FRANCE PLAYED their first Five/Six Nations game outside of Paris last month, marking their championship debut in Marseille with a win over Italy. It was part of the French federation’s pledge to take more international rugby to the provinces and the South of France is a rugby hotbed. As it transpired, the match did not sell out, observers putting this down to a growing discontent among fans about the state of French rugby. Yet the historic fixture did raise the question of whether more Six Nations ties should be moved to new venues, giving fans in different areas a chance to see top-class rugby closer to home. In reality, this won’t happen. The unions make so much money from staging these…

“I was locked in! I thought I might have to call to say I couldn’t make the game” Who do you think is the funniest referee? Does it have to be a rugby referee? I would say a French soccer referee, Robert Wurtz. You should watch some videos of him. It’s just his body language, moving his arms around – he was very funny. I think players liked him because he was so funny. Do you joke with players? I don’t practise to do that but situations sometimes lead to jokes. In Europe, I did a game in Glasgow and I didn’t put on my rugby boots because it’s an artificial pitch. Instead, I wore my tennis shoes. All the players were really interested in my shoes and were joking…

AS A child, there was little to signify that Emmanuela Jada would grow up to be an international sportswoman. She was constantly ill and suffered from numerous infections, so her mother had to regularly take her to health clinics in Sudan for treatment. Yet two decades later Jada would be representing Canada’s national rugby team, at sevens and 15s. How did all this come to pass? Jada’s ill health led to her mother, Katerina Lonyik, deciding to leave Sudan, which at that point was in the midst of a civil war, and take her then three-year-old daughter to Egypt. The turnaround was remarkable. “The motivation for my mum was my health and for me to be able to get an education, have the opportunity to go to school,” says Jada,…

QUESTION-AND-ANSWER sessions with supporters are littered with danger. While the majority of well-meaning admirers pose sensible queries, on social media – home to more than its fair share of miscreants, fantasists and court-jesters – PR-friendly initiatives can quickly veer ‘off-message’, as Scotland’s Huw Jones found during a pre-Six Nations fan-pleaser. Do you ever tire of being told you look like Matt Damon? Will you be my valentine? What flavour ice-cream would you be? Do all dogs go to heaven? And the belter, do you have the skills to survive a zombie apocalypse? These questions all brought a chuckle and are par for the course for Scotland’s new star centre, but one recurring theme cropped up: how many points will you cuff Wales by? This bullish rhetoric days before their Six…

THERE ARE plenty of sides above Royal Wootton Bassett in the South-West One East table, notwithstanding fine wins this year against Oxford Harlequins, Salisbury and Wimborne. So what makes them worthy of our latest club award? Simply the vigour and positivity with which they are striving to become a hub for the North Wiltshire community. Their go-getting attitude has this season seen them introduce girls’ rugby in partnership with neighbouring Supermarine, while the club’s two colts teams have broadened their fixture list to attract more competitive matches – the U18s won the Dorset & Wilts Bowl when beating North Dorset 43-3. That success followed hot on the heels of the first staging of a Premiership A-League fixture, Gloucester United v Exeter Braves, an experiment that Gloucester are keen to repeat.…

THE SIX NATIONS was not on the agenda for Lisa Neumann back in December. She may have been called into the Wales squad for training camps, but she had only been taking rugby seriously for a couple of years and didn’t feel ready for the step up to international rugby. Rowland Phillips and the Wales coaches clearly disagreed, for Neumann not only played in a friendly against Ireland in January but was one of six uncapped players named in the 23 to play Scotland in the opening game of the championship last month. She made her debut off the bench towards the end of that 18-17 win and then made her first Test start at full-back against Ireland in the third round. Neumann is clearly part of the national team’s…

BARK LIFE Andrew Moreland, the new DoR at Barking, hopes to spark a revival at the former National League club. After 16 straight defeats in Two South-East, the side had conceded 998 points and scored only 90. Moreland stepped up from forwards coach in mid-season after head coach Richard Tonkin, ex-London Welsh, departed. “We’ve seen numbers rise at training and we’re happy to welcome players of all abilities,” Moreland said. “My role can help to create a club for the community and younger people in the borough.” UPWARD SLOPE Lewes coach Chris Roberts asked fans to stay faithful after an agonising 39-32 defeat by Thanet Wanderers in Three South-East. He said: “The supporters might have groaned at times but the tries we scored would have also made them purr with…

