Your Scrumhalf Connection - Women's Rugby Blog

Hi Wendy,

Just picked up on your blog and that you have loads of readers. You may like to share our Fun quiz with the chance of winning World Cup tickets in Wales and Scotland, or play just for fun. We also do write ups on rugby sites and you may feel in the mood to have a write up, if you do drop me a line with details of how and why you started plus when and anything else you would like in the article.

Here is a link to the quiz have a go yourself.
http://www.rugby15.co.uk/rugby.html

Best Regards,
Peter
Rugby15.co.uk

Peter,

Thanks for the email and I will definitely write a small blurb in the next few days, things are a little crazy here...but I will try to get around it! Meanwhile, hopefully you will get some hits from this post.

Wendy

PALMERSTON NORTH, New Zealand -- The USA U-23 Women's National Team fell to the Manawatu Women NPC on Saturday, July 28 at the Massey University Sport & Rugby Institute in Palmerston North. With a final score of 34-3, this second match of the team's New Zealand tour demonstrated the physical intensity of the game and the rugby style played in New Zealand.

"We came over to learn the hard lessons and Manawatu provided them," Head Coach Barb Fugate said. "We will see how the players respond by raising their physical pressure in contact and improving their ability to attack while under pressure."

The young USA squad was overcome by the Manawatu Women, who scored six tries, with two of those converted. The U-23's points resulted from a penalty kick in the first half by fullback Kirsten Ahrendt (Dartmouth), making the final score 34-3.

The team will spend a couple of days training in Palmerston North before heading to Auckland for their tour-concluding match on Saturday, August 4. The U-23 coaching staff will be joined by New Zealand Rugby development officers, including Farah Palmer, former New Zealand Black Ferns captain.

Penalty kick: Kirsten Ahrendt

Staff:
Barb Fugate, head coach
Martha Daines, assistant coach
Susan Whitwell, assistant coach
Annemarie Henning, program manager
Teresa Tucker, team manager
Nicole Titmas, athletic trainer

Corpus Christi 7s - July 28, 2007

Saturday dawned early with SUN! If you haven't heard about the Central Texas weather, this wouldn't sound very exciting. Basically it has rained 40 days and 40 nights here, all the rivers are over flowing and we have flood watches almost every day. So the fact that is actually was sunny all day in Corpus is pretty crazy.

Traci, Shalay, Amy B and I had camped out Friday night on the beach right across from where the tournament would be played the next day. We drove down late Friday night and put our tents up in the dark. The mosquito's mistakenly thought we were a HUGE feast and pretty much ate us alive. It was late so we decided to put the tents up and hit the sack. We slept for a few hours and then were jolted awake when it started raining again, it rained like a monsoon for probably about two hours...and if you have ever slept in a tent when it is raining that hard, you know it is hard to sleep.

So I decided I couldn't sleep anymore and I got out of the tent. The sand was so saturated that it was pooling and creating random lakes all over the beach. A HUGE lake that was about 20 feet by 10 feet had developed right by Shalay and Amy's tent...the moonlight bouncing off the rippling water was amazing.

At this point everyone was awake because Jake was bounding around in the tent like a crazy dog because he wanted to be outside with me. So we all woke up and then the feast began again...so we decided to drive to a gas station and get some serious bug spray this time. We also picked up some snack and headed back to the camp site. We still weren't tired so we decided to take a walk along the ocean and check things out. Arming ourselves with bug spray and snacks we braved the elements. The DEET in the deep woods bug spray must have worked because the walk was very comfortable and beautiful!

Here's a video of Jake chasing a ghost crab on the beach...he was very intrigued but scared of the white/transparent crab.

Hey all, I will be away ALL weekend as I am braving the Tropical Depression and heading south to Corpus Christi 7s. Maybe I will update from my phone, but I doubt it...I'm taking the weekend off!

Look forward to Satiated Beavers Team 2 in Corpus Christi updates and updates from my teammates at Cape Cod on Monday (GO SATIATED BEAVERS...we are at two events!!). Also the U23s play again in New Zealand, so lots of blogging to be done on Monday!

Have a great weekend and be safe!

WE

USA Under U23 start NZ Tour With Win

by USA Rugby

So on Tuesday at 7s practice we were doing some defensive work for the new rookies we have picked up this summer. At first Bags had us doing just a small grid, similar to the one you often see used for 2 V 1. Basically your have two lines stand right next to each other and one is offense and the other is defense.

She would call 1 or 2 and that determined the type of defensive work you would be doing. If she called the number 1 your would be doing a close in type tackle where the defense is often setup and ready for you. Usually the grid is only a few feet wide and is super small.

If she called number 2 your were given a bit more freedom and this was simulating the defense not totally being setup and you have a bit more space for creating.

At first we simply talked about using the sideline as your ally (the last man) and using out of bounds to your advantage. Bags also pointed out that using the sideline is great, but you have to use it appropriately. Meaning that you mark your defensive player on their inside shoulder and this forces them to work outwards. If you get overzealous and mark their outside shoulder they can read that and simply cut in on you. Then you have wasted the sideline as an advantage.

The drill was going great, but we noticed that some of the newer players were either over committing or under committing. So I decided to share a theory that Julie McCoy taught us the first year I played West 7s select side. I thought it was an excellent theory and have used it many times in a game.

Ice, Sub and & Super Pressure

These three theories can be used all one or used independently of each other. Be imaginative!

Ice- This is the first step of the whole defensive theory: Imagine your team has just scrummed and is running a back play where the fly half kicks the ball into the other team's territory. As a team you must advance with haste in your channels and once the player with the ball is located, you must ice. Basically this means settle, get together in a straight line, impenetrable and working together. It does not mean settle as in sit back on your heels and let the action pass you by...it means more to attack on defense once you have settled your team together.

This tactic is often used on kickoffs as well, your team must first tackle the opponent with the ball. Then organizing yourselves to attack on defense to get the ball back commences.

