Rugby World Cup 2015: RFU close to club compensation deal

Rugby Football Union chief executive Ian Ritchie says a deal to compensate Premiership clubs for loss of earnings during the 2015 World Cup is close.

Elite matches are not allowed in a host country during a World Cup, so clubs fear a loss of revenue during the event in England in September and October.

Some officials have threatened to play on unless compensated by the RFU.

“It’s been a good, constructive set of discussions,” Ritchie told BBC Sport. “I’m hopeful we’ll resolve it soon.”

Although the 2015-16 Premiership season will suffer initial disruptions, Ritchie expects the domestic fixtures to commence when the World Cup reaches its knockout stages in mid-October, and says the RFU will approach the International Rugby Board (IRB) to arrange this.

“Once we get past the pool stages, historically there has been elite rugby during those knockout stages,” he said.

“We have got to go through due process, but we are hopeful we will get some resolution on that, then we can move on and collectively recognise what a fantastic opportunity Rugby World Cup is going to be.”

The RFU and Premiership Rugby worked closely earlier this year on plans for a new European Cup, and Bath owner Bruce Craig told BBC Sport this week that the

relationship between the parties is strong.

“If the people at the top are reasonable men who are willing to look at what is best for English rugby – rather than what is best for individuals – that can only be good for English rugby,” said Craig. “And I think that is the place we are in at the moment.”

The 2015 World Cup will be hosted by England from 18 September to 31 October (although some games are taking place in Wales). This year’s Premiership begins on 5 September.

Article source: http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12504/9317398/jonny-wilkinson-to-retire-after-heineken-cup-final

Rugby World Cup 2015: RFU close to club compensation deal

Ex-rugby league star dies in Ibiza after plunging from hotel balcony and ...

A former rugby league player has died after plunging from a hotel balcony in Ibiza and then struggling with police officers.

Luke Rhoden, 25, is understood to have been running around ‘like a madman’ before falling or jumping from the first floor room but survived.

It is believed Rhoden, who played as a prop forward for Wigan Warriors in the same junior team as Sam and Joel Tomkins before moving to Oldham Roughyeds, was then involved in a struggle with Spanish Civil Guard officers.

Officers had to restrain him as they put him into an ambulance at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel in San Antonio.

Paramedics spent 40 minutes trying to revive him but he died in the ambulance.

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Tributes have been paid to Luke from members of the rugby league world.

Wigan Warriors head coach Shaun Wane told the Manchester Evening News: “I was absolutely devastated and saddened when news reached me of Luke’s death.

“I almost crashed my car I was so shocked and taken aback because I knew him well and he was great lad. It’s a real tragedy.

“It is very hard coming to terms with what’s happened because I spent a lot of time working and coaching Luke when he was a young player coming through.

“They were good times and Luke was so keen. 

“I coached him at Wigan when he was in the junior ranks at 16s, 17s and 18s level. He was a good lad who would look after himself.

“He was what I would term a rough diamond.

“He went into the semi professional ranks before ending up at Oldham.”

“I really feel for his family at this very sad time.”

PA

Hotel tragedy: Luke died at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel in San Antonio

 

Oldham chairman Chris Hamilton said: “I am very saddened to learn of Luke’s death.

“He was one of those talented players who came from Wigan, trained and played hard and always gave 100 percent. He always showed total commitment.”

It is understood Luke no longer played professional rugby league.

A post-mortem examination is due to be carried out to establish the cause of death.

It will also determine if Mr Rhoden had been drinking or taking drugs before the tragedy.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We can confirm the death of a British national in Ibiza on 3 September.

“We are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time.”

* Were you at Ibiza Rocks when Luke died? Did you witness the incident? Did you take any pictures or video? Get in touch by calling 0800 282 591 or email mirrornews@mirror.co.uk

Article source: http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12504/9317398/jonny-wilkinson-to-retire-after-heineken-cup-final

Ex-rugby league star dies in Ibiza after plunging from hotel balcony and ...

