Sports Then and Now

Who will lift the 2015 Rugby World Cup?

For Rugby fans, the next sixty odd days can’t pass quickly enough. The 2015 Rugby World Cup is fast approaching and Rugby enthusiast just can’t wait for it to take stage. The wait for the World cup will be over in just over two-month’s time and following are a few brave predictions from me concerning the event.

The All Blacks won’t defend their Title

For Rugby fans around the world, loving the All Blacks is a hard thing to do since they pretty much win everything in sight. However, despite being the world’s best Rugby team at this point of time, it will be hard for team from New Zealand to defend its title. The reason for this is simple—they haven’t won a World Cup outside of their home soil. I cannot see the trend changing this time around.

The Irish will finally make it to the Semi-Finals

The Irish have tried again and again in World Cups to reach the Semi-Finals but for one reason or the other always seems to fall short of their mark. However, a maiden World Cup Semi-Final appearance is what the Irish victories against SpringBoks and Australia in the calendar year 2014 indicates.

Fiji will become a sorry tale a week after the Cup kicks off

Playing without some of their best players doesn’t help the cause of the most flamboyant Pacific island nation. The first five days of the competition is going to be tough period for Fiji as they’ll have to tackle two time Rugby champions: Australia with some of their star players missing.

Samoa will give Scotland a Scare

In the 2015 Rugby World Cup I can see the tiny nation of Samoa giving a massive scare to the team from Great Britain: Scotland. However, I can also see the Scots eventually coming through this nail-biting affair. Read the rest of this entry →

The Challenge Cup remains one of the greatest accolades in sport and is, behind the Super League Grand Final title, the biggest and most prestigious award in rugby league. This year’s tournament has been one of the best in recent memory, entertaining viewers with some tremendous tackling, phenomenal passing and sensational scores. As the tournament starts to heat up, most of the major teams remain in the competition and will be quietly confident of their chances this season. In fact, the only major shock so far came in the previous round as Hull KR earned an impressive away victory against Wigan Warriors to knock Shaun Wane’s men out of the competition.

Meanwhile, the likes of Warrington Wolves, Leeds Rhinos and St Helens remain firm contenders for the crown, while Catalans Dragons have shown that they are more than capable of beating the best teams in Super League on their day. At the quarter-final stages, anything can happen and it would be foolish to dismiss any of the remaining teams in the competition. With the exception of Leigh Centurions, who have won 14 of their 15 Championship league matches this season, all of the quarter-finalists are Super League clubs and have beaten each other on various occasions – so this year’s tournament really is up for grabs. That is not to say that Leigh should be ruled out, however, and, at the time of writing, betfair are pricing Leigh at a hefty 40/1 to lift the trophy at the end of August. However, it is likely that Warrington Wolves – Leigh’s opponents in the last-eight – will be looking to spoil the party as they hunt a fourth Challenge Cup title since 2009. Read the rest of this entry →

Rugby is growing in youth popularity.

If you have a son who has shown an interest in playing the English game of rugby instead of American football, you should try to encourage them in any way you can. It’s hard enough to get kids interested in playing sports these days, and so it’s vital that you support them. However, there are a number of things you want to do before they play their first game. We’ve created a checklist you can use to ensure you have all the bases covered. So long as you can tick everything off our list, your son should be more than ready to head out on the field.

Make sure they know the rules
Growing up in the US means that your children probably haven’t had maximum exposure to the game of rugby. However, there is a professional league in this country, and so you should spend some time watching games with them. Doing so will help to guarantee they understand the rules properly. The night before they are due to play their first game, you should spend an hour or so going through everything with them to ensure there is no confusion.

Buy the best equipment
Rugby is considered one of the best sports to keep you fit and healthy. However, your son is going to need the right equipment if you want him to stay safe. Rugby players should always wear a cup, and it’s wise to put some headgear on too. You will find some really high-quality sweatbands available online that could help them to feel a little more comfortable on the field. The last thing you want is for them to miss an important catch because they are blinded by the sweat dripping from their forehead. They need the right tools for the job if you want them to enjoy the sport and build a passion for playing. Read the rest of this entry →

Rugby is a tough sport, but definitely one that keeps you fit.

Sport is such a popular pastime across the world. Many people take up a sport recreationally while others play at a professional level. The beauty of sport is that it combines a healthy competitiveness with a wonderful fitness regime. It’s important to look after your body and keep fit, and sport is a fun and exciting way to do this.

It’s also great for social interactions and teamwork. If you play any kind of sport, you’re probably aware just how much impact it has on your fitness levels. But if you haven’t yet taken up a sport here are some ideas for sports to keep you fit and healthy.

Golf
Believe it or not golf is, in fact, a great way to stay fit and healthy. It gets a stigma because it’s often associated with older overweight men. But, in fact, there’s a lot of walking involved in golf, and this is good for your heart. Also, by the natural swinging action involved you develop great upper body strength. You can work on improving your game while also keeping yourself fit. And the great thing about golf is that you don’t need to be in fantastic shape to take it up, which is untrue of most sports.

Read the rest of this entry →

There has been a lot of recent confusion and turmoil for the English rugby team.

After the abysmal Rugby World Cup campaign, English rugby has hit ‘rock bottom’ according to the Rugby Football Union’s elite rugby director Rob Andrew.

Not only did England get knocked out at the quarter-final stage, but there were issues with player behaviour too, something which has been highlighted once again by leaked documents.

Those over at rugbyboots.net note how a confidential report – reviewing the team’s performances and general World Cup campaign – fell into the hands of a newspaper this week and has now been published for the world to see.

It has been a very embarrassing couple of days for English rugby, with the coaching staff and players receiving criticism for their role in a poor campaign in South Africa.

Describing the fall-out, Andrew said: “I am absolutely shattered by what is going on both on and off the field.”

“The RFU has to sort itself out. This is rock bottom, the lowest of the low, and it can’t be allowed to continue.” Read the rest of this entry →

Chris Ashton is supportive of England Rugby Coach Martin Johnson.

Winger Chris Ashton has become the latest player to back England coach Martin Johnson, insisting he is the right man for the job.

Those following England World Cup News will note how the side crashed out of the World Cup at the quarter final stage last month, prompting speculation that Johnson’s contract would not be renewed.

His current deal is due to expire at the end of December, and the RFU are yet to make an announcement as to whether they will offer him an extension.

But Northampton ace, Ashton believes there should be no question over Johnson’s role in the national team.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Five Live, Ashton said: “He is the perfect man for the job.

“He’s very inspirational, which those who played with him, around him and played under him, would say.” Read the rest of this entry →