Your Scrumhalf Connection - Women's Rugby Blog

Another WANTED request has hit my inbox this morning:

I currently run 2 junior girls teams one at under 18 and one at u15 level - Cullompton Vixens and Cullompton Vipers we also have an experienced Ladies team. I also chair the county (or as you would say state) committee for womens and girls rugby and also manage the two county squads and the two regional squads. This year we have got the 9 clubs in our region to commit to a fully structured season of 15 matches and 4 festivals.

We are always looking to offer our facilities to any touring sides (we have a team coming from Canada in April).

Our web site is here, so you can go and have a nosey around. This is all relatively new for us - a bit like coming out of the dark ages. My phone number is on the contact me tab or under Cullompton Rugby Club.

This is an open invitation to anyone or any club that would like to come over and we would like to forge links with others in the rugby world.

Kind regards,
Denise Hodge
Cullyvixen

If you are interested or want to just make a connection, leave your info in the comments, email me or Facebook me.

See other Wanted Ads:
Rugby Field Usage vs Other Sports
Rugby Recipes
West Rugby Senior All-Star Team Head Coach (Position Filled)
Women's Rugby Coach in Clinton, NY (Position Filled)

Dan Bair, the Washington Irish scrumhalf, has published his second book on the subject of rugby.

When Dan isn't playing rugby he is an illustrator and author of children's books that are designed to raise youth awareness of our great sport. His first book, Rugby Match for the Homeside chronicled the events of the Ruggamals being kicked out of their forest due to construction and having to compete in a rugby match to be allowed to live in a new forest. If you read closely you'll notice that Washington Irish get a veiled shout-out towards the end of the book.

In his latest book A Children's Guide to Rugby, Dan focuses more on teaching children how to play the game again using the Ruggamals as main characters.

You can purchase copies of both from Amazon.

from Independent.ie:

For even the most committed fans of romantic fiction, it was too often the love that dare not speak its name.

They may have been happy to display their Marian Keyes' and Cecelia Aherns on crowded commuter trains and in busy lunchtime cafes.

But their Mills & Boon books were often a guilty, private pleasure, best enjoyed behind closed curtains with a box of chocolates and a nice glass of chardonnay.

In a genre already regarded by some as slightly naff, Mills & Boon books have traditionally been seen as about as uncool as romantic fiction gets.

But the faintly embarrassing maiden aunt of romantic fiction has been busy changing its dowdy dresses for spaghetti straps and killer heels.

And the news this month that M&B has teamed up with the English Rugby Football Union, for a new series of romantic tales from the scrum, underlined just how far the imprint has come from the days of dreamy doctors and swarthy Spaniards.

And it's not as strange a marriage as you might think. TravelMedia (01 4780084) is currently offering a romantic rugby weekend to Rome over Valentine's Day, which includes tickets to the Six Nations match, fabulous meals, not to mention Prosecco, chocolates and roses. Which should be enough to keep everyone happy!

The RFU believes the eight tales of rugger romance, which will hit the shelves on the eve of next month's Six Nations launch, will bring in more female fans for the game.

"We know women love rugby players," says an RFU spokesperson.

"And this is a great way for us to reach a wider audience."

The publishers and the men from Twickers have certainly done their research.

Recent focus group studies have revealed that rugby players now represent the ideal husband material/fantasy object for a huge number of women (and gay men).

It's hardly surprising given the objectification of rugby players like England international Ben Cohen, who has his own sexy calendars, a line in women's wear and recently hosted a party for his large gay following.

And the annual Stade Francais calendars, featuring the strapping hunks of the Parisian rugby club, have been worldwide best sellers since debuting in 2001.

