Rugby Here and There | Feb 5, 2008

It is Super Tuesday! I have been visiting CNN, MSNBC and FOX all morning in anticipation of the results that will be posted tonight. This race is one of the most exciting events in my short life! The candidate that comes out of this war will be in for a challenge to say the least!

Not a political post today I promise, in fact here is some Rugby Here & There:

• Scrummaging clinic at James Madison University

The MARFU U23 Head Coach, Lisa Rosen, will be conducting a scrummaging clinic on Sunday, Feb 10th at James Madison University. Registration will be at 9:45 AM; the clinic will start at 10 AM and go until 2 PM. This clinic will be open to all female U23 and U19 players.

This scrummaging clinic will cover a variety of areas – core strength, balance, agility and strength for scrummaging, specific roles of the 8, 2, and flankers, pre-engagement setup, engagement and post engagement techniques, application of pressure, and secondary drive. Groups that advance quickly will have an opportunity to work on wheeling and channeling techniques. Coaches and player-coaches are strongly encouraged to attend.

The methods and the communication system introduced is the same that will be used with the MARFU U23 side, so players with those aspirations (1-8) will benefit tremendously from attendance.

Players are asked to donate $5 each to cover the cost of travel/equipment – if this is an issue please contact Lisa directly. If a team brings their entire pack and numbers permit, we will be happy to train you as a unit.

Assisting Lisa will be several USA Women’s National Team pool players and MARFU Senior Select Side players, all fully trained in the techniques we will be teaching you.

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Roshna Wunderlich wunderre@jmu.edu or Lisa Rosen – coachingrugby@gmail.com. Coaches with questions, please contact Lisa directly.

• AWESOME Rugby Photos by Jim CayerFound these via my Google Alerts. Make sure to check them out!
• Rugby News From Setanta SportsSetanta Sports Inc and USA Rugby announced the renewal of their official partnership. Under the terms of the agreement Setanta will continue as a sponsor of the USA Eagles men’s national team with both parties contributing to a range of activities and initiatives in support of the rapid growth of rugby across the country. In 2008 Setanta will broadcast all home appearances by the US Eagles men’s national 15 and 7-a-side teams.

  In the more immediate future Setanta also announced that they will be the exclusive live US broadcaster of the forthcoming San Diego leg of the IRB World 7s series. The 7s tournament, which is anticipating a record attendance, will take place in Petco Park, San Diego on the 9th and 10th of February.

  Setanta will serve as the broadcaster of the 2008 Churchill Cup which will be played in USA & Canada between June 7th & 21st and features national teams of USA, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland and Argentina.

  Setanta will be the broadcaster and sponsor of the Setanta Challenge series to be played in August, featuring the US Eagles and two of Europe’s top professional teams.

• Jonny Wilkinson – I will be the animal I always amOk, if you don’t follow Rugby – then Jonny Wilkinson (Celebrity Rugby Player) may be NEW to you – but if you live in the UK and in particular England and have any interest in Rugby you will enjoy this video.

  I just love the way that Jonny says “I will be the animal I always am” – not many sports stars get to say that!

  Exclusive footage of Jonny Wilkinson from behind the scenes at a recent photoshoot. The British rugby hero speaks out about the squad’s surprisingly successful World Cup campaign last year and how England can build on these performances for the 2008 6 Nations tournament.

• Rugby Imports Valentine’s Day Gift Packs for WomenWomen’s Gift Pack I
  Includes periwinkle Women’s Rugby long-sleeve t-shirt, sky/navy Women’s Rugby Cap, gold Rugby Ball Necklace, bumper sticker “A Woman’s Place is in the Maul”, and Comfort Sling Bag. Our Price: $ 25

  Women’s Gift Pack II
  Includes Comfort Rugby Ball Pillowcase, white/scarlet Ruck Me? Ruck You! short-sleeve t-shirt, pink RWC Sandwich Cap, RWC stress ball, bumper sticker “A Woman’s Place is in the Maul”, and Comfort Sling Bag. Our Price: $ 50

  Women’s Gift Pack III
  Includes Comfort Fleece Blanket, Comfort Pillowcase, white Happiness is a Good Ruck Women’s short-sleeve t-shirt, pink RWC Sandwich Cap, RWC stress ball, bumper sticker “A Woman’s Place is in the Maul”, and Comfort Sling Bag. Our Price: $ 75

  **I just thought this was really cute, they also have gift packs for Men too!

   

