Rugby’s Road to Rio 2016 Advances With Key Meetings

Posted on Oct 19, 2012 in IRB

Delegates from the International Rugby Board were among officials representing 28 federations participating in the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) London Olympic Games review meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland this week.

With the Rio 2016 cycle well and truly underway and Rugby Sevens set to make its debut in four years time, the highly-constructive meeting provided an invaluable opportunity for the IRB to discuss with federations the key learnings from the London 2012 review process.

ASOIF Director, Andrew Ryan, said: "It was important to have IRB present at the London debrief and understand the key issues as we believe Rugby Sevens will play an important part in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio even though it will be making its first appearance. We are excited about the growth of the sport worldwide and with its unique qualities we view Rugby Sevens as making a significant contribution to not only the sports programme, but also to the Games atmosphere overall".

The IRB also met with members of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee to progress implementation of the specific operational and organisational requirements that will underscore a successful and spectacular Rugby Sevens event at the Olympic Games.

The meetings represent another significant milestone on the road to Rio 2016 for the IRB and its Member Federations. A new Sevens strategic plan has been implemented to provide the roadmap for accelerated growth, participation and competition, including the pillars of Olympic Games qualification, to maximise the benefits of Olympic Games inclusion.

IRB Chief Executive Brett Gosper said: "We are a committed and proactive member of the Olympic family and these highly-constructive meetings provided an invaluable opportunity to advance our planning and preparation for our Rugby Sevens debut at Rio 2016."

"We enjoy an excellent partnership with the IOC and the Rio 2016 Organising Committee, and are united in our vision of delivering an exceptional event that will be fantastic for the Olympic Games and fantastic for the global Rugby community."

"This is certainly an exciting time for Rugby as we enter the Rio 2016 cycle. We are already experiencing the benefits of Olympic Games inclusion with growth in emerging and new markets. Our Member Unions are establishing strong partnerships with their respective National Olympic Committees and interest and participation in men’s and women’s Rugby Sevens continues to go from strength to strength."

The next 12 months will be seminal for Rugby Sevens as the opening round of the inaugural four-event IRB Women’s Sevens Series kicks off in Dubai on November 30, while Sevens will break new ground when Moscow plays host to Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 – the first time that Russia has hosted an IRB Sevens event.

Pakistan Launches First Domestic League

Posted on Oct 12, 2012 in IRB

Rugby in Pakistan has received a huge boost with the announcement that a national club Fifteens league has been established to serve the burgeoning interest that exists in the Game there.

The league consists of 20 teams playing across a number of divisions with the winners being crowned Premier Champions. This first-ever formal club league in Pakistan represents another stage in the ongoing development of Rugby in Pakistan, which has been competing in the HSBC Asian 5 Nations and other regional tournaments for some time.

IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “The news that another of our Member Unions has established a league with a robust structure is very heartening for us. An important aspect of the IRB’s work is to develop the Game, bring it to new territories and then continue to strengthen it where it already exists. This news is a huge boost for Rugby in Pakistan and, more broadly, for Asia.”

“Asian Rugby is on the rise. The HSBC Asian 5 Nations tournament is going from strength to strength and we have seen the emergence of a number of relatively new teams which are challenging the traditional order. The fact that Rugby World Cup 2019 is taking place in Japan is another milestone for the Game in Asia and will benefit Rugby at all levels throughout the region.”

An independent study highlights an 18 per cent increase in participation rates in Asia since Rugby World Cup 2007. The reasons for that growth have been attributed to the growing profile and success of Rugby World Cup, the IRB’s investment strategy and also Rugby’s re-introduction into the Olympic Games from 2016.

The IRB will invest GBP9 million into the development of Rugby in Asia between 2009-12. There has already been a significant uplift in China, where Rugby is played in schools, Sri Lanka and India as well as Japan, where the Game already has a rich history.

President of Pakistan Rugby Union Fawzi Khawaja said: “The establishment of this exciting competition is another step forward for Rugby in Pakistan. It will give certainty around how the game is played at domestic level, it will give real context to the Game at club level and will make talent identification easier as we seek to bolster the strength of our national side.”

