HQ News
Sevens Heaven
Jessica Mills & Julia Hutton
England’s rugby sevens players welcomed the sport’s inclusion in the 2016 Olympics. An overwhelming vote (81 in favour, eight against) for inclusion by the International Olympic Committee members in Copenhagen means that the world’s top men and women rugby players will have the opportunity to compete for an Olympic Gold medal in Rio de Janeiro. England Sevens captain and IRB World Sevens Player of the Year Ollie Phillips said, “It’s fabulous news. As someone who has been involved in sevens for a number of years and seen how the World Sevens Series has grown, for it now to be an Olympic sport is amazing. It’s the pinnacle of sport, to be an Olympian.” England Women’s Sevens player Maggie Alphonsi said, “The Olympics is the world’s greatest sporting stage and one of the very few events that has the ability to touch every nation. Sevens rugby fits perfectly with the ethos of the Olympic Games. It’s competitive, skilful, an exciting game to watch and reaches out to new audiences across the world through the Rugby World Cup Sevens.” Rob Andrew, the RFU’s Elite Rugby Director, said: “Sevens will be an invaluable addition to the Olympic Games. As proved in the Commonwealth Games, the IRB Sevens World Series and through its own Rugby World Cup, it is a thrilling spectacle that captivates the fans. Sevens also forms a key part of the development of many players. Current England squad members like Tom Croft and Ugo Monye have benefitted from playing international sevens. The thought of joining with the other home unions to make a Team GB is very exciting.”
Saxons at the Rec
Jessica Chambers | Saxons Press Officer
England Saxons will be going all out to beat Ireland A at Bath Rugby’s Recreation Ground as they kick off this season’s campaign on Sunday, January 31, 2010 (ko 2.00pm). Still hurting after losing out 49-22 to Ireland A in the final of the 2009 Churchill Cup in Denver, Stuart Lancaster’s men will be banking on Bath’s passionate fans to boost them in this international. Said Lancaster, “Bath is a very special place for us to kick off our season. The Rec provides the perfect setting and a great atmosphere for us and we are looking forward to their loyal and knowledgeable crowds getting right behind the team which will hopefully include some of their own stars.” Fans will see some of the country’s finest emerging talent hoping to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Matt Banahan, Delon Armitage, Steffon Armitage, and Ugo Monye who all stepped up to senior honours after pulling on the Saxons shirt. The Saxons will then play Italy A away the following week before travelling to Denver for the Churchill Cup in June. Said Lancaster, “Our player pathway is working well and this match will give the players the opportunity to put their hand up for senior selection just before the Six Nations. It also gives them the chance to show their club form on the international stage.” Last year England Saxons recorded victories against Portugal (66-0) before travelling to Denver for the Churchill Cup, beating Argentina Jaguars (28-20) and USA (56-17) on the way to the final where they lost their crown to Ireland A.
Tickets for England Saxons v Ireland A at Bath Rugby’s Recreation Ground are priced from £15 for adults and £7 for juniors please call 0844 448 1865 or go to www.bathrugby.com
Varsity Warm Up Against England
The Oxford University first team preparing for their 128th encounter with Cambridge in the Nomura Varsity match at Twickenham Stadium on December 10 had a morning to remember when they faced Martin Johnson’s England in an hour long training session. The session held at England’s training base, the Pennyhill Park Hotel in Bagshot, Surrey included line outs, scrums and drill work for the backs under the watchful eye of Oxford University head Coach Steve Hill and England Team Manager Martin Johnson.
Tickets for the Nomura Varsity match at Twickenham Stadium on Thursday December 10 (kick off 2.00pm) are available by visiting www.varsitymatch.org or contacting ticketmaster on 0844 847 2492
Wasps Take on Bath in St George’s Day Match at HQ
London Wasps Guinness Premiership Round 21 fixture against Bath on the 24th April 2010, kicking off at 5.30pm, is moving to the Home of England Rugby in honour of St George’s Day. The annual St George’s Day Twickenham celebratory fixture will take place on the weekend closest to St George’s Day, the 23rd April, after Wasps agreed a three year deal with the RFU. Through Wasps official charity, the Dallaglio Foundation, the St George’s Day Game will raise money for Help for Heroes, supporting service personnel injured in combat. The club will donate a minimum of £1 per ticket plus a percentage of the revenue of the event, and with an ambition to sell out the 82,000 capacity stadium, they are determined to contribute a six figure sum. London Wasps Owner Steve Hayes said, “I have always been a strong patriot and I believe everyone should be an ambassador for their country. Sport for me shows passion in our national identity, and therefore I am delighted that London Wasps will take hold of and develop this St George’s Day fixture – something that is unique but that has a great fit and perfect place in rugby. “Adams Park is our home and given our record to date I know that our fans and players enjoy the matchday here. This move to Twickenham is about finding that perfect fit and that perfect venue for the celebration of St George’s Day.”
Tickets via www.ticketmaster.co.uk or call 0844 847 2492 – saving 20% on bookings made in November. London Wasps Season Ticket Holders, Mini Season Ticket Holders, LWSC and Past Players – call Wasps ticket office on 0844 225 2990 and save 20% on Friends and Family tickets!
