Rugby Legend Gary Ella returns to Randwick as Head Coach

Randwick Rugby has announced that Gary Ella has been appointed as the club’s new Head Coach and Club Coach.

Coming off a season in which Randwick made the semifinals in all seven grades, with First Grade making the Grand Final and Fourth Grade winning their Premiership, General Manager Chris Heath said he believes Ella will continue the traditions of Randwick Rugby by looking to challenge every player by concentrating on their ball skills along with the confidence to run the ball from anywhere on the field.

Heath says the appointment of Gary Ella as Head Coach and Club Coach at Randwick, is exciting for the club going forward.

“I believe we have the best man for the job,” said Heath. “The time is right, with the resurgence of tribalism in club Rugby. Crowds are returning to Coogee Oval looking for that exciting brand of running Rugby.”

Ella will be assisted by incumbent coach Mark Giacheri, and will be looking to maintain the Galloping Greens long-time philosophy of ‘Running Rugby’.

GARY ELLA
Playing Career
Australian Schoolboys – 5 Tests
Randwick – 134 First Grade games
NSW Waratahs – 25 Caps
Australian Under-21s – 2 Tests
Australia – 6 Tests
Coaching Career
Randwick, Penrith, Parramatta (First Grade Premiers 1991, Second Grade Premiers 1990; both Randwick)
NSW Under-19s
Australian Under-19s
NSW Waratahs Assistant Coach (Backs)
Australia A Assistant Coach (Backs)
Leinster (Ireland) – Head Coach

How to start a golden oldies rugby club

Needed:

a) 7 drunk blokes (over 35) and a designated driver
b) 1 person with a memory of a rugby discussion
c) An event to visit

The above requirements in February 08 were the perfect recipe for the birth of the Newport Nasties golden oldies rugby club on Sydney’s northern beaches.

The club has now close to 35 playing members, attracts crowds of over 250 to a match, has hosted two teams from Chile and continues to go from strength to strength.

The Newport Nasties embody everything that is right about rugby. It is a social club that plays rugby, there have been doors opened that may not otherwise have been and friendships made that will last a lifetime.

Golden oldies rugby is a vibrant community in Sydney. This vibrancy will make sure that the 2010 Golden Oldies Rugby festival which will have over 100 teams from around the world is a rip roaring success.

Estonian Rugby gaining traction

The Tallinn Tigers community program has attracted many schools in Tallinn and inspired other schools to know more.We have been asked to attend a parents evening which will allow us to meet hundreds of parents in one place and put our philosophy on coaching people not sport forward.

This inner city school has had rugby for over 8 years and many of the parents have had their children go through the Tigers youth team, but the Healthy lifestyle project is something new and exciting for all concerned.

Jeanette Orrey or should we say The Dinner Lady left Estonia rugby with a challenge that we will relish.The kitchen/herb garden for the school will be started this week and a three year plan for the school to introduce cooking lessons, farm visits and Urban farming within the school grounds is underway. Healthy eating can be taught and encouraged by rugby coaches, but parents must be involved at home.

Rugby is a pure community sport that can focus, motivate people, and take on topics such as drug education, integration, community policing because that’s what rugby is all about people.

10,000 TICKETS ALREADY SOLD FOR HARLEQUINS “BIG GAME”

It may only be September, but Harlequins are delighted to announce that over 10,000 tickets have already been sold for the “Big Game” at Twickenham Stadium on December 27th against Leicester Tigers; even though the game is still three months away.

With over 70% of seats being priced at £10 or less, it is a wonderful chance for the whole family to experience a high quality sporting event at the home of English rugby. If you are looking for that early Christmas present for a friend or a day out for the whole family, go to www.ticketmaster.co.uk. Please be aware that the capacity on the day will be restricted to 50,000.

There will be any number of world class players on show. Danny Care and Harry Ellis will continue their battle for the England number nine shirt, Martin Corry and Nick Easter will use all their experience to lead their respective packs to victory and David Strettle will be determined to show Tom Varndell who reigns supreme on the wing.

For more details on The Big Game please go to www.thebiggame.co.uk

The Rugby Movie Forever Strong

The rugby movie Forever Strong is about to hit select theaters in the United States on Friday.

This movie is a huge step forward in creating awareness for rugby in America and so far, we have received an overwhelmingly positive response. But this week, we have a HUGE challenge before us. The studios in Hollywood have threatened to pull this film nationally after one week if we don’t have a GREAT opening weekend. They don’t believe that rugby has a big enough audience to make this film profitable. Your help is very much wanted and needed.

Article lifted from USA Rugby News.

