September 2007. Issue 94

HQ News

NEW DATE FOR DIARY

by Sally Price, Event Marketing & PR Manager

In response to fan feedback, the 2007 Lehman Brothers Varsity match will take place on a Thursday instead of a Tuesday. The traditional pre-Christmas fixture between England’s two oldest universities is moving from its usual Tuesday kick off to Thursday 6th December with a later start time of 4pm following extensive research carried out by the London Business School. Cambridge won last year but Oxford, who will be captained by former Wallaby World Cup winner Joe Roff this season, are looking for revenge in the fiercely competitive fixture now in its 126th year at Twickenham. Tickets on sale now from Ticketmaster.co.uk Visit www.varsitymatch.org for more information

RFU's ONLINE DEAL WITH JETIX UK

The England Rugby Supporters Club (ERSC) recently secured an online deal with childrens TV channel, Jetix UK. The JSC (Junior Supporters Club - the youth arm of the ERSC) already has over 1200 members and is looking to grow interest in rugby union during the Rugby World Cup, with Jetix hosting a microsite dedicated to rugby during the first month of the tournament. The microsite, www.jetix.co.uk/rugby, contains Rugby World Cup information, an introduction to rugby, an exclusive goal-kick game and links to the JSC site encouraging kids to get active and involved in the sport. Vicky Cheevers, Marketing & Communications Manager of ERSC at the RFU said, “Since its relaunch in 2006 the JSC has been popular with youngsters aged 8 to 12 and this new deal with Jetix will hopefully encourage even more children to get involved with rugby. We are excited about working together on this project.”

FALCONS TAKE SEVENS TROPHY

by Sally Price

Newcastle Falcons 20 Worcester Warriors 19 Despite the rain, the crowd were treated to a thrilling final at Twickenham which saw Newcastle Falcons lift the Middlesex 7s trophy. Newcastle, losing finalists in 2001 and 2003, led by England 7s stalwart Ollie Phillips, beat Worcester in a close encounter. Worcester had never reached the final and were skippered by experienced sevens player Pat Sanderson. Despite a late comeback with a try by Marcel Garvey, the trophy belonged to the Falcons. It was a day of upsets with last year’s champions London Wasps going out in the first round. Tries by Phillips, Batty and two from Visser secured the victory for the Falcons. Warriors tries were scored by Powell, Benjamin and Garvey with two successful conversions by Drahm

PICTURE YOURSELF AT TWICKENHAM?

by Sally Price

The England Rugby Supporters Club (ERSC) in association with O2, proud sponsor of England Rugby, have launched the England Rugby Wall of Support to bring thousands of fan images to Twickenham Stadium. The England Rugby Wall of Support will be unveiled for the RBS 6 Nations in 2008 and will be located in the new South Stand at Twickenham. England fans of all ages and from all over the world are asked to send in photos of them supporting England to help form the Wall of Support. The photos will be used to create a huge mosaic of an iconic England Rugby image chosen by ERSC members later this year. Photos can be of anything from fans dressed in their England Rugby shirts to painting their faces with England flags to dressing up as their favourite player. To be part of the England Rugby Wall of Support fans are asked to upload their photos (for free) at rfu.com/wallofsupport or text at standard rate SUPPORT to 87103* and attach the photo. The text mechanic is powered by O2, but available to fans on any network. Vicky Cheevers, Marketing & Communications Manager of ERSC and JSC said, “This is a great way for supporters to show their support for the team at such an important time. We need thousands of photos to make the wall and really hope fans will get behind the project and then come and see themselves at Twickenham.”

KEITH-ROACH REJOINS RHINO RUGBY

Phil Keith-Roach, scrum coach to the England 2003 World Cup side, has re-joined Rhino Rugby, the firm he helped establish over 25 years ago. Keith-Roach played a part in the founding of Rhino in the early 80s, working alongside his then teaching colleague at Dulwich College, Tim Francis, the inventor of the groundbreaking Powerhouse scrummaging machine. A three time Cambridge Blue at hooker, who went on to captain Rosslyn Park and London for over a decade, Keith-Roach followed his teaching career by becoming the first full time professional scrum coach in the UK firstly at Wasps, and then with England. During an 11 year spell at the RFU, he helped build Martin Johnson’s England side which won the Grand Slam and the World Cup. The England scrum, using as usual Rhino equipment, never took a backward step in the scrum throughout the 2003 World Cup tournament. Said Rhino Chief Executive, Reg Clark, “It’s fantastic to have Phil back on board. He has been involved in almost every major development in scrummaging machines over the years and we expect his input to be enormous.” Phil Keith Roach added, “These are exciting times at Rhino and I am glad to be working with an ambitious and motivated group of people who are determined to build on Rhino’s existing reputation for the quality of its products” Rhino Rugby has Official Supplier status for its scrummaging machines and other training products with England, Wales, Bath and Cardiff. Its latest machines are also in current use by Scotland, London Wasps, Saracens, Ospreys, Munster, Leinster, Worcester and Northampton, and countless other clubs and schools throughout the UK and Europe

