No knee jerk reaction to relegation says Bees’ Chairman

Posted on Apr 11, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Birmingham & Solihull Rugby Club will not rush into any decisions regarding its future, following the Club’s relegation from the RFU Championship says Chairman Chris Loughran.

The 14-23 defeat against Moseley yesterday at Damson Park means that the Bees will be relegated from the Championship to National Division 1 at the end of the current season.

“Everyone associated with the Bees is devastated at being relegated from the Championship and it clearly has significant implications for the Club, not least in terms of RFU funding, which forms a major part of our current income” said Chris Loughran. “It is therefore unsurprising that there is considerable speculation about the Club’s immediate plans and indeed its future viability.”

‘However, now is not the time for knee-jerk reactions and the Board of Directors will be meeting once of the season is completed – which is not until after the Esher game this coming Saturday – to assess the situation, consider our options and to then start the planning process accordingly for life outside the Championship.”

“There are a lot of factors to consider – not least the position of the players and coaching staff – as well as gauging input from key stakeholders and sponsors. Let’s not forget too that the Club isn’t just about its professional side the Bees. There is our highly successful Mini & Junior section, which continues to be a major part of the Club.”

“We won’t be rushed into any decisions and we will naturally keep all relevant parties informed of our deliberations and associated timescales, with further announcements to be made in due course” said Chris Loughran. “Until then, the Club will not make any further comment about our future shape or form.”

In the meantime, the Bees will make their final 2010/11 Championship appearance away to Esher this Saturday, 16th April. Kick off 3pm.

Connacht’s Flavin reaches 100 milestone

Posted on Apr 4, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Connacht’s Adrian Flavin earned his 100th cap for the Province last Friday when he replaced Sean Cronin in Connacht’s 27 – 23 victory over Edinburgh at The Sportsground.

The 31 year old hooker, who has 73 Magners League caps to his name, joined Connacht in 2006 from London Irish.

“Michael Bradley flew me over, showed me what Connacht was about, what they wanted to achieve and I haven’t looked back since. I knew Swifty (Michael Swift) who was already here so I spoke to him and I’d always had the ambition to play in Ireland. When Brads phoned it was a good time in my career to make the move and I’m delighted to get my 100th cap for Connacht.”

Flavin amassed 84 caps whilst at London Irish and was part of the Ireland U19 squad that won the World Cup in 1998. He has played for Ireland in the U21 World Cup and has caps for Ireland ‘A’ against England and Scotland. He recently signed a 2 year contract extension that will see him stay at The Sportsground until 2013.

“I made my debut for Connacht against the Border Reivers in September 2006 which we won. Brett Wilkinson, Michael Swift, Keith Matthews and John Muldoon were all part of that team, they’ve all reached 100 caps as well so it great to join that elite group within the squad. We’ve a great group of players here at the moment, there’s a real buzz around the team and it’s great to see some of the younger players coming through with the likes of Eoin Griffin, Shane Conneely and Eoin McKeon breaking through to the squad.”

“I’ve played in some big games over the years, one of the highlights was captaining the side in our victory over Samoa at the start of this season, it’s games like that you really want to be part of and hopefully there’ll be many more like that in the Sportsground”

“Winning my 100th cap for Connacht is a proud achievement for me and my family, having my wife and son there to watch it, and my parents watching on television means a huge amount to me, I’ve 5 good years behind me here and hopefully there’ll be plenty more to come, I’m really enjoying my rugby at the moment and I’m not hanging up my boots yet!”

England Counties XV heading for Spain

Posted on Mar 28, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

The England RU Counties XV, the representative flagship of the community game outside the Aviva Premiership, will play three matches in Spain in June 2011.

The summer tour, from May 31 to June 12, 2011, will include games against a Madrid XV (Saturday, June 4 in Madrid), a Castilla Leon Union XV (Wednesday, June 8 in Salamanca) and a match against a Spain XV (June 11 in Valladolid).

The Spanish are currently 23rd in the International Rugby Board rankings behind Namibia and ahead of Chile and are currently in the news for having a side in the Hong Kong sevens for the first time since 2009. They played in the World Cup in 1999 and currently have 20,016 players registered with 220 clubs.

England Counties have met the Spanish national side once previously. Both took part in a FIRA Festival in South West France in 2007, when the Counties were 21-15 winners in Morlaas.

“The Spanish tour will be the second part of our 2011 programme and will focus our attention on the Bill Beaumont County Championship matches from which the players will be chosen,” said Counties Manager Mike Old.

“The 14-day trip will provide a great rugby experience for the players in terms of their development and I’m sure that the Spanish teams will all ensure that the work we do on the practice ground is fully tested.

“There will also be some outreach work with local youngsters which has proved very popular with our players on our last two trips to Korea/Japan and Canada and which adds an extra dimension to our programme.

