It’s been a quite hectic weekend of rugby around the world. Here are a few snippets.
Pac-4
The first match in the 2024 Pacific Four Series took place in Los Angeles on 28 April. Canada gleaned their biggest victory over the USA yet, 50-7. A half-time score of 17-7 told a different story, but the longer the game went on, the more Canadian skill and experience told against the hosts.
At least for the Eagles it was a rare home match, their only one of the entire year, can you believe it?
That helps to explain the difficulties they have in establishing a coherent pattern of play and familiarity with the demands of high standard rugby.
By contrast the Maple Leafs had managed to arrange meet-ups for players in Europe and those at home. Kévin Rouet organised sessions in Barcelona for the many based in England and France, then brought everyone together back in Canada before flying down to LA.
He was so confident of victory that he left Emily Tuttosi, McKinley Hunt, Alex Ellis and Courtney Holtkamp on the bench, and moved Sophie De Goede to 6 to give Gabrielle Senft an outing at 8. De Goede once more looked like the most complete rugby player on the planet.
7s versus 15s
Again! The last round of the Six Nations was deprived of some important faces like Jasmine Joyce and Rhona Lloyd, who were called away by GB 7s.
Now comes news that Ellie Kildunne is putting herself forward to return to the 7s game, as nations prepare for the Paris Olympics.
Till now Meg Jones was the only player to opt to return to the current 15s side from her position as co-captain (with Abbie Brown) of the GB squad. There are hints that others may follow Kildunne’s intended path.
Since GB’s performances have been less than all-conquering over the past two or three years, the management will be delighted to see some star talent fight for places.
One major reason for England’s current domination of the 15s scene was the RFU’s decision to withdraw 7s contracts, a policy not followed by other nations. That drew widespread indignation. The following players have all figured in past England 7s squads: Breach, Hunt, Jones, Kildunne, Matthews and Scarratt.
WXV
The second edition of WXV is taking shape – very slowly, as we must expect. At the end of the 6N championship the certain qualifiers are:
WXV1: England, France, Ireland
WXV2: Scotland, Italy
WXV3: Netherlands
NL are the new faces.
The organisers are keeping very quiet about any possible alteration to the tournament’s structure, but we do know that there will again be six nations in each of the three levels.
The biggest weakness of last year’s show was the arbitrary nature of the draws. It’s not possible to arrange a full round-robin – it would last too long – but one team could draw the short straw and not play against the weakest team in the group, thus denying them the chance of posting 100+ valuable points to decide final positions.
There’s a huge difference in predictability too. In WXV1 the only real doubt is who claims third place in the 6N? Last year it was Wales, this year Ireland. On the other side of the fence, the Pac 4, it will take a huge upset for the USA to beat any of Australia, Canada and New Zealand, to condemn them to WXV2.
Ireland can look forward to the World Cup with relish; the worry is a winless showing in WXV1. Italy and Scotland are also assured of RWC 2025.
Wales now have to face Spain for the right to a place in WXV2. For once, they can be pretty certain of victory. That’s yet another mark of the constant problem rugby faces, the unbridgeable gaps between its many levels. Spain are almost permanent winners of the European Championship (a sort of Division 2 of the 6N), but it consists of only four countries, Portugal, NL Spain and Sweden) and the scores there reflect the chasms.
Two more titbits
The AIL final: Railway Union 38 UL Bohemian 48
Sonia (Sonic) Green appeared in her 329th and final game for Saracens as they beat Bristol Bears 31-17 away to win the English Allianz cup final. Beat that!