SEVENS STAR AMOR IS ANTI-DOPING AMBASSADOR

by Simon Mills

England Sevens star Simon Amor is playing a leading role in promoting rugby’s anti-doping message. The London Wasps scrum half is the second rugby union player to be signed up as an ambassador for the UK Sport 100% ME programme. 100% ME promotes drug-free sport by providing high-quality information and advice on anti-doping and promoting the positive attitudes of drug-free athletes who have reached the highest level. Amor, 28, is a record-breaker on the IRB World Sevens circuit who led England to four successive Hong Kong titles and to a silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. He joins World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson in supporting the work of UK Sport and the Rugby Football Union to promote drug-free sport. “I’m delighted to become an ambassador for the 100% ME programme and the message that it’s what’s inside you that counts when it comes to reaching the top in any sport,” said Amor. “The biggest thing for me in rugby as a small guy was that it was always a challenge to compete physically with guys who could be six stones heavier. “But I always felt capable of doing that and with the right diet and nutrition and by training hard I’ve managed to maintain a high level of fitness and to compete at the very top level. “Rugby’s a tough game and yet I’ve never come across anyone who’s felt the need to take anything to get an extra edge, and these are players who’ve played at the highest level, who have won World Cups, European Cups and Premiership titles.” As Gavin Dovey, RFU Anti-Doping Officer, explained, the campaign aims to not only educate players, coaches and support staff through online resources like www.100percentme.co.uk but also looks to create a positive identity for players as drug free competitors. “A lot of the focus in sport these days is on the small minority of athletes who don’t play by the rules but through 100% ME we want to switch the attention to players like Simon Amor.” “Simon has achieved enormous success in rugby by believing in himself. He is a fine example to aspiring players that if you have the talent and are prepared to work hard, then you can reach the top without doping.” The Rugby Football Union’s vision is for each generation of rugby players to have the confidence in their ability to succeed without the use of prohibited substances or methods in a sporting environment where doping is not tolerated. Integrity, fairness, equity and respect are essential to success in rugby and the RFU aims to protect the spirit of rugby from being undermined by doping and to protect the fundamental right of players to participate in doping-free sport. That message was promoted at Twickenham through the use of 100% ME branded match balls at the Middlesex Charity Sevens.

THREE OUT OF FOUR OF U18s

by Julia Hutton, England U18s Press Officer

England Under 18s enjoyed a successful tour in August, picking up three victories from four outings in Australia. The four week development tour saw the 32-man squad play two matches in Sydney against the Australia Rugby Union National Talent Identification Squad and the New South Wales Combined High Schools before moving on to Brisbane. On the Gold Coast, the tempo increased with international tests against Australia Schools A and Australia Schoolboys at Ballymore. England Under 18s, coached by Chris Kibble and Assistant Coaches Ben Ryan and Martin Haag, opened their tour account with an 18-7 win over the ARU National Talent Identification Squad followed by an impressive 71-17 defeat of New South Wales Combined High School just three days later. With just one game to go until the Under 18s’ ultimate test against their Australian counterparts, England were determined to keep the winning momentum going on their arrival on the Gold Coast and they did just that against Australia Schools A. The team showed remarkable resilience at the Southport School, coming from behind to record a 17-16 victory. 8-3 adrift at half-time, England remained upbeat and with the match evenly balanced Tom Casson of Sedbergh School and Sale Sharks brought the scores level after he touched down under the posts on 55 minutes. Further infringements by England allowed Australia to convert two further penalties, but a resilient England again mounted a comeback, this time inspired by captain Carl Fearns and replacement open side flanker Tom Sargeant. With England forcing Australia to infringe at the contact area and lose a man to the sin-bin, the tourists confidently kicked for touch. Following the line-out, which was taken down by Australia, England were duly awarded a penalty try which Rob Miller converted with ease on 70 minutes making the final score 17-16. On target to record an impressive clean sweep on Australian turf England went into their fourth and final match of the tour in confident spirits. The tourists, however, had to settle for second best, suffering an 11-3 defeat to Australian Schools at Ballymore. The wet conditions didn’t help England’s cause and certainly didn’t facilitate an open game of rugby, but both teams tried to move the ball around. England were on the back foot for much of the first-half but their work in the contact area kept them in touch and only a line-out infringement allowed Australia to go ahead with a penalty. That was the only score of the first half. Signs were good for England after the restart and a quick tap and go by captain and Sedbergh School & Sale Sharks no. 8 Carl Fearns saw the referee award a penalty to England which fly-half Miller duly converted. Australia however replied immediately, going 6-3 ahead. The match continued in the same vein and although replacement Jacob Rowan from Bradford Grammar School and Leeds Carnegie made some telling contributions in attack and defence England could not break through. Instead, the tables were turned on the tourists with Ivybridge Community College and Gloucester Rugby lock Dan Williams sin-binned. Moments later a crucial knock forward by England saw Australia seize on the counter attack with wing Afusipa Taumoepeau rounding off an impressive try to make the final score 11-3. England coach Chris Kibble said: “Three wins out of four matches is an encouraging return for this exciting development camp in Australia. That said the players are really disappointed not to have completed a clean sweep. Carl Fearns who has been a catalyst throughout the development camp.”

