Say goodbye to the old Lansdowne Road.2000 - The Mandela plate was established as a perpetual trophy between Australia and South Africa.
The largest paying attendance for an international is 109,874 for New Zealand's 39-35 victory over Australia at Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia on 15 July 2000.
English league title changed to Zurich Premiership
Italy open their Six Nations account with decisive victory over Scotland in Rome. England are deprived the Grand Slam by Scotland in surprise result at Murrayfield on the final weekend of the season.
2001 - The Tom Richard's trophy was made for the British Lions tour to Australia in 2001 and will be contested whenever Australia and the British Lions meet.
Celtic League rugby was 'born' on Friday 17 August 2001, with four matches in three countries in the brand new tournament. Wales and Scotland had already "joined forces" for the previous two seasons with the expansion of the Welsh Premiership to include Edinburgh and Glasgow and creating the Welsh-Scottish League. This time those eleven teams were joined by the four Irish Provinces and split into two pools, playing each other once, with clashes between teams in the Welsh-Scottish League also counting towards the new competition.
Ospreys, Munster, Leinster, Dragons, Llanelli Scarlets, Glasgow Rugby, Edinburgh Rugby, Ulster, Cardiff Blues, Connacht & The Borders
The inaugural competition was dominated by the Irish teams with all four sides reaching the last eight, three progressing to the semi-finals, and the thrilling final played in December at Lansdowne Road contested between Leinster and Munster with the Dublin boys running out 24-20 winners.
2002 - Second Women's rugby world cup
The fourth World Cup took place in Barcelona in May 2002. 16 Nations took part in the event and through the global development of rugby, included such countries as Japan and Samoa. England took on the Italians and successfully defeated them 63 – 9. However hosts Spain, were a difficult side to break down and a narrow victory of 13 – 5 took them through to the semi-final stages. Canada were overrun with a commanding England side who coasted to the final by 53 – 10. The Final saw England take on the mighty New Zealand Black Ferns and also saw one of the narrowest margins of victory in a World Cup Final.
New Zealand secured its second straight WRWC title with a 19-9 victory over England in Spain.
Wales captain Michael Owen became his country's 1,000th international player when he made his Test debut against South Africa.
2003 - Fifth Rugby World Cup - Australia.
10 October to 22 November 2003 Australia hosts the international festival of rugby
The biggest international sporting event for 2003 where the world’s 20 best rugby teams contested 48 matches over 44 days in 10 cities across Australia. England become the first Northern hemisphere country to win the RWC when with the scores locked at 17-all after 19 minutes of extra time Jonny Wilkinson England's fly half kicked a drop goal to secure victory.
England's Jason Leonard was the first player to play in a winning team in a Final after first playing in a losing team. (New Zealand's Sean Fitzpatrick has done the reverse). Leonard was also the first person to play in Finals separated by 12 years. Having surpassed the magic 100 international caps mark earlier in 2003, becoming the only forward to have achieved this, he then passed Philippe Sella's 8 year old record on 16 November 2003 to become the world's most capped player rather appropriately in the RWC semi final against France.
The Wallabies' 17 points are the most ever scored by a losing side in a Rugby World Cup Final. Australia's record Rugby World Cup winning streak ended after 12 matches.
Matt Giteau became the youngest Australian to play in a Rugby World Cup Final when he came on as a blood bin replacement. Aged 21 years and 24 days he was 44 days younger than Jason Little who played in the Final of Rugby World Cup 1991.
Sale came away with a surprise victory over Super League champions St Helens in a cross-code challenge at Knowsley Road. The game was played with the first 40 minutes under Union rules and the second 40 under league rules.
Picture: Getty Images
St Helens 39-41 Sale
St Helens: Albert, Maden, Gleeson, Newlove, Gardner, Martyn, Long, Ward, Wilkin, Jones, Edmondson, Joynt, Kirkpatrick.
Replacements: Bennett, Jonkers, Hooper, Britt, Smith, Maye, Rowlands.
Sale: Robinson, Cueto, Naylor, Harris, Hanley, Baxendell, Wigglesworth, Thorp, Marais, Turner, Schofield, Anglesea, Perelini.