Baby Rams get to grips with full contact rugby

READY FOR ACTION: Hafodyrynys under-9s are playing full contact rugby as they start the new season

First published



in Sport

by Andrew Penman

HAFODYRYNYS under-9s have now graduated to playing full contact rugby and they started the new season at the Newbridge tournament with two wins, one draw and one loss.

The Baby Rams welcomed new players to the side and they together with the established players, they played exceptionally well at this new level.

In the first game of the tournament in a evenly matched contest, Hafod drew 0-0 with Abertillery with both teams exhibiting powerful tackling and excellent defence.

In their second game Treharris came out on top with a 2-1 win, with the Baby Rams try coming from the speedster Cohan Williams.

The Hafod then won beat Mountain Ash 2-1, with the tries coming from Cohan Williams and Bailey Carter and with great tackling from Aled Jones, Deven Williams, Lewis Griffiths and Rees Parry.

In the final game the boys played the hosts Newbridge and secured a 1-0 victory, with the only try coming from newcomer Guy Davies.

Superb tackling from Carson Newell, Cameron Jefferies and Ellis Price meant the Baby Rams left the field on a high.

The coaches were very pleased with the team’s performance at their first games at full contact level.

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Baby Rams get to grips with full contact rugby

Rugby League - England announce New Zealand series

The series has been arranged following the collapse of the proposed Great Britain Lions tour down under during a break in the annual Four Nations Series.

International Federation chairman Nigel Wood, who is also chief executive of the RFL, was forced to look for an alternative international programme after his bid to revive the Lions tour was dashed when the Australians insisted on giving their players a full off season.

The latest twist will be a major blow to France, who are forced to cancel their planned tour to New Zealand at the end of next season.

There will also be a clash with the Rugby Union World Cup being hosted in the UK, which was another factor behind the plan to tour down under.

At least the series will provide some home internationals for British rugby league fans, who would otherwise have to wait until the 2016 Four Nations Series to witness the England team in action.

England’s last meeting with the Kiwis was their heart-breaking last-minute defeat in last November’s World Cup semi-final at Wembley, although they will clash in Dunedin later this year when Australia and New Zealand host the 2014 Four Nations Series.

Wood said: “We are delighted to host the New Zealand Rugby League team in 2015.

“The semi-final between England and the Kiwis in 2013 was one of the best international games between nations who have a history going back to 1907 and we are in for a treat when these two teams meet again.

“Following the Four Nations in Australia and New Zealand this year, we were keen to give our fans the opportunity to watch England at home and I am sure the Kiwi tour will be a huge draw card.”

England coach Steve McNamara, whose current contract runs out this year, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming the Kiwis in 2015 and building on the rich tradition of international rugby league between the two nations.

“A three-match series against a team like New Zealand will provide an intensive test for us and, as history has shown, is guaranteed to bring out the best in the England players.”

New Zealand’s last tour to England in 2007, with the unfortunate Gary Kemble in charge, resulted in a 3-0 series defeat when the national team last competed as Great Britain.

It proved a watershed moment for the Kiwis, who went on to win the World Cup 2008 and the Four Nations in 2010 under coach Stephen Kearney, who believes the 2015 series will provide valuable experience ahead of the next World Cup.

“Whenever we’ve toured England in the past, it has proved very challenging in terms of facing them on home soil,” Kearney said. “The World Cup was really the first time we’d won there in quite some time.

“When you look at the way their players have continued to develop in the NRL, you can see it will be a real contest and vital towards our preparation for the World Cup in 2017.”

The RFL plan to unveil details of fixture dates, venues and ticket availability in mid-November.

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Rugby League - England announce New Zealand series

RFU launches plan to increase number of female players

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The Rugby Football Union is aiming to increase the number of women playing regular contact rugby by 10,000 within three years.

England’s World Cup triumph last month has raised the profile of the women’s game and 20 players have since been placed on central contracts, enabling them to train full-time. The RFU launched its new campaign at the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday and development director Steve Grainger has outlined the objective of “normalising women’s involvement in rugby”.

“Women’s rugby has been a work in progress for the last 12-18 months,” Grainger said. “However, winning the World Cup has given us a massive boost because we now have a trophy to take around and some great role models.

