Jamie Roberts: Welsh Rugby Union deal is a step forward

Wales centre Jamie Roberts has hailed the country’s new £60m agreement – despite the fact it could hinder his international prospects.

The

deal

ended two years of instability and favours home-based players.

Overseas-based stars such as the Racing Metro back can only represent Wales if coach Warren Gatland makes an exception.

But the 27-year-old Lion said: “People want to go down the terraces and talk about rugby rather than politics.”

The package agreed between the Welsh Rugby Union and the regions in August is aimed at keeping star players in Wales.

In recent years there has been an exodus of Wales players moving to clubs in England and France, including Roberts’

team-mate in Paris Dan Lydiate,

Leigh Halfpenny moving to Toulon

and

Northampton signing George North.

Wales’ management has

compiled a list of more than 50 players

who are being considered for dual contracts and WRU chief executive Roger Lewis said this includes players they want to bring home from overseas.

The 60-times capped Roberts said: “The main thing is that people can concentrate on rugby now.

“These central contracts, I think it’s great for the Welsh guys who are playing their club rugby in Wales.

“They know if they sign these dual contracts they’ll be looked after in regards to how many games they’ll play for their regions, they’ll certainly be fresh for international rugby.”

The Top 14 season in France is well underway and Racing Metro sit 10th after two wins and two draws.

Article source: http://www.express.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/462140/Yeoman-Ben-Morgan-takes-his-England-guard

Jamie Roberts: Welsh Rugby Union deal is a step forward

Ryan Jones column: Ashton Gate is a fantastic rugby arena

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AFTER Sunday’s game, I tweeted that it was a different jersey, a different home, but same old Bristol Rugby. What a special atmosphere at Ashton Gate.

As if it wasn’t already clear to everyone involved with the club, the support is second to none and that’s one of the key elements that attracted me to join in the first place.

The feeling around the Gate on the weekend was fantastic. It felt like a rugby arena and that’s crucial as we look to stamp our identity on our new home going forward.

Fans from both sides enjoyed a beer and a pasty together in the sun, there were kids running around in Bristol shirts – everything that makes sport such a great spectacle was there. And it will only get better as we grow into our surroundings.

We have a blank canvas and the hard-fought win over Worcester was day one.

This is the start of an exciting new chapter.

We played the league favourites and notched a win. What a way to start. Seeing Ashton Gate full to the rafters, with flags waving and a world-class playing surface underlines the genuine intent of Bristol’s ambition.

We believe that we can fill that stadium – in two years time – with 25,000 people watching top-flight rugby. We’re part of that journey and so are the supporters.

I must admit, I’m not a huge watcher of rugby. It encompasses so much of my life that I try and switch off whenever I can.

But on Sunday I was completely engrossed in what was happening.

I really missed being a part of it, winning that first game at Ashton Gate is a piece of history that can’t be re-written. I’d have loved to have been involved. Having said that, I was so chuffed for the boys.

The effort that everybody has put in over the summer – players, coaches and backroom staff – was huge, so that result felt like a just reward.

We draw a line under that result now and look ahead to Yorkshire Carnegie.

It’s a great starting point, but now we have to ensure that it only gets better.

On a personal note, my rehabilitation is going well and I’m on target to be back on the field by the end of October. I’m itching to play.

I’ve spent 14 years training, so the novelty has worn off, but you always get the buzz from pulling on the jersey and playing a game. I feel at home at Bristol and have really settled here at the club.

A lot has been made about the nationality of our players and where they have come from. To me, that’s almost irrelevant. All the players that have come to the club are of a similar character: good, honest rugby people with a good attitude and who have bought into the ethos at Bristol. That has to be the case, irrespective of where you come from.

Of course, it’s important to have local lads because they have come through the pathways and inspire the next generation of players in the city.

Two such players are Marco Mama and Mitch Eadie, who signed new contracts this week. Both these guys have starred in a Bristol jersey over the last two seasons and have come up through the academy system. They’re great players to have around the training ground and on matchday.