This is our call to action: PLEASE continue to support this movie by ATTENDING THIS WEEKEND (September 26-28). Take friends. Blog about it. Plan a group activity with your team or school. If we do well this weekend we will be expanding the release into more theaters in more parts of the country. Help us bring this film to more markets, and make it a success.

We appreciate you so much. Let us know if we can help in any way.
Here are the theaters that will be featuring FOREVER STRONG this weekend:

ALASKA
Fireweed 7 Cinemas — Anchorage

ALABAMA
Summit 16 — Birmingham, AL

ARIZONA
Arrowhead 14 — Glendale, AZ
Deer Valley 30 with IMAX — Phoenix, AZ
Mesa Grande 24 — Mesa, AZ
Westgate 20 — Glendale, AZ
Arizona Mills 24 — Tempe, AZ
Arrowhead Fountains 18 — Peoria, AZ
Chandler Fashion Ctr 20 — Chandler, AZ
Christown 14 — Phoenix, AZ
Norterra 14 — Phoenix, AZ
North Valley 16 — Phoenix, AZ
Park West 14 — Peoria, AZ
Prescott Valley 14 — Prescott Valley, AZ
Sedona 6 — Sedona, AZ
Superstition Springs 25 — Mesa, AZ
Tusan Spectrum 18 — Tucan, AZ
Pavilions 11 — Phoenix, AZ

CALIFORNIA
Palm Promenade 24 — San Diego, CA
Cinema City — Anaheim, CA
Lark Theater — Larksburg, CA
Cinino hills 18 — Chino Hills, CA
Atlantic Palace 10 — Alhambra, CA
Berkeley 7 — Berkely, CA
Brea Stadium 22 — Brea, CA
Corona Crossing Stadium 18 — Corona, CA
Emery Bay Stadium 10 — Emeryville, CA
Escondido Stadium 16 — Escondido, CA
Fresno Stadium 21 + IMAX — Fresno, CA
Hacienda Crossings Stadium 20 + IMAX — Dublin, CA
Hemet Cinema 12 — Hemet, CA
Jurupa Stadium 14 — Riverside, CA
Long Beach Stadium 26 — Long Beach, CA
Manchester Mall 16 — Fresno, CA
Natomas Marketplace Stadium 16 — Sacramento, CA
Oceanside Stadium 16 — Oceanside, CA
Olympus Pointe 12 — Roseville, CA
Ontario Palace Stadium 22 + IMAX — Ontario, CA
Rancho Del Rey Stadium 16 — Chula Vista, CA
Rancho San Diego Stadium 15 — El Cajon, CA
San Marcos Stadium 18 — San Marcos, CA
Simi Valley Plaza 10 — Simi Valley, CA
South Gate Stadium 20 — South Gate, CA
UA Horton Plaza 14 — San Diego, CA
UA East Hills mall 10 — Bakersfield, CA
Aliso Viejo Stadium 20 — Aliso Viejo, CA
Foothill Towne Center Stadium 22 — Foothill Ranch, CA
Garden Grove Stadium 16 Garden — Grove, CA
Irvine Spectrum 20 + IMAX — Irvine, CA
Rancho 16 — Palm Springs, CA

COLORADO
Highland Ranch 24 — Highland Ranch, CO
Westminster 24 — Westminister, CO
Carmike 10 — Colorado Springs, CO
Carmike 10 — Fort Collins, CO
Carmike 7 — Grand Junction, CO
Chapel Hills 15 — Colorado Springs, CO
Chief Plaza 4 — Steamboat Springs, CO
North field 18 — Denver, CO
Colorado Mills 16 — Lakewood, CO
Greenwood Plaza 12 — Greenwood Village, CO

FLORIDA
Pensacola 18 — Pensacola, FL
Hollywood Stadium 20 — Sarasota, FL
Oviedo Marketplace Stadium 22 — Oviedo, FL
Palace 18 — Miami, FL
Pointe Orlando Stadium 20 + IMAX — Orlando, FL
Sawgrass Stadium 23 — Sunrise, FL
Southland Mall Stadium 16 — Miami, FL
Waterford Lakes Stadium 20 — Orlando, FL
Winter Park Village Stadium 20 — Winter Park, FL

GEORGIA
Augusta Exchange Stadium 20 — Augusta, GA
Hollywood Stadium 24 @ North I-85 — Chamblee, GA
Mall Of Georgia Stadium 20 + IMAX — Buford, GA
Regal Stadium 22 @ Austell — Atlanta, GA
Snellville Oaks Stadium 14 — Atlanta, GA
Town Center Stadium 16 – Kennesaw — Atlanta, GA