Replacements: Wilks, Davies, Roddham, Arnold, Parr, C. Jones, Deane.
Referee: M. Pearson (Cumbria)
Colin Elsey, the photographer behind arguably one of Rugby Union's most defining and famous images, that of Fran Cotton as 'Mudman', died at the age of 64. The picture of Lions and England prop Cotton during a 1977 Lions game against the Junior All Blacks in Wellington, when rains had turned the pitch into a quagmire, is one of the most enduring images in sport.
© Colorsport/Colin Elsey
2004 - The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) announced the format of Wales' regional rugby vision.
Each club within the Union's league structure has been told which of the four regional sides they are to feed, providing a pathway for developing stars to reach the professional game.
The Ospreys and Blues had responsibility for the now-defunct Celtic Warriors region divided amongst them. The Ospreys made responsible for the Bridgend area, with the Blues given Rhondda Cynon Taff, along with the Vale of Glamorgan and south Powys.
BLUES
Premier
Cardiff, Pontypridd, Llanharan.
Division One
UWIC, Glamorgan Wanderers, Beddau, Builth Wells.
Division Two
East Rumney, Treorchy, Llantwit Fardre, Abercynon, Hirwaun, Llantrisant, Ystrad Rhondda, Treherbert, Merthyr.
Division Three East
Llanishen, Old Illtydians, Dinas Powys
Division Three South East
Pentyrch, Barry, Abercwmboi, Gilfach Goch, Penygraig, Rhydyfelin, Tonyrefail, Tylorstown, Ynysybwl, Mountain Ash, Brecon.
Division Four East
Cardiff HSOB, St Peters.
Division Four South East
Fairwater, Llandaff, Taffs Well, Llandaff North, Cowbridge, Llantwit Major, Penarth, Aberdare, Dowlais, Pontyclun, Rhigos, Bedlinog.
Division Five East
St Albans, Cefn Coed, Gwernyfed.
Division Five South East
Canton, St Josephs, Old Penarthians, Rhiwbina, Cilfynydd, Porth, Ferndale.
OSPREYS
Premier
Neath, Swansea, Bridgend, Aberavon.
Division One
Tonmawr, Bonymaen, Maesteg, Bridgend Athletic
Division Two West
Corus, Cwmavon, Banwen, Cwmllynfell, Dunvant, Waunarlwydd, Mumbles, Tondu, Nantymoel, Pencoed.
Division Three West
Gorseinon, Loughor, Penclawdd.
Division Three South West
Aberavon Quins, Bryncoch, Skewen, Seven Sisters, Glynneath, Alltwen, Ystalyfera, Cwmgors, Vardre, Kenfig Hill, Maesteg Quins, Nantyffyllon.
Division Three South East
Pontycymmer
Division Four West
Gowerton, Pontarddulais.
Division Four South West
Aberavon GS, Briton Ferry, Taibach, Tonna, Glais, Resolven, Trebanos, Ystradgynlais, Morriston, Maesteg Celtic, Pyle, Heol-y-Cyw.
Division Five West
Swansea Uplands
Division Five South West
Baglan, BP Llandarcy, Neath Athletic, Glyncorrwg, Crynant, Cwmgrawch, Abercrave, Pontardawe, Cwmtwrch, Birchgrove, Porthcawl, Cefn Cribbwr.
Division Five South East
Bridgend Sports, Blaengarw, SW Police, Ogmore Vale.
DRAGONS
Premier
Newport, Pontypool, Ebbw Vale, Caerphilly, Newbridge, Bedwas, Cross Keys.
Division One
Brynmawr, Blackwood, Fleur de Lys.
Division Two East
Newport Saracens, Croesyceiliog, Tredegar, Brynithel, Risca.
Division Three East
Abergavenny, Pill Harriers, Cwmbran, Pontypool Unites, Talywain, Blaina, Rhymney, New Tredegar, Abercarn, Senghenydd, Bargoed.
Division Three South East
Nelson.
Division Four East
Chepstow, Monmouth, Newport HSOB, Llanhilleth, Tredegar Ironsides, Crumlin, Oakdale, Pontllanfraith, Ynysddu, Trinant.
