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Irish Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Matt Williams: Irish rugby should value the URC above the faltering Champions Cup
It is no crash that if we charted the rise of the Irish national team alongside the introduction of our indigenous provincial club competition, the two lines would almost overlap. In the amateur era, the AIL club competition was dominant in Ireland, with the provincial teams playing only a handful of representative games. This structure placed Irish rugby and the national team in an extraordinarily weak position during Ireland's transition to professionalism in the late 1990s. While I am a great supporter of our AIL clubs and believe that today, they are our rugby community's lifeblood, in the late 1990s the AIL structure spread Ireland's elite playing talent far too thinly across the many clubs. READ MORE It was the introduction of the original multinational provincial competition in 2001, titled the Celtic League, that created a meaningful season-long playing programme for our provincial teams, which triggered the sudden rise of Irish rugby. For over a century, South African provinces competed for the Curry Cup. Since 1904, the New Zealand provinces had fought over the Ranfurly Shield, which eventually evolved into their National Provincial Championship competition. In France, winning the Bouclier de Brennus in the French championship has always been regarded as the pinnacle of their sport. While in Australia, before the formation of the Brumbies in 1996, the contests between Queensland and New South Wales not only spilled a lot of blood but produced the Wallaby players who won the 1984 Grand Slam and the 1991 World Cup. When I arrived in Ireland 25 years ago, Irish rugby desperately required a meaningful, season long, provincial competition and the Celtic League delivered that. Today's United Rugby Championship is the grandchild of the Celtic League. Since its conception, it has morphed into a unique rugby polyglot competition containing an extraordinarily diverse array of teams from Italy, South Africa and the three Celtic nations. Extraordinarily, the URC spans both hemispheres. So it is being played simultaneously in summer and winter. In the same round, games can be played in the heat of a southern summer, at altitude on the South African Highveld, with another game being played on a cool crisp evening in Milan, or a contest under a torrential lashing from an Atlantic gale in Galway. Munster's Jean Kleyn training in Durban. Photograph: Steve Haag/Inpho Supporters who journey to follow their team could be sipping magnificent wine from the Constantia Valley while enjoying the culinary wonders of a South African Braai. Or perhaps sampling the delights of a local restaurateur's Italian Nonas recipe from northern Italy. Or the gastronomic joys that can be found along Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way or in the mist of the Scottish Highlands. So, with all of these unique points of difference, why does the Irish rugby community not hold the URC in far more prestige? Many in Ireland are clinging to the memories of an era that has now passed, wrongly obsessed with the bisected remains of the once great Heineken Cup. Today's Champions Cup is a competition that has been designed by British and French administrators to limit the possibility of Irish provincial teams' success. In creating the Round of 16, the Champions Cup has failed to ensure the most basic of sporting competition principles, that teams actually need to win games before they make the playoffs of the competition. After a rigorous 18 rounds of hard fought, high-quality home and away fixtures in the URC, the rigorous competition has required the Scarlets, who are the lowest qualifying team for the quarter-finals, to accumulate 48 competition points, made up of nine wins, a draw and 10 bonus points. The lowest qualifier in the URC is required to have a winning record of 50 per cent across an arduous 18 games. The Champions Cup provided Ulster with a place in the Round of 16 with a winning record of one win in four games. A 25 per cent gets you into a Champions Cup playoff. What a joke. The URC has created a competition structure of the highest quality, which has empowered Irish provinces with the opportunities to select the next generation of players like Jack Crowley and Sam Prendergast. While at the same time it has enabled our great players such as Peter O'Mahony, Jonny Sexton and Conor Murray to prolong their careers. They would not have enjoyed the longevity of playing for Ireland into their mid-thirties if their careers had been spent under the heel of owners in the Top 14 or the English Premiership. A general view of the URC trophy in Pretoria. Photograph: Steve Haag/Inpho There is no doubt that the addition of the South African teams has created logistical difficulties. Last week, Munster played at home. This week they are in Cape Town. Next week, they could remain in South Africa or be back in the north. That is problematic for all involved. However, the inclusion of the South African teams has lifted the standard of play inside the URC by a considerable margin. The quality of rugby that has been played across this season in the URC has been exceptionally high. In today's URC, winning away from home against Benneton, Glasgow or in Pretoria or Llanelli is exceptionally difficult. There is also no doubt that the defection of the South African teams to the URC has significantly weakened the standard of the Super Rugby competition. The South Africans would be welcomed back to the south in a Super Rugby heartbeat. Here we should take a leaf out of French rugby's play book. To the French, the Top 14 remains their pinnacle. Several French players have told me they regard winning the Top 14 above winning the World Cup. Even as Bordeaux are still celebrating their Champions Cup success, those players will tell you that trophy remains a significant step below the Bouclier de Brennus. Irish rugby needs to respect, nurture and value the URC above all else because it is the fuel that is powering rugby across the island.
