Rm3r 2 6 14

Denver Barbarians at San Francisco Golden Gate , Ray Sheeran Field, Saturday, February 8@1pm PST (2pm MST);

Glendale Raptors at Belmont Shore, Cal State Long Beach, Saturday, February 8@12:30p m PST (1:30pm MST)

Rocky Mountain Regional Rugby Report

2.6.14

In this Issue:

US Rugby Hall of Fame: 2014 Nod to Barbarians Fleener

Pacific Rugby Premiership: kicks off in California – Raptors deliver, Barbos make a point; Opening Day Roundup and Upcomers on Saturday, 2.8

Grand Canyon University: rugby on campus, scholarships available

PRP Upcomers – Victorious Raptors to Belmont, Barbos seek first PRP win on Treasure Island

Northside Marauders to St. Valentine’s Day Massacre

GlobalComps: Richard and Trotski

o Six Nations – roundup of opening weekend: Sacré Bleus! & the Trotter’s on the leuse

o Heineken Cup – playoffs begin 4.5

o Aviva, Top XIV, Pro12 tables with upcomers

o Super XV Rugby gears up

hR’s Back Page:

o Down at the Whistling Hog: PRP inauguration & “… that minstrel boy…”

o Rugby Quiptocryp

Brendan’s Pub

at 404 Broadway ◊ Kevin Geraghty ◊

proprietor

http://www.sfggrugby.com/

http://www.ocrugby.com/directions.html

http://www.belmontshorerfc.com/

http://www.belmontshorerfc.com/Mens-Division/Maps

http://www.brendans404.com/



Congratulations are in order for Denver

Barbarians charter member Terry Fleener on his induction

into the US Rugby Hall of Fame. The 2014 Rugby Class

boasts the likes of former Eagles front row, Jay Hanson,

and former USA Rugby President, Anne Barry (1998-2002),

so you may rest assured Mr. Fleener is in classy company.

Kudos Terry!





http://www.usrugbyhalloffame.org/



Results

Kickoff weekend for PRP : B3 = bang, bang, boom!

: San Francisco Golden Gate v Santa Monica Dolphins –

On an ideal rugby day, PRP’s inaugural weekend got under way with an afternoon of rugby

at Treasure Island in the Bay Area. In the f irst f ixture, Santa Monica ran out to a 20 -7

halft ime lead, but were unable to rein in San Francisco’s awesome, second stanza offense

as the Golden Gate closed on the Southern Californ ians to the tune of 36-27 in favor of the

home team.

: south along the Cal ifornia coast to Long Beach in the LA area and Belmont Shore v

Denver Barbarians – The hosts leapt to a 19-nil f irst forty advantage before the

traveling offense came online. Barbarians scored sufficient to erase that deficit, but a n

additional grounding by Belmont in the f inal forty minutes of play provided a t idy result for

the home team at 26-19. Denver did earn a losing bonus point as their loss margin was

within seven points , or less.

: and in the f irst Colorado club victory of the Premiership continuum, Glendale

Raptors claimed bounty and brought four table points back to thei r aerie with

the win over Olympic Club as the second half of the PRP double-header on Treasure Island

and ultimate end result favored the Colorado side . Raptors coach and former South African

Springbok, Andre Snyman, pi loted his predators to the win and US Eagles front rowman,

Zach Fenoglio, skippered his troops on the pitch as they overcame six points in arrears at

halft ime to cash the 27-17 result. All members of the side deserved man of the match

accolades, but it was the back-three-backs: Brett Will is, Dust in Croy and Preston Bryant

who featured particularly well in the Raptors second stanza riposte.

Club Won Lost Drawn Match Points (MPts) Belmont Shore 1 0 0 5

San Francisco Golden Gate – SFGG 1 0 0 5

Glendale Raptors 1 0 0 4

Denver Barbarians 0 1 0 1

Olympic Rugby Club 0 1 0 0

Old Mission Beach Athletic Club – OMBAC 0 0 0 n/a*

* first week bye







Grand Canyon University

There’s a new university rugby club in the SouthWest, far enough away so that your student/athlete is not

bringing laundry home on the weekends, but near enough that a parent does not feel like they’ll never see

their offspring again. Grand Canyon University is a four-year institution of higher learning that provides

scholarship in a wide range of regimens in both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. It is located in

Phoenix, Arizona. Matriculating freshmen can avail themselves of tuition-reducing scholarships, GCU’s wide-

ranging, 21st-century curriculum, sun and rugby at GCU. Did I say sun? That’s important on a day such as this.