Division Five East
Caldicot, Usk, Bettws, Blaenavon, Garndiffaith, Nantyglo, RTB Ebbw Vale, Abertillery BG, Machen Division Five South East Penallta, Deri.
SCARLETS
Premier Carmarthen Quins, Llandovery, Llanelli.
Division One
Carmarthen Athletic, Llangennech, Whitland, Narberth.
Division Two West
Felinfoel, Pontyberem, Kidwelly, Newcastle Emlyn.
Division Three West
Hendy, Llandeilo, Tumble, Llanelli Wanderers, Trimsaran, Pembroke Dock Quins, Tenby Utd, Haverfordwest, Aberystwyth, Cardigan, Lampeter Town.
Division Three South West
Ammanford, Brynamman.
Division Three South East
Ruthin.
Division Four West
Betws, Cefneithin, Llandybie, Burryport, Laugharne, Amman Utd, Crymych, Fishguard & Goodwick, Milford Haven, Neyland.
Division Four North
Caernarfon, Colwyn Bay, Denbigh, Dolgellau, Llandudno, Llangefni, Mold, Nant Conwy, Pwlheli, Rhys & District, Newtown.
Division Five West
Penygroes, Tycroes, Bynea, Furnace Untd, Llanybydder, New Dock Stars, Pontyates, St Clears, Llangwm, Pembroke, St Davids, Aberaeron.
Division Five North
Bala, Bangor, Bethesda, Wrexham, Llanidloes, Welshpool.
September 2004 John O'Donoghue, Irish Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, officially announced the re-development of Lansdowne Road into a 50,000 capacity all-seater stadium, due to be completed in 2009.
Croke Park will be used by the Ireland rugby side for internationals in the interim following Ireland's last match at Landsdowne Road which was the 61-17 win over the Pacific Islanders on 26 November 2006.
2006
Thursday 17th August: The Trophy made a pilgrimage to its namesake’s grave.
One year and twenty days before the start of Rugby World Cup 2007, The Rugby Train and The Rugby World Cup, the most highly coveted trophy in the rugby world, spent some time in Menton where William Webb Ellis is buried. This stop was to pay homage to the man that is considered to have invented the game of Rugby. In 1823, when William Webb Ellis was a pupil at the public school in the small English town of Rugby, he picked up the ball in the middle of a football match. It is said that while he was running with the ball in hand the foundations for the Rugby game that we now know were laid. Although this story - which only came to light four years after William’s death - has been shrouded in controversy for all time, the Oxford graduate has been canonized and his actions immortalized by a monument on the campus at Rugby school. In 1987, when the first Rugby World Cup took place the international authorities decided that the best team in the competition and therefore the best team in the world should be awarded the Webb Ellis Cup.
Following his studies, William Webb Ellis set about an ecclesiastical career: deacon, then priest and minister of religion for the Saint-Georges church in London before becoming the rector of the Magdalen Laver church in Essex. However, it was in France, in Menton - a town that is particularly attractive to British residents given its position on the French Riviera and which is still relatively unknown - that Webb Ellis spent the final phase of his life before he passed away in 1872. On Thursday 17th August, in the presence of representatives from French and international authorities, a ceremony took place around Webb Ellis’s grave which was discovered in the Vieux Château cemetery by Ross McWhirter in 1958.
Following the ceremony, holidaymakers were able to admire the World Cup on the Sablettes beach while the Beach Rugby Tour was taking place. After a symbolic day that also included a visit to the town’s rugby club, RC Webb Ellis Menton - the Trophy was put back on board the Rugby Train.
Women's Rugby World Cup. August 31st to 17th September, Edmonton Canada.
Wales and Australia played out the first draw in their history 29-29.
Wales 29 (16)
Tries: S Williams, M Williams.
Cons: J Hook 2.
Pens: S Jones, G Henson, J Hook 3.
Australia 29 (17)
Tries: C Shepherd 2, M Giteau, C Latham.
Cons: M Giteau 3.
Pens: M Giteau.