Hunter joins National Academy coaching team
Simon Mills | England U20s Media Manager
Rob Hunter has been appointed to the RFU’s National Academy coaching team as forwards coach for the England Under 20 side. The 37 year old will join the RFU on December 1 from Northampton Saints, where he is Academy Manager and head coach of the Wanderers side. He will work alongside Under 20 head coach Mark Mapletoft in the build-up to the RBS Under 20 Six Nations and next summer’s IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina. Hunter has a proven track record in developing young players at Franklin’s Gardens including the likes of England hooker Dylan Hartley and England Saxons flanker Courtney Lawes. As a player Hunter was a lock and back row forward for the Army, Combined Services, London Scottish, Northampton Saints and Scotland A before moving into coaching in 2004.
Hunter said, “I’m tremendously excited by the opportunity. England’s recent record at Under 20 level and the quality of the lads coming out of the academy system shows we have a real depth of talent. I am looking forward to adding to their development as players and working alongside the management team. The RFU’s Head of Elite Player Development Stuart Lancaster said, “Rob's a great addition to the Under 20 management team. He brings a wealth of experience of age group rugby and working in an elite environment.”
The RFU’s Head of Elite Coach Development Kevin Bowring said, “We believe he’s the right person to contribute to the further development of the Under 20 side and I am sure he will help the team to achieve its ambition of winning the Junior World Championship.” There are seven RFU National Academy coaches: Jon Callard, John Fletcher, Simon Hardy, Rob Hunter, Mark Mapletoft, Ben Ryan and Peter Walton.
Maximum Rugby
This autumn, England sponsor O2 have been giving Maximum Rugby access inside the England camp, so that supporters get up close and personal with the England squad. Maximum fans have had some great insights from Mark Cueto on what it’s like being an international rugby player and how the Investec Challenge Series has panned out. For fans that have always wanted to put a question to the squad, there was a chance to submit a question to Maximum Rugby and O2 were rewarding the best question of the autumn with a framed England Rugby shirt signed by the squad.
On the Maximum Rugby website you can also find out more about the O2 blueroom at Twickenham, Sim Rugby, O2 Scrum on the Beach and much, much more. England sponsor O2 supports Maximum Rugby, which was specifically created for rugby nuts with the aim to help those who play, coach and run the game at all levels – encouraging online interaction and social networking. The initiative is also part of O2’s support for the Play On campaign, designed to increase and retain the playing population of local rugby clubs. Why not sign up your club now at www.maximumrugby.com
Barbarians V New ZealanD
Saturday 5th December 2009 • Twickenham • Kick off 2.30pm
On Saturday December 5th the teams are back and a fantastic Barbarians side will take on a full strength All Blacks team at Twickenham. Not only are the Barbarians and All Blacks renowned for playing expansive entertaining rugby, but the end of tour fixture showcases the most exceptional players in the game that often inspire legendary sporting moments...a game not to be missed from the autumn internationals.
Taking charge of the Barbarians squad preparations will be Italy’s national coach Nick Mallett, assisted by Alan Solomons. And behind the scenes the Baa-baas are assembling many of the game’s global superstars with the following players already confirmed: Matt Giteau (Aus), Bryan Habana (SA), Joe Rokocoko (NZ), Fourie du Preez (SA), Stirling Mortlock (Aus), Victor Matfield (SA), Bakkies Botha (SA), plus many more top International and European players to be announced in the next few weeks...
Tickets are on sale via ticketmaster.co.uk / 0844 847 2492 Prices start from £35 for adults and £17.50 for juniors (under-16)
Rhino Still the best 25 years on
Amanda Inkley
Rhino have recently signed an agreement to continue as Official Supplier of Scrummaging Machines, Contact and Training Equipment to the RFU and England Rugby for a further four years, until the end of August 2013. Rhino began supplying England with scrummaging machines and other training products in 1984 and the company is therefore currently celebrating the 25th anniversary of its relationship with the RFU. Founded in the early 1980s by Tim Francis, inventor of the original ‘Powerhouse’ scrum machine, his brother-in-law Derek de Glanville (father of former England captain Phil) and England 2003 Rugby World Cup winning scrum coach Phil Keith-Roach, Rhino can justifiably claim to be the manufacturer of the world’s first modern mass-produced scrummaging machine, and remains a world market leader. Paul Vaughan, Business Operations Director, RFU said: “At the RFU we pride ourselves on maintaining long term partnerships with our sponsors as we believe that is the best way for both sides to get value. The game has grown and changed hugely in 25 years and Rhino have constantly evolved along with it. It is a pleasure to be able to extend that relationship further.”
Graham Rowntree, England Assistant Coach, said: “If you aspire to be the best team in the world then you need the best training equipment to help you. And with Rhino that is what we get. Precision engineering and power that helps us build our skills to be world class. When I was playing for England it was a Rhino scrummaging machine that I packed down on so it is fantastic news that they will be remaining involved with England for the next four years.”