To read the rest of the article, visit Independent.ie.

via Goff:

The following USA women’s 7s players have been named to the 7s World Cup residency program based on their performances at National 7s Camp this past weekend:

Amy Daniels-Beantown
Lindsey Stephenson-At Large
Pam Kosanke-Chicago NS
Phaidra Knight-NY RFC
Teena Mastrangelo-Chicago NS
Ines Rodriguez-Keystone RFC
Alison Price-NY RFC
Kirsten Ahrendt-Keystone RFC
Christy Ringgenberg-Minnesota Valkyries
Ellie Karvoski-Little Rock RFC
Beth Black- NOVA
Jen Starkey-NOVA
Ida Bernstein- Keystone RFC
Jess Watkins- Stanford University

Of this group, 10 will represent USA 1 at the San Diego Invitational February 13-14, while four will join six others to make up USA 2. Those other six players are:

Kitt Wagner-Beantown
Jen Sinkler-Keystone RFC
Lauren Hoeck- NOVA
Haldre Rogers-Seattle
Jen Flateman-NY RFC
Melissa McKibben-Kansas City Jazz

The tournament is played at the San Diego Invitational and the final will be played at PETCO Park during the IRB 7s Series USA 7s.

Seven teams: USA 1, USA 2, New Zealand Maori, Canada, England, Japan and China will participate. This will be the first trip to the tournament for England, the Maori and Japan.

All teams will play three games except Japan, which plays four. After the first set of games, the teams are re-seeded, with the #7 team dropping out. The 5th and 6th teams play a consolation playoff, and the top four go into a semifinal-final format.

Match	Opponents	Type	Day	Time	Location
1	England v Japan	Rd. 1	Friday	8:20 AM	Premier 1
2	Canada v USA 2	Rd. 1	Friday	8:45 AM	Premier 1
3	USA 1 v China	Rd. 1	Friday	9:10 AM	Premier 1
4	NZ Maori v Japan	Rd. 2	Friday	9:35 AM	Premier 1
5	England v USA 2	Rd. 2	Friday	9:50 AM	Premier 1
6	Canada v China	Rd. 2	Friday	10:15 AM	Premier 1
7	USA 1 v Japan	Rd. 3	Friday	10:40 AM	Premier 1
8	NZ Maori v Canada	Rd. 3	Friday	11:05 AM	Premier 1
9	USA 2 v Japan	Rd. 4	Friday	11:30 AM	Premier 1
10	England v USA 1	Rd. 4	Friday	11:55 PM	Premier 1
11	NZ Maori v China	Rd. 4	Friday	12:20 PM	Premier 1
12	#5 v #6	Consolation	Friday	2:15 PM	Premier 1
13	#1 v #4	Semifinal	Friday	2:35 PM	Premier 1
14	#2 v #3	Semifinal	Friday	2:55 PM	Premier 1
15	W13 v W14	Final	Saturday	3:01 PM	PETCO Park

and the winner is...

Please send your postal address to my email at yourscrumhalfconnection@gmail.com and it will get shipped right out to you!

Thanks to everyone who submitted their name in the raffle, this free raffle is courtesy of Xtreme Rugby.

Look for another FREE raffle again next month! Can't wait to see if you win the raffle? Purchase your own Your Scrumhalf Connection tshirt or any of my other rugby shirts by visiting my Zazzle Tshirt Shop.

from my inbox this morning:

It's that time of the year to start thinking about spring rugby and the Texas Rugby Union (TRU) Under-23 Women's Select Side Rugby Team. Here are some FAQs:

What is the team? It is a group of players selected from women's club, collegiate, and high school teams across Texas who want to have fun and learn more about rugby. This team also acts as a step toward making the West Under-23 Women's Select Side Team. If you are interested in the West U-23 team, please fill out the attached form and turn in at the tryouts.

Who is eligible for the team? Players must by 22 years of age or younger on January 1, 2009 to be selected.

When are tryouts? Tryouts will be held at the UT IM Fields (Located on the southeast corner of 51st and Guadalupe Streets) in Austin, Texas on February 7 and 8, 2009. This event is a 2 day tryout with Saturday running from 9 am to 4 pm and Sunday running from 9 am to 1 pm. The cost of the tryout is $10/player. Directions are at the following link - http://www.utrugby.com/resources/directions.htm.

Who should tryout? EVERYONE!! We want as many people to tryout as possible.

How many players are selected? 28 players will be selected for the team.

What is the commitment level? Players must commit to tryouts (see above) and if selected, they need to commit to:

• Warm-up Weekend in Austin, TX (Saturday, Feb 28 in the evening and Sunday, Feb 29 all day) and
• LAU Under-23 Tournament in Glendale, CO (Friday, March 7 - Sunday, March 9).

