Rugby: Ali Williams set for American sabbatical
The News Review:
- Rugby: Ali Williams set for American sabbatical
- Rugby-Giteau to swap Force for Brumbies next season
- England may use rugby ground in 2018 World Cup bid
- Shaun Edwards preparing for Wasps life without foreign legion
- Stade Francais rugby aim for the top Toulon eye survival
- Keeping abreast of French rugby antics
Rugby: Ali Williams set for American sabbatical
New Zealand Herald New Zealand -
nz Ali Williams is set to skip some of next year’s Super 14 to pursue coaching and commercial opportunities in the United States as part of an innovative deal to keep him in New Zealand until 2011. The All Black lock is in talks to extend his contract and the New Zealand Rugby Union have offered a non-playing sabbatical. Williams is understood to be interested in taking time out to travel the States. The NZRU has a strategic partnership with the US and Williams could strengthen the alliance by holding coaching clinics with America’s elite and grassroots players. There would also be opportunity for Williams to speak at corporate functions and develop relationships with a host of commercial enterprises. Details on when Williams would take his break and for how long have not beendiscussed but the most likely start date is after this year’s All Black tour of Europe in November.
Rugby-Giteau to swap Force for Brumbies next season
Reuters UK UK -
However speculation about his future in Perth intensifiedafter a third-party sponsor collapsed last year reportedlyleaving him A$1 million out of pocket. His new deal will keep him at the Brumbies for the 2010 and2011 Super 14 seasons and comes after he had pledged his futureto the Australian Rugby Union through to the 2011 World Cup inNew Zealand. “Matt left the Brumbies on good terms and we wished him allthe best but we made no secret about our desire to see himback” ACT Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan said. “Matt Giteau is a rugby superstar and one of the highestprofile sportspeople in this country. His return is a huge voteof confidence. (Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by John ‘Brien).
England may use rugby ground in 2018 World Cup bid
The Canadian Press LNDN -
The 82000-seat stadium in affluent southwest London has never hosted a football match since it was built 100 years ago but British papers suggested Friday that the RFU could give permission for games to be played there in exchange for the use of Wembley for its 2015 Rugby World Cup bid. Wembley with 90000 seats is the only English stadium bigger than Twickenham. Twickenham has recently joined Wembley in holding rock concerts while the football stadium has also hosted rugby – with both England and Wales playing home matches there while their stadiums were refurbished.
Related from Lasilla: Spain Portugal agree on joint World Cup bid
Shaun Edwards preparing for Wasps life without foreign legion
Telegraph.co.uk United Kingdom -
” ne player with an obvious source of motivation is fly-half Danny Cipriani. Having scored 21 points in the hard-fought 36-29 victory over Leicester last Sunday the 21-year-old will again aim to press for a place in Martin Johnson’s England squad to face Ireland at Croke Park next Saturday. Following his impressive first start in international rugby against Ireland at Twickenham last year the fly-half has yet to live up to the celebrity hype but Edwards has no fears about individuals becoming bigger than the team. “The more superstars you create the more kids want to pick up a rugby ball and be a rugby player” he added. “”I am a big believer that the more big names we can create in rugby the bigger the game will become. Alternatively you may have to open a web browser such as Firefox or Internet Explorer and copy the link over into the address bar.
Stade Francais rugby aim for the top Toulon eye survival
AFP -
Stade are presently second two points behind reigning champions Toulouse but they play Clermont only on Sunday. The fixture schedule will not have pleased France coach Marc Lievremont as he prepares his side for the gruelling challenge of taking on Six Nations Grand Slam holders Wales next Friday. Stade will also be looking to make it a losing return to first class rugby for All Black great Tana Umaga who in a desperate attempt to preserve Toulon’s elite status has decided to not only continue as their coach but also to come out of retirement as a player. The 35-year-old who if he retains his job will have former France international wing Philippe Saint Andre as general manager next term had to get special clearance from New Zealand to get his player’s licence in France but is in the squad for the Stade match. With or without him though the Stade players and coaching staff believe that injury-hit Toulon will be no pushovers despite only having won four of their 16 matches this season and lying just one point above the drop zone. “This will a special match” admitted former France international Christophe Dominici now an assistant coach at Stade. “They may be low in the championship but they have caused problems to a lot of teams this season and don’t forget they beat Toulouse away.
Keeping abreast of French rugby antics
The Times South Africa -
The tiger was said to have been disconcerted by the 82000 people at the stadium reminding Tightheads of the time the Cheetahs tried a similar stunt by having a live cheetah as part of their entertainment. At the time we thought Amor Vittone’s singing had frightened the poor animal but it turns out the crowd and the Harley-Davidsons were the culprits. Speaking of Mrs Van der Westhuizen the rugby-writing community are a little dismayed they were not invited to the screening of Joost’s alleged sex video this week. Heat magazine’s lawyers apparently organised a shindig where the (mostly entertainment) media were invited to judge for themselves if it really was the former Bok captain cavorting with a lady of ill-repute. Having covered his matches for years we’d like to think we could identify Joost from the bottom of a ruck. After driving through a boomgate in Dainfern last year Joost apparently got the nickname “Boom Boom”. Should the talk about the video prove true he’ll also be known as “Bang Bang”.
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