North Herts Crusaders a rugby league club based in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire have had an amazing first season they managed to get to the East of England play off finals and indeed beat St Ives Roosters 63-30 which is quite impressive for a club in there first season. As you know the author has been involved with this enterprise since it was merely a thought in my mind and seeing this success has been amazing.
Rugby League in Hertfordshire
With this success we are not resting on our laurels we know that the club needs a lot of hard work to make us a great club and hopefully make us a club that goes places.
We have been working very hard behind the scenes to make season 2013 even better than the first. Next season we plan to run two open age teams every week with North Herts Crusader ‘A’ team playing in the London & South East Entry League. In addition we have great pleasure in announcing that we will also be establishing a under 16s junior team. Players in the age range 13 to 16 years of age that want to play rugby league next summer then please get in contact. The under 16s will have the opportunity to play other local teams.
The advantages for getting involved in rugby league and playing during the summer are immense. Not only do you get to keep fit during the summer but the demands of the game and the skills gained can and will help your all round rugby football skills as has been demonstared by some of our players, who are clearly better rugby union players as a result of playing league.
We at the Crusaders are very lucky to have former Harlequins RL and London Broncos player performance coach Colin Baker as our head coach. Colin has recently been awarded the prestigious London and the South East Regional Open Age Men’s Coach of the Year award. He will not only be coaching the senior teams but he will be assisting with the junior coaching also. We will be enrolling two of our senior players on Level 2 rugby league coaching courses who will then be able to assist Colin with both the Junior set up and open age team coaching.
North Herts Crusaders Against Kings Lynn Black Knights
This will As you can see the North Herts Crusaders is an exciting place to be right now and we hope to see more of you next summer and hopefully we can make the Cruaders grow even more. Pre-season starts in March/April.
Watch out for further announcements on this website HERE and please don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Like our Facebook page.
Developed in France back in 2000, Wheelchair Rugby League was introduced to our shores back in 2005.
The game is quite unique in that it offers both disabled and non-disabled players the opportunity to compete both with and against each other.
No matter what gender or age all players compete on level playing field which is created by the use of wheelchairs and some slight adaptions of the rules of Rugby League.
A brief overview of the game includes:
There are five players on each side
The object of the game is to score tries
Conversions are scored by punching the ball over the mini-posts from a tee
Tackles are made in the same way as Tag Rugby by pulling off the attached tag
Five tackles are followed by the handing over of possession
Offside, knock-on and in-touch apply just like in the full version of the game
Wheelchair rugby league is an all inclusive sport which allows disabled and non-disabled players to play at the elite level of club and international competition ,the only wheelchair sport that allows this. The wheelchair rugby league world cup corresponds with the running rugby league world cup year and England are current champions, winning the competion in 2009.
Bury Jigsaw WRL was formed in 2009 after the world cup success and funding from a local charity called Jigsaw, which specialises in helping disabled people lead healthy lifestyles by participating in sport and physical activity. Paul McCormick, who works for Jigsaw and is a wheelchair rugby league World Cup winner with England, took the helm as coach.
Since formation Bury Jigsaw WRL have played in the top tier of Wheelchair rugby league starting off slowly but eventually progressing into 2011 National champions, beating Halifax in the Grand Final 56-47. From this success they have acquired enough players to enter two teams into the league, one remaining in the Premier League (1st tier) and the other being entered at Championship level (2nd tier).
In their current squad of players Bury Jigsaw WRL have the England coach, Captain and three Senior england internationals with two england development team players and the Scotland captain and a senior Scottish international player, although many players within the club are pushing for call ups for their respective countries.
Bury Jigsaw WRL are at the midpoint in our current season with both Premierleague and championship sides in contention for their respective leagues.
As with any club Bury Jigsaw WRL are always on the look out for volunteers that would like to help out at the club, sponsorship or people interested in playing the sport whether they be disabled or non-disabled.Rugby and sports and a sport that both abled bodied and disabled can play together on a equal footing. From my perspective it sounds like a lot of fun and a great way to get more people playing and being members of your club.
I would sincerely like to Thank Jack Heggie for this brief introduction to the sport and to to Bury Jigsaw WRL.
To find out more about the sport, or to give it a Try, please email Paul McCormick at jigsaw@bury.gov.uk and/or phone him on 0161 253 6308
North Herts Crusaders Rugby League Football Club was formed in Letchworth Garden City in Hertfordshire which is not exactly a hot bed of rugby league. The area has many rugby union clubs the like of Letchworth rugby union club itself, Stevenage Town , Hitchin, Royston and Datchworth Rugby Union Clubs, there was no rugby league side in the area. Rugby League generally being played in the summer months means there is no crossover so players can play both codes.
North Herts Crusaders RLFC
St Albans had a well established club The St Albans Centurions founded in 1996 and Hemel Hempstead has the Hemel Stags who have been around since the 1981 and till now these are the only clubs in the Hertfordshire area. Now there is a new kid on the block, North Herts Crusaders.
North Herts Crusaders RLFC was founded by Mick Johal, James Tirrell, Liam Corcoran and Robin French. The story was that James Tirrell who had made his name in rugby union representing Saracens, England under 20s and England 7s teams and now the Rugby development officer for Letchworth Garden City Rugby Union Club, was looking for ways to further increase participation in sports in North Herts. James suggested the idea to Mick Johal who instantly thought this is a great idea for giving players a way to keep fit and sharp during the summer period and he ran with the idea. Liam Corcoran and Robin French had a avid interest in rugby league and had often spoke about starting a team and thus were recruited onto the committee and a plan of action was put in place. North Herts Crusaders is a completely independent rugby league club with its own membership and sponsorships.
This was all going on in February 2012 and a meeting was arranged with The RFL and The North Herts Crusaders Rugby League Football Club was born with Letchworth Rugby Club as its home ground. The Crusaders were placed in the East Regional League – East along with St Ives Roosters, Bury Titans, Kings Lynn Black Knights, Bedford Tigers and Milton Keynes Wolves.