Marco is a big, uncompromising player who makes an impact every time he plays. Mitch is at the start of his career and he’s a wonderful athlete. The challenge for him is how good he wants to be and how hard he wants to work, because the sky is the limit.

Article source: http://www.express.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/462140/Yeoman-Ben-Morgan-takes-his-England-guard

Ryan Jones column: Ashton Gate is a fantastic rugby arena

Rugby World Cup 2015: How to secure match tickets for the tournament

When and where can I apply for Rugby World Cup tickets?

From 10am on Friday 12 September until 6pm on Monday 29 September, so you have plenty of time to browse the schedule and make your selections. Go to www.tickets.rugbyworldcup.com and follow the instructions.

Is it first-come, first-served?

It isn’t. Your chances of getting the tickets you want are no different whether you apply at the beginning or end of the window. If a match you apply for is not oversubscribed by the end of the window, you are guaranteed a ticket. If demand outstrips supply (which in most cases is far more likely), it will go to ballot.

How many matches can I apply for?

You can apply for as many as you like – and then use the “Match Manager” tool to cap the number of games you are allocated tickets for in the ballot. As an example, you could apply for 30 matches but limit the number you are allocated to 10. You do not have to do this but it could increase your chances of landing a ticket to some of the higher-profile fixtures – particularly if you are willing to go up the price categories.

Can I see how well matches are selling, though?

Yes, and this might help you to make as realistic an application as possible when deciding on the tickets that you want. When a match goes to ballot, it will be shown on the website and you may wish to switch your attention to one that is attracting fewer fans if you are not feeling especially choosy.

How many tickets can I request per match?

Generally it is four per game but for 15 designated fixtures the limit rockets to 15. The website lists them in full, but there are some juicy ones on there: matches involving Australia, New Zealand, France and Ireland all feature and 10 of the 13 venues are involved.

Ah yes, the price categories. How much do tickets cost then?

They vary wildly, as you might expect. An adult will not be able to watch the opening match, England v Fiji at Twickenham, for less than £75, while the most expensive ticket for the final is £715. Child tickets, available for the pool games, are priced as low as £7 in some instances and, with Category D prices for adults available at £15 or £20 for certain fixtures, it is possible for a family group to watch matches cheaply. The prices for each game are outlined clearly on the website.

What if I would be happy to pay a little more than I said, if that was what it took to attend the game?

Then you are cut out perfectly for the “Increase Your Chances” facility, which will be flagged up when you apply. If you select it, you give permission to be allocated for tickets in the next-highest prices category – if available – should your preferred category be sold out.

Which matches do you think I should target if I’m not remotely fussy?

Well, it’s not rocket science to suggest that England’s pool games will all be hot tickets and that fixtures such as Australia v Wales, South Africa v Scotland, New Zealand v Argentina and France v Ireland aren’t going to hang around for long either. Some of the smaller stadia such as Exeter’s Sandy Park may find demand higher than you would expect for Tonga v Namibia and its like, too. Somewhere like Brighton or Leicester could be a good bet – both have capacities of a little over 30,000 and games like Argentina v Namibia and Samoa v Japan look eminently watchable without necessarily commanding an unseemly scrum for tickets.

What if I apply and then my circumstances alter or I just change my mind?

It’s ok, you can amend or even cancel your application at any stage during the ticketing window.

I’m not quite ready to commit to next September yet – can I apply nearer the time?

Yes, but you won’t have the safety net of a ballot then. Should any tickets be left over from this month’s window, they will go back on sale in November on a first-come first-served basis. In the spring, supporters will also have the chance to offload their unwanted tickets via the website – details will be announced nearer the time, but rest assured that these sales will be at face value.

What if I fancy chancing it on the day of a game?

Tread very carefully indeed, because there will be no tickets available on a walk-up basis. There have been well-documented fears that touts and criminal gangs will hijack the application process and buy in bulk to resell at exorbitant prices, but if you buy your ticket from someone outside the stadium – or from any other unofficial channel that springs up between now and September – then you run a very serious risk of not being let into the stadium and, of course, of breaking the law.

I am ready to book. How do I pay?

By card, as long as it is not an American Express. Using a MasterCard or debit card avoids a 2% transaction charge incurred by any other kind of credit card.

