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The Rugby Thread
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Topic Started: May 26 2006, 02:33 PM (404 Views)
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May 26 2006, 02:33 PM
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This is a Discussion Thread for Rugby Union. As I write this, Sale Sharks and Leicester Tigers are preparing for the Premiership Grand Final at Twickenham.
Teams in the Premiership
Sale Sharks Leicester Tigers London Irish London Wasps Gloucester Northampton Saints Newcastle Falcons Worcester Bath Saracens Bristol Leeds Tykes
Leeds were relegated at the End of the Season and will be replaced by Harlequins.
Heineken Cup
- "BBC Sport"
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The Heineken Cup has reintroduced seeding to the group stages for its 24 teams in next season's competition. The first-seeded sides from each of the six nations - England, Ireland, Italy, France, Scotland and Wales - will be drawn in separate pools next month.
Five pools will have no more than one team from the same country, while the sixth will have two French teams.
France have earned an additional place by being the most successful nation out of England, Italy and France in 2005/6.
Twenty-one teams have already qualified for next season's tournament, with Cardiff Blues and Edinburgh Gunners guaranteed to be the first seeds from Wales and Scotland.
Qualified teams:
England: Gloucester Rugby, Leicester Tigers, London Irish, London Wasps, Northampton Saints, Sale Sharks France: Agen, Biarritz Olympique, Bourgoin, Perpignan, Stade Francais Paris, Toulouse Ireland: Leinster, Munster, Ulster Italy: Benetton Treviso, Rugby Calvisano Scotland: Edinburgh Gunners Wales: Cardiff Blues, Llanelli Scarlets, Ospreys
Other qualifiers:
Castres Olympique or ASM Clermont Auvergne Border Reivers or Glasgow Warriors Newport Gwent Dragons or Overmach Parma
Six Nations: Teams
France Ireland Scotland England Wales Italy
Tri-Nations: Teams
New Zealand Australia South Africa
Other Teams
There are loads in the IRB but the main ones are Argentina, USA, Japan, Canada, Georgia and Spain.
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 Credit to Bandit! @TheComplexII
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TC Admin
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May 26 2006, 02:34 PM
Post #2
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- "RFU"
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ENGLAND Head Coach Andy Robinson OBE today announced the team for the Gartmore Challenge against the Barbarians at Twickenham on Sunday (3.00).
The match 22 contains 15 of the squad to tour Australia, six from the England Saxons Barclays Churchill Cup party and England Under-21 back row James Haskell.
London Irish captain Mike Catt, voted Guinness Premiership Player of the Season last night, is back in an England shirt for the first time in two years, alongside Mathew Tait (Newcastle Falcons) in the centre, while 6ft 7ins newcomer James Hudson (Bath Rugby) starts at lock.
Sevens star Mathew Tait back teams up with Catt at centre photo by Getty Images “I am excited about the side we have selected,” said Robinson. “There is a good blend of experienced internationals such as Iain Balshaw and Mike Catt, as well as guys we are looking to develop through the Churchill Cup like James Hudson and James Forrester.
“Playing a strong Barbarians side will be an ideal test before we go to Australia and the Saxons to Canada and I am confident that, ably led by Pat Sanderson, they can win on Sunday.”
England: M Van Gisbergen (Wasps); J Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), M Tait (Newcastle), M Catt (London Irish), I Balshaw (Gloucester); O Barkley (Bath), P Richards (Gloucester); T Payne (Wasps), L Mears (Bath), D Bell (Bath), J Hudson (London Irish), A Brown (Gloucester), J Forrester (Gloucester), M Lipman (Bath), P Sanderson (Worcester, capt).
Replacements: D Paice (London Irish), D Barnes (Bath), K Roche (London Irish), J Haskell (Wasps), S Bemand (Leicester), S Abbott (Harlequins), D Armitage (London Irish).
Barbarians: M Burke (Newcastle & Australia); B Reihana (Northampton & New Zealand), T Castaignede (Saracens & France), D Feau'nati (London Irish & Samoa); J Roff (Kubota & Australia); C Spencer (Northampton & NZ), M Robinson (Northampton & NZ); A Lo Cicero (L'Aquila & Italy), R Ibanez (Wasps & France, capt), C Califano (Gloucester & France), B Casey (London Irish & Ireland), T Palmer (Wasps & England), X Rush (Cardiff Blues & New Zealand), O Magne (London Irish & France), T Kefu (Kubota & Australia).
Replacements (from): M Regan (Bristol & England), P Bracken (Wasps), D Leo (Wasps & Samoa), S Harding (Northampton & NZ), J Marshall (Ospreys & NZ), D Humphreys (Ulster & Ireland), I Nacewa (Auckland & Fiji), F Waters (Wasps & England), D Hewett (Edinburgh & NZ), O Finegan (Newcastle & Australia).
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TC Admin
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May 27 2006, 09:24 AM
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Ulster claim Celtic League Trophy

- "BBC Sport"
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Ulster secured the Celtic League title with a narrow win over the Ospreys thanks to a David Humphreys drop goal. The Irish province led 13-10 at the break, Matt McCullough scoring a try and David Humphreys kicking two penalties and a conversion.
Johnny Vaughton scored the Ospreys try which Gavin Henson converted.
Humphreys added a second half penalty and although Jason Spice scored a converted try, Humphreys kicked the winning points with a late drop goal.
Vaughton completed a fine Ospreys move to give last year's champions an early lead and Henson executed the conversion.
Humphreys' penalty reduced his side's deficit and when McCullough crashed over for a try which Humphreys converted soon after, Ulster led for the first time.
A further Humphreys penalty extended the lead but Henson pegged back the visitors with a penalty of his own before half-time.
Both sides made mistakes in the second half and the usually reliable Humphreys missed with two penalty attempts, one of which rebounded off the post from close range.
Jonathan Thomas was sin-binned for the Ospreys and the former Ireland fly-half slotted over the resultant penalty to give Ulster a 16-10 lead.
A Spice try, which was converted by Henson, edged the home side in front again but Humphreys redeemed himself by scoring the winning points with a long range drop goal which cannoned off both posts before going over.
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Ulster coach Mark McCall: "It was frustrating to be a point down late on but I knew if we could get back into their half, David Humphreys could do something like he did. "I take my hat off to the players for the effort they have put in all season and for the defence they showed in this game.
"It is a privilege to be involved with them and they deserve to win this title.
"It tells you all you need to know about David Humphreys that he bounced back from a couple of kicks he would usually knock over to drop a goal like that to win the game."
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Ospreys: Gavin Henson; Jonathan Vaughton, Sonny Parker, Andrew Bishop, Shane Williams; Shaun Connor, Jason Spice; Paul James, Barry Williams (capt), Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Lyndon Bateman, James Bater, Jonathan Thomas, Lee Beach. Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Duncan Jones, Andrew Millward, Andrew Newman, Richard Pugh, Matthew Jones, Stefan Terblanche.
Ulster: B Cunningham; T Bowe, A Trimble, P Wallace, A Maxwell; D Humphreys, I Boss; J Fitzpatrick, R Best, B Young, J Harrison, M McCullough, N Best, S Ferris, R Wilson. Replacements: N Brady, R Moore, R Caldwell, N McMillan, K Campbell, J Bell, J Topping.
Referee: David Changleng (SRU).
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 Credit to Bandit! @TheComplexII
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