Japan to Host IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2011

Posted on Dec 16, 2010 in Rugby News

Japan’s preparations to host Rugby World Cup 2019 have been given a further boost after the International Rugby Board announced that the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) will host the IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2011.

The sixth IRB Pacific Nations Cup tournament, now an established event on the annual Rugby calendar with its exciting brand of local rivalry and competitive action, will have an extra dimension as Fiji, Japan, Samoa and Tonga look to gain advantage ahead of Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand.

Samoa will defend the title they won for the first time on home soil last year as the single-host format continues. All six IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2011 matches will be played at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground in Tokyo between July 2-13, providing fans with three double-header match days and the ability to see some of the world’s most exciting players in action before they head to New Zealand.

“Rugby in Asia is continuing to go from strength to strength and the IRB is delighted to award this major international tournament to Japan and a Union that has been at the very heart of this growth,” said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.

“Japan staged an exceptional IRB Junior World Championship and is preparing to host the first ever Rugby World Cup in Asia. The single-hosting format of the IRB Pacific Nations Cup has proved extremely popular, allowing a greater platform for broadcast and media coverage, attendances, training and legacy programmes. I have no doubt that the 2011 tournament will be a resounding success.”

Tonga will play Fiji on the opening day while hosts Japan take on champions Samoa. Both corresponding fixtures in last year’s tournament produced thrilling matches as Fiji defeated Tonga by just three points – one of half the tournament matches to be decided by a margin of three points or less – and the Brave Blossoms secured a 31-23 victory over the eventual winners.

For the JRFU, the announcement adds to the expanding portfolio of international Rugby tournaments awarded to Japan after they played host to a record-breaking IRB Junior World Championship in 2009.

Hosting the IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2011 will give a further boost to the exposure of the Game across Asia as Japan looks ahead to Rugby World Cup 2019 and a tournament aimed at bringing together the Asian Rugby family for a unique celebration of world-class Rugby across the continent.

“It is an honour to solo host the very important and prestigious IRB Pacific Nations Cup and we are grateful to the IRB for deciding to hold it next July in Tokyo. We look forward to welcoming the other participating Unions, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga and we would also love to see Rugby fans from all the corners of the globe,” said Vice President and Chairman of the Japan Rugby Football Union Nobby Mashimo.

“We are very confident that it will be a great success and that the players, teams, management and spectators will thoroughly enjoy their stay in Tokyo where tradition and modernism so vividly co-exist.”

“The sixth IRB Pacific Nations Cup is an ideal occasion to showcase the potential of the Rugby market in Japan, the enthusiasm of Japanese rugby fans and the ability of the Brave Blossoms. The Tournament will give the world Rugby family a glimpse of what lies ahead for Rugby World Cup 2019. See you next July here in Tokyo!” added Mashimo.

IRB Regional General Manager for Oceania Will Glenwright added: “The IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2011 is set to be the most exciting and competitive to date, with the tournament providing vital international matches for the Pacific Islands and Japan as they prepare for Rugby World Cup 2011 and also for their longer term development towards Rugby World Cup 2015 and 2019.”

“The tournament has become of vital importance to both the Oceania and Asia region and offers a wonderful opportunity to develop players, match officials and structures for all the Unions involved. It was hugely encouraging to see the much-improved performance of these nations during the recent November Test window.”

The tournament will also throw up two tasters for Rugby World Cup 2011 where Tonga will meet Pool A rivals Japan on Wednesday, September 21 in Whangarei before Fiji take on Samoa in their Pool D clash on September 25 in Auckland.

Ground-breaking Work To Begin on Samoa High Performance Centre

Posted on Dec 13, 2010 in Rugby News

The construction of the Samoa Rugby Union’s (SRU) ground-breaking High Performance Facility will start today at Faleata with a special ceremony attended by the Prime Minister of Samoa and SRU Chairman, Hon. Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi.

The state-of-the-art facility will feature a High Performance gym, recovery and rehabilitation centre, four new training pitches, accommodation for up to 90 athletes and a dedicated administration centre for SRU staff. Construction is expected to be completed well ahead of Samoa’s Rugby World Cup preparation camp in August 2011.

The start of construction represents an important milestone for the SRU High Performance Programme, which is underwritten by International Rugby Board funding through strategic investments aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the global Game.

The IRB has contributed over GBP £1million to the project, which has been made possible through the donation of 36 hectares of land at the Faleata Sports Complex by the Samoan Government.

“The construction of the High Performance Facility in Samoa continues an impressive 12 months for Samoan Rugby,” said IRB Head of Development and Performance Mark Egan.

“Samoa’s high performance progress has been significant over the past year with IRB Sevens World Series and ANZ Pacific Nations Cup titles achieved and an impressive set of results during the recent November Tests.”

