Rugby Is Great

Tri Nations Rugby

2008-06-17T11:28:00.000Z

Tri Nations Rugby

Los Pumas - The Lost Rugby Nation to Tri-Nations

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Darrin_Read]Darrin Read
I have always enjoyed watching the Pumas play rugby. Their forward pack resembles the Allblacks strength, their backs flair in line with the French and their kicking game on par with England. Argentina have been regular World Cup contenders since 1987, placed third in the 2007 Rugby World Cup, and are now ranked third in the International Rugby Board (IRB) world ranking (28 April 2008). So why aren't they involved in any of the major rugby competitions (the only team in the top 10 IRB ranking not involved) - The Tri-Nations (Southern) and Six Nations (Northern)?

Union Argentina de Rugby (UAR) held its first international test in 1910 against the British Isles. When professionalism entered rugby, a vast number of Pumas players and coaches gained contracts abroad, particularly in European teams, as internal problems, lack of funding and sponsorship and initial limited IRB support resulted in the UAR domestic league or an American League having yet to become professional to this date. The URA has pushed for a spot in the Six Nations (due to the large number of Pumas players involved in European teams) and Tri Nations for a number of years without success.

Its success in the 2007 World Rugby Cup renewed IRB resolve to involve Argentina in one of the premier competitions. The IRB stated Argentina need to have a successful functioning professional league before it can be considered for inclusion in the Tri-nation competition (the preferred competition of the IRB for Argentina), however, due to TV rights in place, its will have to wait until after the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

UAR recently replaced their board in February 2008 after they voted no to professionalism in January 2008, raised questions about hosting the 2015 Rugby World Cup and have appointed Hugo Porta to the IRB board who's agenda is to bid for a place in the Tri-Nation or Six Nation competition. These steps by URA and IRB renewed focus of Argentina Rugby will hopefully result in the Pumas earning a deserved place in the Tri-Nation Competition.

I hope to see the Pumas and a Pacific Island Nation enter the Tri-Nation as soon as possible so I can see more quality international rugby in my back yard of Queensland.

Good Viewing!

By: Darrin Read

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Rugby Injuries

2008-05-19T12:59:00.000Z

Rugby Injuries

Rugby - How To Develop An Injury Prevention Program And Double Your Recovery Time

By Tu Tran
Rugby is a full contact sport. It is very different from American Gridiron because there are less stoppages and no protective gear apart from the clothes they are wearing. It is common to see more horrific rugby injuries than American Gridiron. One of the most common injuries a rugby can have are shoulder injuries such as shoulder tendinitis.

Shoulder tendinitis can occur if a rugby player perform continuous repetitive movements such as tackling a player or a traumatic injury like colliding your shoulder onto another player. The first thing you need to do when you notice you have any shoulder problem is to rest it and go see your health professional as soon as possible. One of the main symptoms you may notice if that you will have difficulties in performing daily activities of living. For example, it can be a struggle for you to put your clothes on or reaching for the cupboard above your head.

To prevent all these problems from occurring you must have an injury prevention program. An injury prevention program should consist of the following:

Teaching of correct rugby technique. It is important to know the correct the technique because it will make you more effective and you will exert less energy and force to do it.

Perform a quick three or four minute jog before the game starts.

Stretch your major muscle groups like your shoulder biceps, hamstrings and calves.

Make sure you are properly hydrated before you start the game. Drink lots of water and avoid anything that may dehydrate you like eating salty foods or drinking alcohol.

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Rugby

2008-05-12T11:52:00.000Z

Rugby

Rugby - The Most Strength-Oriented Code Of Football

by Bruce Ross
Rugby players spend considerably more playing time in physical contact and contest with opponents than players in other forms of football.

Much of this contact involves extended grappling and wrestling, but what is also characteristic of rugby is the amount of time spent attempting to drive forward under loads considerably heavier than bodyweight. Obviously this is so in the scrum and maul, but also at the tackle. Both ball-carrier and tackler may strive to drive one another backward for an extended time after engagement. American football and rugby league are also primarily collision sports, but their tackles tend to terminate much more quickly.

Recognition of the importance of physical strength has led to a tendency for rugby selectors to favour increasingly heavier players even for backline positions. A modern professional rugby team is likely to average over 100kg bodyweight, compared with less than 95kg and less than 90kg for rugby league and Australian football respectively. Increased bodyweight appears to confer no advantage in soccer.

No valid size comparison can be made with players in American football. Its use of specialist teams means that individual players are only on the field for limited periods and therefore really massive players can be employed for the more static areas of engagement.

For professional rugby, players are often chosen on the basis of their size and apparent strength but are then not really expected to work to become significantly stronger. Much strength training in rugby appears to have the aim of generating hypertrophy - increasing muscle size and thus body mass - or of maintaining strength levels rather than seriously exploring the potential for markedly increased power.

Soccer, Australian football and rugby league are continuous-flow type games, whereas rugby and, to a much greater extent, American football are characterised by frequent stoppages and thus require lower levels of aerobic fitness. But I see little evidence that rugby coaches have fully realised the potential this provides to gain a competitive edge by requiring their players, backs and forwards, to seriously train for strength.

I would suggest that, given the development of very well-drilled coordinated defensive lines, the next stage in the evolution of rugby is likely to involve a concentration on the identification of and development of heavy, very mobile players who possess very high-range explosive strength.

Bruce Ross is CEO of MyoQuip, manufacturers of variable-resistance strength machines including the rugby-specific ScrumTruk and JumpTruk, and the LegDriver and HipneeFlex
MyoQuip - strength-increasing equipment
MyoQuip Blog - strength equipment, rugby football

Submitted with Article Distributor.
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Rugby Core Skills

2008-05-05T00:16:00.000Z

Rugby Core Skills

Coaching Junior Rugby - The 7 Traits of a Champion Team

By Darrin Read
I experienced 12 years of junior rugby union in the heart of Reds territory during the 1970's and 1980's at club and school (GPS) levels. Ballimore were the halo grounds we kids dreamt of playing on at the end of the season during the finals. I was particularly blessed and had numerous runs onto the concave surface representing the Kenmore Bears Rugby Union Club, as a halfback. Because of these experiences and the dedication of my coach from Under 7 to Under 13, I decided to give something back to the game I loved and coach a junior rugby union team, modelled on how I was coached.

The first year I coached the Under 9 Wests Junior Rugby Union team. Being in control of 15+ Under 9 was an eye opener, particularly for a 24 year old who had no babysitting experience! A well planned session based on my Queensland Rugby coaching manual, "The Game Played in Heaven", which included large varieties of stretches/fitness & skill drills/games/moves..., created an exciting, informative and smooth running session for all. It was a great reward to see the players improving every week, building in confidence and skills. We had a number of losses at the start, however, we came back and beat most of the teams in the second round and found ourselves at the top of the ladder at the end of the year. With great disappointment, my 2 year of coaching the same team, Under 10's now, was cut short with work commitments. Their progress through the first part of the year was admirable. They had become a champion team.

Our Kenmore Bears, back when I was playing, were a champion team too! What qualities do a champion Rugby Union team display? Every training session and every match day my coach and I installed 7 important traits on our team:

1. Go Forward - The aim of the game is to put the ball over the try line. This can only be achieved by going forward. Through the middle is the fastest way!

2. Protect the Ball - You can't go forward and score a try without the ball, nor can the opposition! Secure that ball.

3. Support the Ball Carrier - Give the ball carrier options and don't let him get isolated!

4. Continuity - Continuous/Exciting play is a result of going forward, protecting the ball and supporting the ball carrier!

5. Fair Play - Penalties just gives the ball and territory to the opposition!

6. Versatility - Players given the opportunity to play in numerous positions create a greater scope and skills of the game.

7. Most important, Have Fun!

Good Coaching!

By Darrin Read

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darrin_Read http://EzineArticles.com/?Coaching-Junior-Rugby---The-7-Traits-of-a-Champion-Team&id=1134473

Rugby World Cup

2008-05-02T03:46:00.000Z

Rugby World Cup

Rugby World Cup Tournament - Results

Tournament Winners

2011 To be played in Auckland, New Zealand
2007 South Africa
2003 England
1999 Australia
1995 South Africa
1991 Australia
1987 New Zealand

Six Nations

2008-04-28T12:03:00.000Z

Six Nations

Six Nations Tournament - Winners

This tournament was known as the Five Nations until 2000 when Italy joined in. It has taken place every year since 1883, although the tournament took place in 1914 and the World War I meant it did not reappear until 1920. During World War II there were no games from 1940-1946. This is a list back to 1992 of the winners.

2007 Wales
2006 France
2005 Wales
2004 France
2003 England
2002 France
2001 England
2000 England
1999 Scotland
1998 France
1997 France
1996 England
1995 England
1994 Wales
1993 France
1992 England

International Rugby

2008-04-25T20:29:00.000Z

International Rugby

Rugby Internationals and the National Anthems

By David Forward
There are so many anthems and such a wide variation in styles. Some cannot help but raise passion whilst others, I would personally say, were more suited to funerals or torture.

My own national anthem is one of the worst and I always turn the sound on the television off when its playing but my two favorites are "La Marseillaise" and "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau".

Being in the crowd at an international there is only one thing guaranteed at the occasion other than for your side to win or lose, and that is, to be one minute stood alone in the crowd as an individual with your own personal thoughts, and the next few minutes to be transformed into a single entity with thousands around you as you all sing your national anthem.

The random noise of excited chatter before the match is suddenly converted into a single harmonized wall of sound, a tsunami wave on which all your emotions are riding along with all your country folk. The hairs on the back of your neck stand on end and a cold shiver runs down your whole body. For several moments your mind loses all memory of what it is to be a single human being as you become just a single cell of a huge monster. This experience I think is often more obvious at Welsh, French and Scottish games.

There is however something in a way opposite to this, a very embracing event to see and hear. It is watching Television when the away team are shown as the camera tracks down the row of team faces showing some players doing their very best to sing and others struggling with the words or not singing at all. But worse still, the TV sound feed is coming from this camera. It only lets you hear the strained voices of one player and then the next against the faint and muffled distant background sound of their fellow away supporters far across the other side of the stadium. The effect is of, hearing through a wall, some drunken individual struggling with a strange song in his bathroom next door. Not very rousing for those watching from abroad and should be an embarrassment to the home country's television company.

When your team score or the other team does, the personal levels of emotion vary all over the stadium. The combined elation seldom equals the combined sound of say the Welsh fans in the Millennium Stadium singing their National Anthem at a Final. This combined sense of belonging to a nation and the atmosphere at the event cannot be experience unless you are there and part of it. It doesn't matter if you have the worst voice in the world because the singing is so loud you cannot hear yourself but you know you are singing.

Television can show the viewer at home all that goes on and is able to show far more than most of the stadium spectators can see of the game but it cannot transmit the atmosphere, only give a weak sense of the big occasion. With good planning and use of the technology however, combined with the television sound systems of today, it could get you as near to being there as possible. But this, it so often completely fails to do.

It is the spontaneity of the crowd, their enthusiasm and their surprising knowledge of their anthem that produces the sheer volume of sound. On screen you see the wonderful sight of amazing variation in size, build, height and individual faces of the teams as the cameraman walks down the line, so as the commentator can tell you all their names as if anyone didn't know, as royals, ministers and officials are introduced to the team members.

That is all very well and not to be missed, but many a commentator will destroy the occasion by again talking when this camera move is repeated for the singing of the anthem. It is painful enough that certain team members have not learned the words in a training session or when they fail to even open their mouths and you sometimes wonder if they are in the right team.

What is needed here right now most of all during the TV coverage are microphones that point at the appropriate supporters areas in the stadium, that are fed to the edit room output for transmission to the viewers, of a totally uninterrupted singing of the National Anthem. It is as important as a winning try to complete the TV occasion, if the viewer is to feel they are being given as good as possible, the atmosphere the commentators will have been banging on about so much in their introduction.

What amazes me is, that a top world broadcasting company such as the BBC, fails continually to present successfully the best of these one off sensations. Much work is put into placing cameras at the best positions in other sporting events to capture the best of the action. Yet here with something so simple to organize they fail so miserably.

Different countries governing bodies and stadium operators organize famous opera singers to lead the anthems and sing alongs as pre-match entertainment. But these technically perfect singers cannot be matched by an untrained crowd who find it difficult to sing along to unknown verses at unusual tempo with often unexpected introductions by bands playing someone else's anthem very badly. Professional singers are all very well but when it comes to the national anthem nothing at all can match the sheer volume produced by the crowd. You only have to stand in one to understand.

So microphones from podiums, opera singers, cameras and especially commentators should all be silenced during the singing of the anthems. Only microphones directed at the appropriate nations supporters area in the crowd should be fed live to the TV viewers and this can accompany the camera panning down the team faces. Then and only then will the TV viewers at home be able to turn up their volume full blast and feel as if they are there supporting their team and country. That is the atmosphere we want.

David Forward [http://www.davidforward.co.uk]Malmesbury Memories

David's [http://www.malmesbury-memories.co.uk/rugbyindex1.html]Rugby Pages

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Leicester Tigers

2008-04-20T14:41:00.000Z

Leicester Tigers

Recreational and Sports Amenities in Leicester

By Susan Ashby
Leicester has a strong tradition of being represented at national level in our three main sports. ie Football, Rugby and Cricket, with the rugby team, Leicester Tigers, being the most consistent in their achievements.

In terms of municipal sport and recreation facilities the recently opened Braunstone Leisure Centre is undoubtedly the star attraction. Opened in 2004 it is the home of both the Braunstone & City of Leicester Swimming Clubs and, despite only having an eight lane swimming 25m pool in 2005 it hosted the British Synchronised Swimming Championship. The centre also has a four lane community swimming pool and a sports hall capable of having six Badminton courts and an auditorium for up to 400 people. There are also leisure centres at Aylestone and Spence Street. Leicester has two municipal golf courses; Humberstone Heights (off Gypsy Lane) and The Western (off Scudamore Road).

Leicester Tigers are one of the country’s leading senior Rugby Union clubs. Their Welford Road ground has been the scene of some memorable games over the years and regularly hosts matches against the ‘Barbarians’ – a team of ad hoc internationals. Formed in 1880, their name has two legends associated with it. One is that it arises from the striped shirts that they wear and the other that it has an association with a local regiment that had been serving in India. Whilst their most recent successes were at the turn of the 21st century, ie English and European champions in the season 2001-2002, they are always a force to be reckoned with in English and European rugby. The Tigers play in the English Guinness Premiership League and have many international players in the team. Leicester as a city also has many thriving junior Rugby Union clubs playing in local leagues. To select any best known names from a club like the Tigers is difficult, but from recent times 2003 Rugby Union World Cup winner and England captain Martin Johnson has to be mentioned. Rory and Tony Underwood as well as, more recently, Austin Healey, were also well loved players.

