Thursday’s Rugby News has Dan’s memorial, no new coach for the Boks, Shute Shield goss, and warm up games for the Wallaroos.
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RIP Dan
Dan Vickerman has been remembered as many great things at the memorial service, held yesterday at Sydney University.
Most pertinently, a crowd of a thousand was reported to have attended the service.
Grendan Cannon, Phil Waugh, Stirling Mortlock, Nathan Sharpe, Owen Finegan, Berrick Barnes, Rocky Elsom and Adam Freier were among the crowd, as were Brumbies captain Sam Carter and coach Stephen Larkham, who had flown into Sydney. Wallabies coach Michael Cheika and ARU boss Bill Pulver were also present.
Current Sydney University players also graced the ceremony with a rendition of the team song.
Vickerman’s South African high school friend Richard Bell told those attending, “he was determined, a deep thinker and fiercely loyal.”
Former Sydney Uni coach Chris Malone described Vickerman as “…a giant of a man, an absolute colossus. Just a champion, full stop … a laughing friend at the end of a bar. If Dan said he was going to do something for you, he did. [But] he could never take a pat on the back.”
Family friend David Marr, another one to give a eulogy, said , “He was an extraordinary dad. His passing leaves a hole in all of our hearts.”
“He was just so incredibly humble, so grounded, never caught up in the hype of being a Wallaby. Always so hard on the outside, but soft as butter on the inside. So forgiving.”
Why do people always wait until someone dies to tell them how proud and happy to have them in their life?
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You Think That’s Bad?
The South African Rugby Union have taken the extraordinary decision to…not sack Boks coach Alistair Coetzee.
This is despite South Africa breaking a string of unwanted records last year: a home defeat by Ireland; a loss in Italy; an embarrassing 57-15 loss to the ABs Durban; and – how could anyone forget? – taking out the Crab Juice Classic by managing to be worse than Wales during the November internationals.
The SARU are looking to make three changes to Coetzee’s backroom. They’ve punted assistant coach Mzwandile Stick, made Franco Smith permanent, and are looking to make Brendan Venter (currently with Italy) their defensive coach.
“Our coaching review was focused on the Springboks and we identified two areas to give Allister Coetzee additional support at the head of our most prized national asset,” SA Rugby president Mark Alexander said.
“Franco Smith will continue the work he began with the backs and attack at the end of last year while we are very excited about the new defensive coach we have identified to address matters raised during the review. We expect to be able to confirm that appointment shortly.”
“Last year was an incredibly tough one for the Springboks and all of the rugby community suffered,” Alexander continued. “We weighed many factors in the review process but we believe that these changes will strengthen the Springbok management hand.”
Reminder: South Africa won 4 of their 12 tests last year.
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Shute Shield News Part 2
The Sydney Rugby Union (SRU) obviously wants to entrench their roots and expand, and they’re hope to do this by embracing more demographics.
“All 12 of the [premier] clubs would acknowledge that they need to keep evolving to better reflect their communities,” said SRU president David Begg to the Venerable GeeRob.
“A lot of those communities have changed significantly in the last 50 years and some clubs been slow to follow that change. A profile in the women’s game is really important.
“I think it’s also fair to say there’s an impression that Shute Shield rugby is ‘white bread’ other than the strong Polynesian influence that exists now. We need to move the game in to areas we haven’t been involved in.”
“In the words of the Prime Minister, everyone needs to be ‘agile and flexible’ about the future,” Begg continued. “Maybe in the long term our offerings on Saturday afternoons should include women’s and men’s sevens, high level junior games, and public and private school games.
“Either way it needs to be where we showcase the best our communities have to offer instead of four grades of grade and three grades of colts. And we have to do it all without losing sight of the incredible history and legacy the club game has given to the sport in this country.”
The report also adds that there is a sense of hope about re-finding one’s community as the SRU – which is having trouble staying in touch with the NSWRU and the ARU – was part of a bonanza rugby meetup in Brisbane on Saturday.
Organised by Brisbane premiers Brothers rugby club on the opening weekend of Super Rugby, the meeting brought together every major player in the sport’s administration, including NSWRU boss Andrew Hore, Begg, ARU boss Bill Pulver, Queensland Rugby Union chief Richard Barker and broadcaster Fox Sports, to thrash out the sport’s myriad issues in a spirit of collaboration.
(Shute Shield News Part 1 featured yesterday)
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Wallaroos
Australia will take on England, Canada and New Zealand in the series in June, to be held across New Zealand, rugby.com.au reports.
These games will take place in the lead-up to the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup, to be held in Ireland.
Last year, the Wallaroos took on the Kiwis in two tests (in three days!), losing 67-3 on one occasion and 21-9 on another.
“Seeing the improvement from the first Test match to the second Test match made things move a little bit quicker,” said Wallaroos captain Ash Hewson.
“Regardless of world rankings, these are the top three teams in the world and there’s no better preparation than going up against them.”
“To play any Test match – we are disappointed we don’t get to showcase women’s XVs in our country, it’s a shame,” Hewson continued.
“There’s quite a number of young girls in the squad and I’m pretty sure every single person is going to put their hand up. In any sport, especially elite level sport, if you’re fighting for positions it’s only going to improve the the level we’re going to play at.”
Wallaroos Fixtures:
Friday 9 June – Australia v England, Porirua Park, Wellington
Tuesday 13 June -Black Ferns v Australia, Rugby Park, Christchurch
Saturday 17 June– Australia v Canada, Smallbone Park, Rotorua
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