Canadian international stays at Albion

Posted on Jun 21, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Influential captain Sean-Michael Stephen has committed his future to Plymouth Albion.

The Canadian international is the latest player to sign a new deal at Brickfields.

Stephen joined Albion in 2008 and took over skippering the side last year.

His performances in 2010/11 saw him win The Herald readers’ Albion player of the year award and also earn a recall to the Canada squad.

Stephen featured in Canada’s autumn internationals and was named in their Churchill Cup squad, but had to pull out due to a back injury he picked up towards the end of last season."

It is important we have players of proven quality who want to stay with the club," said Albion’s chairman of rugby Graham Dawe.

Meanwhile, Albion have added young Ulster-born hooker David McGregor to their squad for the 2011/12 season.

The 21-year-old, who can also play flanker, spent last season at Albion’s Championship rivals Rotherham.

"Davy is a young guy who is prepared to back himself to try and get into the squad on a regular basis," added Dawe.

Miles better for Saxons as they claim sixth Churchill Cup

Posted on Jun 20, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

England Saxons 37 – Canada 6

Miles Benjamin scored two spectacular tries on his home ground to earn England Saxons a sixth and final Churchill Cup title.

The Worcester Warriors wing raced 70 metres for a first half interception try – then soared to claim Rory Clegg’s superb cross-kick and put the Saxons out of sight on the hour.

Sale Sharks flanker James Gaskell, Gloucester wing Charlie Sharples and London Irish flanker Jamie Gibson also touched down with Harlequins fly half Clegg adding three conversions and two penalties against a hard-nosed Canada side that proved tough to break down.

They responded with a first-half drop goal from fly half Ander Munro and a penalty from James Pritchard but couldn’t turn some thrilling counter-attacks into points on the board.

The Saxons had broken a Churchill Cup points record with their 13-try 87-8 win over the USA and followed it up with a 41-14 win against Tonga that included three penalty tries.

Canada, though, are a level above both those teams at 15th in the IRB rankings and recognised as a well-organised side with a mean-spirited defence which they underlined for long spells at Sixways.

So while the Saxons enjoyed plenty of early possession, they only had Rory Clegg’s penalty – cancelled out by Munro’s drop goal – in the bank after the opening 20 minutes.

They broke the deadlock with one superb score – Jordan Crane, Mike Brown and James Gaskell combining down the left for Sale Sharks flanker Gaskell to score in the right hand corner.

Three minutes later it was Gaskell’s defensive pressure that delivered the ball to Benjamin who intercepted and went 80 metres to strike under the posts.

Clegg’s conversion put the Saxons 15-3 ahead but Canada dug in again and Pritchard kicked a 30^th minute penalty and missed an equally kickable one shortly before the interval.

Clegg extended the lead with his second penalty 10 minutes into the second half and Canada survived one major scare when the fly half’s angled low kick created mayhem in their defence.

Chauncey O’Toole led one thrilling counter-attack though and Ciaran Hearn produced another surge down the right that threatened to haul Canada back into the game.

But their resistance was finally broken 20 minutes from time by Benjamin’s second score, Clegg’s cross-kick plucked out of the air at full pelt by the Worcester wing.

As the game broke up Canada were punished again as they lost the ball in attack, Mouritz Botha kicking through and Sharples regathering and holding off a tackler to roll over and score.

Gibson added a fifth try five minutes from time, following up to finish things off after Henry Trinder’s lightning break through the middle.

England Saxons: M Brown (Harlequins); C Sharples (Gloucester Rugby), H Trinder (Gloucester Rugby), B Twelvetrees (Leicester Tigers), M Benjamin (Worcester Warriors); R Clegg (Harlequins), P Hodgson (London Irish); M Mullan (Worcester Warriors), D Paice (London Irish), M Stevens (Saracens), M Botha (Saracens), G Kitchener (Worcester Warriors), J Gaskell (Sale Sharks), T Johnson (Exeter Chiefs), J Crane (Leicester Tigers, captain) 
Replacements: J Gray (Harlequins) for Paice 70, N Catt (Bath Rugby) for Mullan 70, J Gibson (London Irish) for Kitchener 7, C Fearns (Sale Sharks) for Johnson 70, M Young (Newcastle Falcons) for Hodgson 65, A Goode (Saracens) for Brown 51, T Ojo (London Irish) for Benjamin.                
Scorers: Tries – Benjamin 2, Gaskell, Sharples, Gibson. Conversions – Clegg 3. Penalties – Clegg 2.

