England unchanged for third leg of HSBC Sevens World Series

Posted on Dec 8, 2011 in England, English Rugby, Sevens

England have named the same squad that lifted the Dubai Sevens title last weekend for the Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens in Port Elizabeth that kicks off tomorrow.

Head coach Ben Ryan keeps faith with the 12-man group with forward Chris Brightwell the 13th man who can be called on if England suffer any injuries during the tournament.

Half-back John Brake is still side-lined by the broken finger sustained on the eve of the Gold Coast Sevens in Australia a fortnight ago.

England, second in the HSBC Sevens World Series rankings, face the USA (10.21 GMT), Samoa (13.27) and Argentina (17.54) in three tough Pool A encounters on the opening day.

Ryan is pleased with the commitment he’s seen in training with his players all fighting for places in the starting line-up.

"We’re in a good situation because of the competition within the squad," he said.

"We used the same starting side in all six games in Dubai. They’ve been playing against our reserves and there’s been a real cutting edge in training.

"No-one thinks they’re God’s gift and everyone wants to start. We all know it’s one last tournament and we’ll give it everything and then have our rest over Christmas.

"The group we’re in will take any chance of complacency away. Samoa, Argentina and the USA are all sides who have beaten us in the past three years.

"Everybody will want to have a crack at us now but we think we’re on an upward curve. We need to be consistent and that means performing well at lots of tournaments."

This is the first time three tournaments have been played back-to-back in the World Series and when England return home on December 12 they will have travelled more than 33,000 miles on 10 separate flights across a dozen time zones in less than four weeks.

Ryan said: "The boys were pretty fatigued after the [Dubai] tournament, then by travelling for 17 hours to Port Elizabeth, so lots have been stretched on the treatment table and massaged but all in all they’ve handled it pretty well and I’m sure we’ll be at full throttle on Friday."

England Sevens XII: Greg Barden (captain), Chris Cracknell, Isoa Damudamu (British Army), Simon Hunt, Christian Lewis-Pratt, Dan Norton, Tom Powell, James Rodwell, Nick Royle, Mathew Turner, Rob Vickerman, Marcus Watson (Saracens)

Ireland team to play the USA

Posted on Sep 9, 2011 in Ireland, Irish Rugby, Rugby News, Rugby World Cup

The Ireland team to play the United States of America in the opening Pool C game in the Rugby World Cup will see nine of the starting team making their debuts at a Rugby World Cup tournament, with a further two possible debutants named among the replacements.

Geordan Murphy is named at full back with Tommy Bowe and Keith Earls completing the back three combination.  Jonathan Sexton and Conor Murray start an international together for the first time as the half backs, while centre Gordon D’Arcy will be winning his 60th cap.

The team will be captained by Brian O’Driscoll.

Ireland XV
15 – Geordan Murphy (Leicester Tigers)
14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)*
13 – Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) Captain
12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 – Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)*
10 – Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)*
9 – Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)*
1 – Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)*
2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 – Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)*
4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)*
7 – Shane Jennings (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)*
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)*

Replacements:
16 – Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)
17 – Tony Buckley (Sale Sharks)*
18 – Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)*
19 – Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
20 – Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 – Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

*Denotes Rugby World Cup debut

Pool C Week 1 Preview

Posted on Sep 8, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

Tri Nations Champions Australia will hope to top a pool containing Six Nations sides Ireland and Italy, as well as Cold War rivals Russia and the USA. Although the Italians would like to think of this pool as a three horse race, the likelihood is that this is a two horse race between Australia and Ireland. Russia will hope to celebrate their first World Cup appearance with a win over the USA in an eagerly awaited Cold War showdown, and both teams will hope of upsetting the Italians for automatic qualification for 2015.

Australia v Italy (Auckland, Sunday 11th 04:30 GMT)

A proud sporting nation with a terrific World Cup record, Australia will be hoping to put things straight after a shock quarter final exit in 2007. A convincing win for the Tri Nations champions would lay down the gauntlet to the Irish and should give the Wallabies the momentum to top the pool and hopefully avoid the South Africans in the quarter finals. Italy though have never reached the quarter finals, and feeling is that they’ll target the Ireland game rather than this one. However Italy have given Australia a few scares in past Autumn Internationals, and if they can get the better of the Australian pack and put in the defensive performance of their lives then they could make history. Big ifs though.

Prediction: Australia to win reasonably comfortably.

