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Rugby News from unexpected places

exISA

Fred Wood (13)
Germany stay up in ENC 1a .

About a month ago they won their first ever match in the top division smashing Portugal. Going into last weekend tied on points with Portugal in the overall standings , avoided relegation after an exciting draw with Spain . A victory was possible with two kicks and a drop goal missed at the death. Fantastic result for Germany and a good follow on from the popularity in viewing numbers from the world cup.
 

WorkingClassRugger

Michael Lynagh (62)
There's been a bit in the media about the sell out for the Top 14 that will be held at Barcelona's Nou Camp (98,000) recently but another significant story for the Spanish game has received a lot less attention but should be acknowledged.

VRAC and El Salvador will contest the Spanish Cup Final (Copa Del Rey) on the 16th of April at Real Valliodad's Florrilla Stadium (25,000). Originally organisers were hoping for between 10-12,000. Earlier this week it appeared that they would exceed that figure and fill the bottom tier which holds 15,000. Now the Valliodad Mayor has announced the opening of the top tier to meet demand and at the current rate of sales the game looks to be a likely sell out. This is pretty big for the domestic game in Spain.
 

waiopehu oldboy

George Smith (75)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...rovincial-rugby-trial-laws-set-to-be-scrapped

Experimental points scoring and offside laws scrapped before they even begin in NZ. Thank god for that.

Update: scoring system will be used in Heartland Championship so I'm picking it's more a case of them not wanting to use it in M10 until its first been signed off on by World Rugby (which I don't think it will be, somehow I just can't see the Brits, Irish & French (or South Africans, for that matter) going for anything that devalues the penalty and/ or drop goal).
 

Highlander35

Steve Williams (59)
If all the kicks were worth 3 or 2 points maybe.

As it stands, you'd be as well going for 3 point tries and 1 point for every kick.
 

Antony

Alex Ross (28)
The Spanish Copa Del Rey now officially sold out. Still a fortnight to the game. Receiving coverage in both the local and national press. There now a push to move the game from being broadcast on tape delay to being live and involving a TMO.


Far out that's good.

I met a rugby player from Spain once - he reckons there's a pretty solid sub-culture of it over there. Partly driven by the south of France, partly by interest in Argentina, and partly just a standard university campus rugby club scene.
 

WorkingClassRugger

Michael Lynagh (62)
Far out that's good.

I met a rugby player from Spain once - he reckons there's a pretty solid sub-culture of it over there. Partly driven by the south of France, partly by interest in Argentina, and partly just a standard university campus rugby club scene.


There's over 51,000 players in Spain according to Wiki. That's not an insignificant number. Of the few Spanish Rugby guts I'm in regular contact with the general sentiment is while excited. The game in Spain needs to figure out the best way to capitalise on this event. Create some momentum. Draw more sponsors. People throw the gates. Ungrade facilities or access better ones etc.
 

WorkingClassRugger

Michael Lynagh (62)
World Rugby and AliBaba have just signed a 10 year agreement to grow Rugby in China. This includes AliBaba assisting in revamping all domestic Rugby structures and increasing content throughout Chima via its media platforms. Wants to eventually have a leg of the WS in China, possibly a RWC in the future and a goal of vastly imprroving the men's 15s side by bringing in the expertise to achieve that.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...signs-Alibaba-deal-as-push-into-China-beckons
 

Omar Comin'

Chilla Wilson (44)
We'll see, they're starting from a nearly non-existant base. China has invested a lot of time and money trying to get good at soccer and have had little success.
 

Highlander35

Steve Williams (59)
Yet Omar, yet. Instant success isn't that important, if they're what truly serious, what matters now is probably players in that 5-14 year old range who'll be making up the majority of your squad for the 2035 World Cup Squad. The upper range of that group need to be able to get you into the top tier of Asian Rugby, the bottom half need to get you into the Cup itself.

Will be difficult, but if anyone could do it, it would be China.
 

WorkingClassRugger

Michael Lynagh (62)
Yet Omar, yet. Instant success isn't that important, if they're what truly serious, what matters now is probably players in that 5-14 year old range who'll be making up the majority of your squad for the 2035 World Cup Squad. The upper range of that group need to be able to get you into the top tier of Asian Rugby, the bottom half need to get you into the Cup itself.

Will be difficult, but if anyone could do it, it would be China.


I imagine a lot of this effort will be to get it on the national cirriculum. Do that and the resources and reach will grow pretty substantially. I doubt a decade will be sufficient but probably enough time to significant change in the country.
 

Omar Comin'

Chilla Wilson (44)
I don't think instant success is important. I'm just doubtful that they'll have long term success. But I hope they do! It'd be great if rugby could gain a foothold in China. Plus I think the more popular rugby gets in Asia the better it will be for Australian rugby long term.
 

WorkingClassRugger

Michael Lynagh (62)
ProRugby has kicked off. With Denver stealing the win over Ohio in very icy conditions at Infinity Park, Glendale. End score was 16-13. Overall reported to be a very entertaining game. Was in danger of being called off earlier in the day as there has been a lot of snow i the Rockies of late.

Second game currently in its HT break. Very entertaining and opening play. Bit loose from time to time but good start. Denver drew 2312 while this game could be pushing 5,000.
 
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