“The Pakistan Rugby Union is serious about improving the quality and popularity of the sport here and we see this competition as another step along the way to making Pakistan a force to be reckoned with on the international stage.”

The Pakistan Rugby Union (PRU) was established in 2000 and is a Full Member of the Asian Rugby Football Union and IRB. In this short time the Game has spread quickly and it is now played in all provinces of the country, making it one of the fastest growing sports in Pakistan with Rugby Sevens already a medal event at the National Games.

The Game itself in Pakistan dates back more than 80 years with the first club, Karachi RFC, being founded in 1926. The game remained exclusively an expatriate sport, with Karachi being active on the All-India circuit up until the late 1950s. The 1960s saw a decrease in the expatriate population and, with travel to India becoming more restricted, the club became more reliant on playing fixtures against visiting British military units, particularly teams from ships of the Royal Navy.

Following a period of decline, the game was rejuvenated in the 1990s through a combination of Rugby-loving expatriates and, crucially, a sizable local community keen to find out more about this great Game.

The three major clubs in Pakistan, based in the cities of Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi, initiated an annual Pakistan Sevens Championship on a rotating basis and the Pakistan Rugby Union was formally established in 2000 and soon gained membership with the Asian Rugby Football Union. In 2003, Pakistan fielded a national Fifteens team for the first time, participating in a provincial tournament in Sri Lanka.

The PRU then became an Associate Member of the IRB in November 2003 and a Full Member the year after. In Nov of 2004, it participated in the 19th Asian Championship in Hong Kong and in December 2005 it hosted the Asian Under 19 Championship at Lahore with 11 countries participating. This also served as the Asian qualifying round for the IRB Under-19 Rugby World Cup 2006 in Dubai.

Since then Rugby has really taken off. Supported by ARFU and the IRB, it has now been introduced at provincial and district level by the PRU while schools have also been targeted so that hundreds of thousands of boys and girls will experience the fun and camaraderie of playing the Game. There are now more than 3,000 players active in the country and at the top level, the national team that participated in the HSBC Asian 5 Nations 2012 was coached by former Ulster and Ireland prop forward Justin Fitzpatrick.

Invited Women’s Teams Announced for Dubai Sevens

Posted on Oct 12, 2012 in IRB, Sevens, Women's Rugby

The International Rugby Board has today announced the six invited teams that will take their place alongside the core sides for the inaugural leg of the first ever IRB Women’s Sevens World Series (WSWS).

The series, which kicks off in Dubai on November 30-December 1, is set to take place in four global destinations, underscoring the IRB’s commitment to the ongoing growth and development of Women’s Rugby around the world. It is expected that the series will grow in future years with an eye on the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil, China, France, Russia, Spain and South Africa will join core teams Australia, Canada, England, Netherlands, New Zealand and USA at the historic first event, which will run parallel to the men’s version at 7he Sevens ground in Dubai.

The WSWS will then split off from the men’s series as it forges its own following and identity, with later rounds taking place in USA (Houston), China (Guangzhou) and Netherlands (Amsterdam).

IRB Chief Executive Brett Gosper said: “With an eye on Rio 2016, we are determined to continue to enhance the women’s Game so that the competition is the very best that it can be. The quality of women’s Rugby Sevens has been improving dramatically in recent seasons and we expect that the Women’s Sevens World Series will push that standard even higher.”

“With its strong tradition of hosting competitive and well-attended women’s Sevens events, the Dubai Sevens is the perfect place to kick off this exciting series,” said Mark Egan, IRB Head of Development and Performance.

“These six teams have been selected based on rankings achieved in their respective regional tournaments over the past 12 months in addition to ensuring that those teams that have qualified for RWC Sevens 2013 get an opportunity to participate in major international Sevens tournaments prior to arriving in Moscow next June.”

“The launch of the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series is the most significant investment in women’s Rugby that the IRB has ever undertaken resulting in an annual investment of US$1.5 million. As we move closer to Rio 2016, interest in the women’s Game is at an all-time high and the IRB is committed to providing our female athletes with the best possible opportunities to improve their competiveness and identify the players who will ultimately appear on the Olympic stage in Rio.”

