Your Scrumhalf Connection - Women's Rugby Blog

Saw this on American Rugby News today. "The West Coast Rugby League has launched a drive to set up franchises from California north to Washington and Idaho, and from Montana and Wyoming south to Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

Clubs are forming in places like Colorado, Nevada and Utah, and earlier this month the fledgling league held a training camp in Los Angeles. Potential future players traveled to the city of angels from as far afield as Portland, Phoenix and San Diego." The league's website has more information for your perusal at http://www.wamnrl.com/.

When I played at the University of Oklahoma a few of our men's players were invited to play on Super League teams in Chicago etc and played for some time, but they all eventually came back to Oklahoma. I never did get around to asking why they came back.

This makes me wonder if this league will succeed and makes me even wonder more if the women will ever have something like this. I wonder if we will see a similar league or some sort super league in our lifetime. I have been pretty jealous to see that Canada has really put some backing to their Women's National Team by giving their players a monthly stipend. A monthly stipend to train and play rugby wouldn't be bad at all! Hopefully the US will see some of these developments over the coming decades.

It seems like last week we had just finished playing the fall rugby season. It blows my mind that the team will begin practice for the spring on January 9...that is less than two weeks away!

With my ACL surgery set for January 7th, I am pretty much out on the Spring season this year. I am excited to have surgery and begin the healing process, but am disappointed that I will not be playing in Atlanta and will miss at least one league game. I was just coming into my own on the Valkyries and it is going to be an adjustment to be on the sidelines. Oh and I just realized that I won't be reffing any rugby games any time soon either! I was doing so well and learning so much, I will definitely have to come back strong and eager to continue learning as a ref.

My doctor is pretty aggressive and I aim to find an aggressive physical therapist too. For my first ACL surgery I had a laid back doctor and a super aggressive physical therapist. I was back on the rugby field at about 4 months. I will not be coming back that quickly this time around but am aiming at around 5 to 6 months. Coming back that quickly was pretty much insane and I would not recommend it to anyone. I just couldn't be kept off the field any longer! Now that I am older and wiser...and am learning to listen to my body...this road will be different. 5 months would be May and there isn't really any rugby in May (maybe 7s). 6 months will be right around ITT's or NASCs and my goal is to be back and in tip top shape for that.

Its hard to realize that for the last month my gf and I have been hitting the gym pretty hard. It kind of feels like that hard work is going to be wasted, and so I am excited to look at the month of January as a fresh start. Sure I just spent a month getting stronger and faster, and will lose that strength in my left leg in a matter of days...but it will be ok.

Don't worry this blog won't be turning into a sob and weep story about my ACL recovery. I will probably blog about my progress, but I am looking forward to a new year. I hope to really amp up this blog as I am really enjoying it. I have worked hard for my readers and appreciate your kind thoughts and emails. I am constantly on the look out for more rugby blogs, shoot me an email and I will add you to the links sidebar.

Have a Happy New Year all!

From: Put Me in Coach!

Spoke with Julie McCoy, the women's 7s coach yesterday, and she asked me to pass this on, as well as some information regarding the USA 7s tournament. There are two big parts, i'll summarize.

USA RUGBY and the IRB need to SEE that women not only participate, but support their own programs in order for the women's final to be played in Petco park.

There are two ways to do this:

1) If you are going to USA 7's for any reasons, to watch anyone - buy your tickets from Kim Brock at USA Rugby.

2) If you want to play 7s, Kim Brock will help arrange for you to find an opponent and you can play on the 7th/8th ... FOR FREE! That's right FREE!! And then get your spectator tickets to USA 7s through Kim for the big event Saturday.

If we can show enough interest in the women's game, the women's International Final can again be played in Petco Park. That's cool. Let's try and make it happen.

See my earlier post for more info here.

From: Letchworth Girls' Rugby

The Welsh RFU have been doing wonders since the men's and women's unions merged last year. One major project has been tracing their national women's team's history - a project that probably puts them ahead of pretty much any other union anywhere.

Their latest is a real gem. Video of the first ever England v Wales women's rugby international - a game which was also the first international for both nations.

The game took place at Pontypool Park on 5th April 1987 - and England and Wales have played at least once a season ever since - 23 times in all - making it comfortably the the longest-running series in women's rugby... and England have won every game.

A "Great Britain" team had played the season before - losing 14-8 to France at Richmond - so for many of the the players this was not quite their first international, but this is still a very early event in the history of the game. The first inter-club tournaments in the UK had only started the season before, most players would have been playing for a handful of years, and it would be another seven years before the RFUW would be formed - the quality of play (and come to that the size of the crowd) is therefore all the more impressive.

Final score: Wales 4, England 22
(before anyone says anything, a try did not become worth five points until 1992/3...)

Now that the holiday is over, check out some of the rugby news that has been circulating:

• Women's Club Championship VIDEOS!
  
  Well not really, but they say you can email for your own copy. What happens when a huge amount of requests come in? DVDs are cheap, but they aren't that cheap! Here is the note from Katie Wurst:
  
  Dear Women’s Club Players, Staff & Supporters:
  
  We regret to inform you that this year’s Women’s Club Championship match broadcasts will not be available to view online in the USA Rugby media center. Technical difficulties involving decoding during the production have prevented the footage from being provided in an internet usable format. The problem was discovered and adjustments were made leading up to the men’s NASC which is why these matches are available.
  
  What we can offer is copies of the matches sent to your homes. Please write to kwurst@usarugby.org and include your email address and specific matches you are interested in obtaining and they will be sent to you as soon as possible. Please accept our apologies for this inconvenience. On the plus side, we did receive great feedback and will be looking ahead to further broadcast opportunities for women’s rugby in the future. Thank you for your patience and your comments/suggestions are always appreciated. Happy Holidays!
  
  
• San Diego Invitational 7's Tournament - Open to Women's Teams
  From womeneagles.com
  
  12.23.07 - As many people already know, the San Diego 7s event in rapidly approaching. It is the largest international rugby event hosted in North America and a stop on the iRB's 7s World Series. This event will take place on February 9-10 at PetCo Park, home of the Padres, in Downtown San Diego. This event features 16 of the Worlds best 7s teams including New Zealand, Australia, England, South Africa and your USA Eagles!
  
  What you may not know is that on Thursday and Friday, February 7-8 there is another event running in conjunction with the San Diego 7s known as the San Diego Invitational. There will be nearly 50 rugby teams in town ranging from youth, high school, collegiate and Masters (AKA old boys). Also, as a part of the San Diego Invitational, there is an International Women's 7s event featuring teams from Samoa, South Africa, Canada and most importantly, the United States Women's National team!
  
  Last year the women's final between the US & Canada was played at PetCo Park in front of 15,000 spectators who were there to watch the men's event and we are really hoping for this to happen again. This is a tremendous opportunity for women's rugby, not only here in the states, but internationally as well. In order to make this happen, USA 7s is asking us to show that the women's rugby community supports their National Team.
  Slots open in San Diego Invitational for Women's Teams
  
  The San Diego Invitational has all age levels, but for the most part, only male participants. Women's senior and collegiate teams have not shown interest in participating. I am not sure if this is due to lack of knowledge or interest in the event.
  
  If we, the women's community, can band together and show that we are participating in the San Diego Invitational and purchasing tickets to the USA 7s event (at a discounted group rate) it will help the USA 7s make the decision to have the women's final inside the stadium once again.
  
