Wales, Pool A

When placed in the same pool as England and Australia you’re never going to be given much a chance by bookies and punters.
However this Welsh side will not go down without a fight and could stir up quite the controversy by preventing either England or Australia from qualifying out of the group stages.
With a backline featuring some modern day greats such as Jamie Roberts, George North, Leigh Halfpenny and prolific try scorer Rhys Webb; partnered with the great mind of Warren Gatland and finally topped off with some brute force in the form of Toby Faletau, Sam Warburton and Richard Hibbard, one cannot help but worry for the other nations of Pool A.

After falling short to overcome the Australians in their November test and more recently England in the 6 Nations opener, the men of the Valleys will look to redeem themselves from their poor form by swapping the sun beds for the training field as September approaches and look to qualify out of the pool at either England or Australia’s expense.

Japan, Pool B

The modern game of Rugby Union is dominated by the scrum. Love or hate it, it holds an integral part to the game. Without a doubt, having a dominant scrum will usually mean you have a dominant team and if there was ever a team to take this fully into account it has to be Japan. In this video it shows how the Cherry Blossoms, hosts of the 2019 World Cup, have gone all out Sumo thanks to the introduction of scrum coach (former France hooker) Marc dal Maso who has brought about this colossal transformation from 2012 to 2013, with some really strange coaching techniques but hey, we’re not questioning it when it yields these kind of results. This will give their upcoming pool opponents (South Africa, Samoa, Scotland and USA) something to think, and worry about.

Japan (a nation with the fourth largest population of rugby union players in the world) are not only a threat in the pack but also feature some serious talent from 9-15. For example Scrum half Fumiaki Tanaka has turned heads in Super rugby and in turn has been called up to rugby’s infamous star studded team, The Barbarians.

Yoshikazu Fujita, now signed for The Crusaders is another player to watch out for and at the mere age of 21, this winger shows some hope for the future of Japanese rugby.
Having competed in all 6 Rugby World Cups, the Blossoms have only ever won a single game (versus Zimbabwe in 1991) however Japan will be looking to end this drought and could impose a massive threat in this year’s RWC. We back them to be serious contenders this year and just continue to grow over the coming years.

Georgia, Pool C

As they blitz their way through the European Nations Cup, the Lelos are constantly turning heads with their relentless attitude and thirst for development. Now standing at 15th in the world rankings (just 1 place shy of Italy) one begins to wonder if their time to join the big boys of Europe is soon approaching so to make that 6 a lucky 7. With a team predominantly playing their club rugby in France (17 of 27) it’s true to say that much of their squad is well used to high standard professional rugby. This experience will come in great use to the Georgians as they look to disrupt the All Blacks, Pumas, Tongans and Namibians in the race to reach the knockout stages.

Backrow Mamuka Gorgodze (aka Gorgodzilla) will definitely be a player to watch out for. Now playing his rugby in Toulon this monster of a man earned 2 Man of the match awards in the 2011 World Cup versus England and Romania and since signing for the infamous French side, his game has surely only just improved. On the other hand his short temper and ill-discipline featured in the video below may just lead to Georgia’s downfall.

Canada, Pool D

The land of big men and bigger beards… Having competed in every RWC since its inception in 1987, the lumberjacks are well aware of the challenge that is at hand. Now with a bigger budget and backroom staff, the Maple Leafs have made such a vast improvement that their ranking of mere 18th in the world does not reflect on the threat that they (and their beards) bring to the rugby pitch. Aided by their new centre of excellence, Canada Rugby have been able to hone in on their players in more detail and will definitely bring a well-rehearsed and organised style of play with them to England come September.

With players making appearances in Europe such as Tyler Ardron (c) (Ospreys), Jebb Sinclair (London Irish), Jamie Cudmore (Clermont) and Connor Braid (Glasgow Warriors), among others. This Canadian side are showing the world of rugby that they are not just aboot (sorry, not sorry) good manners, cutting trees down, flannel shirts and ice hockey but are churning out some fine rugby players which could cause some havoc for their rivals: Ireland, France, Italy and Romania.

