Latest news with #Sevens
The Star
17 hours ago
- Sport
- The Star
Rugby-World Rugby chief says franchise leagues need to allow test availability
SYDNEY (Reuters) -Test rugby remains the pinnacle of the game and any franchise league that does not offer players the chance to play it is unlikely to attract top talent, World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin warned on Tuesday. The R360 global franchise league, which is fronted by former England centre Mike Tindall, is scheduled to launch in 2026 and media reports have linked it with big-money offers for top rugby union and league players. Gilpin said he was open to dialogue with R360 and that World Rugby welcomed any investment into the sport as long as it created a more financially sustainable game for players and the "wider ecosystem". "Our position is whatever competitions arise, we know players want to play international rugby," he told reporters at the launch of the ticketing programme for the 2027 World Cup. "It's not true of every sport, but in our sport, the international game is the pinnacle of the game. "We've got a really quite tricky calendar in global rugby, so it's really important that whatever is getting endorsed and invested in gives players that opportunity. "And I think anything that doesn't give players that opportunity, players will vote with their feet on it." World Rugby's Regulation 9 enforces the release of players for test rugby from any recognised competition and Gilpin said the governing body would continue to insist on their availability for all international windows. That would include men's and women's British & Irish Lions tours, both Rugby World Cups and the Sevens competition at the Olympic Games. "Whatever new concepts, whether it's R360 or otherwise, that are being discussed with players ... that whole concept of player release for defined international windows in our sport is key," he said. "We've got to make sure that whatever competitions players are going to go and play in, they can play in those big moments because they want to. And the fans ... want that." (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, Editing by Peter Rutherford)
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Licences of two private bus drivers suspended for speeding
Kochi: Ernakulam RTO enforcement on Friday suspended licences of two private bus drivers for three months for speeding. City police also took action against the bus owners. The incident happened at Ravipuram recently. The action was based on complaints received by transport minister's office and transport officials in the district regarding the competitive racing of private buses and disputes among bus crew. The RTO enforcement stated that racing of private vehicles would not be tolerated and inspections against this would continue. In another incident, Palarivattom police registered a case and arrested Sylvester Harshley, driver of a private bus named Sevens, after his vehicle collided with another private bus in Palarivattom. In the impact the glass of the other bus shattered, and shards struck the driver's eye. Harshley was later presented before a court and was remanded. Meanwhile, a traffic regulatory committee meeting was convened in Maradu municipality to discuss the severe traffic congestion in the municipal area. Headed by chairperson Antony Ashanparambil, the meeting decided to take strict measures in the coming days to alleviate traffic congestion and to impose fines if vehicles were found parked illegally on inner roads and NH roads in Maradu and were not removed within two days. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Additionally, action will be taken against buses that bypass Kundannoor bus stop via the flyover and strict measures will be implemented to curb the increasing trend of releasing goats onto the roads in Nettoor area, which poses a danger to motorists.