  How does the San Diego Invitational work/how does my team get games? On Thursday and Friday we have 8 fields available all day long. Your team can challenge another team from a different territory or you can submit your interest to Kim Brock and she will work on matching you up to another team who has shown interest. We can work out a round robin format, short halves, full matches or whatever you want your matches to be in order to get you to the event. There is NO ENTRY FEE to play in this event!!!
  
  To get your team registered, contact Kim Brock at USA Rugby now to reserve your team's spot in this prestigious and important event!
  
  
• Women Eagles Europe Tour News
  From womeneagles.com
  
  12.7.07 - For Women Eagles tour news from the 2007 First Sports International England Tour check out our new archive page. For a inside look at what's happened in England take a look at USA Rugby's Player's Daily Journal.
  
  
• Rugby on the RADIO - Houston, TX
  
  This is broadcast weekly here in the Houston area - so if you have anything to get out - tournaments - events - etc...please send to Peter or Richard before Thursday so it can make this weeks announcements...
  
  Best regards, Rick
  
  I have been covering rugby on KPFT off and on for years. We where announcing scores on a weekly basis. Now for the first time we have a better time then ever before. The rugby segment of the sports brief is on at 6:58pm on Saturdays. Its not live but taped on Thursdays. If you guys can get us information of news and things to get out to the public
  we can announce it. Peter Evens is handling the rugby section and you can email him at. peterevans@sbcglobal.net or you can email me Richard Hanna at rad@hipweb.net WE have been moved taken off ect for a while since I have been doing it so this is something that hopefully we can keep.
  
  Richard Hanna 90.1 KPFT
  
  I did a google search and found the website: http://www.kpft.org/ and there is a link on the top left to listen live. I will have to try and remember to listen on Saturdays when they are back up and running! Pretty sweet.
  
  
• 2008 YOUTH RUGBY CLINIC IN HOUSTON & DALLAS
  
  No Experience Necessary
  Are you between 14 and 19 years old?
  Would you like to learn how to play Rugby?
  Need a Spring Contact Sport?
  Want to improve upon your existing rugby skills?
  Want that extra step against the competition next year?
  
  If you answered yes to any of the above questions, the CANTERBURY OF New Zealand Youth Rugby Clinic is for you !!
  
  The camp will include the following:
  
  Half Day Introduction to the Game that will get you up to speed even if you have never seen a rugby ball
  Individual Skills- Passing, Tackling, Running
  Scrum Safety and Lineout Techniques
  Team Skills and Decision Making
  
  The camp will be run by the current USA Junior Eagles coaching squad and this will provide each camper with the experience of a lifetime of being coached by some of the best coaches in the USA. The coaches are:
  
  Salty Thompson - Head Coach of the United States U20 National Rugby team.
  Mike Kwedar - Head Coach of the United States U19 Developmental squad & the U19/Collegiate Texas Select rugby teams
  Stuart Low - Head Coach of the United States U18 National Rugby team.
  Sean O Leary - Head Coach of the United States U17 National Rugby team.
  
  In addition to our coaching staff, the clinic will feature a number of current high school varsity rugby coaches who will work with clinic attendees. $30 Registration Fee. Please contact: Rick Marshall for more details.
  
  
• More on the USA Rugby NEEDS YOU CAMPAIGN
  
  See the below message about a new grass roots program that USA Rugby is launching - I am thinking about have each club a 3ft x 2ft banner made with the Rugby needs you, the poster of Z, USA rugby logo and your team logo - so if everyone can send me their team logo in a jpg or some other format - I have a sign person here locally whom will make these banner cheap for me... There are some cards, stickers and a log book I will get copied as well and then I will send each team a package including the banner - you can hang it at every home game, tournament and other function around your local communities - let me know everyones thoughts?
  
  Fyi - I would like to recommend that we Solicit campaign leaders based on geography and gender to get this initiative rolling in Texas. Please send me your thoughts.
  
  Please note that the West has asked Texas to arrange to set up and staff a booth/facility at the three Western championships in 2008. The West will be looking into producing a couple of large banners for use in this effort.
  
  For more information please contact Rick Marshall.
  
  
• USA Rugby Makes Inaugural Appearance at National High School Federation Convention
  From USA Rugby
  
  BOULDER, Colo. – While USA Rugby's Emerging Sports Initiative typically attends the yearly NCAA conventions and other conferences specifically geared toward the expansion of women’s varsity rugby within the NCAA, on December 14-17 the initiative turned its attention to gaining exposure at the interscholastic level by attending the National Federation of State High School Association (NFHSA) Convention in Nashville, Tenn.
  
  Catering to more than 2000 attendees, USA Rugby was able to showcase girl’s high school rugby, which currently exists at the club level in only a handful of states around the country. Attendees of the convention included high school athletic directors and administrators from around the country.
  
  "USA Rugby’s presence at the event helped generate positive exposure for our initiative on the interscholastic side of our cause," Becky Carlson, USA Rugby’s Emerging Sports Program Manager said. "The success of creating high school girl’s varsity rugby within the state high school associations directly affects our initiative at the NCAA level. We were well received in our first ever appearance at this annual convention.”
  
  While USA Rugby’s high school varsity initiative targets specific states, Colorado’s approach has been at the forefront on the state high school level. Although USA Rugby has been enthusiastically received by the state high school associations over the course of recent months, the NFHSA conference brought specific attention from a number of Colorado-based athletic directors. According to Carlson, the positive feedback received by Colorado athletic administrators over the past few months is largely due to the strong effort of Colorado Youth Rugby (CYR) administrators and coaches.
  
  "We have many key advocates, coaches and teachers involved at the state-based level who have been working to continually improve the competition administration," Carlson said. "Colorado Youth Rugby has done the legwork in predicating the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) mission, so Colorado rugby really stands out."
  
  Given that college athletic directors currently use the high school federation numbers as a primary source of motivation to add intercollegiate programs, USA Rugby soon hopes to legitimately add rugby to the list of high school interscholastic sports. The next public exhibition for the Emerging Sports Initiative will be at the annual NCAA Convention on January 11-13, 2008. For more information on the Emerging Sports Initiative for both intercollegiate and interscholastic sports, please contact Becky Carlson at bcarlson@usarugby.org or 303.539.0300 x102.
  
  
• To Watch Sportmanship, Try Youth Rugby
  Bernie 'Boomer' Martin, our correspondent in the Capital District reports about an article David Farison has written for the Albany Times-Union.
  First published:
  Sunday, December 16, 2007 - DAVID FARISON - dfarison@nycap.rr.com
  
  In response to the letter from Robert Therriault ('Farewell to sportsmanship, Dec. 2) regarding his yearning for the good old days of sportsmanship. Mr. Therriault's opinion was 'I may just be an old fogy yearning back to the old days, but I distinctly remember that at the conclusion of every sporting event, the winners and losers would line up and go about congratulating and consoling each other. I think that was a wonderful tradition and an example of true sportsmanship. I am sitting here wondering whatever happened to that grand tradition.'
  
  Mr. Therriault, I would like to invite you to attend one of the rugby games that will be played this spring by the teams of Capital District Youth Rugby.
  