• USA Rugby, National Guard Announces the 300 Collegiate Teams Awarded Free Kit 

  Albright College PA 3
  Allegheny College PA 2
  American University Wash DC 1
  Ashland University OH 3
  Ball State University IN 2
  Bates University ME 2
  Bentley College MA 3
  Bloomsburg University PA 2
  Boston College MA 2
  Bowdoin College ME 2
  Bryn-Mawr College PA 3
  Clemson University SC 1
  Colby-Sawyer College NH 3
  College of Charleston SC 2
  Cornell University NY 1
  Drew University NJ 3
  Franklin & Marshall College PA 2
  George Washington University MD 2
  Gettysburg College PA 4
  Grove City College PA 3
  Gustavus Adolphus College MN 2
  Indiana University IN 1
  James Madison University VA 1
  Lafayette College PA 2
  Lebanon Valley College PA 2
  Lehigh University PA 2
  Lock Haven University PA 2
  Michigan State University MI 2
  Middle TN State TN 2
  Middlebury College VT 2
  Millersville University PA 2
  Muhlenberg College PA 3
  New Mexico State University NM 1
  Northeastern University MA 2
  Norwich University VT 2
  Ohio State University OH 1
  Saint Michael’s College VT 3
  Shippensburg University PA 2
  SUNY Brockport NY 2
  SUNY Geneseo NY 2
  Swarthmore College PA 2
  Syracuse University NY 1
  Texas A&M University TX 1
  Texas State University TX 2
  Texas Tech University TX 2
  The Citadel SC 2
  The College of New Jersey NJ 2
  Tufts University MA 2
  University of Dayton OH 2
  University of Illinois IL 2
  University of Kentucky KY 2
  University of Mary Washington VA 2
  University of Massachusetts-Amherst MA 2
  University of Minnesota – Duluth MN 2
  University of Pennsylvania PA 2
  University of Rhode Island RI 2
  University of South Carolina SC 2
  University of South Dakota SD 2
  University of Southern Mississippi MS 2
  University of Utah UT 1
  University of Virginia VA 1
  University of Wisconsin – River Falls WI 2
  University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire WI 2
  University of Wisconsin-La Crosse WI 2
  University of Wisconsin-Madison WI 2
  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee WI 2
  University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point WI 2
  University of Wisconsin-Whitewater WI 2
  Ursinus College PA 2
  Utah State University UT 2
  Virgina Tech University VA 1
  Washington
  University in St Louis MO 2
  Wayne State College NE 2
  Western Oregon University OR 2
  Windener University PA 3
  Winona State University MN 2
  Worcester Polytechnical Institute MA 2
  York College of Pennsylvania PA 2Territorial Womens Collegiate All-Star Teams
  Mid Atlantic Sharks
  Midwest Thunderbirds
  Northeast Nessies
  Pacific Coast Grizzlies
  South Panthers
  Southern California Griffins
  West Mustangs

  **85 Kits were given to Women’s Teams, 215 to Men’s teams…

   

• TRU U-23 Women’s Team – Tryouts and 2008 Team50 girls attended the Texas Rugby Union (TRU) U-23 women’s team tryouts on Jan 26th and 27th in Austin, Texas. The weather was sunny and warm as the players from Rice, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Texas State, the University of Texas and the Austin Valkyries competed for the 28 spots on the team. After a grueling weekend of drills and scrimmages on a muddy pitch, the following women were chosen for the 2008 TRU U-23 team:

  Forwards
  Alicia Shingleton (Texas Tech)
  Sierra Smith (At Large)
  Stephanie Dvorak (Texas A&M)
  Rebecca DeMoor (Texas A&M)
  Alex McCarthy (Austin Valkyries)
  Becky Downey (Texas Tech)
  Lauren Hicks (Texas Tech)
  Lauren Sharp (Texas A&M)
  Amy Borchardt (Texas Tech)
  Molly Goldstein (Rice)
  Anneke Brand (Texas Tech)
  MJ Bollinger (UT)
  Rinske Brand (Texas Tech)
  Monika Morales (Texas A&M)
  Megan Hermance (Rice)

  Backs
  Christyn Chapa (Texas Tech)
  Hillary Wells (Texas A&M)
  Lindsey Homan (Texas Tech)
  Mary Mason (UT)
  Penny Yo (Texas Tech)
  Erin Wood (Texas A&M)
  Betsy Bryant (Texas A&M)
  Maddie Morris (Texas Tech)
  Megan Schneider (Rice)
  Ana Aguilar (UT)
  Allison Lee (UT)
  Heather Hill (Texas State)
  Katie Metkus (UT)

  The TRU U-23 women’s team will play a warm-up game against the Austin Valkyries on Sunday Feb 17th and will compete in the LAU U-23 tournament on March 1st and 2nd in Kansas City, MO.