In 2005, the All Blacks agreed to repeat the sequence of events from their original match against Wales held in 1905. At this original game the All Blacks performed the haka after "God Defend New Zealand" and before "Hen Wlad fy Nhadau". On 25th November 2006 the WRU expected a repeat of this sequence. The All Blacks refused, and instead chose to perform the haka in their changing room (see below) before the match. The All Blacks captain Richie McCaw stated that the haka was "integral to New Zealand culture and the All Blacks' heritage" and "if the other team wants to mess around, we'll just do the haka in the shed". The crowdwere not impressed with the lack of the haka and then being shown a video clip of the haka on the screens at the Millennium Stadium.
Skipper Richie McCaw said while it was sad the fans could not share the team's important spiritual preparation, the decision was made to protect the tradition and significance of the haka.
Controversy had dogged the haka all season from complaints about the throat-slitting version, to its use in an Italian campaign to sell cars to women, and even a tongue-in-cheek Australian TV swipe at the All Blacks which showed them performing the haka with handbags.
Score: Wales 10 New Zealand 45
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| The changing room where New Zealand did their haka prior to the 2006 test vs. Wales | ||
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| Credit: Telegraph |
Last game played at Lansdowne Road, Dublin prior to re-development of the facility, due to re-open in 2009.
2007 - History making in the 6 Nations championship:
In England's opening game of the 2007 Six Nations Championship against Scotland on February 3, 2007. Jonny Wilkinson scored 27 points (1T) (2C) (5P) (1DG) (a record in the Calcutta Cup beating Rob Andrew's 24 ) and was awarded Man of the Match. This also placed him at top of the all-time scoring list in only his 54th England appearance.
Wilkinson went into next game vs. Italy level on 406 championship points with former Wales star Neil Jenkins. The England fly-half's third-minute penalty against Italy at Twickenham established him as the record points scorer in Five or RBS 6 Nations Championship history.
Wilkinson is also moving closer towards Jenkins' world record points total for Wales of 1,049 and subject to form and fitness, Wilkinson could reach that total later this year, possibly during England's 2007 World Cup campaign.
Croke Park, Dublin the 82,000 seater hurling and Gaelic football stadium, opens its gates to Rugby and Soccer games for the first time. The first Rugby games are the 6 Nations games vs. France and England.
February 24th, Italy achieved their first away win against a 6 nations side by beating Scotland 37 to 17. They scored three times in the first 7 minutes to no reply but even ignoring those 21 points, outscored Scotland for the remainder of the game.
Scotland: (10) 17
Tries: Dewey, Paterson
Cons: Paterson 2
Pens: Paterson
Italy: (24) 37
Tries: Bergamasco, Scanavacca, Robertson, Troncon
Cons: Scanavacca 4
Pens: Scanavacca 3
Scotland: Southwell (Edinburgh); Lamont (Northampton), Di Rollo (Edinburgh), Dewey (Edinburgh), Paterson (Edinburgh, captain); Godman (Edinburgh), Cusiter (Border Reivers); Kerr (Border Reivers), Hall (Edinburgh), Murray (Glasgow Warriors), Hines (Perpignan), Murray (Edinburgh), Taylor (Edinburgh), Callam (Edinburgh), Brown (Border Reivers).
Replacements: Ford (Border Reivers), Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Hamilton (Leicester), Hogg (Edinburgh), Lawson (Gloucester), Henderson (Glasgow Warriors), Walker (Ospreys).
Italy: De Marigny (Calvisano); Robertson (Viadana), Canale (Clermont Auvergne), Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Masi (Biarritz); Scanavacca (Calvisano), Troncon (Clermont Auvergne); Lo Cicero (L'Aquila), Festuccia (Gran Parma), Castrogiovanni (Leicester), Dellape (Biarritz), Bortolami (Gloucester, capt), Zanni (Calvisano), Mauro Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Parisse (Stade Francais).
Replacements: Ongaro (Saracens), Perugini (Toulouse), Nieto (Gloucester), Bernabo (Calvisano), Zaffiri (Calvisano), Griffen (Calvisano), Pez (Bayonne).
