Irish squad update

Posted on Jan 31, 2011 in Rugby News

An Ireland 26 man squad will join up in camp this evening in Dublin to begin final preparations ahead of the opening game of the RBS 6 Nations Championship against Italy next Saturday (February 5th) in Rome.

There are no fresh injury concerns for the Ireland team after last weeks camp in Limerick and the Ireland Wolfhounds game against Scotland, with Gavin Duffy, Tomas O’Leary and Kevin McLaughlin coming into the senior squad from the Wolfhounds side.

The Ireland team to play Italy will be announced this Tuesday and the Ireland Wolfhounds squad to face the England Saxons in Ravenhill on Friday night will also be announced on Tuesday.

Ireland Squad:
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht)
Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Keith Earls (Thomond/Munster)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
Shane Jennings (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Kevin McLaughlin (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Rhys Ruddock (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
Jonathan Sexton (St. Marys College/Leinster)
Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster)
Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)

England Counties U20s turn to Bob Hood

Posted on Jan 31, 2011 in Rugby News

The newly created England Counties RU Under 20 team have appointed Yorkshireman Bob Hood as Lead Coach for their inaugural game against Scotland on Friday, May 6, 2011 at West Park Leeds RFC.

During his time with Yorkshire Under 21s and Under 20s from 1995-2007 the White Rose team won 69 of their 74 Championship games and included in that tally eight National Championship titles.

“I think the team is a fantastic idea.” he says: “I find working with Under 20 players really rewarding. It’s a fantastic level. Their rugby development is such that they are hungry to learn, but they have the physical maturity of open age players, which is why you get a really good quality of rugby.

Joining Hood on the coaching front will be ex-London Welsh player Paul Cox, currently Head of Curriculum at Worthing College and coach to the England Colleges team, while Rob Clilverd, a director at the Bristol RFC, will be the team’s Chairman of Selectors and Malcolm Ross from Leicestershire the Manager.

Cambridge skipper joins Moseley

Posted on Jan 27, 2011 in Rugby News

Moseley has pleasure in confirming the signature of Cambridge University Captain Ben Maidment.

Ben a 22 year old, 6’4”, 17½ st ball carrying no 8 (or no 6), who was previously a student at Durham University, is currently studying Land Economy at St. Edmunds College Cambridge and won blues two years running.

He has recently been playing for London Wasps in the Aviva Premiership Rugby A League as well as in the 2010 Premiership 7s.

Ben will provide weight in the tight and the loose and is expected to raise further the competition for places among Moseley’s back row forwards.

Date of Birth: 28/05/1988
Position: No 8 (or 6)
Honours: England Students; Cambridge Blue; Wasps
Height 6′ 4 /1.93m; Weight 17st 6.7lb/111Kg

Fettes appoint Steve Bates as Director of Sport

Posted on Jan 14, 2011 in Rugby News

Fettes College have announced they have appointed former England rugby International Steve Bates as Director of Sport for Fettes College and the Fettes College Prep School.

In this newly created role, Steve will oversee all of the sporting activities at Fettes, develop and adapt current practices, promote our achievements and continue to nurture the talent of our young sportsmen and women.

Steve’s wealth of experience in rugby will of course be a huge asset in terms of the coaching of rugby at Fettes but Steve is equally passionate about the development of all the other sports on offer at the College for boys and girls. His enviable list of contacts within the sporting world will prove invaluable too.

Steve, who will join in September 2011, will be supported by the existing Sports Staff and coaches at Fettes whose dedication and hard work have already ensured Fettes is known for its sporting excellence – strong foundations for Steve to build upon.

“We are delighted that Steve Bates will be joining the staff at Fettes College and I know that he will be an incredible asset to the school. His experience as an educator and coach and his wealth of knowledge about competitive sport will augment and focus the development of Sport at Fettes.” – MCB Spens Headmaster, Fettes College

Warwick School to host Rugby Fitness Master Class

Posted on Dec 16, 2010 in Rugby News

Senior staff from the Rugby Football Union’s Elite Rugby Department will be hosting a series of seminars and practical sessions for over 30 schools from around England at Warwick School on January 6, 2011.

The sessions will be presented under the title of ‘Rugby Fitness for young rugby players’ and will include Olympic Lifts; Conditioned Games; Boxing for Rugby Fitness; and Athletic Movement Control.

Led by key note speakers including the RFU Head of Sports science, Roy Headey, Fitness Coaches, Simon Worsnop and Neil Taylor, England Nutritionist Matt Lovell and England Under 18s Doctor,  Andrew Franklyn-Miller, the free daylong session is aimed at increasing awareness of the rugby fitness tools available to the School Rugby Coaches and PE teachers. Delegates will be split into four colour coded groups to give all the delegates quality time with the seminar leaders.

Schools attending the sessions include representatives of Denston College, Bloxham, King Edwards in Birmingham and Magdalen College.

The RFU National Schools Development Manager, Mark Saltmarsh, said: “All the speakers are really looking forward to the day and we hope all of the delegates gain a lot of expertise and knowledge from the sessions.  We’ve organised the practical seminars so that the delegates can use what they’ve learned straight away when they are back at their schools

“It’s essential that as many young rugby players as possible have the opportunity to receive the best coaching, diet and conditioning advice that they can.

“Sessions like the one on January 6 are in direct response to support requested by our member schools at Forums and Conferences this year.  We want to help our schools to ensure that young rugby players make the most of their ability and for those selected to the aspirational representative pathway and any of the 14 Regional Academies that the RFU run in partnership with clubs in the Aviva Premiership it will give them a strong base of knowledge as they look to develop their career in the professional game.

“On behalf of the Rugby Football Union I’d like to thank *Warwick School for providing us with the facilities free of charge.”

*Warwick School were the Daily Mail U18 Cup Champions in 2007.