Your Scrumhalf Connection - Women's Rugby Blog

Today is Blog Action Day—which means thousands of weblogs across the Internet (including this one) will post about a single topic: poverty. The purpose is to raise awareness about the interesting ways people from all walks of life are helping those in need.

1. Give money to poverty relief organizations such as One.org, Samaritan’s Purse, the Red Cross or your favorite relief organization.

2. Encourage your government to put sanctions on corrupt countries who withhold food and aid from their impoverished citizens. To do this: Write letters to your local, state and federal officials, including your Senator and Congressman.

3. Volunteer at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen for homeless individuals, there are plenty of locations, even in your hometown.

4. Support organizations like AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps and others who actually educate impoverished people how to grow crops of their own and develop their land.

5. Take an afternoon and clean out your closets, attics and drawers? If you’re not using it, lose it. Give it away to your local Salvation Army or Good Will so less fortunate people can enjoy your surplus.

Blog Action Day 2008

This weekend is one of the biggest Women's tournaments in the US! If you are headed out to Alb, NM for the HIgh Desert Rugby Classic Tournament, I am jealous. I loved that tournament as a college player, but as a club player it has been difficult to attend the tournament.

Women's Bracket
CO - Denver Black Ice
Az - Tucson Women's Motley
CO - Falling Angels
CO - Boulder Babes
OK - Ok Roses
TX - University of Texas
TX - Texas A&M Women's Rugby
Az - Scottsdale Lady Blues
NM - Atomic Sisters
NM - UNM Women's
AZ - Timberdoodles (NAU) flagstaff
NM - NMSU Lady Chiles RFC
Utah - BYU Women's
TX - Texas Tech Women

*West U-23 women's head coach will be attending to scout players.


Albuquerque, New Mexico / 5 Tournament Pitches - Club Men, Club Women (16 teams) & College Men's (8 teams)

$350.00 - 3 games Guaranteed

Tentative Schedule (Match schedule should be posted soon):
Friday
Combined Captains Meeting and Incomers Social
Hooters (4100 San Mateo Blvd)

Saturday
ALL DAY RUGBY POOL PLAY

"Saturday Night Rugby Dinner, Social and Live Band”
3rd Floor “JOCKEY CLUB” at the NM state Fair grounds

Sunday
Championship Sunday - (All semifinals and finals)

Tournament Website: http://abqrugby.tripod.com/highdirt.html

Tournament Contacts:
Aubrey Edge
Randall Titone

from womeneagles.com:

Next up for the Women Eagles 15s Program is a a Red/White intra-squad match to be held in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on Saturday, November 22, 2008, as the headline match at the U19 Invitational NASC.

Head Coach Kathy Flores said, "while not a Test match, this event is an opportunity to play with and against the other top women rugby players in the country, to continue to develop skills under pressure, and to showcase talent to the WNT coaches and to the U19 athletes who aspire to become Eagles. "

Flores wants to assemble "the top 44 available players at the moment and create a structure for them to create their own game plan and compete as teams. The match will provide a needed arena to improve the skills and speed of decision-making necessary for us to be competitive at the international level. With just 2 years until the next World Cup, our players need time together to improve their skills and also understand and anticipate their teammates' decision-making process to improve our support play. The coaching staff is excited about the opportunity to watch the players problem solve, giving us insight into the areas we feel we may excel at and those we need to concentrate on in the future."