When do I find out whether I’ve been successful in the ballot?

Pretty soon – you will be notified during October but the actual seats you will be sitting in are not decided until 2015.

FIXTURES BY VENUE

For each match, three prices are quoted: for the most expensive adult ticket; for the cheapest adult ticket; and for the cheapest child ticket, if available

Twickenham, London, capacity 81,605

Fri 18 Sep England v Fiji £315; £75; £15

Sat 19 Sep France v Italy £250; £50; £15

Sat 26 Sep England v Wales £315; £75; £15

Sat 3 Oct England v Australia £315; £75; £15

Sat 10 Oct Australia v Wales £250; £50; £15

Sat 17 Oct Quarter-final: Winner B v Runner-up A £250; £95; n/a

Sun 18 Oct Quarter-final: Winner A v Runner-up B £250; £95; n/a

Sat 24 Oct Semi-final: Winner QF1 v Winner QF2 £515; £125; n/a

Sun 25 Oct Semi-final: Winner QF3 v Winner QF4 £515; £125; n/a

Sat 31 Oct World Cup Final £715; £150; n/a

Olympic Stadium, London, capacity 54,000

Wed 23 Sep France v Romania £85; £20; £15

Thu 24 Sep New Zealand v Namibia £175; £50; £15

Sun 4 Oct Ireland v Italy £175; £50; £15

Wed 7 Oct South Africa v USA £85; £20; £15

Fri 30 Oct Bronze final £175; £50; £15

Wembley Stadium, London, capacity 90,256

Sun 20 Sep New Zealand v Argentina £175; £50; £15

Sun 27 Sep Ireland v Romania £175; £50; £15

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, capacity 74,154

Sat 19 Sep Ireland v Canada £175; £50; £15

Sun 20 Sep Wales v Play-off winner £175; £50; £15

Wed 23 Sep Australia v Fiji £150; £50; £15

Thu 1 Oct Wales v Fiji £175; £50; £15

Fri 2 Oct New Zealand v Georgia £150; £50; £15

Sun 11 Oct France v Ireland £250; £50; £15

Sat 17 Oct Quarter-final: Winner C v Runner-up D £250; £95; n/a

Sun 18 Oct Quarter-final: Winner D v Runner-up C £250; £95; n/a

St James’ Park, Newcastle, capacity 52,409

Sat 3 Oct South Africa v Scotland £175; £50; £15

Fri 9 Oct New Zealand v Tonga £150; £50; £15

Sat 10 Oct Samoa v Scotland £150; £50; £15

City of Manchester Stadium*, capacity 47,800

Sat 10 Oct England v Play-off winner £250; £50; £15

Villa Park, Birmingham, capacity 42,785

Sat 26 Sep South Africa v Samoa £150; £50; £15

Sun 27 Sep Australia v Play-off winner £85; £20; £15

Elland Road, Leeds, capacity 37,914

Sat 26 Sep Italy v Canada £85; £20; £15

Sun 27 Sep Scotland v USA £85; £20; £15

Leicester City Stadium*, capacity 32,312

Sun 4 Oct Argentina v Tonga £150; £50; £15

Tue 6 Oct Canada v Romania £60; £15; £7

Sun 11 Oct Argentina v Namibia £85; £20; £15

Brighton Community Stadium*, capacity 30,750

Sat 19 Sep South Africa v Japan £85; £20; £15

Sun 20 Sep Samoa v USA £60; £15; £7

Stadium MK, Milton Keynes, capacity 30,717

Thu 1 Oct France v Canada £150; £50; £15

Sat 3 Oct Samoa v Japan £85; £20; £15

Tue 6 Oct Play-off winner v Fiji £60; £15; £7

Kingsholm, Gloucester, capacity 16,115

Sat 19 Sep Tonga v Georgia £60; £15; £7

Wed 23 Sep Scotland v Japan £85; £20; £15

Fri 25 Sep Argentina v Georgia £85; £20; £15

Sun 11 Oct USA v Japan £60; £15; £7

Sandy Park, Exeter, capacity 12,300

Tue 29 Sep Tonga v Namibia £60; £15; £7

Wed 7 Oct Namibia v Georgia £60; £15; £7

Sun 11 Oct Italy v Romania £85; £20; £15

*Stadium names changed for the event because of sponsorship reasons

Article source: http://www.express.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/462140/Yeoman-Ben-Morgan-takes-his-England-guard

Rugby World Cup 2015: How to secure match tickets for the tournament

Welsh rugby dual contracts list "over 50", says WRU chief

More than 50 players are being considered for dual contracts, Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) boss Roger Lewis says.