AS I approach the end of my long career, I realise that I have spent much of my time as a professional rugby player in a state of chuntering, low-level anxiety. A straw poll of my peers would no doubt reveal this to be almost a default setting for most pros. And what’s not to be anxious about? A decade or more in a job that provides zero service or utility to the world, creates nothing lasting and which offers minimal opportunities for advancement or skill acquisition – seriously, how much more does someone like Dan Cole know about propping than when he started out ten years ago? And the companies for whom we work have never made a penny of profit, and probably never will. What is the point…

KELLY BROWN FORMER SCOTLAND CAPTAIN NOW COACHING AT SARACENS You don’t have to be an elite player to be a good coach and the coaching side is huge – you have to learn key processes, be constantly evolving, be able to look back on sessions and identify what worked and didn’t work. But ex-players have a head start as you already have a lot of rugby knowledge. It’s handy to have been in a lot of situations on the pitch, so you have an idea of what works in practice. You also understand the stresses and pressures on players because you’ve been through it. I had done a year of coaching at Old Albanians while still playing and I had two years coaching the Navy, so I’ve not come to…

I MAGINE THAT a young man, hitherto blameless but down on his luck, decides on a whim to burgle a house. He sneaks in through an open window, makes off with a laptop, but is caught trying to leave. The man should be punished, made to understand he’s done something wrong, but the idea of locking him up for life is unimaginable in any civilised society. A civilised society offers wrong-doers a shot at redemption. We’re not talking about habitual offenders but people who have made one stupid mistake. They deserve a chance to atone for the past, to put it behind them, make a fresh start and demonstrate they’ve learnt the error of their ways. That’s why it’s been good to see Gerbrandt Grobler playing for Munster. As the…

“He makes more tackles in training than anyone else. He does everything” WE KNOW about his kicking, and the stats tell us that only six men have scored more Premiership points, but that’s well down the list of qualities that make Gareth Steenson a club hero. “The big thing that Gareth doesn’t get the credit for,” says Exeter DoR Rob Baxter, “is how long and how hard he’s actually worked for on a day-by-day, session-by-session basis. “He had to fight for his place for a few seasons. A lot of players who come out of the Championship give it a go for a bit, they get excited by the challenge and can be quite good for a while. But to stay good for the number of years that Gareth has…

RELEGATION from the Premiership divides people. It’s not quite ‘Wars of the Roses’ but it seems people have a black or white outlook on it – no grey to be seen. Here is my take on why scrapping relegation would have a positive effect, with a particular lean towards performance. As yet, no club that has come into the Premiership, with the exception of Exeter, has been anything other than risk-averse. I’ve seen teams come up and try to play the same as everyone else. There are some contrasts but I haven’t seen anyone really try to do it differently, to play a game less based on power and more on dexterity. Everyone does tonnes of analysis on each other, but instead they could be coming up with new ideas…

THE SIGHT of Iain Henderson hitting opponents like a dance floor is now commonplace for any fan who watches Ulster and Ireland. However, there is more to the versatile back-five forward than pancaking defenders on the way to inflicting yet more trauma on his rivals. To find out more about the 26-year-old, we enlist the help of those who have known him since his younger days… “No matter who he plays against he has no fear. He still treats rugby like a hobby in some ways” SIMPLE BEGINNINGS “When he arrived I was getting to the end, he was one of the young pups,” says former Ulster lock Neil McComb, who captained Henderson with Ulster’s development side, the Ravens. “He was a genetic freak – just naturally good at what…

RECKON I’D have quite a bizarre autobiography,” Josh Navidi says. He’s quick to laugh today, dreadlocks gently shaking, his big, brown eyes dancing, but this statement is one you would believe. He goes on: “It’d have to be quite short but what I’ve done, growing up, what my dad’s done for me and my mum and brother, it’s crazy.” Even if all you cared about was who played Tests, you’d appreciate Navidi’s journey. In 2013, when swathes of Welsh players were in Australia with the Lions, the Cardiff Blue was earning his first cap in Japan. You may recall that Wales lost, and Navidi relives a few other sore details – he broke his nose and was knocked out. Despite sterling service for the Blues, he had to wait four…