North Herts Crusaders First Ever Team against Bedford Tigers
The Crusaders are now over half way through their league campaign, having shocked Bedford Tigers in there first ever game defeating them at their home 22-26. As of 7th July 2012 we have played 7 first team games and won 5 of them. In addition hey have fielded a second team on a number of occasions with their first ever game against Weald Warriors and running out winners by 84-30. Its looking very good for their first season.
North Herts Crusaders has been a huge success story they have registered over 50 players and have recruited a top coach in Colin Baker who comes with a lot of experience previously being a coach at Harlequins RL and London Broncos.
There is now plans to extend the membership by setting up junior teams so that a pipeline that feeds into open age rugby league with players that already know the game. The Crusaders are very lucky to have the support of Letchworth Rugby Union Club who are one of the areas top clubs with a huge number of players, which gives the crusaders access to a talented pool of players, who want to play rugby through the summer months. The membership of the Crusaders is not solely based on Letchworth Rugby Club however, they have registered players from a number of local rugby clubs with a split of around 50% letchworth and 50 % non Letchworth based players with players from rugby union clubs across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.
North Herts Crusaders V St Ives Roosters
The advantages to Letchworth Rugby Club are numerous but primarily the clubhouse will be in use all year round with added revenue to the bar and bringing new people to use the facilities who otherwise would never have done so. The advantage for the players is that they have been keeping fit and sharp in readiness for the Rugby Union season to start. This has the added benefit of having players that are match fit at preseason.
Players from different clubs are forging new friendships with players from different clubs and indeed from different sports as a number of their players are footballers who wanted to play competitive sport during the summer, hopefully these players will enjoy it so much they take up rugby league as there first sport.
The phenomenon of The North Herts Crusaders in Letchworth is is set to grow and grow already it has created much interest in both local press and the Rugby Football League itself. North Herts Crusaders have today over 2300 followers on twitter with the likes of Leeds Rhinos following them.
North Herts Crusaders are always looking for new players and coaches so if you want to be involved with Rugby League in Hertfordshire then there is only one club to choose that is the Crusaders. For Further information contact them through their website www.northhertscrusaders.com or email on info@northhertscrusaders.com
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July 9, 2012 at 21:37
Rugby is an excellent sport for young children to take up, and the earlier the better. Children, both girls and boys, can take up rugby based classes such as Little Ruggers which is based around the South East of England. At Little Ruggers they can start to play from as young as 2 to 6 years of age and then further their rugby skills at a rugby club at age 6 onwards. There seems to be a lot of misconceptions regarding rugby for children as parents may worry that rugby is all about scrums rucks and mauls and most of all big hits. It is natural for a parent to worry about this aspect of the sport however all rugby up until the under 9 age group will be non-contact, usually playing tag rugby. This then takes away the worry of your little ones getting hurt and at this age group both girls and boys will flourish.
It has been shown in especially in New Zealand where children get involved with rugby at a younger age that girls and boys can become quite expert at the the basics of rugby before the age of 6 as shown at Little Ruggers Classes. This is because children at this age are like sponges and have the amazing ability to absorb the lessons learned. If a child then goes onto to join a rugby club then the clubs can work on more rugby honed skills rather than teaching the basics, essentially it’s a leap up for them to go on and achieve great things.
In the UK it seems the choices for team based sports is somewhat limited in the past for 2 to 5 year olds there were not many options available unless you chose to do football, however these days new activities based around rugby are springing up around the country which will inevitably get more children addicted to this great sport and increase the playing numbers in the country for both girls and boys sections.
Rugby is unique in that specific human qualities can be learned. It has been shown that rugby can help develop better concentration, discipline, tolerance and determination. They learn to work as a part of the team they are taught to respect the coaches and referees and thus learn great manners.
Rugby helps to build a healthy body, healthy mind and creativity is instilled in such a child who takes up the game at an early age and that child will often bloom into a player with an exceptional eye for opportunity.
Problem solving, learning to take tricky decision and having confidence becomes a lot more developed as anyone learns the game. Rugby has the power to help youths develop the capability of analysing and deducing some general principles of life while dealing with complicated problems often bolstering their developing mental, social and physical agility.
Little Ruggers Classes are fun
Benefits of learning rugby for kids:
The moral and ethical level of a child is developed by rugby thanks to the rugby laws of the game.
Necessary challenges are offered by a game of rugby which is quite a good thing for those children seeking to exlore and test their ‘wings’.
Developmental thinking is be cultivated in a child through a game of rugby – especially social skills.
Underachievers are most likely to be helped by rugby which promotes healthy competition.
Rugby is able to teach a child about teamwork, boundaries, rules and/or responsibilities.
The communication power of the child is improved through playing rugby, as are various team skills.
The concentration level of a child is enhanced by rugby.
Powers of evaluation and analysis are developed and so is the ability to strategise.
Rugby incorporates discipline – control of emotions, anger and aggression is key.
A child learns that the game ends on the sports field – respect for the opponent is instilled.
Playing a game of rugby can give one a sense of accomplishment.
I’m told that critical thinking skills of a child can be developed too.
The spirit of sportsmanship is enhanced.
Kids can learn problem solving through rugby and develop their own unique style of play.
It helps youths gain confidence.
Different patterns of play need to be recognized and it’s necessary for tactics to be learned and be developed by the child.
So come on give your kids a headstart get them involved in Little Ruggers to get maximum benefit from sports and particularly in social and sporting skills. Contact Little Ruggers via their website www.LittleRuggers.com.
Come and play rugby league with the North Herts Crusaders
North Hertfordshire is now firmly on the Rugby League map with the formation of North Herts Crusaders, which will be based out of and sharing the facilities of Letchworth Garden City Rugby Union Club at Legends Land, Baldock Road, Letchworth Garden City SG6 2EN.
North Herts Crusaders was set up during the winter in preparation for their inaugural season in the East Division in the summer of 2012. The teams they will be playing against are listed below.