HAWAII
Dole Cannery 18 — Honolulu, HI

IOWA
Crossroads 12 — Waterloo, IA
Sycamore 12 — Iowa City, IA

IDAHO
Carmike Pine Ridge 10 — Chubbuck, ID
Odyssey Theatre — Twin Falls, ID
The Rex Theater — Rexburg, ID
Boise Stadium 21 + IMAX — Boise, ID
Grand Teton Stadium 14 — Idaho Falls, ID
North Gate 6 — Bosie, ID
Plaza Twin — Black Foot, ID
Century 5 — Burley, ID

ILLINOIS
Barrington 30 — Chicago, IL
Cantera 30 —- Chicago, IL
Addison 20 — Chicago, IL
Gurnee 20 — Chicago, IL

INDIANA
Showplace 16 + IMAX — Indianapolis, IN
Coldwater Crossing Stadium 14 — Ft.
Wayne, IN
Eagle Highlands 10 — Indianapolis, IN
Shiloh Crossing Stadium 18 — Indianapolis, IN
Village Park Cinema Stadium 17 — Indianapolis, IN

LEXINGTON
Hamburg Pavilion Stadium 16 — Lexington, KY
MASSACHUSETTS
Solomon Pond 15 — Marlborough, MA
Westborough 12 — Westborough, MA
Cape Cod Mall Stadium 12 — Hyannis, MA
Independence Mall 14 — Kingston, MA

MARYLAND
Bel Air Cinema Stadium 14 — Abingdon, MD
Majestic Stadium 20 — Silver Spring, MD
Snowden Square Stadium 14 — Columbia, MD
Valley Mall 16 — Hagerstown, MD
Westview — Frederick, MD

MICHIGAN
Forum 30 with IMAX — Detroit, MI
Grand Rapids 18 — Grand Rapids, MI
Celebration – Grand Rapids South 16 — Grand Rapids, MI
Celebration – Lansing 19 — Lansing, MI
Celebration – Rivertown 20 — Grand Rapids, MI
Celebration – Studio 28 — Grand Rapids, MI
Laurel Park 10 — Livonia, MI

MINNESOTA
Block E Stadium — Minneapolis, MN
Showplace 16 Coon Rapids — Coon Rapids, MN
Showplace 16 — Inver Grove Heights, MN
Elk River 17 — Elk River, MN
Lakes 10 — Hermantown, MN
Parkwood 18 — Waite Park, MN
Shakopee 11 — Shakopee, MN

MISSOURI
Independence 20 — Independence, MO
St. Louis Mills Stadium 18 — Hazelwood, MO

NORTH CAROLINA
Stonecrest At Piper Glen Stadium 22 — Charlotte, NC
Raleigh Grand Stadium 16 — Raleigh, NC
Crossroads Stadium 20 — Cary, NC

NORTH DAKOTA
Century 10 — Fargo, ND

NEBRASKA
Twenty Grand 19 — Omaha, NE

NEW JERSEY
Jersey Gardens 20 — Elizabeth, NJ
Hadley Theatre Stadium 16 — South Plainfield, NJ
Burlington Stadium 20 — Burlington, NJ
Washington Township 14 — Sewell, NJ

NEW MEXICO
Winrock VI — Albuquerque, NM

NEVADA
Town Square 18 — Las Vegas, NV
Boulder Station 11 Theatre — Las Vegas, NV
Colonnade Stadium 14 — Las Vegas, NV
Texas Station Stadium 18 — Las Vegas, NV
Village Square Stadium 18 — Las Vegas, NV
Mesquite Stadium 6 — Mesquite, NV

NEW YORK
Village 7 — New York, NY
Carousel Mall 17 — Syracuse, NY
Cross gates 18 — Albany, NY
Culver Ridge Plaza 16 — Irondequoit, NY
Elmwood Regal Center 16 — Buffalo, NY
Henrietta Cinema Stadium 18 — Rochester, NY
Ithaca mall 14 — Ithaca, NY
Latha 10 — Latha, NY
Quaker crossing 18 — Orchard Park, NY
Shooping town 14 — Syracuse, NY
UA Farmingdale 10 — Farmingdale, NY
Latham Circle 10 — Latham, NY
New Roc City Stadium 18 + IMAX — New Rochelle, NY
Transit Center Stadium 18 +IMAX — Williamsville, NY

OHIO
Dublin Village 18 — Dublin, OH
Easton Town Center 30 with IMAX — Columbus, OH
Lennox Town Center 24 — Columbus, OH
Polaris 18 — Columbus, OH
Streets Of West Chester 18 — Cincinnati, OH
Cobblestone Square Stadium 20 — Elyria, OH
Deerfield Towne Center Stadium 16 — Mason, OH
Georgesville Square Stadium 16 — Columbus, OH
Hollywood 20 — Beavercreek, OH
Richmond Town Square Stadium 20 — Richmond Heights, OH
Willoughby Commons Stadium 16 — Wiloughby, OH
Bricktown 16 — Oklahoma City, OK