Canada: M Evans; C Hearn, P Mackenzie, R Smith, J Pritchard; A Munro, S White; H Buydens, P Riordan (captain), B Erichsen, J Cumore, J Sinclair, C O’Toole, A Carpenter.
Replacements: T Hotson for Erichsen, N Dala for Carpenter, N Hirayama for Munro, C Trainor for Hearn.
Scorers: Drop-goal – Munro. Penalty – Pritchard.

Referee: R Poite (FFR)

Saxons name squad for Churchill Cup final

Posted on Jun 17, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Worcester duo Graham Kitchener and Miles Benjamin come back into the England Saxons side for Saturday’s Churchill Cup final against Canada at Sixways (4.30pm).

In all the Saxons make three changes to the side that started last Sunday’s  41-14 win against Tonga.

Kitchener replaces the injured David Attwood in the second row, Benjamin takes over from Topsy Ojo (London Irish) on the wing and Mike Brown (Harlequins) is at full back instead of Alex Goode (Saracens). On the bench Bath Rugby prop Nathan Catt stands by to make his first outing of the tournament.

Kitchener – making his final appearance as a Worcester Warriors player before joining Leicester Tigers this summer – and Goode are the only two survivors in the squad from last year’s final when the Saxons beat Canada 38-18 at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.

Head coach Stuart Lancaster said: "It’s disappointing to lose Dave Attwood off the back of three good performances against the Barbarians and in the Churchill Cup but it’s a great opportunity for Graham Kitchener. We’re confident about what he can deliver having played so well against Italy A at Worcester earlier in the season.

"We’ve also got a lot of quality options in the backs and as the game progresses we envisage that the players coming off the bench will make a big impact.

"We’re aware of the threat that Canada pose. They’ve played well in their wins against Italy A and Russia. They’re a fit, well-coached and organised side who have spent a considerable amount of time together over the last few years. They will fight for the full 80 minutes so we’ve got a big challenge ahead of us to retain the trophy."

Canada reached this season’s final by beating Italy A 26-12 and Russia 34-18.

England Saxons
15 Mike Brown (Harlequins)
14 Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby)
13 Henry Trinder (Gloucester Rugby)
12 Billy Twelvetrees (Leicester Tigers)
11 Miles Benjamin (Worcester Warriors)
10 Rory Clegg (Harlequins)
9 Paul Hodgson (London Irish)
1 Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors)
2 David Paice (London Irish)
3 Matt Stevens (Saracens)
4 Mouritz Botha (Saracens)
5 Graham Kitchener (Worcester Warriors)
6 James Gaskell (Sale Sharks)
7 Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs)
8 Jordan Crane (Leicester Tigers, captain)

Replacements
16 Joe Gray (Harlequins)
17 Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby)
18 Jamie Gibson (London Irish)
19 Carl Fearns (Sale Sharks)
20 Micky Young (Newcastle Falcons)
21 Alex Goode (Saracens)
22 Topsy Ojo (London Irish)

Hardy boys take charge at scrum and lineout

Posted on Jun 13, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Simon Hardy watched England Saxons overwhelm Tonga at the scrum and lineout and admitted: “As a forwards coach you couldn’t ask for any more.”

The Saxons booked their place in next weekend’s Churchill Cup final against Canada with a 41-14 win against the islanders at Kingsholm.

They were awarded three penalty tries by referee Romain Poite as Tonga’s scrum was dismantled ruthlessly – and dominated the lineout to such an extent that they stole the ball on seven successive occasions.

Captain Jordan Crane scored one try and made another for Leicester Tigers teammate Billy Twelvetrees with Harlequins fly half Rory Clegg adding 16 points with five conversions and two penalties.

“I’ve never seen a game with three penalty tries where we’ve been so dominant,” said Hardy, who oversees the forward operation under head coach Stuart Lancaster.

“As a group we did our homework, looked at what they did and how they scrummaged. We talk as a front row, then get the rest of the forwards to buy into it and then it becomes an eight-man operation. It was one of those lucky days when it all went right.

“The lineout is down to hard work, looking at how we’re going to defend, looking at how they throw, their options and movements, putting the right people in the right places.

“James Gaskell was just phenomenal in terms of his movement and you’ve got to have two guys to put him up in the air. In the morning we were in a corridor in the hotel just rehearsing the movements – where we say ‘If they go here, we’ll go there’ and speeding reactions up.

“In all we had a magnificent day and as a forwards coach you couldn’t ask for any more.”

Worcester Warriors prop Matt Mullan, London Irish hooker David Paice and Saracens’ Matt Stevens faced France-based front row trio Tonga Lea’aetoa, Semiei Telefoni and Kisi Pulu.