Ireland v USA (New Plymouth, Sunday 11th 07:00 GMT)

Former Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan will hope his USA Eagles side puts in a performance that makes his former employers stand up and notice. His Ireland team struggled against the minnows fours ago and he wouldn’t mind a similar thing happening to his successors team. This will be an incredibly emotional day for the American players as this game will be played on the ten year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, and this emotion could very well inspire the Americans into producing a once in a lifetime performance. However even with all the emotion and sentiment Ireland should still win comfortably. They went into the 2007 tournament with high expectations and fell flat on their faces, and after a winless summer warm up period they will be desperate not to let history repeat itself. When’/if Ireland produce a massive lead expect both teams to make mass substitutions as Ireland will want to conserve strength ahead of the Australia clash, and the USA will do likewise ahead of the more winnable game against Russia on Thursday.

Prediction: Ireland to win comfortably.

Russia v USA (New Plymouth, Thursday 15th 08.30 GMT)

Arguably the most eagerly awaited of all the minnow v minnow clashes. The Cold War may have ended twenty years ago, but Russo-American sporting clashes still remain fiery affairs. This will be Russia’s first ever World Cup match and beating the USA is the perfect way to celebrate it. The USA have the disadvantage of going into this game only four days after playing Ireland, but will be hoping that their experience of the big stage will see them through. Whoever wins this game will throw the kitchen sink at Italy in the hope of automatic qualification for 2015.

Prediction: Depends how the USA recover from the Ireland game but imagine Russia will win a close affair.

Healy and D’Arcy arrive in New Zealand

Posted on Sep 5, 2011 in Ireland, Irish Rugby

Ireland Squad members Cian Healy and Gordon D’Arcy arrived into Queenstown today keen to make up time following their delayed departures for the Rugby World Cup due to niggling injuries.

Prop forward Healy had suffered an injury to his eye during the final warm up game against England and it was decided following the match that it would be better to allow the injury to settle before undertaking the long distance commute to New Zealand.  Centre D’Arcy was a late withdrawal from the travelling party on the very day the team left Dublin after he picked up a calf strain during a recovery session that morning with the medical team feeling it was also the best option to delay his departure.

Healy said, "It was a strange feeling watching the lads meet up in Dublin airport and then waving goodbye to them, but there was also a little sense of comfort for me knowing that I would at least be following them out a couple of days later.  I was getting mentally prepared for doing the journey by myself, but I got the news that Gordon (D’Arcy) pulled up with a calf injury, so I guess there was a sense of relief for both of us that we would still be travelling.

"Talking to some of the squad, they seem to have settled in really well and combined training with some time to relax and get involved in the whole spirit of the tournament.  It’s good to get that down time before we pick the pace up this week, so I think the intensity will start to rise now another couple of notches as we look forward to the USA game.

"The injury has come on fine over the last couple of days and the medical team has been keeping a good watch over it, so I’m just really excited to be finally here and get the chance to get back on the field."

D’Arcy was also enthusiastic about finally touching down in Queenstown and getting going in the tournament. "Queenstown looks incredible and I know the rest of the lads have been enjoying the experience so far. We flew in to a little less fanfare then the squad received, but that’s a small price to pay for just getting the chance to be here and start thinking about our first game against the USA.

"There was a terrible sense of dread for me when the calf tightened up that morning and there was a couple of anxious hours before the scans came through and showed that it was not too bad and that it would not rule me out of the tournament. My focus now is to get it right and get on the field to put myself in contention for selection as soon as possible."

The rest of the Ireland squad had their final down day before stepping up preparations for their opening game against the USA Eagles in New Plymouth.  There was no further injury news to report, with both Rob Kearney and Sean O’Brien showing no ill effects from their respective groin and knee injuries and took part in the majority of the Ireland training session yesterday.

England Women open Nations Cup campaign with hard fought USA win

Posted on Aug 3, 2011 in England, Women's Rugby

England 15 USA 11.

England Women opened their Nations Cup campaign with a hard fought 15-11 victory over the USA on Tuesday night at Appleby College in Ontario, Canada, with only an extra-time try sealing the win.

The defending champions and Six Nations title holders banked the victory thanks to tries from skipper Katy McLean, Vice-captain Margaret Alphonsi and Richmond lock Rowena Burnfield, who scored the crucial match winning try in the 87^th minute.

The USA pushed England all the way and a try from Victoria Folayan and two penalties from centre Pam Kosanke kept their charge going as they led 11-10 in the dying minutes of the game.

In a new look England line-up, which saw Victoria Fleetwood, Laura Keates, Kay Wilson, Jenny Brightmore, Natasha Hunt and Sarah McKenna all making their debuts, England did however dominate much of the match but also squandered several try scoring opportunities.

