Latest news with #XV
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
School becomes shearing shed
Taiaroa McDonald's classmates have made sure he does not stick out by getting the same haircut as him after the 17-year-old was diagnosed with cancer. The King's High School first XV halfback was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in March, and is in the midst of his chemotherapy. His best friend and team captain Charlie Heller, 18, organised for the team to shave off their hair and fundraise for this year's Shave for a Cure effort. About 70 boys from King's ended up joining the effort at lunchtime yesterday. Taiaroa said he began noticing symptoms during his preseason training earlier this year. "That was pretty shocking for me," he said. "It caught me quite off guard because I wasn't really expecting to hear that [the diagnosis]." Rugby quickly became secondary for him and he had to prioritise his health. "It'd be great to be playing rugby this year, but next year I'll be playing anyway." Taiaroa was keeping a strong mindset by considering others less fortunate than him. "There's always someone in a worse position. "Some people are in stage four, I'm only in stage two. "My circumstances aren't exactly good, but I'm still able to get out and go to the gym and enjoy my life still." He said he was living a relatively normal life and was reacting to the therapy well. He still trained with his first XV team-mates and would be filling up water bottles at the games. Taiaroa said he had taken on the role of "technical adviser". "I pretty much do everything except for when Saturday comes around. " I don't walk out on to the field with the boys, which is tough. "I'd really like to think that I would have had a big season not just with King's, but for myself this year, but I'm still behind the boys all the way and I reckon they'll do well." Charlie said it was pretty gutting for him to hear what his friend was going through and he wanted to help. "It's pretty easy when you have a great mate like Tai just to get behind him and with a good bunch of boys we can support him and make him feel a bit better during his tough times." He said having the same haircut would bring the team a lot closer together. It was motivating to know that Taiaroa was on the sidelines when they were having a tough time on the field. The team had fundraised $5117 so far and the money raised would go towards finding a cure for Hodgkin's lymphoma. • Donations could be made using the following link:
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Four Scots named in Bath vs Leicester Premiership final squads
The English sides will compete for the crown on Saturday, June 14 with a 3pm kick-off at Twickenham. Bath's XV features two Scots with Finn Russell and Cameron Redpath both in from the start for the club. Josh Bayliss is listed as a replacement for Bath Rugby for the final. Meanwhile, Cameron Henderson is in the XV for Leicester on Saturday. Read more: Bath will be aiming to go one step better than last year when they lost the final to Northampton Saints. They are vying to complete a treble having already won the Premiership Cup and Challenge Cup. Their talisman Russell will be aiming to lift a second league title of his career after his Pro12 win with Glasgow Warriors a decade ago. Leicester Tigers, meanwhile, will be bidding for a perfect send-off for retiring club legends Dan Cole and Ben Youngs. The inclusion of veteran tighthead Cole among the replacements means there is no place in the matchday squad for Scotland squad member Will Hurd. Gallagher Premiership final - the teams Bath: Tom de Glanville, Joe Cokanasiga, Max Ojomoh, Cam Redpath, Will Muir, Finn Russell, Ben Spencer (captain); Beno Obano, Tom Dunn, Thomas du Toit, Quinn Roux, Charlie Ewels, Ted Hill, Guy Pepper, Miles Reid Replacements: Niall Annett, Francois van Wyk, Will Stuart, Ross Molony, Josh Bayliss, Tom Carr-Smith, Ciaran Donoghue, Alfie Barbeary Leicester Tigers: Freddie Steward, Adam Radwan, Solomone Kata, Joseph Woodward, Ollie Hassell-Collins, Handre Pollard, Jack van Poortvliet; Nicky Smith, Julian Montoya (captain), Joe Heyes, Cameron Henderson, Ollie Chessum, Hanro Liebenberg, Tommy Reffell, Olly Cracknell Replacements: Charlie Clare, James Cronin, Dan Cole, Matt Rogerson, Emeka Ilione, Ben Youngs, Ben Volavolva, Izaia Perese
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Safety National Expands Leadership Team with Key Management Promotions
ST. LOUIS, March 24, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Safety National Casualty Corporation announced updates to the company's management structure today. The following realignment of responsibilities will become effective on April 1, 2025. Mark Walls, formerly Vice President of Client Engagement, will become Corporate Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, providing senior leadership to the Marketing and Communications Department. Dan Berns, formerly Vice President of Account Services, will become Corporate Senior Vice President of Operations, providing senior leadership to the Account Services Department and oversight of the Insurance Compliance Department. Steve Kappel, formerly Vice President and Chief Information Officer, will become Corporate Senior Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer, providing senior leadership to the Information Technology Department. Amy Schwent, formerly Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, will become Vice President and General Counsel, providing leadership to the Legal Department and serving as the company's top internal legal advisor. Safety National is a leading specialty insurance and reinsurance provider. With a rich history spanning over 80 years, Safety National offers specialized expertise, flexible program and placement design, and unique claims proficiency. Safety National is a member of the Tokio Marine Group and is rated A++ (Superior), FSC XV by A.M. Best. Learn more at View source version on Contacts Christie TucciAssistant Vice President of CommunicationsSafety Sign in to access your portfolio
The Guardian
