I noticed yesterday that the CEO of the Parramatta Eels rugby league team, Paul Osborne, dismissed the new Western Sydney AFL team as being a threat by saying,

‘I am not particularly worried by it… It’s a pretty ordinary game and we’ve got a much better product.’

He went on to say,

‘I am not too concerned as I am sure they will come back when they see how boring it is. They are quite intelligent in Western Sydney.’

Ha ha ha. Don’t make me laugh. Rugby league is only strong in NSW and Queensland whilst Aussie rules is strong not just in Melbourne but in Adelaide and Perth, both the Swans and Brisbane Lions are very strong, whilst Tasmania have been begging the AFL to grant them a franchise for a dozen years or more. The NRL has just two non-NSW or QLD teams, one from New Zealand and the Melbourne Storm. (I know technically Canberra is in the ACT but in reality it is part of NSW) The Adelaide Rams rugby league team lasted just two seasons, and although they had attendance figures that put most Sydney rugby league clubs to shame, Rupert Murdoch decided that they could not compete with the AFL’s Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide Power.

The Storm have been a roaring success in Melbourne but it is still just a handful of regular supporters who attend every match. An average of 12,474 spectators to their home games in 2008, whilst the Parramatta Eels attracted 16,478 spectators to their home games in 2005 (the latest figure I could find). An average of 16,466 people attended NRL games in 2009. In contrast 37,776 people attended each AFL game, with Port Adelaide having the lowest average attendances every week at 25,589. The Sydney Swans attracted an average crowd of 30,857 spectators to their games in 2009, with 2008 seeing an average crowd of 31,821 at Swans games. In 2005 an average of 37,000 people attended Swans games. In 2008 AFL had 1,784,000 MORE free-to-air TV viewers in the capital cities each week than the NRL. If Aussie rules was such a boring game and rugby league so superior wouldn’t it make sense that more people would go to or watch the games and that it would have penetrated into more states of Australia? Since around twice as many people attend Swans AFL games than those of these two NRL teams I reckon there should be a lot of concern. If Paul Osborne isn’t worried now he should be.

According to Jonathan Thurston’s agent the Cowboys rugby League star wants one million dollars to switch codes. The ARU on past experience would be foolish to give the matter another thought.

Whereas there have been many who have switched from Rugby Union to Rugby League there are not as many who have made the switch the other way successfully. It would appear that it is far easier for a union player to adapt to the crash and bash style of league than the other way around.

This is most obvious when you look at a player such as Wendell Sailor whose wing play never really adapted to traditional union wing play. In league wingers frequently cut infield when their passage is blocked to keep the ball alive. In union the winger will tend to take on their counterpart and try and get around the outside.

Ryan Cross has been one of the success stories to come across from rugby league, while Mat Rogers showed the ability to adapt being a sublime athlete, but always seemed to be a fish out of water. He had an uncomfortable look about him, as if he wished he were elsewhere.

It is interesting to read the views of both Rogers and Sailor on Thurston’s contemplated defection. Sailor being quoted as saying “he would get bored to tears with the style of the game.” Proving Sailor struggled to grasp the intricacies of being more than a high speed battering ram.

Whereas Rogers comments have far more foundation and show why he adapted far better. He was quoted as saying “It’s not a simple transition. There’s a lot to it. I don’t know his rugby background but he’s a natural footballer, he just knows where to be. If he goes he will play for the Wallabies, absolutely, I’d play him at 10. He couldn’t play half back, he’s a ball player, he’d kill it at five eighth.”

But the most interesting of Rogers’s comments relates to the work the ARU have to do to raise the passion surrounding its Super Rugby franchises. There is no doubt League has the history that Super Rugby doesn’t but Rogers no doubt speaks for many when he said “ the tribalism that surrounds rugby league, I love that. I love the fans, I love going to Leichardt Oval or Shark Park, you don’t experience that in Australian Rugby. You play Super 14 and tests and it’s a different audience.”

South African Union fans would probably give the league fans a run for their money, but in Australia Union fans are as Rogers states extremely tame and respectful, and create a completely different match day experience.