Leicester City Football Club is currently in the English Championship League, one step down from the top-flight Premier League, their nick-name is The Foxes. Founded in 1884 as Leicester Fosse, they moved to their original ground, Filbert Street, in 1891 - a year after joining the English Football Association. Their glory years were in the 1960s and early 1970s but since then they have at best only been able to yo-yo up and down from the top-flight of English football. Their last appearance in the Premiership League was in 2001, the same year that they moved to their new ground, The Walker Stadium. In 2003 with the club beset by financial problems, the club was bought out of administration by a consortium headed by the former player and club hero, Gary Lineker. Many famous footballers have played for Leicester City, two of whom were international goalkeepers for England, Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton. Gordon will, of course, always be remembered as one of the World Cup winning team of 1966. Gary Lineker, also an England international at Centre Forward, is probably the player held highest in the affections of The Foxes’ fans. Gary is now a regular presenter for BBC Sport.

Very much inside the city boundary is Leicestershire County Cricket Club, who are also known as The Foxes. They are currently in Division 2 of the ‘Liverpool Victoria’ County Championship. They are also in Division 2 of the ‘Natwest Pro40’ leagues where they play one-day limited overs matches. In the ‘Twenty20’ cup matches, which are played late afternoons and early evenings, the Foxes were the winners of the trophy in 2006 after a thrilling final match against Nottinghamshire. Leicester CC play at the Grace Road ground which was formerly known as the County Ground. Grace Road now has a capacity of 12,000 and is not on the English Cricket Board list of grounds that can host Test (international) cricket matches.

Leicester Riders are the senior basketball club in Leicester and play in the Premier League of the British Basketball League. They style themselves as the oldest basketball club in Britain being founded in 1967 and founder members of the National (British) Basketball League. Originating as the Loughborough All Stars, after some years of using Loughborough and Leicester as their home base they settled back into Leicester in 2004 and now play at their sponsor’s venue in De Montfort University.

Leicester has several athletics clubs, most notably Leicester Corinthians. For more information please refer to the link provided here. Leicester athletics like to associate themselves with the international distance runner Paula Radcliffe, who runs for Bedford & County to the south of Leicester.

If you fancy seeing if you’d like to try climbing as a sport or hobby, Leicester has the East Midlands’ largest indoor climbing centres at the Tower Climbing Centre. Here there are several climbing walls with varying degrees of difficulty, the largest of which is 15m. You’ll be welcome here whether you’re an experienced climber wanting to ‘keep your hand in’ or a novice wanting to try it out.

Article by Susan Ashby of [http://www.Leicester-singles.co.uk/Default.aspx]Leicester Singles. To read more articles like this or for [http://www.Leicester-singles.co.uk/Romance/Default.aspx]dating in Leicester visit http://www.Leicester-singles.co.uk

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Rugby Shirts

2008-04-17T11:41:00.000Z

Rugby Shirts

Cheap Rugby Shirts - 3 Reasons Your Kids Needs Them

By Thomas Baugh

Children can be a nightmare when it comes to clothes and as a parent it can seem like you're fighting an ever losing battle. Cheap rugby shirts are excellent solution to your problems and here are three reasons I think you'll agree.

For starters, rugby shirts are tough and durable which means that when you buy them, you won't have to worry about them getting pulled and ripped. You'll find that in the time a number of flimsy t-shirts come and go, the rugby shirt will still remain intact.

Secondly, you can get rugby shirts in all kinds of patterns, colours and designs. When some parents think about rugby shirts, they think about replica shirts that the teams wear. However, you can buy casual rugby shirts that just have a simple design or are just plain with one colour.

Finally, rugby shirts will keep your kids warm when the weather isn't great outside. We all know that getting our kids to put on coats and jackets when it's sub zero outside can be a nightmare. Often they just want to run around in their t-shirts which obviously isn't going to happen. At least when a child is wearing a rugby shirt you have the piece of mind knowing that even if they throw off their coat the second they leave the house, they still have a shirt that can offer some warmth. [http://www.rugbyunionshirt.com/cheap-rugby-shirts]Cheap rugby shirts for kids are everywhere and by shopping around you can get some great deals. In some stores they'll come in packs of two or three meaning you get even better value. In my opinion, every young child should have at least one in their wardrobe.

There's more information on rugby shirts at the Rugby Union Shirt site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Baugh http://EzineArticles.com/?Cheap-Rugby-Shirts---3-Reasons-Your-Kids-Needs-Them&id=1034882

Rugby Sevens

2008-04-14T10:57:00.000Z

Rugby Sevens

Success Tips From Rugby Union and Sevens Rugby - Avoid 'Gesture' Tackles

By John Watson
In the game of rugby union, fifteen players take the field to score tries for their team i.e. place the ball over the line at the far end of the field in 'enemy' territory. In American football, just crossing the line with the ball is enough.

Scoring tries is the glamorous part of rugby union and it usually involves one of the seven backs who run fast and free out on the open field in full view of any audience.

The scorer evades the tacklers and places the ball down over the try line to rapturous applause.

The eight forwards, on the other hand, do the boring, unglamorous work of getting hold of the ball from exhausting hard fought 'scrums' and 'lineouts'.

Punches are occasionally thrown and elbows are, sometimes, used in the dark recesses of the scrums. Spectators seldom know who does the hard work of winning the ball.

Occasionally, a forward with blood streaming from his head or a black eye staggers out from the scrum or line out and heads off to the blood bin for repairs.

While the scrum or line out is going on, the backs can get a breather to prepare themselves for their next flashy run up the field. The forwards, on the other hand, are continuously on the go to get the ball and to tackle the opposing backs and forwards. They are often gasping for oxygen and running on empty.

To be fair to the backs, they are also involved in defensive tackling and some, like Jonny Wilkinson, are famous for the committed way they do it. However, their tackling is usually done in full view of the spectators whilst people often don't know which forward has put in the most tackles.

The forwards are constantly on the go and have intense back breaking and often painful work to do every time there is a scrum or variation of a scrum like a maul or ruck. The words, maul or ruck, suggest quite rightly that these are not always pleasant experiences!

The backs then have the fun and glory of running free and scoring the majority of the tries. The forwards have the unrecognised, unglamorous, backbreaking and often painful work of winning the ball for the backs.

Occasionally, insult is added to injury when the backs drop or knock on that hard won ball and waste the huge effort just put in by their forwards.

The less glamorous work is usually the most important. If the ball is not won by the forwards, the backs will spend their time tackling rather than scoring tries.

You can probably guess that my role in rugby matches was that of a forward!

Much of many people's lives is spent as a 'forward'. If we want to succeed, we may well have to work for days without the fame, glory or results of the 'backs'. If we keep going, we may eventually achieve the success and recognition of the 'backs'.

There is a variation of rugby union called sevens which only involves seven players on each team playing for seven minutes in each half. There is a minute's rest at half time. This version of the game shares out the glory much more fairly since the pitch is the same size as the 15 a-side game and all seven players are highly visible and all have an excellent chance of scoring tries or at least of running with the ball.

Rugby Sevens was initially conceived by Ned Haig, a butcher from Melrose in Scotland, as a fundraising event for his local club in 1883. It is now a hugely popular game and spectator sport all over the world.

However, even though the glory is shared out more equally in sevens, there is still some less glamorous work to be done i.e. defensive tackling.

Many teams just give up when faced with the sight of a huge Fijian or New Zealander sprinting for the try line. They believe they have no chance of stopping such opponents.

The teams that believe they can stop the other side are in with a good chance of winning. In the recent London sevens tournament, France nearly beat the Fijians. Nearly beating the Fijians is a huge accolade in sevens rugby.

On Sunday, 27th May 2007, Wales also played Fiji in the Semi Finals.

Former England Coach, Joe Lydon, said that Wales had to have belief and commitment. They had to fight for every scrap and make Fiji work for absolutely everything. They had to get in their faces and frustrate them.

The Welsh showed their determination and belief early by not giving up when a big Fijian was striding majestically towards the try line. They brought him down before he could score to the surprise of everyone.

Too often in those situations, 'gesture' tackling takes place i.e. the tackler makes a despairing lunge at the try scorer and misses. Everyone then feels that the tackler has done his best. In fact he has not.

He has simply saved some of his energy for later on when it will be too late to get the necessary points back!

Again, in ordinary life, many people are tempted to make 'gestures' rather than real efforts to achieve their goals. The 'gesture' saves face but does not get the job done.

Eventually, brilliance told and Fiji scored. No matter how determined the Welsh defence, Fiji found a hole. The score was 14 - 0 at half time to Fiji

In the second half Wales ran out of steam and the Fijians, led by the great William Ryder, won quite easily. But Wales had impressed the spectators. They had done some of the difficult tackling work and had believed in their own ability. They were not making gestures and they meant business.

The London Sevens Final followed at Twickenham. It was a fascinating contest between two giants of the game. They had played 44 games against each other. Fiji had won 22 and New Zealand had won 22.

Waisale Serevi was in the Fijian squad. He is probably the greatest player ever to play in the sevens game. Serevi and the Fijians know how to stay cool in a tight spot but they can be frustrated by very determined opponents.

Neither Fiji, nor New Zealand players are 'gesture' players. Their national pride demands victory at all costs.

Afeleke Pelenise, the New Zealand top scorer, ran over the line for the first five points of the game. His head was bandaged and blood was pouring from his left temple. These were the scars of a previous battle against Samoa.

Fiji were rattled and frustrated by New Zealand. Zar Lawrence scored for New Zealand and waved his hand skyward in gratitude to God or the Universe. The score was 12 -0.

Then William Ryder scored and converted for Fiji - His amazing footwork makes him the Cristiano Ronaldo of Sevens. The score was 12 -7 to New Zealand.

In the second half Pelenise dropped the ball but Zar Lawrence scored and looked skywards again in gratitude to whatever God he serves.

The score was now 17-7 to New Zealand. 6 mins to go and 10 points the difference. Serevi the 38 year old playmaker and talisman for Fiji came on.

But Roy Kinikinilau collected the ball after a Fijian mistake and scored. New Zealand led by 24 -7

A Fijian player punched Stephen Yates who was lying on the floor. This was careless since the incident was in full view of everyone! The Fijian was sent off and New Zealander, Adam Thomson, scored from a touch line throw.

New Zealand had won the final 29 -7. Their head coach, Gordon Tietjens, smiled. The commentators remarked: "That is as animated as he gets. He might have a half pint this evening."

Gordon was told: "You made Fiji look mortal."

"We put pressure on them early," said Gordon.

He is a coach of high standards who understates and over delivers.

The New Zealanders kneeled in a circle and bowed their heads possibly in prayer and gratitude for their victory

In the 2004 New Zealand Sevens, the Kenyan team knelt in a similar manner to pray for victory against France who usually field a powerful team. Their prayers were answered and Kenya upset France by winning 28 - 21.

What success tips can we learn from fifteen a-side rugby and seven a-side rugby?

Someone has to do the boring and unglamorous work. Like that master of disguise, the Scarlet Pimpernel, and the fifteen a-side forwards you may have to make heroic efforts for some time without recognition of any kind except the knowledge in your own mind that you have done your best.

You have to believe you can bring down the best players on the other side and be willing to expend the huge effort necessary to do so. You must give up 'gesture' tackles and go for every tackle with the ferocious determination shown by England when they won the world fifteen a-side cup in 2003.

Despairing lunges must be ruled out of your repertoire. Like the mounties, you must get your man, no matter what. In other words you must not go in for gestures when faced with a huge problem. Giving up a few of your favourite foods may not be enough to help you lose weight.

You also have to believe that you can score tries against fierce opposition and be prepared to run like a Thomson's gazelle or an unstoppable rhino to do so.

Lawrence Dalaglio, captain of London Wasps rugby team, states emphatically that you have to believe you will win before a game starts. He repeated this belief at half time in the final of the Heiniken cup against Leicester in May 2007. Wasps won the match after going flat out from the start.

You may find the power of prayer to be a huge help in achieving victory. Don't forget to pray or give thanks both before, during and after playing. If you are not a believer in God, or even if you are, try believing in the power of your own imagination and visualise your success as vividly and with as many of your senses as possible.

Above all, enjoy watching rugby or any other sport and, at the same time, enjoy learning the key life skills that can transform your life. What works in sport usually works in ordinary life.

John Watson's most recent ebook takes a look at several sports and the lessons we can learn from them. These lessons, if applied, could transform your life into an extraordinary one. http://www.motivationtoday.com/how_to_win_the_game_of_life.php

Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site but please include the resource box above

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Rugby

2008-04-09T22:56:00.000Z

Rugby

Rugby Competitions

When you first take an interest in rugby it may help to know the names of some of the major rugby competitions and who they are between and a little competition terminology. You will find them here:

Bledisloe Cup – The annual competition between Australia and New Zealand. This event has been held since 1931 and is always highly contested.

Calcutta Cup – Matches involving teams from England and Scotland.

Grand Slam – A term used in a tournament, when one team beats all the others in the one season. It may also be used to describe an international team winning all major tests on a tour.

New South Wales Premiership – This is the name of the New South Wales, Australia, club competition.

Ranfurly Shield – A provincial championship competition in New Zealand. The Ranfurly Shield is a highly sought after ‘log of wood’ for the extra financial returns to the province holding the shield. The shield is usually defended on home territory.

Rugby World Cup – A competition held every four years to determine which nation has the best rugby union team in the world.

Six Nations – The annual tournament played by England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France and Italy.

Super 14 – The annual tournament involving the 14 top provincial teams of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The tournament changed from the Super 12 in 2004.

Test Match – This is a match between teams from two different countries.

Tri-Nations – The annual tournament involving Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Triple Crown – The term used in the Six Nations tournament when the team from England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales has beaten the other three teams.

Webb-Ellis Trophy – The trophy played for in the Rugby World Cup.

New Zealand Rugby

2008-04-08T23:47:00.000Z

New Zealand Rugby

New Zealand Rugby History

Charles John Monro was sent, by his father, for three years to Christ’s College in Finchley, North London. There he learned a code of football that originated from Rugby School and William Webb Ellis. He played for the Second XV. He returned to Nelson and convinced his mates to join him playing the game. On Saturday May 14th, 1870 Nelson College and Nelson Football Club played the first game of rugby in New Zealand at Nelson’s Botanical Reserve. The match was played with 18 players in each side.

Charles Monro played five first class games. He moved to Palmerston North in 1886 and would have had an influence on the formation of the Manawatu Rugby Union founded that year.

By 1888 a British team arrived in New Zealand to play 19 games. The British players became teachers to the New Zealand Native team, the colonial pupils…

Rugby League

2008-04-06T10:24:00.000Z

Rugby League

Rugby League Splits from Rugby Union

It was on 29 August 1895 that 22 clubs in the north of England decided to break away from the Rugby Union. They wanted to compensate their players with money lost by taking time off work to play Rugby Football. The Rugby Union body refused to allow them to do so. The clubs met at the George Hotel in Huddersfield. The organized what they called the Northern Football Union, which was renamed the Rugby League in 1922.

The Rugby League set about finding ways to attract people to their games. By the three year mark the game was professional and a new set of laws were formed with a reduction to 13 players.

