RugbyMag.com Blog
Written by RUGBYMag Staff    Monday, 16 May 2011 15:32    PDF Print Write e-mail
Philly.com Says 7s Increasing Rugby Awareness
Blog - RugbyMag.com Blog

alt

Click here to read the piece Philly.com ran on the impact 7s is having on the exposure of rugby.

 
Written by Alex Goff    Wednesday, 11 May 2011 13:20    PDF Print Write e-mail
Mike Gibson Makes IRB Hall of Fame
Blog - RugbyMag.com Blog

Hmmm ... those shouts of "about freakin' time" you're hearing would be about this.

The International Rugby Board has inducted former Ireland and British & Irish Lions great Mike Gibson MBE into the IRB Hall of Fame.

Former IRB Chairman and current Rugby World Cup Limited Director Dr Syd Millar CBE presented the commemorative cap and gold pin to Gibson at a special induction at the Ulster Rugby awards in Belfast on Tuesday evening to honour a player who, at the time of his retirement, was the world’s most capped player.

“It is an honour to be inducting a man who I had the great pleasure of playing alongside for Ulster and Ireland. Mike Gibson was one of the finest players of his generation, one of the finest players ever to represent Ireland and the British & Irish Lions and a man who epitomised the very ethos of the Game and its values,” said Millar, himself inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2009.

Born in 1942, Gibson established a reputation as one of the world’s finest centres in a glittering playing career that featured five British & Irish Lions tours and 69 Ireland Tests.

Playing for the North of Ireland club and Ulster, Gibson’s great talent was evident at an early age whether at fly half, centre or on the wing. A move to England followed to study Law at Cambridge University where he won three Blues and demonstrated his credentials to play the Game at the highest level.

Gibson made his international debut at fly half as a 21-year-old against England in 1964 and never looked back, becoming a mainstay of the Ireland team during an international career that lasted 15 years.

British & Irish Lions tours were a natural arena for Gibson to underscore his talent, playing with and against the very best in the Game. He represented the Lions a remarkable 68 times over five tours, winning 12 Test caps, and was a mainstay of the victorious tours to New Zealand in 1971 and South Africa in 1974.

Gibson said: "It is an honour to be inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame and to be recognised amongst an illustrious list of greats. I consider Rugby to be the greatest team sport and I must give thanks to all my team mates with whom I trained and played. Without them this would not have been possible."

Awarded an MBE for services to Rugby, Gibson continues to practice Law in Belfast where he plays an active role in the Rugby community. Further IRB Hall of Fame inductions will be made throughout 2011 in both hemispheres, including during Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand.

• Gibson is the fourth most capped British & Irish Lion with 12 Tests - (Willie John McBride leads the way on 17 with Graham Price and Dickie Jeeps on 13)

• Gibson was the second player to achieve 60 caps for Ireland (behind Willie John McBride)

• Gibson became the most capped Irish player when he retired with 69 caps. It took 26 years for Malcolm O'Kelly to equal the record in 2005. 

• Gibson was the most capped player in the world (69 for Ireland/12 for British Lions) when he retired in 1979. Fellow Hall of Fame member Serge Blanco equalled the world record 11 years later.

• Gibson started 40 matches at centre, 25 at fly half and four on the wing for Ireland.

• Main centre partners for Ireland were Dick Milliken, who he started 13 matches with, and Barry Bresnihan for 12 matches.

• Played total of 56 matches across every Five Nations Championship between 1964 and 1979, a record for the competition, which was equalled by Ronan O’Gara in the last match of the 2011 6 Nations.

 
Written by Pat Clifton    Wednesday, 27 April 2011 03:39    PDF Print Write e-mail
RWC Video Game Set for August
Blog - RugbyMag.com Blog
USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville talked in his recent blog post about the important role Gen-Y will play in the future of rugby. Wanna know how to get our attention, get us a video game to play! Finally, for the first time since 2008, a new mainstream, mass-produced rugby union game is in the works.

Due to be launched on August 26th for Xbox360 and PlayStation 3 is the Rugby World Cup 2011 official game. "The innovative and unique game will reflect in detail the incredible action and passion of Rugby’s showcase sporting event with the most accurate Rugby experience ever created," says the game's facebook page.The game is supposed to be XBox Live and PayStation Network compatible.

505 Games and HB Studios are the two companies licensed to produce the games. HB worked on EA Sports' Rugby 08 and has worked on numerous other EA Sports games.

Side note for Eddie O'Sullivan: Make your picks wisely. Those of us who still pick up the sticks to play Rugby 08 every once in a blue moon are tired of playing with David Fee and Mike Palefau. Oh wait, Palefau's back in the fold.
 
Written by Alex Goff    Tuesday, 26 April 2011 12:59    PDF Print Write e-mail
Vote for Rugby in Unstoppable Tour
Blog - RugbyMag.com Blog

Sam Tickle's rugby challenge with the Boston Rugby Club on Day 3 of his thirty-day EAS Unstoppable Tour is back in the spotlight as one of the 5 video clips up for this week’s EAS Unstoppable Tour Moment of the Week.

See Alex Goff's article about it here:

Voting for the rugby challenge moment gives the sport bragging rights and voters the chance to win EAS Unstoppable gear.

The EAS Unstoppable Tour chronicles Navy Lt. Cmdr. Sam Tickle’s quest to complete 30 sports in 30 cities in 30 days –and to inspire people nationwide to become unstoppable.  You can check out all 30 videos from Sam’s adventures here: http://www.unstoppabletour.com

See the 

 
Written by Alex Goff    Friday, 22 April 2011 12:26    PDF Print Write e-mail
SFGG Raises Funds for Quake Victims
Blog - RugbyMag.com Blog

altThe San Francisco Golden Gate club held a fundraiser April 9 for the victims of the Christchurch Earthquake. 

The event, held before the SFGG v Denver Barbarians match, included Maori dancers, a haka ans a presentation of the New Zealand national anthem. Proceeds from the clubhouse bar went toward earthquake relief, and the San Francisco Kiwi Association processed donations to the cause.

The entire event raised an impressive $21,000 for the Christchurch Earthquake Fund. Congratulations to SFGG and their work in helping victims of the earthquake.

 


Page 17 of 19

Free Rugby Coaching Drills & Skills
e-Newsletter by Better Rugby Coaching!