Hi FAX Fans

Well it is definitely Christmas, and how do I know that? Because I saw Santa (well one of his helpers, he is far too busy at the moment packing presents to be away from the North Pole) driving a BUS!

That’s when you know it is Christmas, well that and the fact that snow is covering the Shay, Coca Cola adverts are everywhere and we are just a few weeks away from Rugby. Don’t you love it!!!

As I am sure you can imagine it is very busy here at the Shay at present with everyone and everything trying to sort out all those little things before 2010 arrives. And with this we have some news, so sit back, relax, and have a read of what I have to say FAX Fans.

Firstly, our amazing £22 shirt offer (the one where you bring in an old replica shirt, show it us. And then walk away with a brand spanking new one for just £22) ENDS TOMMOROW (Saturday)!!! You have between 9-11am to come to the Shay Shop and until closing time at Harvey’s Department Store to take up this deal, so don’t delay and get your shirt today.

In this day and age everyone is trying to take the shirt off of your back, whereas we want to put one on yours. So make sure you get your shirt today, otherwise you will have to pay £32 as of next week!!

To help sway your decision to spend your hard earned cash, we are taking Dylan Nash & Luke Branighan to Harvey’s tomorrow to sign autographs, shirts, take pictures and generally chat to you FAX fans between 11.30 – 2pm. So if you didn’t meet the new Aussies at the Xmas dinner then make sure you get down to Harvey’s tomorrow. They are both top blokes and neither of them bite so don’t be shy.

That’s all in the future though. So what about the past? Well last night was the Blue Belle’s cheerleader party with over 50 of our star girls braving the snow and making a great night for all. The girls had a dance, some food and festive cheer and everyone seemed to have a great time. For pictures of this great event Click HERE.

The players also have their final training session before the Christmas break tonight with the guys going through the paces in preparation for the upcoming season. The Squad photo day and news of more friendly fixtures are imminent so make sure you keep an eye out for news over the festive period FAX fans.

Finally, the East Stand is looking great at the moment (although hard to see in this current mini blizzard) and should be finished very soon. Mike Riley had a tour a few days ago and took some pictures. To see these snaps Click HERE!

And last week I promised you a festive Poll and I would hate to disappoint you so here it is. Today’s festive question is ‘Who would make the best FAX Santa?’

It’s a tough one I know, but make your decision now and I will release the results before the big day next week.

Until then FAX fans, enjoy your last few days at work, buy and eats lots of food and keep it very Blue & White

Mr FAX

Hi FAX Fans

The final countdown to Christmas has begun and everything and everyone is stepping up a gear here at the Shay. The East stand is nearly done, with the final bits and pieces being finished off, and we have finally been given our Fixture lists for the 2010 season.

After several delays we finally got the go ahead, which puts us in a Northern Rail group compromising of Sheffield, Hunslet and London Skolars, with our League season starting with a home game against the Sheffield Eagles. And we don’t have long to wait either with our opening game starting on Sunday 31`st January, away at the Sheffield Eagles once again.

Matt also finalised his squad numbers last week with many of our players keeping the same jersey as last year. Notable inclusions were new singings Stanley Gene (12), Makali Aizue (8), Luke Branighan (6) and Dylan Nash (16). Neil Cherryholme also changed his squad number with him taking up the number 10 shirt. Now this does not guarantee a starting spot for Neil but it certainly shows that he has impressed during the pre season campaign so far.

So a big congrats goes out to Neil, but the hard work does not stop here. There’s still plenty of training to go and of course a few games coming up. Will Neil be our most improved player in 2010? Only time will tell.

The other major surprise of the squad number announcement was the number 20 shirt. At present it has no name attached to it which means only 2 things. Either we have lost it (which I seriously doubt because Hilda doesn’t lose anything) or it has been left open for a new face to occupy.

Who could this mystery person be? Could it be a loan, dual contract or permanent signing? Matt has said in recent reports that he is still 2 or 3 faces shy of a complete squad and this certainly shows that he still thinks this. So make sure you keep an eye on the FAX website people as you will hear it from us first!