Sub- This step of the defensive process is best if I describe it in a situation: Imagine your team is kicking off and you are the "sniper" or "attacker" for your team. This sniper is usually one of your best tacklers and pretty quick. Their whole job is to make a great tackle with speed, agility and accuracy. Basically they are in charge of putting the fear in the other team from the very first hit of the game. So where does the Ice part come in? (*granted, not all teams use a sniper, so imagine this scenario in a few different ways if that helps)

Ice means approaching the situation with speed, agility and accuracy but at the last minute breaking down and pausing. We are not talking about pausing and stopping all your momentum. This theory is that you access where your opponent is, how high they are, if they are going to put a move on you...etc ALL in the split second before you lay the girl out.

This skill takes plenty of practice because if you take too long and reach the realm of hesitation you will be side stepped and out played in an instant. If you attack to quickly you also risk the embarrassment of overshooting your target. So practice is a must!

Super- This technique in the process if best described as a suppressing attack. This would most often be used in a one on one situation or where someone is chasing down a kick. It is just what is sounds like, a super attack at full speed and full force. You have all seen it when a fullback gets laid out right as they catch the ball by a speedy opponent. This is the same theory, you zero in on the target and without hesitation take care of the problem.

If you were to use all these theories together it would best be described using a kickoff again. Your team chases down the kick in a super defense, closing down all their opportunities. Then you move to a sub defense where you are seeing what lay they are running, if the play is stopped then you simply run an ice defense where you are settled and poised to attack.

I am not an expert of these theories, but have used them often and have found them valuable to pass on to other players. I explained them to the best of my ability and tried to make them applicable to certain situations. Let me know how I did!

-So I found this today...this guy believes that rugby is rubbish...what is he thinking? Before I say more, read it for yourself:

Over a century ago a schoolboy picked up a football and ran away holding it. Unfortunately he was never caught and punished. Worse, the sport of rugby was born. Now English eyes have turned to the six nations championships.

Questions will be asked about drift defences, whether Johnny Wilkinson’s return from the dead was helped by the fact he looks like a zombie, and why on earth they couldn’t find a round ball to play with. The real and only question will be dodged. The only point of interest in the entire history of rugby has never been debated: Was that schoolboy in the box when he first picked up the football and so was it a penalty or not?

The middle classes have taken a foul and called it a sport. It doesn’t change anything. They can say they have an official world cup and should be an Olympic sport but it doesn’t matter to me. The world cup final doesn’t count; it should have been abandoned after five minutes for persistent handball. It wasn’t a contest, just a game of football gone wrong.

What makes the presence of rugby worse is rugger buggers lording it over football and sniffing over little things like diving. They constantly claim Rugby is a better sport because there’s no diving like in football. NEWSFLASH… that’s because it’s a different sport. There are no illegal wheel arches in the premiership but that doesn’t mean football is a better sport than formula one. It just is.

If rugby wants to boast about a lack of cheating then maybe it should get some rules. Well understandable ones, not like the strange ones they stop the game for every five seconds (which apparently don’t involve cheating, just one fat guy prepared to risk breaking another fat guy’s neck in order to win a scrum.) Rugby types are happy to sneer at Wayne Rooney’s outbreak of happy stamping at the world cup but ignore the fact that if he’d done that on a rugby field they’d all have simply yelled, “Great rucking rooners”. He’d fit right in and a few collapsed scrummages might improve his looks.

In conclusion I suggest we retaliate. Get a few mates together and join a rugby team. First game, one of you goes long and into the traditional centre forward’s position, then the others get the ball and hoof it forwards to him under the posts. He scores. When the egg chasers complain about offside or something tell them it’s not a foul but instead the invention of a much better, cleaner sport. Call it football.

- Wow, all hail football. What a freaking idiot and a waste of space. I was looking at some more of his articles and it appears that he doesn't like anything but football. I could go on here and talk about how football is hardly a sport, but I won't do that. It shouldn't be about stripping down one sport and boasting another. It's about the sports we love and that there truly is a sport out there for everyone.

Some athletes play ping pong, and after watching those guys pound the ball while standing off the table at about 10 paces, I am impressed! Some athletes choose to bowl and watching them hit strike after strike with perfection is pretty amazing! Even stranger, some athletes choose to race cars in Nascar, while some people would claim that it isn't a sport at all. But have you ever seen an overweight Nascar driver? They have to be in pristine shape to do 600 laps in one day.

Basically I think it should be to each their own, and leave the boasting over which sport is better alone. It will never be proven...and will never be settled.

However the great thing about rugby is that truly ANYONE can play. You have never played sports before? No problem, we will teach you, train you and drink a beer with you afterwards. The best parts of rugby are the community, family and that everyone can do it. Not many sports can boast that can they?

Even better, rugby is one of the only sports that women are on the same playing field. We have the same rules, same positions, do the same training drills and we TACKLE like men. If you have never watched a rugby match, I would watch a women's match and then a men's match. You will see some differences, but they are slight at most. The beauty and elegance of rugby can be seen on both territories.

And I am sure most of you have seen this video, but here is "football" or soccer vs. rugby, can you tell a difference?

Whew, sorry I have been missing so long! I got my Harry Potter book Saturday afternoon and I have been busy reading and reading and reading! I read it in 2 days, because I don't like to just sit there and read through the whole book. I like to read a few hundred pages and then digest for a few hours and then I can't wait any longer, so I pick it up again.

How was your weekend? Mine was fabulous! Saturday morning I attended a Firefighter Recruiting Expo. Basically a 4 hour event where we learned all about firefighting and did a few or the events firefighters do. We arrived at 9am and had some breakfast, they chatted at us for a few minutes and then we headed outside.

Outside there were three different firefighting trucks. An Engine, Ladder and Special Operations unit...and we learned about all the different tools they carry, if they carry water, hoses etc. We also got to meet three different crews and a probie (a cadet that has made it through academy, but is not a Firefighter yet). It was awesome and very exciting!

Then we did a few of the firefighting CPATS (the physical test you take to get into the Academy). This included the forcible entry and the hose drag. The forcible entry is a sledgehammer to a door or duplicating that in a test form. So after 6 or 7 hits the buzzer goes off and you have finished that part of the exam. The hose drag was the best part of it for me...you drag the 3 inch hose 75m and then go 90 degrees around a barrel. At the point you run 25 more meters and drop to one knee, from there you have to drag another 75m of hose to you.

