Latest news with #RugbyWorldCup
RTÉ News
6 hours ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Tadhg Beirne and Aoife Dalton recognised at Rugby Player Ireland awards
Tadhg Beirne and Aoife Dalton were the big winners at the Rugby Player Ireland awards, claiming the men's and women's top prizes, respectively. The Munster man beat off competition from Tom Farrell, Jamison Gibson-Park and Ireland captain Caelan Doris, while 22-year-old Dalton was recognised for her eye-catching displays at centre to see off the claims of Dorothy Wall, Amee-Leigh Costigan and Niamh O'Dowd. Beirne, who is set for his second Lions tour this summer, has been a rock of consistency at both provincial and Test level. Unable to collect his award as Munster are in South Africa to take on Sharks in this weekend's BKT URC quarter-final, the 33-year-old said the award was both an honour and unexpected. "It comes as quite a surprise given that Caelan, Tom and Jamison have all had brilliant seasons," he said. "To be chosen by my fellow Rugby Players Ireland members makes this award even more meaningful, and I really appreciate their support and acknowledgement." Dalton scooped the OCC Consulting Women's XVs Players' Player of the Year following a hugely impactful campaign in the Irish midfield across 2024/25 and is likely to be a key figure for the women in green at the Rugby World Cup in England later this year. Having made a try-scoring return to international action following two ACL injuries and the birth of her son Caolán, Eimear Considine - pictured above - announced her retirement during the season. To mark both her Irish sporting legacy and long-standing contribution to mental wellbeing discourse in Ireland, Considine was presented with the Zurich Contribution to Irish Society Award as Tackle Your Feelings kicked off its ten-year anniversary celebrations. Another to make their comeback this season was Dan Sheehan who picked up from where he left off upon his return with a powerful effort against England for which he took home the MSL Mercedes-Benz Ballsbridge Men's XVs Try of the Year. Anna McGann was the winner of the AIB Corporate Banking Women's XVs Try of the Year for finishing off a sweeping team effort against Italy in the Six Nations. Having been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup later this year, Erin King was given a morale boost by her team-mates who voted her as their Energia Women's XVs Young Player of the Year. It follows her World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year last November. Meanwhile, Leinster and Ireland out-half Sam Prendergast was named as the Nevin Spence Men's XVs Young Player of the Year, with previous winner and Connacht captain Cian Prendergast on hand to present the award to his younger brother. Further accolades were presented on the night to Dylan O'Grady who was named as the TritonLake Men's 7s Players' Player of the Year, and Lucinda Kinghan who was named the TritonLake Women's 7s Players' Player of the Year. Ireland's Triple Crown success was named as the Druids Glen Hotel & Golf Resort Moment of the Year with Irish captain Caelan Doris closing out the evening by accepting the award on behalf of his team-mates.
IOL News
16 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Jake White now not so ‘scared to put guys in' as Bulls eye URC title
Devon Williams Fullback Devon Williams has been a stand-out figure on attack and defence for the Bulls this season. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix One could understand the absolutely horrible feeling that was enveloping Bulls coach Jake White following the United Rugby Championship final defeat to Glasgow last year. Some fans and critics may have thought it would just be a case of the Bulls rocking up at Loftus Versfeld to clinch the URC title. But they didn't bank on the fighting spirit of Franco Smith's Glasgow Warriors, who paid tribute to their name by producing a remarkable fight-back from 13-0 down in the first half to claim an epic 21-16 victory. In the immediate aftermath, White said that 'maybe I'm the problem', mentioning that he had lost a few finals before that too. 'I lost a Super Rugby final (against the) Chiefs (when coaching the Brumbies), lost a Rainbow Cup in Benetton, lost two URC finals. So I'll probably have to look at what I have to do as a coach to try and get over the line,' the former Springbok coach said after the 2024 final. Of course, White has won the biggest prize of them all, the 2007 Rugby World Cup, and has had many highs during an illustrious coaching career spanning 40 years. But crunch time has arrived in the URC, and it is all about beating Edinburgh in Saturday's quarter-final at Loftus Versfeld (1.30pm start). 'I still think I'm the problem,' White said this week when asked by the media to reflect on the 2024 final. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'What I meant is, and I say it because I can't blame effort... I mean, I'm going to look at myself as a coach. 'Pep Guardiola went from winning six titles to struggling. And now, what changed? Yes, you can say it's injuries, and is it management of those injuries? 