Tuesday, January 31, 2012
New Zealand begin their Search for a Sevens team
80 hopefuls began today, who will be whittled down to 30. Then another cut a bit more before public trial game, after which they'll get the final squad. I think. When it is put like this you really do expect Graham Norton and Andrew Lloyd Webber to be involved...
In fact the guy in charge is one Sean Horan, who is a gifted coach, but could maybe learn to leave off on the patronising just a bit - "What I learnt most from the last week was that the female athletes take things on board very quickly and they are very intelligent when it comes to playing the game".
Perhaps its just reads worse than he meant...
France v England to be broadcast - live!
As reported earlier, the game - which should be the decider for the Six Nations - will be the first game ever shown live on a national French TV channel, a step forward that looked like depriving UK viewers with access to the game. But now the game will be available on Sky Sports 2 (red button) on Saturday Match 11th, kick-off 12.45 (UK time).
Three of England's five Six Nations game will now be available to watch at home. As well as the above, England v Wales at Twickenham Stadium on February 25th will be on the BBC Red Button and the BBC Sport website, and England’s final Six Nations clash against Ireland on March 17th will be streamed live through www.rfu.com/englandwomenlive.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Have your say on women's sport
To make you views known, click here.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Why I play rugby...
Thursday, January 26, 2012
How to promote a women's rugby international
Its amazing.
I wonder what the local council for Esher have planned for the England international they are staging?
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
And in local news...
No great surprise, because she is brilliant, but I think it is still worth saying as getting into the Divisional team - especially for London & South East - is always pretty impressive. And - although she now wears a different club shirt - once a Legend, always a Legend!
- And while on the subject of successful former Legends, its worth recording - for those who did not know - that apparently ex-Legend Jess Robinson is now captain of Loughborough University, even though she is only in her second year. I suspect many people may have know it already, but I didn't - and I think that its an achievement worth recording. Well done Jess!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
IRB announce World Cup qualification process
Automatic qualifiers:
1. New Zealand (holders)
2. England (2010 runners-up)
3. Australia (2010 third place)
4. France (host)
5. USA (2010 5th)
6. Canada (2010 6th)
Other qualifiers:
This is a bit of guesswork as the press release is not exactly clear in places...
7. Asian 15s champions 2013
8. African qualifier (Winner of South Africa vs. 2013 Elgon Cup winner (Kenya or Uganda))
9. Six Nations team
10. Six Nations team
These two Six Nations teams will be the best two teams from the 2012 and 2013 Six Nations combined - apart from England and France.11. Euro/Oceania qualification winner
12. Euro/Oceania qualification runner-up
The remaining two Six Nations teams will play-off in a qualifier in 2013 alongside probably other European nations and one team from Oceania. Exactly how THAT will work is not covered - but a best guess is that this will consist of two pools. Seedings will be based on the results of the 2012 European Cup Pool B. The eight teams will probably be...
The great step forward is the inclusion of Kenya and Uganda in the process - but there is still no chance for the Caribbean teams to take part in the process, or anyone from South America. Its a small step forward, but the IRB could have included everyone. In practice, compared to four years ago one more team is included...
- Six Nations team
- Six Nations team
- Spain
- Netherlands
- Russia
- Sweden
- Finland
- Pacific team (probably Samoa, but method of selection to be announced
- Europe - 2010: 12 nations took part, in 2014 11 will
- Africa - 2010: 1 nation took part, in 2014 3 will
- N America- 2010 and 2014: 2 nations
- Asia - 2010 and 2014: identical qualification process
- Oceania/Pacific - 2010 and 2014: 3 nations
- Caribbean - 2010 and 2014: 0 nations
- S & C America: - 2010 and 2014: 0 nations
Women's Six nations on TV... latest news so far (UPDATE)
England
Both of England's games will be available to watch live:
v Wales (25th February) will be shown on the BBC. Which BBC channel (or whether just on the Red Button) yet to be confirmed.
v Ireland (17th March) will be shown on RFU.com - the same system used for the New Zealand tests. See ScrumQueens for more details.
Wales
Other than the above, unknown although BBC Wales' Scrum V has shown some highlights in the past.
Scotland
Bad news is that Scottish Rugby TV - which has shown highlights of some women's internationals in the past - has now closed down. Its pretty unlikely therefore that any home Scotland games will be covered by anyone.
Ireland
Highlights of home games will be shown, probably on RTE's rugby programme "Against the Head" (not easily available in the UK without clever - and frankly illegal - fiddling with Sky boxes).
