Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2017 i Rugby World

“You almost have to run to stand still in world rugby” RUGBY IS going in the right direction in Scotland. There are a lot of good people working at all levels to make sure it’s successful, but you don’t always see that if results don’t go our way at Test level. A turning point came in the autumn when, after a number of tight losses, especially to Australia, we nicked that win against Argentina. For Scotland, it was a line in the sand and a psychological boost. What pleased me is how we kicked on against Georgia. It wasn’t a scrappy win, it was a confident, high-scoring victory. We carried on that momentum with Glasgow and Edinburgh in Europe, both reaching the knockout stages, and pulled off a great win…

FAVOURITE HOLIDAY The Maldives. Palm trees, clear water, awesome snorkelling. We stayed in a water bungalow and you could see the fish swimming in the lights. It was paradise. CHILDHOOD HERO Ryan Giggs. I played county football growing up. I’m a Man Utd fan and Giggs made everything look easy, and he had my name! But when he scored that famous FA Cup goal v Arsenal (in 1999, above) and showed his chest hair, it put me off football a bit! MOST DIFFICULT OPPONENT Rupeni Caucaunibuca. He was phenomenally fast, had awesome skills and read the game. He could do nothing for 60 or 70 minutes, then score three times in ten minutes. IF YOU COULD BE ANYONE… Bill Nye the Science Guy, or Neil deGrasse Tyson (below), because of…

“We want to celebrate Axel’s memory” WAS THE loss to Scotland a jolt to Joe Schmidt’s Ireland ‘project’? I had the benefit of watching it in real time from the gantry and Scotland played the referee very well; they slowed the ball down, made Conor Murray dig for it. Take nothing away from them, the Scots also played well against France, until the last quarter when they were powered off the field. That contextualises the loss. Joe would have been most frustrated that they wrestled the Scotland game back into a win and then lost it. What pleased you about the win in Rome? After the Scotland loss, people were asking if Ireland were going off the boil after such a positive autumn but they got the bonus point and…

Rumours abound that Six Nations bosses will consider shortening the tournament to run over six or even five weeks. Here are some of your views from Facebook... Think it makes sense. The two breaks are ridiculous as it stifles momentum. Stu Davies How many injuries did we see in opening two rounds? Give the players a break to recuperate! It’s not broken so no need to tamper with it. Kevin Bulloch The current format is fine for die-hards but you lose a lot of the casual observers. Look at the excitement around the World Cup. Glen Bambrick My finances would struggle if matches were so close together – and my liver! Scotty Mac I thought that player safety was supposed to be all-important but as usual it's the money-grabbing unions…

“I’VE ALWAYS COME BACK – IT BUILDS A MENTAL TOUGHNESS” FACT FILE Age 28 (9 Dec 1988) Born Bridgend Team Wales Position Scrum-half Height 6ft Weight 14st 6lb Test caps 26 (7T) Twitter @Rhys_W009 RHYS WEBB had to bide his time to become the first-choice scrum-half for Wales in 2015 but despite a recent run of bad luck with injuries, he is now a key part of the national set-up – and a strong contender for a Lions spot on their summer tour to New Zealand. Here the dynamic half-back gives us a few insights into his life... I was a hyperactive child. My parents said I was ‘non-stop’. I picked up a rugby ball at three, chasing round after my dad, who played for Bridgend Athletic. I based my…

“IT’S GREAT THAT SINGAPORE IS ESTABLISHING ITSELF ON THE CALENDAR” BILL BEAUMONT, CHAIRMAN OF WORLD RUGBY MOVE OVER Hong Kong! The Singapore 7s has fast become one of the hottest tickets on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, with this year’s event on 15-16 April set to touch new heights after 52,000 people witnessed the country’s triumphant return to the world circuit last year. Kenya stole the show in 2016, winning their first tournament title in 17 years, but it’s South Africa who will start as favourites in a thrilling 16-team field that includes two Asian nations in Hong Kong and Japan. ICONIC VENUE Fans will ‘rock’ to the beat under the iconic free-spanning dome of the National Stadium, a facility described as “probably the top stadium on the series”…

THIS SEASON, the first and last requirement for the quarter-final stages of the European Champions Cup was that there should be a mix of nations involved. Last year the dominance of the English and French clubs was so marked that there was barely a whimper from any of the others. Yet Munster and Leinster have crashed the party this time in some style and, marvellously, Glasgow Warriors have made it to the last eight as well, notably after thrashing Leicester both in Glasgow and at Welford Road. The latter win was one of the finest performances we have seen in any pool game in any year of the tournament. There will be nothing foolish about 1 and 2 April, when the quarters will be played. At least three of the…

