The Rugby Thread

[PeteC]

^ More detail and opinion.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/34710721

[pharvey]

Great documentary on Welsh referee Nigel Owens recently screened on BBC - well worth a watch

[pharvey]

^ More detail and opinion.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/34710721

Rumour has it that Bath received a payment of £750,000 to cover "losses".... seems they haven't done too badly out of the deal after all!

[PeteC]

I think you know The Gladiator himself, Russell Crowe, owns 50% of the Rabbithos since 2006 and is best buds with Burgess. He had a definite hand in this and was probably the force behind making it happen. Crowe was at every match that I've watched, and is heavily involved in the running of the team. Pete

[pharvey]

It's been reported that Crowe was not involved (aside from his money ) in the negotiations to bring him back, but who knows....

[PeteC]

United States set to get its own professional rugby union league

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/ear ... ?tid=sm_fb

"The popular world sport of rugby union has found a home in the football-crazed United States. Beginning in April, the high-intensity sport will get its own professional league, USARugby.org announced on its Web site on Monday.

“As the fastest growing team sport in the USA, it is the time to have a sanctioned professional competition,” USA Rugby Chairman Bob Latham said. “We are very happy to partner with PRO Rugby in taking this step to popularize the game, to inspire Americans to fall in love with rugby, and to show the rugby world what American players can do.”

The league will start off small, featuring just six teams hosted in major metropolitan areas in the Northeast, the Rocky Mountains and California, according to USA Rugby and PRO Rugby. In 2017, the league plans to add more teams, including some in Canada. Venues and other details won’t be released until next week.

Rugby union may still very much be a niche sport in the United States, but it’s seen a growing audience in the past few years. In October 2014, an international match between the USA Eagles and the top-ranked New Zealand All Blacks sold out Chicago’s Soldier Field, the home of the Bears. In case you’re wondering, that’s 61,500 seats to be exact.

The number of tickets sold for the New Zealand match is triple that of the last highest-recorded attendance of an international rugby union match in the United States. In 2013, a then-record 20,181 people showed up to watch the USA take on Ireland at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston.

“With the completion of the record-breaking 2015 Rugby World Cup in England, and the reintroduction of the sport into the 2016 Rio Olympics, now is the time to launch,”the league’s CEO Doug Schoninger said.

PRO Rugby’s first season will run from April through July, with each team playing 10 games in what is being called “medium-size venues.” This will allow “fans to connect with their teams, and build the sense of camaraderie and loyalty that the game is associated with,” Schoninger added."

[PeteC]

I take a quote from the above article, "...and the reintroduction of the sport into the 2016 Rio Olympics...."

I didn't know that. I wonder what kind of team the powerhouse countries will field? Will they bring the best and make it perhaps similar to a RWC, or not take it seriously and simply send bodies? Will be interesting to see. Pete

[PeteC]

Stuart Lancaster: England coach leaves after World Cup failure

http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/34500716

[PeteC]

Japan Prime Minister pledges support as Japan begins reign as Rugby World Cup 2019 host

http://www.worldrugby.org/news/123055

[arcadianagain]

I take a quote from the above article, "...and the reintroduction of the sport into the 2016 Rio Olympics...."

I didn't know that. I wonder what kind of team the powerhouse countries will field? Will they bring the best and make it perhaps similar to a RWC, or not take it seriously and simply send bodies? Will be interesting to see. Pete

I think that the Olympics will be a seven a side competition where not all shapes and sizes of players can shine. They need to be fast, strong and tall with flair. The Pacific Islanders excel in this game.

[PeteC]

Steinlager Series 2016

Wales vs All Blacks in Auckland June 11, 2016

In Wellington June 18

In Dunedin June 25

https://www.allblackstours.com/

[PeteC]

Regional qualification process set for Rugby World Cup 2019

http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/news/123152

RWC 2019 qualification principles

12 automatic qualifiers: Top three teams in each Rugby World Cup 2015 pool automatically qualify for Japan 2019 (New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Ireland, Scotland, France, Wales, Georgia, Japan, England and Italy)

One European qualifier: The highest-ranked team from the Rugby Europe Championship (excluding Georgia) will qualify for RWC 2019

Two Oceania qualifiers: Two teams to qualify for RWC 2019 from a Pacific Tri-Nations championship played on a home and away basis over June 2016 and 2017

One Europe/Oceania play-off qualifier: The third place team from the Pacific Tri-Nations will play a home and away play-off with the second-ranked team in the Rugby Europe Championship (excluding Georgia) with the winner on aggregate qualifying for RWC 2019. The loser will qualify for the repechage tournament

Two Americas qualifiers: Canada and USA will play home and away with the winner on aggregate qualifying for RWC 2019. The loser will play home and away against the top-ranked South American team (excluding Argentina) home and away with the winner on aggregate qualifying for RWC 2019. The loser of this match qualifies for the repechage tournament

One African qualifier: The winner of the Rugby Africa Championship will qualify for RWC 2019. The runner-up qualifies for the repechage tournament

Asia/Oceania play-off for repechage place: The highest-ranked team from the Asian Rugby Championship (excluding Japan) will play home and away against the winner of the Oceania Cup with the winner on aggregate qualifying for the repechage tournament

One repechage qualifier: The repechage tournament will feature four teams playing in a round-robin format with the winners qualifying for RWC 2019

[pharvey]

This could be fun...........

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... eland.html

[PeteC]

^^^^ I haven't found myself liking 7's yet, and not sure I ever will. If I had a choice between watching 7's or League, I would choose League. Pete

EDIT: Of course I've only watched Asian versions so far like Japan vs Korea, HK vs China. None of it was very riveting.

[PeteC]

It was a busy day for Nigel Owens. I turned on CNN and saw what I think was the end of a 1/2 hour interview at their London studio. I'll have to try to find the interview on-line. Then late this afternoon he's on Hardtalk on the BBC. He didn't look too pleased as the woman interviewing him only wanted to talk about how dangerous the game is and doping, it seemed to me. He's become a real celebrity. Pete