Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2021 i Rugby World

What’s next for rugby broadcasting? WHEN THE Financial Times reported recently that boxing-heavy streaming platform DAZN were edging closer to a takeover of BT Sport, much of the talk was about attaining the jewel of sports broadcasting – rights to show Premier League football. What got little airing was talk of Premiership rugby rights. We are in year one of a new three-year partnership between the Premiership and BT, but what would happen to rights in a takeover? Experts in sports business say it would be bad form to step away and anyway, there’s no guarantee a takeover would even go through. But it opens up an interesting conversation about where the future of rugby broadcasting lies. In a few years’ time we could reach a fork in the road…

HOW VALUABLE is it for Tonga to have Tests against Scotland and England this autumn? To have Tier One teams playing Tier Two, not just for us, Tonga, but other Tier Two teams, is very important. I’m trying my best to make the Scotland one but don’t know if the club will release me (as it’s outside the international window). They will be big Tests and we will try to get our best players available to represent Tonga. The game at Twickenham will be huge. It’s the first time most of the players, including me, will have played in Twickenham. Hopefully all the Tongans and islanders turn up to give their support and get behind us. Would you like World Rugby to change the rules around eligibility? For players to…

“Daring to innovate can be as important as chasing the money” SPORT HAS suffered in many ways during the pandemic and rugby is no exception. The financial crisis endures and no doubt there are clubs and unions who still wonder what survival looks like. Against that backdrop, European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) has finally completed its two-year review and agreed its next eight-year cycle. This provides a huge sense of stability for the club game. It was not without its challenges; to achieve agreement from the three major leagues in Europe and the Six Nations unions took time and resulted in a major change in the operating model. The three leagues are now all centrally involved in the structure so are more empowered in decision-making. This should result in the…

“Beating Uruguay (this month) is our priority. We want to claim a seat at the World Cup as Americas One, so that is our biggest priority.” “I’m a country person so moving to New York to play for Rugby United NY was a shock at first. I’d never seen anything like it. I’m loving it now; it’s a great experience. But I couldn’t live in the city full-time.” “I spent six or seven months in the Gloucester Academy. I played for the All-Americans at a Wellington schools tournament and someone got in touch with my coach. I did a trial at Gloucester and then came to play with the academy. I learnt a lot and played with Sam Underhill.” “There have definitely been improvements with the MLR. The games have…

LESLEY RICKARDS “Growing up, it was my mum (above, hugging Brown), just her determination. She was a single working mum but she’d get me out of the house to do things, being active, never holding me back.” EBONY RAINFORD-BRENT “For what she’s done around cricket and growing cricket, which is probably even more middle class than rugby. For all she’s doing with the ACE (African-Caribbean Engagement) Programme.” AKALA “Akala, a musician and academic who also wrote the book Natives. He’s got one of those voices I can just listen to and listening to him makes me question my thoughts and judgements.”…

LIFE IN the real world was a painful echo as Cam Adair disappeared into addiction. Growing up in Alberta, Canada, the young ice hockey hopeful learnt about the crushing cruelty of his peers and sought refuge online. As he explains of his teenage years: “I experienced a lot of bullying at school and on my hockey teams, and really gaming was a source where not only could I be someone else but I had more control over who I was and how people engaged with me.” Adair talks openly of gaming addiction devouring ten years. He spent up to 16 hours a day gaming. He dropped out of school. He lied about having jobs. At his breaking point, he drafted a suicide note. Wonder what that has to do with…

THE WORLD CUP is no longer in the past. It is looming in the future. Before the July Tests against USA and Canada, Eddie Jones made this very point. The ambition of youth was about to take on the virtues of experience. That was then, this was now. Nowhere does this belief impact on the mindset of the England coach more than at half-back. Marcus Smith represents a bold future; George Ford and Owen Farrell a tentative past. The choice of ten will set the tone for England’s 2023 bid. Yet the decision at fly-half is no more important than that at scrum-half. Ben Youngs produces the odd moment of darting magic but the quality of his overall game has long deserted him. As far back (and beyond) as the…