The 44 athletes invited to attend:

1. Stacy Baker, Prop, Philadelphia
2. Jaime Burke, Prop, Beantown
3. Farrah Douglas, Prop, Chicago North Shore
4. Sharyn Wacht, Prop, Beantown
5. Angie Marfisi, Prop, Philadelphia
6. Kristin Aliberto, Prop, Philadelphia
7. Lisa Butts, Hooker, Davis Women
8. Meredith Hegg, Hooker, Philadelphia
9. Rachel Primo, Hooker, NOVA
10. Adetayo (Tayo) Mafe, Hooker/Flanker, Michigan State University
11. Sarah Walsh, Lock, Chicago North Shore
12. Christina Hobson, Lock/8, New York
13. Jenny Menke, Lock MN Valykyries
14. Kati McCormick, Lock, UWI - Milwaukee
15. Anneke Brand, Lock, Texas Tech
16. Stacey Bridges, Lock/Prop, Texas A & M
17. Kristin Zdanczewizc, Flanker, MN Valykyries
18. Beckett Royce, Flanker, ORSU
19. Mel Denham, Flanker, Beantown
20. Victoria Folayan, Flanker, Berkeley All-Blues
21. Allyson Hemstreet, Flanker Berkeley All-Blues
22. Brea Hughes, Lock/8 At-large
23. Kate Daley, 8
24. Liz Dilley, Flanker/8 Washington Furies
25. Jossy Tseng, Scrumhalf, Berkeley All-Blues
26. Katy Hertel, Scrumhalf, MN Valkyries
27. Wendy Young, Scrumhalf, Austin Valkyries
28. Ramey Marshall, Scrumalf, ORSU
29. Kristin Baja, Flyhalf, New York
30. Mel Kanuk, Flyhalf/Center, DC Furies
31. Brenna Costello, Flyhalf, Atlanta
32. Hannah Stolba, Flyhalf, MN Valkyries
33. Emilie Bydwell, Center, Beantown
34. Lynelle Kugler, Center, Glendale
35. Elise Myer, Center, NOVA
36. San Juanita Moreno, Center, ORSU
37. Vanesha McGee, Wing, Philadelphia
38. Nathalie Marchino, Wing, Berkeley All-Blues
39. Desiree Markovich, Wing, MN Valkyries
40. Katie Dowty, Wing, Beantown
41. Ashley English, Fullback, Berkeley All-Blues
42. Ashley Kmiecik, Fullback, Emerald City Mudhens
43. Sara Leary, Fullback
44. Claire Gregorich, Fullback, Glendale

The Women's National Team has started an interesting campaign of what it means to be an Eagle. There are a few videos out there, here are two of the best:

Other Rugby Video Mondays:
10/6/2008: Touch Rugby European Championship Semi-Final 2008
9/30/2008: Philly vs Raleigh 9/20/2008
9/22/2008: Girls Play Too!
9/8/2008: Vassar Spotlight
9/2/2008: Funny Rugby Clips

Please keep sending me your favorite videos: yourscrumhalfconnection@gmail.com!

I will be doing some updating throughout today and this weekend to change the look and feel of this blog.

Look for new links, updates and styling soon!

Feel free to let me know what you think, I value your feedback and opinions!

Thanks for reading!

From International Rugby Board (irb.com):

The USA and Canada will be favourites to take North America’s two places in the inaugural Rugby World Cup Sevens women’s competition, but they will not underestimate the threat posed by the likes of reigning Caribbean champions Jamaica along with Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago.

The Women’s Eagles will face Barbados and St Vincent & The Grenadines in Pool A on day one, while Canada have been drawn in Pool B with Cayman Islands, who will be making their Sevens debuts on the international stage, and Trinidad & Tobago.

Pool C is headed by Jamaica and also features Guyana and Bermuda, who will create their own piece of history at the qualifier in Nassau by playing their first ever women’s international match in either fifteens or Sevens.

The competition will follow the same format as the men’s event on day two, although the three sides who fail to progress to the Cup pools will play each other twice in the round robin Plate.

In both the men’s and women’s competitions the battle to qualify for the RWC Sevens 2009 in Dubai next March will be just as fiercely contested as the one to be crowned champions of the Caribbean.

The NAWIRA qualifier is the penultimate event on the road to RWC Sevens 2009 with only the Africa men’s tournament to play before the identity of all 24 men’s and 16 women’s teams who will grace ‘The Sevens’ are known.