Of those players,

10 to 15

are expected to be awarded a contract

as part of a deal

between the WRU and the regions.

Negotiations have begun between the four regions and the WRU to discuss which players should be selected.

“We’ll work together with the regions to ensure that the very best players are looked after,” Lewis said.

Initially, the £60m deal suggested dual contracts would be offered to six players but that number has since risen.

“Those 50 players must be looked after at the highest level so if they don’t make it on to the national dual contract list, we’ve got to still ensure those players are given the best possible opportunity,” chief executive Lewis said.

“On Warren’s [Gatland] list are players that he’s identified that are playing their rugby outside of Wales that we want to bring back.”

In recent years, a number of players have left Wales for clubs in England and France including

Leigh Halfpenny to Toulon,

George North to Northampton

and

Jamie Roberts to Racing Metro.

The WRU and four regions – Cardiff Blues, Newport Gwent Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets – signed a six-year agreement in August after almost two years of disagreements over funding.

The deal also allows regions to have up to eight overseas players but two must be “time-serving” for international duty.

The Ospreys’ newest signing, South African lock De Kock Steenkamp, has already said

he wants to play for Wales

at the end of his three-year deal with the region.

Former Wales captain Michael Owen is one of those who has criticised this residency rule, saying

it is a joke that undermines academies.

Article source: http://www.express.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/462140/Yeoman-Ben-Morgan-takes-his-England-guard

Welsh rugby dual contracts list "over 50", says WRU chief

Harry to play wheelchair rugby

Prince Harry will take centre stage in the Invictus Games today as he joins stars of sport and entertainment for an exhibition wheelchair rugby match.

Harry will line up alongside Olympians Dame Kelly Holmes and Denise Lewis, as well as his cousin Zara Phillips and her Rugby World Cup-winning husband Mike Tindall, and fellow England rugby player Jason Robinson for the match at the Copper Box Arena this evening.

Rugby legend Jonny Wilkinson and former England rugby manager Sir Clive Woodward will lock horns as managers for each team in the competition, which will see the stars line up alongside wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women.

The match is part of the inaugural Invictus Games, championed by Harry, which sees 400 competitors from 13 nations go head-to-head in nine different adaptive sports over four days.

Yesterday, as he watched the action at the Lee Valley Athletic Centre in London, Harry said he was “thrilled” by the first day, which saw Britain’s wounded warriors win a clutch of gold medals.

The sporting spectacle continues today with archery and wheelchair rugby competitions, but one of the highlights is the star-studded exhibition wheelchair rugby match, which will be featured on the BBC’s One Show.

Olympic silver medallist Phillips said: “I have seen wheelchair rugby being played before but I haven’t played. I can’t imagine I’m going to be very good at it, but obviously we’ll bring our A-game!

“I’m looking forward to being part of an amazing Games. Having servicemen and women from all over the globe come together and compete in sport is going to be fantastic.”

Dame Kelly added: “As an ex-military soldier, I’m extremely honoured to be part of the Invictus Games.

“I have immense admiration for all these servicemen and women who have served their country.”

Yesterday Harry was joined by the Duke of Cambridge and his father the Prince of Wales at the opening day of the Games, declaring he was “thrilled” by the way it had gone.

By the end of the first day of the four-day Games, Britain had won 15 gold medals, seven silver and six bronze but were trailing to team US who had won more than 70 medals.

Wheelchair racer Joseph Townsend, a former royal marine, claimed four victories on the track in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 1,500m. He was dubbed by Harry as “our David Weir, a medal machine”, comparing the ex-serviceman to the athlete who won three gold medals at the Paralympics.