TART CHERRY JUICE HAS THE PERFECT BALANCE OF NUTRIENTS FOR PRE-WORKOUT WHAT FEW people may realise is that, when you are regularly ploughing through a lot of hard training, inflammation is necessary. And according to our resident nutritionist, James Morehen from Liverpool John Moores University, the key for athletes in physical sports like rugby is to support your muscles when they’re going through this natural process. To aid recovery, you should take on phytonutrients. Naturally found in plants, this is a group of compounds that work alongside other nutrients to support the muscles and promote health and recovery. They can be found in tomatoes, peppers and in certain red berries – tart or sour cherries are particularly rich. One of the best ways to prevent muscle damage during exercise is…

Harlequins’ Ross Chisholm, 26, also coaches Guildford and says: “It gives me a better appreciation of tactics and game plans.” Ross Chisholm shows how to go round or through the opposition from an attacking scrum… What’s the objective? To outnumber the opposition by adding the scrum-half and blindside wing to the attack. How it works As 9 attacks from a left-field scrum, 12 and 13 run blocker lines. 9 hits 10, then 10 hits 11 to create an overlap. Depending how defence reacts, 9 and 10 can hit runner with a short pass or pass out the back. Key points Everyone has to run as if they might get the ball. Keep it narrow to preserve width. 12 and 13 should run straight, with a late line change into space.…

WINNER THE FOX Italy’s no-ruck tactics flummoxed England and drew the ire of Eddie Jones – he will be smarting at being outfoxed by Brendan Venter. It was within the rules, but do we want to see it used on a regular basis? Nope. LOSER SUNWOLVES LACKING PREP TIME If the Sunwolves are to make a success of Super Rugby, the Japanese franchise must be given every available help. Two weeks’ preparation was shown to be woefully inadequate as they lost 83-17 to Hurricanes. WINNER LONG TIME COMING Scotland’s women won a Six Nations game for the first time in seven years, defeating Wales. Special praise must go to scrum-half Sarah Law for having the bottle to knock over the winning kick with just three minutes left.…

“I use the power of yoga and diclofenac” I BUMPED INTO a chap I used to play professional rugby with the other day. Well, ‘play’ is stretching it a little, as I barely remember him pulling on a pair of boots in anger in the three years we shared a club; he was one of those guys who lurch from one major injury to the next. My memories of him involve only physio beds, ice baths and Swiss balls. Frankly, I wasn’t remotely keen for a stop-and-chat, as he had always been a miserable, monosyllabic presence in the squad back then. But, just my luck, our kids had enrolled in the same swimming classes, so I was trapped. Reluctantly. I stopped scrolling through AutoTrader for a moment to half-heartedly listen…

ATTITUDES MEAN EVERYTHING BUT IT’S DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT STADE BELIEVE A LONG WITH some feeble games when teams are simply not interested, this season’s Challenge Cup has had its attractions. The winners go through to the play-offs for a chance to qualify for the Champions Cup next season and the quarter-finals could be close… Edinburgh v La Rochelle Friday 31 March, Murrayfield, 8pm In mid-February La Rochelle led the Top 14 – an incredible feat. Should they remain near the top of the French table, they qualify for the Champions Cup anyway. So their coaches will be working out whether throwing everything at Edinburgh would affect their ability to secure a Top 14 play-off spot. Prediction: Edinburgh by three. Bath v Brive Saturday 1 April, The Rec, 12.45pm Bath…

“I’M NOT WORRIED ABOUT POSITIONS, IT’S WHEREVER EDDIE JONES WANTS ME” FACT FILE Age 24 (8 Oct 1992) Born Croydon, Surrey Position Utility back Team Wasps Height 5ft 10in Weight 14st 11lb Test caps 11 (3T) Twitter @elliotdaly HE’S MADE a name for himself at Wasps as an outside-centre – indeed, he made his 150th appearance for the club in January aged just 24 – whereas England see him as a back-three player, but Elliot Daly has no problem with being described as versatile. After all, it’s that ability to play in several positions that has observers talking up Daly’s Lions chances. Here we get to know the man who scored the winning try against Wales in Cardiff a little better… The try against Wales was a brilliant moment I…

“I LOVE TO GET TO TOP SPEED AND THEN CHANGE DIRECTION” FACT FILE Age 25 (11 Mar 1991) Born Belfast Province Ulster Position Wing Height 6ft Weight 14st Test caps Ten (5T) Twitter @cgilroy14 IN THE time it takes to hard-boil a goose egg, Craig Gilroy has scored an international hat-trick. On for centre Robbie Henshaw in Ireland’s second-round Six Nations rout of Italy, the Ulster wing took just 13 minutes to score three tries. He was delighted to be involved again for his national side. A little surprised too, given he had not seen too much match action before making the bench for the clash. An Ulster A game and some time against Bordeaux was all he had following an injury lay-off, but he quickly found his scoring form…