Men’s Day 1 Pools:
Pool A: USA, Mexico, Bermuda
Pool B: Canada, Trinidad & Tobago, Bahamas, Cayman Islands
Pool C: Guyana, Jamaica, Barbados, St Vincent & The Grenadines

Women’s Day 1 Pools:
Pool A: USA, Barbados, St Vincent & The Grenadines
Pool B: Canada, Trinidad & Tobago, Cayman Islands
Pool C: Jamaica, Guyana, Bermuda

RWC Sevens women's qualified teams:
Brazil - South America qualifier
England - Europe qualifier
Netherlands- Europe qualifier
Russia - Europe qualifier
France - Europe qualifier
Spain - Europe qualifier
Italy - Europe qualifier
Australia - Oceania qualifier
New Zealand - Oceania qualifier
South Africa - Africa qualifier
Uganda - Africa qualifier
Japan - Asia qualifier
Thailand - Asia qualifier
China - Asia qualifier

Make sure to check out Tyshawn Henry's blog about her journey to the 2009 7's World Cup...and the adventures of the pink cape!

Welcome to a lovely Wednesday morning!! I found two more sites that have given me some Link Love, so I am returning the favor!

Coyote Women's Rugby
Telegraph.co.uk - Rugby Unions News

Thanks for the love and you are now added to the Scrumhalf Friends and Bloggers section on the left. Thanks to Jerry for pointing out that I am now linked to the Telegraph.co.uk Rugby Union page, that is a HUGE rugby site!!! Thanks to whomever runs that page, what an honor!!!

Have a great hump day! Also, please let me know if you have linked to my site and I have just missed it, I would love to add you to my Links section! Email me at yourscrumhalfconnection@gmail.com.

UPDATE -
What the french, toast? - has me on their blogroll! I have added your blog to my Links section, thanks for the LOVE!
The last long walk home - has me in their links section, thanks! I have returned the Link Love!
Note: This website has an absolutely hilarious Caption contest every Tuesday! Cast your vote for best caption!

In an effort to recognize the extraordinary work and dedication of the many rugby players and coaches in the United States, USA Rugby and World Rugby Shop have teamed up to highlight some of the truly outstanding players and coaches of our great game over the past year.

These awards are not simply for the best player or best coach in terms of performance, though that can certainly be a part of it, but for the most extraordinary coach or player in every sense of that word. The award winner will be someone who deserves to be recognized for the efforts to improve the game of rugby for their club or country, not simply on how many games they have won or tries they have scored.

To do this we need your help. The finalists have been chosen from a pool of nominations submitted by YOU the rugby community. Now we need you to help pick the winner by casting your vote for each of these finalists in their respective category.

50% of the decision on who will win will come from you the rugby community with our panel of judges making up the final half of the vote. Deadline to cast your vote will be by 12am CST October 15, 2008.

2008 USA Coach of the Year Award
The 2008 Coach of the Year Award is meant to recognize both outstanding coaching on and off of the field. While performance is always a consideration, this award is meant to reward more than simply having a winning team. Dedication to their respective team, extraordinary effort and commitment are paramount. Read about our finalists and cast your vote for the 2008 USA Coach of the Year.

2008 USA Mens Player of the Year Award
The 2008 Mens Player of the Year Award is meant to recognize both outstanding play on the field and dedication off of it. Read about our finalists and cast your vote for the 2008 USA Men's Player of the Year.

2008 USA Womens Player of the Year Award
The 2008 Womens Player of the Year Award is meant to recognize both outstanding play on the field and dedication off of it. Read about our finalists and cast your vote for the 2008 USA Women's Player of the Year.

BOULDER, Colo. -- USA Rugby is proud to announce the formation of the first ever girls' high school varsity rugby team in the United States. The pioneer program is set to begin in October at Sebastian River High School in Sebastian, Fla.