As I watched the girls (it was an all girl class) finish the hose drag I was astonished at how many of them were struggling. Granted for my small frame I was one of the bigger girls there, how funny is that? And also by no means is it an easy feat, but I thrive on these sorts of things! Give me a challenge! So after I finished the forcible entry drill...oh WAIT! I forgot to tell you that we are wearing 50 extra pounds on all these drills. The weight is to simulate the Air Pac and the other tools, clothing etc we would be carrying as a firefighter.

Anyways, the hose drag was way easier than I thought. The probie even commented that I wasn't breathing hard after I finished. It seems to me that rugby training would go hand in hand with firefighting. So we find out October 1st if there is going to be an academy and then the 6 month long process begins. I am so excited for this opportunity.

As for fitness this weekend, I kind of fell off the wagon. Friday I did a short trail run and did some Corssfit style push ups and pull ups. I bought myself a new pull up bar so I am excited to start using that again! Saturday, I did the firefighting expo and then read Harry Potter. Sunday is a rest day...and Monday I cleaned the house from top to bottom! I know that isn't considered fitness, but I try to do it a faster pace and make sure I carry the vacuum room to room and stuff like that.

Let's see what is going on in the rugby world!

• Check it out! Over 10,000 visitors since I started my blog last year! Thanks!
  
  
• Cape Cod Tournament - July 27-28, 2007
  This year's theme is: Super heroes and villains! Start putting your costumes together and brainstorming your skit ideas!
  
  Any questions or comments about the Cape Cod 7s Tournament, please contact Jenn Jones @ nurugger21@comcast.net
  
  Club Competitive: New York, Pink Dresses, NRU Senior, NOVA 1, Midwest Thunderbirds, BWRFC A,
  
  Club Social: UConn Alumni, Satiated Beavers, Charles River, Bull Moose Reunion Team, Bull Moose I, Bull Moose II, Seacoast A, Seacoast B, Hartford Roses, Shamshock Rugby, Dirty Thirties, Middlesex Barbarians, NOVA 2, Radcliffe, Your Mother, Scrubs, Turboprops, Northeastern, Portland, Providence A, Providence B, Springfield, BWRFC B, Union College Alumni,
  
  Collegiate: UConn, The Goonies, Boston College, Keene State, Holy Cross, Boston College, BU Justice League, Williams Hamburglars
  
  
• War of the Roses - September 29, 2007
  Norman, OK
  
  More Info: Contact Head Coach Tracy Curtis
  
  
• University of Dallas Alumni Create Non-profit Organization
  Former student athletes of the University of Dallas (UD) in Irving, Texas, have established the GRAA - Groundhog Rugby Alumni Association, a 501 (c) (3) organization to promote the advancement of collegiate rugby and educate the public about collegiate rugby. The GRAA has started a fundraising effort to support a European playing tour for UD undergraduates in March 2008.
  
  The concept of such an organization was the brainchild of the team coach, Bob MacNab, which occurred several years ago when alumni fundraising efforts
  yielded significant results. "We had so many former student-athletes returning to the yearly Alumni vs Undergraduate friendly match raising money to fund the undergraduate team, it was only the natural next step to channel these efforts to achieve a greater good," explained MacNab.
  
  This coming year will mark the 25th Anniversary of the University of Dallas Rugby Football Club. In March 2008, the undergraduate student athletes,
  alumni, coach and others will travel abroad to both England and Ireland to compete in an international rugby tour.
  
  "We are thrilled to receive our non-profit status and believe in our mission to advance and generate greater awareness of college rugby," added GRAA president Bill Moser. "It's the perfect combination, the club will have the opportunity to compete at an international level and the GRAA can promote collegiate rugby."
  
  The GRAA will be conducting fundraising efforts to make the tour possible. Anyone can make a donation and contributions are tax-deductible and are only for the benefit of current student athletes. Alumni participating in the event are paying their own way and will not benefit from the GRAA contributions.
  
  For more information contact Bill Demers at 214-986-4353 or billdemers@hotmail.com
  
  
• Midnight Sevens - July 22, 2007
  
  Another perfect summer evening welcomed the return of the Old Blue Midnight 7s to New York City. Hosted by Old Blue, the Midnight Sevens began at dusk on Saturday and went until just after 1am Sunday, when the spotlights illuminating the West Village field near Ground Zero were lost.
  
  Twenty-one men’s and women’s teams from across Met NY played at Pier 40, Old Blue’s turf field located on top of the Hudson River and nicknamed, ‘The Bullpen’. The double pitch format allowed for a carnival- like atmosphere, where local ruggers socialized, caught up with one another and watched each and every match in the contained courtyard. The mood was also livened by the beat of music filling the huge courtyard all night during the matches.
  
  Since the lights went dark before the women’s final could be played, both the Village Lions I Women and the Hudson Valley Women were crowned co-champions. On the Men’s side, host Old Blue bested Rutgers 19-5 in a shortened final.
  
  Also receiving trophies for individual achievement were: Tournament MVPs Alison Hinke from the Village Lions and James Greenwood from Old Blue. The Outstanding Ref trophy went to Glenn Miller.
  
  Old Blue 2007 Midnight 7s results:
  
  5 SUNY New Paltz v. North Jersey 36
  28 Old Blue v.Village Lions I 12
  7 NYRC v. Landsdowne (Dead Rabbits) 12
  42 Joe's College Buddies v. Wyld Stallyns 0
  14 Suffolk Bull Moose v. Stony Brook University 10
  10 Montclair v. Village Lions II 0
  26 Rutgers Rugby v. Essex County (NoJo X Side) 7
  12 NY Americans v. NY Japanese RFC 19
  31 Village Lions I Women v. Suffolk Bull Moose Women 0
  20 Hudson Valley Women v. SNY Women's Rugby Club Women 0
  33 Old Blue v. Stony Brook University 5
  5 NY Americans v. Montclair 31
  24 Village Lions II v. Wyld Stallyns 0
  19 NYRC v. NoJo 0
  31 NY Japanese RFC v. Essex County (NoJo X Side) 7
  40 Suffolk Bull Moose v. SUNY New Paltz 0
  12 Rutgers v. Joes College Buddies 10
  15 Hudson Valley Rebels Women v. Village Lions II Women 0
  0 Landsdowne (Dead Rabbits) v. Village Lions I 27
  0 NYRC v. Old Blue 29
  10 SNY Women's Rugby Club v. Suffolk Bull Moose Women 5
  7 Montclair v. NoJo 15
  5 NY Americans v. Landsdowne (Dead Rabbits) 29
  5 Stony Brook University v. Joe's College Buddies 40
  0 Wyld Stallyns v. Rutgers 29
  19 Village Lions I v. NY Japanese RFC 0
  29 Suffolk Bullmoose v. Village Lions II 12
  22 Essex v. New Paltz 24
  33 Village Lions I Women v Hudson Valley Women 12
  15 Suffolk Bullmoose Women v. Village Lions II Women 10
  
