Mina tankar om rugby och livet som involverad i svensk rugby! Både som förälder och engagerad i styrelser, förbund mm.
Om sidan
Just nu är jag Ordförande i Pingvin RC.
Mina favoritlag är naturligtvis Pingvin RC men också Wasps!
torsdag 31 december 2015
onsdag 30 december 2015
Gentlemannasporten Rugby
The Gentleman’s Game
When I was just five years old, I was already doing the haka in the mirror by myself. Whacking my legs, whacking my chest — I probably wasn’t doing it all that accurately but I was giving it all I had.
When you grow up in New Zealand, it’s ingrained in you from a very young age that rugby is much more than a sport — it’s our sport. Rugby is often compared to a religion in our country, but that may be cutting it short. Religious people may waver in their faith from time to time, but New Zealand’s passion for rugby is truly constant.
Some of my fondest memories growing up were when I used to wake up at 3 in the morning with my Dad to watch the team play games over in Europe or South Africa. There was no chance we would miss it. There is such a history and legacy surrounding the All Blacks that the standards couldn’t be any higher. An entire country stops what they’re doing to watch this team play, and the expectation is that they will win every single match.
It was difficult to fathom that I would someday have the privilege of wearing the All Blacks jersey. Our national rugby team is one of our greatest sources of pride, and its consistent success over the decades has been remarkable. In its history, the team has won more than 75 percent of its matches against international competition, scoring 13,921 points while only conceding 6,793 points against. I come from a small town in New Zealand that hasn’t produced many national players, so the idea of playing even one game for the All Blacks almost seemed like a fantasy.
When you grow up in New Zealand, it’s ingrained in you from a very young age that rugby is much more than a sport — it’s our sport.
I still remember the nerves I had before my first game for the national team. The reality of representing this beautiful country in the thing they’re most passionate about was a lot to take in. In short, I didn’t want to stuff it up.
It was 2003 and I was only 21-years-old. We were playing against Wales, and I remember running out into the stadium in Hamilton, New Zealand and being greeted by this amazing crowd. Standing on the field and singing the national anthem was a very emotional experience, but what probably stands out most from that day was being involved in my first haka.
The haka is an ancient Māori war cry that’s performed by the All Blacks before every match begins, and as you can see, it’s quite a display:
It’s a ritual that I absolutely love. It may look like an intense cheer, but being on the team taught me a lot more about the meaning behind the haka. It’s a very spiritual practice that involves bringing energy up from the ground. There’s so much history behind these motions, every New Zealander can perform it. And I guess it goes without saying that it gets you pretty pumped up for the game — so much so, that after I perform the haka, I always have to go to the sidelines and try to calm myself down a bit. The position I play, fly-half, is somewhat similar to playing quarterback in American football. I have to make all the calls and thus need to have a very clear head so I can know who will be where at what time.
That being said, I try to make sure the big boys in the scrum get as worked up as possible during the haka.
To perform the haka for the first time was such a rush. I snuck to the back because I was so nervous, but over the years I’ve worked my way up and now I’m at the front. We won that first game, and I never looked back.
People unfamiliar with the sport probably think rugby is a very violent and brutal game, and in some respects that’s true — and I have the scars to back it up.
I’ve ruptured an Achilles as well as my Adductor muscle. I’ve broken my fibula, several injuries to my calves, hamstrings and ribs. I’ve dislocated both of my shoulders and have also had a couple of ankle surgeries. And there are the little things, like broken bones in your hands and busted up fingers.
[Rugby’s] ability to combine brutality with grace, intellect and sportsmanship is not just remarkable, it’s important.
The human body is an amazing thing and you very much push it to the boundaries in this sport. I’ll have a few reasons to be sore when I hang up my boots.
However, and I know this may sound bizarre given what you just read, but something about rugby brings out the gentleman in its participants.
Yes, for 80 minutes, the game is like a war. At the highest-level the game is played with so much speed that it often results in very big collisions. But it’s really after the match ends that you get to see the true nature of the sport. After more than an hour of bludgeoning each other, it’s tradition for rugby players to visit the opponent’s locker room to have a beer and share a laugh. The bitterness and aggression fans see during the match is ultimately left on the field.
