HQ News
WADA 2008 Prohibited List
Gavin Dovey, RFU Anti-Doping Officer
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has released the 2008 Prohibited List which outlines the classes of substances and methods that are prohibited in sport, including rugby union. The 2008 List will come into effect on the 1st January 2008 and it is crucial players are aware of the changes. For example there are new classes of substances such as Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs), a family of nonsteroidal molecules added to the list because they could have the same effect as anabolic steroids. SARMs are currently being developed for the treatment of muscle wasting diseases however WADA have added them to the list because early clinical results show they have the potential to be used as doping substances. Team and club doctors should also take note of changes, with one noticeable amendment relating to the prohibition of intravenous infusions. Intravenous infusions are no longer permitted except in the treatment of acute medical conditions. However, doctors will have to justify any intervention through a retroactive Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). The 2008 Prohibited List, as well as a Summary of the Major Modifications and substances on the 2008 Monitoring Program is available at www.rfu.com/antidoping. Further, all clubs and players are reminded that the strict liability principle applies and players will be solely responsible for any prohibited substance found in their body. Players are encouraged to take extra care and re-check the status of any substances they may be taking, particularly medications, which they can do by logging on to the Drug Information Database at www.didglobal.com.
Gambler Matt scores with charity hit
Nicki Drinkwater, RFU Media Manager
After proving himself a star performer on the rugby pitch, England and Bath Rugby prop Matt Stevens is now proving to be a big hit with music fans. Having been a part the England Rugby World Cup squad that reached the final last month, X Factor star Matt Stevens is now celebrating the release of his first single, a charity version of The Gambler. Originally made famous by Kenny Rogers, the track is one of Matt’s favourites and soon became the England player’s unofficial World Cup anthem after it was adopted by the team and sung in the changing rooms during this year’s tournament. “It is one of a dozen songs I can actually play on my guitar and I often bring my guitar on the team bus for a sing song,” said Matt. “This track became a favourite with the boys who love to join in the chorus – with a lot of enthusiasm!! The team soon adopted it and it is now something we sing in the changing room. It’s also one of the few songs the team can actually sing in key!” Stevens first rehearsed the song during his appearances on last year’s ITV Celebrity X Factor. But he didn’t get a chance to sing it on the show, so shortly afterwards decided to record it with a view to raising money for charity. The track was released on iTunes on the same day that Matt and the team took on South Africa in the 2007 Rugby World Cup final, Saturday 20 October. Two days later it had already reached number 34 and the South African-born England star hopes it will raise money for two charities close to his heart, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and the NSPCC. NMCF UK Executive Director Kathi Scott said, “The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund is a leading development agency in South Africa. Matt Stevens has been an ongoing and loyal donor who has done much to raise our profile in the UK and we welcome such generous support through yet another exciting initiative that Matt is involved in.” NSPCC fundraising manager Sophie Moss said, “We’re immensely proud to benefit from Matt’s recording of a song that means so much to the England rugby team. They’ve been fantastic supporters of the NSPCC since 2000 and we’re very grateful for all they’ve done to help our work to end cruelty to children.” You can download The Gambler by Matt Stevens from iTunes now for just £0.79.
Win, Win With Club Powerade
Powerade, one of the RFU’s official sponsors, is giving clubs the chance to win a day at one of the England Rugby Regional Academies. Held by RFU endorsed coaches, the Academies can help improve every aspect of a club’s preparation for a match, including training and conditioning, match skills practice, prehab and rehab recommendations, and post match video analysis. It’s the kind of training you’d expect at international level – something Powerade has also been heavily involved with. For two years now, Powerade has been the England rugby team’s chosen sports drink and an essential part of their preparation and recovery during the Rugby World Cup this year. To give your club a chance of winning one of these Academy days, all you have to do is visit www.clubpowerade.com and place an order by Friday 23 November. The Club Powerade online store has been set up to exclusively sell its sports drinks to rugby clubs at a discounted price (just £6.09 for a case of 12 bottles, including free delivery). And as an added incentive, the more orders you place, the more chance you have of winning. “I am most impressed with the high level of service from Club Powerade. Ordering is easy and delivery times are kept to. It’s also going down very well with the players too,” said Mark Owen of Deepings RUFC.