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Games To Watch:

Chiefs vs Crusaders:

After their sluggish start with a home loss to the Rebels, the Crusaders were able to bounce back and gain a victory over the Highlanders. They will be wanting to keep up the momentum, however this will not be easy against a Chiefs team that has won both of their games so far. Both teams have named powerful packs, and there are some really great matchups, like Ben (swallowed the left side of the buffet) Tameifuna and Wyatt Crockett. The battle of the back rows should be interesting, as the Crusaders will call upon the services of Richie McCaw and Matt Todd to do what they do best at the breakdown, while the Chiefs will doubtless be looking for Sam Cane and Liam Messam to inject a bit of pace as well. Out wide, Sonny Bill Williams returns to the starting XV and he will be facing off with Ryan Crotty, who will be looking to prove a point to the All Black selectors. James Lowe will have his hands full containing the power and pace of Robbie Fruean. These are two sides that are consistently competing at the highest level, and this should be a really close finish, but the Chiefs seem to just have the edge.

Prediction: Chiefs 27- Crusaders 24

Bulls vs Sharks:

If you are a forward and want to watch a true forwards game, this is the match
for you. These are two immensely physical sides that will never back down from each other. The battle in the scrum should be as immense as those taking part in it. Trevor Nyakane and Adriaan Strauss will be wanting to prove their worth against the Du Plessis brothers, as their battle for a starting spot for the national team continues. The Sharks will also have to contend with Victor Matfield, who, despite his age, remains one of the worlds best lineout jumpers. In the backrow, the immense physicality of Marcell Coetzee, and the athleticism of Ryan Kankowski, will give Pierre Spies and his teammates a bit of a headache, but no one is more suited to handle it than the Springbok Number 8. Young Handre Pollard and Patrick Lambie will respark their rivalry for the South African flyhalf spot, although it must be said that Pollard does seem to have some more weapons at his disposal. Andre Esterhuizen and Waylon Murray will have a lot of work to do to keep Jan Serfontein and JJ Engelbrecht under control. Francois Hougaard and Jesse Kriel have real pace on the outside, but so does Odwa Ndungane, setting up what should be a great battle in all parts of the game. In an game that is as physical as this whichever team can get the upper hand in the tight phases will probably take the victory, however, we all know what Pollard and Lambie are capable of, and they could turn this slugfest into a track meet.

Prediction: Sharks 17- Bulls 12

Brumbies vs Rebels:

A lot of people will be wondering if this match should really be included in
the must see matches of the weekend, and they have a fair point. On paper this match will be a one sided affair but, the Rebels proved that they were not the Rebels of old when they went down to Christchurch and beat the Crusaders, and even though they were beaten by the Waratahs last week, there is a sense that this team is not going to lie down and take a beating. The Brumbies do have a clear advantage in the front row, and it is great to see Stephen Moore back on the pitch. The Brumbies use of Rory Arnold, aka shorty, will give them a major advantage in the lineout. The Rebels will have an advantage in the back row however, with Sean McMahon and Scott Higginbotham. These two dynamic and powerful loose forwards could create havoc for the Brumbies. Matt Toomua and Tevita Kuridrani have been in great form, and the Rebels will find them very hard to stop once they start to go forward. Henry Speight and Joe Tomane offer plenty of pace and power and should give the Rebels a lot of headaches in defence. I have no doubt that the Rebels are more than capable of beating the Brumbies in the pack, but, their lack of world class talent outside means that they will really struggle against one of the best backlines in the competition.

Prediction: Brumbies 35- Rebels 21

Players to Watch:

Sonny Bill Williams:

That other league convert, only played one game so far this season, but he
looked really good, setting up a couple of tries in his teams victory over the Blues. Williams will be tested this week by Ryan Crotty, but his superb athleticism may see him through, and his side through as well.

Sean McMahon:

Despite his youth, he plays a remarkably important role in the Rebels set up,
and he is set to be one of the Wallaby greats for the future. Made some massive hits against the Crusaders, and he compliments Scott Higginbotham really well. Will be crucial if the Rebels want to be competitive against the Brumbies.

Aaron Cruden:

Didn’t really have a great 2014. Showed poor form at times, kicking was
inconsistent, and channeled his inner Mike Phillips, by missing a team flight after a late night out. His matchup against Colin Slade is going to be important if he is to hold onto his 10 shirt, especially with young Damian McKenzie breathing down his neck, look for him to try to keep up the momentum and make 2015 a much better year.