France
France v England will be shown live in France on France4 - a major advance as this will be the first time any women's international will have been shown live on a national French channel. The downside is that this means it will probably not be available in the UK. Highlights from the other French games may appear on FFR.com, and it is possible that regional TV stations may also offer some coverage which may be available on the web. Bit of a lottery though.
Italy
In all probability nothing will be available from any Italian home games.
Second Women's IRB Sevens to be announced
There does not seem to have been any official announcement - yet - but Netherlands today announced that they have been invited to take part, which implies some changes to the structure of the tournament - probably to 12 teams - which is not a problem as the women's Hong Kong Sevens normally 12 or more teams.
Netherlands also announced that they have been invited to play in the London Sevens which is "almost sorted". We also know that Canada and France are intending to be there, so another 12 or more team event is presumably planned.
When the official announcement will be made is not yet known - at a guess they want to announce both events together - but clearly the IRB are making sure that all of the teams they want are ready to go when they do the big reveal.
If it is a 12 team event then ten of the teams are fairly obvious - Canada, England, Australia, Spain, Brazil, China, USA, South Africa, France, Netherlands. Quite who the others might be is more of a guess, but logically they would be "local" teams like Japan or maybe Fiji in Hong Kong, and maybe Wales and Scotland in London?
Monday, January 23, 2012
Salam Rugby - the film trailer
Women's rugby banned in Iran
Well, it seems that internal politics with in Iran has now caught up with these brave women. This article, published in Canada over the weekend, says that all women's sport involving any form of physical contact has been banned - even skiiing (which presumably only involves contact with the ground).
The article also details what the players in Iran have had to put up with since women started playing around 2005 - not allowed to use sports grounds that men have used, coaches banned because they are male, not allowed to practice outside if there was the slightest chance that men might see them, and so on.
Friday, January 20, 2012
USA reach the semi-finals in Las Vegas
The draw for the tournament finds the USA pitted against France (5th in Europe), Canada's development team (the Maple Leafs), and Japan (who have no sevens pedigree at all).
Meanwhile, in Pool B we find Canada (world no. 1), Brazil (S American no. 1), Netherlands (Europe No. 3), and USA's development team.
Admittedly it is the USA's own tournament, so they can pick it how they like, but even so its not subtle and its actually rather hard to see how they could have come up with a "better" draw. On the other hand some big USA wins on day one should get them some good local coverage, which is in the end pretty important.
Also interesting to note that there is a real chance that Canada could play Canada in the other semi-final, being as the Maple Leafs beat France in Dubai.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
More on the "London Sevens"
RFUW certainly want it to take place, alongside the men's IRB London Sevens, as a second IRB-recognised event (after Dubai last year) - but everyone is waiting for the internal wheels at the IRB to grind their way forward (slowed as they are by the usual combination of funding and politics).
The only snag is clearly that time is running out... and teams may start to commit to alternatives (like Amsterdam) instead.
Monday, January 16, 2012
U20 Euro Championship - not this year
RFUW have confirmed that they did propose the tournament, and did offer to run it, but Wales and Scotland later withdrew. England will still play host to France for the same week, playing two internationals, but the exciting new initiative that was the "U20 Four Nations" will not take place - this year at least.
With Wales and Scotland also withdrawing from the senior European XVs championship you have to wonder again what the heck is going on. Though both nations have U20 teams I am not sure that either now have any fixtures planned for 2012, while Scotland's newly-formed A team also seems to have a pretty thin season ahead.
While cost is always an issue, surely a tournament in the UK over the Bank Holiday week could not have been a better or more cost effective means to develop the next generation of international players, especially for Wales who have no programme of matches at all outside the Six Nations.
Perhaps they want to concentrate on preparations for the Women's Sevens World Cup qualifiers, which would be reasonable if it were not for the fact that, frankly, neither stands much chance of qualifying. In the meanwhile Scotland, at least, desperately need to improve their performances at XVs otherwise they will be watching the 2014 World Cup from the sidelines.
Nothing but praise should go to RFUW in taking the initiative to propose and organise the event - a shame that the other home nations are unable to be so far sighted.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
London Women's Sevens?
At first glance some of us thought that this was a misunderstanding and that maybe they meant the Amsterdam Sevens - but that is now the following week.
All that is known is that both Canada and France are definitely intending to take part - so its not just some hyped-up club event. With the World's Number One coming it's going to be pretty serious.
Its probable that England will be there too (though you can never be sure about such things) and you'd also assume that the likes of Wales and Scotland would also want to take an opportunity to warm up before their World Cup qualifier in June (but again, who knows?). Sweden have also used UK sevens to get ready for European tournaments in the past, so their participation would not be unexpected.