“In that regard, it is fitting that the facility will be ready for the Manu Samoa’s Rugby World Cup 2011 preparation camp next August and we are delighted to be partnering with the Samoa Rugby Union on this important project which we hope will elevate the SRU High Performance Programme to a new level.”

“Of course, this project would not have been possible without the significant support of the Samoan Government, and on behalf of the IRB I would like to extend our gratitude to the Prime Minister and his Government for the donation of land on which this impressive facility is being constructed,” added Egan.

Rugby is the national sport in Samoa and as excitement builds with the start of the 2010/11 HSBC Sevens World Series this month and Rugby World Cup 2011 less than nine months away, the SRU High Performance Facility is central to the Union’s Sevens and Rugby World Cup 2011 aspirations.

Chairman of the Samoa Rugby Union, the Hon. Tuilaepa is excited about the potential of the new facilities to enhance the capacity of Samoa’s Rugby performance at the regional and international level.

“The contribution and support accorded by IRB towards the elite development of Rugby in Samoa is acknowledged with deep gratitude,” said Tuilaepa ahead of the ceremony on Monday.

The special ceremony will commence at 17:00 (local time) on Monday, December 13 on the site at the Faleata Sports Complex.

Referee Colin High awarded for distinguished service

Posted on Nov 9, 2010 in Rugby News

Colin High was today presented with the IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service 2010 in association with Emirates Airline.

During a 57-year rugby career High has made an exceptional contribution at all levels of the game, from playing to refereeing domestic fixtures and Test matches before establishing a reputation as one of the world’s foremost referee assessors.

High broke new ground when he was appointed as the RFU’s first full-time National Referees Manager in 1997, establishing the RFU’s Elite Refereeing Unit in 2001.

He drove referee development in the professional era in England, nurturing the development of elite referee talent for the national, European and international stage, culminating with the selection of four RFU referees for Rugby World Cup 2007 in France.

"The IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service recognises those who have contributed significantly to the area of officiating and there are few who have given more to referee development than Colin High. His contribution to the game over nearly six decades as a player, Referee, Referee Manager and IRB Referee Assessor is nothing short of exceptional,” said IRB Chief Executive Mike Miller, who was in London to present High with his award.

"Colin pioneered Referee development and ensured that the RFU were always well represented on the IRB’s Elite Panel. We are very fortunate to have someone of Colin’s calibre as part of our referee development process, and thank him for his dedication and commitment to this key area of our Game.”

Ed Morrison, RFU Head of Elite Referee Development, said: “Colin’s contribution to refereeing cannot be underestimated. He was the pioneer for the giant strides that have been made in refereeing and everyone in the Game should be grateful for the huge contribution he has and continues to make. No-one is more deserving of this award.”

From his early days with the Cumbria Referees Society, the Manchester Referees Society, and the RFU and the IRB, High has served rugby and rugby referees with distinction, pride, dedication and enthusiasm.

High has also assisted Unions, including Russia, Romania, Uruguay and Morocco, to improve officiating in their regions, whilst providing opportunities for young English referees to experience international Rugby cultures through exchange schemes and Test match officiating.

The IRB Referee Award for Distinguished Service is the fifth of the IRB Awards in association with Emirates Airline to be presented in 2010. In May, Samoa’s Mikaele Pesamino was named IRB Sevens Player of the Year, while New Zealand’s Julian Savea was named IRB Junior Player of the Year in June. Women’s Rugby World Cup winner Carla Hohepa of New Zealand was presented with the IRB Women’s Personality of the Year award in September and Brian O’Shea received the IRB Development Award last month.

London IRB Medical Conference focuses on injury prevention

Posted on Nov 1, 2010 in Rugby News

The International Rugby Board has announced further details of the programme for the 2010 IRB Medical Conference, which will be held in London from November 3-5.

Under the central theme of Putting Players First, the Conference will bring together physicians from 25 Member Unions, independent medical experts and playing representatives to drive global best-practice policy implementation and dissemination and discuss player welfare matters at both the elite and community level. A central focus of the event will be injury prevention and player welfare best practice implementation.

IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “The welfare of players at all levels of the Game is of critical importance to the IRB and its 117 Member Unions and the expanded IRB Medical Conference programme reflects the continued commitment within the global Rugby family to Putting Players First."

“Collectively, a lot has already been achieved. We now have a universal system of injury reporting and expert medical groups have devised policy on key areas, including concussion management, cardiac screening and training and education best practice. But more can be done. The outcomes from the Conference must, and will, drive policy making and the continued dissemination of information to those playing, coaching and officiating the Game."

"The inaugural IRB Medical Conference in 2009 provided an excellent first step in a new integrated approach for Unions to share information and discuss global medical issues. We are committed to ensuring that this year’s Conference will be a catalyst for enhanced player welfare practices from grass roots to the elite level.”

Following the success of the inaugural Medical Conference, which delivered a suite of player welfare and medical recommendations, the event has been extended to three days to accommodate an expanded programme of expert presentations, group discussions and policy recommendations.