  Semifinals
  29 Old Blues v. Joes College Buddies 0
  5 Suffolk v. Rutgers 34
  28 Village Lions I Women v. Southern NY Women 0
  15 Hudson Valley Women v. Village Lions II Women 0 *
  
  Finals
  19 Old Blue v. Rutgers 5 *
  Village Lions I Women v. Hudson Valley Women *
  
  * shortened/not played due to loss of lights after 1am
  
  
• USA U23 Team in New Zealand
  Haven't seen any updates yet, I asked a few players to blog, but they weren't interested...hopefully we will get some updates soon!
  
  The team will begin the tour with a match against Burnside Rugby Football Club Women's Team in Christchurch on Wednesday, July 25. The second match will be in Palmerston North against the Manawatu Club on Saturday, July 28. The New Zealand tour will conclude with a final game in Auckland on August 4.
  
  Good luck ladies!

I finished Harry Potter this morning...AWESOME!!

Get it, read it and pass it on!!

Went to touch last night with the Austin Blacks and it was a blast. Except for the fire ants bites, it was quality rugby at a quick pace and the guys were very inviting. I don't have a team, so I just whored with whoever would let me play, but towards the end of the first game the guys were asking my name and realizing that I was there to play. I'm not there to sit on the wing and get the ball when it comes my way, I work my way around the ball and make them pass to me! I am also a very vocal player and I think that is different for men to hear. I talk constantly whether it be on offense or defense, and it seemed very foreign for them to hear a female talking that much.

Ohh well, touch league happens until the middle of September so we will have plenty of time to get used to each other. I love touch and a bunch of guys isn't going to keep me away! Touch at OU is where I learned to play fast hard rugby, so it makes sense that I would keep playing.

Wow, haven't been doing much news on rugby, lets see what I can find!

• USA U23 Rumors...I emailed the coaches and a few other people and have found out that the rumors are FALSE. The program will go through changes, as all programs go through changes, but they will be for the advancement of the program. If any information gets released about this it will be reported as such. Thanks!
  
  
• Via Goff (subscription required) , the Women may not be shut-out of the Pan Am Games! Exciting news! USA Rugby Congress Chairman Bob Latham said this about the Pan Am Games, "No determination has yet been made regarding the format of the competition, including whether a women's competition will be included," Latham told ERugbyNews. "We, of course, are advocating for a women's competition. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it also would help with the Olympic effort."
  
  
• Lousia Wall, a former Black Fern and Silver Fern Player is speaking out for Women's Rugby in New Zealand. Check out her thoughts here. It appears that she writes lots of articles about rugby, if you put her name in Google she pops up all the place.
  
  
• Ryan Jones, member of the Welsh Rugby World Cup Team is out, the doctors think that the risk of playing on his newly mended shoulder would only cause more injury. He is their first choice for 8-man, so they are out a valuable player. Check it out here.
  
  
• Looking for rugby this weekend in the west? Kansas City is hosting a HUGE tournament, it is a Super Qualifier for the men and the women's bracket is filling up as well. I have heard that the Women's Team are Arkansas, Little Rock, St. Louis, and the West Select side team.
  
  July 21 - July 22, 2007
  Location: Blue River Soccer Complex-South Kansas City, Missouri
  122nd & Blue River Road
  
  Melissa McKibben MMCKIBBEN@cerner.com
  
  
• Corpus Christi 7s - July 28, 2007
  I have heard that there is going to be a pretty big Women's bracket with Alamo City, San Antonio, Satiated Beavers (Austin Valkyries), Houston, Baton Rouge and Corpus Christi. Sounds like a TON of fun! Last year the Beavers won it, so hopefully we can bring home the victory again.
  
  
• via Adventures in Rugby, Turls gives a rundown on the most recent Alex Williams Rugby Camp. I am so jealous! I wish there was one close enough that I could drive too! And Against the Head, KLK talks about her experiences when she attended the camp as well.
  
  
• Training For Rugby talks about the purpose of her blog and the ups and downs of training for high level rugby. I sympathize as we are training for the same event and it is hard to train by yourself and even more difficult to work and train.
  
  
• Put Me in Coach continues her discussion on High Level Coaching. It seems that a lot of teams are searching for coaches right now. The Bruins, KC Jazz, Austin Valkyries, Texas State and more...the list goes on forever.

Ouch...how embarassing! Great work chasing the ball down and frazzling the fullback, but maybe be safe next time? Reminds me of the first time a non-Texas person tries to slide through the try zone...road rash and fire ants baby!

-Found this on USA Rugby.org today, I like it! It is on the main page down on the bottom left. Sorry I can't link directly to it...the glory of frames!

Since taking the position of CEO/President of Rugby Operations in January this year, Nigel Melville has been traveling extensively and enjoying the company of rugby people across the USA.

On many occasions he has met former Eagles, and they all ask him if he’s bumped into ‘this guy or that guy’ on his travels. Sometimes he has, sometimes not - but nevertheless, the interest in fellow players, especially at the elite level, is increasingly apparent.

Whilst USA Rugby holds all the data on who was capped and when, it does not hold contact details, and this is something Nigel would like to fix. Not only does he want to be able to help Eagles re-connect, he would like to share with them the latest developments and opportunities that exist for male and female Eagles, both past and present.

In order to achieve this, USA Rugby is asking all past and present Eagles to fill in the form located at the bottom of this page.

As part of this process, USA Rugby is also offering all Eagles the opportunity to join USA Rugby at our Rugby World Cup send off match against Munster in Chicago on August 26. Eagles who sign up will be offered one ticket (free of charge) for this game, All you have to do is complete the form below by Aug. 3 and USA Rugby will do the rest!

Thanks and we look forward to seeing you in Chicago!