Street said: “The importance of this tournament was evident in this match with the physicality and pressure from the USA. It is a different challenge to the Six Nations so it is vital for the development of some of our younger and less experienced players.

“Introducing six new caps to international rugby will bear fruit in the future and we showed great maturity to win the game late on. We will get better as the tournament progresses and we look forward to playing South Africa on Friday.”

With the Eagles kicking off the game Wasps’ Joanne McGilchrist took the ball nicely and McLean kicked well for territory and the backs chased well. Lichfield centre Emily Scarratt hit some great lines in the early stages of the game but the USA backs defended well and their line speed was good to close down a lot of what England were trying to do. Richmond lock Becky Essex also came close to scoring after ten minutes with a great line break but England were unable to score from it.

Fly-half McLean then had the chance to put England’s first points on the board with a 12^th minute penalty, but she couldn’t make the score and although fullback Danielle Waterman showed some great feet and creativity heading straight back at the USA on the counter attack again England couldn’t break the USA’s line.

England’s patience paid off though and some more impressive footwork by Waterman from England’s 22 and some superb support by wing Fran Matthews saw England finally break the deadlock with McLean scoring in the corner on 24 minutes. McLean, however, couldn’t add the conversion.

America clawed their way back to 5-3 with Pam Kosanke adding a 32^nd minute penalty and they could have in fact taken the lead moments later with a second penalty, but to England’s relief the ball went wide.

The USA took control of the game in the second-half with their one and only try of the game. Wing Folayan took the ball nicely from a kick and some strong running, where she evaded a handful of tackles, saw her score. Kosanke missed the conversion but the USA took the 8-5 lead on 48 minutes.

England managed to turn the tables on America though with flanker Alphonsi at the heart of the action, scoring England’s second try on her 55^th cap, although with McLean missing the conversion England only led 10-8.

England’s lead was short-lived though and some careless errors, including being off-side, handed the USA the chance to go ahead with a 56^th minute penalty. With Kosanke converting, they did, and led 11-10.

England were far from down and out though and threw everything they had at the USA in attempt to retake the lead. A fired-up Amy Garnett, making her 97^th appearance for England, took a quick tap penalty, passing the ball to Claire Allan who battled her way against the Eagles’ defensive line. A superbly placed kick from McLean handed England a lineout in USA’s 22, but again the points didn’t come.

The USA, however, buckled under the pressure with Sarah Chobot showed the yellow card for persistent foul play on 73 minutes leaving England with a one-man advantage.

England went close another two times, but again couldn’t break the try line, and McLean also missed a late penalty attempt. The Red Roses didn’t give up though and after a period of sustained pressure which saw several scrums on America’s line, lock Burnfield finally broke through, powering her way over the try-line to score in the last play of the game. With McLean missing the conversion England took the 15-11 victory.

England next play South Africa on Friday at 930pm BST. Nations Cup match action is available at www.womensnationscup.com

England

15 Danielle Waterman (Worcester), 14 Francesca Matthews, (Richmond), 13Emily Scarratt (Lichfield), 12 Alice Richardson, (Richmond), 11 Kay Wilson (Richmond), 10 Katy McLean (Darlington Mowden Park) (C), 9 La Toya Mason (Wasps), 1 Rochelle Clark (Worcester), 2 Victoria Fleetwood (Lichfield), 3 Laura Keates (Worcester), 4 Rebecca Essex(Richmond), 5 Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park), 6 Joanna McGilchrist (Wasps), 7 Margaret Alphonsi (Saracens) VC, 8 SarahHunter (Lichfield). Replacements: 16 Amy Garnett (Saracens), 17 Sophie Hemming (Bristol), 18 Rowena Burnfield (Richmond), 19 Jennifer Brightmore (Worcester), 20 Natasha Hunt (Lichfield), 21 SarahMcKenna (Old Albanians), 22 ClaireAllan (Richmond)

Tries: McLean, Alphonsi, Burnfield

Conversions:

Penalties:

Substitutions: Garnett for Fleetwood (50), Hemming for Keates (50), Burnfield for Essex (50), Allan for Wilson (50), Brightmore for McGilchrist (60), Hunt for Mason (50), McKenna for Richardson (77).

England Nations Cup playing schedule (Appleby College, Ontario):

August 2^nd USA v England KO 1130pm, WON 15-11

August 5^th South Africa v England KO 930pm BST

August 9^th Canada v England KO 1130pm

August 13^th Finals Day KO TBC