Also FAX Fans, a few of our new signings will be attending Harvey’s Department store this Saturday in a meet and greet session. So if you would like to have a photo taken or an autograph signed then get yourselves down. More details will be given in Fridays Blog!

I mentioned earlier that the East Stand is closer to completion and as I came in today I could see barriers being installed and yellow lines painted. We still don’t have an exact date yet but we are hoping for some joy around the festive season. The council guys also just came in to fix the webcam so you can see any progress HERE.

That’s all for now FAX fans, but make sure you finish your Xmas shopping with a Blue & White spree!! We have shirts, Polo’s and jackets all with the lovely crest of FAX. So Click Here and spend some of that hard earned cash on the club you love

Until next time

Mr FAX

ABC/AAP

All troops report for duty.  This is war.  I repeat, this is war!  A sleeping giant has awoken to steal our game, stadia and identity.  Be on the lookout for these sporting terrorists, no one can be trusted.  This is a matter of national security.  If you see a sheila, wog or poofter acting suspicious they are almost certainly the enemy, so proceed with caution.  If they are in possession of a round ball, do not look directly at it as it may cause permanent damage to the medial prefrontal cortices of the brain leading to a lapse in xenophobia.

No, this isn’t a recent memo to staff from Andrew Demetriou, David Gallop or John O’Neill.  It’s surely just my paranoia at the sheer thought of Australia missing out on hosting the biggest sporting event in the world due to a civil war of sorts between the football codes.

The battle is on and the four rival football chiefs are fighting hard for their bit of turf in a war that will most definitely play out like a soap opera.  The AFL are acting like the father of sport sitting at the head of the dinner table, the NRL are having diarrhea through the ears in fear of losing their already diminished market share and the ARU are trying to act important but really, no one cares unless the Wallabies win.

Over the past fortnight or so, our daily newspapers have been filled with mistruths, beat-ups and fear mongering relating to Football Federation Australia (FFA) and FIFA’s plans to “hijack” the city of Melbourne.  AFL Neanderthal, Demetriou, is using his position of power to flex some political muscle and claim Melbourne as an Aussie Rules town.  If “soccer” wants to do anything, it better ask the footy mafia or else it’ll be sleepin’ with the fishes in the Yarra.  Someone ought to tell Demetriou that just over 50% of Victory supporters are also members of an AFL club.

Similarly, Gallop is concerned about football’s growing popularity having a direct impact on the sustained growth of Rugby League.  Sorry David, you’re flogging a dead horse, mate.  When it comes to lighting up a nation, nothing stirs emotions like the Socceroos.

It’s amazing to think that qualifying for a World Cup back-to-back can bring so much positive energy.  FFA Chairman, Frank Lowy and his team led by Ben Buckley are determined to showcase Australia as the best possible candidate to host either the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cup.  No amount of infighting or dick measuring will matter, for Australia, and more importantly Australians, are ready for the world to Come Play! in our sunburnt country.

We’ve hosted the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and many other truly cultural experiences in Australia.  The World Cup will boost our economy, stagnant tourism industry and lift our international profile.  This event isn’t just about football (or sport) either, it’s about Australia.

I’d like to think that Australia is a tolerant country, one that shares its resources and builds for the future.  We are multicultural, socially liberal and great humanitarians.  We can win one of the two bids if we back ourselves.

However, one crucial factor hovers over us like a dark storm cloud…  Are we genuinely united in embracing football?  If we can’t convince 13 out of the 24-man FIFA executive committee of that fact, we’re doomed.  It’s time for our rival football codes to stop the war and think of the bigger picture.  Football’s here to stay, get used to it.  Just watch this country ignite when we compete in South Africa, next June.

In the past it was crocodiles, shrimps on the barbie and blondes without a bloody clue.  This time, Australia’s ready to make real history, with or without the boofheads.

