Game of Thrones star Charles Dance has filmed an inspiring team talk video to promote the Rugby World Cup 2015.
Set in a dressing room and surrounded by players, Mr Dance, who plays Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones, issues a rallying call.
He said: “People from Newcastle, are you ready to show the world what a real Geordie welcome is?
“Leeds, Manchester, Brighton, you are the backbone of this country, ready to stand proud?”
“Cardiff, Gloucester, Milton Keynes – you are our shoulders, are you ready to carry a legion of fans who have travelled far and wide – of course you are.
“We are going to raise the roof on every stadium from the North East to the South West
“This wil be the biggest, the finest, most glorious Rugby World Cup ever.
PITCHES are to be handed over by the council to a Plymstock rugby club allowing it to pay for improvements to the sporting facilities.
The publicly-owned Horsham playing fields have been officially transferred to the trustees of Plymstock Albion Oaks Rugby Club by Plymouth City Council.
It is the first execution of such a hand-over under the council’s community asset transfer policy.
The club say the move, which puts it in charge of looking-after the 22-acre site that it currently uses as a home ground, will allow it to grow and attract more funding now that the long-term viability of a ground has been secured.
The rugby club previously took the Staddiscombe Road fields under a long lease, but says it was unable to attract external funding for improving the site because of the lease’s conditions.
A revised long-lease has now been agreed which should enable the club to secure funding. Plans are in place to upgrade the existing facilities, including the changing rooms and pavilion.
Plymstock Albion Oak’s chairman said the asset transfer had paved the way for much-needed site improvements.
“The rugby club outgrew the current facilities quite some time ago and has struggled to deliver a high quality sporting experience under the current conditions,†said club chair Nigel Higginson.
“Now that both the funding and community asset transfer are in place, work on the new clubhouse extension and function room has started with an end of October completion date.
“Although these new facilities will deliver a higher quality sporting and social experience to all of our members, it also allows Oak rugby to develop into the community, working alongside local schools, children with special educational needs and [providing] a more attractive proposition to other sports.â€
Cllr Chris Penberthy, responsible for housing and community safety, said: “This is a club that invests time and effort in the community and in return is hugely successful in creating a feel good factor among its members.
“Encouraging local people to own assets, whether it’s a building or land helps, strengthen the local community and bring people from different backgrounds together.â€
The club has announced plans to extend and upgrade the existing pavilion, creating a commercial kitchen, dining area, changing rooms, function room and disabled toilet facilities.
A new changing block will have changing rooms for ladies and girls teams, providing segregation between genders while current changing rooms will also be refurbished.
Last year the site was invaded by 30 travellers’ caravans for two weeks, leaving piles of rubbish in their wake. The council came under criticism from local councillors for how long it took to move the travellers on.
“More than anything, Sevens embodies the Olympic ideals of camaraderie, fair play and respect on and off the field of play.â€Â – Shane Williams, Wales
“You play sport at the highest level to challenge yourself to be the best that you can possibly be and to compete with the best from all over the world, and what better stage to do that on than at the Olympics?†– Sue Day, England
“Going to the Commonwealth Games was amazing and to have the chance to go to the Olympics would be right up there with anything you could possibly dream of doing in sport.†– Tamati Ellison, New Zealand
Wales rugby international Rhys Thomas is due to be fitted tomorrow with the special pump which he hopes will enable him to have a life-saving heart transplant.
The popular seven-times capped prop forward suffered a massive heart attack during a Scarlets training session in January 2012.
Father-of-four Thomas underwent a quadruple by-pass after the shock incident with surgeons battling for seven hours to save his life.
It was the second heart attack he had suffered during his playing career, coming six years after he sustained a mild attack following a match for former club Newport Gwent Dragons.
The 31-year-old was forced to retire from playing because of his health problems, which have now worsened. His heart isn’t functioning fully and he now needs a transplant.
Thomas is suffering from pulmonary hypertension – a severe disease associated with heart failure that can lead to an increase in blood pressure and which can cause a shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, leg swelling and other symptoms.
Unless the pressure is reduced he cannot be put on the waiting list for a transplant.
Thomas’ medical team in the specialist heart unit at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital hope the fitting of a special pump – a left ventricular assist device which is fitted outside the body and will take over many of the functions of his heart – will enable him to be well enough to be placed on the transplant list.
“Hopefully, I will be able to have a transplant at some stage. This is a stage in the process,†he said.
“I’m due to have the pump fitted tomorrow. Fingers crossed everything goes well.
“It’s a last resort because they have tried everything else for me. They hope the pump will bring the pressure down and I will get well enough to be put on the list for a transplant.
“It’s my only hope of getting a new heart. The odds are not the best for this operation, they are about 70-30 but the more you dwell on stuff like that the more you think you are going to die and not going to see your kids.
“I have good days and bad days but I’m never great. Some days I can walk 50m, other days it’s a few metres.
“If the pump works and I’m put back on the list for a transplant I’d have to wait for a suitable donor. That could take weeks, months, years or might never happen.â€
Thomas, who made his Wales debut in Argentina in June 2006 and his final appearance in Rome against Italy five years ago, was forced to retire from rugby after collapsing in front of horrified team-mates at Parc y Scarlets.