So, I stumbled upon this article this morning and thought it was particularly interesting. Can science, material of your kit and "tackling points" really make a difference?

My first jersey at the University of Oklahoma was that heavy cotton material and was several sizes too big. When I moved to Austin they had just purchased the new pro-fit jerseys that wick away sweat and are really light. The only difference I have noticed is that they are lighter and don't feel like a parachute when running!

Will these new improvements really make a difference? I guess we will see in September! Check out the article below...

Wales New World Cup Strip

Wales say that their new streamlined kit will give them an extra edge at the Rugby World Cup.
The jersey includes technology designed to neutralise potential “tackling points”, reduce the risk of muscle injury and support the body in contact.

The front five have a looser-fitting design to assist binding, with a more generous fit f0r replica fans’ kit.

”We wanted to make a considerable step forward in the game’s science,” said Welsh Rugby Union boss Roger Lewis.

”Every inch will count at the World Cup and we feel we are stealing that inch.”

England were the first side to push for skin-tight shirts with no collar ahead of the 2003 World Cup.

Sir Clive Woodward had the idea after his analysis of a Calcutta Cup match showed Jason Robinson might have scored a hat-trick had the Scotland defenders not been able to grab on to his jersey.

All top-level international shirts are now streamlined for that reason.

“One key request from us was that the shirt would be more difficult to grab hold of in a tackle,” said Wales coach Gareth Jenkins.

-Also here is a video montage I found on youtube to get you pumped up for the Rugby World Cup 2007.

Yes, I read Harry Potter and I LOVE IT. I have read all the books at least three times. It is not safe though, the radio, the internet, the television...the secrets are out there! Please people just give me three more days until I get my book!

Leaks. Lawsuits. Profiteering. What a way to treat such a fine young man like Harry Potter.
NEW YORK (AP)

As the release date of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" nears, leaks are appearing.

Despite pleas for silence from author J.K. Rowling and some leading Potter fan sites, publishing's secret of all secrets -- whether the wizard lives or dies -- is in danger of becoming plain gossip as publication approaches for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

"As launch night looms, let's all, please, ignore the misinformation popping up on the web and in the press on the plot of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,"' Rowling wrote in a message posted Wednesday on her Web site, http://www.jkrowling.com/.

"I'd like to ask everyone who calls themselves a Potter fan to help preserve the secrecy of the plot for all those who are looking forward to reading the book at the same time on publication day. In a very short time you will know EVERYTHING!" Photo Gallery: Fans show off their Harry resemblances »

Alleged images of Rowling's seventh and final Potter book have already been circulating online days before the official July 21 release. More than 100 actual books may already have been received by customers. As of Wednesday morning, the $34.99 release was being offered on eBay, for immediate purchase, for $250.

More of the article here.

Rugby kisses from gay Paree
By Cyd Zeigler jr.
Outsports.com

The Tourism Board of Paris has come up with an ad campaign to attract Londoners to the cross-channel city of romance. One of the ads (right) in the campaign features rugby players in a scrum kissing and groping one another. Says their Web site:

"The second ad uses offbeat wit and the Rugby World Cup to show the world that Paris is also the capital of humour. The Paris region will be hosting several World Cup matches, including the final at the Stade de France."

Maybe it's lost on me because I'm gay, but I found the ad more erotic and sexy than funny. I guess they're going after the Chuck & Larry crowd, too. But given that the French Dieux du Stade puts out hours of video and pages of photos of naked athletes caressing themselves and one another every year, it's hard to find this shot somehow ironic.

-These ads are very disturbing to me...they are defiling the beautiful sport that I love and in their attempt to provide humorous advertisement, they have created a mockery of gays. This is no way is advancing the sport of rugby and does nothing for Paris tourism I bet.

via Adventures in Rugby blog: If anyone out there needs new socks, cleats, scrum caps, jerseys, etc. please enter our code when you shop on Kooga's website, so that your purchase can support the U-23 tour!

KooGa, the official apparel supplier of USA Rugby, is offering a rugby gear fundraiser to help support the U-23 Women's National Team's tour to New Zealand. To make a purchase in support, go to www.teamkooga.com. During the payment section of the checkout process, enter the following coupon or promotional Code: U23women

Be sure to enter to this code, without it KooGa will not know that the order is a part of the U-23 fundraising efforts. This offer is good for anything on the website.

So I find that if I blog about my workouts that I am more likely to do them...because this way I can keep track and I feel somewhat accountable as I know people read my blog. I am averaging almost a 100 hits a day, thanks for READING!

So yesterday's workout was cut short as my boss rolled into the gym and I had to work on payroll. If you don't know I manage South Austin Gym here in Austin and so I work out there as well. It can be awesome to work out at a gym where you work because you get to work out for free, but then again everyone knows you and wants to talk to you. EVEN IF YOU ARE WEARING EAR PHONES, THEY STILL TRY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THEIR ACCOUNT! But that's OK, I just ignore them or tell them that I am working out and I will be glad to discuss their account tomorrow.

Anyways, the part of the workout I got in yesterday has already made me sore. Not the bad sore, but the good sore where you know you ripped a few muscles and they are slowly healing. LOVE IT!

OK so I did incline press, the leg press, hamstrings, quads, triceps, biceps...all these were 3 sets of 10 and a close to maximum weight...meaning I was struggling to put up the 9 and 10 rep on each set.

Then I did pull ups (3 sets of 5...cause that's all I can do!) and then some m. ball work. I did the same m. ball stuff I did on Friday. I also added planks because I am applying to the Fire Academy here in Austin and they now required timed planks. So I did three sets of forearm planks at 30 seconds and side planks at 30 secs.

I was planning on doing some footwork with the ladders and hurdles and the k. ball workout as well, but like I said my boss needed me. ARGH! But, if it means I get paid, then I can interrupt my workout. No problem!

So today I am feeling a bit sore in the pecs, triceps, buttocks and lower back...but not as bad as I thought. I will probably get more sore as the day goes on though...

What type of workouts is everyone doing? Have a favorite style of workout? Just lift weights? Just run? SHARE!!

Skanky tooth pulled from head
By Laine Clark AAP

RUGBY league prop Ben Czislowski ran around for 15 weeks without knowing an opponent's tooth was buried in his forehead.