Bedford Tigers Bury Titans (Bury St Edmunds) Kings Lynn Black Knights Milton Keynes Wolves North Herts Crusaders (Letchworth Garden City) St. Ives Roosters
There will also be a National Cup competition which will run alongside the league, which gives the Crusaders a chance of playing some of the top clubs in the country and the possibility of picking up some silverware.
Rugby League club is traditionally played in the North of England however the sport is growing in popularity in the south now too. North Hertfordshire now has its very own Club which should attract fans and players from across the region to play and watch games.
Liam Corcoran the founding Chairman said “In North Hertfordshire we have a number of large Rugby Union clubs and it is hoped we can attract players from across North Hertfordshire and beyond to come and help make North Herts Crusaders a major force in Rugby League”.
“The great thing about running a Rugby League Club is that there is virtually no cross over in terms of seasons dates, Rugby League being played in the summer and Rugby Union in winter. Therefore the two forms of rugby compliment each other perfectly and hopefully build camaraderie and friendships with players from different areas”.
“There was a strong demand for Rugby League club in Hertfordshire and it was felt that it was a great way to keep fit during the summer”.
“The desire for playing Rugby League in the area has been immense and we have already had over 35 players sign a intention to play declaration. We are looking to run more than one team so we are looking to run a 2nd as often as we can. In the future we hope to grow and introduce a ladies team, junior and mini sections”.
“We essentially aim to provide a sport that was previously unavailable in North Hertfordshire and with doing this we hope to attract Senior, Junior, Men and Woman players into playing and training Rugby League through out the summer”.
“We are looking for players at all levels. If you are interested in playing this fast and extremely exciting sport please contact them by emailing them on info@NorthHertsCrusaders.com or via the contact form on our website by clicking HERE ” or going to www.NorthHertsCrusaders.com
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March 1, 2012 at 14:19
Indian Army Red Win All India South Asia Rugby Tournament, 2011
Rugby is the fastest growing sport in India today. The All India south asia rugby tournament is a testament to this fact. The tournament consistes of the Division-1 teams from across India who will do battle. The participating teams were Army Red (Western Zone), Army Green (Western Zone), Tamil Nadu Police (Tamil Nadu), Delhi Hurricanes (New Delhi), Jungle Crows (Kolkata), CCFC (Calcutta Cricket & Football Club), Bombay Gymkhana, Sergeant’s Institute (Kolkata), Pune Rugby Team (Pune) and KISS Rugby Team (Orissa).
After 6 days of rugby at the tournament it was the final day in the All India South Asia Rugby Tournament, 2011. The two finalists; Army Red, the team that has won this championship on the last 4 occasions and the hosts, Bombay Gymkhanna were evenly matched, and the game promised to be one full of passion, commitment and grit.
As the game kicked off, the first 15 minutes were as close as ever, with both teams battling hard for possession around the half way mark. Army Red were the first team on the score sheet when Pushpendu Das scored from a penalty kick after a Bombay Gym player infringed on a ruck. After the restart Bombay Gym put pressure on the Army defence but came up short, and after a few consecutive infingments once again found themselves in their 22 meter zone. The Army set up a maul from a line out and the Army Red Hooker, Hemant Kumar scored off the rolling maul. Pushpendu Das failed to convert the conversion kick and Army Red went into half time 8-0 up.
When the teams came out at half time, the first 10 minutes were very similar to the corresponding minutes of the first half, with both teams fighting for possession at and around the halfway mark. After a break by the army back line, which was broken up by a good tackle by a Bombay Gym winger, Army found themselves on the Bombay Gym’s 5 meter line. A strong Army scrum put Bombay Gym on the backfoot and Scrum half Sujai lama broke through the gap in the defence to score the Army’s second try right under the posts which was easily converted by Pushpendu Das. Bombay Gym then went all out to pull back some points, and as a result saw captain Nasser Hussain and flanker Anwar Sheik yellow carded for infringements in the ruck.
Bombay Gym were unable to comeback and the game ended, 15-0 to Army A who were crowned champions of the All India and South Asia Rugby tournament for the 5th consecutive time.
The world cup is well underway and apart from Ireland beating Australia there has been no real upsets and even Ireland beating Australia is not a huge upset as Ireland can beat anyone on their day. However this year has seen some of the minnows give a good account of themselves and have given tier 1 countries tough games which turned out to be rather close.
These teams are no longer the pushovers they used to be when cricket scores were a comman occurrence. We have been some very close matches for example Canada beating Tonga and Romania leading Scotland until the final quarter.
I firmly believe that for the tier 2 nations playing in the world cup are generally playing better than in previous years and are obviously getting better with the more matches they play. It seems a shame that these countries walk away with nothing to show for there efforts after the group stages.
I think that the minnows flourish in playing against better teams in a Rugby World Cup tournament and will get better the more matches they play. I propose that teams that go out of the group stages should then enter the plate competition in a format similar to the Sevens World Series. Do you think this is a good idea or one that is not workable?
Also what could be done to make the tier 2 countries more competitive on the world stage? The world cup will in my opinion be won by any one of 4 teams as is always the case. I cannot see that changing unless fully professional leagues are established in these tier 2 countries, perhaps the IRB should be doing more?
Following up on my interest in rugby in India and particularly rugby in the Delhi area I am pleased to report that Delhi Hurricanes Rugby Club is going from strength to strength. The people behind the Delhi Hurricanes are working very hard in promiting rugby in Delhi and their latest venture is starting a rugby academy. It is set to become a very fun day and if anyone wants to find out more or wants to get involved then please get yourself there.
Inauguration of Hurricanes Rugby Academy on 31st July, 2011
On the behalf of Delhi Hurricanes Rugby Football club, I invite you for the Inauguration of Hurricanes Rugby Academy on 31st July 2011. I sincerely believe that you can make difference to this event I sincerely request you to attend this event & make it huge.