The Rugby Generation at GCU is as happening as it gets. Head coach Ryan

Kelly and his staff (there’s even a rugby recruiter on board!) are hard at work

putting together the club that’ll compete most likely as an independent

school come fall semester, 2014. Kelly acquired and developed his

occupational art as well as his estimable rugby skills at another area school, University of Arizona.

Coach Kelly, who was rugby All-American at Arizona, has a substantial select side (7s and 15s) background. He

holds USA Rugby level 200 coaching certifications. He and his staff are creating their side in much the same

dynamic manner Lindenwood University’s head coach, Ron Laszewski, did a few years back: hitting local and

regional tournaments for recruits; contacts from one-to-one interviews conducted by his staff; and online

exposure such as the post your reading now. FYI - Laszewski’s side earned a national championship within five

years of opening up shop and is a frontrunner in the ever-changing landscape of athletic scholarship

nationwide.

Grand Canyon University has formulated and implemented an ambitious plan to increase its student

population by nearly 100% within three years. GCU looks to up its undergrad census from the current number

of “about 8,500”, to nearly 15,000 by 2018. That expansion plan has earmarked significant funding to create

and develop club sports as well as increase monies available for scholarships. GCU has already begun

construction of an 80,000 square foot engineering school and additional residence facilities as well as

enlarging and enhancing its 2-year old GCU arena, an indoor sports and concert venue. The university will

invest a further $100 million dollars into its academic architecture over the next one thousand days.







There are three ways with one theme by which a prospective student can acquire scholarship funds in GCU’s

singular investment-in-its-student financial assistance program. Need-based financial aid is also available.

Scholarship amounts have direct correspondence to:

a student’s GPA – the higher your GPA, the greater the award;

SAT scores – the higher your SAT, the greater the award;

ACT scores - the higher your ACT, the greater the award;

Scholarship awards are based on the individual student’s academic achievements either during the course

of their high school career, or by scores of their standardized college entrance examinations (SAT, ACT).

If you’ve a decent GPA, but your SAT scores are notso hot, that is not a problem as GCU will consider your

better academic credential when determining the amount of scholarship dollars awarded. Also for those

interested in visiting the school, transportation assistance funds for potential enrollees can be made available

for up to $250 of the cost of travel to GCU. Once you arrive at the school for an approved campus visit,

everything is covered from meals-to-accommodation and transport, so you’ll have all logistics taken care of

and that’ll enable you to concentrate fully on the abundant opportunity evident as you tour the main Phoenix

campus.

“We are really one of the first schools to recruit high school rugby athletes from across the country – and we

have a tuition and cost structure that allows student-athletes from any state to be able to afford to attend,”

states Kelly, “and we have more than two dozen students currently practicing for the Fall 2014 start.“ Kelly

anticipates that number to rise to 50, reckoning 60% of that total will have had high school rugby experience.

Furthermore, GCU rugby’s savvy head coach states, “… we can continue to have students apply for and receive

scholarship awards throughout the spring semester for fall enrollment in 2014.”