CNA
5 days ago
- Sport
- CNA
All-conquering England women embracing their 'aura'
LONDON :England women's coach John Mitchell says his team will be driven by their own, internal standards rather than outside expectations as they enter their home Rugby World Cup on a remarkable run of form that has made them odds-on favourites. Since 2019 England have won an incredible 55 of their 56 games, but the one defeat still burns as it came in the last World Cup in 2022 when New Zealand snatched a late lineout, and with it victory, on home soil. Since then the Red Roses have had several wins over the Black Ferns, as well as routinely brushing aside all-comers in Europe, but anything but victory in the September 27 final at Twickenham will render their latest 25-game winning streak another footnote of frustration. Mitchell, the vastly-experienced New Zealander who took over in 2023, insists, however, that "external noise" will have no impact on the squad he named on Thursday. "In my time with the Red Roses we have set a standard and it's a standard they look to remain consistent with, something that they're attracted to," he told reporters at Twickenham. "We are looking at the ability to be successful with opportunity and stay away from the risk of failure and talking about those sorts of things. We're a different team from 2022 and now we've got an opportunity to earn the right and finish something that we started." Mitchell said the experience and positional cover in the squad is deeper than ever before, which is likely to be vital with the usual collection of injuries, concussions and suspensions a modern World Cup tends to throw up. "I think that depth is going to allow us to deal with the challenges but I think the stuff that drives us the most is our competition within," he said. "Some people tend to frame "pressure" as a negative word whereas I see this as an opportunity to be successful. "Some of the wins we've had in this cycle have been really tough as well, so there's enough belief and there's been enough feedback of where our game needs to improve. "Our focus is only on our first match against the U.S. and the girls are living those values. There's a nice look in their eyes at the moment as well." Zoe Aldcroft, appointed as captain this year, is desperate to put the ghosts of 2022 behind her having gone off injured 27 minutes into the final and has also embraced England's dominant position in the sport. "We have built this expectation around us and I think that's a massive privilege that we've worked hard to hold that aura around us," she said. "As we go into the tournament, we've got such a strong bubble that we kind of want to keep it in with us. "We know in our circle that we're doing our absolute best to try to push and as long as we've got each other's backs in that circle, I think that's going to be the most important thing." Another player ready to unleash herself in the tournament is back rower Abi Burton, a double Olympian in Sevens but whose career appeared over when she spent more than 10 weeks in hospital with an auto-immune disease in 2022, including 28 days in a coma, having initially been sectioned after being wrongly diagnosed as psychotic. "I knew in my heart that I would get here at some point, though I didn't know how long it would take me to be able to break in, especially after my illness," said Burton, who made her England XVs debut in this year's Six Nations and goes into the World Cup with two caps to her name. "Mum and dad are super proud but they don't base their pride on how I do at rugby. They're more proud that I finished university after my illness. They're just happy that I'm alive and I'm functioning well and I can live on my own."
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Ireland targeting 'momentum' from World Cup warm-ups
It's not even a full year since the second chapter of the new Ireland resurgence began and Edel McMahon wants to use upcoming warm-up games as a similar springboard into the Women's World Cup. Ireland, under head coach Scott Bemand had picked up the WXV3 title in 2023 and the following spring claimed third place in the Six Nations, a finish that was enough for World Cup qualification. There had been clear signs of improvement from the side that finished the 2023 Six Nations with the wooden spoon. But another version of Ireland emerged in the 36-10 victory over the Wallaroos in Belfast last September. Boosted by a number of Sevens players, including Erin King, Stacey Flood and Eve Higgins, the hosts racked up six tries in a statement win. A few weeks later the team added the scalps of double World Cup winners New Zealand and USA in WVX1. The inspirational King and in-form Dorothy Wall have both since been ruled out of the 22 August to 27 September tournament in England through injury but co-captain McMahon says the 2 August clash with Scotland, and the meeting with Canada a week later can set the team up the showpiece tournament. "There was huge anticipation before that Australia game to see where the squad had gone from the Six Nations," McMahon told RTÉ Sport's Michael Corcoran. "We had new players coming into the squad who were [getting] experienced in 15s and had been playing a lot of 15s over the summer. "For that game to kick off so well and the result to be so good really tied together everything we'd been working hard at training and propelled us well, momentum-wise in WXV1. "For the warm-up games it's about some players getting back on the field and getting that confidence again, looking at different combinations. "It's about us as a squad knowing what we need to get out of the games to give us momentum going into the World Cup." Ireland, ranked fifth in the world, are in Pool C and face Japan and Spain in Northampton before a rematch with the Black Ferns in Brighton. The squad trained recently in Ennis, Co Clare, McMahon's home territory with Béibhinn Parsons and Sam Monaghan, both of whom had suffered injuries over the last year, among those pictured going through their paces. Star back row Aoife Wafer has returned to training after a knee issue but is not expected to feature ahead of the World Cup. Exeter back row forward McMahon says that training is gradually increasing in intensity as players compete for a spot in Bemand's squad. "Training is tough but it can be really fun when it's rugby-based," said the 31-year-old Kilmihil woman, who has 34 international caps, speaking at the Canterbury and Elverys launch of the new Ireland kit. "A lot of pre-season is a blend of bringing rugby into conditioning, into the gym to make it fun. It is about playing the sport. "There has been a good bite to training for all of pre-season. "On the horizon, everyone knows that selection is coming and everything wants to put their best foot forward. "At training last week, even if players are doing well against you, we're supporting each other but people are given the green light and it's okay to have that bit of edge because that's what you need to compete." The new Ireland no longer travel to make up numbers and despite a disheartening defeat to Scotland at the end of the Six Nations, wins over Wales and Italy, and a fine performance against France demonstrated that the team are on the right track. Continuing that upward trend in England is important, says McMahon. She said: "It's huge. It comes as part of us wanting to inspire a generation of young girls to pick up rugby. "Along with that inspiration has to come success so it is important for us to continue with success but also to enjoy playing rugby and to be playing a good brand of rugby and show it's something to be involved in. "With that, to get the next generation hooked and say, I want to pick up a rugby ball or be a professional women's player."