]]> http://irelandonrugbyleague.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/ones-to-watch-the-imports/ Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:25:28 +0000 mireland08 http://irelandonrugbyleague.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/ones-to-watch-the-imports/

Last week’s blog focused on the emergence of youth within the super league ranks. The shining lights of the Super League’s

Kiwi international Greg Eastwood will be hopeful of bringing more silverware to Headingley this season.

academies, who seem sure to have a big future in the game.  The discovery of these young starlets is obviously essential for the game, and a fantastic product of the licensing system, but fans want to see the big-time players as well.

This close season a number of clubs have captured the imagination of their fans with their signings of some of the world’s leading Rugby League players. Added to the existing array of foreign talent, Super League can expect to see the likes of Greg Eastwood, Matt Orford, Craig Fitzgibbon and Glenn Hall, plying their trade in the competition in 2010.

These imports can only enhance the stature and quality of the competition. We all recognise and accept that the main goal of super League is to create a competitive, world-class breeding ground for English international talent, much in the mould of the NRL, and these top-quality players can help by drawing on all their experiences, talent and nous to further improve the competition in such a way.

The blog normally sees me pick five players on the theme but with the amount of quality brought into the competition this year it was difficult and decided to pick seven players this time around. So these are the seven foreign imports I believe will make the biggest and most eye-catching contribution to Super League as a whole, but also their respective clubs.

Matt Orford – Bradford Bulls

The perceived star foreign import of 2010. The former Manly and Melbourne scrum-half arrives at Odsal with a glowing reputation. A highly skilled ball player, Orford possesses that touch of class to unlock any defence. The Australian’s kicking game is also without fault, and regularly turns the opposition around with astute, accurate kicking.

With the loss of Paul Deacon to Wigan, it seems likely Orford will take over the captaincy at the Grattan Stadium, a role he thrived in at Manly. The Australian captained the Sea Eagles to a NRL premiership in 2008 and a World Club Challenge over Leeds Rhinos in 2009.

If Bradford are to challenge the likes of Leeds and St Helens for honours again this year, Orford will most definitely be the central figure at Odsal.

Greg Eastwood – Leeds Rhinos

Kiwi international forward Greg Eastwood finally reaches Super League this year after spending last season on loan at the Canterbury Bulldogs due to visa problems.

A giant in all senses of the word, Eastwood is powerful, athletic, hits hard and is deceptively quick for such a big guy.  Leeds have been looking for a replacement for Gareth Ellis since his departure and they’ve finally got their man.

With Leeds looking strong in the forwards anyway, Eastwood adds yet more quality to the Rhinos pack.  Expect big things from this young Kiwi, who at 22 has his best years in front of him.

David Fa’alogo – Huddersfield Giants

Another Kiwi back-rower, David Fa’alogo looks an intelligent signing by Giants coach Nathan Brown.  Fa’alogo had his contract terminated in September for allegedly punching former South Sydney coach Jason Taylor, and Huddersfield moved quickly for their man.

Fa’alogo is a versatile second-rower, renowned for his high work-rate and solid defence and will add yet more steel and solidarity to the Huddersfield team who will be aiming to kick on from last years undoubted successes.

Craig Fitzgibbon – Hull FC

A veteran of the NRL, Craig Fitzgibbon represented the Sydney Roosters 228 times is his ten seasons at the club.  He also has 11 New South Wales appearances and 19 Australian caps to his name, and is a stalwart of a back-row forward.

An all-round individual Fitzgibbon runs aggressive lines in attack, is rock-solid in defence and can kick a goal or too as well.  Fitzgibbon will be key to any successes that Hull FC are striving towards this season, and along with fellow ex-Rooster, Mark O’Meley, the Hull pack look more potent than ever with the inclusion of Fitzgibbon.

Matt Utai – Crusaders RL

Maybe a strange pick for some, but when looked at against the raw facts, Utai looks a shrewd signing by the Brian Noble and his backroom staff.  In last year’s Super League, the Crusaders only managed 357 points all season and lacked pace and power in the backs.  Utai comes straight from the NRL where he touched down 71 times in 124 games for the Canterbury Bulldogs.