Handre Pollard:

The young South African flyhalf is the key to the Bulls long term plans. He
carried the team when they took on the Hurricanes, and largely outshone the ever impressive Beauden Barrett, and while he struggled against the Stormers, you can expect him to bounce back this week.

Will Genia:

When on form, you’d be hard pressed to find a more dangerous scrumhalf than the
little general. Last year, Genia led the Reds to a hard fought victory over the Highlanders in a classic match. If the Reds are to stop the run of poor play, then Genia will need to help them find gaps in the defense, something he can do very well.

How do you think your team will do?

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ex British & Irish Lions, Wales and Cardiff Blues prop Adam Jones shows us how powerful he actually is!

In Rugby tonight, he took on the machine known as ‘The Beast’ and set a new record. Standard really for Mr. Jones.

Just look at how much power he generates alone on the initial engage… I wouldn’t like to go against him!

Looks like he needs to go on a jog or two though!

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Don’t worry, you’re not going partially blind and hallucinating; what you’re seeing in this video actually happened.

MishMash Management, in conduction with 02 Touch, a London based Creative Dance and Entertainment Agency, produced this video showcasing the considerable talents of their dancers, all with a Rugby ball thrown in.

We haven’t seen moves like this since Shane Williams’ heyday.

Youtube Credit: MishMashManagement

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Bears Managing Director and Head Coach, Alan Robinson and Tom Tsang, with Bradford bulls Managing Director and Head Coach,Steve Ferres and James Lowes

BRADFORD BULLS are delighted to announce the launch of a partnership with the UK’s newest professional side Coventry Bears.

The agreement will allow members of James Lowes’ squad to appear for the Kingstone Press League One outfit throughout the course of 2015 via dual-registration.

And the two clubs are to work together on a commercial basis, with Bulls officials aiding the Midlands outfit’s development following their arrival in rugby league’s professional ranks.

Founded in 1998, the Bears, who play out of Butts Park Arena, were crowned RLC Western Division champions in 2000 and have since gone on to claim a host of other awards.

Coventry were granted permission to join the National Conference League two years ago and last summer were told they would be competing in the sport’s third tier in 2015.

Bulls managing director Steve Ferres said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the Bears for the coming season.

“These are exciting times for both clubs and we want to help Coventry adapt to  life outside of the community  game.

“The club has been working extremely hard during the past two seasons, both commercially and in terms of recruitment, and we will aid that in any way we can.

“They will have access to some of our players, which will prove mutually beneficial, and we look forward to seeing how the partnership develops.”

“It has been fantastic for us to strike up a relationship with the Bulls, a club I have admired for many years,” added Ferres’ Bears opposite Alan Robinson.

“I have begun to develop a great relationship with both Steve Ferres and Marc Green off the field while Tom Tsang, our head coach, has been working with James Lowes on it.

“There is already great synergy between our clubs. This is not only a dual-registration partnership but a business one also.

“We hope to take every opportunity to grow and build our club alongside the Bulls.

“This is a new era for rugby league and I feel this sort of opportunity is a milestone in our club’s development in the sport.”

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Coventry Bears launch exciting online partnership with The Rugby Banter Page.

The Rugby Banter Page are pleased to announce a new exclusive partnership with The Coventry Bears Rugby League ahead of the clubs debut in the Kingstone Press League One.

The Rugby Banter Page will become the clubs’ marketing partner and the first major partnership for the Bears since they entered the professional ranks just two divisions below the First Utility Super League.

With a following of over 270,000 on Facebook, The Rugby Banter Page has a monthly reach of over 2,500,000 making it an ideal partner to work with to grow the clubs online reach and expose the Bears brand to new supporters and business partners.

As part of the deal the Rugby Banter Page will be featured on back of the clubs home and away kits for the 2015 season.

Speaking on the announcement Coventry Bears Managing Director Alan Robinson remarked “This is a great start to the new year for the club. We are proud to have the Rugby Banter Page on board as a partner for such a big season for the club. We hope that this will be the first of a number of partnerships which will help the club progress.”

“They are the ideal partner for a new professional club such as us to seek new business and sponsorship partners while growing our own fan base.”