Standards for freshman scholarships can be accessed at: link

Ryan Kelly Head Coach Grand Canyon University Rugby Cell: 602.670.9063 [email protected] www.gcu.edu www.gcurugby.com

GCU admissions info link

Adam Muszynski Assistant Coach and Recruiting Director Grand Canyon University Rugby cell: 623.521.4905 [email protected]





http://www.gcu.edu/Admissions/Tuition-and-Financing/Scholarships/Campus-Scholarships-2013-2014.php

http://www.gcu.edu/

http://www.gcurugby.com/

http://www.gcu.edu/Admissions/Admission-Requirements/Undergraduate-Campus-Programs.php



v : San Francisco Golden Gate (SFGG)v Denver Barbarians – Barbarians

started 40 minutes late last week, al lowing their opponents a 19 -point halft ime edge; SFGG

required second stanza heroics for their win; suffice to say, “full -on, full-eighty,” this

Saturday for everybody!

v : Belmont Shore v Glendale Raptors – both undefeated, though Belmont

are one match point ahead due to their bonus point win last week; however, Raptors have

claimed the only road victory in the Premiership thus far; can Raptors prey on the Shore at

the day? - gonna f ind out Saturday!

v : Santa Monica Dolphins v Old Mission Bay Athletic Club (OMBAC ) – Santa

Monica was strong through forty, yet could not close for the win at Ray Sheeran Field last

week; OMBAC are currently untested as they’d a bye weekend; each will l ike numbers in the

match points (MPts ) column at day’s end; this reckons to be a Southern Cal ifornia Derby of

the highest order!

Olympic Rugby Club has its f irst bye weekend returning to action on Saturday, February 15 v San Francisco Golden Gate in the Premiership’s Battle of the Bay, Part 1

2.8.14

Upcomers







Wales v Italy

Saturday, 2.1.14 @ Millennium Stadium, 7:30am MST

Wales v Italy: on a breezy though otherwise perfect day at the Millennium Stadium, Wales got its 2014 Six

Nations defense off on the right foot, yet not as comprehensively perhaps as the Dragon would have liked. 17-

3@half but an early (’42) second stanza Michele Campagnaro try tightened tings at 17-8. A missed conversion

and a further awry penalty attempt would cause one for pause by day’s end.

With front rows battling mightily in the sets it would be 20 minutes+ before a Leigh Halfpenny penalty strike

extended Wales lead to an even dozen.

It was Campagnaro heroic again with an intercept of an uncommon Halfpenny no-looker that earned the

canny young speedster his brace, and Tommaso Allan’s conversion put the tallies at 20-15 with ten to go. But

as Halfpenny giveth five, he turneth around and getteth three backeth with certain penalty form and Wales

had a two-score lead with time quickest in 72nd minute and tallies, 23-15.

And 23-15 at fulltime for the record. Best eight-point loss you’ll see, I’ll bet.

Good news for Italy in the form of Benetton Treviso center, Michele Campagnaro, who will turn 21 this season

and whose brace of second stanza dots kept the Azzurri in the park and the Welsh Choir edgy for much of the

final forty

woes a the toe: Wales left three points on table, Italy five;

Upcoming: Wales, Italy

Wales will pop across Cardigan Bay and the Irish Sea to Dublin for its Date with Destiny and Ireland on

Saturday; Wales Six Nations schedule has the defending champions traveling to Dublin and London this

season, while they’ve further hosting duties of France and Scotland; they may look the favorite at the

Millennium Stadium, but it will be a very different atmosphere at Lansdowne Road on Saturday as Sam

Warburton and friends get together their Celtic brethren for a Test of considerable consequence on

the weekend;

Italy stops on its return to Rome in Paris for a wee derby against a national side the Azzurri shocked on

opening day last year, perhaps setting the tone for subsequent French follies throughout 2013, which

was definitely not the Year of Gallic Blue; With the emergence of Campagnaro and Allan, each who’ll

see 21 years this season, as viable gamebreaker and playmaker respectively, Italy has got a lot on the

three-quartersline ball in complement its fierce forward group;





http://www.millenniumstadium.com/

http://www.avivastadium.ie/

http://www.stadefrance.com/



We’re fortunate to have Rugby Scribe, Lonnie Trotski, on European Vacation this

spring; he’ll be reporting live from the parks, but later on. Herewith, follow his initial

posts: ed.