Why should I tryout for the team? 1) You are guaranteed to have fun. 2) You'll learn more about rugby. 3) You'll meet and play with girls from all over the state. 4) If you make the team, you get to play in the Glendale Stadium and may have your picture on the jumbo-tron!!

Who should I contact about coming to tryouts or questions? Please email me (Anna Kunkel) if you play to attend tryouts and if you have any questions/concerns.

Thanks,
Anna Kunkel

Head Coach, TRU U-23 Women's Team
Coach, UT Women's Team

Received this video via Facebook from Nursedude:

This Nike commercial aired just one time, on NBC during the 2000 Olympics opening ceremonies. The NBC switchboards got lit up by irate viewers who were upset by this commercial. I thought it was just brilliant. Have a look and see what you think.

View the video here if you are using a RSS reader...

Other Rugby Video Mondays:
1/12/2009: UCLA Prom Dress Rugby
1/5/2009: USA WNT 7's Video in Dubai
12/19/2008: 27 Phases...
12/15/2008: Rugby Video by Austin Blanton
12/8/2008: Rugby in the Mud!
12/1/2008: Various Drills and Workouts

Please keep sending me your favorite videos: yourscrumhalfconnection@gmail.com! Want even more videos? Make sure to check out my Vimeo profile or my Youtube channel...

NOTE: all new videos will be on Vimeo only as they are recorded in High Definition.

An interesting email hit my inbox this afternoon from Nancy Campbell (USA Rugby South Women's Director):

Does anyone have access to any studies done regarding field usage (wear and tear) for rugby versus soccer or football? Some clubs are meeting with local parks and recreation departments and are looking for supporting evidence that rugby is not any harder on a field than other sports which would use the same field.

Please cross post if possible and reply to Beau Grant.

Thanks,
Nancy Campbell

So if you have any experience with this or any tips on where this information can be gathered...leave it in the comments, email me or email Beau directly.

See other Wanted Ads:
Wanted: Rugby Recipes
WANTED: West Rugby Senior All-Star Team Head Coach (Position Filled)
WANTED: Women's Rugby Coach in Clinton, NY (Position Filled)

from USA Rugby:

BOULDER, Colo. – The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team (WNT) have officially released their schedule for the upcoming year, starting with its U-20 Elite Camp that will take place in Clermont, Fla., February 28 – March 1.

Fifty players representing 36 universities and high schools across the country have been invited to the camp and with 14 players from the squad having toured South Africa in June and another eight players from previous U-20 WNT squads, Coach Bryn Chivers expects this camp to be the most competitive to date.

“We would like to think that we have the best 50 players in the nation attending,” Head Coach Bryn Chivers said. “But if any coaches think we missed a player, we would very much like to hear about them. We are especially interested in hearing about any locks and eights as this seems to be the primary area where we have the least depth.”

The U-20 WNT will enter a Developmental Squad into the U-23 National All-Star Championships (NASC) in June. The U-20s will then take another squad to compete in the U20 Nations Cup in England, July 6 –19.

The program will close out the year by entering a developmental squad of Under-17 players into the U-19 INASC in November.

For more information on the U-20 WNT or for coaches wishing to recommend a player, contact Head Coach Bryn Chivers. For more information on USA Rugby, please visit www.usarugby.org.