Rugby Banter Page General Manager Paul Bolger added “The Rugby Banter Page are delighted to become partners of the Coventry Bears for their debut in the new Kingstone Press League One division. We are happy to be a part of this new journey for the club and we look forward to working on helping the Bears Prosper in 2015”.

Robinson continued “We are still currently seeking a main sponsor for the Bears and hope to utilize Rugby Banters huge online reach to help us find a forward thinking business to join us and benefit from this relationship. We have a lot to offer being the only professional Rugby League club in the Midlands of the UK bridging the Rugby League gap between the north and south of the country.”

The Bears will kick off their League One campaign with a home fixture on Good Friday (3^rd April) against Oxford Rugby League.

However, before then the team will face a Home pre-season friendly with Hemel Stags on February 14th at Butts Park Arena followed by a League One Cup first round away tie against Oldham Roughyeds.

RBP will be posting monthly updates on the bears, keeping you up to date with all their latest results and upcoming fixtures.

For more general information on the Bears please visit: www.coventrybears.com

Any business interested in exploring a partnership or sponsorship with Coventry Bears can contact us through the commercial section of our website.

 GO GIVE THEM A LIKE ON FACEBOOK! (click here) 

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Number 18- Brian O’Driscoll celebrates in his final Irish appearance as a 6 Nations winner

Number 17-  Fans get creative with their fancy dress at the NZ7s

Number 16-  Spectacular scenes from the Millennium Stadium for Wales’ 6 Nations opener.

Number 15- A brilliant action shot from the Leinster Senior Cup in awul conditions 

Number 14- Beer & Rugby in harmony

Number 13- The answer behind Germany’s success at this years World Cup in Brazil?

Number 12- Brad Barritt shows no sign of pain after bruising performance against the Wallabies

Number 11-  Two legends meet each other for the final time

Number 10- The Kiwis celebrate winning the Hong Kong 7s by performing the haka in the rain.

Number 9- Bryan Habana & Toulon continue the selfie trend 

Number 8 – Sam Burgess takes no prisoners with his first carry in his Bath debut

Number 7 – Ireland celebrate an unbeaten November Series after beating Australia 

Number 6 – Samoa & England link arms on the Twickenham pitch after a physical game

Number 5 – The Honey Badger & Alastair Cook enjoy a can after the Babas & Leicester game

Number 4 – Sonny Bill makes his return to union in the ITM Cup

Number 3 – South Africa end the All Blacks unbeaten run in thriller

Number 2- We say goodbye to one of the legends of the game

Number 1 – And to another…

A special late edition from a fan, great suggesion

Let us know which was your favourite or feel free to send in ones to our Facebook or Twitter!

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Old Belvedere RFC player Daniel Riordan pictured in Action for the last Ireland 7’s team in 2009. (Paul Seiser/ www.inpho.ie)

The IRFU today launched an open invitation to all male athletes, no matter which sport they currently participate in, to come and try Rugby sevens. There will be 4 Talent Identifaction Days (TIDs) to be held in locations around Ireland in January 2015.

At the moment, Ireland only have a womens’ sevens’ team, which is helping grow the sport of rugby domestically in Ireland and giving women of all ages a chance to represent the green jersey.

The Talent Identification Days will only test the speed, power and endurance of players, to see whether they have the physical characteristics to become an elite level Sevens player.

The IRFU hope to see the best rugby club talent available as well as attracting athletes with transferable skills from other team sports such as athletics, basketball, hockey and Gaelic Games.

In October, IRFU Performance Director David Nucifora announced the Men’s Sevens Programmeand confirmed that the IRFU have entered a team in the Men’s Rugby Europe Championship which takes place in June 2015, competing in Division C.

Launching the TID process, Nucifora commented: “We are looking for sporting X-factor and to ensure we leave no stone unturned we are not limiting our search to those already playing club rugby.

“Rugby Sevens is a game that rewards explosive and agile athletes with good handling skills from any sporting background.

“Our initial TID will be aimed at putting players through a battery of physical tests to see whether they have the physiological characteristics we require.

“The best athletes will be selected to then attend a sevens trial day from which an eventual squad of 20 players will be selected to prepare for the European Championships in June 2015.”