MANY OF you have endured the frustration of sitting idle during the pandemic but the community game is now back and in full cry. In fact, we’re doing cartwheels here at its return! And that means the return, too, of our celebrated club section, containing all the latest news from near and far. Each month we’ll be selecting a Team of the Month to grace the club section cover. Match results will play an important part but success can come in many forms: an exceptional one-off performance, heroic efforts in defeat, even just survival if your team has had to overcome extreme adversity to keep going. Or it might be something altruistic, such as charity work or a community project. Quite simply, if your team has a story to tell,…

AS THE edge is worn off 2021, with a few sevens events in Canada being laid on before a 2022 World Sevens Series can kick off in Dubai at the end of the year, US Eagles coach Mike Friday has been pondering the idea of transition. Having come through another Olympic cycle without a medal and steering through Covid, it’s the right time to assess. “We’re in an evolution stage – we’re in a state of change,” Friday tells Rugby World. “There are a number of the squad who will be doing different things and it will continue to move in that direction, probably until the end of 2021. “It’s not a mass changing up the guard but rather a constant changing of it (over time) which will result in…

CHANGE. It’s a word that can spark different emotions, excitement or concern. Yet if one thing is clear in the modern sporting landscape, particularly in light of the pandemic, it’s that you can’t sit still; otherwise you’ll be left behind. While some were enthralled by the Boks-Lions Test series, others were put off by the ‘boring’ style of rugby played. Like it or not, rugby is an entertainment business. Professionalism means it is reliant on big crowds, TV deals and commercial partnerships; if the product isn’t attractive, it’s hard to achieve those. It’s not just about what’s happening at the top end of the game either, rugby also needs to increase its appeal – and diversity – at grass-roots level. Change doesn’t have to be radical, it can be about…

1 Italy Scrum-half Sara Barattin became the first woman to play 100 Tests for Italy when she took the field in the 15-7 defeat by Ireland in the RWC 2021 European qualifier in Parma. The 35-year-old (below) made her Italy debut back in 2005 and said: “I am honoured and proud to be the first Azzurra to reach the 100th cap and I hope to be able to pass on my passion for rugby to the next generations.” 2 Uruguay Montevideo will host the World Rugby Americas Pacific Challenge this month, with the Argentina XV (above), Brazil A, Chile A, Paraguay A, Uruguay A and USA Select teams taking part. The tournament is designed to help develop players and 23 members of each 28-strong squad have to be aged 23…

THERE WERE times, during the call to Ryan Cowling, when it was difficult to know whether moments of silence were down to the signal cutting out or the GB athlete becoming overcome with emotion. In truth, we think it was both. Cowling was not afforded the glory of the try-scoring high pointers – Stuart Robinson, Aaron Phipps, Jim Roberts – in GB’s gold medal-winning wheelchair rugby team. But his value to the squad that reaped GB’s first Paralympics medal in the sport was and is incalculable. When it came to the crunch games, the semi-final v Japan and the final v USA, Cowling was on court for every minute. Ask how the victory in Tokyo rates among his life experiences and he hardly knows how to begin. “There’s still lots…

“He shows the younger generation that positive conduct will take you far” LEADERS COME in many shapes and forms. Some are vocal, talkative, and use that skill to motivate. Others, such as Uruguay captain Andrés Vilaseca, will do as little talking as they can but will be followed into the toughest of battles by their team-mates. “The first thing that comes to mind is how prepared he is for the role, how seriously he focuses on it,” says his former Uruguay team-mate Alejandro Nieto, two years his senior. “He is an incredible captain that lives for the team and the captaincy at every training,” says Felipe Arcos Pérez, 21, of the new generation of Teros. “When we were needing a new captain, he ticked every box,” adds Uruguay head coach…