Sadie Anderson Penn State
Candace Barley Maryville, TN
BrieAnna Barto Summit, CO
Tara Burke Fallbrook, CA
Hannah Bushey Essex, VT
Stephanie Chubb U of Virginia
Jennifer Cooperrider Stanford
Lauren Danielsen Summit, CO
Gina Deihl Hoke, TN
Asia Donaldson Santa Monica Women
Brandi Dunkinsell U of Oregon
Jozy Gessner Summit, CO
Ashley Graves Lady Bird Johnson HS, TX
Katherine Gray Texas Tech
Kelsey Harter Chico
Katie Hathaway Norwich
Lisa Henneman Seattle Women
Katy Hodson Colorado State
Brittany Houston UW Milwaukee
Katie Humphreys Kent, WA
Ima Isang Oakridge, TN
Mallory Ives Colorado State
Nicole James Texas A&M
Katie Johnson Hopkins, MN
Erika Lane Chico
Brook LeGate Maryville, TN
Erin LeGate Maryville, TN
Mackenzie Lewis Chaparral, CO
Blaine Martin Brown
Jade McLaughlin U of New Mexico
Sophia Nolan Armstrong, MN
Kelsey Ploof Noblesville, IN
Kayla Orvik Army
Maggie Reidy UW Milwaukee
Brittany Rose Westchester East, PA
Adrianne Rubiaco Mother Lode, CA
Victoria Saiz U of New Mexico
Seymira Salamy Penn State
Catherine Scanlon Summit, CO
Alicia Seda Norwich
Jessica Sexauer Army
Rachel Sommer West Linn, OR
Colleen Tjosvold Twin City Amazons
Lorena Totu Center Essex, VT
Ashley Urbia-Kirchmaier U of Northern Michigan
Michelle Un Brown
Lane Wagner Traverse City, MI
Erica Wheeler U of Illinois
Brooke Williams Minnesota Valkeries
Brittany Woodard Virginia State

from USA Rugby:

BOULDER, Colo. – CEO Nigel Melville has officially named former Eagle and Play Rugby, Inc founder, Mark Griffin, as the USA Rugby Youth and High School Director.

“I feel both excited and privileged to take on the role of the Youth and High School Director for USA Rugby,” Griffin said. “The timing couldn’t be better, given the hard work that Katie, Nigel and the team have put into Rookie Rugby and the important platform it provides to lower the age at which children are introduced to the game.”

One of Griffin’s first tasks will be to lead the development of State-Based Rugby Organizations (SBROs) within the USA. Currently, the U.S. has 14 SBROs nationwide at various stages of development and USA Rugby has made it a goal to grow this significantly by the end of 2009.

In addition, Griffin will combine his efforts with Play Rugby USA and his new director position at USA Rugby to bring both programs closer. Mark has nearly three years of experience running Play Rugby, Inc. and its Play Rugby USA Youth Development Program in New York.

“It has been a fantastic learning process and one we continue to move forward,” Griffin said. “The most important take-away from that for me has been the importance of linking the development of the business model to the development of youth programs and the game of rugby as a whole.”

USA Rugby’s youth efforts will be complemented in several ways by joining forces with Play Rugby, Inc. USA Rugby strives to grow the game, increase the base of talent and decrease the age of the players, while Play Rugby is focused primarily on urban youth development by changing children’s lives through after-school programming. If successful, bonding the two organizations, will result in more kids playing rugby in areas that otherwise would not naturally play the game.

“I have worked with Mark during the past 12 months and he is an obvious pick for the role of Youth and High School Director. In addition to his work at Play Rugby, he has worked on the USAR Youth Committee and his knowledge will enable him to hit the ground running in 2009,” USA Rugby’s CEO Nigel Melville said.

“I very much look forward to helping drive the growth in the youth and high school game in America,” Griffin finished. “If everyone puts the youth and game development first, we’ll be able to make some powerful progress in creating growth, developing players and implementing high quality programs in addition to creating sustainable systems, processes and businesses to support long-term success.”

Griffin will officially start his new position at USA Rugby this week. For more information on the Youth and High School game, please visit www.usarugby.org. For further information or to contact Mark Griffin.

USA RUGBY, founded in 1975, is the national governing body for rugby and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the International Rugby Board (IRB). The organization is responsible for the development of boys, girls, high school, collegiate and club rugby programs, as well as the nation’s rugby coaches, referees, administrators and all of its national teams that represent the U.S. in international competitions. As part of this development, USA Rugby hosts a number of courses, clinics, National Championship events and international matches throughout the year. For more information, please visit www.usarugby.org.

Play Rugby, Inc. is a non-profit social enterprise delivering transformational change for youth through sports. The organization’s core character development program “Play Rugby USA®” is founded upon a philosophy of “developing youth through rugby”. Play Rugby’s rugby, fitness, nutrition and community development programs provide children with a fun, athletic and developmental experience giving them the tools they need to succeed in life. For more information, please visit www.playrugbyusa.com.