Join Delhi Hurricanes facebook page by clicking here.
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July 25, 2011 at 13:36
A big thank you to Chris Callaway for this contribution, which is a great story of how he and a few friends set up Southwark Rugby Club in London’s inner city Borough of Southwark.
Southwark Rugby Club & the Lancers
Looking back it was a strange decision to start playing rugby after 15 years of inactivity but I can honestly say that I have loved every minute of playing again over the past 4 years, I only wish that I had continued to play whilst I was at school. The catalyst to strapping on my boots had been the fact that as a business we wanted to sponsor a rugby team but had no real allegiance to anyone in particular. I decided to watch a local match and immediately knew that I would love to get involved with rugby again.
Not content with just wanting to play again I decided that the team we would sponsor would be one of our own creation. To this day I really cannot accurately describe how or why this decision was made but the club has just finished it’s 3rd full season.
Having contacted the RFU and asked for advice on setting up a club they pointed me in the direction of a junior team in inner city London who had been running for 5 years but had no senior team for the children to progress to. I met Vernon Neve-Dunn (founder of the Southwark Tigers www.southwarktigers.org) in the unfamiliar surroundings of Burgess Park which is situated just off the Old Kent Road and a million miles away from the leafy surroundings that you would normally associate with rugby. His brilliant vision had been to create a club for children who would otherwise never have come into contact with a rugby ball.
November 2007 saw the very beginnings of the Southwark Lancers, 4 friends throwing around a rugby ball on a cold Saturday morning in Burgess Park, nothing at all inspirational but a start. Friends of friends started to join and some replies to adverts meant that we had a motley crew of players ready for our first season playing in the Kent Metropolitan Merit Leagues. In fact we had managed to put together a useful team, many of whom had been out of the game for a number of years and had been keen to get back into the game. Our attractiveness was our central London location that can be reached in 10 minutes from Elephant & Castle tube.
We were pipped to top spot by Beckenham in our first season but managed to get promotion. At the beginning of our second season we had enough players for two teams, we were also approached by Niall O’Doherty who wanted to get involved with the club and who became our full time coach. We saw an immediate return and the 09/10 season saw us go undefeated and gain promotion mid way through the season.
Season 10/11 witnessed the club entering the proper national league structure and taking their place in Kent 2. We finally started to find our feet after the first couple of matches and strung some good results together ultimately finishing in 4th position.
This coming campaign will see us pressing for promotion but also looking to get our club structure in place. We rent our pitch from the council and at the moment we train once a week, the club has no club house (the excellent local pub is more than sufficient) and manages to field 3 full teams. I have been utterly shocked by the great success of the club and we hope to improve each year. It is a harsh reality that at grass roots level, participation is down and many clubs are folding so I continue to hope that Southwark Rugby Club will continue to buck the trend.
Whether you want to play or not Southwark Rugby Club are always looking for new players and social members. If you want to join a vibrant, friendly and welcoming club in Southwark please contact:
Hello All I have been encouraged lately about the number of people who have contacted me about playing rugby in Delhi. I seem to have a number of people asking where there is a club and how do they join. I have a contact at Delhi Hurricanes Rugby Club and hence if anyone want to play in Delhi then please use the contact details below.
Delhi Hurricanes rugby club normally train twice a week on Thursdays & Sundays. For the confirmation of the time, u can call the following people.
Vicky – 9818440814
Pulkit – 9873786001
Also for general information regarding the club and sponsorship opportunities or just ways to get involved with the fastest growing sport in india then contact the person below.
Finally, I have a weekend in Berlin. As is my lifestyle in Berlin, I got up on Saturday morning and I have no work, excellent so i can lay here and snooze for a bit longer. However though I have a fully functioning kitchen i have yet to use any of it due to the great value eating out in this great city. I can rarely afford to sit indoors for very long as I get hungry and have to get out.
During my time In Berlin working I made good friends with an Irish lad from Dublin, who I spent a lot of time with as we were both new to the city. So the clock hit 11.00am and I could go no longer to wait for my morning cup of tea and most importantly breakfast. A quick text to Ian (my new Irish Mate) and I was off on the U-Bahn to meet him at Charlottenberg which incidentally was the capital of West Berlin before unification of East and West Germany.
The plan was to get breakfast and make our way over to watch some Rugby which was not too far from here. We took a walk and ruled out all the possibilities for brunch until we passed an Irish Pub called the Irish Harp In Charlottenberg. We decided to go here as my Friend Ian felt really at home in these places. I ordered a Guinness and asked for the menu. I was feeling adventurous and decided on a “Irish Breakfast, you can imagine my disappointment when it arrived. Now don’t get me wrong but Sausage, egg, bacon, beans and toast and English tea is pretty much the same as an English breakfast. Irish or English it was a great breakfast and I learned the Irish have the same breakfast as the English therefore it was a Irish/English Breakfast.
After downing two pints of Guinness we decided it was time to leave for the Game. A game between Berlin second team and Hamburg first team.
We arrived at the game on time. There was quite a crown for a second team game I thought and especially for Germany. However the standard of rugby was pretty good and on show were mostly German players however there were a number of British players playing for both teams along with a few Samoans and New Zealanders. The Game was won by Berliner rugby club but the outstanding player on the field that day was the fly half for Hamburg who we later found out was a student on some sort of exchange program from Northern Ireland.
After the game we were invited to have a beer but we declined and headed back to the Irish harp for more beer and food. I now noticed by a poster on the wall of the Berliner Rugby team and later learned that the Irish Harp are in fact sponsors of Berliner Rugby Club. And this is their main watering hole and thus we drank a few more Guinness’s had a chat with a few of the rugby boys who happened to be New Zealanders and off we went. The rest of the night was a blur so can’t report on that.
All in all a rather different rugby day for me but enjoyable and am glad that I can enjoy rugby wherever I go regardless of the standard of rugby it’s just a case of digging around and finding what’s out there are hoping there is a fixture you can attend.