  Quoting from its bylaws, CDYR was formed last year with the purposes of 'fostering the development of the sport of rugby football for boys and girls' in the region and 'to use the sport of rugby football to teach the concepts of fair play, sportsmanship, camaraderie, and teamwork for boys and girls,' among others. A dedicated group of rugby volunteers recruited and trained about 100 high school-age kids and fielded three boys' teams and two girls' teams. As coach of the Albany Bulldogs boys' rugby team, I can assure Mr. Therriault that we succeeded in both of these goals.
  
  We have all heard horror stories about youth sports: parents arguing with coaches and officials, many of whom are volunteers and might be only high school students themselves. Our players are coached to honor the game, which includes honoring the opposition and the officials. A rugby game is played by two teams of 15 players, and all are watched by one referee.
  
  You certainly see that one official is bound to miss a call or two. But there is no questioning the referee -- his decision is final. Only the on-field captain may speak with the ref, and even he can be penalized if he objects to a call too strongly.
  
  At the conclusion of each hard-fought game, the players join with their teammates at the center of the field and give three cheers for their opponent, three for the referee and, lastly, three for themselves. Then one team would clap the other off the field, shaking hands and congratulating the other on a game well played.
  
  An old rugby adage calls it 'the game for hooligans, played by gentlemen.' I know that the youth rugby coaches that I worked with and coached against tried to instill this in their players.
  
  When our schedule is set for this upcoming spring, I hope to see Mr. Therriault not cheering for one team over the other but for the sportsmanship displayed by these young athletes.

Happy Holidays from Your Scrumhalf Connection!

I am baking cookies and other Holiday goodies with some of my rugby team. We are also enjoying cocktails and homemade eggnog!

Happy Holidays friends...

**I was trying to be politically correct by saying Happy Holidays, but then realized that the image I had chosen said Merry Christmas...oops! Happy whatever you celebrate!

from Goff (subscription required)

December 21, 2007 - The USA women's national team returned from their tour of the UK with three losses and no victories: 24-0 against the Nomads, 34-17 against England A, and 34-0 against England.

"All those games were winnable," said USA captain Kristin Zdanczewicz, one of the very few experienced players on tour, and who cruelly missed the final game with an ACL tear. "Every game we were in a position to win, but we had a very steep learning curve for a lot of players."

So they did. Key among the issues, especially in their last game against England, was winning their own scrum ball, and getting kicks to touch. Neither happened with anything like regularity.

Kicking remains an issue in the women's game in the USA simply because a lot of players don't practice it under pressure. Pressure can come in many forms - a defender running hard at you, or just a few thousand people staring at you as you prepare to punt the ball.

"It would go a long way to have both of those aspects [scrums and kicking] in our game," said USA coach Kathy Flores. "With the squad selected, we had few adequate kickers, and, truthfully, kicking is not something that players in this country concentrate on. And the scrums - yes it would have been nice to count on our own possession to attack with."

Fixes are there. Flores said players will worked harder on their kicking because they can't be caught unable to boot a cold, hard ball on a chilly, windy day again. And the scrums? Well it's the same issues the USA men faced, issues of unity, power and understanding.

"We have major work to do on our tight five and they know it," said Flores ominously. "They didn't like running backwards. The major issue is not having the time and money to work together. The schedule for players is getting incredibly hectic with all the choices of rugby to play and it becoming an increasing burden monetarily. However, it doesn't deny the fact that we need to have position-specific camps in order to train the way we need to play internationally."

Please continue to the link above for more of the article...

The comments are getting lengthy and out of control again, wonder if Goff even reads them?

New to rugby? Get ready to experience the ultimate team sport. People who differ in culture, age and gender are unified by the passion that surrounds this unique sport.

USA Rugby has created "Rugby Needs You" to provide everyone with their own way to get in the game. This grass roots driven initiative is going nation wide as campaign leaders from all areas are setting up shop at local tournaments and events. Locating volunteers from all backgrounds is the focus. Maybe your passion is teaching....why not give coaching a try? The possiblities are limitless and the "Rugby Needs You" database can get you connected. You can help rugby reach its full potential in the USA. Join the campaign and make a major difference in the lives of rugby players and their families.

Ready to sign on? Complete the form below. Remember this DOES NOT confirm commitment; merely that you are interested in receiving information from a local representative.

**I signed up...so we will see what information a coach, administrator, volunteer or supporter actually gets in an email!! Sign up yourself here.

**UPDATE: I have received nothing from USA Rugby after signing up. It would be SO easy to setup an auto-responder that welcomed the person that signed up, sent them relevant information...etc.

USA Rugby has been busy with the updates, emails and more lately. I love the increased publicity but wonder who are all the emails going to? I know I signed up when the service first came out, but are they pushing these articles to all the resources they could?

I wish they would push their articles to places like digg.com, reddit.com, stumbleupon.com, etc. These sites have million of viewers a day and could really give our sport the publicity it needs.

Anyways, here are a few of the updates over the last few days:

• Women’s National Team Age Grade Structure to Change in 2008
  
  BOULDER, Colo. – USA Rugby announced today structural changes to the Women’s National Team’s age grade program that will take full effect during the 2008 select side season to further improve player development.
  
  To better prevent potential players from aging out of the developmental pipeline, the Women’s National Team Program will now consist of the USA National Guard Under-20 National Team, which takes the place of the former U-19 squad, and the USA A Team in place of the Under-23 Team, and culminate in the USA Women’s National Team (Eagles).
  
  The U-19 to U-20 adjustment will align the USA Women’s structure with other international programs and the IRB, and will also give players an increased opportunity to improve their game through an additional year of training with Women’s U-20 Coach Bryn Chivers (previously U-19 Coach).
  
  Former Under-23 Coach Barb Fugate will now head up the USA A Team, which will be selected independent of the National Team, train at camps and play international matches. The USA A side will continue a schedule much like that of the previous U-23 squad, with the 2008 CanAm competition specifically designated an A Team event.
  
  The USA U-23 National All-Star Championship will continue exactly as in previous years. USA A Team coaches (former U-23 staff) will still attend this event and select players from the U-23 Territorial Unions; however, the only difference is that those players named to the USA A pool may now train alongside athletes who are 24 years of age or older.
  
  Furthermore, the structural changes will make the relationship between the USA A Team and the Women’s National Team more fluid, without age grade restrictions. Athletes will now be able to move up and down between the squads, depending on the venues available and on the individual athlete’s developmental path and performance. This streamlined relationship will also allow the National Team and USA A Team coaches to work more closely in jointly training and tracking the progress of athletes.
  
  “The USA Women’s National Team, USA A and USA U-20 National Team staff is very enthusiastic about these changes,” USA A Team Coach Barb Fugate said. “We believe we are providing an elite athlete identification and development program that will benefit our athletes, and will ultimately help the USA compete successfully on the world stage.”
  
  For more information on the Women’s National Team Program, please visit www.usarugby/org/goto/National_Teams or contact Women’s National Teams Administrator Yvonne Parkhurst at yparkhurst(at)usarugby.org.
  
  
• USA Rugby Course Leader Training Workshop Achieves Quality Results
  
  BOULDER, Colo. – USA Rugby hosted its annual Course Leader Training Workshop December 6-9 in Atlanta, Ga. with 23 USA Rugby course leaders and three NAWIRA (North America West Indies Rugby Association) Development Officers in attendance.
  
  Upon completion of the workshop’s challenging curriculum and a stringent performance assessment, course participants received the new IRB Coach Educator License.
  