Ben Czislowski had a clash of heads with Tweed Heads forward Matt Austin during a Queensland Cup game on April 1.

He had the wound stitched up but was wondering why he felt lethargic, had an eye infection and had shooting pains in his head ever since.

Czislowski, a former Broncos and Bulldogs player in the NRL, visited his GP last week and all was revealed. "I can laugh about it now but the doctor told me it could have been serious with teeth carrying germs," Czislowski, 24, said. "I feel so lucky that the worst that I got out of it was that my head looked uglier than it does normally."

It's a bizarre story, so Czislowski has taken measures to ensure he is believed. "I've got the tooth at home, sitting on the bedside table," he said. "If he (Austin) wants it back he can have it. I'm keeping it at the moment as proof that it actually happened. "It's a story I can tell for the rest of my life. It will get a bit more exaggerated over the years, but it's a good laugh."

The tooth's removal has had an immediate effect on Czislowski's on-field form - he was the driving force behind Wynnum's 38-16 Queensland Cup win over Central at Rockhampton on the weekend.

"A lot of the boys have been giving it to me, saying I was using it (embedded tooth) as an excuse for my poor form but my eye looks a thousand times better already and I feel a lot better," he said.

Czislowski is not the only rugby league player to have been left with an unlikely souvenir by an opponent.

In 2004, Australian hooker Shane Millard also had a foe's fang removed from his head while playing for Widnes in the English competition.

Two years earlier, Australian Jamie Ainscough's arm became so badly infected while playing for Wigan in England there were fears it would be amputated before the source was discovered. Yep, a rival's tooth.

USA Softball Wins Back-to-Back World Cup Titles
USA Softball News

Oklahoma City--- For the second consecutive year the USA Softball Women’s National Team captured the World Cup championship. Team USA was bolstered the entire tournament by a strong offense and dominant pitching. USA scored 40 runs and only surrendered two the whole tournament.

The trend continued Monday night.

Tairia Flowers (Tucson, Ariz.) took the first pitch of her first at bat and ripped it over the center field fence to give the team a 1-0 lead in the second inning. It marked her third home run of the World Cup which tied the World Cup record set by Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) the previous year.

“I’ve been aggressive at the plate and hitting good pitches the entire tournament,” Flowers said. “I like knowing that I can help my pitchers out.”

Flowers’ run was bolstered by the bat of Crystl Bustos (Canyon County, Calif.) in the fifth inning. With Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.) and Mendoza standing at first and second, Bustos blasted a two RBI double to left field.

Bustos battled through her at bat going through eight pitches before digging out the ninth ball and ripping it to the left field wall for a double.

“I was just looking for a pitch I could hit hard,” Bustos said. “The pitcher and I could have gone all night if I had to.”

Bustos ended the tournament batting .538 with eighth RBI and two HR.

Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) made her second start at the World Cup after throwing against China in pool play. She came out strong with 10 strikeouts through four innings including seven straight strikeouts between the second and fourth innings.

“I was sticking to my game plan until they made the adjustments, which they never did,” Osterman said. “Our defense was where they needed to be and made plays when they needed to be made.”

Osterman set a new World Cup record of 13 strikeouts in one game, passing her own record set last year of 11.

Japan started to make a rally in the top of the seventh inning when Aki Uenishi drew a walk. But the rally was short-lived when Uenishi violated the “look back rule” by not committing to a base when the ball was in the pitcher’s circle.

“The runner was jumping off the base,” Osterman said. “As soon as I got the ball in the circle I turned and looked at her.”

Team USA ended the tournament undefeated, winning all six of their games. Japan finished 4-2, losing both of their games to Team USA.

The Red, White and Blue will be making its last stop of the summer when they head to Rio De Janeiro Brazil for the 2007 Pan American Games. The team is looking to capture its sixth consecutive gold medal at the Pan Am Games.

I have started doing CrossFit! I am so excited about it...here's the wikipedia definition of crossfit: CrossFit is an open-source generalized fitness program based on constantly varied, functional movements performed at high intensity.

I had found CrossFit on the web before but was pretty intimidated because there are HUNDREDS of workouts and lots of new exercises. So I put it on the shelf for a few years and then decided last week that I wanted to do it. I was going to teach myself, so I jumped on Jen's blog: Jen's Gym, Old School Fitness and then started looking at random youtube videos. I decided to make a workout geared towards rugby and especially the scrumhalf pass.

Here's what Traci and I did on Friday (m. ball = medicine ball and k. ball is kettle ball):
M. Ball floor to shoulder (each side) x25
M. Ball stomach to shoulder (each side) x25
K. Ball swing between legs to shoulder press (each side) x25
K. Ball drag (about 10m) x10
M. Ball drag (from pushup position just pass ball between hands) x25
Incline pushups x30
M. ball throw to partner x25
M. ball situp toss x25

I think we did more, but I AM TOO EXCITED TO REMEMBER.

I just got an invite to attend the NA4 against Canada on August 24-30....and NOT AS AN ALTERNATE! I surely thought I would be chosen as an alternate...wow this is great news.

I will post the whole list after everyone confirms and they release the list.

AHHHH I'm going to wear the red white and blue!!!

Finally after battling with Yahoo! for two weeks the new and improved Austin Valkyries website is up and running!

I have just put a few tweaks on it, but check back over the week for new pages and more!

Taking a look back at the 2003 Rugby World Cup, we see that England holds the title. Will they be able to sustain and carry on? Jonny Wilkinson is indeed suiting up for England and recently Australia upset New Zealand...as the months count down...lets take a look back.

Jonny Wilkinson scoring the winning goal, a 35m drop goal from dead center. Hooks it perfectly with his right foot (non-dominant) and it goes in perfectly!

Via Goff (no subscription required for this post):

Rugby Added To Pan American Games
The Associated Press

Rugby union and racquetball were added to the list of sports that will be played in the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Mario Vazquez Rana, president of the Pan American Sports Organization, or PASO, made the announcement Wednesday in the organization's general assembly in Rio de Janeiro, where the 2007 games begin Friday.

Rana said no sports would be dropped at this time, increasing the number of events to 36 in 2011.

Rana also said baseball and softball were guaranteed for the games in Guadalajara, dismissing some earlier reports that they would be dropped.

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said the addition of rugby union to the Pan Ams opens the doors for the sport in a future Olympics.