That’s it now for Germany, my 2 months here are done and now back to Rugby in England and looking forward to the Summer touch rugby tournament at Letchworth Rugby Club and Looking forward to Helping out at Little Ruggers a sports development club for children aged 2- 6 years.
I have been very busy lately and have neglected this blog, however I aim to update regularly from now on as I will have more time to devote to it.
As you may have gathered I am now back working in Germany however this time I am in the exciting city of Berlin. After doing a little research I was shocked to find out that there are in fact six rugby clubs in Berlin. I will be giving an overview of the rugby scene here in another post. The plan the coming weekend will be to find a rugby match and pitch up drink German beer and get chatting to as many people as I can and learn more about the people the club and the general rugby scene and hopefully have a decent night out with new friends. I was looking for a game from the highest league in Berlin who play in the Bundesliga.
In Germany because of the winter break, there has been no rugby until last week and that was the weekend I went home to watch my rugby club play and defeat our local rivals but that’s another post. In terms of German rugby all the traditionally strong clubs from across Germany are represented in the current Budgesliga league table as shown below.
Bundesliga 2010/11
Pos
Verein
Spiele
G
U
V
+
-
Diff.
Punkte
1
Heidelberger RK
10
10
0
0
542
57
485
49
2
SC Frankfurt 1880
10
8
0
2
451
143
308
39
3
TSV Handschuhsheim
10
8
0
2
291
205
86
37
4
RG Heidelberg
10
6
0
4
343
169
174
29
5
SC Neuenheim
8
5
0
3
213
154
59
25
6
Berliner Rugby Club
9
3
0
6
133
287
-154
14
7
RK 03 Berlin
9
2
0
7
123
322
-199
9
8
DSV Hannover 78
10
1
0
9
128
447
-319
5
9
RK Heusenstamm
10
0
0
10
103
543
-440
2
As you can see there are two Berlin Clubs in the German Bundesliga and are currently place 6 and 7, the first being Berliner Rugby Club and the Other being RK 03 Berlin. You may have read my post about Rugby in Germany in which I gave a breakdown of rugby in Germany and also a report on the games I watched namely being München RFC vs RC Luxemburg and Stuttgarter RC vs TSV Victoria Linden who both play in the 2nd tier of German Rugby and I said it was possibly equivalent to either level 7 or 6 in the English league system.
I am now told that the Bundesliga is probably equivalent to Level 5 in English rugby I have yet to see if this is the case. Anyway onto this weekend I am going to go and watch a game between Berliner RC II vs Hamburger RC. What seems to be quite common is that the second teams of these clubs often play in the same league structure, (Whats happens if the second team gets promoted also?). Berliner RC first team plays in the highest league and their second team players in the second tier. You may be thinking why is he going to watch the second team, well that’s because all the other teams seem to be playing away this weekend.
Heres what the league looks like its the Bundesliga North, if you remember Munich, Stuttgart and Luxembourg all play in the Budgesliga South. Please pop back and see how I get on, who knows if I take my boots along I might get a game.
An initiative that we at Rugbyclubman.com thoroughly approve of is getting more lapsed rugby players playing rugby again. From my experience there are lots of them out there. If you have been out of Rugby for a while it can drop to the back of the mind and before long rugby is often even considered a possible alternative to going shopping on Saturdays. Sometimes all that is needed is for someone to plant the seed in the mind of these lapsed players and make them realise that a run out on a saturday could be the escape they are looking for. So it is the duty of all rugby club members to plant the seed in as many minds as we can. So everyone get on those phones and start getting those legendary teams back together again and get involved.
As a start join O2 Rugby Reunion this summer and make the comeback to end all comebacks. It’s time to put the old team back together and get back out there. Each event has food, drink, competitions, prizes and England players present.
Along with former England player Mike Catt, Rob Andrew, one of the North East’s favourite rugby sons, is backing Newcastle as the perfect venue for this weekend’s launch of the O2 Rugby Reunion campaign, a nationwide initiative supported by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) to encourage players that have drifted away from rugby to reconnect with the game and their friends.
“The North East has a great reputation for welcoming visitors and providing them with a tremendous social environment and that should tie in perfectly with the O2 Rugby Reunion theme.” says the former Newcastle Falcons fly-half and Director of Rugby who is now England’s Elite Rugby Director.
“I think the O2 and RFU efforts to keep people in touch and involved in the game is a really good idea and the launch of the programme at Ryton RFC on the outskirts of Newcastle is an ideal choice.
“When any of us look back on our careers, memories of the early days and the characters we played with always remain vivid and precious. Ironically, while the 16/24 age group which this project caters for is probably the most vulnerable, it is also the period in which RU players get most out of the game and the friendships it generates.
Reunite old rugby friends
“The touch rugby festivals in the O2 Rugby Reunion programme offer a perfect opportunity for schoolmates to rekindle the rugby spark and the use of facebook as a means of pulling teams together is a smart piece of thinking.
“I’m sure Newcastle, the capital of fun and social interaction for a while now, will ensure that the O2 Rugby Reunion series will get away to a great start.”
Teams have been invited to take part in one or more of a series of touch rugby events across the UK, culminating in a finale event, ‘The Big one’ in London on September 12, but more importantly, the project is aimed at bringing together players and pals who has drifted apart.
Aimed at reigniting players’ passion for rugby, O2 Rugby Reunion not only uses facebook to reconnect players with their old teams, but also offers an enrollment on the day option for teams who want to turn up and play.
A captain can register a team and interest in a specific touch rugby event, send invites to friends and confirm attendance at the event(s) once a minimum of six team members have been recruited. Teams can then opt to take part in either the ‘fun’ or ‘competitive’ category for their local event.
The programme is aimed at the 16/24 age group, where, because of further education and employment issues, it is easy for players to become detached and lose contact with the game and their former teammates.
The RFU has an O2 Pathfinder scheme in place which seeks to provide an aftercare and tracking mechanism once players move from the clubs and schools where they learned the game and O2 Rugby Reunion offers a chance for friends to get together again and have a run out.