  “The ability for our course leaders to deliver quality workshops is at the heart of developing coaches across the U.S.,” said Nigel Melville, USA Rugby CEO and President of Rugby Operations. “Partnering with the IRB in coach education ensures USA Rugby is at the forefront of coach development delivering programs that offer the latest philosophies in rugby coaching around the world.”
  
  The course was led by six IRB trainers including Gary Henderson of the RFU and Mike Luke of the IRB, as well as four USA Rugby trainers: Brett Burdick, Nigel Davies, Norm Mottram and Rick Humm. The training workshop also included a special Thursday night scrum technique session with Bill LeClerc, Men’s National Team Scrum Coach.
  
  “We felt we needed to take advantage of the gathering and augmented the normal agenda to build our course leaders' technical understanding with the scrum session. We also enhanced the training with a focus on a games approach rather than drills, in all of the modules,” said Rick Humm, USA Rugby Coach Development Director. “We were pleased with the performance of our dedicated course leaders throughout the weekend and are proud to continue our partnership with the IRB in equipping coaches with valuable learning methodology and skills.”
  
  For those interested in becoming a USA Rugby Course Leader or to find out about upcoming Coach Development opportunities, check out the Coaches section of the USA Rugby website at www.usarugby.org/goto/coaches.
  
  
• USA Rugby Announces its Spring 2008 Championship Venues
  
  BOULDER, Colo. – After careful consideration, USA Rugby is pleased to announce the locations of its spring 2008 National Championship Series.
  
  The 2008 season features the official sponsorship between USA Rugby and the Army National Guard, an alliance that includes the title sponsorship of USA Rugby’s College and High School Championships as well as select National teams.
  
  “We are working with many new partners this year and looking forward to again raising the quality and visibility of the National Championship Series,” said Kim Brock, USA Rugby Director of National Championships.
  
  The championship season will kick off in a new way in 2008. For the first time, all 48 teams competing in the USA Rugby National Guard Collegiate Playoffs will compete in one location. This collegiate rugby festival will provide endless opportunities for many ancillary events. USA Rugby will partner with the Albuquerque Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CVB) in hosting this flagship event.
  
  “We believe Albuquerque will provide everything to make this event all that it can be. Albuquerque offers a centralized, affordable location with an accessible airport and a city that is very easy to travel to and within,” Brock said. “The Balloon Fiesta Park offers pristine fields exclusively for this rugby festival.”
  
  “Albuquerque is very excited and honored to be apart of this new event, which we think can trigger an outstanding growth in the sport of rugby,” said Tara Alarid, Sports Marketing Coordinator for the Albuquerque CVB.
  
  The nation’s top men’s and women’s college squads will once again take the field at Steuber Rugby Stadium in Stanford, Calif. for the USA Rugby National Guard Collegiate Championships on May 2-3. The event will be hosted by Stanford University.
  
  Having played host to the Senior Women’s Club Playoffs in this past fall, in May 2008 the Austin Rugby Consortium - comprised of the Austin RFC, the Austin Huns RFC, and the Austin Sports Council - will host the Division I, II and III Senior Men’s Club Playoffs, which feature 40 of the country’s best Men’s Club teams.
  
  Following the final approval by the Rugby Committee, the date of the USA Rugby National Guard Boy’s High School, and Boy’s and Girl’s U-19 Championships has settled on May 30 - June 1. The Pittsburgh Harlequins will host the event at Founders Field.
  
  USA Rugby will also start another new relationship with a top notch facility close to home in Glendale, Colo. The city of Glendale is set to host the Senior Men’s Club Championships at Infinity Park. The stadium opened its gates in September 2007 and is home to the Glendale Raptors. Infinity Park is the first municipal U.S. rugby stadium and seats 5,000 spectators.
  
  For more information on the National Championship Series, please visit www.usarugby.org/goto/USAR_Championships or contact Jenna Anderson at janderson(at)usarugby.org.
  
  April 18-20
  USA RUGBY NATIONAL GUARD COLLEGIATE PLAYOFFS: Division I Men and Women, Division II Men and Women (All Pools)
  Albuquerque, N.M.: Balloon Fiesta Park
  Hosted by: the Albuquerque CVB and USA Rugby
  
  May 2-3
  USA RUGBY NATIONAL GUARD COLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
  Stanford, Calif.: Steuber Rugby Stadium
  Hosted by: Stanford University
  
  May 17-18
  USA RUGBY SENIOR MEN’S CLUB PLAYOFFS:
  Austin, Texas: Zilker Park
  Hosted by: the Austin Rugby Consortium
  
  May 30-June 1st
  USA RUGBY NATIONAL GUARD BOY’S HIGH SCHOOL AND BOY’S AND GIRL’S U-19 CHAMPIONSHIPS
  Pittsburgh, Pa.: Founders Field
  Hosted by: the Pittsburgh Harlequins
  
  May 31- June 1
  USA RUGBY SENIOR MEN’S CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
  Glendale, Colo.: Infinity Park
  Hosted by: City of Glendale
  
  
• Sports News for Kids: Naples Rugby Player Competes Against Australians
  
  Shane Young, a senior at Gulf Coast High School, played for the U.S. 19-and-under team Sunday as America took on a team from New South Wales, Australia. The game was in Orlando.
  
  Young also played last year for the 18-and-under national team when it traveled to England to play the English national team. He has been captain of the Naples Bears Rugby team in all three years of its existence, and was voted the Most Valuable Player last season. Young plays the position of scrum half.
  
  High school rugby started in Florida in 2005, and the Naples Bears were the only Southwest Florida team for the first three years. Bears coach Steve Young recently announced Lely and Cape Coral high schools are adding teams this year. There are now 18 teams throughout the state divided into North and South divisions.
  
  The rugby regular season starts the second week of January and ends in mid April. For more information, contact coach Young at 239-434-5888 or 973-479-1309.
  
  
• Potomac Rugby Foundation Promotes Rugby at Regional Trade Expo
  
  For the fourth year, The Potomac Rugby Foundation is an interactive exhibitor at the NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center, January 13-14, 2008.
  
  Foundation members as well the local rugby community will be talking rugby and distributing the latest USA Rugby game development materials as well as regional club information. Video and live demonstrations are also planned. The Expo (celebrating its 15th anniverasary) is the largest annual event of its type in the region and attracts 90,000 visitors.
  
  The Expo (www.nbc4.com/healthandfitnessexpo/index.html)is one example of how the Potomac Rugby Foundation (www.rugby-foundation.org) "gets the word out" to help promote the game at the grassroots level.
  
  
• Don't Forget! USA Rugby Change in Registration Cycle
  
  Individual and Club Registration now runs on a competitive year rather than a calendar year. If you registered for the 2007 registration period anytime before August 1, 2007, your registration will expire on December 31, 2007. If you registered anytime after August 1, 2007, your registration will expire on August 31, 2008.
  
  As a result of the registration season change, all USA Rugby member and club dues will be pro-rated beginning January 1, 2008. These new dues will update automatically, all you need to do is register!
  
  Type Current/Pro-Rated
  Club $150.00/$100.00
  Senior $35.00/$23.33
  Collegiate $30.00/$20.00
  High School $20.00/$13.33
  Youth $10.00/$6.67

Still swollen like a chipmunk, but lots of rugby goodness has come across my Google reader, inbox and across the web. Keep sending your links, thoughts, ideas, etc to yourscrumhalfconnection@gmail.com!