Reg Clark, Rhino’s Chief Executive said, “Our association with England Rugby has existed almost as long as the company itself. It has been particularly inspiring to see our equipment helping to prepare England for rugby’s most prestigious tournaments, including two World Cup finals. With so many aspirations and values in common, we are delighted to continue our association with England and the RFU.”
Evans Can’t Wait for Big Game 2
For anyone looking for a family outing at Christmas, with something for everyone, the Big Game 2 has it all! With last year’s Big Game selling out well in advance, any critics who may have questioned the demand for a Christmas rugby event in the London area were silenced by the applause of 50,000 fans were entertained by a thrilling game between Quins and the current Guinness Premiership champions, Leicester Tigers, at Twickenham Stadium. On 27th December 2009 Quins will be doing it once again, but this time it will be against Wasps and, with last season’s Big Game such a success, Big Game 2’s attendance could well exceed last year’s record crowd of 50,000, especially since that was capped at 50,000 due to transport issues and this year there’s no such restriction.
One player who remembers the game well is Quins and New Zealand fly half, Nick Evans, whose successful touchline conversion of Ugo Monye’s 79th minute try evened the score and kept the crowd glued to their seats right until the end: “Running out into a stadium as famous as Twickenham and in front of a crowd of 50,000 is something you wouldn’t dream of experiencing for a club game. Every player wants to play at Twickenham and, whether it is your first time or 100th time, it is something you never forget. “The game had something for everyone, great value for the whole family, fireworks and, with so many fans, a great atmosphere; it really felt like a Big Game and I am looking forward to Big Game 2 against Wasps.”
Tickets are selling fast, with some 30,000 already gone in early November. To secure yours visit www.thebiggame.co.uk, or ticketmaster.co.uk / 0844 847 2492 Tickets start at £5 for children and £10 for adults.
Nintendo Partnership
Nintendo UK has announced a one year partnership with the Rugby Football Union which brings the entertainment giant to Twickenham Stadium. The partnership with Nintendo, set to run until September 2010, sees commercial rights apply to key rugby events over the year at Twickenham including The Investec Challenge Series matches (England v Australia, Argentina and New Zealand), The Nomura Varsity Match, The RBS 6 Nations, The Emirates Airline London Sevens and the England v Barbarians match.
Partnership activity promoting key titles Wii Sports Resort and Wii Fit Plus, will manifest itself in an integrated marketing campaign across perimeter signage, CRM, big screen advertising, pitch side competitions, consumer sampling plus high impact fun and creative animations on the scoreboards. Paul Vaughan, Business Operations Director, RFU said: “Our partnership with Nintendo is an exciting development for the RFU and one we hope will grow beyond the initial year. The partnership will see Nintendo’s gaming expertise deliver an enhanced entertainment experience to rugby fans. We will be working closely together to maximise the opportunity for both parties and providing a new dimension to rugby at Twickenham in the process.”
Ben Taylor, Nintendo UK, said, “We hope our partnership with the RFU will add even more excitement to match days at Twickenham. Working alongside the RFU is a great opportunity for us to talk to a family audience, not just through traditional advertising methods but through a more experiential, hands on approach through product sampling.”
U20s at Gloucester
Simon Mills
England will play their home games at Gloucester in the RBS Under 20 Six Nations this season. Head coach Mark Mapletoft returns to his former club when the tournament kicks off against Wales on the evening of Friday, February 5, and his side will be back at Kingsholm to face Ireland on Friday, February 26. The side’s last visit to Gloucester was in March 2008, when England completed the Under 20 Six Nations Grand Slam by beating Ireland 41-13.
Mapletoft appeared as a fly half and full back for the Westcountry club, scoring 1,064 points in his 87 league and cup appearances. He said, “I really enjoyed my spell as a player at Gloucester and a good couple of games as a coach with the corresponding fixtures two years ago. There’s always a good atmosphere there, the backing for young players is very strong and off the field the set-up is very professional. They’ll do anything to help you out and we have a good relationship with them at every level.
“These will be hard games, starting with a big test against Wales, who fielded lots of young lads last year under Phil Davies and will be a much tougher task with that experience under their belts.” The host club have five players in the current Under 20 Elite Player Squad. Prop Shaun Knight, lock Danny Wright, scrum half Jordi Pasqualin and fly half Freddie Burns were all capped at Under 20 level earlier this year and centre Jonny May was promoted to the squad at the start of the current season. Knight appeared at last summer’s IRB Toshiba Junior World Championship in Tokyo, where England beat Japan, Scotland, Samoa and South Africa to reach a second successive global final. “All five Gloucester lads have a real added incentive to train well to try and get a place in the team on their home ground in front of a big local crowd,” Mapletoft added.
Two of the venues for England’s away games have also been confirmed. They play Italy in San Dona Di Piave on February 12 and France in St Nazaire on March 19.
ENGLAND BEST YOUNGSTERS TACKLE AUSTRALIAN TOURISTS
Simon Mills
The best young players in England will face their counterparts from Down Under in December when they play Australian Schools. Australia play one full international on the trip against England Under 18 at Heywood Road, Sale, on Sunday, December 13. Australia were the last team to beat England at Under 18 level, winning 11-3 when the sides met in Brisbane in August 2007.