Those friendships you develop with your opponents over the years last forever. Some of my good friends are guys I love to hit. Once the whistle blows, they’re my best mates. They’re people you can connect with on a deeper level. We all realize that our window to play the game is limited, but these bonds are what will last for the rest of our lives. After the game is over, all we’ll have are these memories that we share.
As I near the end of my career, it’s been very emotional. Rugby has given me so much. The last 12 years have just been such an amazing ride. Part of being a member of the All Blacks means that you’re a role model to kids — when I was growing up, the guys on the team were who I looked up to. It’s something you can’t shy away from, so it’s important in everything you do to keep that in mind. You get a lot of autograph requests, but it’s never overbearing. I remember being on the other end of it when I was just a kid who would have done anything to get the attention of my favorite players.
My main focus now is inspiring the next generation of New Zealanders to pursue their passion. I want them to find that thing that drives them and truly chase it regardless of the odds. I want as many people as possible to have the opportunity to experience the happiness I’ve enjoyed throughout my career.
In some parts of the world, rugby is still very much out of the mainstream. But I think there is much about the sport that can be appreciated by any culture. Its ability to combine brutality with grace, intellect and sportsmanship is not just remarkable, it’s important. My greatest hope is that more people find this beautiful sport that showcases many of humanity’s best qualities.
Inte sett det bästa av Wasps än.
tisdag 29 december 2015
Haskell stannar och återigen ryktas det om pocock till Wasps
Wasps boss Dai Young has confirmed that club co-captain James Haskell is likely to sign a new contract within the next week.
The England flanker had already said he is keen to stay with the club, and to be part of the club’s future in Coventry.
It is no great surprise that the feeling is mutual, as Haskell is an outstanding leader who is well respected by his peers.
“We’re well down the road on that, so we’d expect it to be sorted very quickly,” Young said.
“It’s an easy one for us - we want to keep James and he wants to stay, so we’d expect that to be sorted within the next week.
“It’s great news that he wants to stay and help us in the journey we’re on to move this club forward.”
Haskell returned to Wasps in 2012 after two seasons with Stade Francais in the French Top 14 and a year split between Japanese club Ricoh Black Rams and New Zealand’s Highlanders.
He had previously had seven seasons with the black and golds, and has won the majority of his 62 England caps as a Wasp.
Young said he expects this tally to be added to under new coach Eddie Jones, despite suggestions from some quarters that Haskell’s international time has gone.
“James has the right mindset, he wants to keep improving and he’s hungry to continue playing for England,” the former British Lion said.
“I know I’m biased and I won’t hide that but I don’t see many better options for England than James out there at the minute.
“And we forget he’s only 30 so there’s no reason why he couldn’t play until the next World Cup.
“I think he’s a genuine option to go right through to the next World Cup, so I’d be very surprised if he wasn’t in the mix really.”
Young also added that there is no further progress regarding Wasps’ interest in Leigh Halfpenny. He said that the British Lions’ full back is likely to make a final decision on whether he will stay with Toulon, return to Wales or join an English club “this week.”
Föreningskonferens
Välkomna till föreningskonferensen 2016
- Uppdaterad: 2015-12-29 12:05
Jönköping hotell och konferens
Start 6 februari kl: 10.30
Slut 7 februari Kl: 15.00
Övergripande innehåll:
Med spelaren i fokus: hjärnskakningar
Med spelaren i fokus: Anti-doping
Tävling
Mini workshops på olika teman; domarutveckling, ungdomsspel, kommunikation, sponsring, styrelse.
Max två deltagare från varje förening därefter i mån av plats. Konferensen finansieras delvis av Idrottslyftet. Anmälan sker på vår anmälningsmodul som finns på följande länk:
http://iof3.idrottonline.se/SvenskaRugbyforbundet/Utveckling/Anmalanutbildningar/
Senast den 15 januari.