France v England

France v England – field official = Nigel Owens; live from Stade de France, Paris

- Yoann Huget collects either a good bounce or a bad bounce, dependent on which side of the Channel you

hail, and a try in the 1st minute as mine hosts have smite their pals from across the waters a good one early-

like, 5-0 in the first 60… seconds that is;

- penalties traded by minute 14 have things at 8-3;

- bonne chance has a jouncy pill for Huget’s snare-and-scamper and his second handful; the greedy, speedy

winger has a brace and Les Bleus a 10-point advantage (13-3) midway through the first forty;

- Doussain finally finds the sweet spot ‘tweenst those sticks after a pair of whiffs and France are in 16-3 control

at ’22;

- grim traveling section led by English pilot Lancaster at this stage;

- Twelvetrees gets the cross-and-dot, but a prior forward knock on a flat-tackle negates those numbers at the

25th minute;

- France have sustained an intermittent, yet frenzied attack, through 30 minutes and England are wobbly on

the rear leg;

- Mike Brown leaps across for five to finish a movement initiated by a steppy Danny Care maneuver followed

by hands to Brown and the touch down; 16-8 at 34;

- and those’re the numbers at Owens’ 40-minute signal and it’s laddies to lockers with England in arrears by

more than one score… who’d a thunk it

France 16, England 8: second stanza comes

- an Owen Farrell sticksplitter brings England close by the 43rd minute at 16-11;

- and lead switches with a large try by Luther Burrell at 16-18 and ‘52;








- England sparkling with Care the leading the light as France now looking like they may have partied 40

minutes too soon at halftime… not looking like winners now;

- Danny Care drops a goal in the 53rd minute as England continue to look the different side its first half

performer, 16-21;

- 60 minutes mark and Huget’s misstep along touch at frantic pace negates a potential leveler;

- Dickson on in relief of Care who’s the man of three-quarters of the match in any case;

- forwards smashing, centers crashing, this is the rugby! - with referee Nigel Owens in elegant control;

- England look for three to put them ahead by more than a score with 15 to go;

- a Maxime Machenaud penalty strike with 10 yet on Owens’ ticker cuts England advantage to deux, and it’s

19-21 game flame on hotter;

- Alex Goode gets his own sticksplitter, while Farrell has a needy leg seen to, and England are back in front by

five, 19-24, game flame hotter still;

- France look beaten, England ferocious with Mako Vunipola striding knifelike through the buttery French

defense;

- and just like that, Yannick Nyanga’s ooh la la along touch and further French liveliness, makes for Gale Fickou

and Fickou’s centrepost grounding, 24-24, Machenaud composes an elementary completion, and a new leader

has taken the stage at 26-24 and minute number 78 - yes, the Sons of Mercury be back, baby errh, mon bébé!

- and that’s the way the tallies stand at full time; good show all around - Vive la ooh la la! France starts off its

2014 Six Nations season on the crazy, cardiac-arrestive right leg, while England is on its unfamiliar rear footie

… now, what’s I hear about this they call Pernod? starts clear… gets cloudy? eor and out

Next for: France, England

France: Les Bleus remain in Paris for le gran vengeance a la last year’s debacle in Rome; The French camp is

cresting from the fabulous weekend result, best maintain focus, because the Azzurri will not tread

lightly Sunday’s good evening at Stade de France;

England: will look to rebound from what must be considered last weekend’s disappointing result unless your

native tongue be slightly nasal with a French lilt; all hands will be on deck and in form for the Edinburgh

redress on the Saturday;

mitre






http://www.murrayfieldexperience.com/



Ireland v Scotland

Ireland v Scotland – field official = Craig Joubert; live from Lansdowne Road, Dublin

- Paul O’Connell out with a chest infection

- cool with a blue top at kickoff;

- Laidlaw misses penalty at 6 minutes;

- lost Scottish lineout provides an Irish show of forwards maul power in 13th minute; Ireland are awarded

penalty as Scotland steals lineout but are subsequently pinged for laying about; and Jonathon Sexton puts the

homeboys up top, 3-0;

- Laidlaw sure strike with his second attempt, 3-for everyone in the house just 18 minutes in;

- Sexton back with another penalty, 6-3 at 22 mins, Mister;

- forwards-forced rugby just now as both sides are choosing to work their big men and save the fast goers, stiff

competition every ruck and maul through 27;

