The News Review:
- Australia beat Portugal in Rugby Sevens
- Queensland Reds’ Mark McLinden is more experienced than he appears
- Women’s rugby uses spring to make improvements
- Rugby: Laidlaw determined to pull off his Blair switch project
- Welsh rugby mourns writer Davies
- Stevens reveals ‘massive relief’ at positive test
- Perpignan look to narrow French rugby top 14 gap on understrength …
Australia beat Portugal in Rugby Sevens
The Age
We use an id here to be able to jump to this section. –> Australia beat Portugal in Rugby Sevens. –> March 6 2009 – 8:59AM Australia made a solid start to their Rugby World Cup Sevens campaign by downing Portugal 24-12 in their first Pool match in Dubai. Richard Kingi opened Australia’s account with a try and kicked the conversion to make it 7-0 at the break. Australia found their rhythm in the second half with Henry Vanderglas Damon Murphy and Brian Sefanaia all running in five-pointers while Portugal could only manage 12 points. Coach Michael ‘Connor said he was relieved the Australians got a way with the win. “Portugal is a good side the last time we played them under 12 months ago they beat us quite comfortably in London” ‘Connor said.
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Queensland Reds’ Mark McLinden is more experienced than he appears
Fox Sports
n one level he’s a nervous rookie unsure where to stand and what to do on the other a battle-hardened veteran ready to rip into the New South Wales Waratahs. Tally the number of Super rugby caps in the two interstate camps and the Waratahs easily shape us as a vastly more experienced outfit 627 caps to the Reds’ 493. But scratch a little deeper and suddenly all of Queensland’s self-deprecating talk about fielding a team of kids is exposed for the smokescreen it is. McLinden for instance has only three Super rugby caps to his credit in his debut season. But the 29-year-old rugby league convert is far from a babe in the woods having played 165 games for the Canberra Raiders (1998-2004) before plying his trade with the London Broncos and Harlequins. Similarly Hugh McMeniman brings only 22 Super rugby caps to the table less than Kurtley Beale (28) or Lachie Turner (26) both regarded very much as members of the Tahs’ younger brigade.
Women’s rugby uses spring to make improvements
KSC The Equinox
jpg” >Media Credit: Casey AugustTwo women rugby players compete in an exercise during a practice on Tuesday Feb 24. Every sport has an offseason where they try to improve their team and prepare for the following season. That is what the spring season is for the Keene State College women’s rugby team. “The spring is a learning time for the new comers. There are only two practices a week and a total of four games” said co-captain Brenna Donoghue. Donoghue who has been playing since her freshman year at KSC said the spring season does not officially count towards their record whereas the fall season does. The women’s rugby team is a club sport that plays against other teams on the Division III level just like all other sport teams at KSC.
Rugby: Laidlaw determined to pull off his Blair switch project
Scotsman
“Looking in the direction of the main Murrayfield pitch Laidlaw then said: “bviously my ambition is to play out there (internationally) myself. “When asked if he will know when the time has come to thrust himself into the limelight Laidlaw refused to put himself under pressure by setting targets while indicating that progress is in his own hands. “Rugby is a strange game. We’ll see what happens. “Meantime the visit to Scarlets must conjure up at least one happy memory for it was away to them that Laidlaw notched his only points so far for Edinburgh ? a penalty goal from off the bench in a 29-12 win to bring the curtain down on last season. Recalling how that victory was one of six Edinburgh wins in the fixture from seven starts Laidlaw said: “We have a good record but the latest encounter is particularly important. “Scarlets are level on points with us in the league (joint fourth] so to get a win by giving it a real go would stand us in good stead.
Welsh rugby mourns writer Davies
BBC Sport
Mr Davies began his career with the Llanelli Star in 1934 and also reported for the Llanelli Mercury. A life-long member of the Welsh Rugby Writers’ Association he then joined the Evening Post where he stayed until his retirement in 1984. Mr Davies wrote under the pen-name “Scarlet” in all his Llanelli reports in the Post having played for the club at scrum-half in 1934 and 1935. Despite having been housebound for the last few years Mr Davies was still able to contribute to local journalism and this included a fine tribute on the death of his friend and Llanelli rugby great Ray Gravell. Mr Davies passed away in Prince Philip Hospital on Tuesday and his funeral will take place at the Furnace Mission Church on Thursday 12 March at 1430 GMT with a further service to be held afterwards in Llanelli Crematorium.
Stevens reveals ‘massive relief’ at positive test
AFP
South Africa-born Stevens 26 was last week banned from all levels of rugby Thursday until January 18 2011 after testing positive for cocaine following Bath’s European Cup clash with Glasgow in December. The ban has ruled him out of the British and Irish Lions’ tour of his native South Africa later this year and he would now appear to have only the slimmest of chances of playing for England at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. Stevens who has since quit Bath before being sacked describing his decision as the “honourable thing” told BBC Radio here Thursday: “I hope with every grain of my soul that one day I will be able to come back and be a better rugby player than I was. “Asked if he felt a sense of relief when testing positive Stevens said: “Massive.
Perpignan look to narrow French rugby top 14 gap on understrength …
AFP
Toulouse lead Perpignan by six points – Stade Francais are third on the same points as Perpignan – but the leaders will also be seriously under strength having let several of their France internationals have a welcome weekend off in what will be an all-ticket affair for the first time this season in Perpignan. Perpignan do welcome back France international centre Maxime Mermoz after he missed France’s Six Nations victory over 2008 Grand Slam winners Wales last Friday because of a groin injury while Scotland reserve scrum-half Chris Cusiter should also get a start. However hooker Guilhem Guirado has joined stars such as Scotland lock Nathan Hines on the injury list after he twisted an ankle in last weekend’s victory over Montpellier. For Mermoz it isn’t a case of seeking revenge over a team that he left for Perpignan last summer more of cementing his team’s place among the top four which would see them into the championship play-offs at the end of the season.