1 LOCAL FOOD Singaporeans love their food. So do as the locals do and join a snaking queue for a hawker stall to feast on authentic delights. 2 SHOPPING Besides the iconic shopping district of Orchard Road, snap up fashion items at Bugis Street or explore the boutiques of Haji Lane. 3 CHARMING NEIGHBOURHOODS Discover quaint areas where tradition meets modernity. Look out for heritage shophouses and hipster hideaways. 4 FAMILY-FRIENDLY ATTRACTIONS Singapore is a travel destination for the whole family. Hit up kid-sized city KidZania or let them unleash their inner artist at Playeum at Gillman Barracks. 5 NIGHTLIFE The bustling nightlife district of Clarke Quay is the place to party after the tournament. You can get there by shuttle bus and show your sevens ticket to get discounts…

Top pics from the Women’s Sevens Series leg in Sydney CRABBIE’S SEVENS FACT SENSATIONAL SENATLA The men’s series top try-scorer this year is Seabelo Senatla with 32 – nine ahead of the field. But the South African speedster has now bowed out of the series to play Super Rugby.…

1 GET YOUR HANDS RIGHT “For a right-hander, have ‘Gilbert’ on top (seam at 2, 4, 6 and 8 o’clock). Right hand towards back of ball, fingers over top of seam, thumb relaxed. Left hand slightly forward of right, fingers relaxed, thumb under ball. To throw, snap elbows and roll hands out. Hands are together, pointing at the target.” 2 SIT ON A STABILITY BALL “The aim here is to isolate your upper body, using your core, arms and hands to throw. Technique: sit tall, chest up, hips up. Chin off your chest. Snap your elbows and roll the hands out. For a progression (adding difficulty), use a heavy ball or use only one foot to stabilise yourself.” 3 LIE ON A STABILITY BALL “Aim: general use of all muscle…

What’s needed All you need for this game is a rugby ball and cones to mark a round playing area. How to play Like all the best games for kids, this one needs virtually no explanation. It’s like a two-against-one sumo wrestling match. One ball-carrier starts in the centre of the circle and the other two players have to try to push him or her out of the ring, binding and driving as they would in a ruck or maul. The two challengers are not allowed to push or drag the ball-carrier to the ground, however. All three players must stay on their feet. Tactics Time each contest for between 30 and 90 seconds, depending on age, to see who wins. The pair can also claim victory if they’re able…

IT’S ONE OF THE CLASSIC SIGHTS IN HK SEVENS HISTORY IN THE amateur days at the Hong Kong Sevens, if anyone got injured you couldn’t just fly someone in as back-up, writes former Wallaby Matt Burke. But you could ask someone from another country, which had already been eliminated, to play for you. This is what happened to Fiji in the 1993 final after they had an injury in the semi. The Fiji management headed to where we were and – looking at David Campese – asked if we could supply a player. Campo frowned and shook his head. At least they’d tried. I offered my services, but they frowned and shook their heads. At least I tried. Their next option was Tim Horan or Jason Little. Bob Dwyer got…

Mind games It was with delight that I read Push up your pace by Dave Alred (Feb issue). This was an excellent insight into how process can positively affect performance in rugby. As a coach working in junior rugby, I now have another excellent tool in the box to use with the lads! The article shows sports psychology is mostly about performance enhancement. The earlier that junior players and their coaches embrace such ideas, the quicker development will follow. Stuart Smith St Neots, Cambridgeshire Letter of the law I was interested to read the excellent article on Wayne Barnes (March), in which it mentioned that he’s a practising barrister. As such, I’m sure he respects the law. I’d love to know how he and his colleagues can justify ignoring the…

4 581 Minutes played in the Six Nations by Italy’s Sergio Parisse – only Ireland’s Brian O’Driscoll (5074) has played more 24 Championship tries scored by Danielle Waterman – a Women’s Six Nations record 50 Stuart Hogg became the youngest Scotland player to reach a half-century of caps, hitting the mark aged 24 years and 233 days for the Test in France 235 Metres made by France No 8 Louis Picamoles in the 2017 Six Nations so far – the only forward in the top five 3 Number of forwards to have scored hat-tricks in the men’s championship 4 Songs Warren Gatland wants his Lions to learn for NZ tour – one from each home nation. “We’ll have choir practice every night” 2 Pints of full-fat…