- Scotland drive to the Irish line, but are held up at min 31; all favors to Blue just now;

- Maitland picks up what looks to be a lower extremity injury and he’s done for day; Max Evans enters the fray

in relief; 33 mins in temporal bucket;

- neither side has really established the flow yet; Scotland disturbing Ireland’s forwards play well, but one may

get the feeling that Ireland are playing mouse-and-cat;

- Stuart Hogg shows razzle with a no-look behind-the-backer that momentarily fires action, but ultimately no

gain realized;

- Ireland try at 38 reviewed and denied;

- Ireland try… good! Jonny Sexton began it - from swift service out of the collapsing maul - fast hands the

overlap and Andrew Trimble finds Sunday glory at death of first forty; Ireland stretch margin to eight, 11-3,

and the lads are locker-bound: Down by more than two scores, Scotland must lessen turnover number and

maintain possession in the Ireland half. Ireland should look to do more of the same as it’s served them well so

far; All that rugby, bigod I’ve a splendid thirst and am off to slake same… eltrots away

- Scotland #9, Greig Laidlaw, registers the first points of the second stanza at ’42 with a surely-struck penalty,

11-6;

- uh-oh; Ireland respond, rapid and certain: powerful t-r-y by 8man Heaslip and it’s 16-6 before Jonny adds the

deuce to make it 18-6 and Scotland must wonder at the 46th minute… what they must do – well, they must

score a try, or better yet, two - while Ireland’s complement on the stands in deafening rejoice and Scotland

are in back to the tune of a dozen;

- what happens next, happens all, one should consider;

- Ireland in control and moving forward in the 55th minute;








- a penalty to Ireland; a penalty conversion by jolly Jonny Sexton; and 21-6 the call at 56 mins; the boat’s

leaving…

- Scotland must make something happen now, though it doesn’t look likely based on their recent doings;

- Ireland have widened field to employ outside flyers, danger for Scotland with three-quarters of Test gone;

- Scotland are two scores off the pace of even a losing bonus point in the 65th minute; Sexton knocking the pill

down the far reaches of the park;

- how about something from Mr. Hogg as it appears he’ll have opportunity upcoming?

- possession and territory have been there for Scotland at times, but no numbers produced therefrom and

that’s gotta be driving Scotland coach, Scott Johnson, and staff, nuts;

- pine box nailed shut with an Ireland try by Rob Kearney and jumping, jolly Jonny Sexton’s completion, 28-6 at

the minute 72 o’ Owens’ clock; Kearney wasn’t touted for that incision-and-strength style previously… he will

be now;

- Ireland have certainly shown this second half, Scotland notso much;

- they’re all singing Irish round the stadium now as the home team looks to close out an impressive win… four

minutes to go;

- Ireland 28, Scotland 6 at Joubert’s last blast

Seeya inna next time …I wonder if I can get a drink somewheres in this town of the hurdled ford…oh I’ve played wild rover for many a’ … etrots out and away

For Ireland and For Scotland

Ireland: Will Ireland be able to maintain its form? One should think so as they remain at Lansdowne Road for

what may be the deciding fixture for the Six Nations title, even early in this second round; however, Ireland

must yet travel to London and Paris later on in its campaign; A Six Nations title for the Green? no chance, no

way if Ireland do not defeat Wales this Saturday, but you gotta think Wales feelings run along the same lines –

this will be the Match of the Weekend (MoW); the return of Paul O’Connell no small thing for Men in Green;

Scotland: Mr. Johnson’s lads have a number of things toward which their attention can be directed as they

prepare at training this week for what is sure to be a formidable English force at Murrayfield on Saturday; but

first and foremost, the try dam must be broken somehow and in a manner enabling that critical flow;