“Our key aim is normalising women’s involvement in rugby and positioning the sport as something that has athleticism, strength and toughness. All of our research shows that those aren’t things women are afraid of. They’re things they’re proud of, so we have a real asset.

“We want to build on the massive increase there is in women doing things like Tough Mudder and hot yoga.”

The RFU’s campaign has the support of Helen Grant, the Minister for sport and tourism. “The future of women’s rugby at elite level is bright and the England team is an inspiration to women and girls coming into the sport,” Grant said. “I welcome the RFU’s strategy to get more women involved in the game – be that as players, coaches or volunteers.”

Grainger confirmed the RFU’s commitment to using the next year’s men’s World Cup, hosted by England, as the platform to increase participation in state schools.

“There’s been much talk of the demise of rugby in schools, particularly in state secondary schools and we’re on a real mission to reverse this,” Grainger said. “Four hundred state secondary schools who don’t currently play rugby will be playing rugby by the time the World Cup kicks off in September.

“We’re well on the way to that target – another 100 are starting this week which will take us to 300. The final 100 will come in September 2015. We will keep the momentum of that going to reach 750 schools by the time the World Cup hits Japan in 2019.”

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RFU launches plan to increase number of female players

Rugby Football Union tells referees to make more on-field decisions to keep ...

Both officials agreed that if an assistant referee is in a good position to

rule that a pass is forward he should have the confidence to call it

according to the revised criteria ‘of the direction of the ball leaving the

hands’. Barnes reported that the ‘crouch, bind, set’ engagement call had

improved scrums but that there was still a need for “more ball out and less

collapsing”.

The RFU has added five more citing commissioners to its roster taking it to a

total of 19 with the head of discipline, Gerard McEvilly, stressing that

“citing is a key component of the modern game” as it looks to keep foul play

in check. McEvilly also disclosed that the RFU was creating a regulatory

framework to deal with coaches who might contravene its concussion

protocols. Guy Noves, the Toulouse head coach, received much criticism last

season in allowing his centre, Florian Fritz, back onto the field when

clearly suffering from the effects of a blow to the head.

A strategy to take the game to 100,000 females across the country has been

launched by the RFU. It hopes to build on the success of the Women’s World

Cup win by seeing 25,000 women and girls take part in contact rugby by 2017

while also expanding the reach of the game to attract more coaches and

volunteers.

Ian Ritchie, the RFU chief executive, expects to reach a settlement with

Premier Rugby over compensation arrangements for the disruption to the club

programme during the 2015 Rugby World Cup “within weeks”, rather than

months. Ritchie also said that he was sympathetic to the notion of clubs

being allowed to play during the knockout phases of the tournament.

Article source: http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12504/9317398/jonny-wilkinson-to-retire-after-heineken-cup-final

Rugby Football Union tells referees to make more on-field decisions to keep ...

Rugby Union star Tom Varndell from Ashford in Kent posed naked in ...

Rugby star Tom Varndell from Ashford took his kit off for a magazine to raise awareness of male cancer.

The Wasps player posed naked for the October issue of Cosmopolitan magazine as part of their monthly ‘Centrefold’ spread for Cancer Research UK.

In the full-page picture Tom, who was born in the town, covers his modesty with a rugby ball.

Wasps player Tom Varndell posed naked to raise awareness of male cancer

The 28-year-old, who has played for England, also took the opportunity to defend the bad reputation of sportsmen claiming ‘we are not all like that’. 

He said: “Rugby players are well-behaved. After a match I like going out with the team sometimes but I love nothing more than going home to my family.

“Respect for the women in your life is so important and I want my two sons to see how much I love their mum. 

Tom Varndell posed for the October Issue of Cosmopolitan magazine

“I teach them about eating right and exercising too – it’s easy to take your body for granted until it’s too late.”

Tom joins a host of other stars who have appeared in the magazine’s monthly naked spread, including Ronan Keating, Graham Norton and Ewan McGregor. 

Article source: http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12504/9317398/jonny-wilkinson-to-retire-after-heineken-cup-final

Rugby Union star Tom Varndell from Ashford in Kent posed naked in ...