Those interested in attending the Talent Identification Days can sign up at www.irishrugby.ie/sevens.

Closing date for applications is Friday, December 19.

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Ahead of Ireland’s first ever u19 game, we caught up with the Captain Matt Connolly.

Matt is one of the most experienced players in the club, having played with Ashbourne Stags, Athboy Longhorns, and the Republic of Ireland State of Origin and Ireland Student teams.

Connolly has had a lot of success in Rugby league this year so far, winning the RLI 9’s tournament with Athboy Longhorns and then going on to win the inaugural State of Origin Series with ROI.

This u19 team is made up of fully domestic players, comprised from schools and clubs players.

-Hi Matt, How has the training been going?

Training has been going great it has been very tough but we are pulling together as a team and gelling nicely.

 
-What’s the mood in the camp like?

We all have started to get a buzz going about us coming closer to the match, the lads are bonding well. everyone is excited to get stuck in.

 
-How did you feel when Conor Kelly gave you the nod to be captain?

It was on my birthday, I was out having dinner when Conor rang, I was very surprised and honoured to be chosen. Who could ask for a better birthday present.

 
-How did you get into Rugby League?

I was asked to play for Ashbourne stags by Steve Szpara, and it all went up from there.

-Are you excited for the two games?

Personally I am really excited to lead out the lads. It will be a very proud moment for me and my family. How do you think We’ll get on?Both games will be really physical but I think with our fitness and the strong amount of effort during training we have the skills and raw physicality to win both games.What do you think will be the biggest challenge for us against the two teams? Definitely just to keep our focus, not to over complicate anything and to play our game not theirs.

 
-What’s been the highlight of your rugby league career up to date (apart from the captaincy)?

Winning the state of origin with the Republic of Ireland eagles and winning the rli 9’s with Athboy longhorns.

FAST FIRE ROUND! 

1. Morning, noon or night? 

Night

 
2. How do you like your steak? 

Medium rare

 
3. What was the last film you saw? 

Annabelle 

 
4. What’s your favorite place to watch TV? 

My bedroom

5. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? 

Australia 

 
6. What did you eat for breakfast? 

Four weetabix 

7. What is your favorite cuisine? 

Italian 

8. What kind of car do you drive? 

Peugeot 206

9. What are your favorite clothes? 

Rugby league Ireland gear 

10. Where would you visit if you had the chance? 

New Zealand 

11. Weapon of choice? 

M4A1 carbine

12. Favourite colour ?

Blue
13. Where would you want to retire?

Fiji

14. Gold or Silver? 

Silver

15. Where were you born? 

Dublin

16. What is your favorite sport to watch? 

Rugby league

17. Who do you think will not tag you back? 

Jake wall the lads not on Facebook 

18. Do you have any pets? 

A dog (Caesar)
19. Hard or soft?  

Hard 

20. Sub or dom? 

Sub

21. Are you a morning or a night person? 

Night

Ireland Under 19 Squad:

Adam Anderson (Belfast Metropolitan College)

Adam Brodigan (St. Joseph’s CBS, Drogheda)

Adam Carberry (Gormanston College)

Cathal Downey (St. Joseph’s CBS, Drogheda)

Cathal Duffy (St. Joseph’s CBS, Drogheda)

Cian Harrington (Gormanston College)

Conor Redmond (St. Mary’s Diocesan School, Drogheda)

Craig Black (Moyle Park College / West Dublin Bears RLFC)

Darren Madden (Tallaght Community College / West Dublin Bears RLFC)

Daryl Hand (Belfast Metropolitan College)

Emmet Banahan (Gormanston College)

Jake Wall (Athboy Longhorns RLFC)

Johnny Dunlop (Belfast Metropolitan College)

Johnny Mooney (Belfast Metropolitan College)

Mark Bishop (Belfast Metropolitan College)

Matt Connolly (Athboy Longhorns RLFC)

Paul Bolger (St. Mac Dara’s Community College / Dublin City Exiles)

Ryan Healy (St. Mary’s Diocesan School, Drogheda)

Sean Hayes (Gormanston College)

Ty Mackness (Belfast Metropolitan College)

The Ireland u19 team will take on Scotland u19 at 12pm on Saturday (25th October) in Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. 

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