RUGBY AT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Last month the European Parliament hosted an exhibition on rugby union highlighting its growing appeal and the charitable work of the Rugby Football Union. The three day exhibition showed how rugby has an important dimension in social policy terms, building communities and helping less favoured sectors. Also present at the exhibition were SOS Kit aid who donate used kit to teams in poorer countries and Touraid who give young people from disadvantaged backgrounds the chance to come to the UK to play rugby. Jim Nicholson (EPP-ED, UK, Northern Ireland, Ulster Unionist) whose office organised the event in the European Parliament said, “I am delighted that Commissioner Figel, European Commissioner for Sport, Syd Millar Chairman of the International Rugby Board, and Rob Andrew Head of Elite Rugby at the RFU attended the event.” Martyn Thomas Chairman of the RFU Management Board said,“Rugby brings people together and is a way of fighting social exclusion.” He spoke of a scheme in Andover where a rugby tournament for seven housing estates involved children aged 12-14 awarded points for fair-play and good behaviour and docked points for bad behaviour, with a resulting 50 per cent reduction in crime. It had been so successful, he said, it had now been taken up by the UNICEF and spread around the world. Said Rob Andrew, “It is important to get kids involved in rugby. Sport is different to other industries, kids wherever they grow up, must have the opportunity for their talent to be nurtured and have the chance to represent their countries. Sport is different, it is unique, it is about giving people the chance to live their dreams.”

RFU LAUCHES AUTHENTICITY MARK

by Sally Price

The RFU recently launched a major new initiative aimed squarely at consumers spending their ’Rugby Pound’. The Invest in Rugby Mark is in the tradition of other flagship consumer conscience brands, including Fairtrade and the Bono inspired Red, aims to change buying behaviours by informing the public where the proceeds of their purchases go. What separates The Invest in Rugby Mark is that it is the first sports-specific brand of its kind. Paul Vaughan, Business Operations Director for the RFU, says; “We have chosen to introduce The Mark as we feel it is increasingly important for fans to be informed of where their money is going. Investing profits into the game from services or products we sell is not a new strategy; it has always happened but many people are unaware this is the case. In an increasingly competitive market place we want to inform supporters so they can make considered purchases and use the opportunity to put something back into the game”. As the business of sport accelerates and competition becomes more fierce much of the income that supports rugby in England, at all levels, is under threat. A significant amount of the money used by the RFU to maintain and develop the game comes from the sales of endorsed products and services – including merchandise. Every penny that is spent on non-endorsed products is likely to be diverted away from the game. The Invest in Rugby Mark provides the opportunity for conscientious supporters of rugby to ensure that the game thrives. If what you buy carries The Invest in Rugby Mark then you have a guarantee that your money is being invested into rugby; from grassroots upwards. Giles Mountford, MD of Dair, the agency who have developed The Mark with the RFU, believes that in many ways The Invest in Rugby Mark is simply responding to demand: “From food content labelling to the origin of products, more and more consumers want to understand the implication of their purchase. How else do you choose? We are not demanding that rugby lovers buy goods carrying The Invest in Rugby Mark. We just want to let people know what it means to the game – and how good it will be for rugby if they do”. The Invest in Rugby Mark will be introduced to all endorsed products and services over the next 12 months. For further information on the mark visit rfu.com/invest.