The teams invited to compete in the other legs of the series will be announced in due course.

IRB Women’s Sevens World Series

Round 1 – UAE: Dubai, November 30 – December 1, 2012 – 7he Sevens Stadium
Round 2 – USA: Houston, Texas, 1-2 February, 2013 – BBVA Compass Stadium
Round 3 – China: Guangzhou, 30-31 March 2013 – Guangzhou University Town Stadium
Round 4 – Netherlands: Amsterdam, 17-18 May 2013 – NRCA Stadium

Rugby World Cup Sevens, Moscow, June 28-30 2013

Hungarian Government Backs Rugby

Posted on Oct 12, 2012 in IRB

 

Hungary Secretary of State for Sport István Simicskó (second left) meets IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset (fifth left) to pledge his government’s support to Rugby

The Hungarian Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the development and growth of Rugby as the country kicked off the European qualification process for Rugby World Cup 2015 with victory against Bulgaria last Saturday.

At a special meeting with IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset in the country’s capital Budapest last week, the new Secretary of State for Sport István Simicskó confirmed that Rugby had been singled out as a priority sport for support and investment.

Rugby in Hungary is on the rise and although the national men’s team currently sits 81st in the IRB World Rankings, there are now more than 3,000 men, women and children playing the Game and that figure is increasing.

The spectre of Rugby’s inclusion in the Olympic Games in an Olympics-mad country has certainly served to boost the profile of the Game, along with national media coverage of the opening European qualifier. With the support of FIRA-AER, IRB and the Hungarian Government, the Hungarian Rugby Union has implemented grand plans to grow and develop the sport.

"As a former player I know that Rugby has strong values of inclusivity, teamwork, discipline and respect and it has a special ability to bring people together," said Simicskó.

"We are committed to growing Rugby in Hungary and Rugby has been selected by the government as a priority sport for support and investment."

"We look forward to working with all parties to ensure that Rugby has the support it needs to see Hungary’s men and women’s teams compete strongly on the world stage in Fifteens and Sevens."

IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: "Hungary has a big future in Rugby. The Union has delivered a strategic plan that will inspire participation to grow the Game in the country and this commitment by the Hungarian Government to support Rugby will accelerate that growth."

"We look forward to working in partnership with FIRA-AER and the Hungarian Government to bring that growth to life, so that one day Hungary is challenging the larger European nations to qualify for a Rugby World Cup."

Rugby in Eastern Europe continues to go from strength to strength with the support of the IRB, FIRA-AER and governments.

In addition to exciting developments in Hungary, Rugby is now the national sport in Georgia with the Game receiving significant financial support from the government, while Moldova, Lithuania and Bulgaria continue to make solid progress on the international stage. The Ukraine’s women’s Sevens team is a strong force on the European circuit while in Russia 72 per cent of female players are teenagers, underscoring the recent growth of Rugby in the country.

IRB Announces Female Referee Panels

Posted on Sep 21, 2012 in IRB, Women's Rugby

The International Rugby Board has announced its female referee panels for 2012-13 as preparation continues towards Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 in Moscow and Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 in France.

Four referees named on the Fifteens panel – Clare Daniels (England), Nicky Inwood (New Zealand), Dana Teagarden (USA) and Sherry Trumbull (Canada) – refereed in the last WRWC 2010. Inwood is the most experienced of the group having also officiated at the 2002 and 2006 editions of the tournament.

The full Fifteens panel is: Sylvie Bros (France), Clare Daniels (England), Claire Hodnett (England), Nicky Inwood (New Zealand), Dana Teagarden (USA) and Sherry Trumbull (Canada).

The Sevens panel consists of: Leah Berard (USA), Sylvie Bros (France), Itziar Diaz (Spain), Marlize Jordaan (South Africa), Gabriel Lee (Hong Kong), Amy Perrett (Australia), Dana Teagarden (USA), Sherry Trumbull (Canada) and Brigitte Tyler (New Zealand).

