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THE GAME OF RUGBY IS RAPIDLY EXPANDING WORLD WIDE. THIS WEB SITE'S MAIN FUNCTION IS THE RESEARCHING, COLLECTING, COLLATING, RECORDING AND UPDATING OF INTERNATIONAL RUGBY RESULTS AND RECORDS

APRIL 2007

Web sites I recommend this month

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Updated 30.05.2007

Scroll down for the latest news

Latest Results (Last two weeks)

29.04.2007

Japan 73, Hong Kong 3 in Tokyo (Asia Tournament, Division 1)

28.04.2007

Germany 21, Netherlands 12 in Hanover (ENC 2A)

Armenia v Serbia in Yerevan (ENC 3A) postponed

Israel 34, Bosnia 13 in Netanya (ENC 3C)

27.04.2007

Arabian Gulf 52, Sri Lanka 11 in Sharjah (Asia Tournament, Division 2)

22.04.2007

Japan 82, Korea 0 in Tokyo (Asia Tournament, Division 1)

21.07.2007

Russia 62, Czech Republic 6 in Krasnodar (ENC 1)

Germany 22, Ukraine 14 in Kiev (ENC 2A)

Moldova 29, Belgium 27 in Brussels (ENC 2A)

Hungary 27, Austria 5 in Dunaujvaros (ENC 3B)

Luxembourg 17, Bosnia 12 in Zenica (ENC 3C)

14.07.2007

Sweden 30, Serbia 12 in Pancevo (ENC 3A)

Coming Up

05.05.2007

Czech Republic v Spain in Prague (ENC 1)

Ukraine v Moldova in Kiev (ENC 2A)

Netherlands v Belgium in Amsterdam (ENC 2A)

Latvia v Poland in Riga (ENC 2B)

Sweden v Switzerland in Eskilstuna (ENC 3A)

Austria v Bulgaria in Vienna (ENC 3B)

Slovenia v Luxembourg in Ljubliana (ENC 3C)

2007 International results & fixtures

2007 Asia Rugby Tournament

2007 GWC Rugby Rankings

2006 International results

FIRA-AER Results and Points Table 2006-08

News Archives (Sorry but only these are available at present)

March 2007

ADDITIONS AND ALTERATIONS TO THE FIXTURE LIST

2007 ASIA RUGBY TOURNAMENT (01.05)

28.05.2007

Korea v Hong Kong in Hong Kong (Division 1)

08.05.2007

Sri Lanka v Kazakhstan in Almaty (Division 2)

http://www.mulpituwa.com/?viewnews=5137

ARFU ARFT SENIOR (15S), SRI LANKA (28.04)

Nov. 3-10 2007. This tournament was cancelled in 2006. It was to be held in Sri Lanka.

ELGIN CUP DATES (27.04)

The annual fixtures played between Kenya and Uganda is listed below

4 Aug.-Nairobi

18 Aug.-Kampala

Source- Kenya RFU email newsletter

17.06.2007

Singapore v Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur (Vajiralongkorn Cup

SEA Games Korat Thailand (7s & 15s)

Dec 6 - 16 2007

WHAT’S WRONG WITH EUROPEAN RUGBY (30.04)

In 2006 the organisation responsible for European rugby, FIRA-AER, decided to bring all the senior men 15’s competitions into line with their First Division. The first division consisted of 6 teams who played home and away over two years. Prior to 2006 all other competitions lasted the year. I have always found competitions drawn out over two years just too awkward and too long.

I have devised a competition based on 12 divisions with three teams in each. Based on the Asia Nations Tournament each team will play home and away in one season. Except for the first division all divisions will have one team promoted and one team relegated each season.

The benefits I see as being..

1. The competition is finished in the one year. It is fair. That year’s team is the team that wins (or loses!).

2. Each team still gets 4 competition games a year same as before.

3. Each team has a new set of teams to play each season avoiding monotonous playing same teams

4. The competition is fiercer as every game counts

I have played out a fictitious 2006-07 single season competition using existing games, previous games and a few made up results. Some existing games still to play in year 1 of the present 2006-08 competition are used to complete this fictitious competition by mid-June. Ideally the winner of Division 1 would have the right to play off against the bottom team in the 6 Nations Competition. That won’t happen in the near future but this competition could. Have a look.