The New South Wales Rugby League of Australia was founded on 8th August, 1907 at Bateman’s Hotel in George Street, Sydney. Rugby Union players were paid to turn professional and join the League.

There was tension between the codes until recently with the Rugby Union considering themselves to be the ‘clean and pure, amateur code’ and Rugby League looked upon as the lower professional alternative.

Rugby History

2008-04-01T08:48:00.000Z

Rugby History

Rugby History

One of the beliefs is that the origins of the game of rugby go back to a group of Roman soldiers who, after a hard day’s pillaging, relaxed by playing some sort of foot game with a substitute ball.

The first set of rules for the game of Rugby, were written at the Rugby School in the English Midlands in the early 19th Century. They gave some semblance of control to a game that was played and was both rough and violent. The set of rules were a basis for later generations to build upon.

The legend is that William Webb Ellis, a student at Rugby School in 1823 was the first person to pick up a ball in a football game and run with it, rugby style. The Ellis story was penned and published in 1880 by an old Rugbeian, an ardent follower of the faith, who left school three years prior to the Ellis event. Some people argue that this legend was created as a hoax in order to make the Rugby School rules the undisputed, official laws of the game of Rugby.

Whether the legend is true or not, the Rugby World Cup revolves around the ‘William Webb Ellis Trophy’ which is awarded to the winner of the Rugby World Cup Final after each Rugby World Cup Tournament.

One thing that is certain is that the game developed at Rugby School in the English Midlands. There is a plaque set in the school wall admitting to it.
By 1880 eager missionaries had carried the game to the four corners of the earth.

The Rugby Union was formed in 1871. The great followers wrote down 59 commandments of their grand ritual.

Rugby Union Positions

2008-03-31T10:54:00.000Z

Rugby Union Positions

Rugby Union Positions

Back row - The third line of the scrum, comprising one number 8 and two breakaways (6 & 7). These players are known as the back-rowers.
Back three - The fullback and the two wingers.
Backline - The players who wear jersey numbers 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. These players spread out in positions behind the scrum and are not involved in the lineouts. Also known as 'backs'.
Blindside flanker - This is the flanker who binds onto the scrum on the blindside or the short side.
Breakaways - The two forwards in the team who wear the jerseys number 6 and 7 at the start of the game. Replacements will have different numbers. They are also known as flankers and bind on the side of the scrum, with their prime pursuit being to win the ball at the rucks and mauls. They are also important linking men between the other forwards and the backs.
Centre/s - The player wearing the number 12 jersey is known as the 'inside centre' and the player wearing the number 13 jersey is known as the 'outside centre'. They are the heart of a team's attack. The 'inside centre' is sometimes called the 'second five eighth'. When this is the case the number 13 is known as the 'centre'.
Coach - The person in charge of a football team. The 'Boss'.

Learn Play Rugby

2008-03-26T11:44:00.000Z

Learn Play Rugby

Learn Play Rugby

Some more Rugby Playing Terms:
Conversion - When a try is scored, the team that scored the try is allowed a free shot at the goal. If successful, two points are added to their score.
Counter Attack - The attacking move in response to an opposition attack, where the ball has passes from one team to another.
Cross Kick - This is the term for a kick across the ground aimed towards the attacking team's openside winger, who plans to run through the defence and re-gather the ball.
Cut- Out Pass - A pass that deliberately misses one or more players then goes to the next player in the attacking line.
Dead - The ball is said to be 'dead' when it is out of play. This occurs when the ball has gone outside the playing area and remained there, or when the referee has blown the whistle to indicate a stoppage, or when a conversion kick is being taken.
Decoy - A player who makes out that he is about to receive the ball in an attempt to deceive the opposition's defensive line. You will hear the person referred to as a 'decoy runner'.
Defence - Used by one team to stop the other team when it is attacking.

Play Rugby

2008-03-24T12:54:00.000Z

Play Rugby

Play Rugby - Some Playing Terms

Ankle Tap - Where a defender attempts to stop an attacking player by tapping him on the ankles. The defender strikes the ball carrier on the ankle from behind, causing him to lose balance.
Bomb - A high kick, generally aimed at the opposition fullback, in that hope that under pressure he drops the ball and loses possession. Also referred to as an up-and-under.
Box Kick - A high kick aimed at the opposition winger.
Breakdown - Occurs when play has been stopped temporarily and possession (especially possession of the ball) is being contested by both teams. A tackle is the main reason for a breakdown to occur.
Charge Down - The blocking of a kick by an opposition player.
Chip Kick - A short kick, usually directed over the top of the opposition's defensive line, hoping it will be retrieved by the kicker or a team mate.
Clearing Kick - A kick aimed for the touchline, usually one is used when the team with the ball is under pressure from the opposition defence.

Rugby Teams

2008-03-21T13:17:00.000Z

Rugby Teams

Clarifying Names of Rugby Union Teams

All Blacks - The New Zealand Test Team - very good, very scary.
Barbarians - The title of a team made up of specially invited players that often plays against Test sides on tour in the northern hemisphere. The Barbarians team, also called the BaaBaas, usually includes the best players from numerous countries.
Black Ferns - The New Zealand Women's Rugby Union Team.
Blues - The Super 14 team from Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. Their full name is the Auckland Blues.
Brumbies - The Australian Capital Territories team from Canberra, Australia, known as the ACT Brumbies. They are a part of the Super 14 competition.
Bulls - The Super 14 team based in Pretoria, South Africa. Their full name is the Northern Bulls.
Cats - The Super 14 team based in Johannesburg, South Africa. They are known as the Golden Cats.
Cheetahs - The Super 14 team from South Africa. They are known as the Free State Cheetahs. They are based in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Chiefs - The Super 14 team that hails from the Waikato region on the North Island of New Zealand, their full name is the Waikato Chiefs.
Crusaders - The Super 14 team from the Canterbury region, South Island of New Zealand. They are based in Christchurch and are known as the Canterbury Crusaders.
Highlanders - The Super 14 team from the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. They are based in Dunedin and are known as the Otago Highlanders.
Hurricanes - The Super 14 team based in Wellington, New Zealand. The full title of the team is the Wellington Hurricanes.
Lions - The 'British and Irish Lions' rugby union side comprises a pick of the best players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Rugby union circles refer to these four international Rugby Unions collectively as the "Home Nations" and therefore sometimes refer to the Lions team as a "Home Nations" team.
Los Pumas is also the traditional nickname of the Argentina national rugby union team.
Pumas - are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup
tournament.
Reds - The Super 14 team whose full name is the Queensland Reds.
Sharks - The Super 14 team based in Durban, South Africa. The team used to be known as the Natal Sharks or Coastal Sharks.
Springboks - The South African Rugby Union Test Team.
Stormers - The Super 14 team based in Capr Town, South Africa. Their full name is the Western Stormers.
Wallabies - The Australian Rugby Union Test Team.
Wallaroos - The Australian Women's Rugby Union Team.
Waratahs - The New South Wales Super 14 team. Their full name is the New South Wales Waratahs.
W.Force - Western Force (referred to as Emirates Western Force for sponsorship reasons) is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super 14 competition.

Rugby Tackles

2008-03-20T12:19:00.000Z

Rugby Tackles

Rugby Tackles

Time is required to master the art of tackling. Training is needed to develop the players’ skills, both in tackling and being tackled. It will pay off in both fewer points for the opposition and fewer injuries to your team.

Tackling requires determination, courage, confidence, timing and balance. There are three types of tackles: Side-on, frontal and rear. The last two can be smother tackles.

Practising tackling can be enhanced by the use of training aids including rubber tubes and tackling bags. Practice at a slow pace to develop techniques for both the tackler and the ball-carrier. A key to effective tackling is to get in close, whenever possible. Players need to be up on their feet as soon as possible after a tackle.

Statistics reveal that lack of skill and lack of fitness account for approximately 80% of all sports injuries. A large percentage of tackling injuries are at the expense of the ball carrier, so it is extremely important to be a master at being tackled, not just at doing the tackling…

Rules Of Rugby

2008-03-18T11:10:00.000Z

Rules Of Rugby

Rules of Rugby

Here are a few of the Rules of Rugby...

10 metre law - When the team-mate of an offside player has kicked ahead, the offside player is considered to be taking part in the game if the player is in front of an imaginary line across the field which is ten metres from the opponent waiting to play the ball, or from where the ball lands. The offside player must immediately move behind the imaginary ten metre line.

Advantage rule - Referees give a team 'advantage' to try and speed up play. It occurs when one team breaks a law and the referee believes the other team can immediately take advantage of the situation. Otherwise, the referee returns to the spot where the law was originally broken.

Offside law - The law that prohibits a player who is offside from playing.

Rugby Pitch

2008-03-10T16:55:00.000Z

Rugby Pitch

Rugby Pitch - A Few Terminologies
10 metre line - The imaginary line behind which an offside player must move in order to take part in the game.
22 metre line - The line marked on the ground between the halfway line and a team's goal line or tryline.
Advantage line - When an attack heads further downfield from the spot where it first received the ball, the advantage line is deemed to be where the ball was first received.
Corner flag – The flag situated in each corner of the playing field.
Crossbar - The bar joining the two uprights of the goalposts. For a conversion or penalty goal to be successful, it must go over the crossbar.
Dead ball line - The far end lines of the field.
Field of play - The ground on which a rugby match is actually played.
Goal line - The line that has to be crossed for a team to score a try. For this reason, the goal line is often called the tryline.
Halfway line - Marks the centre of the field where the game is started and also restarted after successful tries or penalty goals.
In-goal area - The area in which tries are scored.
Touch line - The two lines situated on either side of the field. A ball is described as going 'into touch' when it crosses either of those two lines and goes out of the field of play.

Wallabies Rugby

2008-03-07T01:53:00.000Z

Wallabies Rugby

Wallabies Rugby

Some of the greatest Wallabies Rugby Players would be:

John Eales (Wallaby 1991-2001) played in the second row
Mark Ella (Wallaby1980 - 1984) played as a five-eighth
David Campese (Wallaby 1982-1996) famous for his goose-stepping, played on the wing
Ken Catchpole (Wallaby 1961-1968) played in the halfback position
Stephen Larkham (Wallaby 1996- ) plays as five-eighth or fullback
Trevor Allan (Wallaby 1946-1949) played as centre
Tim Horan (Wallaby 1989-2000) played as inside centre, he was named as the 1999 World Cup Player of the tournament
Tom Richards (Wallaby 1908-1912) played in the back row
Dick Thornett (1961-1962) a versatile player who played in the back row and also in the second row, he left to play Rugby League
Nick Farr-Jones (1984-1993) played in the halfback position

Irb

2008-03-01T08:19:00.000Z

Irb

IRB – International Rugby Board

The International Rugby Board is Rugby Union's ruling body. Players from more than 120 countries represent their country in Rugby Union tournaments. The International Rugby Board has around 96 member countries from a range of nations including Andorra, Barbados, Chile, Guam, India, Swaziland, Yugoslavia and Zimbabwe to name a few.

Then there are the serious countries where Rugby is their national sport and is almost regarded as a religion. Some of the countries that fit into this category are New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Western Samoa. You will even find locals playing rugby on the plains of Canada.

There are a group of key countries where Rugby is rated highly and these countries form a core with ardent rugby followers who are passionate about the game. We can include New Zealand, South Africa, Fiji, Wales, England, Scotland, France, Italy and Australia in this group and you will find them heavily involved in the Rugby World Cup higher rankings...

Rugby

2008-02-28T20:56:00.000Z

Rugby

Rugby

The rugby team is made up of people of all shapes and sizes, so most people will be able to find a position to suit them. A rugby player needs certain basic skills though, most importantly, coordination and the ability to run in a straight line at a reasonable speed.

When confronted by one of the huge players from the opposing team a certain amount of nerve is required and being scared witless will not help you at all. Players need to be able to catch a ball with relative ease and hold onto the ball without dropping it for several seconds.

New rugby players can find it intimidating at first learning how to tackle and be tackled, it does however become easier. When you understand the basics, you will find it less intimidating in a scrum, ruck or maul and approach these with some confidence.

Lineout’s are unique to Rugby Union and another interesting part of the game which require split second timing and strength.

One of the greatest things about playing rugby is that you can have a game anywhere; all you need is an open grassed area, some players and a ball.

The popularity of sevens is a reflection of this and both males and females play this game on many parks during the summer evenings in those countries where rugby is a favourite sport.

Rugby Hits

2008-02-27T00:16:00.001Z

Rugby Hits

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc0Ut5y-GRc

For some rugby entertainment...

Play Rugby

2008-02-22T09:11:00.000Z

Play Rugby

Rugby Play – The Ruck

A ruck is formed in rugby when players from each team make scrum formation over the ball in an attempt to gain possession by foot. The physical contact is made with the opposition and the stronger scrum formation drives over the ball on the ground until it is behind their feet.

In the ruck players do not need to take their scrum positions. Those players first to the ball form the front row. The body is kept low using strong grips. All forwards watch the ball and apply weight in the best position to clear the ball.

The best ruck is when your team are first to the ball in the greatest numbers, getting quick possession while the opposition is off balance and out of position.

In rugby, the ruck and maul are key platforms for launching an attack from second phase play. In a ruck the players are attempting to gain possession of the ball on the ground, usually by foot. In a maul the players attempt to gain possession of the ball off the ground or by hand. A ruck may become a maul or a maul may become a ruck. The essence of good rucking is the players’ body position which should be low, with the back horizontal and the feet in a pushing stance, not too wide apart and having weight on the toes.

Rugby Positions

2008-02-17T10:34:00.000Z

Rugby Positions

Rugby Positions - Half Back Play

The half-back is the vital link between the rugby team forwards and backs. The person who plays in this position must be agile, strong, and mentally alert also having the skill to deliver a variety of passes with speed, distance and accuracy. Each pass needs to be controlled and without waste movement while different situations will dictate the type of pass to be used.

An understanding and flow must exist between the No. 8, the half-back and the first five-eighth. It is essential to the development of effective attacking play. A half-back must master a variety of kicks, the ability to break and also have a sound defensive ability especially with huge forwards attacking him. (That’s where the agility comes in). Confidence is paramount in this position and mastery plus, of all skills.

When rugby teams are chosen, the first player chosen is the half-back. Agility and quickness as both a physical and mental quality is important for this position. The speed of the half-back gives the extra second for a drop goal or an advance of play by the back-line.

Capable hands are another essential. The half-back handles the ball often and awkward fingers will strangle your teams attacking efforts before they begin.

Play Rugby

2008-02-10T21:58:00.000Z

Play Rugby

Play Rugby

So you have decided that you would quite like to play rugby - now what type of Rugby do you want to play - will it be Rugby Union or Rugby League?

Well here are some of the main differences -

Rugby Union has lineouts; rugby league doesn't.

Rugby Union has unlimited tackles. In Rugby League, the attacking team has a limit of six tackles to do whatever they can with the ball. After the sixth tackle, the ball is handed over to the opposition; they then have six tackles to do whatever they like. And so it goes on.