Two of the Sevens panel previously made the switch to refereeing, having both played the Game to a high level. Jordaan represented South Africa at the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 and also played for the national Fifteens team, while Itziar turned out for Spain at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2002.

IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “The IRB is committed to the growth and development of women’s Rugby worldwide through our Women’s Rugby Plan and there are now more women and girls participating in the sport than ever before."

"The introduction of a dedicated female referee panel and performance management structure in 2010 was a milestone for the Game and since then the standards of officiating have continued to improve with the world’s top female referees being given the opportunities to realise their potential."

Supporting the panels is a development pathway that standardises and structures performance management and preparations ahead of Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013, Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 and the Rugby Sevens tournaments at the 2016 Olympic Games.

The process also ensures that the world’s top female referees have opportunities to officiate international men’s and women’s matches.

IRB Referee Development Consultant Bernd Gabbei will continue to manage the programme, working closely with IRB Referee Manager Joel Jutge to develop and implement structured performance programmes specifically targeted at raising female officiating standards globally.

These panels have been selected following an extensive and ongoing commitment by the IRB to improve standards of officiating. Seven out of the nine Sevens referees have previously benefited from IRB training programmes, four have been to the annual IRB Sevens development workshop in Dubai and three attended the rigorous TOP programme in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

The 2012/13 season will see the full introduction of the IRB Game Analysis Unit into women’s Sevens with the referees now reviewed and analysed on exactly the same terms as their male counterparts.

Unprecedented Programme of Fixtures Announced for Tier Two Unions

Posted on Sep 19, 2012 in IRB

The International Rugby Board has launched the unprecedented IRB International Rugby Series that will see an extensive programme of competitive matches for Tier Two and Three nations during the November 2012 window.

The matches, which feature 12 IRB Strategic Investment Unions are in addition to the Tier One v Tier Two fixtures within the international tours and test schedule approved by the IRB Council in 2010.

Following Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand, many of the teams are now going through a period of rebuilding with several new players and coaches coming into the squads as they look towards RWC 2015 in England.

Russia, USA, Samoa, Canada, Tonga, Fiji, Romania, Japan, Uruguay, Portugal, Georgia and Chile will all be in action with the three Pacific Island teams facing up against top level opposition.

The announcement further underlines the IRB’s commitment to an expanded annual calendar for Tier Two teams and builds on similar schedules in place during previous seasons. One of the highlights of this busy programme of international fixtures will take place in Colwyn Bay, Wales, with a mini tournament being played over two match days with some mouth-watering fixtures arranged, including Russia v USA and Samoa v Canada.

Other highlights include England v Fiji in London, Wales v Samoa in Cardiff, Canada v Maori All Blacks in Oxford, France v Samoa in Paris, Scotland v Tonga in Aberdeen and Uruguay v Portugal in Montevideo.

IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: "This is an exciting development for the global Game. The IRB is committed to facilitating an annual international competition schedule for our Tier Two Unions and these matches will be crucial to ensuring that there is increased competitiveness on the global stage and at Rugby World Cup 2015.

"There will be an unprecedented number of international fixtures across Europe in November, which will give sports fans a taste of what to expect in 2015 when England hosts the world’s top 20 nations for Rugby World Cup."

IRB Head of Development and Performance Mark Egan said: "The November fixtures will play a significant role in the continued development of those Unions that have been identified for high performance support as part of our annual GBP10million Strategic Investment Programme. With an eye on Rugby World Cup 2015, coaches will be looking to assess their players in a competitive test match environment and the IRB will have the opportunity to benchmark the progress of the top ranked Tier Two Unions against both each other and in the case of the Pacific Island Unions, against Tier One opposition.”

“The November Tier Two test match programme compliments our portfolio of stand-alone strategic investment tournaments in June such as the Pacific Nations Cup, Nations Cup and the Americas Rugby Championship, which takes place in Canada in October. We are particularly excited about the double-header IRB International Rugby Series matches which will take place in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, on November 9 and 17 and the historic first-time visits of Japan and Fiji to Georgia.”