2006-07 FIRA-AER Fictitious Competition

Email me your thoughts rugint@bigpond.net.au

Weekly Results and News 27-29 April

Rugby in Japan Vo.4 No.16

Weekly Results and News 21-22 April

JAPAN SQUAD (19.04)

Early in March John Kirwan announced a large squad of players who will play in the tests v Korea and Hong Kong and the non-test matches against the Classic All Blacks.

Japan Squad

CZECH RUGBY IN CRISIS (19.04)

The team to play Russia this Saturday is missing a great number of their top players. Why is this?

The team

Jan Oswald (Tatra Smíchov)

Šťastný Pavel ?

Průša Michal (Tatra Smíchov)

Jan Benda (Sparta Praha)

Martin Hudák (Vyškov)

Obr Štěpán (Říčany)

Macháček Jan (Slavia)

Miroslav Němeček (Říčany)

Martin Dlouhý (Slavia)

Vlastimil Madry (Praga)

Tomáš Veniger (Tatra)

Pavel Syrový (Praga)

Vítěslav Dosedla (Dragon Brno)

Tomáš Krejčí (Dragon Brno)

Jaroslav Tomčík (Havířov)

Jan Rudolf (Petrovice)

Snídal Martin (Vyškov)

Tomáš Nevický (Říčany)

Michal Schlanger (Petrovice)

Pavel Čamrda (Říčany)

Václav Jursík (Sparta)

http://rugbyunion.cz/130781/program-reprezentace-pred-utkanim-s-ruskem

Some notes

In 2006 there was a big falling out within Czech Rugby union involving their test players. In May 2006 Czech Republic plays well to lose 10-18 to Portugal who has since qualified for the Rugby World Cup finals. In April 2007 Czech Rep.lose 3-98 to Georgia and I suspect the Russian Bear will be pleased to tear their Czech brothers apart this weekend.

From my information/data I can see

1) Not selected from v Georgia, Roman Šuster –prop-(USA Limoges, France) and Jiří Skall-prop-most experienced player

2) That players like Miroslav Němeček, and Tomáš Krejčí are no longer with the French clubs they were with in 2006.

3) These players have not played yet for Czech Rep. This season- 7 top players at least.

· Jean-Baptist Soucek-prop- (French club RC Milenau) Last played v Spain Sept 2006

· Martin Kafka-inside back-, v Spain Sept.2006

· Karel Kucera-No.8-, v Spain Sept.2006

· Jiří Sluka-front row v Spain Sept 2006

· Jan Rohlík-fullback/center- (Saint Nazaire, France) v Spain Sept.2006

· Ladislav Vondrášek (Capt.)-flanker-( Esher RFC, England) v Spain Sept.2006

· Robert Voves – Lock-(U.S.A Limoges, France) v Spain Sept 2006

· Šťastný Pavel-what club now?-was (Lombez Samatan, France) v Georgia June 2006-is selected v Russia

· Lukáš Rapant (Saint Nazaire, France) v Georgia June 2006

· Martin Jágr (Toulon, France) v Portugal May 2006

For Czech Republic these players missing is nothing short of a disaster!

This team held Portugal 10-18 in May 2006. Portugal now qualified for Rugby World Cup-no slouch team!

15 Jan Rohlík Saint Nazaire, France

14 Michal Schlanger RK Petrovice

13 Pavel Vokrouhlík (21) RC Sparta

12 Jaroslav Tomcik RC Havirov

11 Martin Jágr Toulon, France

10 Martin Snídal RC Vyškov

9 Pavel Syrový (20) RC Praga

8 Jan Žíla RC Tatra Smichov

7 Ladislav Vondrášek (Capt.) Esher RFC, England

6 Patrich Leroch (19) RC Havirov

5 Jan Macháček RC Praga

4 Miroslav Němeček Begles Bordeaux, France

3 Pavel Šťastný (18) Lombez Samatan, France

2 Jan Oswald (16) RC Tatra Smichov

1 Jiří Skall (17) RC Praga

16 Jiri Sluka (2) RK Petrovice

17 Jan Benda (1) RC Praga

18 Jan Kubálek (3) RC Říčany

19 Vlastimil Madry (6) RC Praga

20 Vítězslav Dosedla (9) RC Brno

21 Martin Pekárek (13) RC Říčany

22 Václav Jursík RC Sparta

Coach: Josef Fatka

So Czech Republic rugby is still in crisis? They could well drop out of ENC Division 1 2008. The same happened to Ukraine in 2006. And Ukraine had crisis as well if I recall.

Question-What sort of pressure are these already struggling unions under when they enter European Nations Cup competition? What is the cause?