In Rugby Union, a tackled player must let go of the ball, whereas in league, a tackled player can retain possession.

One of the other differences, one less likely to affect your choice as to which to play, is that Rugby Union has 15 players and Rugby League only has 13 players.

Super 14 Rugby

2008-01-31T12:16:00.000Z

Super 14 Rugby

SUPER 12 & SUPER 14 Finals Results

2007 Bulls (South Africa) 20 Sharks (South Africa) 19 played in Durban, South Africa

2006 Crusaders (NZ) 19 Hurricanes (NZ) 12 played in Christchurch

2005 Crusaders (NZ) 47 Hurricanes (NZ) 7 played in Christchurch

2004 ACT Brumbies (Australia) 47 Canterbury Crusaders (New Zealand) 38

2003 Auckland Blues (New Zealand) 21 Canterbury Crusaders 17

2002 Canterbury Crusaders 31 ACT Brumbies 13

2001 ACT Brumbies 36 Sharks (South Africa) 6

2000 ACT Brumbies 19 Canterbury Crusaders 20

1999 Otago Highlanders (New Zealand) 19 Canterbury Crusaders 24

1998 Auckland Blues 13 Canterbury Crusaders 20

1997 Auckland Blues 23 ACT Brumbies 7

1996 Auckland Blues 45 Natal (South Africa) 21

Crusaders

2008-01-28T11:12:00.000Z

Crusaders

Crusaders – The Crusaders Rugby Team

The Crusaders (formerly the Canterbury Crusaders) was formed in 1996 to represent the upper part of the South Island of New Zealand in the Super 12 (now Super 14) Rugby Union Tournament. Crusaders is a Christchurch, New Zealand based franchise representing the Nelson Bays, Marlborough, Buller, Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury, South Canterbury, Tasman and West Coast provincial rugby unions. Their main home ground is Jade Stadium, Christchurch.

The Crusaders have dominated the Super competition more than any other of the teams. The first year in the competition the team struggled and finished last. In 1997 the team performance improved and they finished sixth. Between 1998 and 2000 the team pulled off a hat-trick winning all three titles and each final being won away from their home ground. In 2001 the Crusaders had a break from the final and in 2002 the Crusaders achieved the perfect season, winning all 11 games in the round-robin phase of the tournament, then completing it with success in the semi-final and final. In 2003 and 2004 the Crusaders were in the final. In 2005 and 2006 the Crusaders won the title again.

It is an amazing feeling to sit in AMI Stadium and watch one of the Super competition games. The sight of the horses galloping around the field with the fitting music, creates a sheer grandeur and it certainly must help inspire this team to represent their region as well as they do...

Highlanders

2008-01-22T00:01:00.000Z

Highlanders

http://www.orfu.co.nz/index.pasp

News
Newby out for six weeks2008 Highlanders captain Craig Newby will go in for surgery today to have an operation on his foot and is likely to be on the sidelines for at least six weeks. Newby sustained a foot injury in the Air New Zealand Cup for Otago last year and since then has not fully recovered. Highlanders coach Glenn Moore said “Craig has not fully recovered from his foot injury that occurred in the Air NZ Cup and because of the unusual nature of the injury it has been quite difficult in diagnosing what is wrong with Craig’s foot”.“The surgeons are going to remove a piece of bone from Craig’s foot that has been causing most of the discomfort and pain for him”, Moore said. The rehabilitation phase of the operation is likely to take 6 weeks and Moore is hoping to have Newby available for the Highlanders first home game against the Waratahs on the 1st March. Meanwhile Highlanders loose head prop Jamie Mackintosh is making steady progress with the rehabilitation of his foot injury.Moore said, “Jamie is recovering really well from his foot injury and there is optimism in the camp that he will be available for the first competition game on Friday 15th February against the Reds”.

Welcome back to the start of the 2008 Rebel Sport Super 14 season! The team has been back after the holidays training even harder than before in preparation for the first of their preseason games in Invercargill. The preseason games are as follows:
26 January Highlanders v Chiefs Invercargill 2.30pm
1 February Internal Trial Oamaru 5.15pm
8 February Highlanders v Blues Dunedin 5.00pm

Rugby Try

2008-01-10T03:14:00.000Z

Rugby Try

The basic aim of rugby is to score a try. A try is when the team attacking puts the ball on the ground in the opposition's in-goal area. The in-goal area is the part of the field from the line that the goal posts are positioned along, widthwise across the field and back to the line behind the posts. It forms a rectangular area. The team that scores the try is awarded five points for having done so.

After a try is scored, the team that scored the try then has the opportunity to kick a conversion. The ball is placed up the field in line with the position along the try line, where the try was scored. The ball is kicked from this point between the goalposts. If successful, two points are awarded for the conversion.

A try is similar to a touchdown in American football with the major difference being that a try requires the player to touch the ball against the ground. In both forms of rugby the term touchdown refers only to the physical act of touching the ball down in the opposition's in-goal area.

Womens Rugby

2008-01-05T04:59:00.000Z

Womens Rugby

The Women's Rugby World Cup 2006 winners were the Black Ferns, the New Zealand Women's Rugby Team. The coach of the Black Ferns is Jed Rowlands. Jed is the assistant-principal at New Plymouth Boys' High School, Taranaki, New Zealand.

Farah Palmer is the captain of the Black Ferns; she has been the captain since 1997. This is the third consecutive Women's Rugby World Cup the Black Ferns have won and the third time with Palmer, who plays in the hooker position, as the captain.

The Black Ferns, from New Zealand, went through the tournament undefeated. They beat Canada 66-7, Samoa 50-0, Scotland 21-0, France 40-10 and England 25-17 in the final held in Edmonton, Canada.

The key to the Black Ferns' win was their defence, discipline, fitness and their ability to make their scoring chances count...

Funny Rugby

2008-01-01T18:34:00.000Z

Funny Rugby

The Boot

Over the years there have been many funny instances around the game of rugby. This one certainly would have been a lesson for Don Clarke…New Zealand went on tour to South Africa in 1960 when Don Clarke was the fullback. When Don arrived at the ground he discovered that something very important was missing from his bag – his boots! He did not have enough time before kick-off to return to the team’s hotel so officials rushed into the dressing room to find a spare pair.
Kel Tremain always carried a second pair of boots in his bag and it was decided that Don Clarke would wear these for the game. The pair of boots were an older pair, worn and had most certainly seen better days, but they were boots!

Clarke ran onto the field wearing Tremain’s boots and within a few minutes New Zealand was awarded a penalty goal. As Clarke kicked the ball, there was a loud ‘ka-boom’ sound as the boot exploded on impact with the ball. Bits of leather flew in all directions. One thing though – Clarke never forgot his boots again…

The Dog

Matches have been interrupted by stray dogs running onto the field although I have only heard of one dog being used to score a try. The game was Portsmouth Victoria versus Southampton Trojans during the 1890’s, a ball was kicked into the Trojans in-goal area and then rebounded off a dog. One of the Portsmouth players gathered the ball and claimed a try. Although the Trojans protested, the try was allowed. The Rugby Football Union ruled that the decision was correct, because dogs were not classified as spectators. If the ball had bounced off a spectator, it would not have been allowed.

New Zealand Rugby Union

2007-12-23T12:01:00.000Z

New Zealand Rugby Union

McBeth: Deans fiasco handled well

Dec 21, 2007 By John McBeth
The New Zealand Rugby Union has surprised me in its reaction to the appointment of Robbie Deans as coach of the Wallabies, and the surprise has been very pleasant.

In my most recent column I expressed an unwavering belief that Deans would have "absolutely no chance of performing his current role" once he took over the reins of the top Australian rugby coaching job.

I was wrong.

The next day, the now retired CEO Chris Moller emerged to say that Deans would be continuing with the Crusaders' team for 2008. This was met with delight from the Crusaders region and surprise from most other quarters, including probably Deans himself.

Clearly this is a decision made on trust and integrity, and suggests that Graham Henry is quite relaxed about the Wallaby coach residing in New Zealand and having control over some of the top All Blacks for the early part of 2008.

I also suggested last week that the NZRU would not allow Deans out of his New Zealand contract without a fight. That seems to be far from the case.

Although there are "protocols to be agreed and contractual terms to be resolved" it does appear the NZRU has been very mature in its handling of this issue. Hopefully the protocols and contracts will be sorted out without any undue delay or problems.

What was just as pleasing was that Moller paid public tribute to Deans, admitting they were "disappointed to be losing a coach of Robbie's calibre".

So it seems everything is now rosy, calm and settled and Deans can move across to Sydney with no distractions.

But one intriguing side effect of New Zealand's most successful Super coach switching allegiances, is the amount of publicity he and the Wallabies will now receive here.

Already in the week since Deans' appointment we have seen Deans himself, current Wallaby players and Australian critics featuring far more prominently than any New Zealand rugby newsmakers.

It is not likely to change much either, especially when the Super 14 begins and the first All Black/Wallaby test approaches.

So the NZRU will need to be even more vigilant and smart in their handling of the news.
This might be quite an early test for the new CEO, Steve Tew.
Source: ONE Sport

Australian Wallabies

2007-12-15T00:39:00.000Z

Australian Wallabies

Yes, it has happened. For the first time ever a New Zealander, Robbie Deans, has been appointed as the head coach for the Australian Rugby Union team. Wow!!

And, of course he is from Canterbury....

Well done Robbie - we are proud of you!

There is mixed emotion in the rugby camp here in New Zealand. Many people that I have spoken to and heard speaking are really pleased for Robbie and believe that the New Zealand Rugby Union made a big mistake reappointing Graham Henry and his team. Of course there is also a support crew for Henry - The New Zealand Rugby Union voted 7 to 1 to retain him as the coach for the All Blacks.

Last night I watched an interview from the Australians and they believe Deans to be THE BEST coach and are very happy to have him. This will certainly make for an interesting Bledisloe Cup over the next few years. Deans contract is for four years - so it will be interesting to see who wins the next Rugby World Cup in Auckland, New Zealand scheduled for 2011...

I have even spoken to some Canterbury rugby supporters who may just start cheering for the Aussies!

Robbie will continue as coach of the Canterbury Crusaders for this season...

International Rugby

2007-12-13T04:17:00.000Z

International Rugby: " Australian Rugby Australian Rugby Union Canterbury Rugby"

The big news at the moment on the New Zealand and Australia rugby scene is the annoucement as to who will be chosen as the new coach for the Australian Rugby Team.

The hot favourite is Robbie Deans the coach of the Canterbury Crusaders. Robbie recently missed out on the coaching position for the All Blacks, the New Zealand rugby team. A decision was made to stick with the existing coach Graham Henry despite the team not making it to the final of the World Rugby Cup.

It is possible that Deans may continue coaching the Crusaders and take on the Wallabies, the Australian Rugby Union team as well...

Rugby Pitch

2007-12-08T12:29:00.000Z

Rugby Pitch

Rugby is played on a grass paddock or field, sometimes clay or sand is allowed, as long as they are not dangerous. It is prohibited to play rugby on a hard surface like cement or asphalt due to the danger. The area where the rugby game is played is usually referred to by one of the terminologies; the pitch, the field of play, the battlefield or the rugby field.

The in-goal areas are the pieces at each end of the playing area. The must be 70 metres in width and between 10 and 22 metres in depth. The area of the field of play measures no more than 100 metres long, by no more than 70 metres wide. The playing area includes both the in-goal area and the field of play area. This playing area is defined by posts with flags at the top. The posts are 1.2 metres in height.

The playing area has divisions by lines along the field.

The halfway line is the centre line on the field of play. This is the line where the game is started from and restarted after penalty goals or the conversion attempts on a try having been scored.

The 10 metre line is marked on the field either side of the halfway line. At a kickoff the ball must cross the 10 metre line in the direction of the opposing team. If it doesn’t the opposing team may choose between a scrum in the middle of the field, with them getting a put-in to the scrum or asking the team to kick again.

There are 22 metre lines; each is 22 metres out from the try line at each end of the field. When a conversion is attempted, the conversion attempt is made close to the applicable 22 metre line.

The tryline is the line at each end of the field of play which a player must cross to score a try.

The dead ball line is the line beyond the in-goal area at each end of the field. Once the ball goes over this line, it is out of play.

The sideline and the touch line are the same. These are the two lines marked along the sides of the field of play. When the ball goes across the sideline, it goes out of the field of play. This is referred to as ‘going into touch’.

The goalposts are the target for penalty kicks, conversions of a try and any drop goals in the game. There are goalposts at each end of the field positioned along the tryline. The posts must be 5.6 metres apart with a crossbar; the transverse bar between the posts is to be 3 metres from the ground. The goal posts must be a minimum of 3.4 metres each. The goalposts are padded to avoid serious injury if players crash into them.

Daniel Carter

2007-12-02T20:05:00.000Z

Daniel Carter

All Black rugby star Daniel Carter has set up a designer fashion store in Christchurch central city, New Zealand. While Dan may be performing well on the rugby field he is also making strides in business.

Dan Carter is well known for his modelling of Jockey underpants and there have recently been many comments about how the ladies are disappointed that his recent modelling has been only of the Jockey singlet. Well now Dan is progressing along the fashion field by going into partnership with Rhys Brooking, a former team-mate and Mr Brooking's fiancée.

Mr Brooking and his fiancée have been wholesaling the 'Gas' brand for around two and a half years in Australia and New Zealand. They were looking for a retail store. Dan was looking for something in the fashion area. Brooking is stated as saying that they needed a face for the brand, so the match came together. The three of them have been sourcing stock for the new store for eight months taking regular flights to Melbourne. The shop will open in central Christchurch early in December...

Rugby Rules

2007-11-28T03:42:00.000Z

Rugby Rules

Referee’s Signalling

Try – The referee stands on the tryline and faces the team that scored. He raises his arm vertically and blows his whistle.

Penalty Kick – The referee faces the sideline and with his arm straight and angled upwards, points towards the non-offending team. The non-offending team has the option of a penalty kick or a scrum.

Scrum Feed – The referee faces the sideline and, with his arm horizontal and at waist height, points towards the team that gets the scrum feed, that is, the team to put the ball into the scrum.

Advantage – To indicate that a team has advantage, the referee stretches out his arm at waist height, pointing it towards the non-offending team for a period of approximately 5 seconds. The advantage is used to keep the game flowing. Rather than stop play to award a penalty, the referee has decided to give the non-offending team the advantage of continuing on with the ball, or continue their attacking move.

Forward Pass – The referee makes an exaggerated hand gesture as if he has just made an imaginary pass which has gone well forward.

Slow Release – When the referee considers a player has not released the ball immediately at the tackle, he makes a signal with both hands to his chest, as if he is holding an imaginary ball.

Knock on – The referee stretches out his arm above his head with a bent elbow and moves his open hand backwards and forwards.