Former Army captain David Henson, British Armed Forces team captain, who was cheered by the ecstatic spectators as he won a 200m gold, declared: “It’s been an emotional day”.

The gold rush began when Alex Tate, 24, who lost his left leg when he was blown up in Afghanistan in 2012, crossed the finishing line first in a 100m race and later described the Games as the “best rehabilitation any soldier could have”.

Double gold Andy Grant, 26, who triumphed in the 400m and 1,500m races for competitors who have lost limbs below the knee, said: “I don’t think there is anything more inspiring than seeing a guy who two years ago was lying in a ditch in Afghanistan bleeding to death, and now he is running 100m in Paralympic time.”

Harry to play wheelchair rugby

Harry to play wheelchair rugby

Prince Harry will take centre stage in the Invictus Games today as he joins stars of sport and entertainment for an exhibition wheelchair rugby match.

Harry will line up alongside Olympians Dame Kelly Holmes and Denise Lewis, as well as his cousin Zara Phillips and her Rugby World Cup-winning husband Mike Tindall, and fellow England rugby player Jason Robinson for the match at the Copper Box Arena this evening.

Rugby legend Jonny Wilkinson and former England rugby manager Sir Clive Woodward will lock horns as managers for each team in the competition, which will see the stars line up alongside wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women.

The match is part of the inaugural Invictus Games, championed by Harry, which sees 400 competitors from 13 nations go head-to-head in nine different adaptive sports over four days.

Yesterday, as he watched the action at the Lee Valley Athletic Centre in London, Harry said he was “thrilled” by the first day, which saw Britain’s wounded warriors win a clutch of gold medals.

The sporting spectacle continues today with archery and wheelchair rugby competitions, but one of the highlights is the star-studded exhibition wheelchair rugby match, which will be featured on the BBC’s One Show.

Olympic silver medallist Phillips said: “I have seen wheelchair rugby being played before but I haven’t played. I can’t imagine I’m going to be very good at it, but obviously we’ll bring our A-game!

“I’m looking forward to being part of an amazing Games. Having servicemen and women from all over the globe come together and compete in sport is going to be fantastic.”

Dame Kelly added: “As an ex-military soldier, I’m extremely honoured to be part of the Invictus Games.

“I have immense admiration for all these servicemen and women who have served their country.”

Yesterday Harry was joined by the Duke of Cambridge and his father the Prince of Wales at the opening day of the Games, declaring he was “thrilled” by the way it had gone.

By the end of the first day of the four-day Games, Britain had won 15 gold medals, seven silver and six bronze but were trailing to team US who had won more than 70 medals.

Wheelchair racer Joseph Townsend, a former royal marine, claimed four victories on the track in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 1,500m. He was dubbed by Harry as “our David Weir, a medal machine”, comparing the ex-serviceman to the athlete who won three gold medals at the Paralympics.

Former Army captain David Henson, British Armed Forces team captain, who was cheered by the ecstatic spectators as he won a 200m gold, declared: “It’s been an emotional day”.

The gold rush began when Alex Tate, 24, who lost his left leg when he was blown up in Afghanistan in 2012, crossed the finishing line first in a 100m race and later described the Games as the “best rehabilitation any soldier could have”.

Double gold Andy Grant, 26, who triumphed in the 400m and 1,500m races for competitors who have lost limbs below the knee, said: “I don’t think there is anything more inspiring than seeing a guy who two years ago was lying in a ditch in Afghanistan bleeding to death, and now he is running 100m in Paralympic time.”

Article source: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/News/Royston-rugby-player-Harry-Bayford-16-left-speechless-by-spectator-trip-20140513060002.htm

Harry to play wheelchair rugby

Rugby World Cup 2015 tickets: Cyber criminals plotting to hijack launch

“It’s going to be one of the handful of events that would be one of the most

heavily targeted ever,” he told The Telegraph.

“The amount to be made would certainly be seven figures. These people don’t

get out of bed for peanuts.”