'I look at where we are as a club, and I can't as a coach then distance myself from the fact that it can't be me. 'And there are things that I've done and selection choices I've made or recruitment choices I've made or that I need to have learned from, either work or don't work. 'And maybe the calls I made... And that's why I said what I said after those finals, am I missing something? As a coach, you have to grow as well.' White added that what makes life even more difficult is that they don't have a detailed analysis of whether their plans have worked or not – outside of looking at the final results. 'There's analysis, amazing thing. I can give you analysis on every player, on which side he tackles, which side he misses tackles, how fast he runs, how many kicks he's made,' he said. 'Who does analysis of coaches? Who does analysis of whether what you do works? 'And I'm saying for me, I've got to reflect and go, maybe it's the way I do things, maybe it's the way I could have changed things... 'And I think those are the coaches that I think grow the most. 'And I've been around long enough to know that you also need to be honest with yourself sometimes, that you might be missing a trick or two.' One thing White has definitely changed this season is rotating his squad. The likes of fullback Devon Williams, flyhalf Keagan Johannes, Sergeal Petersen, Sebastian de Klerk, Zak Burger, JF van Heerden, Cobus Wiese and Akker van der Merwe have benefited from regular game-time, although some of those instances were due to injuries. Despite that, there hasn't been enough rotation of certain players. Stedman Gans comes to mind as a top-class centre who has hardly featured this season, and the same goes for flank Nama Xaba, who was the Player of the Match in the recent victory over the Dragons, and No 8 Mpilo Gumede. 'I think the one thing which stands out significantly is I've rotated the squad much more than I have in the last couple of years,' White said. 'If you look at how many players we've used, there's definitely been a change in mindset from week to week, as opposed to being, I think it was a little bit more conservative last year, a little bit more scared to put guys in. 'Second area, I think that just by time, people get better. You look at (Johan) Grobbelaar, who's now 25, 26. 'You look at (Ruan) Nortjé, who's now 25, 26. They've been here five years, so over time, 20-year-olds are not as good as 25, 26-year-old guys.
Axios
a day ago
- Sport
- Axios
Lumen Field getting upgrades ahead of 2026 World Cup
Seattle's Lumen Field is getting a makeover ahead of next summer's 2026 FIFA World Cup, including seating upgrades, a new playing pitch and a temporary name change. Why it matters: Some changes are needed to comply with rules set by FIFA, the international governing body of soccer, so that Lumen remains in line to host six men's World Cup matches next year, Zach Hensley, the stadium's vice president of operations and general manager, told Axios. The big picture: The upgrades could also boost Lumen's chances to host future international events, such as the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2031 and upcoming Rugby World Cup matches in 2031 and 2033, Hensley said. Catch up quick: Washington's Legislature approved $19.4 million for the Lumen Field upgrades in the state capital budget, which Gov. Bob Ferguson signed last week. Zoom in: One of the biggest FIFA-mandated changes will involve replacing Lumen's artificial turf with grass. That will require a new irrigation and ventilation system, along with grow lights and maintenance equipment, Hensley said. Other changes are designed to create more space for media, such as by removing some of the stadium's corner seating. FIFA requires all seats to have backs, which means upgrading the bleacher-style seating in the Hawks Nest, located at the north end zone. The stadium will also install turnstiles and other security upgrades, such as new bollards, lighting and cameras. Between the lines: Lumen Field is set to be called Seattle Stadium during the World Cup matches next June and July because FIFA doesn't allow the use of corporate-branded stadium names, unless the companies are official FIFA sponsors. That will mean stripping or covering all signage that reads "Lumen Field," as well as other corporate advertisements — something Hensley called "a very large task." The fine print: State lawmakers also approved money to help local governments with security; improve local transit ahead of the matches; and upgrade facilities at Gonzaga University and the University of Washington. What they're saying:"Getting ready to welcome the world requires a massive public and private partnership," April Putney, the chief strategy officer for the local World Cup organizing committee, said in a written statement to Axios. "We're incredibly appreciative of the Legislature's support." What's next: Some of the Lumen Field work, including replacing the playing surface, won't begin until after the Seahawks conclude their 2025 NFL season in early 2026, Hensley said.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Ex-Wales boss Warren Gatland lands surprise new job three months after sacking
