Blues plan a day to remember

Posted on Nov 12, 2010 in Rugby News

The Blues start the second half of the Championship season with a tricky home tie against Rotherham on Saturday afternoon.

The Titans and Worcester Warriors are the only teams in the league to have picked up wins against Bedford, but the Blues are on a good run of form and looking forward to the clash.

Bedford were made to work for their win against Birmingham & Solihull Bees last weekend, but they picked up a bonus point win thanks to a hat-trick of tries from Duncan Taylor and one for Edd Thrower.

The Blues are almost back to a fully fit squad with Ben Lewitt being the only long-term casualty who is expected to be back in action soon. Robin Boot is fit and has joined Shelford on a short-term loan to pick up some valuable game time following his recovery from an arm injury.

Servicemen and women as well as emergency service workers have been invited to attend the game free of charge and the Blues hope that plenty of people come along to make their voices heard.

Looking ahead to the 4.30pm kick-off, Blues Director of Rugby Mike Rayer said: “We were given a good run for our money last weekend and I think that it was a timely reminder to the lads that nothing in this league can be taken for granted.

“We are fully aware of the challenge that Rotherham pose and the boys have been working hard all week to be prepared for this fixture.

“A few players really stepped up to the plate last weekend and that has been reflected in our selection for the visit of Rotherham. We’ve made some tough choices, but I believe that we have the quality throughout the 22 to cause plenty of problems.”

Rayer makes several changes to the team that started against the Bees with Ollie Dodge, Myles Dorrian, Sam Walsh, Dan Richmond, Paul Tupai and Gregor Gillanders coming in for Handre Schmidt, Jake Sharp, Laurence Ovens, Chris Locke, Mike Howard and Sean Tomes respectively while Dan Seal and Nick Walshe come in on the bench.

Starting line-up:

15. Edd Thrower
14. Ollie Dodge
13. Brendan Burke
12. Ian Vass
11. Duncan Taylor
10. Myles Dorrian
9. Will Chudley

1. Sam Walsh
2. Dan Richmond (c)
3. Phil Boulton
4. Paul Tupai
5. Alex Rae
6. Gregor Gillanders
7. Sacha Harding
8. Chris Goodman

Replacements: 16. Chris Locke, 17. Dan Seal, 18. Mike Howard, 19. Sean Tomes, 20. Darryl Veenendaal, 21. Nick Walshe, 22. Tom Bedford.

Gloucester field strong side for LV= game vs. Sarries

Posted on Nov 12, 2010 in Rugby News

England’s loss is Gloucester’s gain as Dave Attwood and Paul Doran-Jones return to the starting line up for the LV=Cup tie with Saracens on Saturday (kick off 1pm) while Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu and Brett Deacon are both back from injury.

Attwood and Doran-Jones have both been training with England over the past two weeks and Attwood made his international debut as a replacement against New Zealand last Saturday.

However, neither player has been selected for the England 22 to face Australia this weekend and slot straight back into the Gloucester side.

Fuimaono-Sapolu is named for the first time since the win over Bath at the Rec on October 1^st whilst Deacon has recovered from the leg injury that forced him to leave the field during the win over his former side, the Leicester Tigers, a fortnight ago.

And, after a couple of A League run outs following his comeback from a knee injury, Tim Taylor starts at fly half.

Also of note amongst the replacements is the selection of England U18 scrum half Dan Robson who is named in the matchday squad for the first time.

Head Coach Bryan Redpath, talking ahead of the team announcement, acknowledged that the visitors will present a tough challenge.

“They made a lot of changes last weekend and they have rotated their squad a lot. Saracens are a dangerous side who play a fairly expansive game.”

“They have some very talented players. You just have to look at Joubert and Britz and Goode and players like that. They’re a very good side and we have to respect them.”

“It won’t be easy, there’s no given. This tournament does have value and every club will see that.”

