Rugby Shorts

An occasional feature of rugby snippets from Ireland and the world.

…Rugby Shorts – An occasional feature of rugby snippets from Ireland and the world…

…Rugby World Cup – France 2007…

Canada are the latest team to qualify for the Rugby World Cup next year. They beat the USA 56 – 7 securing first place in the Americas Round 3b. Canada qualifies as Americas 2 with Argentina having already qualified as Americas 1.

Cananda will play in Pool B with Australia, Wales, Fiji and Asia 1. They will kick off their RWC campaign against Wales in Nantes on the 9th of September 2007.

Canada coach Ric Suggitt was quietly confident before the game as he had a squad that included 10 players based in professional clubs in England and France. Post match he enthused at the performance, I told the players that the Rugby World Cup was their Olympic Games and that being favourites meant nothing. They responded by playing rugby to our game plan for a full 80 minutes and it was a tremendous all round team performance.

For more on the Rugby World Cup – click here.

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…Bective Celebrate 125 Years…

To kick start their 125th season Bective Rangers F.C. will be playing a Leinster Junior Selection this Saturday, August 19th at 3 p.m. in Ashbourne RFC.

They will depart a few days later on an historic tour to Argentina where they will play two games against Regatas De Bella Vista and Liceo rugby clubs as part of the year long celebrations.

To mark this milestone in their history and the clubs visit to the country, the players and club members held a charity table quiz in their clubhouse recently and raised over E2000.00 which will be donated to the Buenos Aires Inner City Hospice for the Disadvantaged – a charity which was nominated by Felipe Contepomi’s brother who is a Priest in Buenos Aires.

For more on Bective click here.

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…Tri Nations…

New Zealand Coach Graham Henry has continued his rotation policy in selecting his team for the clash against Australia on Saturday. A win for the All Blacks will seal the title for them.

Henry has recalled Taranki lock Jason Eaton – who made his debut against Ireland in 2005- as well as giving a start to utility back Isaia Toeava in the centre and moving Mils Muilaina to full back.

The team in full is: M Muilaina, D Howlett, I Toeava, A Mauger, J Rokocoko, D Carter, B Kelleher, T Woodcock, K Mealamu, C Hayman, C Jack, J Eaton, J Collins, R McCaw (C), R So’oialo

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…Belvedere’s Rugby Heroes…

…Ollie Campbell, Tony O’Reilly and Karl Mullen at the launch of Belvedere’s Rugby Heroes…

Belvedere’s Rugby Heroes is a book about the history of rugby at Belvedere College and in Ireland – and especially about the thirty-two former pupils of the college who have played rugby for Ireland.

The book has a chapter about each of these men, including such greats as Eugene Davy, George Morgan, Karl Mullen, Des O’Brien. Tony O’Reilly and Ollie Campbell. (Sadly, Des O’Brien died just a few weeks after completing his own wonderful, witty account of his childhood and rugby career.)

It also includes interesting historical figures such as Kevin Barry who played rugby for Belvedere, Tom Crean who won the Victoria Cross for valour, Pierce O’Brien Butler who died in the Boer War and Paddy Cunningham who was killed (aged 19) in the First World War before winning an international cap.

The book is available in shops or by contacting Belvedere College.

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…Munster Supporters Donation to IRUPA Injured Players Fund…

The Munster Supporters Club have raised funds for the IRUPA injured players fund by selling a commemorative Heineken Cup Final Pin.

Nearly 1,800 pins were sold before the final raising a total of 4,000 to the IRUPA Injured Players Fund.