Scotland’s opponent is favorite to prevail on Saturday, but that is when Scotland are historically most

dangerous: as underdogs versus an overconfident foe; cracker of a match at Edinburgh; Sean Maitland, who

left after graphically gruesome injury last Saturday, will be out for up to eight weeks – no breaks, but “Sean

was examined by consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Graham Lawson. He found that Sean has sustained some

damage to the structure of his knee and ankle, but happily, (he) does not require surgery,” Scotland team

doctor, James Robson;






http://www.murrayfieldexperience.com/



Final Heineken Pool Results : quarterfinal rounds April 5 th , 2014

Pool 1 Won Lost Drawn MPts Le inster 5 1 0 22 Northampton Sa ints 4 2 0 17 Castres 2 4 0 9 Ospr eys 1 5 0 5 Pool 2 Won Lost Drawn MPts Toulon 5 1 0 24 Card if f B lues 3 3 0 14 Exeter Ch iefs 3 3 0 12 Glasgow 2 4 0 11 Pool 3 Won Lost Drawn MPts Toulouse 5 1 0 23 Sar acens 4 2 0 20 Connacht 3 3 0 13 Zebre 0 6 0 0 Pool 4 Won Lost Drawn MPts Clermont Auver gne 5 1 0 24 Har lequins 3 3 0 16 Scar lets 2 3 1 11 Rac ing Metro 1 4 1 7 Pool 5 Won Lost Drawn MPts Ulster 6 0 0 26 Le icester T igers 4 2 0 21 Montpel l ier 2 4 0 11 Benetton Treviso 0 6 0 0 Pool 6 Won Lost Drawn MPts Munster 5 1 0 23 Gloucester Rugby 3 3 0 14 Ed inbur gh 3 3 0 12 Perp ignan 1 5 0 7

Undefeated and top points-earner, Ulster, wil l host Saracens on Saturday April 5 t h at

Ravenhill; Toulon and Leinster get after the pil l at Stade Fé l ix-Mayol that evening

Clermont Auvergne battle Leicester Tigers the following afternoon, Sunday 4.5 , at Stade Marcel Michel in; and Munster take on Toulouse at Thomond Park in a 6pm (local) kick







Super 15 Rugby – Can Chiefs make it an unprecedented Super Rugby Championship Tryple?

Gonna find out beginning Saturday, February 15 as 2014 Super 15s Rugby kicks off in South

Africa with Round 1 matches (with clubs’ 2013 finish on their national tables) :

2.15.14:

o Cheetahs (2) v Lions (0) @ Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein (Lions replaced

Kings on South African table - Mytjal ies )

o Sharks (4) v Bulls (1) @ Kings Park, Durban;

then Friday/Saturday/Sunday, February 21/22/23, Super 15s gets going around the Southern

Hemisphere with Round 2 f ixtures:

2.21.14:

o Crusaders (1) v Chiefs (2) @ AMI Stadium, Addington , Christchurch

o Cheetahs (2) v Bulls (1) @ Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein;

2.22.14:

o Highlanders (5) v Blues (3) @ Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

o Brumbies (1) v Reds (2) @ Canberra Stadium, Canberra

o Sharks (4) v Hurricanes (4) @ Kings Park, Durban

o Lions (0) v Stormers (3) @ El l is Park, Johannesburg

2-23.14:

o Waratahs (3) v Force (5) @ Al l ianz Stadium, Sidney

noto bene : Melbourne Rebels , 2013’s 4 t h- placed, side in Australia, start their 2014

campaign with a pair of byes – they’l l kick their f irst on the last day in February with host

duty of Cheetahs @ AAMI Park, Melbourne;

A lot of 2013 # 1 v #2, intra -national matches the f irst pair of weekends , so the Super Rugby

XV season will open with some of the highest and most wide -open, quality rugby on the

planet… backed by an undercurrent of subtle redress last season’s results.

Super 15 Rugby







Aviva Premiership

A plethora of blades displaying at Premiership feeding table these days with none sharper and more capable

than Saracens knives (50 MPts) as we are just beyond the midpoint in the season. Northampton Saints, who

defeated the frontrunners at Franklin's Gardens as October faded, appear the Sarries only competition, trailing

the leaders by three match points (47 MPts). Everyone else is more than two bonus-point wins off that pace.