• South East Asian Games: Women's Rugby
  
  4 Women's Teams and 6 Men's Teams competed in the 24th Annual SEA Games.
  
  Gold Medal - Thailand
  Silver - Singapore
  Bronze - LAO Laos PDR
  
  South East Asian Games Singapore
  
  Singapore vs Laos; Singapore vs Thailand Recap.
  
  Cambodia Rugby at SEA Games
  
  I love finding out about rugby all over the world! Who knew that Cambodia had rugby? The site has some great shots of the SEA Games Cambodia vs Laos.
  
  
• Follow-up: the collegiate round of 16 / quarterfinals
  
  There's been a lot of interest in the collegiate round of 16 and quarterfinals in Albuquerque. Check out this site where some more questions were answered about having Collegiate Round of 16 in Alb in 2008. Make sure to read the comments as there is plenty of good points in there.
  
  
• World Cup Sevens to be Hosted by Dubai
  
  The 2009 World Cup Sevens will take place in Dubai from 5-7 March, the International Rugby Board has announced.
  
  The event will have a women's competition for the first time and the final 16 teams will have to qualify from 83 sides in regional tournaments. (The North American regional will be hosted by The Bahamas - Ed).
  
  On the men's side, England and Scotland are two of nine automatic qualifiers as they reached the 2005 quarter-finals. Fifteen others countries will come from a qualification process starting in January 2008. Three qualifiers will come from Africa, two from North America, one from South America, two from Asia, five from Europe and two from Oceania.
  
  
• USRFF Annual Campaign - Give the Gift of Rugby While Supporting the USRFF
  
  Season’s Greetings!
  
  Here at the US Rugby Football Foundation, we feel extremely blessed this holiday season, as your gifts to us have been exceedingly generous: with less than three weeks left until our December 31st deadline, we’ve received donations of $41,000 to our 2007 Annual Appeal. With your continued support, we’ll soon reach and surpass our goal of $50,000.
  
  If you’re like me, you still have lots of holiday shopping to do. Why not give yourself or a loved one the gift of Rugby? With assistance from our friends at MediaZone.com we’re giving away one year MediaZone Rugby subscriptions ($100 value) to our most generous donors.
  
  * Donate $500 or more: Receive a 12-month subscription to MediaZone Rugby. 275+ matches direct to your computer, all year long. If you’d like the subscription to go to a friend or family member, simply indicate so in the Comments section of the donation form.
  
  Tis’ the season. Please give generously and support us in our mission.
  
  And remember, gifts of all sizes are important to us and those in the rugby community we serve. So, please do whatever you can to support the USRFF as we get ready to kick off a banner 2008.
  
  Happy Holidays,
  Brian Vizard
  Executive Director
  USRFF

So I had 5 teeth pulled (4 wisdom teeth, and one bonus tooth!) pulled on Friday. Blogging has been short and sparse as a result. Doing a half-day at work today as my job requires lots of talking and that means pain. Should be back to regular blogging in the next week or so.

Happy Holidays!

Waiting for the replay on 24.7 TV, but USA Rugby has it posted that England won 34-0 on their live scoreboard.

Hopefully the video will work as we all know the success of the last promised videos...still haven't seen them!

From USA Rugby:

Don't miss a minute of the action when the USA Women's National Team takes on the England Women at London Irish ARFC, Sunbury, this Saturday, December 15 at 2:30 p.m. GMT. Log on to www.247.tv to watch the match LIVE for about $5 (£2.50).

To replay a match costs just more than $2 (£1), to download a match costs about $6 (£3). You can now also download the match on DivX for a cost of just over $9 (£4.50).

From: Rugby Football Union
December 12th, 2007

England A 34 USA Eagles 17

England A Women kicked-off their international season in impressive form with a six try 34-17 victory against the USA on Wednesday at London Irish ARFC, Sunbury.

The A team, coached by Mike Barnett, Gavin Williams and Andy Paton, set off at a furious pace running in five tries in the first-half including a brace for Worcester’s Samantha Dale, before finishing off proceedings in the second-half with one further touchdown.

Head Coach Barnett, taking charge of his first international for England A, said: “This is a good start and the first-half was particularly encouraging. We have got to give the US credit as they fought back bravely after going down 29-0 in the first-half.

“This is just the start of the season and we have still got a lot to learn. The squad need to learn to maintain a high level of performance throughout, though I am particularly pleased that the youngsters showed real promise in their first outing while the more experienced players led from the front and Karen Jones had a good game leading the team.”

Worcester prop Dale got the ball rolling for England after just four minutes when she touched down in the left corner. A penalty handed England the chance to catch and drive from a line-out, the ball was then spun out and drove forward for Dale to muscle her way over the line.

Wasps No. 8 Heidi Shelburg helped England gain a 10-0 advantage after just seven minutes in a similar move, but this time the forward picked up and drove her way over the line. Club and country teammate Shelly Rae successfully struck the conversion.

After nine minutes it was then time for England’s backs to put some points on the board and this time it came courtesy of Saracens full-back Vicky Massarella. In a spectacular try scoring manoeuvre Wasps prop Claire Purdy drove her way through the USA defence before clearing the ball to the backs. Wasps centre Michaela Staniford then darted her way up-field, drawing in the US fullback, before off-loading to Massarella who then charged 50 metres up-field to score. Rae converted to stretch England’s lead to 19-0.

Worcester’s Gemma Sharples claimed try number four after a well worked line-out, catch and drive which then saw the ball spun out-wide with Sharples driving over the line. Dale then completed the first-half proceedings with her second touchdown on 25 minutes.

The Eagles, however, had no plans to roll over and surrender and came back at England after the restart showing passion and determination. Scrum-half Kim Magrini rewarded the US for their efforts with a 45th minute try which saw the number 9 take advantage after England lost control in a scrum. Wing Melissa Smit converted to reduce the hosts lead to 29-7.

With some fresh legs on the field and the tourists losing a player to the sin-bin England bounced back to claim their final try of the evening. This time it was the turn of substitute Charlotte Boggis. Skipper Jones was at the heart of the move and picked-up at the back of a scrum. The forwards then cleared the ball and moved it out-wide. A clever dummy by Massarella, who couldn’t quite make the line for a second time, then set-up a waiting Boggis who touched down on 65 minutes.

The US again didn’t give up and instead they had the final word of the evening, running in two late tries thanks to Natalie Marchino and Kristen Zdanczewicz making the final score 34-17.

The USA return to action on Saturday when they take on reigning RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam champions England at Sunbury, kick-off 230pm.

Referee: Rebecca Patrick
Touch judge: Claire Hodnett
Touch judge: Andrea Ttofa
Fourth Official: Paula Carter

Christmas Party

Well its about time for a real update from me...don't you think? I have been so busy lately that I haven't had the time to write about me, just rugby news from around the US and the world!

Last week was the Austin Valkyries Christmas Party and Awards Ceremony. We started off the party with a rather interesting potluck with turkey as the center piece. Everyone brought their favorite dish, their favorite desert and of course their favorite beverage. Then we voted for the officers, and as a result this is the first time in over 6 (maybe 7?) years that I will not be an officer. Can I get a hallelujah from the crowd? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being the match secretary, but not having to deal with all that shit...might just save me from a heart attack down the road.