The Sun
15-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Cornal Hendricks dead at 37: Rugby star dies ‘after heart attack' as heartbroken team remember ‘infectious smile'
RUGBY star Cornal Hendricks has died aged just 37. The South African played 12 times for the Springboks between 2014 and 2015. But South Africa Rugby confirmed the sad news on Thursday morning that he tragically passed away after a suspected heart attack. Hendricks was remembered as a "remarkable athlete" who always played ruby with a "smile on his face". President of SA Rugby Mark Alexander said: "We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Cornal Hendricks, a remarkable athlete who represented his country in sevens and fifteen-man rugby with distinction. 'Cornal was one of those players who loved the game and he worked extremely hard, but he always did so with a smile on his face, treating all people with respect. "His energy and love of life, on and off the field, lifted his team-mates and those around him. 'His contributions to the sport and his unwavering dedication will always be remembered. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife Stephaney and their children, his family, friends, and teammates during this difficult time. "May his legacy continue to inspire future generations.' THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
The National
14-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
Breaking barriers: Zainab Alema's journey to Premiership Rugby
Zainab Alema, a British-Ghanaian Muslim, made history as the first hijab-wearing woman to play in Premiership Rugby
Irish Times
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Terenure College name former All Black Carlos Spencer as new head coach
In what is the most stunning, high profile coaching appointment in the history of the All-Ireland League , Carlos Spencer has agreed to become the next head coach of Terenure College . The Irish Times has learned that the legendary 49-year-old former All Blacks outhalf has signed a three-year deal with the 2023 champions and will move over to Dublin in August. A statement by the club has confirmed the appointment of Spencer, who commented: 'Terenure is a club with a proud history, passionate supporters and a strong sense of community. I feel very lucky and honoured to now be a part of that.' Terenure also announced that the vastly experienced Paul Barr will be taking on the role of the club's performance director, working closely with the highly regarded and long-standing director of rugby Ian 'Moggy' Morgan. READ MORE The statement added: 'Carlos was the outstanding candidate following our recruitment process. We believe this is an ambitious and exciting appointment for our Club, the All-Ireland League and Irish Rugby. 'Carlos will be welcomed warmly into the Terenure Community and everyone involved with our Club is extremely excited to begin working with him, especially the players. 'We are confident that Carlos will bring with him an incredible wealth of knowledge, experience and skill from his professional playing & coaching career and we are looking forward to the journey ahead' In a nomadic and maverick career as a gifted, creative and running outhalf, Spencer played 44 Tests for the All Blacks and remains in their list of top ten all-time points scorers with 383 points. He also played 10 matches for the New Zealand Maoris, and no team was closer to his heart, as well as 89 games for Auckland and 99 Super Rugby games for the Auckland Bus (620 points). He also spent four years with Northampton and one with Gloucester before finishing his playing career with the Lions in South Africa. Spencer has coached in South Africa, the US and the Hurricanes in Wellington, and most recently was an assistant/backs coach with the Auckland Blues women's side. Two years ago he said: 'When I was playing, I always liked to bring a bit of innovation and 'out-of-the-box' thinking to the table. Now, as a coach, I want to encourage and help grow those same traits in our Blues wahine.'
RNZ News
08-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Fiji sevens player Josaia Raisuqe dies in crash in France
Silver medallists Fiji applaud on the podium after losing to France in the men's sevens final at the Paris Olympics. 27July 2024. Photo: Photosport Fiji rugby international Josaia Raisuqe has died after an accident in France where he played for Top 14 side Castres, local media reports said. His car was struck by a train at a level crossing near Castres' training centre in southern France, the media reports said. Raisuqe, 30, a wing, was a member of the Fijian sevens side that won silver at last year's Paris Olympics. He had joined Castres in 2021. Fellow Top 14 side Toulouse said they were shocked to learn of Raisuqe's death. "The entire club would like to express their support and sincerest condolences to his family and friends, as well as to his club Castres Olympique," Toulouse posted on X. Saturday's Top 14 match between Castres and Clermont Auvergne may be postponed, media reports said. - Reuters