England conceded over 40 points for the first time in 6 nations history when they lost to Ireland:
Ireland: (23) 43
Tries: Dempsey, Wallace, Horgan, Boss
Cons: O'Gara 3, Wallace
Pens: O'Gara 5
England: (3) 13
Tries: Strettle
Cons: Wilkinson
Pens: Wilkinson 2
Ireland: Dempsey; Horgan, B O'Driscoll (capt), D'Arcy, Hickie; O'Gara, Stringer; Horan, R Best, Hayes, O'Callaghan, O'Connell, S Easterby, D Wallace, Leamy.
Replacements: Flannery, S Best, N Best, M O'Driscoll, Boss, P Wallace, Trimble.
England: Morgan; Lewsey, Tindall, Farrell, Strettle; Wilkinson, Ellis; Freshwater, Chuter, Vickery (capt), Deacon, Grewcock, Worsley, Lund, Corry.
Replacements: Mears, White, Palmer, Rees, Perry, Flood, Tait.
March 24th: Portugal’s remarkable Rugby World Cup 2007 qualification campaign ended in joy as the Lobos hung on to complete a 24-23 aggregate victory over Uruguay in Montevideo to book a place at the finals for the first time.
Uruguay: 15 Juan Menchaca, 14 Juan Labat, 13 Diego Aguirre, 12 Joaquin Pastore, 11 Martin Crosa, 10 Sebastian Aguirre (Juan Martín Llovet), 9 Juan Campomar, 8 Nicolas Brignoni, 7 Nicolas Grille (Rafael Alvarez, 52m), 6 Alfredo Giuria (Juan Manuel Alvarez, 52m), 5 Rodrigo Capo Ortega (captain), 4 Juan Bado (sent-off, 1m), 3 Pablo Lemoine (Guillermo Storace, 80m), 2 Juan Andres Perez, 1 Rodrigo Sanchez (Federico Capo Ortega, 55m)
Replacements: 18 Carlos Arboleya, 22 Nicolas Morales
Coaches: Nicolas Inciarte, Fernando Silva, Mario Lame
Portugal: 15 Pedro Leal, 14 Diogo Gama, 13 Miguel Portela, 12 Diogo Mateus, 11 Pedro Carvalho, 10 Duarte Pinto (Goncalo Malheiro, 71m), 9 Luis Pissarra, 8 Vasco Uva (captain), 7 Joao Uva (Paulo Murenillo, 80m), 6 Juan Severino (Diogo Coutinho, 66m), 5 Marcelo D’Orey (sinbin, 39m)(David Penalva, 66m), 4 Goncalo Uva, 3 Joaquin Ferreira, 2 Joao Correta (sinbin, 13m), 1 André Lourenzo (Rui Cordeiro, 66m), Replacements: 16 Rui Cordeiro, 17 Duarte Figueredo, 18 David Penalva, 19 Diogo Coutinho, 20 Paulo Murinello, 21 Jose Pinto, 22 Goncalo Malheiro
Coach: Tomaz Morais and Daniel Hourcade
Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England)
Scoring sequence, Uruguay first
3-0 – Menchaca pen (9 mins)
6-0 – Aguirre pen (19 mins)
6-3 – Pinto pen (21 mins)
6-6 – Pinto pen (27 mins)
Half Time
11-6 – Crosa try (42 mins)
11-9 – Pinto pen (46 mins)
11-12 – Pinto pen (50 mins)
18-12 – R Capo try, Menchaca con (64 mins)
May 26th, an under strength England side suffer a record defeat against South Africa 10 - 58, second only in history to their defeat against Australia in 1998. South Africa smashed their previous best win in the fixture of 35-9 in Johannesburg 23 years previously.
South Africa 58 (30)
Tries: Willemse, Habana 2, De Villiers, Burger, Steyn, CJ van der Linde
Cons: Montgomery 7
Pens: Montgomery 3
England 10 (3)
Try: Simpson-Daniel
Con: Wilkinson
Pen: Wilkinson
South Africa: Montgomery, Willemse, Olivier, de Villiers, Habana, James, Januarie, Carstens, Smit, B. Botha, B. Botha, Matfield, Burger, Smith, Rossouw.
Replacements: Steenkamp, G. Botha, van der Linde, Muller, Spies, Pienaar, Steyn.