So the new officers are:
Shannon Shafer - President
Meredith Bagley - Recruiter
Tiffany Hall - Fundraiser
Rosalind Chou - Eq Manager
Jennifer Degroot -Match Sec
Rachel Kraft - Treasurer

Little bit of a disclaimer here, please God hug your new officers, old officers or anyone that has ever been an officer. Unless you have been there you don't know the joys, heartbreak, stress and utter chaos that can be involved with managing a team. Show them some serious love!

Anyways, so next we did the awards:
Welcome to Austin - Jennifer Degroot
Rookie of the Year - Alex McCarthy
Most Valuable Back - Wendy Young
Most Valuable Forward - Tiffany Hall & Rachel Kraft
Most Valuable Player - Meredith Bagley

I was pretty excited to win the Most Valuable Back award, as we had discussed as officers if the scrumhalf should be included with the forwards or the backs. In the end we decided that the scrumhalf should choose, so I chose to be included with the backs as I love my pack, but identify with the backs just a bit more.

From there the party took off a bit as we played "full combat musical chairs" with the only known rules being that you can't touch the chairs. I guess in the past there had been some teammates that had pulled that chair out from underneath each other...and that hurts! I participated in the first round and was quickly eliminated so I took to watching from the sidelines.

After a few teammates suffered minor injuries the final rounds were to take place. Alex (Winner of Rookie if the Year) had twisted her ankle in the opening rounds but had hung onto the chair for dear life securing her spot in the finals. So she asked me to take her place and I am proud to say that I WON, and hurt myself in the process. If I remember correctly I was up against Angela "Cat Lady" and I just remember getting level 3 tackled into the hardwood, but hanging onto the chair! So today, a couple of days later, my elbow is still tender and is swollen. But it was worth it!

Once this was over a few people headed home as we all had to work the next day, but a few teammates hung around and we shared a few more beverages. The gf and I went to bed around 2am, but evidently the hot tub was put to good use for a couple more hours. Good times.

Oklahoma

I haven't been back to Oklahoma (where I went to HS and played rugby at the University of Oklahoma) for almost a year and half. The city of Norman has been through plenty of changes and is truly growing. The reason I went back is that my alumni rugby club was awarding me my "Eagle." This Eagle is given to Collegiate All Americans and players that have made it onto the National Team. I am the fourth University of Oklahoma Rose to be put on the clubhouse ceiling. The ceremony was very nice and lots of old ruggers, coaches and friends had great things to say about me. Of course my gf was at my side and as someone who has helped me work on my pass, make me workout and motivate me, I was as happy as could be.

While I was in Oklahoma I made to sure to eat at all my favorite places. I haven't eaten that much junk food in a LONG time! We ate chicken fingers at O'Connells (LOVE THOSE CHIX FINGERS), had steak and Long Island Iced Teas at Santa Fe Cattle Company, waited LATE at night in the Taco Bell Drive thru and and had a rugby potluck at the ceremony. The weather was FREEZING in Oklahoma and we even had a bit of ice on our cars on Sunday. Driving back to Austin and realizing it was almost a 30 degree temperature change made me LOVE living in Austin.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament

Its incredibly ironic that I just posted about my ACL surgery from about 2 and half years ago last week. I have been having incessant left knee problems for about 2 years now. My knee is always popping, swollen, stiff and generally has a dull pain to it. I finally decided to do something about it (and finally have decent health insurance) so I got an MRI last week. The doctor called on Friday and let me know the news.

I have been running, jumping, kicking and playing rugby on a torn ACL for about a year and half.

I made the appointment with the doctor originally because I was just tired of being hurt and had several doctors and therapists assure me unprofessionally that it was probably a meniscus tear. So I was prepared for a short surgery and a quick recovery. I was floored on Friday when the doctor told me I had torn my ACL. He was shocked that I was playing rugby and hadn't had more serious problems.

I'm not quite ready to write about how I feel at this juncture, but I have scheduled to meet with a surgeon on Monday (of next week) and will be having surgery as quick as possible. This will be my second ACL surgery (different leg) and YES MOM I am still going to play rugby.

Looks like the last month in the gym hitting the weights will be a bit of waste on the left leg, but I will get back to it as soon as I am released to be in the gym. I am still going to workout up until the day of my surgery because it will make me recover faster. No rugby for at least 6 months...f*in sucks...I am sure I will write more later...

**UPDATE: Everyone keeps asking how I tore I tore it:

I remember the exact day it was torn a year and a half ago (silly touch gone WRONG not with the Austin Valkyries but at OU) but didn't have insurance. I went to several doctors that were "friends" and they all told me to rest/take time off because it was only a meniscus tear. It has never stopped hurting and/or swelling, so I finally decided to go to the doctor.

For Immediate Release
December 8, 2007

Women’s National Team Loses First Match of First Sports International England Tour

AYLESBURY, England – The Women’s National Team endured a blustery day on the Royal Air Force (RAF) Halton pitch in its first match of the 2007 First Sports International England Tour against the Nomads on December 8.

Faced with harsh conditions, the U.S. team pressed on through the wind and rain but could not find the right striking points to overpower the Nomads. Despite the USA’s best efforts to take advantage of breaks in their opposition’s game, at the final whistle it was the Nomads over the Women’s Eagles 24-0.

“Though the conditions were not favorable, we as a team performed to the best of our capabilities,” team captain Kristin Zdanczewicz said following the match. “However, we did not capitalize on the opportunities that we were given, and the Nomads were able to benefit from our mistakes.”

“As a team, we want to improve from this starting point. It’s a goal we are completely capable of achieving,” Zdanczewicz added.

The Women's National Team next meets England A on Wednesday, December 12 at 7 p.m. GMT and wraps up its three match tour against England on December 15 at 2:30 p.m. GMT; both matches will be played at London Irish RFC, Sunbury.

For more information on the Women’s National Team and to read daily journal entries from the First Sports International England Tour, please log on to www.usarugby.org/goto/women_eagles.

USA 0

1. Farrah Douglas (Chicago North Shore); 2. Lisa Butts (Berkeley All-Blues); 3. Jamie Burke (Berkeley All-Blues); 4. Shaina Turley (San Diego Surfers); 5. Stacey Baker (Philadelphia); 6. Sara Merritt (San Diego Surfers); 7. Kristin Zdanczewicz (Minnesota Valkyries); 8. Blair Groefsema (Berkeley All-Blues); 9. Rose Whitmore (Berkeley All-Blues); 10. Jossy Tseng (Stanford University); 11. Nathalie Marchino (Berkeley All-Blues); 12. Mel Kanuk (Maryland Stingers); 13. Lynell Kugler (Olde Girls of Glendale); 14.Vanesha McGee (Philadelphia); 15. Ashley Kmiecik (Emerald City Mudhens). Reserves: 16. Mari Wallace (Berkeley All-Blues); 17. Heather Jennings (Seattle); 18. Jaime Lange (Olde Girls of Glendale); 19. Kati McCormick (Univ. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee); 20. Carrie DuBray (New York); 21. Meg Crapster-Pregont (Cornell); 22. San Juanita Moreno (Oregon Sports Union); 23. Melissa Smit (Stanford University); 24. Emilie Bydwell (Brown University); 25. Ashley English (Berkeley All-Blues).

NOMADS 24

World Community Grid's mission is to create the largest public computing grid benefiting humanity. Our work is built on the belief that technological innovation combined with visionary scientific research and large-scale volunteerism can change our world for the better. Our success depends on individuals - like you - collectively contributing their unused computer time to this not-for-profit endeavor.