Funny Rugby

2007-11-19T04:05:00.000Z

Funny Rugby

Unusual Tries

Here are a few unusual stories about rugby tries:

The Enthusiastic Try – In the late 1950s, George Nepia, recognised as probably New Zealand’s greatest fullback, was well into retirement although he continued to play in social matches. In one of these games, the ball hit him perfectly in the chest. Noticing a gap straight in front of him, he sprinted for the line and grounded the ball right under the posts. There was only one problem – he was the referee.

The Fastest Try in Test History – This was scored by Scotland’s New Zealand import, John Leslie. With only 9 seconds on the clock, Leslie scored a try in the test against Wales at Murrayfield in 1999.

The Held-up Try – This try was scored during a game in Builth Wells, in Wales during the early 1900’s. The visiting fullback kicked the ball into some tree branches that were overhanging the pitch. Surprise, surprise – the ball got stuck in the branches. While officials went off to find another ball and the players had a rest on the field, the ball suddenly fell from the tree. A quick thinking player grabbed the ball and scored under the posts. The opposition naturally complained but the referee awarded the try because, under local rules, the ball had not gone out of play…

The Joint Test Try – This was the only jointly awarded test try being scored by Welsh players Howie Jones and Harry Peacock. The try was scored in a test match against Ireland in 1930. The referee was unable to sort out which player grounded the ball, so the only joint try in an international game was awarded.

Rugby Heaven

2007-11-13T08:16:00.000Z

Rugby Heaven

The serious rugby enthusiast is sure that the sport played in heaven is rugby! Rugby Union is a game of passion and creates strong emotions that you will see surface among crowds during and after a game. All serious rugby enthusiasts will be up to watch their favourite rugby team play, and make sure the players are performing. And Rugby League supporters are a bit similar. They are also a passionate bunch with strong emotions, a different style of game although similar in lots of ways.

After any rugby game you will find supporters at the local bars dissecting the game and explaining what the players ‘should’ have done. In Rugby Union when you look at it, you have 15 players in each team racing up and down a paddock after an oval piece of leather. The test is to get the ball down the opposite end of the field and over the line. The team who can do it the most wins! Simple? No, not so simple…

This is where the game gets technical. Although I have been attending rugby games since I was first able to walk, I would not dare to talk technically about the game! Most Rugby Union buffs are quite serious about the game. Rugby enthusiasts are among the most passionate, most one-eyed people and when they start talking about Rugby others soon get bored or tired of the subject. The serious Rugby buff will talk for hours and hours about one game. For many of them it becomes their life and things revolve around Rugby. So naturally they take it that Rugby will be played in heaven…

Rugby Heaven is also the leading Australian Rugby web site.

Rugby League

2007-09-08T09:03:00.000Z

Rugby League

The NRL match 7 Sept 2007 between Warriors and Paramatta Eels played at Mount Smart stadium in Auckland, New Zealand was a fantastic game. If you are that way inclined you may have had no fingernails left! At half-time the game was locked at 0 - 0 with a full time score to Paramatta of 12 -10. The game showed many handling errors no doubt from the pressure of the game. The game showed some amazing defense from both teams. They both held off the opposition at different times for six sets of six showing strong defense... Generally a brilliant, exciting game!

Rugby League Splits from Rugby Union

It was on 29 August 1895 that 22 clubs in the north of England decided to break away from the Rugby Union. They wanted to compensate their players with money lost by taking time off work to play Rugby Football. The Rugby Union body refused to allow them to do so. The clubs met at the George Hotel in Huddersfield. The organized what they called the Northern Football Union, which was renamed the Rugby League in 1922.

The Rugby League set about finding ways to attract people to their games. By the three year mark the game was professional and a new set of laws were formed with a reduction to 13 players.

The New South Wales Rugby League of Australia was founded on 8th August, 1907 at Bateman’s Hotel in George Street, Sydney. Rugby Union players were paid to turn professional and join the League.

There was tension between the codes until recently with the Rugby Union considering themselves to be the ‘clean and pure, amateur code’ and Rugby League looked upon as the lower professional alternative.

History Of Rugby

2007-08-08T23:02:00.000Z

History Of Rugby

New Zealand Rugby History

Charles John Monro was sent, by his father, for three years to Christ’s College in Finchley, North London. There he learned a code of football that originated from Rugby School and William Webb Ellis. He played for the Second XV. He returned to Nelson and convinced his mates to join him playing the game. On Saturday May 14th, 1870 Nelson College and Nelson Football Club played the first game of rugby in New Zealand at Nelson’s Botanical Reserve. The match was played with 18 players in each side.

Charles Monro played five first class games. He moved to Palmerston North in 1886 and would have had an influence on the formation of the Manawatu Rugby Union founded that year.

By 1888 a British team arrived in New Zealand to play 19 games. The British players became teachers to the New Zealand Native team, the colonial pupils…

New Zealand Rugby

2007-08-07T05:50:00.000Z

New Zealand Rugby

Rugby: NZRU hit back over French drugs claims
2:50PM Tuesday August 07, 2007
The New Zealand Rugby Union is firmly committed to banning prohibited substances from the sport, deputy chief executive Steve Tew said today.
French coach Bernard Laporte has questioned whether New Zealand and English rugby has as stringent an anti-drugs policy as in France.
"We find it disappointing," Tew said of Laporte's comments, made to a French newspaper.
"It doesn't reflect a very good understanding of the commitment that New Zealand in general, and rugby in particular, has made to a drug-free environment in this country."
Tew said New Zealand had led the way in ensuring there was a level playing field in a range of sports through drug-testing.
He noted that the director-general of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) was New Zealander David Howman, formerly chairman of Drug Free Sport NZ.
Drug Free Sport, a Crown entity, does the testing of rugby players in New Zealand.
"They are contracted by us and also the International Rugby Board to run totally independent and random drug-testing, both in and out of competition," Tew said.
“By out of competition, we mean players can be visited anywhere and at any time and asked to give a urine sample, and that happens.”
He said professional opinion was that the testing did not need to extend to blood samples, as blood doping related mainly to endurance sports, like cycling.
"It's something that will be constantly reviewed, but we don't think at this stage that it's necessary."
Tew was mystified by a suggestion by Laporte that southern hemisphere players were more exposed to doping because there was more elite rugby played here.
"We're not sure where Mr Laporte is coming from in terms of his analysis of elite," Tew said.
"The money that has been offered to our players to play in France would suggest that it's pretty elite up there."
Laporte, whose French side face England at Twickenham on Saturday in the first of two tests, raised his doubts in an interview with the Journal du Dimanche.
"There is regular medical monitoring in France," he said.
"The player cannot dope himself. Well he can, but he will be caught. But what is happening in New Zealand or England? You cannot be sure of anything."
Laporte, who is set to become France's sports minister after his country hosts the World Cup, which begins next month, said the only certainty was testing at international matches.
"But they are only on urine and you have to go further than that," he said.
"The more elite rugby there is, as in the Southern Hemisphere, the more people are exposed to doping."
England's Rugby Football Union reiterated that it condemned the use or distribution of banned substances or methods as prohibited by Wada.
It also said it operated a robust programme of testing in an out of competition and it was the only rugby union to have its own full-time anti-doping officer.
- NZPA

Rugby History

2007-08-06T01:46:00.000Z

Rugby History

One of the beliefs is that the origins of the game of rugby go back to a group of Roman soldiers who, after a hard day’s pillaging, relaxed by playing some sort of foot game with a substitute ball.

The first set of rules for the game of Rugby, were written at the Rugby School in the English Midlands in the early 19th Century. They gave some semblance of control to a game that was played and was both rough and violent. The set of rules were a basis for later generations to build upon.

The legend is that William Webb Ellis, a student at Rugby School in 1823 was the first person to pick up a ball in a football game and run with it, rugby style. The Ellis story was penned and published in 1880 by an old Rugbeian, an ardent follower of the faith, who left school three years prior to the Ellis event. Some people argue that this legend was created as a hoax in order to make the Rugby School rules the undisputed, official laws of the game of Rugby.

Whether the legend is true or not, the Rugby World Cup revolves around the ‘William Webb Ellis Trophy’ which is awarded to the winner of the Rugby World Cup Final after each Rugby World Cup Tournament.

One thing that is certain is that the game developed at Rugby School in the English Midlands. There is a plaque set in the school wall admitting to it.
By 1880 eager missionaries had carried the game to the four corners of the earth.

The Rugby Union was formed in 1871. The great followers wrote down 59 commandments of their grand ritual.

Rugby Union Positions

2007-08-03T21:21:00.000Z

Rugby Union Positions

Rugby Union Positions

Back row - The third line of the scrum, comprising one number 8 and two breakaways (6 & 7). These players are known as the back-rowers.
Back three - The fullback and the two wingers.
Backline - The players who wear jersey numbers 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. These players spread out in positions behind the scrum and are not involved in the lineouts. Also known as 'backs'.
Blindside flanker - This is the flanker who binds onto the scrum on the blindside or the short side. Breakaways - The two forwards in the team who wear the jerseys number 6 and 7 at the start of the game. Replacements will have different numbers. They are also known as flankers and bind on the side of the scrum, with their prime pursuit being to win the ball at the rucks and mauls. They are also important linking men between the other forwards and the backs.
Centre/s - The player wearing the number 12 jersey is known as the 'inside centre' and the player wearing the number 13 jersey is known as the 'outside centre'. They are the heart of a team's attack. The 'inside centre' is sometimes called the 'second five eighth'. When this is the case the number 13 is known as the 'centre'. Coach - The person in charge of a football team. The 'Boss'.

Learn Play Rugby

2007-08-02T02:25:00.000Z

Learn Play Rugby

Learn Play Rugby

Some more Rugby Playing Terms:

Conversion - When a try is scored, the team that scored the try is allowed a free shot at the goal. If successful, two points are added to their score.
Counter Attack - The attacking move in response to an opposition attack, where the ball has passes from one team to another.
Cross Kick - This is the term for a kick across the ground aimed towards the attacking team's openside winger, who plans to run through the defence and re-gather the ball.
Cut- Out Pass - A pass that deliberately misses one or more players then goes to the next player in the attacking line.
Dead - The ball is said to be 'dead' when it is out of play. This occurs when the ball has gone outside the playing area and remained there, or when the referee has blown the whistle to indicate a stoppage, or when a conversion kick is being taken.
Decoy - A player who makes out that he is about to receive the ball in an attempt to deceive the opposition's defensive line. You will hear the person referred to as a 'decoy runner'.
Defence - Used by one team to stop the other team when it is attacking.

Play Rugby

2007-07-29T08:14:00.000Z

Play Rugby

Play Rugby - Some Playing Terms

Ankle Tap - Where a defender attempts to stop an attacking player by tapping him on the ankles. The defender strikes the ball carrier on the ankle from behind, causing him to lose balance.
Bomb - A high kick, generally aimed at the opposition fullback, in that hope that under pressure he drops the ball and loses possession. Also referred to as an up-and-under.
Box Kick - A high kick aimed at the opposition winger.
Breakdown - Occurs when play has been stopped temporarily and possession (especially possession of the ball) is being contested by both teams. A tackle is the main reason for a breakdown to occur.
Charge Down - The blocking of a kick by an opposition player.
Chip Kick - A short kick, usually directed over the top of the opposition's defensive line, hoping it will be retrieved by the kicker or a team mate.
Clearing Kick - A kick aimed for the touchline, usually one is used when the team with the ball is under pressure from the opposition defence.

Rugby Training

2007-07-28T04:31:00.000Z

Rugby Training

The Benefits of Explosive Strength Training for Rugby Football

by Bruce Ross
Unlike other forms of football, rugby can be usefully viewed as a succession of prolonged physical engagements, either between individual players or between groups of players. Each of these engagements demands the exercise of substantial physical strength. While basic strength training should form the foundation for such engagements, there should also be a focus on developing explosive strength appropriate to the particular activity.

During the extended periods when players are physically contesting with their opposing counterparts they are continually subjected to loading substantially greater than their own body weight. And, because that added resistance is live, there is often the problem of overcoming not only inertia but also counter force triggered by an initiating movement.

In modern rugby considerable attention is given to fitness and aerobic conditioning as well as basic weight training, but there is very limited focus on the development of activity-specific explosive strength. This is despite the fact that an ability to very rapidly generate force can yield a competitive advantage in each of the areas of physical engagement in rugby:
Scrum and maul In the scrum or maul situation it is very difficult to shunt the opposing pack backward unless there is synchronised explosive activity. If a pack begins to move forward slowly or if just one or a couple of players attempt to initiate a shove, they are unlikely to be able to overcome the inertia of the opposing pack's body mass. In addition, the attempted drive forward will almost certainly trigger an almost immediate counter-shove. On the other hand if a pack suddenly and explosively begins to drive forward as a synchronised, coordinated unit, they are likely to be able to generate momentum and place their opponents on the back foot.

The key elements are that each of the forwards possess basic strength and a capacity to rapidly generate force. However, it is essential that their movements be synchronized. If any of these elements of strength, explosiveness and synchronicity are lacking the attempt is likely to prove futile or even counterproductive.

Tackle In a tackle situation there is great advantage in forcing the opponent, whether ball-carrier or tackler, back from the line of engagement. In order to do this effectively, the action has to be both powerful and virtually instantaneous.

In addition, ball-carriers with explosive leg drive are often able to brush past attempted tackles, while tacklers with similar attributes can forcefully secure the ball-carrier and take him to ground.
Ruck At the breakdown of play following a tackle the ability to push back or "clean out" opposing players from the ruck offers opportunities to win the contest for the ball or at least put the opposing team in a disadvantageous situation. The only effective way to win the breakdown contest is to apply very considerable force in an explosive manner.

Lineout The outcome of the lineout contest is largely dependent on how high the jumper can ascend, but also on how rapidly he can reach that point. This requires not only a very good vertical leap by the jumper, but also the ability of his support players to forcefully elevate him. Both jumping and lifting require specific forms of explosive strength.

When forward packs are evenly matched in strength and technique, and defensive techniques are well-coordinated, a game of rugby can often become a war of attrition, with teams attempting to wear one another down over the course of the game. It is very difficult to maintain concentration and alertness throughout an 80-minute game, and a capacity for explosive action allows the exploitation of fatigue and inattention. It provides surprise and unpredictability, while limiting the possibility of appropriate reaction.

Strength training for rugby should always be grounded on a solid foundation of basic strength; but coaches who are seeking to gain a sustainable competitive edge would do well to incorporate a comprehensive program of activity-specific training for explosive strength.