BEST DANCER “Jonny Gray. He’s quiet but once he’s had a few, he cracks jokes and throws shapes. It’s nothing like Michael Jackson, more an intense fist-bumper.” ‘DAD’ OF THE SQUAD “Barcs (John Barclay). Firstly, he’s a dad so he’s a bit more mature, but he’s really easy to talk to and approachable. Just an all-round nice guy.” DAFTEST “Ryan Wilson. Undoubtedly. The squad clown. He does impressions, gags, you name it. He sits at the front in team meetings, chipping in with comments.” UNLIKELY TO BUY A ROUND “Jonny again. It must be the small jean pockets because he’s such a big man.” MOST INTELLIGENT “Rob Harley. He studied Classics at uni. He’s basically a genius. He’s always reading so his knowledge is ridiculous.” WORST HAIRCUT “Dave Denton (below)…

SO, OITA, WHERE’S THAT? • The prefecture of Oita is on the island of Kyushu, at the southern tip of Japan. From Tokyo, it’s about a 90-minute flight. The prefecture’s largest city, also called Oita, is similar in size to Bristol. The smaller city of Beppu, found half-an-hour down the coast, is a geothermal hotbed with thousands of hot-pools billowing steam over the skyline. The unspoilt island is famous for its sweeping mountain vistas and secluded beaches. At World Cup time, the average temperature will be around 20 degrees, so pretty much ideal for rugby. AH YES, THE RUGBY, TELL US MORE… • Well, as one of the 12 host cities, Oita will be at the heart of the World Cup jamboree, hosting five matches, including two quarter-finals. In the…

HEMAY be the lesser known of the two Hornes at Glasgow but George – younger brother of Scotland centre Pete – is having quite a season for the Warriors. The 22-year-old scrum-half scored eight tries in his first six Guinness Pro14 starts this season, including braces against Leinster and Ospreys. He also got the nod to wear the No 9 shirt against Exeter in their final Champions Cup pool game and duly helped them to their only win in this season’s competition. Unsurprisingly that is the highlight of his season so far. “We were out of the Champions Cup and had been written off for playing the biggest teams and coming up short, and we put down a statement against the English champions,” says Horne. “I’ve enjoyed this season. I’ve…

HERBIE STRIDES AGAIN Plymouth Albion, pre-season favourites to vie with Coventry for the National One title, were delighted to welcome back captain and No 8 Herbie Stupple after a three-month absence caused by a slipped disc. Albion had dropped to fourth place in the table and his reappearance for 15 minutes at Cambridge ended in a 16-14 defeat. “I wanted to get on and change something,” said Stupple, who the next week shared in a 21-16 win over Caldy. HICCUP When Coventry’s 16-match winning run came to a shuddering halt with a 61-29 mauling at Blackheath, it was the shock result of the season. But they were soon back on track, not least with a 47-3 win over Fylde (see our feature, P72). It coincided with a former players’ reunion…

WIV’S WINDFALL An unexpected legacy should ensure that spectators in the main stand at Wiveliscombe, Somerset’s second-oldest club, will watch games in comfort for years to come. Eileen Mary Gardner, of Honiton, left £96,000 to the trustees in her will, in memory of her father William Collard, a draper and boot seller in the town who retired in 1954. The cash is for the maintenance of the ground that was established by public subscription as a war memorial venue which will reach its centenary in 2020. NEW-LOOK LIONS Bournemouth, based at Chapel Gate near the airport, are tapping into their footballing Premier League neighbours as a blueprint for success. The Lions were rebranded this season when adopting a new red-and-black strip, the same colours as AFC Bournemouth, and lie second…

1 Fiji Suva is the venue for this month’s World Rugby Pacific Challenge, where rising stars from the Pacific and Japan will compete for the title. Fiji Warriors will kick off their title defence against Samoa A on Friday 9 March, following the Junior Japan v Tonga A game in a double header at ANZ Stadium (below). The round-robin tournament continues with matches on Tuesday 13 and Saturday 17 March. 2 Australia George Moala was the Blues’ hero at the Brisbane Tens. In the final, the All Blacks centre scored the winning try (above) against the Hurricanes with the last play of the game, securing a 10-7 victory. Carlos Spencer, 42, was the Blues’ wildcard player and coach Tana Umaga believes that will have boosted the team’s younger members. Umaga…

THE GOOD news in terms of intensity for this month’s Challenge Cup quarter-finals is that for many of the teams in the last eight, winning this title is likely to be their best way of achieving their European aspirations. Providing this year’s Champions Cup winners have already qualified for next season’s competition, the team that lifts the Challenge Cup will take the 20th place in the elite event – unless they have already secured a spot via their domestic competition. Newcastle won all six of their pool games and have been marshalling their squad brilliantly. Although Brive have improved in the Top 14 recently, the Falcons’ momentum could be consuming, especially at Kingston Park. Stade Français were also in a lowly position in France, with the aristocratic Parisians showing no…