The nightmare scenario was made possible after the Government refused to ban

the resale of tickets for the tournament, despite repeated warnings from

England 2015’s chief executive, Debbie Jevans, and the police.

Both experienced first-hand the impact of such a ban while working on the

London Olympics and Paralympics and are now in a desperate fight to prevent

the Rugby World Cup being exploited by criminal networks.

“Of course I’m concerned that touts are potentially going to be able to buy up

the reasonably-priced tickets and then on-sell them,” Jevans said.

Commander Stephen Head, the National Police Coordinator for Economic Crime at

City of London Police, added: “These touts can put in a different kind of

scale of applications, so they can make multiple, multiple applications

instantaneously.”

Measures have been put in place in order to combat this threat, with Jevans

and Head working together to catch those illegally using multiple identities

to buy more than the four tickets per match to which each applicant is meant

to be limited.

Holding a ballot for oversubscribed games is one such measure but Walker, who

is operations director of the Iridium Consultancy and has helped tackle

ticket fraud at the O2 Arena, said of the touts: “What they will simply do

is flood the ballots.”

Applications made during the general sale window between Friday and Sept 29

will also be vetted to weed out those from the same IP addresses.

Walker said: “These people have so many identities, so many addresses, so many

proxy IDs around the world. It is physically impossible to stop harvesting.”

Head denied it was “impossible”, vowing to do everything to “mitigate the

risk”, adding: “It is in no one’s interest for these gangs to succeed.”

The Rugby World Cup’s ticketing platform will be run by Ticketmaster, whose

managing director, Simon Presswell, admitted it was in a “virtual arms race”

with touts.

He added: “We are able to identify the IP addresses, monitor any unusual

activity or behaviour and then de-duplicate any applications that we believe

to have been made fraudulently.”

Jevans warned that anyone buying a ticket other than through England 2015’s

official channels faced being refused entry to matches.

How practical that is to enforce at a tournament for which 2.3 million tickets

are expected to be sold remains to be seen.

Head said: “When you buy from these secondary sites in this instance, you will

potentially be supporting other aspects of criminality, so search your

conscience.

“You may also be throwing away huge amounts of money and you may still not get

to see the game.”

Jevans pointed out that was the fate that befell the parents of Rebecca

Adlington at the 2008 Olympics, when they bought second-hand tickets for

their daughter’s double gold medal-winning performance only to arrive in

Beijing and find they did not exist.

The England 2015 chief refused to play the “blame game” over Rugby World Cup

fans being left similarly vulnerable, something that dates back to the

International Rugby Board’s failure to make a ban on resale a precondition

of hosting the tournament.

“We respect the fact that we did not get legislation,” she added.

The shadow sports minister, Clive Efford, who lobbied for such a ban, said:

“It is a disgrace that the Government has refused to act.

“Preventing genuine fans being exploited must be a primary concern for all

major events hosted in the UK.”

The sports minister, Helen Grant, said: “We have confidence in the plans that

England Rugby 2015 and Ticketmaster have put in place to ensure that tickets

end up in the hands of genuine fans for the Rugby World Cup.

“Many major events are held in this country successfully using similar

measures and technology and we are sure the tournament will be a great

success that will grow rugby at home and abroad.”

IRB president Bernard Lapasset added: “It is our objective to ensure that fans

from around the world have a wonderful Rugby World Cup experience.

“We are aware that unofficial sources will attempt to exploit fans and we have

been working in full collaboration with ER 2015 and the appropriate

authorities to deliver a proactive programme that focuses on education,

prevention and monitoring.

“Our message to fans is clear – buy from official channels only and visit www.rugbyworldcup.com/buyofficial

to verify sources.”

- How

to apply for Rugby World Cup 2015 tickets
- Rugby

World Cup tickets: Everything you need to know

– RWC: Nine games to apply for in the ballot

– How

to beat the ticket touts

– Rugby

World Cup 2015 venues

– Rugby

World Cup 2015 full fixtures list and match schedule
- Will

Greenwood: RWC 2015 is once-in-a-lifetime for fans

Rugby World Cup 2015 tickets: Cyber criminals plotting to hijack launch