"It's closer than ever," he said.

Rana said the possible addition of rugby as an Olympic sport "was not bad news for baseball ... which would have its chance."

Racquetball was played in the previous three editions of the Pan Ams before being dropped for Rio de Janeiro.

Participating Nations:
Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevi, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, United States Virgin Island, Uruguay,
Venezuela

-The questions posted on Goff were if this included women's rugby as well....pretty cool!

A small writeup from Stephanie "Sprouts" Dvorak from the University of Texas A&M Rugby Team. She just got back from the USA U23 Developmental Program in Philadelphia. She is and up and coming prop with a ton of potential and is a force to reckon with. Her field vision and "gap seeking" improves with every game.

*Haha, I just realized that her jersey says 13 on it, I had heard rumors that you used to be a back!*

The camp was great....I had a LOT of fun, and that was actually the first time I have ever met the USA coaches so that was a great part of it. The shoulder is doing much better. It was pretty sore each day but I'm working hard to take care of it... icing it and taking my medicine and therapy and what not.

Basically this was 4 was the most physically demanding rugby days of my life. We stayed at the dorms at West Chester University and the pitch was 1 mile away, so we walked to and from it 2 times a day for our practices (I never thought 4 miles of walking a day would hurt so bad).

Practice was amazing, the first day we did fitness testing and I felt like I did pretty solid...I had been keeping up with fitness so I wasn't in too bad of shape. We started on ball handling that afternoon, working on running channels and crosses and moving the ball with runners trailing, inserting, etc. It was definitely a big learning thing for me, especially being a forward.

The next day we started in on the tackling, starting low (on our knees) and working up to massive drills with 15+ people in at once just going at it. the progression of each of the drills was nice, and after the big drills we would work on individual skills and what not and then go back to the drills to try to improve in them. That was a pretty intense day with all of the tacking.

The next day we worked a lot on defense, working on communicating and sliding and who should get what tackle. We also split up into the different positions and I went with the tight 5. We did lots of core work and powerful, explosive movements for the scrum and line outs. Monday, we split into teams and had a full out, 80 minute scrimmage, which was one of the best games I have ever played in my life. They really encourage fast ball out of the rucks and lots of movement in the back line.

What was really different for me (being a prop) was that they really wanted us to insert right up WITH the backs to be there to support to work on continuous play. We also rucked more than I've ever rucked before to try to work on poaching and turnovers at the breakdowns. I have never really personally worked on that so that was good for me. Ooh also I LOVED meeting girls from all over the US, girls that I have seen play and have played and always thought were amazing were there, and that certainly helped with confidence levels and just learning about different styles. I love those girls a LOT already.

Another fun thing we did was watch the women's 2006 World Cup, which I had never seen before, between England and New Zealand. It was great to watch with all my teammates because everyone had comments about everything and Barb really went through it and broke down the plays with us.

Ok well this was probably more than you needed to know but I'm at work and just went off on a tangent :). Hope everything is going well with you. and I hope I see you again soon so we can have a slurpee together!

-Sprouts

Once again we have an eye witness to Cape Fear 7s in Wilmington, NC, our very own Heidi Whitman:

Right, so, bad wifi at our hotel, no pool either,what's a girl to do?! And here's the rest of the story: Anything else that happened Saturday is a blur. I know that our spirits did not match our record, that is to say that the west girlie's were gellin' and finding our game and loving it! We started making connections, and had some lovely runs made by superstars Melissa McKibben and Jenny Kuchar (or cooch, love it!). Meredith Bagley was voted by the team as player of the day for her steadfastness and scrappy play at scrumhalf. We were in high spirits and couldn't wait to get back onto the pitch Sunday morning.

Hooo-ee! Sunday morning we were still in a position to make it to the finals. First we just had to beat Northeast, defending champs, to move on. We were ready for the challenge! We came out fierce, the Northeast definitely did not know what hit them. How you gonna bench eagle starters when everyone knows West is the dark horse at these events! That's alright. The game started off great, real back and forth. The NE hit the rucks harder than any of the other teams this weekend, but you know what: we hit back. I don't know if we lost any balls going into contact. Our defense slid, and our offense sliced and caught them on their back foot. Finally we make a run at it and we are so close we can spit on the try line. There's a ruck here, another there, and Meredith Bagley picks up the ball...the NE defense is already running to the support, to the people she is going to pass it to. Ok, Mere says; she hops over the ruck and untouched into the try zone with the first points of the day.

Before the half is over, the NE capitalizes on a mistake and scores to tie the game (don't ask for details, I've blanked them out). Second half is more of the same, one more mistake by us that the NE used to their advantage. One missed tackle, man. L 7-12, but that was a hot game. Final game of the day pitted us old ladies against the spry wiles of the Atlantis 7's team. That game featured the crazy verticals of Angie Hurt disrupting line outs, McKibben scoring on sudden death overtime, and I got to level 3 tackle a gal so hard her kids are limping around! Cooch received Player of the day for Sunday.

West players were: Karla Orellana (Austin), Meredith Bagley (Austin), Heidi Whitman (Austin), Rosalind Chou (Austin), Melissa McKibben (KC), Jenny Kuchar (St Louis), Angie Hurt (KC), Katie Thoreson (Glendale), Sonrissa Lucero (Glendale), Chrissy Carpenter (KC), Kate Wolff (St Louis), Emily Bock (KC), and Breann Walas (Little Rock).

Great Job Ladies, can't wait for ITT's!!

Other Cape Fear Results:

First Place: Midwest ($800 dollar prize)
Second Place: Mid-Atlantic ($200 dollar prize)
Third Place: Northeast
Fourth Place: South
Fifth Place: West
Sixth Place: Atlantis/U23s

From in the field, Heidi "Boat Fight" Whitman, a reporter for the West Rugby Union gives us a quick summary of the teams first day at Cape Fear 7s.

Wilmington, NC: Sorry Wendy, the ghetto hotel wifi was down, so I'm springing you this quick email at a cafe.. I was really excited to write some big fun emails :( We arrived early for some team get together/bonding/practicing in the sun for 3 hours on Friday...then we hit the beach! Man that Atlantic water is awesome.