Keynote speakers during the three-day event include Arsenal team doctor Gary O’Driscoll, Scotland and British & Irish Lions doctor James Robson, Professor Bill McKenna from UCL partners and former Scotland international Thom Evans.

Notes to Editors

Day 1 – November 3: The Conference will open with meetings of the four specialist IRB Medical Working Groups established as a recommendation from the 2009 Conference to drive best-practice policy in concussion management, spinal cord injury management, gender issues and implementation of cross-Union best-practice medical and player welfare policies.

Day 2 – November 4: The programme for the second day will provide the opportunity for physicians from 25 Unions, along with playing and refereeing representatives and independent medical experts, to consider the latest research and expert medical opinion on injury prevention, cardiac screening and injury reporting and management, while delegates will identify key focus areas for the IRB to consider through its Medical Strategies. The keynote speakers will be Arsenal team doctor Gary O’Driscoll, Scotland and British & Irish Lions doctor James Robson and Professor Bill McKenna from UCL partners.

Day 3 – November 5: The keynote speaker on day three will be former Scotland international Thom Evans, who will kick off a workshop session on catastrophic injury and emergency care best practice, while the delegates will also consider the player welfare benefits of GPS technology, best-practice match day medical protocols and scrum forces. In a conference first, Niall Woods (IRPA), Didier Retier (France forwards coach), Paddy O’Brien (IRB Elite Referee Manager) and Stuart Dickinson (IRB Referee) will moderate a special player, coach and referee session to focus on issues relating to the playing of the Game.

Conference Speakers: Bill Beaumont (IRB Vice Chairman), Dr Mick Molloy (IRB Chief Medical Officer), Dr Colin Fuller (IRB & FIFA Risk Management Consultant), Andrew Gray (Athletic Data Innovations), Dr Lyn Griffiths (Medical Protection Society), Professor Bill McKenna (UCL Partners), Dr Gary O’Driscoll (Arsenal FC), Andy Smith (Course Director RFU Immediate Care in Sport programme), Dr Grant Trewartha (University of Bath), Thom Evans (Former Scotland International), Adam Pearson (Sport Development Resources Ltd), Dr Martin Raftery (Medical Director, Australian Rugby Union), Dr Mike England (Community Rugby Medical Director, RFU), Dr Simon Kemp (Head of Sports Medicine, RFU), Didier Retiere (National Team Forwards Coach, FFR), Rob Nichol (Chief Executive Officer, IRPA), Niall Woods (IRPA), Dr Steve Targett (RWC Tournament Medical Director), Dr Alin Popescu (Medical Coordinator, FRR), Dr James Robson (Head of Medical Services, SRU), Dr Roger Evans (Chief Medical Officer, WRU).

Full Programme of November Fixtures Announced for Tier 2 Unions

Posted on Sep 30, 2010 in Rugby News

The International Rugby Board has announced an exciting schedule of matches for Tier 2 Unions during the 2010 November window, ensuring that 24 of the world’s top 25 ranked teams will all be in action during the period.

The programme sees an exciting programme of matches for Rugby World Cup 2011 qualified nations Tonga, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Namibia, Russia and the USA, while Romania and Uruguay go head to head over two legs to determine the final qualification place for RWC 2011 in New Zealand.

Samoa and Fiji will also play a total of six fixtures as part of the overall Tier 1 2010 November window.

The announcement further underlines the IRB’s commitment to an expanded annual calendar for Tier 2 Nations and builds on the announcement earlier in the year of a 10 year Tours schedule that will see Tier 1 Unions playing Tests in Japan, North America and the Pacific Islands over the period.

The busy programme of international fixtures will kick-off on October 23 when Russia takes on the Argentina Jaguars in the first of two matches on consecutive weekends in Moscow.

Other highlights include Canada playing a first ever Test against Belgium on November 6 as part of their European tour, USA visiting Georgia for the first time ever to play their RWC 2011 rivals Georgia on November 27 in Tbilisi and Tonga playing matches against Italy A on November 19 and the French Barbarians on November 26.

"The November fixtures will play a significant role in the build up to RWC 2011 for those Unions that have qualified. Coaches will be looking to assess their players in a competitive test match environment and it also gives the Unions an opportunity to start testing their planning and team operations systems less than a year out from the tournament," said International Rugby Board Head of Development and Performance Mark Egan.

"Through our Strategic Investment initiatives, we are committed to investing in an international match programme for all our targeted HP and Performance Unions which gives them seven to 10 competitive games a year between IRB funded tournaments in June and the standalone test matches in November, which are underpinned by IRB funding for flights and accommodation subsidies for the touring Unions."

"We are particularly grateful to the FFR and the French Barbarians for supporting the fixture with Tonga on November 26, which will be one of the highlights of the schedule," added Egan.