Third place in the English league is held by Bath Rugby with 36 MPts, while the fiercest competition in the

Premiership is for the fourth and final playoff spot. Numbers four-through-eight are all within a bonus point

win of the last extra-time slot: Harlequins and Leicester Tigers share 64 MPts evenly; London Wasps follow at

31 MPts; then Sale Sharks with 29 points and Exeter Chiefs behind the Sharks by one. This is the shape of

England’s top competition:

Won Lost Drawn MPts

Sar acens 11 1 0 50

Northampton Sa ints 10 1 1 47

Bath Rugby 8 3 1 36

Har lequins 7 5 0 32

Le icester T igers 6 4 2 32

London Wasps 6 6 0 31

Sale Sharks 6 6 0 29

Exeter Ch iefs 6 6 0 28

Gloucester Rugby 4 8 0 21

London Ir ish 3 9 0 17

Newcast le Fa lcons 3 9 0 14

Worcester Warr iors 0 12 0 3

Upcomers

Friday, 2.7: Worcester Warriors v Leicester Tigers at Sixways; 5 for Tigers? Sale Sharks v Gloucester Rugby at Salford City Stadium; Sharks’l l win; Saturday, 2.8 : Bath Rugby v Newcastle Falcons at Recreation Ground; 5 for Bath? Saracens v London Ir ish at Copthall Stadium; 5 for Sarries? Exeter Chiefs v Northampton Saints at Sandy Park; Chiefs surprise Sunday, 2.9: Harlequins v London Wasps at The Stoop; Match of the Weekend







French Top XIV W ith Stade Français getting the f ive-pointer over Castres and Clermont Auvergne losing on the road at Bayonne , the Parisians have muscled Clermont from the head of table and are themselves seated at its front , two match points on top of last week’s frontrunners; one win back, Castres lead a group of six within a four -point victory of one another; and then the rest who must reckon an unbeaten run, or something much like that, in their remaining f ixtures the only route they’l l see extra t ime at season’s conclusion the f irst Saturday in May; f irst weekend of playoffs has numbers 1 & 2 resting while numbers 3 -thru-6 hammer it out for the right to square off with the aforementioned top two; a danse macabre , one might think, but surely one to dazzle and delight… … any case, upcoming we have last week’s numero uno and this week’s numero uno at Clermont fronting a French Top XIV schedule, an event of Krakatoa-esque proport ions; anybody save Biarritz really - who’re l ike a punch drunk f ighter who connects every so often yet mostly gets walloped around the park - have a shot at the four, f irst-weekend, playoff slots, but one should think those clubs ’d want to make that intention known toute suite… and February 8 th would be a f ine time to begin … Won Lost Drawn MPts

S t a d e F r a n ç a is 1 2 5 0 5 2

Cle r m o n t A u v e r g n e 1 0 6 1 5 0

Ca s t r e s 9 7 1 4 6

G r e n o b le 1 0 6 1 4 5

M o n t p e l l ie r 8 8 1 4 4

T o u l o u s e 9 8 0 4 4

T o u l o n 8 8 1 4 2

R a c in g M e t r o 9 7 1 4 2

B r iv e 7 9 0 3 9

B o r d e a u x B e g le s 7 1 0 0 3 7

P e r p ig n a n 7 1 0 0 3 6

B a y o n n e 7 1 0 0 3 4

O y o n n a x 8 8 0 3 3

B ia r r i t z 3 1 3 0 1 7

Saturday, 2.8 *** Bayonne (34 MPts) v Brive (39 MPts) at Stade Jean Dauger; *** Bordeaux Begles (37) v Grenoble (45) at Stade Andre Moga; Grenoble must win on road; Bordeaux has strategized a decidedly different result;

** Castres (46) v Oyonnax (33) at Stade Pierre Antoine; gotta win, Castres; ***** Clermont Auvergne (50) v Stade Français (52) at Stade Marcel Michelin; go

f igger ; next week’s numero uno wins this one; *** Perpignan (36) v Racing Metro (42) Aime Giral; each need; ** Toulon (42) v Biarritz (17) at Stade Felix-Mayol; Toulon lose, Madame

Gui l lotine will see action; ***** Toulouse (44) v Montpellier (44) at Stade Ernest Wallon ; if you’re not old

enough to have been around for the Big Bang, catch this;