Mullan said: “It was slightly unexpected. We knew it would be tough up front and it was physical – there are a few sore bodies around – but to come out on top was very pleasing.

“We watched them on Wednesday and you pick up a couple of things you think might work. It’s nothing too secret – you have things that you work on as a pack and pick up on things that they do or don’t do and take advantage.”

Exeter Chiefs flanker Tom Johnson – playing his second game on the open side – hopes to continue his progress against Canada next weekend.

Johnson said: “There’s a nice balance to the back row and I’m enjoying playing seven at the moment. It’s just all carried on from the way the season’s gone with the Chiefs.

“The coaches have helped me massively to get me to where I am and these boys here are a real good bunch and it’s just about fitting in with everyone’s game plan. [Head coach] Stuart Lancaster has a real good philosophy on how we’re going to play and we’re all buying into it.

“Canada will have had two games to look at us and I’m sure they’ll be up to speed and prepared for what we can bring. You’ve seen two styles of rugby in two games from us.”

The Saxons – 87-8 winners against the USA last weekend – top Pool A and meet Canada next Saturday at Sixways (4.30pm). The USA face Russia in the Bowl final (12pm) and Italy A meet Tonga in the Plate final (2.15pm).

England women’s squad for U20 Nations Cup announced

Posted on Jun 13, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

The England squad to compete in this summer’s U20 Nations Cup was announced today.

The tournament, which also includes the USA, Canada and South Africa will take place between the 14^th- 23^rd July at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The England Women’s U20s side has enjoyed a successful season with wins over Wales (32-19), Scotland (77-0) and France (12-5) but are expecting a tournament with three very physical encounters.

Amanda Bennett, England Women’s Under 20s Head Coach, said: “We want to be up front and say that we want to go to the Nations Cup and win it but we have no doubt how hard that is going to be.

“We are not taking any of these games lightly, it will be fierce.  We know that we will be facing extremely fit and physical opposition.  There are no performance guarantees when it comes to this tournament.

“The USA and Canada have a history of producing incredible athletes and South Africa has dedicated time and resources in recent years to developing the women’s game.”

Playing the home nations earlier in the year was important preparation for the squad and gives them an advantage which they intend to build on.

“The fixtures in February and March were important for us to see the players training and exposed to tough competition.  Our opposition won’t have had that opportunity so we are a step ahead,” said Bennett.

“When we meet for our training camp on the first weekend in July we are not going to reflect on what we have done but intend to take everything a step further, focusing in particular on our tactical and technical work.

“At some point the squad needs to know what it is like to train and play in a campaign like the Nations Cup because further down the line some of them might be going to a World Cup.”

For the older players in the squad this tournament is their last opportunity to complete at age-grade level and the tournament offers an important springboard into the senior game.

England v Canada (July 14)

USA v England (July 17)

England v South Africa (July 20)

Consolation Finals/Finals (July 23)

The Squad:

Poppy Cleall (Bristol, Hampshire, South West)

Fiona Davidson (Richmond, Surrey, London & South East)

Lucy Demaine (Bristol, Devon, South West)

Mica Evans (Exeter Saracens, Devon, South West)

Fiona Fletcher (Lichfield, Staffordshire, Midlands)

Hannah Gallagher (Saracens, Hertfordshire, London & South East)

Ellen Gattlin (Rochford Hundred, Essex, London & South East)

Sarah George (Bristol, Devon, South West)

Rebecca Hughes (Bristol, Somerset, South West)

Rose Jay (Lichfield, Staffordshire, Midlands)

Natasha Jones (Lichfield, Staffordshire, Midlands)

Charlotte Keane (Worcester, South West)

Emily Kingston (Gloucester, Gloucestershire, South West)

Ceri Large (Worcester, Gloucestershire, South West)

Katie Mason (Bristol, Somerset, South West)

Alexandra Matthews (London Irish, Surrey, London & SE)

Harriet  Mills (Lichfield, Staffordshire, Midlands)

Charlie Notman  (Newquay Hornets (Queen Bees), Cornwall, South West)

Megan  Oaten (Thornbury, Dorset & Wilts, South West)

Amber Reed (Bristol, Somerset/Devon, South West)

Rachel Roberts  (Gloucester, Gloucester, North)

Abbie Scott (Keswick, Cumbria,North)

Emily Scott (Thurrock, Essex, London & South East)

Geri Thomas (OA Saints, Hertfordshire, London & SE)

Daniker Willmore (Bristol, South West)

Amy Wilson-Hardy (Bristol, Sussex, South West)