Formed 2004 ... Herts 7s U14 Runners-up 2005 ... North Herts U14 team, Herts Youth Games 2005 runners-up (coached by Letchworth)... Herts Superteams U14 Runners-up 2005 ... Herts SuperTeams "Fairplay" winners 2006 ... Rochford 10s U17 Champions 2006 ... East Midlands 10s U17 Runners-up 2007 ... East Midlands 10s U17 "Fairplay" winners 2007 ... National 10s U17 5th place and "Fairplay" winners 2007 ... Herts 7s U17 Plate runners-up 2007 ... National 7s U17 Plate winners 2007 ... RFU "President's XV" Award winners 2007 ... Herts Superteams winners 2007 ... Midlands 10s U18 Runners-up 2008 ... National 10s U18 4th place 2008 ... North Herts U11 team, Herts Youth Games 2008 runners-up (coached by Letchworth girls) ... London and SE 7s U18 Plate runners-up 2008 ... Herts 7s U18s runners-up 2008 ... National 7s U18s quarter-finalists 2008 ... Gloucester City 10s U18 Bowl runner-up (6th) 2009 ... Worthing 10s U18 Plate runner-up 2009 ... National 7s U18 Plate winners 2009... Worthing 10s U15 Plate winners 2010... Worthing 10s U18 Shield winners 2010... Herts 7s U15 and U18 Bowl runners-up 2010... National 7s U18 Plate runners-up 2010...

Sunday, July 17, 2011

News from the islands

The women's rugby world is growing, but is still not fully connected - and two of its more important "islands" of rugby had their major championships this week.

East Africa's teams - especially Uganda and Kenya - have been playing women's rugby for close to a decade now but rarely get to play anyone outside their region at sevens, and never at 15s. The Women's Rugby World Cup passes them by - it might as well not exist.

However, that does not stop them playing - and improving their game - and yesterday saw the second leg of the annual competition between these two great rivals, with Uganda (in orange) taking back the Elgon Cup with a 29-10 win over Kenya on the day, and a narrow 39-32 win overall.

Since 2006 Uganda have played 14 internationals and Kenya 12 - but they have never played anyone other than each other, or neighbours Rwanda. If the World Cup in 2014 is to be a truly worldwide competition they must be given the chance to at least enter.
A similar challenge faces this team (right) which lives in another island of rugby - in this time literally so as this is Trinidad & Tobago, winners (again) of the NAWRA Caribbean Championship - rattling up the small matter of 179 points in three games, while conceding a single try. One player - Juliana Straker - scored 79 points on her own!

Yet they too never play anyone else, with their regions World Cup places going to the USA and Canada without either having to ever compete for them on the field. Again - somehow - T&T must have a chance to qualify for Paris '14, otherwise what is the point?

1 comment:

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Total Pageviews (since June 2009)

 
Sport Blogs - Blog Catalog Blog Directory