Registration on Saturday opens at 10.00am, with the tournament getting underway after a team briefing scheduled for 11.00am. In keeping with the mood of the event, efforts will be made to accommodate all teams and individuals who share in the spirit of the O2 Rugby Reunion, even if their arrival is delayed.
And if Newcastle is out of your parish, why not get the ball rolling now and enter one of the remaining regional events. They are:
London, Old Deer Park – Saturday 31st July
Bristol, Portway Centre – Saturday 7th August
Manchester, Broughton Park RFC – Saturday 14th August
Coventry, Coundon Hall Park – Saturday 21st August
Dorset, Oakmedians RFC – Sunday 29th August
To register a team via facebook simply search online for ‘O2 Rugby Reunion’ – and start getting in touch with your rugby mates from yesteryear.
For further information on the Newcastle event please contact:
Tom Wilkinson on 07894 489096
Dave Reed on 07736 517728
Rugby sevens has been played at three Commonwealth Games since its first appearance, at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Appearing in 2002 and 2006, it is now considered a ‘Core’ sport by the Commonwealth Games Federation, necessitating its appearance at all future games, including the upcoming 2010 Games in Delhi India.
The 16th Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia saw the introduction of rugby sevens along with cricket, field Hockey and netball.
New Zealand has never lost a match at the Commonwealth Games, winning gold in all three Games at which the sport has been played.
Following is a list of medal winners in all Commonwealth Games for Rugby Sevens.
Medal Winners at the 1998 – Kuala Lumpur Games Gold – New Zealand
Silver – Fiji
Bronze – Australia
Medal Winners at the 2002 – Manchester Games Gold – New Zealand
Silver – Fiji
Bronze – South Africa
Medal Winners at the 2006 – Melbourne Games Gold – New Zealand
Silver – England
Bronze – Fiji
2010 – Delhi Games
The International Rugby Board (IRB) together with the Commonwealth Games Federation has announced the pool draw for the Rugby Sevens event at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India on 11-12 October.
Marking almost exactly one year since sevens’ inclusion as an Olympic sport at the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen, the tournament will be the first opportunity to witness its proven blend of high-octane action and competitive matches in a multi-sport Games environment.
Commanwealth Games Rugby Sevens
Defending Commonwealth Games Sevens Champions New Zealand are top seeds and head Pool A, where they will face opening matches against World Series regulars Scotland and Canada as well as Caribbean champions Guyana, who also competed on the World Series this season in Las Vegas.
New Zealand have won all three sevens gold medals on offer so far – in 1998 (Kuala Lumpur), 2002 (Manchester) and 2006 (Melbourne).
2002 bronze medalists South Africa head Pool B and face three challenging opening ties against reigning Rugby World Cup Sevens champions Wales, Tonga and the host nation, India.
Reigning IRB Sevens World Series champions Samoa top Pool C and face matches on day one against ever-dangerous Kenya, the Cranes of Uganda and Papua New Guinea’s Puk Puks.
England head Pool D but will meet the vastly improved Australians, who finished this year’s World Series in third place behind the Samoans and New Zealand. The two rugby superpowers will also face matches against the third African team in the draw, Namibia, and Sri Lanka.
‘Memorable tournament’
“Having Sevens played at the Commonwealth Games plays an integral role in the ongoing development and promotion of Rugby around the world. The event features teams from Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, North America and the Caribbean and continues to attract some of the world’s top players, delivering exciting matches and attracting new fans,” said IRB President, Bernard Lapasset.
“Sevens has consistently proven to be successful at the Commonwealth Games and this year we are particularly excited that the event is being held in India, where rugby is reaching out to new, young audiences in a rapidly developing market for our sport. We are looking forward to what promises to be a memorable tournament for the global rugby family.”
Mike Hooper, Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation added: “With a record crowd of 50,000 at the final Rugby Sevens session in Melbourne in 2006, the Rugby Sevens tournament has become one of the most sought-after attractions at the Commonwealth Games, providing an excellent spectacle for both fans and television viewers.
“The inclusion of some of the world’s best Sevens teams and star players from every corner of the world continue to broaden the Games’ global appeal even further.”
The Tournament Schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.
2010 Commonwealth Games Delhi Pools:
Pool A: New Zealand, Scotland, Canada, Guyana
Pool B: South Africa, Wales, Tonga, India
Pool C: Samoa, Kenya, Uganda, Papua New Guinea
Pool D: England, Australia, Namibia, Sri Lanka, African qualifier
Venue: North Campus, Delhi University (DU) Training Venues:
• Delhi University – 7
• Jamia Milia Islamia – 1
Competition Venue and seven Training Venues are in Delhi University. The two day competition will be held on 11 & 12 October 2010.
Teams: 16 Team size: 12 Athletes per team
1 comment - What do you think? Posted by
admin -
July 6, 2010 at 14:58
Now that the Summer is allegedly here and the Rugby season is over its time to think about keeping active during the summer and keep in shape for the new season. Touch rugby is a fantastic way to keep fit without the contact and anyone can play.
Touch is one of the fastest growing sports in England, played by people of all ages and skill levels. Introduced from the Southern Hemisphere in the 70’s, touch is a fast, evasive, non-contact form of rugby. Touch is one of the few team sports where men and women compete on teams together not only socially but at an international level. There are currently approximately 12,000 people playing touch in organised leagues around the UK.
It’s a non contact version of the game and is thus much simpler to learn and to play as there is no tackling, scrummaging, rucking, mauling, lineouts or kicking. It’s a fun game and is ideal for beginners to get to grips with the basics In fact, it’s a great way to work on your running, handling and dodging skills.
In Australia and New Zealand there are more registered touch players than the 15-a-side game and this trend is set up to be the case in the UK.
