Under the Posts – 13-19 begins with good news (it’s coming more frequent now it seems!). The rugby schedule at the 2021 Olympics has been released, Ireland has announced their club competitions will begin in January 2021, New Zealand announced the draw for the Farah Palmer Cup, we have five player features, five media items and three #RugbyJobs this week.
Weekly Women’s Rugby News
The big news of the week is that we know the 2021 Olympic Rugby schedule, the women will play following the men on July 29-31. We’re still waiting for news on the remaining qualifications for two more women’s teams but they say planning is in progress.
We also received news about Ireland’s club competitions, set to resume in January 2021. New Zealand has also announced the draw of the Farah Palmer Cup with matches starting on August 21.
Player Features
This week we’ve got six player features, it starts with Munster’s Siobhan Fleming who recently announced her retirement, Shale Shark’s Nicola Howat is staying in shape on the family farm, Uruguay captain María Eugenia Cruces and Chile’s Francisco Urroz speak to World Rugby about their experiences on the frontline, Ireland’s Beibhinn Parsons reflects on her call-up to the National team, and Fiji’s Lailanie Burnes discusses her development as a coach and what it would mean to play in her first Rugby World Cup in New Zealand next year.
Media
Between the Lines brings a deep look into ‘The Class of ’91”, Squidge Rugby documents who Roy Francis was, Rugby Hive releases their first podcast with Danielle Waterman, Women’s Rugby Pod has a mini pod with Shona Powell-Hughes, and Vickii Cornborough reflects on her first England caps.
#RugbyJobs
Railway Union seeks a Technical Skills Development Coach, the Buccaneers and Ballincollig seek Head Coaches for their respective sides.
Join Us
Can’t wait a week? Join us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram as we will be posting daily. We have a bit more dialogue on Twitter if you’d like to join in.
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1284171147354021893
We’re starting to see more information coming out about International events and we finally have the reschedule for the 2020 Olympics. The opening ceremonies for the games will be July 23, 2021 and rugby will take place for the men July 26-28 and the women’s competition following on July 29-31.
The race to Tokyo Olympic qualification is almost complete with 21 of the 24 teams having already secured their tickets to Tokyo. The remaining two women’s and one men’s places will be decided at an Olympic Repechage event prior to the qualification deadline.
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1282676185496006657
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1283808728500887553
Ireland club competitions will begin again in January 2021 with friendlies and socials taking place during this fall.
There is also hope that the remaining Six Nations matches will be rescheduled for their International side. If matches are rescheduled, it will more than likely be in October.
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1283144329700179971
Rugby Ausralia has received additional funding from the Australia INstitue of Sport. The women received $1.4million while the men received $800k.
“The additional grants of $1.4m to the Australian women, the defending Olympic champions, and $800,000 to the men — who were placed fourth on the rankings when the World Series was abandoned this year — will allow Rugby Australia to resurrect preparations for next year’s Olympics that looked to have been jettisoned when the pandemic hit.”
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1283914446121963521
We knew the Farah Palmer Cup was starting in August but now we know the schedule and participating teams. Matches start on August 21 and culminate in semi-finals on October 9-11 and finals on October 16-18.
The format is two pools split geographically with Northland, North Harbour, Auckland, Counties Manukau, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Taranaki making up the seven-team North pool.
The South pool includes Manawatu, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Tasman and Otago joining reigning champions Canterbury.
At least 16 matches are set to be broadcast live on Sky Sports during round robin and a weekly highlights show will make sure fans can be across all the best action.
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1282721570323079177
Hawaii made a big splash last week with their announcement by Club Co-Founder and CEO Tracy Atiga that they would be entering a team in America’s Major League Rugby.
This would be the first ever Māori and Polynesian owned and operated professional rugby club. Not to mention the first female CEO of a MLR franchise…
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1284231482815520773
Speaking of firsts, Scrum Queens has a great article on the individuals that started formation of the modern game.
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1283401036988911617
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1284593877136048130
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1283763329178251264
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1284639219206500353
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1284895867716198404
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1282827193136095232
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1284533433490964481
https://twitter.com/rugbyhive/status/1282800681439703045
We won’t stop bringing these little gems- mini pods.All time XV by the brilliant @shonapowell08 reveals who makes her side! @rachtaylor13 gets the C armband! https://t.co/k6XMrAwGGC pic.twitter.com/7zUE1roa2G
— Women’s Rugby Pod (@podwomensrugby) July 16, 2020
https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/status/1283746409653710850
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1283869061689024512
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1284125778951712769
https://twitter.com/yscrugby/status/1284488118075359233
