Appointments
In a surprise move Dave Ward, head coach of Bristol Bears, leaves his post. Depending on the nature of his ‘new opportunity’, it may well mean the departure of his wife, Abbie, from the Bears’ squad too.
What are the odds on Bears picking a woman to replace him? About 100-1 against? I’ll be delighted if I’m proved wrong.
On the same day Exeter Chiefs announce the appointment of Steve Salvin as interim head coach; his two new assistants are male too, so female head coaches at PWR clubs rise from nought to zero.
The word ‘interim’ is intriguing. It could indicate the club wants to see how he makes out, or is waiting for more applicants to register an interest. If the latter is not the case, then why not give him the boost of calling him the full-time head coach?
We’re now in the (northern hemisphere) season of players signing new contracts with their clubs. That’s where English can be so confusing. There’s a world of difference between re-signing and resigning.
The Red Roses
For the rest of the 6 Nations series England will be without Mackenzie Carson and Charlotte Fray (as yet uncapped) through injury.
John Mitchell has posted the names of 35 players for the coming match in Cork. There are no fewer than eight players with single-figure caps, plus Simi Pam (uncapped). So he is helping to ensure the squad’s future. At the other extreme he has to make do with only four World Players of the Year. What a rotten job to take on!
WER
After eight matches completed, Boston Banshees lead with three bonus-point wins (15); Denver Onyx (my likely winners, for what it’s worth), have 10 points, but have played one match fewer.
Chicago Tempest are the only winless side, with one losing bonus point after three games.
The results are mixed: there have been five totals of 60+ already, Bay Breakers appearing twice on that list, as winners and losers. On the other hand Banshees won a dramatic game away in the Big Apple by two points, and the Tempest-TC Gemini game ended 15-20. Those are the sorts of results the organisers want to see.
To get the show on the road they offered three derby matches, USA style. New York played Boston; Chicago played Twin Cities; Denver played Bay Breakers. I make that a total of around 1,874 miles of travel.
That’s what we call Good Neighbours.
Serie A Elite
Valsugana and Villorba have won their way through to the final of the Italian league, to be played on 10 May. The semi-final results: Villorba beat Volvera (the bottom club) 87-0 away; Valsugana beat CUS Milano 22-5.
The two winners finished the fourteenth and last round equal top on 58 points, with Colorno just behind on 55. Also tied, but a long way behind on 25 points, were two clubs from the big cities, Turin and Milan.
The Italian player-pool remains too narrow for its own good. There is an urgent need for other clubs to step up their challenge. Of the 25 contracted players seventeen come from those top three clubs, seven play abroad, leaving just Francesca Granzotto to belong to another home club, Unione Rugby Capitolina, Rome.