But at this stage who can say. Secrecy remains. Hopefully we will all be told more some time before 12th May.
U20 Four-Nations Championship
FRANCE FEMININES -20 ANSSo there will be a week-long U20 tournament involving England, France plus (presumably) Wales and Scotland in April... somewhere in England (though very probably inside, or very near to, the M25)
11/03/2012 : France – Angleterre à Paris (A confirmer)
02-08/04/12 : Festival des 4 nations (en Angleterre)
This would be first ever women's European age-group tournament, and also the first time England have ever hosted any women's European rugby Championship (which is what, in effect, it is) of any sort.
Hopefully more information will emerge soon.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
RFUW respond on Italian ground switch
RFUW have responded to the post below, which highlighted complaints being circulated in Italy about England's demand that the upcoming Six Nations game be moved from its original venue at Udine:
"The RFUW had no problem with the game being held in Udine – the problem was actually getting flights to that area of Italy and we made this very clear to the Italian union when we requested the change of venue.
Our travel agent company worked hard to secure flights to Venice but due to the Venice Festival, which is the same weekend, it was impossible. Our travel agent has also looked at flights to Verona, Bologna, Milan, Salzburg, Zagreb with no success due to it being half term, the ski season and Saturday being a change over day. The only flights available going out to Venice was on Thursday 9 th February but we were unable to leave that early due to our players being ‘amateur’ and their work commitments. We just can’t take them out of work three days earlier than the actual test match. Our policy to minimise disruption to players working lives is generally to leave the day before a test match and depart the next day, meaning our players are only away for three days.
You’re right there is a rule about venues being no more than 50 miles from an international airport – Venice is 95 miles away – this is actually a Six Nations rule not an IRB rule, but this is not the reason we requested the change, but as I said because of the lack of availability of flights."
Monday, January 09, 2012
England demonstrate art of losing friends and alienating people
This year is is England's turn to visit Italy, and the citizens of Udine in Venice region were over the moon to be given the chance to host the game. All sorts of preparations were being put in place to welcome the English team.
Were.
Because England are not coming. You see, Udine is 90km, or about 57 miles (as the crow flies) from Venice airport. And England have pointed out an IRB rule that internationals cannot take place more than 50 miles from an airport.
If you have not heard of this rule then this will be no surprise because, as an Italian RFU spokesman put it, this is "a clause that is almost never required." However "England team was adamant and demanded the move". As a result the game will now take place at Parabiago, near Milan - about 30km from the airport.
To compensate the rugby fans of Udine, the Italian RFU will now move a men's U20 game to the ground, along with games against French or Welsh women's teams next year. Apparently they are okay to travel the extra 7 miles or so.
No doubt England's management will claim that this has saved their players being crammed in a coach for an unnecessary period. However, the total journey time to Udine down the fast, modern Autostrada would have been just over an hour. Instead they will now have to drive across the middle of Milan -journey time (if the roads are clear) at least 50 minutes. I really hope those extra 10-20 minutes saved - if any time is saved (this is Milan after all!) - are worth the upset caused.
It is sometimes said that the law is an ass, but occasionally this metaphor applies to those who insist on its application.
Friday, January 06, 2012
Okay, this one is a bit weird...
Seriously.
A new page is published every two or three days, but the action starts in the middle of a girls' rugby match. Moreover an inter-school rugby match.
The hero seems to be a wing, and how much of the story will concern rugby is anyone's guess as this seems to be a "prequel" to a series of comic novels about female wrestlers...
Anyway, for the time enjoy!
Sunday, January 01, 2012
2012 - a year of women's rugby anniversaries
Most popular posts in last 30 days
- So... Where now with the Letchworth Girls' blog?
- RFU forums are back
- World Cup Sevens preview: Pool A
- New arrangements for post-match food at home
- Letchworth GC RFC: Directions
- The status of this 'blog
- Women's rugby's ultimate all-rounder?
- Fixtures and results 2005/6
- Fixtures and results 2004/5
- Fixtures 2006/07
Most Popular Posts of all time
- World Cup Sevens preview: Pool A
- New arrangements for post-match food at home
- The best rugby photos of the year
- Herts Sevens 2012: Enter now!
- So... Where now with the Letchworth Girls' blog?
- RFU forums are back
- Familiar face in short-list for IRB "Rugby Photo of the Year"
- Matt Damon to star in new rugby movie
- Wanted: Revolving Door Engineer...
- Women's rugby.... in 1928!