Välkommen med din anmälan!
måndag 28 december 2015
Efter gårdagens match
söndag 27 december 2015
Gameday
Hoppas på ett jämnt resultat och åtminstone 2 Wasps försök. Leiua skall spela igen och det bådar gott, tror han gör ett försök idag!
lördag 26 december 2015
Match imorgon
Wasps team to play Saracens
Wasps’ Director of Rugby Dai Young has named his side to take on Saracens at the Ricoh Arena this Sunday, 27 December, kick off 14:00.
In the backline, there are starts for Dan Robson at scrum half and Alapati Leiua at 12, who has made his previous three appearances from the bench this season, since returning from injury.
There is a new-look back row, as George Smith and Nathan Hughes are forced to miss the game through injury. Skipper James Haskell is joined by Thomas Young and Guy Thompson, who both impressed in Monday’s A league win and make their second starts of the season.
Joe Launchbury and James Gaskell form the second row partnership, with Wales international Bradley Davies ready to provide reinforcement from the bench.
Wasps’ Director of Rugby Dai Young said: “We were delighted with last weekend’s high quality team performance in Bath, when the chips were down in Europe, but now all attention switches back to the Aviva Premiership.
“The challenge gets no easier with Premiership champions Saracens coming to the Ricoh Arena. They have been the form team not only in England, but in Europe so far this season and are certainly setting the standards that we are all chasing.
“It’s a massive challenge for us but we are going into it with a smile on our faces, on the back of a very good performance against Bath. Bath are a quality team, but we know we will have to step up another gear for this game and be at our absolute best to get the result we want.”
Wasps team to play Saracens
15. Rob Miller
14. Frank Halai
13. Elliot Daly
12. Alapati Leiua
11. Charles Piutau
10. Jimmy Gopperth
9. Dan Robson
1. Matt Mullan
2. Ashley Johnson
3. Lorenzo Cittadini
4. Joe Launchbury
5. James Gaskell
6. James Haskell (c)
7. Thomas Young
8. Guy Thompson
16. Edd Shervington
17. Simon McIntyre
18. Phil Swainston
19. Bradley Davies
20. Sam Jones
21. Joe Simpson
22. Ruaridh Jackson
23. Sailosi Tagicakibau
Unavailable for selection due to injury:
Alex Lozowski, Andrea Masi, Carlo Festuccia, Christian Wade, James Johnston, George Smith, Jake Cooper-Woolley, Nathan Hughes.
torsdag 24 december 2015
Lucka 24
Cissi till höger med Erika Storchenfelt
efter vinsten i VM-kvalet 2009.
Namn: Cecilia Lundin
Roll i förbundet: Kassör
Ålder: 40
familj: sambo och två söner, 1 och 3 år
ort: Stockholm
yrke: just nu studerande igen
klubb: Attila
rugbybakgrund: Attila RG 1997-2007, Toulouse 2005, Richmond RFC 2007-2010, spelat i landslaget (både 7- och 15-manna) mellan 2001-2010.
Bästa rugbyminne: VM-kvalet på hemmaplan 2009 då vi tog oss vidare till VM och VM 2010 även om jag pga skada fick uppleva det som åskådare - det var riktigt bra matcher och arrangemang. Och fantastiskt stolt att se laget spela i VM.
Vad innebär din roll i förbundet, vad gör du? Jag har ansvaret för att hålla koll på ekonomin. Planera och följa upp årsbudget men även planera budget för enstaka arrangemang som SRF har tex F18-EM.
Vad får dig att vilja ge av din tid för svenska rugbyförbundet?
Att fler ska få chans att uppleva världens bästa sport. Att få ge tillbaka en liten del av allt roligt jag varit med om.
Vad är den största utmaningen för svensk rugby?
Att hitta, utbilda, engagera och hålla kvar domare, tränare, lagledare etc. Dvs alla ideella krafter som behövs runt nya och gamla som vill spela rugby. Har vi det kommer spelarna.
Var hoppas du att Svensk rugby är om 10 år?
Fler klubbar och spelare och stabilare klubbar (och förbund) både i ekonomiskt och organisatoriskt avseende. Rent sportsligt att vi är med och slåss om platser i VM och OS.