England: M. Brown, Balshaw, Tait, Flood, Robinson, Wilkinson, Gomarsall, Yates, Regan, Turner, Schofield, A. Brown, Jones, Hazell, Easter.
Replacements: Stevens, Crompton, Winters, Sanderson, Perry, Allen, Simpson-Daniel.
Referee: S Walsh (New Zealand
August 4th England handed Wales a record 62-5 defeat.
England (22) 62
Tries: Easter (4), Borthwick, Perry, Dallaglio, Robinson, Tait
Con: Wilkinson (7)
Pen: Wilkinson
Wales (0) 5
Try: James
Man of the Match: Shaun Perry (Eng)
Attendance: 66,131
England: Tait; Strettle, Hipkiss, Farrell, Robinson; Wilkinson, Perry; Sheridan, Regan, Vickery (capt), Shaw, Borthwick, Corry, Worsley, Easter.
Replacements: Chuter, Stevens, Moody, Dallaglio, Richards, Flood.
Wales: Byrne; A Brew, Shanklin, G Thomas (capt), D James; Sweeney, Cooper; I Thomas, Bennett, Horsman, W James, Sidoli, A W Jones, Charvis, Owen.
Replacements: Jenkins, R Thomas, T R Thomas, Popham, Phillips, Hook, T James.
Refeee: Joel Jutge (Fra)
Matches were held between September 7 and October 20, 2007 in France in the following cities: Paris, St Denis, Marseilles, Lens, St Etienne, Bordeaux, Lyon, Montpellier, Nantes, Toulouse, except for three pool matches which were held in Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and a quarter final also in Wales.
England outside-half Johnny Wilkinson became the top points scorer in rugby World Cup history during the quarter-final match against Australia on Saturday. Wilkinson, playing his 13th match in his third World Cup, kicked two early penalties to overtake Scotland full-back Gavin Hastings (227 points) at the top of the list with 228.
Brian Lima, of Somoa, is the only player to have played in five World Cups (over a 17 year period). Nicknamed the "Chiropractor" because of his back-breaking tackles on opponents, was the youngest player at the 1991 World Cup, a 19-year-old winger in his second season with the national team. He helped the Samoans reach the quarter-finals in '91 following an upset 16-13 win over Wales, the 1987 semifinalists, in their opening match. He also helped Samoa to the quarter-finals in '95 and to the quarter-final playoffs in '99, ensuring Lima is remembered as one of the country's greatest internationals. His tackles have been fodder for highlights packages for years, including one on South Africa's Derick Hougaard at the 2003 World Cup and left the Springbok fly half dazed for several minutes. Lima finished with 65 Test caps, including 18 World Cup appearances. His 31 Test tries included 10 in World Cups. The former Auckland Blues, Otago Highlanders and Bristol outside back had said before the championship that this would be his last international tournament.
South Africa win the world cup for the second time. Read more
2008
Feb 25th
Jonny Wilkinson (England fly-half) broke the world record for drop goals at the Stade de France with the 29th of his International career, one more than the record he shared with Argentine legend Hugo Porta.
- He dropped his first goal against South Africa in the summer of 2000 in his 20th International
- He has dropped seven goals in his last eight Internationals for England and 16 in last 21 matches
- And in England’s World Cup triumph of 2003 dropped a goal in the last five matches of the competition and three and a half years later in his next International did the same against Scotland in the opening matches of the 2007 6 Nations
- Overall for England Jonny has scored 1023 Points including his world record 29 drop goals, along with six tries, 144 conversions and 206 penalty goals
Just think how many more he would have scored after the 2003 World Cup final Wilkinson if he hadn't missed three complete 6 Nations competitions, 04, 05 and 06 and only played in three of the five matches last season, so in total missed 17 matches.
Jonny then went on to become the leading points scorer in Test rugby during his team's Six Nations 15-9 defeat to Scotland at Murrayfield. He went into the game on 1090 points, level with Neil Jenkins of Wales, and set the record with a 27th-minute penalty. Wilkinson, 28, had drawn level with Jenkins after the International Rugby Board conferred test status on the British Lions match against Argentina in May 2005 in which he scored 20 points.