RaboDirect PRO12

Munster yet holds the lead, but with its defeat by Ulster in its last outing, coupled with the Leinster road

victory at Connacht, the top end of the league has become a bit more claustrophobic. Numbers one, two and

three - Munster, Leinster and Ospreys - are all within a weekend win of one another while Ulster are two

points behind Ospreys mark. It may seem that the aforementioned foursome have already sewn up playoff

spots, but it would be reckless (feckless, too!) to plan your playoff vacations now, for Glasgow Warriors are yet

in the mix and will feature as their Heineken season is over and Warriors focus on the RDP12 could bring extra

time joy in Glasgow. Also Glasgow sit at table with a brace of games in hand as soggy, unplayable conditions at

Scotstoun required postponement of Warriors home fixtures with Treviso and Edinburgh.

Significant in the lower seven, Zebre claimed victory over their Italian brethren, Treviso, last weekend and

have risen from the cellar. They have nine fixtures left to maintain, or possibly improve, that standing.

As in all European competitions this weekend, with Six Nations Tests happening, here is the time when any

player who is understudy to an international will look to make serious remark; a time where young players

rising through the ranks may deem their tide on the full just now and get after that destiny thing.

Won Lost Drawn MPts Munster 10 2 0 43

Le inster 8 3 1 40

Ospr eys 8 3 1 39

Ulster 8 4 0 37

Glasgow 8 2 0 33

Dragons 5 7 1 24

Scar lets 4 7 1 23

Edinbur gh 5 6 0 22

Card if f B lues 4 7 1 22

Benetton Treviso 3 7 1 19

Zebre 2 9 1 14

Connacht 2 10 0 12







Upcomes the RDP12 Match

Friday, 2.7: Ulster v Ospreys at Ravenhill; let ’s see… Ulster with Pienaar at home versus an Ospreys side depleted by elements on national duties; I ’m going w/SA boy’s side, big; Saturday, 2.8 : Benetton Treviso v Scarlets at Stadio Communal di Monigo; Scarlets should col lect a road win here, but ther e’s always, not; Munster v Cardiff Blues at Thomond Park; a Munster reversal of recent results, one should think; Dragons v Edinburgh at Rodney Parade; Edinburgh looked good in its last, losing bonus-point match v Glasgow ; tough road ask, however; Glasgow v Connacht at Scotstoun; f ive points for Warriors? Connacht , though far down the table, has capabil ity to surprise and this may be the time for a revelatory Irish potluck; Zebre v Leinster at Stadio XXV Apri l; Zebre are on a run of one, though they’ve earned losing bonus points ( LBPs) in the previous pair of matches; Zebre can, but Leinster most probably wil l; © h R

Back Page(s) Rugby Quiptocryp

last week’s solution: “I am not going to

lie, I haven’t been perfect” former All

Black, Zac Guildford – Sean Reif yet again

1st correct responder

today’s cryp below

“G’j qtgdogdf, G’j dwq fwgdf qw ey qty hykpwd xy bwpy qtgp fkjy,” Iydnyh Ekhekhgkdp Bwfkd

Lwbbgdp gd hj wd qhu-pkngdf, qgqby-xgddgdf qkloby kq BNG

text is encrypted

to solve: substitute letters in the pattern above to determine the rugby-referenced phrase.

hint: o=k

everyone is talking about

the Premiership







Down at the (remodeled) Whistling hR ©

XV

rugby

time

PRP weekend

openers, waddja think?

Belmont be best

Ron Tufele’s the man

Raptors won on road Olympic Club

was robbed

back three counters

Wait’ll they play

Barbo

my money’s on SFGG

Dolphins are tops

OMBAC have not had a match yet this

weekend in LA

Croy, Bryant and Willis = h-o-t

… who is gonna throw that minstrel boy ah ha-ha coin…

who’s gonna let him down easy and save his soul…

is it war?

it looks a lot like

war at times, but

it’s just all good

fun

getting’ your

rugby on, are

ya?





Rm3r 2 6 14

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