Varför är rugby världens bästa sport?
För att det kan vara kallt, regnigt, blåsigt men ändå är alldeles, alldeles...underbart att stå på plan. Men främst är det världens bästa sport för gemenskapen på och av plan och för att vem som helst är välkommen in i den gemenskapen.
onsdag 23 december 2015
Lucka 23
tisdag 22 december 2015
Lucka 22
Namn: Madeleine Lahti
Roll i förbundet: Förbundsordförande
Ålder: 34
familj: Sambo, Fredrik Wicksell (7 J-landskamper) och 3-årig son.
Ort: Enköping
Yrke: Gymnasielärare
Klubb: Enköpings Rugbyklubb
Rugbybakgrund: Började spela 1998. 2 SM-guld. Landslaget 2002-2010.
Bästa rugbyminne: Det ligger nära till hands att välja de sportsliga framgångarna; vinsten i VM-kvalet 2009 på hemmaplan med segrar över; Italien, Spanien och Tyskland, VM 2010 och SM-gulden. Men minnen som gör mig mest varm är gemenskapen; alla oförglömliga stunder med laget, galna upptåg och practical-jokes, alla vänner från olika klubbar och i olika delar av världen. SM-guldet 2010 betyder mycket; vi spelade bättre och bättre för varje match och resultaten räckte hela tiden precis till för att gå vidare. Till slut var vi i final mot favorittippade och obesegrade Göteborg. Finalen blev Göteborgs enda förlust det året.
Vad innebär din roll i förbundet, vad gör du? Formellt leda styrelsens och förbundets arbete. I praktiken betyder det att jag rycker in lite här och var för att hålla ihop det. Prioritering har varit att få ekonomin på fötter. När vi nu börjat återhämta oss känns det lättare att jobba och vi kan våga tänka mer långsiktigt. Medlemmarna har arbetat fram en strategisk plan vilket har gjort uppdraget tydligare. Nu gäller det att få med sig alla på tåget och gärna på samma tåg.
Vad får dig att vilja ge av din tid för svenska rugbyförbundet? Har inte tänkt så mycket på varför. Jag vill att svensk rugby ska fungera bra och det känns viktigt för mig att bidra på något sätt.
Vad är den största utmaningen för svensk rugby? För att vi ska få det erkännande sporten förtjänar måste vi bli bättre på att visa upp vad vi har att erbjuda. Jag tycker att rugbysporten är unik på många sätt och därför borde vi kunna sticka ut ur mängden. Jag hoppas att vi alla kan med stolthet berätta för andra om vår sport och värdegrund i alla sammanhang. Det skulle hjälpa till.
Var hoppas du att svensk rugby är om 10 år?
Att vi har minst 10000 spelare och att andelen flickor/damer har ökat. Att vi är ett förbund som är en förebild för andra förbund.
Varför är rugby världens bästa sport? Sporten på planen är fantastisk men rugbyn står för så mycket mer än det idrottsliga. Det är en helhetslösning och täcker upp allt man behöver; fysisk aktivitet, värderingar, gemenskap. Man behöver bara addera mat, dryck och sömn så är livet komplett. Jag tror det finns få sporter som är så karaktärsbyggande som rugbyn är.
måndag 21 december 2015
Young efter matchen
Dai Young Match Reaction - Post Bath
Following Wasps’ win at the Rec, in the second of the back-to-back European fixtures, Director of Rugby Dai Young was understandably delighted by his team’s composed performance and response to the previous week’s defeat, at the hands of the same opponents:
“It was a very good performance. I think beating Bath at home as comfortably as we did in the end, is a big measure of how far this team can go. However, we are still very much a work in progress as you can see, and we know that consistency is a big issue for us.
“Today, I thought we controlled the pitch well. We didn’t make silly errors in our own half, which put us under a lot of pressure last week, and when we had opportunities to strike, I thought we did pretty well, so I was really pleased. I thought our game management was far better this week.”