Donate the time your computer is turned on, but is idle, to projects that benefit humanity! We provide the secure software that does it all for free, and you become part of a community that is helping to change the world. Once you install the software, you will be participating in World Community Grid. No other action must be taken; it's that simple! Donate the time your computer is turned on, but is idle, to projects that benefit humanity! We provide the secure software that does it all for free, and you become part of a community that is helping to change the world. Once you install the software, you will be participating in World Community Grid. No other action must be taken; it's that simple! To learn more and join, click here.

Make sure to join the rugby group I have created underneath the name yourscrumhalfconnection, that way we can keep track of the help the ruggers are doing in the world! Simply sign up with the link above and then on the My Grid page, hit My Team and search for yourscrumhalfconnection.

USA Rugby Announces its Referee, Touch Judge Appointments

BOULDER, Colo. -- USA Rugby’s Sevens Referee Manager Patrick McNally officially announced today the referee and touch judge appointments for the 2008 USA Sevens event in San Diego

As the culmination of the 2007 Sevens Referee Development program, Patrick McNally, in consultation with the Referee and Laws Selection Committee has made the following appointments to the USA Sevens:

Referee: Chris Draper
Touch Judges: Paul Bretz
Chris Henshall
Jem McDowall
Tom Lyons
Dana Teagarden
Aruna Ranaweera
Brad Kleiner
Judah Boulet

Complimenting these officials will be two touch judges each from Rugby Canada and NAWIRA.

The Sevens Referee Development program was instituted to focus on the unique nature of this game, and working with coaches, players and referees to develop and institute standardize good referee practices, and train referees at all levels.

“We worked very hard to connect with all participants of the sevens game, including Al Caravelli the National Sevens Coach, and see real improvement in the approach to refereeing sevens across the country,” said McNally. “All the appointees have performed very well, and have earned their place in San Diego.”

The annual report and other sevens developmental material can be found on the Referees page of the USA Rugby website – www.usarugby.org/goto/referees.

**I put this article up because I know Chris Draper! He has been my FABULOUS training referee for my matches. He is a great referee and I love working with him. Good luck Chris!


BOULDER, Colo. – USA Rugby is hosting a press conference on Monday, December 10, at 3:00 p.m. at the Union League Club of Chicago, to officially announce that the Windy City will host the finals of the 2008 Barclays Churchill Cup in June.

The Barclays Churchill Cup is the biggest international rugby tournament in North America and is an alliance tournament between the rugby unions of England, USA and Canada. Six teams will participate in this year’s Barclays Churchill Cup – USA, Canada, England Saxons, Scotland A, Ireland A and a final team to be confirmed shortly. In the USA leg of the Barclays Churchill Cup, the tournament will feature all six international teams in a triple header of final matches at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill.

Speaking on the announcement, Terry Burwell, Tournament Director of the Barclays Churchill Cup said, “This is a fantastic opportunity for the sports fans of Chicago to witness six top international rugby teams in action on one day. The Barclays Churchill Cup continues to develop each summer, and we are delighted that Chicago is hosting the finals for the first time.”

Entering its sixth year, the Barclays Churchill Cup, which has been held across Canada, California, and England in the past, will feature its pool play matches in various locations throughout Canada, before teams converge on Chicago for the finals day of the tournament on June 21st.

USA Rugby chose the Toyota Park venue after successfully hosting Ireland’s Munster Rugby Club as a Rugby World Cup warm-up match for its National Team, in late August. That match marked the first international rugby match in Chicago in several years and proved a huge achievement for event organizers.

“Toyota Park and the city of Chicago proved such great hosts for our Munster match that it would have been senseless to go anywhere else,” USA Rugby’s CEO and Director of Rugby Nigel Melville said. “Chicago has a rich sports history, and is rapidly emerging as the nation’s newest hot spot for rugby. USA Rugby is excited for the chance to bring an international rugby tournament of this caliber to the Windy City.”

Toyota Park is home to the Chicago Fire MLS club and is located 17 miles south west of downtown Chicago. Due to the outstanding response in August, USA Rugby is hoping to top 10,000 spectators to the one-day event in June.

For media interested in attending the Barclays Churchill Cup press conference, please contact Sara John at sjohn@usarugby.org for more information.

**Would LOVE to go to this match...maybe it will happen!

December 4, 2008, Norman OK – The University of Oklahoma Men and Women’s Rugby Teams are hosting the 7th annual youth rugby camp on Saturday, January 5 and Sunday, January 6 at the Everett Indoor Training Facility. The camp is divided into elementary, middle, boys high school, girls high school and collegiate. Cost for the two-day camp is $25 for 12 and under, and $35 for high school and collegiate. Participants receive two days of high-level instruction plus a t-shirt. The camp runs from 9-noon and 1:30-5pm on Saturday, and from 9am-3pm on Sunday.

Rugby is a sport of strategy and finesse, requiring athletes who can think fast and move even faster. Kids of all ages can learn the sport quickly and easily. The purpose of the rugby camp is to develop safe technique and increase awareness of the sport. “Last year, we had over 150 boys and girls participate at the youth camp”, says head OU men’s coach Kenneth Forehand. “Our elementary and middle school-aged divisions saw the most growth in numbers. We’ve already got strong participation at the high school and collegiate levels, with van-loads of athletes coming from Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas to participate. We are particularly excited about this year, because we’ve got great coaches coming to run the session and we know each participant will learn a lot in a fun and positive environment.”

OU women’s rugby team captain, Candace Taylor, says “I am so glad that I play rugby. I found some of the best friends and I know we’ll be tight for life. I started playing in middle school and have loved it ever since. We really enjoy hosting this camp. It’s fun to see the little kids getting in there and mixing it up with each other. By the end of the weekend, everyone is playing in a scrimmage at their level, and all are having a blast. The t-shirt is pretty cool, too. The fact that it is held at the same place the OU football team practices is amazing. I would pay the fee just to get to compete in that environment!” Additionally, any OU student interested in joining the men or women’s rugby teams for spring are encouraged to attend the camp as a “try out”.

Welcome to the newest edition of Rugby Here & There! There has been tons going on in the rugby world, and in the world outside of rugby. I know, is there a world out there that doesn't involve rugby? Hardly!

• A Quicker Scrum Half Pass
  From Rugby Coach and Wendy Cook
  
  In a recent issue of Rugby Coach, Stephen Aboud, National Coach Development Manager at the Irish RFU, described an alternative way of increasing the speed of your scrum half’s pass. Coming soon in Better Rugby Coaching, Stephen will also look at how improving your player’s foot positions can improve the speed and accuracy of the pass.
  The mechanics of the pass:
  The scrum half pass is like a sling-shot. It has a slow, deliberate start, followed by a long "pull", resulting in the final explosive release of the ball. The traditional key factors for coaching a scrum half (9) pass are:
  
  * A low body position to keep the pass from rising too high.
  * A wide base to help give the player a long sweep to gain distance.
  * A long follow-through with the hands to ensure accuracy.
  