Bruce Ross is CEO of MyoQuip, manufacturers of variable-resistance strength machines including the rugby-specific ScrumTruk and JumpTruk, and the LegDriver and HipneeFlexMyoQuip - strength-increasing equipment MyoQuip Blog - strength equipment, rugby football

Submitted with Article Distributor.
Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com

Rugby Union

2007-07-27T04:25:00.000Z

Rugby Union

Clarifying Names of Rugby Union Teams

All Blacks - The New Zealand Test Team - very good, very scary.
Barbarians - The title of a team made up of specially invited players that often plays against Test sides on tour in the northern hemisphere. The Barbarians team, also called the BaaBaas, usually includes the best players from numerous countries.
Black Ferns - The New Zealand Women's Rugby Union Team.
Blues - The Super 14 team from Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. Their full name is the Auckland Blues.
Brumbies - The Australian Capital Territories team from Canberra, Australia, known as the ACT Brumbies. They are a part of the Super 14 competition.
Bulls - The Super 14 team based in Pretoria, South Africa. Their full name is the Northern Bulls.
Cats - The Super 14 team based in Johannesburg, South Africa. They are known as the Golden Cats. Cheetahs - The Super 14 team from South Africa. They are known as the Free State Cheetahs. They are based in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Chiefs - The Super 14 team that hails from the Waikato region on the North Island of New Zealand, their full name is the Waikato Chiefs.
Crusaders - The Super 14 team from the Canterbury region, South Island of New Zealand. They are based in Christchurch and are known as the Canterbury Crusaders.
Highlanders - The Super 14 team from the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. They are based in Dunedin and are known as the Otago Highlanders.
Hurricanes - The Super 14 team based in Wellington, New Zealand. The full title of the team is the Wellington Hurricanes.
Lions - The 'British and Irish Lions' rugby union side comprises a pick of the best players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Rugby union circles refer to these four international Rugby Unions collectively as the "Home Nations" and therefore sometimes refer to the Lions team as a "Home Nations" team.
Los Pumas is also the traditional nickname of the Argentina national rugby union team.
Pumas - are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. Reds - The Super 14 team whose full name is the Queensland Reds.
Sharks - The Super 14 team based in Durban, South Africa. The team used to be known as the Natal Sharks or Coastal Sharks.
Springboks - The South African Rugby Union Test Team. Stormers - The Super 14 team based in Capr Town, South Africa. Their full name is the Western Stormers.
Wallabies - The Australian Rugby Union Test Team.
Wallaroos - The Australian Women's Rugby Union Team.
Waratahs - The New South Wales Super 14 team. Their full name is the New South Wales Waratahs. W.Force - Western Force (referred to as Emirates Western Force for sponsorship reasons) is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super 14 competition.

Rugby Tackles

2007-07-24T04:02:00.000Z

Rugby Tackles

Time is required to master the art of tackling. Training is needed to develop the players’ skills, both in tackling and being tackled. It will pay off in both fewer points for the opposition and fewer injuries to your team.

Tackling requires determination, courage, confidence, timing and balance. There are three types of tackles: Side-on, frontal and rear. The last two can be smother tackles.

Practising tackling can be enhanced by the use of training aids including rubber tubes and tackling bags. Practice at a slow pace to develop techniques for both the tackler and the ball-carrier. A key to effective tackling is to get in close, whenever possible. Players need to be up on their feet as soon as possible after a tackle.

Statistics reveal that lack of skill and lack of fitness account for approximately 80% of all sports injuries. A large percentage of tackling injuries are at the expense of the ball carrier, so it is extremely important to be a master at being tackled, not just at doing the tackling…

Rules Of Rugby

2007-07-22T08:51:00.000Z

Rules Of Rugby

Rules of Rugby

Here are a few of the Rules of Rugby...

10 metre law - When the team-mate of an offside player has kicked ahead, the offside player is considered to be taking part in the game if the player is in front of an imaginary line across the field which is ten metres from the opponent waiting to play the ball, or from where the ball lands. The offside player must immediately move behind the imaginary ten metre line.

Advantage rule - Referees give a team 'advantage' to try and speed up play. It occurs when one team breaks a law and the referee believes the other team can immediately take advantage of the situation. Otherwise, the referee returns to the spot where the law was originally broken.

Offside law - The law that prohibits a player who is offside from playing.

Rugby Pitch

2007-07-18T04:32:00.000Z

Rugby Pitch

Rugby Pitch - A Few Terminologies

10 metre line - The imaginary line behind which an offside player must move in order to take part in the game.
22 metre line - The line marked on the ground between the halfway line and a team's goal line or tryline.
Advantage line - When an attack heads further downfield from the spot where it first received the ball, the advantage line is deemed to be where the ball was first received.
Corner flag – The flag situated in each corner of the playing field.
Crossbar - The bar joining the two uprights of the goalposts. For a conversion or penalty goal to be successful, it must go over the crossbar.
Dead ball line - The far end lines of the field.
Field of play - The ground on which a rugby match is actually played.
Goal line - The line that has to be crossed for a team to score a try. For this reason, the goal line is often called the tryline.
Halfway line - Marks the centre of the field where the game is started and also restarted after successful tries or penalty goals.
In-goal area - The area in which tries are scored.
Touch line - The two lines situated on either side of the field. A ball is described as going 'into touch' when it crosses either of those two lines and goes out of the field of play.

Tri Nations Rugby

2007-07-14T07:10:00.000Z

Tri Nations Rugby

Big rugby? No, it's just a warm-up

July 13, 2007 Edition 1
Michael Vlismas and Andy Colquhoun
The Rugby World Cup's dominance of the international calendar has ensured that tomorrow's Test between the Springboks and All Blacks is no more than a warm-up match.
"Both nations have put huge premiums on the Rugby World Cup," said Springbok coach Jake White. "One can look at this test match in isolation and maybe feel aggrieved, but if the World Cup final is South Africa versus New Zealand, no one is going to be worried about what happens in Christchurch tomorrow."
Still, no rugby challenge is harder than facing the All Blacks in Christchurch, where the temperature dips to -8°C and it rains most of the time.
top.

Christchurch boasts about 12 000 Springbok fans. As one told White: "You may have brought the B team here, but you'll have the A team of supporters behind you."
Kick-off is at 9.30am SA time.

Sa Rugby

2007-07-13T05:16:00.000Z

Sa Rugby

Jake White has listed 10 reasons why the Springboks will never fear taking on the World Cup favourites, writes Peter Bills
Why All Blacks aren't invincible

July 13, 2007 Edition 1
1 Because this is rugby union and strange things can and do happen. No team is invincible. The All Blacks have a huge aura about them but, if you look past the aura, you can beat them. We have proved that in each of the last three years when we have beaten them in the Tri-Nations each season. I'm not saying it is easy to beat them, but it can be done.
2 You can't tell me New Zealand will be full of confidence after losing to Australia in Melbourne. They have admitted themselves that was a real wake-up call for them, especially after they had dominated the Wallabies in the first half.
3 The pressure is really on them in this game. They're playing at home, and they've got a great record here. They know they must deliver this time. Imagine what would happen if this Springbok team beat the All Blacks. It would be a national disaster in New Zealand. But that kind of thing can happen; it is what makes rugby such a good game.
4They're not invincible if referees referee what they see in front of them, not what they have made up their minds about in the days leading up to a Test match in which the All Blacks are playing. The trouble is, they often turn up with a 10-point start because too many referees come to one of their games thinking the All Blacks can't lose, especially here in New Zealand.
5 I have huge respect for New Zealand because what they have achieved is phenomenal. But they are still human beings, they're not super men with a few extra arms and legs. If you preach that message to your players, you give your players a fair chance.
6 The haka has been called intimidating by some, and there is no doubt in my mind it is a motivating tool for them. But it can be used against the New Zealanders. You only had to watch what the Australians did in Melbourne to see that confirmed.
When the haka was finished and the All Blacks were all fired up, the Wallabies went into a huddle and sang their own song. Like the Wallabies, there is no reason for us to go straight to the halfway line and start the match while they are psyched up and ready.
top.
7 It is 20 years since New Zealand last won a World Cup. That alone tells you they are not invincible. They only have the same number of World Cups as South Africa and England, and less than the Aussies. Yet we don't see the Australians as invincible, so why should we regard New Zealand in that light?
8 New Zealand's biggest strength will be their biggest weakness, in my view. Many of their players are leaving for clubs in England and France after the World Cup. Most of those guys will end their international careers with this World Cup, and they will want to go out playing in the Test matches. They have almost been misled by the belief that there is no A or B team but 30 world-class players who are all as good as each other. But believe me, it isn't true.
When the All Blacks have to choose their best side for the World Cup quarter-final, there are going to be a lot of guys who will be seriously disappointed at not being in it.
So how is the management going to keep everyone happy if they are not playing in the biggest games? Will guys with 20 or 30 caps be happy just to play against Portugal or Scotland? I somehow doubt it.
I think New Zealand have a great strength that will turn into a hell of a weakness unless they start telling guys who will be in the Saturday side.
9 I don't think Graham Henry knows his best team at this stage. I know my team now for each of our first four World Cup matches. I have an A side and a B side, and we've been open with the players all along about that. They know the situation. I have guys who would be very happy to be in our World Cup 30. That is a lot easier to manage as a coach than if you have 30 great players that all want or expect to be part of the starting XV.
10 Rugby is too unpredictable a game to call anyone invincible. At the end of the day it's still 15 against 15, not 21 against 12 or something. A bad bounce of the ball or one interception can change so much.
We were rubbished by the Australian media for taking what they called a B team to Sydney. Yet we lost 25-17, should have scored a try under the posts in the last minute and missed three penalties. In other words, we could have won.

Wales left 18 players at home when they went to Australia in May and were leading after the final hooter. So no one, anywhere, is completely invincible.

All Blacks Rugby

2007-07-12T06:40:00.000Z

All Blacks Rugby

Rugby: Camp before club for Cup-bound All Blacks
2:17PM Thursday July 12, 2007
By Daniel Gilhooly
The World Cup-bound All Blacks will be scarcely sighted in this year's Air New Zealand Cup.
Assistant coach Wayne Smith today said pre-tournament camps would be enough to keep the bulk of the 30-strong New Zealand squad match-fit in the seven weeks between the final Tri-Nations test against Australia next week and their World Cup opener against Italy on September 8.
Training and internal matches at the camps were the preference of the All Blacks coaches, rather than exposing players to domestic rugby.
"We've road-tested this the last few years," Smith said.
"We've gone from Tri-Nations to end-of-year tours, sometimes in the space of six or seven weeks, and played bloody well in those first couple of games because in our camp we've managed to have activities that are match-like in hardness.
"We seem to have got the mix right, that they've always hit the tour really fizzing."
The Air New Zealand Cup kicks off on July 26, four days after the World Cup squad is named. Five rounds will be played before the All Blacks leave for France, with the provincial final set down for October 20, the day of the World Cup final.
Smith said no firm decision would be made on player involvement in the Air New Zealand Cup until after the Tri-Nations.
"We've just got to get through the next two weeks and then make some decisions on whether guys need rugby or not."
However, the camp method has long been part of the All Blacks coaches' planning. It would involve bringing in players from the outside to make up numbers for intra-squad games.
"We don't just get to this stage of the year and say 'what are we going to do'?" Smith said.
"There's an element of peaking physically as well, and getting into a speed and power phase.
"I think we've got an advantage over the northern hemisphere teams in that we can go to the Cup match-hardened.
"We're not going to blow that by keeping them inactive."
The details of the camps have yet to be finalised but Smith said there wouldn't be the exhausting nationwide tour that marked the All Blacks' pre-2003 campaign.
One player likely to need domestic rugby to prove himself will be prop Greg Somerville, who returned at club level this month after 10 months recovering from Achilles tendon surgery.
The All Blacks selectors are allowed to leave a place open when they name their World Cup squad on Sunday next week. The squad must be finalised by August 14.
- NZPA

Wallabies Rugby

2007-07-10T23:58:00.000Z

Wallabies Rugby

Some of the greatest Wallabies Rugby Players would be:

John Eales (Wallaby 1991-2001) played in the second row
Mark Ella (Wallaby1980 - 1984) played as a five-eighth
David Campese (Wallaby 1982-1996) famous for his goose-stepping, played on the wing
Ken Catchpole (Wallaby 1961-1968) played in the halfback position
Stephen Larkham (Wallaby 1996- ) plays as five-eighth or fullback
Trevor Allan (Wallaby 1946-1949) played as centre
Tim Horan (Wallaby 1989-2000) played as inside centre, he was named as the 1999 World Cup Player of the tournament
Tom Richards (Wallaby 1908-1912) played in the back row
Dick Thornett (1961-1962) a versatile player who played in the back row and also in the second row, he left to play Rugby League
Nick Farr-Jones (1984-1993) played in the halfback position

Irb

2007-07-10T04:51:00.000Z

Rugby

2007-07-09T08:02:00.000Z

Rugby

The rugby team is made up of people of all shapes and sizes, so most people will be able to find a position to suit them. A rugby player needs certain basic skills though, most importantly, coordination and the ability to run in a straight line at a reasonable speed. When confronted by one of the huge players from the opposing team a certain amount of nerve is required and being scared witless will not help you at all. Players need to be able to catch a ball with relative ease and hold onto the ball without dropping it for several seconds.

New rugby players can find it intimidating at first learning how to tackle and be tackled, it does however become easier. When you understand the basics, you will find it less intimidating in a scrum, ruck or maul and approach these with some confidence. Lineout’s are unique to Rugby Union and another interesting part of the game which require split second timing and strength.

One of the greatest things about playing rugby is that you can have a game anywhere; all you need is an open grassed area, some players and a ball. The popularity of sevens is a reflection of this and both males and females play this game on many parks during the summer evenings in those countries where rugby is a favourite sport.

Australian Rugby Union

2007-07-07T13:41:00.000Z

Australian Rugby Union

Australia Beats South Africa 25-17 to Top Rugby's Tri-Nations

By Dan Baynes
July 7 (Bloomberg) -- Australia, seeking a third southern hemisphere rugby championship, rallied for the second straight week to beat South Africa 25-17 and move atop the Tri-Nations.

The Wallabies, who trailed 17-0 after 15 minutes at Sydney's Telstra Stadium, scored 25 unanswered points including tries to Mark Gerrard, Stephen Hoiles and Matt Giteau. It was the second straight game the Wallabies kept their opponents scoreless after halftime.

Today's victory, which followed last week's come-from-behind win over top-ranked New Zealand, lifted Australia four points clear atop the standings with two matches remaining. The All Blacks would seal a third straight title by winning both home games. Australia won the Tri-Nations in 2000 and 2001.
South Africa, missing 20 of its top players, took a 14-0 lead within 10 minutes through converted tries by flanker Wikus Van Heerden and a 50-meter intercept by winger Breyton Paulse. Fly-half Derick Hougaard made it 17-0 before the Wallabies rallied with a Gerrard try and Stirling Mortlock penalty.
No. 8 Hoiles forced his way over at the start of the second half to tie the score before Springboks hooker Gary Botha was sin-binned in the 53rd minute for playing the ball when he was on the floor. Two minutes later, Giteau collected Gerrard's chip ahead and the inside center's momentum carried him over the line to make it 25-17.

The match was the last international in Australia for scrum- half George Gregan, 34, and 33-year-old fly-half Stephen Larkham, who are quitting Australian rugby to play in Europe after the World Cup. The pair combined as the link between forwards and backs in a record 76 Tests for the Wallabies.
After losing at home to New Zealand on June 23, South Africa coach Jake White left out 20 of his top players for the away matches to rest ahead of the World Cup starting in September.