OREGON
Division Street Stadium 13 — Portland, OR
Lloyd Mall 8 Cinema — Portland, OR
Movies On Tv Stadium 16 — Hillsboro, OR
Santiam Stadium 11 — Salem, OR
Tigard 11 Cinemas — Tigard, OR
Reel 8 — Ontario, OR

PENNSYLVANIA
Promenade 16, Center Valley — PA
Marketplace @ Oaks Stadium 24 — Oaks, PA
Warrington Crossing Stadium 22 — Warrington, PA

SOUTH CAROLINA
Dutch Square Mall 14 — Columbia, SC
Charles Towne Square Stadium 18 — North Charleston, SC
Cherrydale Stadium 16 — Greenville, SC
Westgate Mall Cinema 8 — Spartanburg, SC

TENNESSEE
Wynnsong 16 — Knoxville, TN

TEXAS
Grapevine 30 — Grapevine, TX
Gulf Pointe 30 — Houston, TX
Huebner Oaks 24 — San Antonio, TX
Mesquite 30 — Mesquite, TX
Stonebriar 24 — Frisco, TX
Studio 30 — Houston, TX
Willowbrook 24 — Houston, TX
Carmike 10 — Longview, TX
Carmike 16 — El Paso, TX
Carmike 20 — Edinburg, TX
Park Central 6 — Abilene, TX
Sikes 10 — Wichita Falls, TX
Cielo Vista Stadium 18 — San Antonio, TX
Greenway Grand Palace Stadium 24 — Houston, TX
Houston Marq*e Stadium 22 + IMAX — Houston, TX
Keystone Park 16 — Dallas, TX
Live Oak Stadium 18 — Live Oak, TX
Metropolitan Stadium 14 — Austin, TX
Embassy 14 — San Antonio, TX
Mayan Palace — San Antonio, TX
Northwest 14 — San Antonio, TX
Palladium 18 + IMAX — San Antonio, TX
Rialto Cinemas — San Antonio, TX
Silverado 16 — San Antonio, TX
Silverado 19 IMAX (2/29) — Tomball, TX

UTAH
Stadium Cinema 6 — Payson, UT
Carmike 12 — West Jordan, UT
HW Connection 15 — West Valley City, UT
Wynnsong 12 — Provo, UT
Cinemark 12 — American Fork, UT
Cinemark 16 — Provo, UT
Cinemark 24 — West Jordan, UT
Holiday Village 4, Park City, UT
Salt Lake City 16 — Salt Lake City, UT
Sandy Union Heights 16 — Midvale, UT
Tinseltown 17 — Layton, UT
Tinseltown Newgate 14 — Ogden, UT
Cinema 5 — Vernal, UT
Coral Cliffs Cinema — Hurricane, UT
Scera — Orem, UT
Gateway Megaplex 12 — Salt Lake City, UT
Jordan Commons 16 + IMAX — Sandy, UT
Megaplex 13 at The Junction — Ogden, UT
Megaplex 20 at the District — South Jordan, UT
Megaplex 8 — Lehi, UT
King Cole 3 — Price, UT
Gatway 5 — Bountiful, UT
Magna 5 — Magna, UT
Spanish 8 — Spanish Fork, UT
Walker 6 — Perry, UT
Cedar City 8 — Cedar City, UT
Holladay Center 6 — Salt Lake City, UT
North Pointe 4 — Ogden, UT
Providence Stadium 8 — Providence, UT
Sunset Stadium 8 — St.
George, UT
Syracuse Stadium — Syracuse, UT
Tooele 6 — Tooele, UT
Towne Theatre — Ephraim, UT
University Stadium 6 (10/19) — Logan, UT
Water Gardens 6 — Pleasant Grove, UT
Westates Theatres Pineview Stadium 10 — St.
George, UT

VIRGINIA
Commonwealth Stadium 20 — Midlothian, VA
Countryside Stadium 20 — Sterling, VA
Fredericksburg 15 — Fredericksburg, VA
Macarthur Center Stadium 18 — Norfolk, VA
Virginia Center Stadium 20 — Glen Allen, VA
Potomac Yards 16 — Alexandria, VA