TimesLIVE
17-07-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Boks still get bang for their Bomb Squad: Kwagga
The Bomb Squad still gives the Boks bang for their buck insists Kwagga Smith. As a long time Bomb Squad linchpin flanker and utility player Smith is understandably protective of the much vaunted Bok bench whose destructive powers have terrorised the rugby world over the last six or so years. The bench, however, did not detonate with the same explosiveness in the first Test against Italy at Loftus Versfeld. Smith explained finding cohesion can be tricky when players have been apart for six months but he is hoping they can deliver a more coherent effort when the Boks play Georgia in Mbombela this weekend. 'In the Loftus match we didn't make the impact we wanted,' admitted Smith of the Boks' at times laboured 42-24 victory in the capital earlier this month. 'We didn't have that much influence on the game but Italy also played a lot better in the second half than they did in the first. They found each other a bit better and they gelled, We have to take that into consideration.' Boan Venter, Marnus van der Merwe and Neethling Fouche will make their Springbok debut this weekend 👏 Coach Rassie explains the thinking behind his front row choice. "If they can come through this, we'll know more about their test match potential." 🗣️ #SSRugby — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 15, 2025 Smith insists the Bomb Squad should remain an element of the Boks' armoury that strikes fear into the opposition. 'We want to re-establish that reputation. You can't play 40 games off the bench and it goes well and then you have one where it doesn't go so well and then come to the conclusion the Bomb Squad is no longer effective, 'We set our own standards and that is important to us. We know we weren't at our best but it is something we want to correct. We go into this game with a five/three bench split, so it won't be a full Bomb Squad.' Though Georgia are renowned for their physicality and robustness in the scrum, the Boks opted not to load their bench with a forward heavy bench split. Bongi Mbonambi, Thomas du Toit, Vincent Koch, RG Snyman and Smith are the forwards charged with bringing energy and urgency from the bench this weekend, while double Rugby World Cup winners Faf de Klerk, Handré Pollard and Damian Willemse are the backup backs. Smith's role in the cavalry hasn't changed much. What makes him a formidable opponent is his unrelenting energy and work ethic. The Bok brains trust places a high premium on players who are able to get involved in as many battles and skirmishes as humanly possible. In that regard Smith spreads himself thin across the park. 🗣️ "It's good to learn, even from primary schools and high schools." The Springboks are taking inspiration and innovation from all ages across the country. #SSRugby — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 14, 2025 'That is the thing I try to replicate from Sevens. There is no time to rest. I try really hard to get back on my feet and get involved in as many battles as possible. You have to use every opportunity.' Saturday's game will be the Boks' last before they go into the Rugby Championship that kicks off next month. Smith believes the four matches against the Barbarians, Italy (two) and Georgia would have served their purpose in preparing the Springboks for the defence of their title. 'The guys will get good game time across the four matches and that is great preparation for us ahead of the Rugby Championship. That was one of the goals,' said Smith. 'For me it was about getting back into the system. You don't see each other for six months and though we have alignment camps it is on the field where you learn. There are new guys coming in and you have to learn how they play. A lot of different combinations have been played so that goal has been achieved. 'We just have to make sure we get better with each game. After the Pretoria we were better and it is now our responsibility to keep that up,' said the utility forward.