“RWC 2003 was a game changer. Now we want to do it again” WHEN THE Wallabies won the Rugby World Cup in 1991, no one could have predicted the impact that success would have on rugby in Australia. Before we had even stepped onto a plane home there was talk of a ticker-tape parade. We cringed at the thought, as none of us could imagine anyone would want to be there. We were wrong, and more than 100,000 people lined the streets of Sydney before we went on to take the Webb Ellis Cup (‘Bill’ to Aussies) all around the country. Australian rugby fans have been blessed with some amazing World Cup performances over the years – victories in 1991 and 1999, appearances in the finals of 2003 and 2015…

“I’ve been gaming for about ten years. I started when I first came over to the UK. Coincidentally, Dylan Hartley gave me my first gaming console, which was an Xbox 360. My journey sort of started from there and it’s slowly progressed. “I don’t take it too seriously. I’m on most evenings but I wouldn’t get upset if I miss an evening. And I don’t train to get better. For me, it’s a good escape. It’s where I forget all about rugby, I forget about what’s going on, I can immerse myself in something different. I play a lot of Call of Duty and I’lI never find myself in that sort of situation in real life. It’s a little escape into a virtual reality. I’m into drifting as well and…

NATURE IS healing. Not only is the season in full swing again but within minutes of us taking pictures for the return of our Welcome To My Club series, a fan cracks the old gag about payment for being photographed. We’re back! We’re at Twyford Avenue to see a derby too, as Wasps Women welcome London rivals Saracens. It’s a game that goes down to the wire, with a last-gasp surge denied by a ball hitting a corner flag and not going out for the lineout – a dramatic twist in a match with its fair share of wriggly moments. It’s been a while though, so it might be worth refreshing the memories about what WTMC is all about… And the secret is in the title. It’s about the club.…

CHRIS BOYD is in his fourth season as Northampton’s director of rugby, achieving positions of fourth, eighth and fifth in his previous Gallagher Premiership campaigns as well as a Premiership Rugby Cup triumph in 2019. The 63-year-old New Zealander has Scottish ancestry and an impressive coaching CV that includes stints in South Africa, Tonga and, of course, his home country, where he memorably steered Hurricanes to their first-ever Super Rugby title in 2016. He played full-back for Tawa seniors straight out of school and ran the ball from everywhere. His father Gordon died of a brain haemorrhage at the age of 48 when Chris was in his late teens. Married to Linda and a father of four, Boyd has had Saints playing a hugely entertaining brand of attacking rugby. We…

AFTER A stint in France with Stade Dijonnais that was marred by lockdowns and curfews, Josh Peters arrived at Castle Park aiming to make the most of a second chance at professional rugby in England. He started out at Northampton Saints but never made a senior appearance during his time there, so moved to Blackheath. For the better part of two seasons in London, Peters got a regular run of games in National One and also moved into the working world for the first time. Time as a sports coach gave the now 25-year-old an added appreciation of the professional game. “It was really nice for me to be able to take a step back from that professional environment and actually see what life was like outside of rugby,” second-row…

CAROL SINGING Carol Glendinning, Carlisle’s first female president in their 148-year history, has another reason to celebrate. She’s looking forward to the North One West club launching plans for a complete redesign of their premises at Warwick Road. Hands-on Carol, 61, has been involved with the club since her son Andy began playing there as a junior 17 years ago. She’s the club’s safeguarding officer and has served as youth chairman and, alongside husband Bill, as a joint team manager. Carlisle were relegated last year after one season in North Premier but were thrilled when centre Chris Harris made his Lions Test debut against South Africa in July. Harris grew up in Cumbria and learnt the game with Carlisle before graduating to Scotland honours. BACK DOWN SOUTH After finishing third…