Former Wales boss Warren Gatland has found himself work in Uruguay and will head to South America to serve as an advisory following his sacking during the Six Nations Warren Gatland will take up at advisory role with Uruguayan rugby side Penarol three months after he was dismissed as Wales head coach. The New Zealander left his role with Welsh rugby after a horror run of results and has now taken a surprise next step. Gatland will advise Penarol for the Super Rugby Americas (SRA) play-off finals. The club put out a statement and claimed that the 61-year-old would act as an advisor to their head coach, Ivo Dugonjic, and the entire Penarol staff. His remit will also see him aid Uruguay's bid to reach the Rugby World Cup, with a qualifier against Paraguay in August before potentially playing either Chile or Brazil as they eye a place at the 2027 tournament in Australia. Penarol became Uruguay's first professional rugby club when founded in 2019 and are top of the SRA table - they also provide the majority if players for the national side. Victory over Argentina's Pampas in their final regular-season game will secure them a home semi-final. Gatland's CV made for impressive reading before he opted to return to Wales for a second spell, which ultimately ended in disaster. Upon returning to replace Wayne Pivac he quickly led the Welsh for the last eight of the Rugby World Cup. After being knocked out by Argentina though the country embarked on a record-breaking run of 14 successive Test match defeats. Gatland left his job as Wales head coach in February when the Six Nations was just two games in with a loss in Italy proving to be the final straw. It was a sad end for the veteran coach who had enjoyed huge success during his first stint. He was Wales head coach from 2007 to 2019 and guided them to three Grand Slams and two World Cup semi-finals. Wales briefly topped the world rankings in August 2019 after a record 14-match unbeaten run. During that first stint in charge Gatland recorded 70 wins in 125 games. His exploits will Welsh rugby also saw him picked to coach the British and Irish Lions on three occasions. He presided over a series victory against Australia in 2013 and a more than credible draw against the All Blacks four years later. Wales are yet to halt a losing run stretching back to a World Cup victory over Georgia in October 2023. With caretaker Matt Sherratt at the helm Wales' record run of Test defeats has been extended to 17. The search for Gatland's full-time successor is still ongoing and now led by recently appointed Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) director of rugby Dave Reddin. Scotland defence coach and former Ospreys boss Steve Tandy is a leading target with Sherratt claiming it would need a monumental offer for him to consider taking the job full-time.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Ex-Wales coach Gatland takes up role in Uruguay
Warren Gatland has taken up an advisory role in Uruguayan rugby three months after ending his second spell as Wales head 61-year-old New Zealander will join Uruguay's professional club side Penarol for the Super Rugby Americas (SRA) play-off left his job as Wales head coach in February, two games into the 2025 Six Nations after a record-breaking run of 14 successive Test match semi-finalists Penarol announced his short-term role on social media declaring, "Welcome Warren Gatland".The Montevideo-based club added: "The legendary New Zealand coach joins Penarol as an advisor to [head coach] Ivo Dugonjic and the entire Penarol staff to put all his knowledge to work for the team."Reports from South America say Gatland will also contribute to Uruguay's bid to reach the Rugby World Cup, with a qualifier against Paraguay in August before potentially playing either Chile or Brazil for a place at the 2027 tournament in Australia. Gatland is one of rugby's most successful coaches, with spells at Connacht, Wasps, Waikato and Super Rugby side Chiefs in addition to an international career which began at the helm of Ireland in led the British and Irish Lions to a series victory against Australia in 2013 and a draw against the All Blacks four years his first spell as Wales head coach, from 2007 to 2019, he guided the side to three Grand Slams and two World Cup even briefly topped the world rankings in August 2019 after a record 14-match unbeaten run. During that first stint in charge Gatland recorded 70 wins in 125 games, with 53 defeats and two draws, a success rate of 56%.However, having returned following the sacking of Wayne Pivac in 2022 he presided over statistically the worst Wales side in their 144-year international rugby history, with 14 successive Test losses. Gatland's second spell brought only six wins and 20 defeats in 26 matches, a success rate of less than 25%.The side have still to halt a losing run stretching back to a World Cup victory over Georgia in October 2023. Under caretaker Matt Sherratt, Wales' record run of Test defeats has been extended to became Uruguay's first professional rugby club when founded in 2019 and are top of the SRA table. Victory over Argentina's Pampas in their final regular-season game will secure them a home provide the majority of the players in the Uruguay national side.