“I was just on one of the training bikes doing a cardio session and speaking to Morgan Stoddart,†he recalled.
“Suddenly I felt really dizzy. I managed to get across the gym to the physio room but I was struggling to stand.
“The physios managed to give me oxygen but then the chest pain came on and I knew then I was having a heart attack. I was hoping it wasn’t too bad but it turned out it was.â€
Rhys Thomas
He was rushed to Swansea’s Morriston Hospital and under-went life-saving surgery.
“I didn’t really understand what was happening at the time but it wasn’t long before the anaesthetic kicked in and I woke up two-and-a-half days later.
“My surgeon told me that when he opened my chest he didn’t think I was going to make the operation. That’s when it hit home how close I was to dying.
“I didn’t have underlying heart disease or a family history so it came out of nowhere.
“I just had a spontaneous tear of an artery, which could be from a number of things. They were just not sure why.
“The previous one was put down to an impact from a match but this time I had not played for a couple of weeks.â€
England Rugby 2015 launch publicity drive ahead of World Cup tickets release
By Spencer BrownÂ
England Rugby 2015, the body in charge of next year’s Rugby World Cup, has launched an international marketing campaign ahead of next week’s highly-anticipated tickets release. Â
The campaign carries the strap-line “Too Big To Miss” and includes a publicity video directed by Peter Cattaneo – director of The Full Monty -Â and starring Game of Thrones actor Charles Dance.
It also includes appearances from a host of current and retired international rugby players including Joe Launchbury, George North, Adam Jones, Scott Quinnell, Ian McGeechan and legendary World Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson.
Groundsmen, referees, kit men and mascots also appear.
Up to one million tickets for the tournament will go on general sale on September 12, and an application window will be open until September 29.
Fans can apply for up to four tickets for each match, and will be notified of their successful allocation in October.
Another element of the campaign includes a world-record attempt at Twickenham Stadium on September 12, when England Rugby 2015 will try to stage the world’s largest scrum.
The six-week tournament begins in September next year, and will comprise of 48 games in 11 different host cities.
Over a third of the games will be held in London – either at Twickenham, Wembley or the Olympic Stadium – but Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Leicester, Gloucester, Exeter, Brighton and Cardiff will also host matches.
England Rugby 2015 is expecting more than two million live spectators, and this campaign kick-starts their extensive marketing process.
Debbie Jevans, the organisation’s chief executive, commented: “We are excited to launch the ticketing campaign and begin the build-up to tickets going on sale for the Rugby World Cup 2015.
“Up to one million tickets will go on sale from September 12, offering the opportunity to be part of one of the world’s biggest sporting events, and watch the best players in the world compete for rugby’s top prize.
“Tickets are at a range of prices starting at £7 ($11.63/€8.86) for children and £15 ($24.93/€18.98) for adults and we look forward to welcoming everyone to the event next year.”
Contact the writer of this story at spencer.brown@insidethegames.biz
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England will need a new captain for this autumn’s Four Nations series in Australia and New Zealand after Kevin Sinfield announced his retirement from international rugby. Sinfield, who is 34 next week, led England in last year’s World Cup, with the last of his 40 caps – including 14 for Great Britain – ending in the bitter disappointment of the semi-final defeat against New Zealand at Wembley.
He made his debut shortly after his 20th birthday in the 2000 World Cup and shared in a handful of memorable victories, notably against Australia in the first Test of the 2001 Ashes series, when he was pressed into service at hooker for the first time in his career, and in the home series against New Zealand in 2007. He described the decision to retire as “the toughest of my professional careerâ€.
“The World Cup last year was a major step forward for the England team and the support we received reached a new level,†he said. “I would like to thank the England and Great Britain fans who have always given me their support and I am sure more successful times are not far away. Following the World Cup, I was keen to continue. However I want to be able to perform at the highest possible level whenever I take the field. I believe that by taking this decision, it will enable me to do that for the Rhinos for the remainder of my career.â€
England’s coach, Steve McNamara, said: “Kevin is the ultimate rugby league professional and it has been a privilege to work with him in the last few years, when his attitude, application and enthusiasm have rubbed off on everybody. His contribution and commitment to the England programme has been exemplary. I know that he has not taken this decision lightly and, having spoken to him at length in the last few days, I fully understand his reasons for calling time on his international career.â€
McNamara, who is currently based in Australia as an assistant coach with the Sydney Roosters, must now choose whether to appoint Wigan’s Sean O’Loughlin, who would be the outstanding domestic Super League candidate, as Sinfield’s successor, or to hand the armband to one of the players now employed with him in the National Rugby League.
Sam Burgess would have been the strong favourite for the position had he not accepted an offer to switch codes with Bath at the end of the Australian season, but the former St Helens forward James Graham, now with Canterbury Bulldogs, has done the job before, and Sam Tomkins, who left Wigan for New Zealand Warrriors at the end of last season, could be an outside contender.
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