When asked about how far this side could go after beating Leinster and Bath away and Toulon at home, Young was typically measured in his response, stressing the squad will not be getting ahead of themselves.
“We know people outside the camp might sometimes get a little excited, but we also know that Exeter put forty points on us at home recently, so we know where we are.
“This team is certainly growing. Obviously winning becomes a habit and losing is something you have to learn from and make sure you don’t make the same mistakes again.
“We’ve just got to enjoy today. We haven’t come to Bath many times and left with a smile on our face. Bath are a very good team and we’ve come out on top today through a fantastic team effort, so we’re really pleased.”
Pressed about whether his English qualified players had enhanced their international chances in front of the watching Eddie Jones, Young replied.
“Yes absolutely, I think our English contingent have done themselves really proud. Matt Mullan I thought was excellent in the scrum time playing against an international prop in David Wilson, so I thought he did himself a lot of good really. Joe Launchbury was everywhere yet again, Nathan Hughes is not quite English yet but he’s not far off being there and was outstanding! James Haskell again had a really good game, Joe Simpson and Elliot Daly again played really well, the list goes on. There were also excellent performances from the likes of Jimmy Gopperth and George Smith, who I thought was excellent again as well. I’m not sure, but I think Smith might have a future in the game!’ he joked.
“But overall it was a real team effort as I said. I thought we were really tight, really efficient in every area to an extent, and I’m really pleased.”
Sunwolves
Hammett inherits a list of 34 players that includes 15 with Test experience and 10 of the overachieving Blossoms squad from the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The Sunwolves squad for the 2016 Super Rugby season:
Name | Position | Test Caps | Japanese Club |
---|---|---|---|
Ryuhei Arita | Hooker | 9 | Coca-Cola Red Sparks |
Timothy Bond | Lock | 0 | – |
Derek Carpenter | Centre | 0 | Toyota Verblitz |
Andrew Durutalo | Back Row | 0 | – |
Ziun Gu | Prop | 0 | Takushoku University |
Shohei Hirano | Prop | 0 | Tokai University |
Atsushi Hiwasa | Scrumhalf | 51 | Suntory Sungoliath |
Shota Horie | Hooker | 42 | Panasonic Wild Knights |
Yoshiya Hosoda | Back Row | 0 | NEC Green Rockets |
Keita Inagaki | Prop | 10 | Panasonic Wild Knights |
Daisuke Inoue | Scrumhalf | 0 | Kubota Spears |
Shinnosuke Kakinaga | Prop | 6 | Suntory Sungoliath |
Takeshi Kizu | Hooker | 41 | Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers |
Yamamoto Koki | Prop | 0 | Yamaha Jubilo |
Faatiga Lemalu | Back Row | 0 | Munakata Sanix Blues |
Tomas Leonardi | Back Row | 0 | – |
Amanaki Lotoahea | Wing | 0 | Ricoh Black Rams |
Shinya Makabe | Lock | 34 | Suntory Sungoliath |
Paea Mifi Poseti | Centre | 0 | NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes |
Masataka Mikami | Prop | 32 | Toshiba Brave Lupus |
Liaki Moli | Lock | 0 | – |
Tsuyoshi Murata | Back Row | 5 | NEC Green Rockets |
Hitoshi Ono | Lock | 96 | Toshiba Brave Lupus |
Tusi Pisi | Flyhalf | 0 | Suntory Sungoliath |
Eddie Quirk | Flanker | 0 | – |
Yusataka Sasakura | Fullback | 0 | Panasonic Wild Knights |
John Stewart | Wing | 0 | – |
Yu Tamura | Centre | 35 | NEC Green Rockets |
Harumichi Tatekawa | Flyhalf | 43 | Kubota Spears |
Riaan Viljoen | Fullback | 0 | – |
Akihito Yamada | Wing | 15 | Panasonic Wild Knights |
Ryohei Yamanaka | Centre | 4 | Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers |
Hajime Yamashita | Fullback | 0 | Toyota Shokki Shuttles |
Yuki Yatomi | Scrumhalf | 16 | Yamaha Jubilo |