In close cooperation with USA Rugby's Emerging Sports department, Sebastian River's groundbreaking addition of girls' rugby now offers the first full contact sport opportunity for girls at the interscholastic level in the U.S.

"The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) applauds Sebastian River High School for its efforts to provide yet another opportunity for girls to participate in high school sports by offering the sport of rugby," said Robert F. Kanaby, Executive Director of the NFHS, the national leadership organization for high school athletic and fine arts activities based in Indianapolis.

Sebastian River’s girls’ varsity rugby program joins nearly 150 girls’ club programs in the U.S. at the high school-age level. The team will be coached by R. Allan Dobson, who brings an extensive rugby resume to the program.

“Rugby is making a big impact at high schools and colleges, and we expect to see more and more recognition at the interscholastic level. We are so pleased to be involved in this process with Sebastian River and we encourage parents and athletic administrators to seek more information about girls’ varsity rugby and find out how it can benefit students and schools,” said Nigel Melville, USA Rugby CEO and President of Rugby Operations.

The Sebastian River Sharks kick off the first of their six-match season in early October. All home games will be played in Shark Stadium, on Sebastian River High School’s campus.

The program, which began recruitment of students in the spring of 2008, fielded more than 50 female athletes who expressed interest in attending preseason training. After a week of tryouts and two weeks of preseason camp, the initial lineup was narrowed to 30 to create the team's first official roster.

"Girls' rugby will enhance athletic opportunities for females and continue Sebastian River High School's commitment to Title IX and all that it encompasses, including college scholarships," said Sebastian River Athletic Director Michael Stutzke, who initiated talks with USA Rugby on adding a program in December 2007.

Sebastian River High School is a public high school with 1,977 students and sponsors 17 interscholastic sports for boys and girls. The school has a diverse student body and is committed to expansion of opportunity for male and female students in athletics.

The Sebastian River girls' varsity squad will be supplemented with start-up uniforms, game and practice equipment by USA Rugby and valued sponsor World Rugby Shop.

For more information on the movement for girls' high school varsity rugby in the U.S. please contact Becky Carlson.

Rugby Destination Kicks Off Launch with Free, Full Length Video Coverage of the Tri Nations Match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the South Africa Springboks

SAN CARLOS, Calif.--August 14, 2008--RugbyZone.com drives forward today bringing fans worldwide the most in-depth and interactive rugby destination available online. RugbyZone, which replaces the MediaZone Rugby site, is the first rugby destination to provide a completely integrated, broadband multimedia experience while catering to an underserved rugby fan base worldwide that has had limited access to the sport's most anticipated, championship-class matches.

The launch of RugbyZone is highlighted by FREE access to that South Africa vs. New Zealand match. This critical Tri Nations clash will be available to fans 4 hours after the full time whistle and can be accessed with a coupon code. For more information visit: www.rugbyzone.com/freematch.

In addition to this FREE match, RugbyZone will also deliver exclusive LIVE and On Demand access to more than 275 matches each year from the Tri Nations, June Tests, Celtic Tests, Super 14, 2009 Lions Tour, Currie Cup, Heineken Cup, Air New Zealand Cup and North American Rugby competitions to fans in more than 200 countries, including the USA.

RugbyZone uniquely gives users the interactivity of the Internet with the quality and reliability of traditional television. The RugbyZone platform will incorporate a variety of features surrounding video programming, including LIVE chat with fans and experts during matches, breaking news, fixtures, standings, highlights, previews, columns, blogs, archived matches, free clips, game alerts, fan forums and LIVE event community.

“The international scope of rugby and rapidly growing fan base in new markets makes it one of the most sought after sports amongst viewers; however, rugby fans are massively underserved in many territories around the world,” Glen Marques, CEO, MediaZone. “RugbyZone brings the tries, plays and complete matches directly to fans’ computers, breaking down geographic limitations and providing the highest level of coverage and community online."