  The challenge is to develop a quicker, more efficient pass while not compromising on accuracy and distance. This is not just about getting the ball there quickly, but also in a manner that is best for the receiver. That means, at the right pace, at the right height, and in the right place. A quick pass is not measured by the speed of the ball. The speed of the ball does not make a quick pass. My definition of a quick pass would be in relation to the time the ball is in the passer's hands. I call this the "T"-time.
  Key measures of a good quick pass:
  
  * Speed: Reduce the "T"-time through the hands.
  * Accuracy: Correct the depth and appropriate height of the pass.
  * Distance: Achieve the required distance to launch attacks.
  * Empathy: Passing for, rather than to the receiver. A pass should begin to decelerate
  rather than still be accelerating when it reaches the fly half (10).
  * Support: After passing, the next function of the passer is to provide support in order to
  maintain quick continuity of play.
  
  In order to achieve these outcomes it is necessary to modify specific key factors of the "traditional pass" and produce a quicker, more flexible pass.
  
  Shorten the "base width" (the distance between the feet)
  A wide base provides more stability and the opportunity to swing the ball longer, resulting in a longer pass. A shorter base is less stable but means the ball spends less time in the hands and moves through the hands quicker ("T"-time).
  The distance of the pass may be shorter initially, but with practice and the other adjustments below, it will not be significantly affected and may even be improved.
  
  Weight-transfer and momentum
  In the pass, the body momentum and therefore weight is better off going towards the receiver. Therefore the scrum half should approach and address the ball from a more side on stance. This also has the benefit of allowing the passer to "see" the receiver for longer, allowing a more accurate pass.
  
  Body-height, head and shoulders
  The traditional pass promoted a lower body position, keeping the head down which kept the pass from rising too high and helped with greater distance and control. However with the adjustments to the approach, base and momentum modifications to body height, head position and shoulder positions must also be changed:
  
  * More bend at the knees than at the waist.
  * Keep the head up (think of a discuss thrower).
  
  
• American Gladiators RETURNS
  
  
  
  I hope this show is as AWESOME as the version I watched when I was a kid. I loved Laser and Blaze...god they were amazing!
  
  
• Gareth Jones Tournament Reminder (Youth Rugby)
  
  Entry form is at www.aggierugby.com/garethjones.htm. Fill it out and send along with payment to the address listed. I cannot reserve a spot until check is in hand. Please note that I can only allow one team per division until Feb. 15, at that time I will allow additional teams from the same club into the same division...as space allows.
  
  Obviously, I want your teams specifically at this tournament as you guys have been supporters to A&M and myself personally, but it is starting to take on a life of it's own. I would encourage all of you to get this done asap. I have been contacted by quite a few schools and I am afraid I might have to turn teams down... I do not want it to be one of yours.
  
  As of right now, all divisions are are contact except the u12's, who are non contact.
  
  Also, the 15's will play 15 min halves and the u12's are 10 minute halves. The field space is absolutely maxed out to the minute and that is with the championship game at 630 pm under the lights. The web page is updated with all required info. Cheers.
  
  
• Tips on Pumping Gas (came to my inbox!)
  
  I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline. Here in California we are also paying higher, up to $3.50 per gallon. But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon. Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose, CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.
  
  1) Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel
  and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.
  
  2) When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.
  
  3) One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation.
  
  4) Another reminder. If there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.
  
  As we all try to make the world a greener place, I think these tips go a long way!
  
  
• WARNING - IMAGES ARE GRAPHIC
  
  Why to not wear jewelry while playing rugby...click here for the images. WARNING, it is quite graphic.
  
  
• Referee Love!
  
  This email is from my friend Steve, the Swedish guy who reffed the Dallas 7's Debutante Ball! Great work Steve!
  
  One of my Swedish refereeing colleagues (Joacim Gustafsson) was appointed to the match, but on Friday morning I got the message that he was ill and couldn't travel. My initial reaction was - we can't find a replacement and FIRA, the European Rugby Association, in Paris would have to sort it out. However, I had a rethink and thought, why not? So - I e-mailed FIRA, told them the situation and said I could travel, if it was OK with them; they gave the go ahead and I flew to Riga on Saturday morning. Match went OK (even thanked by the losing team's manager) - well looked after by the Latvians and a very pleasant, but short stay in Riga, which is a city well worth a visit. The old town is "chocolate box" pretty.
  
  First (and probably last!) international, albeit by default, but my career as a ref is complete! See the match report here and some (not very good) pictures here.
  
  Hope all is well. Best wishes,
  Steve
  
  
• U-19 Women's All Star Tournament Champions - Midwest Thunderbird Rugby
  
  Thanks to Toni, I have the photo of the winning team! Great job ladies!
  
  
  
• Texas Rugby Union U-23 Tryouts - Jan 26 & 27, 2007
  
  The Texas Rugby Union (TRU) Women's Under-23 team will be having tryouts in Austin, TX on Jan 26th and 27th. The tryouts will be from 9am - 4pm on Saturday and from 9am - 1pm on Sunday. The location in Austin will be announced sooner to the event. The tryouts are open for EVERYONE and are FREE, so please encourage all eligible players to come. Playing on the TRU women's U-23 team is a super fun experience where you get to meet and play against some of the top players in the West. The TRU women's U-23 team won the LAU U-23 tourney last year (beating the other unions) and we hope to do it again.
  
  More specifics will be sent out closer to the date. Please let me know if you have any questions or need housing.
  
  Thanks,
  Anna Kunkel aliinwond@aol.com
  TRU Women's U-23 Coach
  UT Head Coach
  
  
• Texas Rugby Union Senior Tryouts - April 26 & 27
  
  Planning for the West Senior Women's All Star XVs 2008 season is underway!
  
  For the 2008 season we will have an LAU tournament as in 2007. The tournament will be in Ft. Worth April 26 & 27 , in conjunction with the men's DI, DII and DII club championships. It will be a big weekend- so plan to attend! There will be a trophy for the top team.
  
  There will most likely be 4 LAU teams- ER, HOA, TX and MO. OZ, RG and GP, as unions will combine with one of these 4 teams, depending on numbers.
  
  The 4 LAU teams and their contacts are:
  
  Eastern Rockies- Karl Ohlsen, ohlsenk@hotmail.com
  Heart of America- KJ Abel, kjrstena@hotmail.com
  Missouri- Thomas Wong, tcw@asianpacificbancorp.com
  Texas- Devin Keller, keller.devin@gmail.com
  
  The other LAU contacts are:
  
  Great Plains- Darrin Barner, wscrugby@hotmail.com
  Ozark- Karen Monson, kmonson2004@yahoo.com
  Rio Grande- Allegra Howell, carpintonta@yahoo.com
  
  Matches will be played on Saturday. If possible, our head coach Mark Bullock will meet with the teams at check in to express expectations for the weekend. I will also be sending out information beforehand.
  
  The intent of the matches is to observe players in a competitive situation for selection to the West All Star pool. Saturday night there will be a get-together to announce selections. Selected players will have training from 9:30 am- 1 pm on Sunday. Please make your travel plans accordingly.
  
  To be considered for the West pool, players MUST be available for the following:
  
  Training and warm up matches vs (TENTATIVELY) the Pacific All Stars on May 10-11 in Glendale, CO. Two matches- so all will play in a competitive match.
  
  Training and the NASC tournament June 12- 15 in a location to be announced.
  
  Please contact your LAU rep listed above or myself to participate.
  
  Let's have a great season!
  See you in Ft. Worth!
  Susan Stabler
  Manager, WRFU Senior Women's All Stars
  sswest04@aol.com, 970-222-7379