BLACK AND BLUES The Blues and Crusaders will have All Blacks released to them for their games against the Lions, on 7 and 10 June respectively. TOP TENS West Norfolk RFC are hosting a women’s tens tournament and beer festival on 19-21 May. It costs £20 per person to enter – and that includes meals and entertainment. Email suelunnunrugby@btinternet.com for more. MAKING A MOVE Wales centre Cory Allen (below) will leave Cardiff Blues to become an Osprey next season. He replaces Josh Matavesi, who’s off to Newcastle along with DTH van der Merwe of Scarlets. COACH CLASS Worcester back-row Phil Dowson will join former club Northampton next season as assistant coach. SCULLY IN THE LOOP Cardiff Blues and USA wing Blaine Scully has helped develop a new online video analysis…

A STRIKING MOMENT of my Rio Olympics was looking up at the crowd to see a group of young Brazilians, some with Union Jack face paint, wearing blue shirts, cheering, chanting and smiling. These young boys and girls, all between the ages of 12 and 18, were members of UMRio, a charity project established in 2013 that has reached over 400 children. Based in Morro do Castro, a favela on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, the group seeks to support social development in the youth of this area, where there is little else for them to base their futures on beyond local gangs and drugs. The project was the brainchild of Robert Malengreau, a Brazilian who grew up in the UK – a man I was fortunate enough to…

“I WAS SHOWING MY SUPPORT TO MY MUM. IT FELT THE RIGHT THING TO DO” FACT FILE Age 23 (12 May 1993) Birthplace King’s Lynn Region Glasgow Position Scrum-half Height 5ft 10in Weight 13st 7lb Scotland caps Three Twitter @AlistairPrice IT CAN’T be much fun sitting on the bench behind the team’s captain and goalkicker, but Greig Laidlaw’s ankle injury in Paris changed all that in a trice for Ali Price. With seven minutes of Test rugby behind him, the 23-year-old Glasgow scrum-half entered the fray 24 minutes into a match that many believed would yield a first Scottish win in the French capital this century. No pressure then. “It was a baptism of fire but I really enjoyed it,” Price says. “The Six Nations is huge and I’d not…

OUR DOC used to walk around with a frisbee full of painkillers before the game.” It’s the kind of sentence that stops you in your steps, but as it was said during small talk at the buffet of a corporate box at a sevens event, it was enough to make you inhale a sausage roll. The line was put out by an ex-Premiership stalwart, looking back with a wince. But it was a statement with queries tacked on, an invitation to answer doubts: Does this kind of thing still go on and if it does, is it really something worth worrying about as he did? A few former gladiators were asked: “Am I barking up the wrong tree?” There was some reticence, yet in asking around about painkiller use in…

OF ALL the selection issues facing Warren Gatland and his fellow Lions coaches, none will be tougher than choosing the lock forwards. You could make a strong case for a dozen or so different second-rows to make the Test team to face New Zealand, yet in reality most will not even be on the plane in May. Gatland will want a range of abilities at his disposal. Some locks, such as George Kruis and Devin Toner, thrive in the set-piece. Others, like Richie Gray and Courtney Lawes, offer greater threats as ball-carriers. Jonny Gray and Joe Launchbury are renowned for their tackle rates, while Launchbury and Maro Itoje are arguably the two best turnover exponents. Richie Gray and Alun Wyn Jones have Lions experience behind them, both sharing in the…

CAN CAN Canada won the first World Series title of 2017, beating arch rivals USA 21-17 in the final of the Sydney Sevens. New Zealand still lead the standings after finishing third. FERNS BUILDING New Zealand coach Glenn Moore has picked a 51-player squad – including sevens stars Portia Woodman (below) and Sarah Goss – to prepare for the World Cup in August. New Zealand are expected to host Tests against Canada, England and France later this year too. ASIAN DEBUT Pakistan have made their international debut, playing at the Asian Women’s Sevens in Laos. Their first appearance came at a tournament also featuring sides from India, South Korea, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.…

• The 95% rule. Spend 95% of your time on practice. On average there are 15 throws in a game, so players should make 285 throws a week. • Copycat. Watch good throwers who have a similar style to you (whether at your club or on TV). • Fact not feel. Record your best throws in a ‘confidence diary’ or on a phone, so you can see your improvement. In his first season at Bath, Tom Dunn recorded 6,000 throws in an exercise book. • Ask yourself the right questions. Why was that a good throw? How did it feel? Don’t analyse a bad throw, just bin it. It’s about positive reinforcement. • Use consequence drills to perform under pressure. Eg, hit the target ten times in a row before…

BOX SQUATS 5 x 5 REPS With box at knee height, squat until lightly touching the box. Drive up, accelerating back to the start. UPPER-BODY ROPE CLIMB 4 x 4 REPS With thick rope secure above, sit legs apart, straight. Pull yourself up. Then slowly lower until seated. BENCH HIP THRUST 3 x 10 REPS Lay shoulders/neck back onto a bench, feet on floor. Put barbell across the hips, buttocks on floor. Push up until your knees, hips and shoulders are parallel to the floor.…