A touch rugby tournament hosted by Letchworth Rugby Club in Hertfordshire UK. This annual Summer touch tournament starts Wednesday 2nd June 2010. This is the fourth year of the Letchworth Touch tournament and every year it grows from strength to strength. Most of the teams are made up of members of Letchworth Rugby Club however teams from other clubs and organisations are invited and welcomed. In recent years there has been teams drawn from the RAF, various football teams, teams of parents from the junior and mini sections, Veterans, as well as current players from Letchworth including junior teams older than under 14s and girls sections.
The touch tournament is a fantastic success for Letchworth Rugby Club and the growth and popularity of rugby in general. It enables players, parents, coaches and to socialise and get to know each other and creates a cohesion within the club that otherwise would not be there. It has been known to enticed some to dig out there boots from the loft and start playing again.
In addition to these positives, it also helps the club with takings over the bar, raises the profile of rugby in the local area and most of all it attracts more potential players to the game, which is excellent for the game overall.
This annual touch tournament starts Wednesday 2nd June and of 10 at £100 per team. You will receive free team t-shirts and there will be a big Finals Party with a barbecue and fun for all!
It’s a real family day and families are encouraged to come along and join in.
An excellent idea for any club wanting to increase membership and raise the profile of their club and get more people discovering how fun and great exercise touch rugby is. Perhaps you would like to start a similar tournament over the summer, its a win win situation for any club willing to hold a summer touch rugby tournament. So if you fancy keeping fit and trying out touch rugby get in contact with your local rugby club and see if they have touch rugby during the summer.
A Short video explaining how to play rugby. There are variations to the rules played however the basics of touch rugby are explained here.
A video of some some touch rugby being played in New Zealand. This is the standard we must get up to, well maybe not yet but with more tournaments and touch rugby leagues, maybe we will get there.
Clips from the Dawgsouljahz touch team at the whakatane touch tounament in New Zealand.
Whilst living in Germany and starting this very website a number of Germans I spoke to did not understand rugby at all. They suggested that I should write a post explaining the the basics of rugby. So for those people out there that can’t really get into watching a game of rugby because you don’t know what is happening here is a brief introduction to the game of Rugby Union.
Whilst this video is a nice introduction there is much more to learn, however the next time you are watching a game hopefully your understanding will be a little better.
It is my belief that talent is overrated when evaluating what is required to be successful in any sport. Every sports club up and down the country have naturally talented players that are not fulfilling their potential. On the Other hand you will see less naturally talented players achieving much greater success. The reason for this is, mindset. If you get your mindset right then you can achieve anything you want.
Sebastien Chabal
You Can If You Think You Can!
If you think you are beaten, you are,
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you like to win, but you think you can’t,
If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost,
For out in the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow’s will.
It’s all in the state of mind.
If you think you are outclassed, you are,
You’ve got to think high to rise,
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But soon or late the man who wins,
Is the man who thinks he can.
~ C. W. Longenecker ~
To be successful you have to believe in yourself, have goals and be capable of visualizing and feeling success in your mind. If you learn to control of your mind and thoughts there is nothing that you cannot achieve.
The winning mentality
Success in any sport or indeed in any sphere of life requires one to have a positive mental attitude and for you to take full responsibility for your life. If you are one of those people that blame people or other external factors for your lack of success then this could be what is stopping you “making it”. Not taking responsibility for your own destiny and blaming others for your lack of success for example “the coach does not like me” or “they only pick their friends”, can be a very damaging way to go through life.
In the above situation players can give up playing completely or they may even leave your club and look for another club where they believe they will have a more favourable environment for them to succeed. However the problem is often not with the club at all. The problem is often with the player and his or her mindset. People with this type of thinking will not make it in any area of there life unless they change their mindset, this change is very possible if you want it to be. Please read on and maybe this will help you reach your goals or maybe give you that edge you are looking for.
Successful people with a winning mentality in any field are active and always looking for ways to improve themselves. They see failure and rejection as temporary obstacles that must be overcome, not as career ending events. When confronted by a challenge, winners immediately start to devise plans for overcoming them. People with a losing mentality will often stop in their tracks and look for someone or something to blame, they will often try to justify their attitude with various excuses, it is always someone else’s fault and not their own. In reality you can achieve anything you want in any given game if you want it bad enough. I honestly believe this to be true and it only takes a slight change in the way you think. By seeing problems or obstacles as challenges that must be overcome will give you the impetus to try harder and work harder to overcome these minor setbacks.
Visualize your goals
Visualize success
A powerful tool that can be used to improve your game is visualization. Before a big game or training vizualise (intend) what outcome you want and step into how it feels.
If your game is rugby then visualize yourself scoring a try or making those big hits and most of all visualize yourself playing the best game you could ever play or remember a time when you had your best game ever and try and remember how that felt. While visualizing these scenarios, you should try to imagine the detail and the way it feels to perform in the desired way and how you felt afterwards.
How Vizualisation Can Help You
Mentally Prepared
Being in the right state of mind at game time is crucial. The ability to focus and block out everything going on in the world outside of your game can mean the difference a mediocre performance and a great performance.
Improve Skills
Spending time visualizing yourself learning a new skill, or improving current ones can help you to perfect your skills. Review Your Game
Reviewing how you play in your position and how you would like to improve can help you perform better.
Rehearsal strategy
Mentally going over possible situations that may come up and imagining your strategies can help you be more relaxed and confident doing your game.
Get a winning attitude
After being dropped from your team or losing a few games, you often lose some your hard earned confidence. This can have a negative effect on your game. Using visualization to “see” yourself as a playing in the next game or as the winner can break through a negative attitude.
A video containing some great tips on using visualization.
Positive thinking and talking about yourself
Positive self-talk during competition is crucial for optimun performance. Talking negatively about yourself and doubting your skills will set you back both emotionally and techinically. Focus on what you are in control of right now.
Do not compare yourself to others. Try and focus on what are your strengths and play to these strengths. Do not worry about making mistakes as everyone at every level of the game can make the occasional mistake, never let it make you lose sight of your goals and objectives during training or in a game. Nervousness and anxiety is a natural response and if used correctly can be used to your advantage. Never let anxiety or nervousness get the better of you.