Wilkinson made his international debut in 1998 against Ireland.
Leading point-scorers in Test match rugby (as of Feb 2008) 1. Jonny Wilkinson (England and Lions) 1,099 |
Shame Williams' score in the final game of the Six Nations against France took him clear of Gareth Thomas as Wales' all-time leading try scorer. Williams earned his first cap in 1999-2000 season, he was 21 and a little over 11 stones. He scored in his first full start for Wales with a try against Italy in the 2000 Six Nations.
FUTURE
2008 - (June 2007) The Barbarians have arranged their first fixture against a major touring side for three years; they will meet South Africa at Twickenham next December with the IRB keen to revive what was one of the game's enduring traditions in the amateur era. The club has returned to organising matches in-house having franchised them out for most of the decade. Further, the RFU have agreed for England to play the Barbarians every May at Twickenham as it looks at ways of paying for an agreement with the Premiership clubs over the management of elite players.
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Artical from Sporting Life - By Alex Lowe, PA Sport March 8th, 2008
Australia have been approached by the British Olympic Association to play the Barbarians at Wembley Stadium on December 6. The proposed match would form part of the BOA's programme of events to celebrate the centenary of the first London Olympic Games. And Australia, who won the rugby gold medal at the 1908 Olympics, are open to the idea of extending their autumn tour to include one more match.
The Wallabies are already scheduled to play New Zealand in Hong Kong and then Italy, France and England, while a fifth Test against Wales at the Millennium Stadium has also been mooted.
Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill said: "It's shaping up as quite an exciting tour."
The BOA insist negotiations are "ongoing" over potential opponents for Australia - some reports down under had suggested the Wallabies would play England - but it is believed a Barbarians fixture is being lined up. Twickenham is still in the running to host the match but the BOA would prefer it to be at Wembley, which was the Olympic Stadium in 1948.
Even if the fixture is confirmed there remain significant hurdles to overcome - not least the fact that December 6-7 is designated as a Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup weekend. Premier Rugby will not release any England-based players for a Barbarians fixture that weekend - and it is difficult to see leading clubs in other countries doing so when they are in European action. However, the Barbarians would have all the other touring countries to select from, with New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and the Pacific Islands all playing Tests in Europe during November. The match would also need to be sanctioned by the International Rugby Board, but the world governing body would welcome the chance to strengthen links between rugby and the Olympics.
Rugby was last an Olympic sport in 1924 - the United States are the reigning champions.
2011 - The 2011 Rugby World cup will be held in New Zealand. The interest in this event will be huge - 60,000 visitors are expected to visit New Zealand for this tournament.
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Rugby is a proud member of the family of world sports and of the IOC. Full International Olympic Committee (IOC) status was confirmed in September, 1997 for a non-participating sport. Once again rugby is not allowed to be a participating sport at the 2008 Olympics despite the fact that Rugby satisfies in every respect the criteria set out in the Olympic Charter for inclusion in the programme of the Olympic Games. Specifically:
- The sport is played by men in over 100 countries in 5 continents. It is played by women in some 52 countries in 5 continents.
- The IRB and its Member Unions apply the World Anti-Doping Code and perform in and out-of-competition testing.
- The IRB is experienced in organizing qualifying events for its World Cup and has the competence to do so for the Olympic Games. As a team sport, rugby would be able to conform to the requirement for the number of teams not to exceed 12 teams for each gender. (See footnote later.)
- The rugby programme could be accommodated within one stadium. However, it would be preferable and helpful to have a number of other grassed areas or fields for team preparation and training.
- In addition, the rugby programme can comfortably share a stadium with other events. Converting a pitch from rugby to soccer, can be accomplished in less than two hours.
- No special equipment is required for rugby. It is a relatively inexpensive game to play.
Rugby made its Olympic debut in 1900 and the USA, Gold Medal Winners in 1924, have been Olympic Champions ever since. That's because rugby was discontinued as an Olympic sport after 1924.
The IRB have been campaigning for its return in the abbreviated form of Sevens.
The earliest rugby could be included is at the 2016 Games, with the International Olympic Committee to vote on it next year.
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