ENGLAND U20 SQUAD

by Simon Mills, England U20s Press Officer

England recently named a 32-man squad for this season’s Under-20 international programme. Coached by Nigel Redman and Mark Mapletoft, England Under-20s will play Six Nations games in February and March before travelling to the IRB Junior World Championships in June. Redman’s squad includes 19 survivors from the Under-19 squad captained by Hugo Ellis (London Wasps) that finished sixth at the IRB Under-19 World Championships in Belfast last season. A further 12 players come from the Under-18 side led by Carl Fearns (Sale Sharks) that won three of its four Six Nations Festival games and toured Australia this summer. The final member of the squad is Harlequins wing Jordan Turner-Hall who was involved with last season’s Under-20 team before undergoing a shoulder operation. “I think we’ve got a good balance,” said head coach Redman. “It was a tough call for those players who went to Belfast and didn’t make it but it is important to look at who is coming through, what they can offer now and what we think they can offer in the future. “One area of perceived strength will be in the back-row, which will be very competitive, and the talent in last year’s Under-18 side will help us strengthen the back division. From nine to 15 we’re looking for these younger players to come in and fight their way into the Test team. “I hope that when we get to the Six Nations the players will have played more games from September to January than they have in previous years, either in Premiership A teams or on loan. They’ll learn together through playing as well as from the quality coaching they receive at their clubs.” Players and coaches meet for the first time later this month for a day of planning and goal-setting with training camps to follow in December, January and May. England will be based at Gloucester for their two Six Nations home games against Wales and Ireland on February 1 and March 14, a venue that excites former Bath, England and Lions lock Redman. “I used to love going up to Gloucester because there was always such a great atmosphere to play in at Kingsholm,” he said. “We went there with the England Under-21s a couple of years ago and were looked after fantastically well, so it’s great to be going back there for the games against Wales and Ireland when I hope we can deliver some big performances.”
England Under-20 Squad
Forwards:
Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby)
Calum Clark (Leeds Carnegie)
James Clark (London Irish)
Alex Corbisiero (London Irish)
Matt Cox (Worcester Warriors)
Hugo Ellis (London Wasps)
Carl Fearns (Sale Sharks)
Jon Fisher (London Irish)
Scott Freer (Leeds Carnegie)
Greg Gillanders (Leicester Tigers)
Joe Gray (Northampton Saints)
Scott Hobson (Cornish Pirates)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Billy Moss (Bath Rugby)
Andy Saull (Saracens)
Jack Steadman (Bristol Rugby)
Ben Thomas (Saracens)
Backs:
Miles Benjamin (Worcester Warriors)
Richard Bolt (Cornish Pirates)
Noah Cato (Saracens)
Luke Eves (Bristol Rugby)
Alex Goode (Saracens)
Adam Greendale (Leeds Carnegie)
Rob Miller (Newcastle Falcons)
Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby)
Joe Simpson (London Wasps)
Mike Stanley (Saracens)
Seb Stegman (Harlequins)
Alex Tait (Newcastle Falcons)
Greig Tonks (Leicester Tigers)
Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

2008 Fixtures
Six Nations
Friday, February 1: England v Wales (Gloucester)
Friday, February 8: Italy v England
Friday, February 22: France v England
Friday, March 7: Scotland v England
Friday, March 14: England v Ireland (Gloucester)
IRB Junior World Championship
June 1-22 in Wales

MENTAL SKILLS FOR ENGLAND U20s

The RFU’s Elite Rugby Department has employed the England Under 20 team’s first mental skills coach. Matt Thombs, 29, joins the support team on a one-year consultancy basis which he will combine with his sports psychology teaching career at Liverpool Hope University. A graduate of the University of Chester and mental skills coach to Shelley Rudman, who won a silver medal in the Skeleton Bob event at the last Winter Olympics, Thombs has also coached in hockey, tennis, motorbike racing and Thai Boxing. He will work with coaches Nigel Redman and Mark Mapletoft preparing the side for this season’s Six Nations and IRB Junior World Championships. Thombs said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for me to bring my experience and skills to an international team environment and to work with some talented young players. My aim is to help the mental skills development of the players throughout the season. Nigel Redman and Mark Mapletoft have made me very welcome to the England set up and I’m looking forward to getting started.” Conor O’Shea, the Director of the National Academy, said: “We are placing a huge emphasis on the development of the Under-20 side this year and they face a demanding season culminating in the first IRB U20 World Championships in Wales. Matt’s appointment underlines our commitment to this group as we look to impact on all aspects of player development, with Matt focusing on the mental skills development of this group.”

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