“I know from the time I’ve been involved with the Counties just how much players get out of these trips and how much added value they take back to their clubs.

“Inevitably, there are issues surrounding selection with the club programme running into the County Championship slot and players being affected by the decision of some CBs not to enter teams.

“The basic principles of qualification through playing County rugby will still apply as our raison d’etre is to enhance that competition and encourage people to play in it. Where anomalies occur in counties which do not participate in the championship, we have to make certain sensible concessions and look at the greater good of the competition and players who want to take part in the Championship.”

Ospreys sign George Stowers

Posted on Mar 24, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

The Ospreys are delighted to confirm that Samoan international back-rower George Stowers has signed a two-year contract with the region.

A powerful runner at 1.88m tall and weighing 112kg, he is renowned for his ferocity in the tackle and contact area, as well as being a skilful ball handler. Equally effective at number eight or blindside flanker, he will join the Ospreys next season after two years in the Aviva Premiership with London Irish.

Having moved to Auckland as a teenager, Apia born Stowers played for Pukekohe RFC before progressing to Counties Manukau in the NPC, and then into the Waikato Chiefs Super 12 squad for the 2000 season. Two years later he moved to Japan to play for the Kobe club, where he stayed for seven years until moving to the Madejski Stadium to play for Irish in 2009. To date, he has made 40 appearances for the Exiles, scoring six tries. Two of his 23 appearances this season came against the Ospreys in the Heineken Cup.

Stowers’ international debut came against Ireland at Lansdowne Road in November 2001, but he had to wait seven years for his next cap, which came in a Pacific Nations Cup match against Fiji in June 2008. Since then he has been a regular in the Samoa starting XV, earning 20 caps to date, with three tries to his credit. He has captained his country on seven occasions, including the narrow 17-13 loss to Wales at the Millennium Stadium in 2009.

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Local talent commits future to Connacht Rugby

Posted on Mar 24, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Local talent commits future to Connacht Rugby as Browne and Griffin sign 2 year deals

Connacht’s home-grown forward Andrew Browne has penned a contract extension that will see him stay at The Sportsground until the end of the 2013 season. Browne, younger brother of former Connacht favourite and current Brive 2nd row Damien, came through the Connacht Academy system in 2007 and has enjoyed regular game time since then winning 45 Magners League caps and 16 Amlin Challenge Cup caps. The 6’5, 112kg forward has played at blindside flanker this season in the absence of John Muldoon but is equally as comfortable in the second row. His power and athleticism have made him something of a lineout specialist and he has been an integral part of the Connacht pack this season featuring in 19 games so far. Browne, who won his first cap for Ireland Wolfhounds this February, was part of the Ireland Under-20 side which won the Grand Slam in 2007 alongside fellow Connacht players Jamie Hagan, Ian Keatley, Aidan Wynne and Shane Monahan.
“Playing rugby in your home town is great, growing up in Galway and playing youth rugby here it was always my goal to play for the Province and having come through the academy system here 3 years ago and getting my first contract was a dream come true so I am delighted to be able to commit to the club for another 2 years. There’s something special about playing for Connacht, everyone gets on really well and there’s a great buzz about the place, especially this year when things are starting to go our way a bit more. The coaching set-up here is world-class and I’m very happy to be playing here for the foreseeable future.

Another native of Galway, Academy graduate Eoin Griffin has also put pen to paper on a 2-year senior contract. The talented 20 year old centre played much of his youth rugby with Galway Corinthians and regularly appearing for their AIL Div 2 side. He has 9 caps for Ireland U20, scoring a try against Argentina and Samoa in the IRB Junior World Championships last year as well as tries against Wales and England in the 2010 U20 6 Nations. Eoin received the Man of the Match award for his part in Connacht’s 26- 22 victory over Samoa last November and was a try scorer in the province’s derby defeat to Leinster on New Years Day. The 6’1, 94kg outside centre’s progress has been hampered by injury this season but his raw pace and eye for a gap means he is never far from the selectors minds.

“To be part of the Connacht set-up as a Galway-man is fantastic. You always hope that you’ll make it and though I’ve always been confident in my ability, to be given the opportunity to prove myself is superb. The Academy set-up is very good under Nigel Carolan and I’ve received some top quality coaching that has prepared me really well for the step-up to Magners League. I was delighted to be given the chance to show what I can do at the start of the season and to be awarded my first full professional contract here at Connacht means a huge amount to me. I will continue to learn for the more experienced guys in the squad and hope to continue developing my own game here at Connacht.”

Connacht Academy Manager Nigel Carolan spoke about the announcement; “It’s nice to see two local lads come from grassroots to the professional set-up through the Academy system. I feel that they recognise the importance of Connacht in the future of Irish and European rugby, and are committed in promoting the province to the next level.”