To contact the reporter on this story: Dan Baynes in Sydney at dbaynes@bloomberg.net

Rugby News

2007-07-06T07:42:00.000Z

Rugby News

Special gift for All Blacks at World Cup
2:01PM Friday July 06, 2007

A special gift from Adidas and the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) will make sure the All Blacks stay connected to their homeland at a purely grass roots level for the World Cup in France this year.

The NZRU and Adidas are in the process of cutting a piece of turf from dozens of grounds around the country.
Soil from the turf will help to make up the gift that the team will take to France in August.

Adidas NZ marketing manager Craig Waugh said the idea behind the campaign was that the 1072 All Blacks to date were "Of This Earth".
"The turf we are collecting from clubs around the country will cover the rugby grounds on which every All Black has played," Craig said.
"We'll then be creating a very special gift to send along to France with the All Blacks when they contest the World Cup."

NZRU marketing manager Fraser Holland said turf would be collected from major stadiums like Eden Park, Waikato Stadium and Carisbrook, as well as small provincial grounds like Southbridge, the home ground to first five-eighths Dan Carter, and Opunake Beach, home to prop Carl Hayman.

The first collection will take place on Monday at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.
- NZPA

Play Rugby

2007-07-05T11:54:00.000Z

Rugby Positions

2007-07-04T05:59:00.000Z

Rugby Fitness Drills

2007-07-03T05:29:00.000Z

Rugby Fitness Drills

Rugby - The Most Strength-Oriented Code Of Football

by Bruce Ross
Rugby players spend considerably more playing time in physical contact and contest with opponents than players in other forms of football.

Much of this contact involves extended grappling and wrestling, but what is also characteristic of rugby is the amount of time spent attempting to drive forward under loads considerably heavier than bodyweight. Obviously this is so in the scrum and maul, but also at the tackle. Both ball-carrier and tackler may strive to drive one another backward for an extended time after engagement. American football and rugby league are also primarily collision sports, but their tackles tend to terminate much more quickly.

Recognition of the importance of physical strength has led to a tendency for rugby selectors to favour increasingly heavier players even for backline positions. A modern professional rugby team is likely to average over 100kg bodyweight, compared with less than 95kg and less than 90kg for rugby league and Australian football respectively. Increased bodyweight appears to confer no advantage in soccer.
No valid size comparison can be made with players in American football. Its use of specialist teams means that individual players are only on the field for limited periods and therefore really massive players can be employed for the more static areas of engagement.

For professional rugby, players are often chosen on the basis of their size and apparent strength but are then not really expected to work to become significantly stronger. Much strength training in rugby appears to have the aim of generating hypertrophy - increasing muscle size and thus body mass - or of maintaining strength levels rather than seriously exploring the potential for markedly increased power.
Soccer, Australian football and rugby league are continuous-flow type games, whereas rugby and, to a much greater extent, American football are characterised by frequent stoppages and thus require lower levels of aerobic fitness. But I see little evidence that rugby coaches have fully realised the potential this provides to gain a competitive edge by requiring their players, backs and forwards, to seriously train for strength.

I would suggest that, given the development of very well-drilled coordinated defensive lines, the next stage in the evolution of rugby is likely to involve a concentration on the identification of and development of heavy, very mobile players who possess very high-range explosive strength.

Bruce Ross is CEO of MyoQuip, manufacturers of variable-resistance strength machines including the rugby-specific ScrumTruk and JumpTruk, and the LegDriver and HipneeFlexMyoQuip - strength-increasing equipment MyoQuip Blog - strength equipment, rugby football

Submitted with Article Distributor.
Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com

Rugby World Cup

2007-07-01T08:36:00.000Z

Rugby World Cup

Rugby: World Cup threat to Tri Nations
5:00AM Sunday July 01, 2007
By Gregor Paul

Scrapping The Tri Nations in World Cup years is expected to be high on the agenda when Sanzar executives meet next month. New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Chris Moller recently told the Herald on Sunday that the possibility of not playing the tournament in 2011 had to be considered.
That proposal is now ready to be fully debated after South Africa arrived in Australia this week without 20 first-choice players, arguing the absentees needed to be rested ahead of the World Cup.

The Springboks' decision to flaunt the Sanzar agreement for all countries to field their strongest teams comes after New Zealand withdrew 22 players from the first eight rounds of this year's Super 14.
Both New Zealand and South Africa have tainted the Sanzar relationship with these unsupported withdrawals and have also angered News Limited, the owner of both tournament's broadcast rights.
With the current broadcast deal with News Limited expiring in 2010, it presents the perfect opportunity to negotiate a new deal that will not see the Tri Nations played in 2011.

While Moller accepted that decision would obviously diminish the value of the next contract, it would leave New Zealand, South Africa and Australia free to decide their own preparation schedule in World Cup years without fear of reprisal.

"All that has to be looked at," he said. "We have been discussing this and it is possible that we have no tournaments or tours scheduled [in World Cup years] subject to satisfactory financial arrangements."
The attraction to News Limited would be the safety of knowing they were paying for a broadcast package which is then honoured as per the terms of the contract.

The issue of devaluing tests in World Cup years has already come under IRB scrutiny as the Herald on Sunday reported in May. At a recent board meeting, the IRB agreed in principle that in future, countries would no longer have their test schedules dictated in World Cup years.

Concerns have been mounting in administrative circles that action has to be taken to restore the integrity of test rugby. This year England and France sent massively depleted teams to South Africa and New Zealand respectively and were consequently humiliated. The French situation was exacerbated by the fact the finals of their club championship were taking place over the same weekends while the majority of England's top players had featured in the final of the Heineken Cup only a day before the tour party departed.

Ireland and Wales also fielded weak teams to fulfil obligations against Argentina and Australia and the IRB is now thought to be relaxed about leaving countries to determine their own schedules in future World Cup years.

Ditching the Tri Nations would be a departure from tradition but it will be given considerable thought because any devaluation again in 2011 by the non-appearance of the best players could have far-reaching consequences.

Rugby League Players

2007-06-30T06:38:00.000Z

Rugby League Players

Wiki back on field after injury
The Press Saturday, 30 June 2007

Ruben Wiki gave his lungs a decent workout bellowing instructions from the sideline during the New Zealand Warriors' welcome return to form in the National Rugby League (NRL).
But the former Kiwis captain realises actions must now speak louder than words from tonight on the Gold Coast as he returns to fill the void left by an inspirational Steve Price.

Wiki has missed the Warriors' form resurgence with a rib injury, experiencing a mixture of pleasure and pain as the Warriors strung together morale-boosting wins over the Cronulla Sharks and Penrith Panthers after a run of six losses.

"The last couple of weeks have been awesome, now I'm strapped up and ready to go," the 277-match prop said.
"Against Penrith I couldn't sit down. I lost my voice giving instructions to the trainers to give to the boys."

The messages must have got through as the Warriors turned on a sublime performance in difficult conditions to drub the Panthers 54-14 last week at Mount Smart Stadium.

That would usually give a squad cause for confidence ahead of a two-match Queensland road trip though the topsy-turvy nature of the competition ensures there can be no cause for complacency. The Warriors also have an uninspiring record of two away wins from six trans-Tasman outings.

Wiki leads the side in their first match against the Gold Coast Titans at Carrara Stadium (7.30pm) and is wary of the newcomers although they have lost the services of bullocking prop Luke Bailey – absent like Price due to State of Origin commitments – and workaholic second-rower Anthony Laffranchi (knee).
"They've been going really well. We'll need to maintain our momentum to challenge them but our shape has been really awesome," Wiki said.

"The extra passing (offloading) to the backs is working now. Nathan (Fien) and George (Gatis) are doing the damage around the ruck."
The much scrutinised halves pairing of Grant Rovelli and Michael Witt has also enjoyed a smoother ride behind a dominant pack over the past fortnight, though the stand-off acknowledged the fickle nature of the game.

"Our partnership has been slowly progressing since the start of the year and over the last few weeks things have clicked a little bit for us.
"I don't think the pressure's lifted on us, though.

"There's always pressure on you; they're two pivotal positions in any team. If you're going well you get a few wraps, if the team isn't going well you've got to take the criticism as well," said Witt, who scored 18 points against the Panthers with a brace of tries and a perfect six-from-six with the boot.
Witt may have had a dream ride last week on the back of incisions made by Rovelli, Gatis and Fien but he faces an ominous assignment today to help curb the influence of Titans' skipper Scott Prince.
The premiership-winning halfback with West Tigers in 2005 has been a catalyst for the Titans climbing to fourth on the ladder – six spots ahead of the Warriors though only four points separate them.
"It's a pity he can't find a spot in the Queensland team," Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said. "He's one of those guys people pay to watch, he troubles every team and he's going to do some things in the game you can't stop too easily."

Gold Coast's hopes of cementing a top-four spot have been dealt a further blow with a shoulder injury forcing Kiwi international Jake Webster to withdraw from tonight's clash.

Coach John Cartwright said it was likely Smith Samau would replace Webster, who jarred his left shoulder against Newcastle last weekend.
Samau trained strongly yesterday. –NZPA

All Blacks Rugby

2007-06-29T03:58:00.000Z

All Blacks Rugby

MacDonald out and Mauger back
29/06/2007 3:01:57 PM NZT
Sportal -->
Leon MacDonald is out of the All Blacks side for the Bledisloe Cup Test with Australia in Melbourne on Saturday, and out of top rugby for four weeks, due to a bad groin strain.

MacDonald suffered the injury at training on Thursday and was ruled out of the side on Friday morning.
His place has resulted in Mils Muliaina moving back to fullback from centre, while Luke McAlister moves out a place to centre allowing Aaron Mauger to come in at second five-eighths.

Sitiveni Sivivatu has been included in the reserves.

Coach Graham Henry said he felt for MacDonald as he was in the best form of his life and while there was a little bit of disruption to the All Blacks' preparations for the Test his greater concern was for the player.

Henry said other options had been considered but possible fullback replacement, first five-eighths Nick Evans hadn't played a lot at fullback recently, while wing Rico Gear had not had a lot of recent experience at centre.

Henry said McAlister had played at centre for 50 minutes against Canada a fortnight ago.

However, the main concern was the defensive aspect associated with the centre position which was a 'big area' defensively, Henry said.

It is a position with a high work rate and he was sure that McAlister's versatility would see him do his best in the circumstances.

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw said the disruption would not be felt too much by the side which adopted the approach that it was a case of just having to get on and do the job.

"The guys around Luke will help him. It doesn't put us out too much at all," he said.

McCaw said he was looking forward to playing on the Melbourne Cricket Ground and despite the fact the crowd was well away from the playing area, it had to be remembered it was a 'footie field' just like any other.

He was expecting a physical encounter from Australia, but also more expansive play more in keeping with the traditional Bledisloe Cup encounters of modern history.

Australian Rugby

2007-06-28T10:21:00.000Z

Australian Rugby

Johns Kick Starts Cup Bid
Article from:
Dave Donaghy
June 26, 2007 12:00am

THE Wallabies yesterday unveiled their biggest recruit for the World Cup - retired Newcastle Knights rugby league great Andrew Johns.
Johns, forced out of league with a neck injury this year, has been flown to Melbourne by the Australian Rugby Union as a coaching consultant.
Johns joined the Wallabies at a training session in Hawthorn yesterday and immediately went to work, providing kicking tips to the side's star-studded backline.
The arrival of the former New South Wales and Australian halfback signalled a significant tempo shift in the build-up to Saturday night's Bledisloe Cup bout against the All Blacks at the MCG.
Johns wanted to keep his involvement in the camp quiet, but Wallabies coach John Connolly let the cat out of the bag at a press conference.
Asked if the Australians were considering employing Johns in a part-time consultancy role, Connolly replied: "We have. You probably should stay around today for a while. We have looked at that, yes."
Johns immediately hit the gym at the national team's inner-city hotel after arriving.
It was Johns' first public appearance with the Wallabies since he walked away from rugby league in April.
He attended a training session in May, but that was purely in an non-hands-on advisory role.
Connolly conceded the team's kicking game remained a concern before the World Cup in France in September.
"It's an area where we've got to improve," Connolly said.
"I think Australia will have a national kicking coach next year to add more focus to that area of the game.
"It's costing us a little bit at the time . . . it's something we have to work on."
Connolly predicted an old-fashioned battle between the trans-Tasman rivals in front of an expected crowd of up to 90,000 fans. More than 75,000 tickets have been sold for the clash.
"They've clearly got the best scrum in the world," Connolly said about the All Blacks.
New Zealand arrived in Melbourne last night.
The All Blacks, World Cup favourites, beat South Africa 26-21 in their opening game of the Tri-Nations tournament in Durban on Sunday.

Rugby Heaven

2007-06-27T00:58:00.000Z

Rugby Heaven

Rugby-Wallabies pick Ashley-Cooper to face All Blacks
Wed Jun 27, 2007 1:36AM BST
SYDNEY, June 27 (Reuters) - Australia have selected utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper on the wing for Saturday's Tri-Nations clash with New Zealand in Melbourne.

Ashley-Cooper has already played three matches in the centres for the Wallabies this season but replaces Drew Mitchell on the wing in the only change to the starting side that was beaten 22-19 by South Africa in Cape Town a fortnight ago.
Mitchell was also overlooked for the replacements bench with coach John Connolly calling up Scott Staniforth as one of just two reserve backs.
Connolly said he wanted five forwards on his bench to try and match New Zealand's superior depth in the pack when the bigger players start to tire late in the match.
"New Zealand's strength is in their depth," Connolly said in a statement.
"We saw the impact their bench made against South Africa last week and they are just so strong from 1 to 22.
"To beat them we will need to play our best rugby and do the little things well.
"You can't afford to give the All Blacks any opportunities because they have incredible talent across the field and have the ability to hurt you from any position."
New Zealand are overwhelming favourites to win the match and retain the Bledisloe Cup, which is contested every time the two teams play each other, but Connolly said his team were confident of matching their more-fancied opponents.
"I think the fans will see a typically tough test between Australia and New Zealand. Bledisloe Cups are battles first and foremost," he said.

Australia - 15-Julian Huxley; 14-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13-Stirling Mortlock (captain), 12-Matt Giteau, 11-Lote Tuqiri; 10-Stephen Larkham, 9-George Gregan; 8-Wycliff Palu, 7-George Smith, 6-Rocky Elsom, 5-Dan Vickerman, 4-Nathan Sharpe; 3-Guy Shepherdson, 2-Stephen Moore, 1-Matt Dunning.
Replacements: 16-Adam Freier, 17-Al Baxter, 18-Mark Chisholm, 19-Stephen Hoiles, 20-Phil Waugh, 21-Scott Staniforth, 22-Mark Gerrard.

Rugby League Players

2007-06-25T04:21:00.000Z

Rugby League Players

Rugby League News
Henderson to quit Bulls
14:46 - 24th, Jun 2007
Bradford Bulls hooker Ian Henderson has revealed that he will be leaving Odsal at the end of this season and signing for the New Zealand Warriors.
The 24-year-old Australian has rejected the offer of a new Bradford contract to take up the new challenge.
"I've had a tremendous two-and-a-half years at Bradford and I wouldn't have left to play for any other English club," he said.
"For family reasons I wanted to go back to Australia and this opportunity with the Warriors has come at just the right time for me."