Never look for excuses
Trying to justify your mistakes is always a bad idea. When you make a mistake in a game or training just let it go and concentrate on your game. Try not try to blame teammates or external factors that you are not in control of, especially during a match. When you are a part of the team, you must share both responsibility and rewards. If you have to point out a mistake to a teammate, try and be constructive and keep it positive. Even more importantly please remember to give positive feedback whenever you can.
These days players not only have to be physically trained to win, they must be mentally trained also. A positive mental attitude and the ability to use Visualization can give you that extra edge coupled with a positive attitude and belief could make you irresitable.
2 comments - What do you think? Posted by
admin -
May 11, 2010 at 15:23
Most rugby clubs in the UK have a provision for mini rugby for children aged 6 to 7 onwards, however a relatively new phenomenon is the rise of rugby themed classes specifically aimed at the younger age groups from 18 months to 7 years of age.
It seems that if parents want to introduce their children to team sports then the options are limited from 2 to 7 years unless you choose a football based class.
This is about to change in Hertfordshire with the advent of Little Ruggers a Rugby themed play class utilizing the transferable skills of rugby whilst instilling confidence and social life skills though there curriculum. The curriculum has been designed by Rugby coaches, teachers and child development specialists.
Little Ruggers will be working with rugby clubs across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire to enable them to offer rugby at or near their clubs from age 2 to 7 years. This will benefit those clubs immensely by providing skilled and confident children entering mini rugby at age seven.
Some may have preconceptions of rugby being a rough and tough sport which it can be once children reach the under 9 age group at mini rugby. However at Little Ruggers age 2 to 7 years age it is an positively active and fun activity with no contact whatsoever. Little Ruggers is designed so that it will equally appeal to both girls and boys.
Little Ruggers Coach Jag Johal has extensive experience within rugby having played at Wasps, Moseley, Worcester Warriors and Tabard. Now back at his boyhood club Letchworth Rugby Club having served as first team captain for a number of season, he is now first team manager/player. In addition to still playing, Jag has also been actively involved with coaching mini rugby and his twin boys, who both play in the under 8s at Letchworth Rugby Club. Jag is very clear that to keep children entertained and within the sport of rugby then it has to be a fun and positive experience.
The fun at Little Ruggers is achieved using rugby specific skills, social skills and confidence building. It is believed that these skills can not only be developed further on the rugby field later on but also these are life skills which will be transferred into all other areas such as school and other sporting endeavors.
Jag goes on to explain that in New Zealand children are encouraged to participate in Rugby from around age four to five compared to age seven in the UK, which could be the reason for their huge success in the game. The Little Ruggers curriculum has been designed to address this gap in rugby skills by equipping children with the right skills to help give them a head start in not just rugby but all aspects of their lives. An alternative to football classes within this age group is here so get involved.
I think it is a good idea for children to be active from a young age. It instills a healthy lifestyle which they can take into there adult life. It is fantastic that there is a rugby alternative in place and rugby clubs in Hertfordshire and surrounding areas will now have the ability to offer rugby from age 2 to senior rugby.
I though that some of you may be interested in this. Rugby World Magazine are running a competition for junior clubs and this includes Europe. So my European friends get writing them emails now, I know as a fact there are many worthy teams out there.
With these things its usually the clubs that that can be bothered to write that win the prizes and the deserving teams never seem to win. Thats because no one takes the time to write. Lets correct this now.
It’s time for the big one. If you’ve had a season to remember, email alan_pearey@ipcmedia.com to tell us why you deserve to be the Rugby World Team of the Year. The award is aimed at junior clubs in Europe and the winning team will receive 22 sets of team kit jersey, shorts and socks from Playmore! So email your nomination TODAY.
Having been to many rugby clubs across the country it is apparent that ethnic communities are under represented in the make up of Rugby Clubs, even in areas that have a big ethnic populations. Bolton is one such area and they stand to gain a lot from inviting them into their club and making the them aware of what the rugby club stands for.
Bolton RFC earned plenty of points for thinking ‘outside the box’ recently when they staged a bumper programme of music, dance and family entertainment entitled the Halliwell Cultural Festival at their Avenue Street headquarters.
The event, designed to bring local people together in a celebration of food, music and dance that represented all the different cultures of the community, ran from 10.30am until 1am the following day, with a kaleidoscope of free activities and entertainment which helped to introduce the club to a hugely cosmopolitan audience from across the district, many of whom were visiting the rugby club for the first time.
The whole event was aimed at families with children and comprised such diverse groups as a Caribbean steel band, morris dancers, a gymnastics team, a rapper, a folk band, a Somali dance group, a bouncy castle, birds of prey, a climbing wall, tug of war, krishna temple bollywood dancing, food from different cultural groups, a live radio outside broadcast and a Bolton Wanderers FC display and stand.
The rugby elements focused on showcasing the club and its facilities via a social event which flagged up the ambition and resource of Bolton RFC by demonstrating the enthusiasm and imagination to put together an event which brought well over 2,000 visitors to Avenue Street.
“We have raised our profile in both Halliwell and the wider Bolton area which will hopefully bring wide ranging benefits in the years to come,” said Chairman Mark Brocklehurst.
“While we operate as an independent club it is not possible for us to survive and prosper on internal funding alone. Being a community focused club is therefore very important when it comes to looking for future revenue streams, as well as the obvious player recruitment that can be gleaned from the Halliwell area.
“The Greater Manchester Police Deputy Chief Constable, Simon Byrne, who came down on the day said, that in 22 years of policing it was the best, most organised and community friendly event he had ever attended, praise indeed from a man who spends his life visiting shows and festivals.”
The ethnic communities are on the whole untapped from a rugby point of view and anything to encourage the participation in both playing and being a part of the club should be encouraged.
Little Ruggers