Christmas Cracker
The Rugby Store is launching a Christmas edition of its mail order catalogue as part of a new strategy, which sees the annual RFU catalogue replaced with smaller editions timed to coincide with highlights of the rugby and social calendar. The Christmas 40-page edition, designed by Loewy, will appear as an insert in the December issue of Rugby World magazine and a 12-page gift guide aimed at Christmas shoppers will be mailed to the RFU’s existing database of 50,000 names. If you would like a Christmas catalogue you can call the Rugby Store on 0871 2222003 or view it online at rfu.com/therugbystore.
RFU JOINS SOCIAL NETWORKING CRAZE
Sally Price, Event Marketing & PR Manager
Whilst the annual Lehman Brothers Varsity Match at Twickenham may be one of the oldest fixtures in the rugby calendar, the RFU has embraced the very latest marketing tools to reach 21st century students. For the first time ever the RFU is using Facebook – the social networking phenomenon sweeping the world – to raise awareness of the 126th Oxford v. Cambridge match which kicks off at 4pm on Thursday 6th December. Equi=Media worked with the RFU to create The Varsity Challenge Facebook application designed to raise awareness and supporter involvement in this year's match. Users can pledge their support to either Oxford or Cambridge and test their knowledge of rugby and the Varsity competition by answering 10 questions. The higher their score, the better their team performs, and at the end of the test, users are encouraged to share the application with their friends and visit www.varsitymatch.org to buy tickets for the game. Tom Hill, the RFU’s Sales & Marketing Manager said, “The Lehman Brothers Varsity Match offers us a great opportunity to trial social networking marketing techniques. The opportunity to reach huge numbers of young people – especially students – is fantastic and we have worked closely with Equi=Media to develop a suitable application.” Iain Dawson, Director of Insight and Communication Planning at Equi=Media, adds: “The RFU understood that in order to make social networking work for them, user engagement was key. The Varsity Challenge application will reach a wider group than rugby fans and its competitive quality will increase the likelihood of it being passed onto to friends. Research has shown us that the main reason people go to the Varsity Match is to catch up with friends and so is social networking. The application is a fun way of bringing the two together and stimulating the natural competition between the two universities.” To find out more and add the application, please follow: http://apps.facebook.com/varsitychallenge/
RFU Statement
The RFU Management Board, at its regular monthly meeting, congratulated England Head Coach, Brian Ashton, the England Rugby World Cup squad and its coaching and management team for an excellent RWC campaign and defence of the Webb Ellis Cup won in 2003. The RFU and the whole game in England are rightfully proud of their fine, collective performance. The review of England’s RWC performance is well underway and all 32 RWC Squad players and members of the coaching and management team will have an input. Rob Andrew, the RFU Elite Rugby Director, will update the Management Board on the Review at its regular monthly meeting on 26 November 2007. The RFU Management Board also discussed the recent newspaper serialisation of books written by Lawrence Dallaglio and Mike Catt and the associated publicity. The Board recorded its extreme disappointment that two senior players have chosen to criticise publicly members of the England coaching team and disclosed alleged proceedings within England team meetings. The long standing ethos of the game, as well as the custom and practice of the England team meetings, is that they have always been private and confidential. It is essential that the fundamental trust between players and coaches, which is critical for any team’s success, is not undermined. The RFU has not yet received copies of the books. Rob Andrew, the RFU Elite Rugby Director has, at the request of the Board, spoken to each player and requested copies of the books to be submitted forthwith to the RFU. The RFU will then review the situation following consideration of the complete context of the reported comments and any further content that the books may contain. The RFU Management Board has asked Francis Baron, RFU Chief Executive, and Rob Andrew to review and amend the current squad rules on player books and articles. Once finalised, these revised arrangements will be included in the new EPS Player Agreement to be drawn up under the terms of the new deal recently reached with Premier Rugby Ltd.
Mabey makes his mark
Phil Vickery and the England squad didn’t quite manage to get their hands on the Webb Ellis trophy this year. But one Englishman did. Master engraver Colin Mabey, from South Kensington, was the steady hand trusted to engrave the trophy. And, says the 58-year-old England fan, it was a huge honour. “I do the Six Nations trophy every year, and the Calcutta Cup, but being an England supporter and going out to France was a huge buzz. “As a member of the England Rugby Supporters Club for over five years it was hard to engrave South Africa and not England on the cup and being told to start engraving South Africa before the end of the game really rubbed it in. “But it was great to see England play in the final and I’m looking forward to 2011.” Mabey, who has been hand engraving trophies for the last 42 years, needed all his expertise on the day when he was given only 10 minutes to engrave the two words that would usually take him 20. “They gave me the go ahead to start engraving five minutes before the final ended and I had to do it with a television camera lens staring me in the face!”