Practice went well, but it was obvious that most of us have never played together. That feeling carried through into Saturday's early morning matches unfortunately. We came out against the South ready to play our individual game plan, giving it our best. But you know, we needed to feel it together, play the west game plan! We had some doh moments, but really, with each game half we brought it more and more together. ( and in the South game I was able to score with Pat Neder diving at my heels :) So that game was a lot to 7.

Our next game was against the Midwest, T-storm delayed for an hour. We were all kitted up and in came the clouds - we had even already done our cheer, all pumped up! When that game finally got going, we really kept our communication building and working together. But since this is our camp for ITT's, we had to keep the combos switched up, so it is hard to keep momentum in that situation. It's cool, it's all for ITT's.

Wendy I have two more games to write about, but I have to go now! sorry, will get it to you. -h

Holler to YOU from Davidson, North Carolina!! My brother, his wife and their daughter Ainsley just moved her last month and it is such a cute quaint town! Check out some of the photos of the "old downtown," this town also holds Davidson College so its an interesting mix of old traditions and new liberal arts students. Most of the houses are old farmhouses that have been remodeled and had driveways, sidewalks and more put in. Having coffee and bagels with my brother this morning was a treat as we walked to the coffee shop and walked to the grocery store! Everything you could want or need is within walking distance!

I was supposed to be attending Cape Fear with the West 7s Team this weekend...but after injuring my knee at the National All Star Championship in Minnesota, I decided to take some time off. I went to the doctor and they at first thought it was just a burst bursar sac in my left knee, but after some test it appears that my meniscus is torn. Fun stuff!

So I am taking some time off to let the swelling and pain go away and then making the all time decision to have the out-patient surgery or tough it out. The problem here is that I have had this problem with my knee for about two years now and it is slowly getting more painful and the recovery time from training/playing is getting longer. I am now at two weeks of "recovery" and it is still painful and swollen everyday. So the daily ibuprofen and all is getting old. I am tempted to just have the surgery first thing in August and be ready for league play starting about the second week in September. I have heard of players having the surgery and playing right after they are released. I guess we will have to see what the doctor says on the next visit.

Whew, the real reason for this post...oops is that the Austin Valkyries are debuting a new website next week. The site is down right now...darn Yahoo! making us wait 7 days to transfer the website into another name. Bunch of bull crap! I want results and I want them now!

Anyways, here is a screen shot for you to look at...I am building the website and I wanted to go for simplicity and easy navigation.

I think a website that is updated daily and maintained can do wonders for your team. I hate visiting team's websites that are two or three years old. Potential new players and sponsors are always looking for a unique team with a unique past and future. I think a well-informed and well designed website can do wonders for your team.

I haven't finished all the aspects of the designing, but wanted to make sure that we have something up as soon as I am granted access. I love web designing and it was a pleasure to do it for the Austin Valkyries. Any suggestions are welcome!

When do you plan on retiring from rugby? 25? 35? 40? I think it all depends on when you starting playing rugby...I have only been playing 6 years and I can't wait for each season to begin. But the toll that rugby takes on the body can be a brutal one. Most players are battered and tired after ten years or so. Very few make it past the 20 year mark.

I think it has a lot to do with when you started playing rugby. I started playing rugby when I was twenty. Sometimes I wonder where I would be if I had started playing in high school. These kids that are in high school touch leagues and even on teams have no idea how lucky they are. In fact, today in Oklahoma is the Annual Fourth of July Booger Game and Fireworks at the pitch. This is the first year I haven't attended, and it makes me sad. The legends of Oklahoma Rugby come every year and they play booger. Tarzan, Larry Naifeh, Michelle Core, the Velie Brothers and so many more...bless the pitch with their presence.

I remember when I first started playing rugby and I heard about all these players and I saw their pictures in our clubhouse. It was mind blowing to think that they had STARTED rugby in Oklahoma. That Michelle Core had started Women's Rugby in Oklahoma and that she was still involved. Amazing really! And then that first year I went out to the pitch and saw those legends play...it was incredible. Made me realize that I want to stay with rugby for my whole life. It is one sport that doesn't kick you out after your prime. It really is the sport that keeps giving. My boots will hang in the Oklahoma Rugby Clubhouse when I die...

From Total Flanker:

Check out this guy who has been playing 70 years! He trains 3 days a week! Crazy!

So someone emailed today and asked why my nickname is Fancy. UMM, hello? Cause I'm FANCY? I am free to admit that I have a big head, its fine. I still fit through doorways, so I'm happy. Fancy was given to me by Meredith Bagley (Valkyrie teammate), I assume because I am just that damn fancy.

Check out my Beaver Tour Jersey, it even says it! Granted we did get to choose our name on the back of the shirt. haha.


I personally have been excited about this nickname, sometimes the luck of the draw is not in your favor! I could have been nicknamed something way worse...so embrace it I will! Plus I can kick left-footed and right-footed and that is JUST fancy! 15 years of soccer did something for me...

But here is some real fancy stuff, Australia upsets NZ:

This NA4 is definitely stirring up some thoughts. Here are some more details from USArugby.org:


New Women's Territorial Union Season Announced
6.28.07 - USA Rugby has released the upcoming schedule for elite Territorial Union matches. Tier 1 teams will play two games away and one home, Tier 2 teams will play 2 home matches and 1 away. The 2008 National All Star Championships will still have all teams attending and will seed them according to their 2007 NASC finish. USA Rugby hopes the new structure and schedule will create more elite playing opportunities and player development. Each territorial union will handle their own player selections for these elite teams. Matches will be held on Sundays to allow team practice on Saturdays and each team will have a weekend off between each venue.

USA vs Canada Series Under Development
6.28.07 - A Canada-USA series of matches is now expected to be organized in August 2007. The event hopes to involve 44-52 of the top players in the Women's National Team program in cross border competition. Player selections are due to be announced in mid-July. Coaching will be provided by coaches involved in the National Team Program. The series is designed to give players the opportunity to work with the coaching staff and showcase their abilities in international matches. A CanAm series will also give rugby fans a chance to see international competition at home and in nearby Canadian venues.

Women Eagles to Tour England
6.28.07 - USA Rugby has arranged for a tour to England in December 2007. England has agreed to host up to 3 matches with the Women Eagles. The matches slated so far are against England A and England. A third team is in negotiations. More details available soon!