253 Tackles made by France against Ireland – the most ever in a Six Nations match. Captain Guilhem Guirado made 31 2500 Points milestone England reached when Anthony Watson scored the opening try against Italy – the first team to pass that mark in the Six Nations 2 Penalties Wales conceded against England – a remarkable statistic. One was against Samson Lee for sealing off, the other against Aaron Shingler for going off his feet 8 Test tries scored by Keith Earls, Huw Jones and Jacob Stockdale since the start of 2017 – more than any other players in Europe 10 Six Nations debutants in Italy’s match-day 23 to play England – seven starters and three on the bench 12 Scotland’s winning margin against England in the Calcutta Cup. The…

“People make a big thing of it but it should be a normal job for women” AS SHAUNAGH BROWN poses for Rugby World’s photographer at Canterbury Fire Station, we ask why she wanted to become a firefighter. “To be a superhero,” is the rapid response from Brown, the words accompanied by a wide grin. Yet when you consider all that Brown has achieved in her near 28 years, she’s arguably more impressive than a superhero. Here goes: Commonwealth Games athlete, Highland Games competitor, British Gas engineer, commercial diver, international rugby player, firefighter – and no doubt she will add to all that in the future. It is hard to know where to kick things off but as we’re in the fire station, it seems fitting to start with the present.…

Signed from Bedford last year, Tom Farrell, 24, has blazed a trail for Connacht. As March approached, the Dubliner had beaten 65 defenders and scored six tries, and he hopes to cause more damage v Gloucester in the Challenge Cup quarter-final… Connacht are unbeaten in this season’s Challenge Cup. Could it be your year? We’ve come up short in the knockout stages before. But there’s no reason why we can’t go the whole way and win it. You have a bit of history with Gloucester, losing a 2015 play-off. Has that been mentioned? There’s been a bit of banter about how crazy that game was, the fact it went to extra-time and was a try-fest towards the end. The boys said it was the first time they played 100 minutes.…

THE COMMONWEALTH Games is hoving into view and for first-timers Zambia it’s been a long time coming, after the African nation’s withdrawal from the 2006 Games in Melbourne. Back then they lacked the necessary support to make the trip but not so now. They can’t wait to have a crack at pool opponents New Zealand, Canada and Kenya. “We’d love to see the boys compete, we want them to be very competitive,” says Clement Sinkamba, president of the Zambian Rugby Union (ZRU). “We’re looking forward to performing well so we can participate in a lot more tournaments. We’re talking here about the Commonwealth Games, the Olympics, the HSBC Sevens (World Series). Our major goal is to get our team in the HSBC Sevens.” Zambia appeared in a few World Series…

WALK OF FAME Three West (South) club Ledbury teamed up with household rugby names to raise £6,000 for Doddie Weir’5 Trust from a 21-mile walk that started at Upton RFC, and an auction of signed shirts. It was organised by his ex-Scotland team-mate Peter Walton. He said: “We must thank Ledbury’s juniors and supporters for a fantastic welcome as we arrived at the club at the end of the walk.” KIDS FIRST Jason Ashley, 49, of Old Leamingtonians, has devised a novel way to mark his retirement as a player – by appearing for 12 different clubs in 12 weeks to support children’s charities. Ashley, from Warwick, began his whistle-stop tour of the region when playing for Alcester against Camp Hill in a game that raised £300 for Zoe’s Place,…

THINKING BIG Kirkby Lonsdale, of North Premier, have bought their Underley Park ground, covering almost 30 acres, in a deal thought to be in the region of £750,000. The plan is to transform it with the addition of stands, terracing and grass pitch, an artificial playing area, a revamped clubhouse, increased car parking and floodlights. They have a five-year scheme involving £1.6m-worth of development works to grow the club. Ben Muschamp, the club’s new full-time general manager, said: “We’ll increase our number of players and further improve facilities for our teams, the community and local schools.” NOT FORGOTTEN Sunderland, of Durham-Northumberland Two, also have big plans – to rebuild their main stand at Ashbrooke as a lasting memorial to former players, notably Jamie McLennan, John Drummond and Tommy Harrison, who’ve…