THERE’S A perception that us Scots, and in particular my fellow Aberdonians, are misers. It’s an image that may well be strengthened by this article, but then perpetuating negative stereotypes is a small price to pay for, er… complaining about having to pay a small price to watch rugby. When the (then) Pro14 moved completely away from ‘cooncil telly’, I was saddened to see another event that was once available to all disappear behind a paywall. However, I begrudgingly accepted that with regards to club rugby, this is the way the world works and dutifully shelled out for Premier Sports. Then a few weeks ago it was announced that fans in Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland and subsequently Italy would be able to watch some or all of their team’s URC…

N 2008, when Jamal Abu Farha was a student at Bethlehem University, he came across an intriguing ad on the bulletin board: an invitation to get acquainted with a new game. “For some reason it attracted me,” Abu Farha recalls. “I realised it Was not football, it was different. I decided to go.” From that moment on, his life changed. “In training I met ‘Coach Martin’, a graduate student from Ireland who came to study at the university. It turns out he really missed the familiar game from home and decided to form a team of students. Although we are not in touch today, I owe him a huge thank you. He built the infrastructure for rugby in Palestine today.” Abu Farha is now the general secretary of the Palestine…

SHAUNAGH BROWN is pure energy, and that energy comes through the lens. Ask her to pull a variety of expressions for the camera and she reels off a couple of dozen without pause – you can see a few opposite. Suggest a shot that involves her trying to catch ten balls and she’s well up for the challenge, even critiquing a certain writer’s throw (and highlighting that she’d like to play with smaller balls). It’s all done with a huge smile too; she jokes with the photographer that there’s no halfway house when asked to look happy, it’s a full-on beam. Later, when the photo shoot is done but with a Harlequins training session to come, the energy still doesn’t dip as Brown sits down for the interview at Surrey…

ACROSS 7 England’s attack coach, he joined from Wasps (6,7) 8 Berg potters about for World Rugby – although not since January (5,6) 12 Mike Brown donated - - - lemon & white Adidas boots for the Jack Adams appeal (6) 14 Grammar school in Kingston upon Thames that Irish Lion Rob Henderson went to (6) 16 - - - Dunbar, life assurance group that sponsored England’s top flight from 1997-2000 (6) 18 - - - Weir, prolific tartan wearer with MND, as his Twitter handle says (6) 19 Scotland hooker who started at flanker v Argentina in 2018 (6,5) 23 This English prop and Sale academy graduate rejoined the Sharks from Wasps in the summer (5,8) DOWN 1 Sheepish member of Plymouth Albion’s coaching team (4) 2 Initially Steve…

LES ELDER always planned to return to rugby after becoming a mother; she just hadn’t realised how tough it would be. It wasn’t simply the physical side – she trained throughout her pregnancy in preparation, even doing a CrossFit session the day she went into labour – but the tiredness of being a new parent and the guilt of being away from her daughter, Mihiterena. “It’s probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” says the New Zealand back-row of getting back to rugby three months after giving birth. “I was pretty naïve about what your body goes through. I had a good pregnancy and was able to train – I trained the morning I went into labour – but then I had to have a C-section. “The physical side I…

“A miss pass is the best option to get the ball to the outside quickly because you have a large overlap. The pass isn’t always on; if the defence have come up, you run the risk of an intercept. I rely on the guys on the outside to tell me when the pass is on. I’ll see the options in my peripheral vision but I want that communication early.” “Getting a call from your outside players will help you to make the pass. If I don’t get that call, I’ll take the ball into my chest so I can run at the defensive line. If I do get the call, I’ll keep the ball in my hands and away from my body and pass as soon as I receive the…

“I spent too much time doing crosswords and drinking coffee” LOOKING BACK on my career, there are plenty of things I’d tell my younger self. And if I go through the whole pro game in my head, there is advice that screams out to me. So here goes, kid… Firstly, enjoy being a student as long as you can! Because the chances to cut loose disappear as soon as you become recognisable or part of first-team action. The same goes for the promising kid in the academy – enjoy socialising with non-rugby mates while you can. You will have to learn quickly that everyone you come across has an opinion. You’ll soon realise, though, that the only people who control anything are head coaches. You come across five or six…