09-03-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Marcus Smith provides the spark England need to showcase their talent
The second half is barely a minute old. If you can't see the scoreboard you can tell by those swathes of empty seats. It is a hot day after all and refreshments are still being swilled. Italy are not bothered, however. They are on the attack, parked in England's 22 and when the fly-half Paolo Garbisi finds the outside, a try, and with it the lead, looks a certainty. The ball is flung wide to Italy's left winger Matt Gallagher, who steps inside off his left foot. The step is read by Marcus Smith who throws every one of his 82kg behind the tackle. Gallagher is stopped, Italy's momentum is lost and, soon after, England escape with a penalty awarded at the breakdown. England's lead is four at this stage and six minutes later it is 18. Another six and it is 25 thanks to three quickfire tries. Smith scored the first, Tom Curry the second and Ollie Sleightholme the third. England did not necessarily win this match because of Smith but the moment he was introduced ahead of schedule you suspected his say would be significant. Without his tackle, without his try, scored after a trademark hitch-kick past Ange Capuozzo, England would not have been in such ascendancy with half an hour remaining. Curry and Jamie George would not have been in a position to fling one-handed offloads, England finally feeling liberated enough to showcase the kind of attacking intent they had promised but failed to deliver hitherto in their best performance with the ball in the championship to date. Make no mistake about it, Smith is a square peg in a round hole at full-back. He made mistakes here, looked uncomfortable under the high ball, but his skill level is such that he is always likely to contribute. Whether Smith is happy in the role of super-sub is another matter. This was the kind of day players such as him pray for when they open the curtains and peer out of the window. He was said to be gutted by his omission from the starting XV and it is understood he came mighty close to joining Racing 92 before the 2023 World Cup, when George Ford and Owen Farrell were ahead of him in the pecking order. Credit Steve Borthwick for convincing him to stay and it helps that Smith is currently tied into a long-term Harlequins deal, but there are always ways out of contracts. Ultimately what may prove significant is whether he is selected on this summer's British & Irish Lions tour of Australia. As was the case the last time Smith found himself named among the replacements – in Lyon for last year's defeat by France – he did not have to wait long to get on to the field. In the eighth minute Ollie Lawrence crumpled in a heap and it was immediately clear he would be taking no further part. Cue the call for Smith, a few words of encouragement from the team manager, Richard Hill, a frisson of excitement when he flashed up on the big screen, and rapturous applause when he entered the field. It was the same when the teams were being read out beforehand. For Smith is Twickenham's darling. Cross the Chertsey Road to get to the stadium and his is the first face you see. So, enter Smith, far earlier than planned. A word of consolation for Lawrence, with whom he is close friends, and straight into the full-back position with Elliot Daly moving in to outside-centre. Already Daly had impressed, creating England's first try by seizing on a turnover and arcing his run down the left rather than putting boot to ball. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion It was a slow start for Smith, waiting an age for a first touch. He was out of position for Capuozzo's try and Monty Ioane gave him a rough ride when chasing high balls. His first telling intervention was a fine pass for Sleightholme's try but he spent plenty of the first half watching on as Fin Smith continued his assured start to life in the No 10 jersey. It helped to have Fraser Dingwall outside him at No 12, described in the week by Borthwick as a 'glue player' and holding everything together in midfield nicely. That said, Italy produced the two most memorable moments of attacking brilliance in the first half and it was not until that period after Marcus Smith's tackle that England really hit their straps. They scored three tries in 10 minutes and reached the levels of attacking polish that their supporters crave and suddenly Marcus Smith was revelling in his unfamiliar role. It did not last all that long – they did not score another point before the clock was red but while comfortable England victories over Italy tend not to linger long in the memory, that 10-minute period, in particular Sleightholme's second score, just might. Borthwick would do well to remember it was Marcus Smith who started it all.
Telegraph
25-02-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Two weeks that will decide Maro Itoje-Caelan Doris Lions captain debate
Just as the destiny of the Guinness Six Nations championship looks set to be settled when France face Ireland in Dublin, this seismic contest is also likely to have major implications for the British and Irish Lions squad. It promises to be the kind of acid test that can provide compelling evidence for Lions head coach Andy Farrell when he sits down to select his touring party for Australia, and none more so than Ireland captain Caelan Doris. The 26 year-old, who missed Ireland's victory over Wales because of a knee injury, is expected to return to the starting XV to face France. The Leinster No 8 went into the championship widely regarded as the frontrunner to be Lions captain, a billing that was further enhanced as Ireland powered to victories over England and Scotland. His captaincy on the international stage may be still in its infancy – he first rose to the challenge of leading Ireland in the second Test in Durban as Farrell's side defeated the Springboks 25-24 last July, but his stature has grown since taking over the role on a permanent basis from Peter O'Mahony. And that it was Farrell who promoted him last autumn before stepping down to assume his Lions duties provides an insight into the regard he is held within the Ireland management.