Tri Nations

2007-06-24T08:13:00.000Z

Tri Nations

All Blacks score comeback win

By RICHARD KNOWLER in Durban - Fairfax Media Sunday, 24 June 2007
Reuters
TOUGH TEST: New Zealand's Aaron Mauger is tackled by South Africa's Jean de Villiers during their Tri-nations test match at the Absa stadium in Durban. The All Blacks won 26-21.

Two fourth-quarter tries earned the All Blacks a thrilling 26-21 win over the Springboks in a brutal Tri Nations encounter at Durban's Absa Stadium early today (NZ time). Down 12-21 with 14 minutes remaining, the All Blacks' helter-skelter game plan finally began to take its toll on the 'Boks who could not stop Richie McCaw and Joe Rokocoko from scoring tries to sew up the win.

While the South Africans have a break next weekend, the injury-free All Blacks will face the Wallabies in Melbourne for their second Tri Nations match on Saturday night.

"They never gave up, they just kept coming at us," Springboks coach Jake White admitted afterwards.
"No doubt in the final 20 minutes, they upped the ante and we got found out."
The All Blacks had predicted the Springboks would rely on brute strength and a simple game plan based around their set pieces. They were not to be disappointed.

The 'Boks served it up to them all afternoon, roughing up skipper Richie McCaw when the likes of Schalk Burger and Bobby Skinstad could get their hands on him.
Although the South African scrum was badly exposed - loosehead prop BJ Botha was up to his usual tricks of burrowing in on the angle - they had the better of the lineout in the first half, stealing three of the All Blacks' first throws.

"We played pretty well in the last 20 (minutes) which showed signs of a lot of pride in the group and a lot of backbone," All Blacks coach Graham Henry said.

The South Africans dominated possession in the first spell after some early exuberance where they flicked the ball wide, they soon reverted to type and kicked for territory.

All Blacks first five-eighths Dan Carter slotted two penalties in the first half from four attempts, while Ruan Pienaar and Percy Montgomery kicked penalties and Schalk Burger crashed over for a try from a lineout drive on the halftime bell to give his side a 11-6 lead.

After the break the All Blacks immediately signalled their intentions by firing in quick lineout throws and running the South Africans into the dust.

All Blacks second-five Aaron Mauger banged over an early drop goal to close the gap to three points but minutes later threw a pass when he was unbalanced and it popped into the grateful hands of Butch James who raced 35m to score and an 18-9 lead.

Slowly, however, the All Blacks run-and-gun style took its toll.
The Springboks then lost loose forward Pedrie Wannenburg for 10 minutes after he was yellow carded for slowing the ball down when the All Blacks were hot on attack.

There was to be little mercy from the All Blacks who destroyed their scrum on several occasions and when they ran on replacements like Ross Filipo, Leon MacDonald, Aaron Mauger and Piri Weepu the South Africans were shot.

Montgomery extended the lead to nine with another penalty before the home defensive wall finally cracked 12 minutes from the end as Rodney So'oialo sparked the All Blacks.

The No 8 made a magnificent kick return, linked with Jerry Collins and the All Blacks shifted the ball wide before McCaw, the third of their outstanding loose forward trio, dived over.

Three minutes later the All Blacks finally hit the front when replacement Leon MacDonald pounced on loose ball and raced away, drawing and passing to the flying Rokocoko.

All Blacks 26 (Richie McCaw, Joe Rockoko tries; Dan Carter 3 pens, 2 conv; Aaron Mauger dropped goal) South Africa 21 (Schalk Burger, Butch James tries, Percy Montgomery 2 pen, conv, Ruan Pienaar pen) HT: 6-11. -NZPA

Australian Rugby

2007-06-23T08:35:00.000Z

Australian Rugby

Building Bigger and Stronger Rugby Players - the Sydney University Experiment

by Bruce Ross
It is widely acknowledged that the average body weight of rugby players has increased considerably over recent years. Less recognised is the extent to which modern defensive alignments and strategies have transformed rugby matches into contests of attrition where bigger and stronger teams tend to wear down their smaller and physically weaker opponents over the course of a game. Perhaps the most notable change has been the increased importance of physical dominance in the backline.
Responding to this, Sydney University's rugby club has been able to demonstrate that with the right combination of coach and infrastructure, it is possible to fast track the physical development of players outside a professional playing environment. In fact within a couple of seasons these players are able to achieve a body mass comparable to that of seasoned professionals together with a solid foundation of basic strength.

In late May, Sydney University announced its team for the first round of the Tooheys New Cup, the premier competition in Sydney club rugby. All of the fifteen players are past or current students who had been developed through the Club's Colts and lower grade teams. None of them are paid to play for the Club, although the eleven who are still students receive modest scholarship assistance. Only three of the players are on professional contracts.
It is instructive to compare their body weight and age profiles with those of squads from four major rugby countries, those of Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa. The average weight of the international teams varies from 101.2 to 102.9 kilograms while their average age is from 25.5 to 27.2 years. Comparative figures for the Sydney University team are 100.5 kilograms and 22.5 years.

It can be seen that the part-time, unpaid Sydney University players, though three to five years younger, weigh only a couple of kilograms less than the world's best players. This is quite extraordinary as normally a much greater weight disparity would be expected.
For the past three years Sydney University Football Club has been operating an Elite Development Squad (EDS) program for its top grade and colts players. Utilising one of the best equipped gymnasiums in Australian rugby, players train for eleven months of the year and undertake four weights sessions per week off-season and a lesser number while playing.

The program's strength and conditioning components have been devised and administered by Martin Harland, a sports scientist who has previously worked with professional rugby league, Australian football and basketball teams. His programs for rugby players place a high degree of emphasis on basic strength development and rugby-specific fitness. A distinguishing feature of his approach is a concentration on heavy lower body work through exercises such as squats, deadlifts and cleans. In addition, both backs and forwards make intensive use of the MyoQuip ScrumTruk, a rugby-specific apparatus that targets the large mass leg extensor muscles, specifically the gluteal and quadriceps groups. Hypertrophy or increased muscle mass is a natural and not unintended by-product of such training.

Another distinctive feature of Martin Harland's rugby training regimen is his requirement that backs undertake the same rigorous basic strength routines as forwards. Many strength and conditioning coaches reserve the heavy "grunt" work for forwards, or even restrict it to the tight five.

Exposing backs to very serious weight training has produced a quite extraordinary outcome at Sydney University, as evidenced by comparing the body weights of their forwards and backs with those of the Wallabies and the four Australian Super 14 franchises, the ACT Brumbies, NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds and Western Force.
Not surprisingly, the University's young forwards are outweighed by each of the five professional squads, 105.3kilograms compared to 109.1 to 111.1 kilograms. However, in the backs the situation is reversed with the University players averaging 95.1 kilograms as opposed to 90.9 to 92.9 kilograms. Thus the Sydney University backs outweigh Australia's national and provincial squads by between 2.2 and 4.2 kg per man.

If we look at the difference in body weight between backs and forwards it can be seen that for Sydney University it averages 10.2 kilograms, against 16.2 to 19.4 kilograms for Australia's professional squads, a very substantial difference.

The Sydney University experiment seems to be providing clear evidence that the body weight of rugby backs can be dramatically increased through serious weight training, but the question arises as to whether this has benefits in terms of playing performance.
One answer is that the other strength-oriented football code, American football, has traditionally used training methods similar to those of Martin Harland. All players, whether linemen or running backs, are required to do heavy gym work. No one would seriously suggest that their quick players have inferior dynamic abilities to rugby players.

Another justification for building heavier backs with superior leg drive lies in the already mentioned importance of physical dominance in the rugby backline. With the modern emphasis on structure and coordination in defensive alignments, bigger and stronger backs are better able to continually repel opposition attacks and also over the course of a game are likely to create physical and mental fatigue in their counterparts.

Having achieved a strong foundation of basic strength and greater body mass, Martin Harland is then able to focus on speed and explosiveness in his players. It is clear that the Sydney University approach yields results on the playing field. 2005 was the Club's most successful year, winning the Sydney Club Championship, the First Grade Premiership and four lower grade Premierships.

Even more importantly, players who graduate from such a program are much better equipped to withstand the rigours of modern rugby.

Bruce Ross is CEO of MyoQuip, manufacturers of variable-resistance strength machines including the HipneeFlex and HipneeThrust, and the rugby-specific ScrumTruk and JumpTruk. MyoQuip exports worldwide from Australia.MyoQuip - variable-resistance strength equipment MyoQuip Blog - strength equipment, rugby football

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Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com

Play Rugby

2007-06-22T03:45:00.000Z

Play Rugby

So you have decided that you would quite like to play rugby - now what type of Rugby do you want to play - will it be Rugby Union or Rugby League?

Well here are some of the main differences -

Rugby Union has lineouts; rugby league doesn't.

Rugby Union has unlimited tackles. In Rugby League, the attacking team has a limit of six tackles to do whatever they can with the ball. After the sixth tackle, the ball is handed over to the opposition; they then have six tackles to do whatever they like. And so it goes on.

In Rugby Union, a tackled player must let go of the ball, whereas in league, a tackled player can retain possession.

One of the other differences, one less likely to affect your choice as to which to play, is that Rugby Union has 15 players and Rugby League only has 13 players.

All Blacks New Zealand

2007-06-21T06:31:00.000Z

All Blacks New Zealand

ABs make eight changes for Springbok clashTue, Jun 2007 6:44p.m.

Anton Oliver will play hooker this weekend. The All Blacks have made eight changes for this weekend's opening Tri Nations test against the Springboks in Durban. With five first choice locks unavailable and a couple of close selection calls the All Black team to face the Springboks is perhaps more a mix of the best available and a horses for courses selection rather than a best 15.
“It was a difficult selection, not that it took a long time but there are a lot of players of equal ability and we see it as a 22 man team in the modern game as you can appreciate,” Coach Graham Henry told a media conference. A case in point is last season’s second five eight incumbent, Luke McAlister who misses out to Aaron Mauger. Henry: “I think Aarons playing as well as ever and Luke gets better and better and that particular selection was a major selection. “
McAlsiter will see game time and more likely at centre if Isaiah Toeava fails to fire. By necessity Durban born Greg Rawlinson will partner Blues team mate Troy Flavell at lock. But the selection of Anton Oliver ahead of Keven Mealamu at hooker is a clear reflection of the opposition.
While it is less than three months until the World Cup, right now the focus is on the task at hand.
“I think the Tri Nations in itself is a competition worth winning and shouldn't be seen as a second cousin to the world cup,” Henry said. Rotation selection and reconditioning are now history. Winning rugby is what counts from here on.

South African Rugby

2007-06-20T05:47:00.000Z

South African Rugby

All Blacks told to relax ahead of clash

Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:56PM BST
SYDNEY (Reuters) - New Zealand coach Graham Henry wants his players to relax instead of hitting the training pitch ahead of this week's Tri-Nations clash with South Africa.

Saturday's match has been billed as a possible preview of this year's World Cup final but Henry has ordered his players to stay calm and rest.

The All Blacks have been told to play golf or go fishing, with Henry hoping the short break will help the players freshen up before the Durban clash.

"We don't want to overdo it otherwise we'll be worse off," Henry told the New Zealand Press Association.
"We've just got to be intelligent as to how we prepare."
Despite dominating world rugby for the past three seasons, the All Blacks have always struggled in South Africa.
They have lost one match in South Africa each of the past three years, yet have not been beaten by any other team in the world since 2003.
"It's obviously the biggest challenge that we face in rugby at the moment, which is stimulating," Henry said.

England Rugby Players

2007-06-19T06:25:00.000Z

England Rugby Players

Rugby: Gear signs, says Worcester
6:45AM Tuesday June 19, 2007
British rugby club Worcester Warriors say they have signed All Blacks winger Rico Gear for three years.
"Gear is widely regarded as one of the most exciting and clinical wingers on the planet in both domestic and international rugby with the ability to both create and score tries," the club said.
Gear has yet to confirm the move. If he does, he will follow All Blacks teammate Greg Rawlinson and former test player Sam Tuitupou to Worcester.

Super 14 Rugby

2007-06-18T03:24:00.000Z

Super 14 Rugby

SUPER 12 & SUPER 14 Finals Results

2007 Bulls (South Africa) 20 Sharks (South Africa) 19 played in Durban, South Africa

2006 Crusaders (NZ) 19 Hurricanes (NZ) 12 played in Christchurch

2005 Crusaders (NZ) 47 Hurricanes (NZ) 7 played in Christchurch

2004 ACT Brumbies (Australia) 47 Canterbury Crusaders (New Zealand) 38

2003 Auckland Blues (New Zealand) 21 Canterbury Crusaders 17

2002 Canterbury Crusaders 31 ACT Brumbies 13

2001 ACT Brumbies 36 Sharks (South Africa) 6

2000 ACT Brumbies 19 Canterbury Crusaders 20

1999 Otago Highlanders (New Zealand) 19 Canterbury Crusaders 24

1998 Auckland Blues 13 Canterbury Crusaders 20

1997 Auckland Blues 23 ACT Brumbies 7

1996 Auckland Blues 45 Natal (South Africa) 21

Crusaders

2007-06-17T00:16:00.000Z

Crusaders

The Crusaders Rugby Team

The Crusaders (formerly the Canterbury Crusaders) was formed in 1996 to represent the upper part of the South Island of New Zealand in the Super 12 (now Super 14) Rugby Union Tournament. Crusaders is a Christchurch, New Zealand based franchise representing the Nelson Bays, Marlborough, Buller, Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury, South Canterbury, Tasman and West Coast provincial rugby unions. Their main home ground is Jade Stadium, Christchurch.

The Crusaders have dominated the Super competition more than any other of the teams. The first year in the competition the team struggled and finished last. In 1997 the team performance improved and they finished sixth. Between 1998 and 2000 the team pulled off a hat-trick winning all three titles and each final being won away from their home ground. In 2001 the Crusaders had a break from the final and in 2002 the Crusaders achieved the perfect season, winning all 11 games in the round-robin phase of the tournament, then completing it with success in the semi-final and final. In 2003 and 2004 the Crusaders were in the final. In 2005 and 2006 the Crusaders won the title again.

It is an amazing feeling to sit in Jade Stadium and watch one of the Super competition games. The sight of the horses galloping around the field with the fitting music, creates a sheer grandeur and it certainly must help inspire this team to represent their region as well as they do...

Rugby Try

2007-06-15T01:48:00.000Z

Womens Rugby

2007-06-14T07:11:00.000Z

Funny Rugby

2007-06-13T01:28:00.000Z

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2007-06-12T12:11:00.001Z

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Six Nations

2007-06-11T19:26:00.001Z

Six Nations

Scrum Down

2007-06-11T19:11:00.001Z

Scrum Down