Gloucester Rugby:

Olly Morgan; Charlie Sharples, Henry Trinder, Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, James Simpson-Daniel; Tim Taylor, Jordi Pasqualin; Nick Wood, Olivier Azam, Paul Doran-Jones, Dave Attwood, Alex Brown; Brett Deacon, Andrew Hazell, Luke Narraway (capt)

Replacements:

Darren Dawidiuk, Yann Thomas, Pierre Capdevielle, Dan Williams, Matt Cox, Dan Robson, Freddie Burns, Lesley Vainikolo

The All Blacks are back in town

Posted on Nov 4, 2010 in NZ, SANZAR

The All Blacks will be making a special appearance at Twickenham ahead of the first test match of their end of year tour against England on Saturday.

Key members of the All Blacks including Dan Carter, Keven Mealamu, Ma’a Nonu, Sam Whitelock, Conrad Smith and newcomer Sonny Bill Williams will be attending the adidas signing session at the RFU Store at Twickenham Stadium from 11.30am to 12.30pm on Friday 5th November.

Rugby fans and All Blacks supporters are invited to come down to meet the players and get their autographs ahead of the match against England.

Ahead of the day, Dan Carter said “As a team we always look forward to the opportunity to get out and meet our fans and thank them for their ongoing support. Hopefully this Friday will be no different and they’ll be plenty of black jerseys out there ahead of Saturday’s match!”

You can follow adidas on Twitter: www.twitter.com/adidasrugby_UK

England sevens get a good start with win over Sri Lanka

Posted on Oct 11, 2010 in Rugby News

James Rodwell’s hat-trick set England on the way to a 59-7 win over minnows Sri Lanka on the opening morning of the Commonwealth Games Sevens in Delhi.

The 2006 silver medallists breezed through their first Pool D game by scoring nine tries to register the biggest total of the day so far.

The try treble from former Moseley forward Rodwell was backed up by Ben Gollings, the Sevens world record points scorer, who touched down twice and converted seven of England’s tries for a 24-point haul.

There were two tries from Saracens scrum half Kevin Barrett and one apiece from the Army’s Isoa Damudamu and Kent wing Dan Caprice. Sri Lanka’s consolation came from Anuradha Sooriyabandara.

England face Uganda and Australia in today’s remaining pool games.

Elsewhere, Wales opened their account in Pool B with a 56-7 win over hosts India, Lee Williams and Tom Prydie both touching down twice, while Scotland beat Guyana 26-0 in Pool A with Lee Jones scoring a hat-trick.

England: Isoa Damudamu, Greg Barden, James Rodwell, Dan Norton, Dan Caprice, Kevin Barrett, Ben Gollings.

Replacements: Tom Powell, Simon Hunt, Mathew Turner, John Brake, Chris Cracknell.

Scorers: Tries: Rodwell 3, Barrett 2, Gollings 2, Caprice, Damudamu. Conversions: Gollings 7.

Ulster squad named for Glasgow trip

Posted on Sep 29, 2010 in Rugby News

Brian McLaughlin has named a 30 man squad ahead of this Friday’s match against Glasgow at Ravenhill, kick off 7.05pm.

New signing Ruan Pienaar’s name features for the first time, having arrived in Belfast just two weeks ago whilst winger Simon Danielli is also included, having recovered from shoulder surgery in the summer. 
With props, BJ Botha, Declan Fitzpatrick and Adam Macklin all unavailable due to injury, Ulster have drafted in Instonians’ prop Alan Whitten, brother of Ulster centre Ian, ahead of this weekend’s match. 
The Ulster starting XV and replacements will be named before 12 noon tomorrow.
Tickets for the match are still available and gates open at 5.30pm for the 7.05pm kick off

ULSTER SQUAD
Forwards: Tom Court, Paddy McAllister, Bryan Young, Nigel Brady, Rory Best, Andi Kyriacou, Tim Barker, Johann Muller, Ryan Caldwell, Dan Tuohy, Willie Faloon, Chris Henry, Robbie Diack, TJ Anderson, Pedrie Wannenburg

Backs: Adam D’Arcy. David McIlwaine, Jamie Smith, Simon Danielli, Andrew Trimble, Paul Emerick, Darren Cave, Ian Whitten, Paddy Wallace, Ian Humphreys, Niall O’Connor, Paul Marshall, Ian Porter, Ruan Pienaar

Unavailable due to injury: BJ Botha, Stephen Ferris, Declan Fitzpatrick, Adam Macklin, Bryn Cunningham, David Pollock