WASHINGTON
Carmike 12 — Kennewick, WA
Village Centre Cinemas Wandermere 14 — Spokane, WA
Auburn Stadium 17 Theatres — Seattle, WA
Cascade Stadium 16 Cinemas — Vancouver, WA
East Valley 13 — Renton, WA
Meridian 16 — Seattle, WA
Parkway Tukwila 12 — Tukwila, WA
South Hill 6 — Puwallup, WA

WISCONSIN
Bay Park Square 16 — Ashwaubenon, WI
Eastgate 16 — Madison, WI
Marcus 18 — Menomonee Falls, WI
Point 16 — Madison WI
Ridge 20 — New Berlin, WI

WEST VIRGINIA
Martinsburg 10 — Martinsburg, WVs

Rocky Elsom leaving a big hole

The Wallabies named their squad for the Autumn Tests yesterday, later that night Leinster named him in their squad to face Munster rugby in the Celtic League.

It will be tough for Robbie Deans to watch Elsom running ariound in Ireland when he could have been playing for The Wallabies, does the overseas rule need to be relaxed?

That Leinster Squad:

BACKS: Chris Whitaker, Chris Keane, Jonathan Sexton, Felipe Contepomi, Brian O’Driscoll, Gary Brown, Shane Horgan, Luke Fitzgerald, Fergus McFadden, Rob Kearney, Simon Keogh, Eoin O’Malley, Girvan Dempsey

FORWARDS: Cian Healy, Stephen Knoop, Ronan McCormack, Bernard Jackman, Brian Blaney, John Fogarty, CJ Van Der Linde, Stan Wright, Cameron Jowitt, Malcolm O’Kelly, Leo Cullen, Devin Toner, Rocky Elsom, Trevor Hogan, Stephen Keogh, Shane Jennings, Sean O’Brien, Kevin McLaughlin, Jamie Heaslip

Wallabies look to blood some younger players

18-year-old utility back James O’Connor has been joined in the extended 34-man touring party by Western Force teammate openside flanker David Pocock, Queensland Reds flyhalf Quade Cooper and NSW Waratahs prop Sekope Kepu.

The selection of Cooper will take some pressure of the inside centre spot should Berick Barnes shoulder play up on the tour. Cooper can move into 10 and Giteau move to centre without weakening the team at all.

In what should be a competitive tour Robbie Deans will no doubt be using Wales as the true test of his charges as the 6 Nations champions will be in full flight by the time the teams meet.

Wallabies Spring Tour Itinerary

Saturday November 1: v New Zealand, Hong Kong
Saturday November 8: v Italy, Padova
Saturday November 15: v England, London (Twickenham)
Saturday November 22: v France, Paris
Saturday November 29: v Wales, Cardiff
Wednesday December 3: v Barbarians, London (Wembley)

Things are not All Black in New Zealand Rugby

The New Zealand Rugby Union has today announced its player numbers for 2008 have increased 3% to a total of 140,279 players involved in the game this year. These numbers must particularly please the administrators given the amount of negative publicity that the game has recently attracted in the land of the long white cloud.

Taken from the press release:

One of the areas of significant growth is in the under 13 age group where seven percent more children are playing rugby this year.

NZRU General Manager Community and Provincial Union Rugby, Brent Anderson, said the organisation was delighted with the rise in numbers, following a year in which rugby faced many challenges.

“This news is a big boost for the game. One of our 2008 priorities through the implementation of the Community Rugby Plan is to increase participation rates in all areas, and since our first Community Rugby Plan was introduced in 2004, we have recorded an overall increase of 16% in player numbers.

Has the Deans effect worn off?

Something has struck me over the past few weeks of the Tri Nations, Australia when under pressure are reverting a little to the tactics that have been their downfall over past seasons.

It appears that instinctively the players revert back to the slower phase based play when they are threatened, whilst their major competitors The All Blacks still play a more aggressive open style.

After the first few Tri Nations Tests of the year Robbie Deans approach was being lauded and rightly so. I think that the players need to take a look at how they drop his guidance when under pressure and work on this aspect of their game.

Perhaps time will help, but they need to fix this if they want to be competitive over the coming years.

RUGBY UNION IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA SOARS

heavensgame recently spoke with Lachlan Clark, CEO of South Australian Rugby Union. It seems that Rugby in South Australia is developing strongly in this southern wine growing state of Australia.

Player numbers have been steadily increasing in the last few years and this season saw an increase in both junior and senior numbers. Growth in juniors in the last year has been particularly encouraging with player numbers up 15% on 2007. This has come off the back of a lot of great work done by local clubs and rugby development officers. Participation in women’s rugby is reasonably stable but SA rugby union have just embarked on a review of women’s rugby in South Australia with a view to reinvigorating their recruitment programs.

Read more at www.heavensgame.com