A pacey and powerful winger, Utai has represented New Zealand and Samoa on the international stage and was named Daly M Rookie of the Year back in 2002.

Utai’s try-scoring ability will be vital if the Crusaders are to improve and progress in Super League XV.

Dallas Johnson – Catalans Dragons

Former Melbourne Storm loose-forward Dallas Johnson moves to the south of France as a replacement for NRL-bound Greg Bird.

Johnson has represented Queensland 12 times and the Kangaroos once.  He is known for his style as a modern day workhorse, regularly averaging over 40 tackles a game.  In the 2007 origin series, Johnson made an Origin record 62 tackles in the 77 minutes he was on the field, and tackle every New South Wales player except Jamie Lyon.

This commitment and enthusiasm Johnson exhibits in every one of his matches will be vital for the Dragons, if they are to build on last season’s stunning play-off display and maybe make it one step further.

Iosia Soliola – St Helens

Yet another New Zealand international, Iosia Soliola joins St Helens on the back of four seasons with the Sydney Roosters.  Primarily utilised in the centres, but also a handy back-rower, Soliola will be hoping to stamp his authority onto Super League.

The Kiwi is a ferocious tackler, and averaged more tackles per game than any other centre in the NRL last season with nearly 20 per game.  He also uses his considerable size in attack to power through defences with barn-storming runs.

At 23, Soliola is open to improvement and Saints will be confident that he has his best Rugby years in the famous red vee.

For all the new foreign imports and quality signings made by the Super League sides this year, the licensing system was never put in

Richie Myler will orchestrating the strings at Warrington next season

place for an influx of antipodean talent.

We all obviously love to see the likes of Matt Gidley, Brent Webb, Greg Bird amongst others, and this year is no exception with NRL stars like Greg Eastwood and Matt Orford joining the ranks of foreign imports. But the licensing system was put in place to create stability and nurture the younger talent of the game.

It is therefore no coincidence that last year’s Super League became home to some of the most exciting young players of recent years. Sam Tomkins, Kyle Eastmond & Richie Myler are perhaps the most notable of the bunch; three extremely talented half-backs with pace, vision, creativity and a wealth of skill. The success of the licensing system extended with all three gaining England caps; all impressing fans and media alike along the way.

So who are the ‘next big things’ ready to make an impact in Super League XV? I’ve chosen 5 talented youngsters who I think are ready to make a big impression in the Super League this year when called upon.

Paul McShane – Leeds Rhinos

Paul McShane may be not so well known to those who aren’t followers of Leeds, but most Rhinos fans realise that after Danny Buderus’ contract expires at the end of the season, Brian McClennan will be in no rush to search for a new rake. McShane has starred for the academy in recent seasons and is highly rated by the Leeds supremo. He only managed three first team appearances last year but starred when deputising for the injured Buderus and Matt Diskin in a 14-10 win over Warrington at the Halliwell Jones Stadium. McShane is quick and intelligent around the ruck, a strong tackler and also possesses a range of kicking skills. Big things are expected of the former England Academy international, and McShane may get a few more opportunities this time around.

Richie Myler – Warrington Wolves

An obvious choice, but this is a big year for young Richie Myler. After starring in his debut Super League season at Salford, and now a big money acquisition for the Warrington Wolves, Myler has the chance to prove to everyone just how good he is, and go some way to justifying his sizable transfer fee. Warrington have a much more mobile and dominant forward pack than Salford, and should lay a solid platform for Myler to weave his magic alongside Lee Briers. With the likes of fellow new-boy Ryan Atkins and flyer Chris Hicks in the backs, the pressure will be on Myler to orchestrate a potent backline at the Halliwell Jones Stadium this year, and build on the Challenge Cup win with some more silverware this term.

Ben Jones-Bishop – Harlequins RL

Leeds loanee Ben Jones-Bishop will spend the year at the Twickenham Stoop, and the full-back looks set for a bright future. A product of the Leeds academy, Jones-Bishop chose to embark on the long road south to work under former Leeds assistant Brian McDermott. Quins fought off stiff competition from other Super League teams to capture Jones-Bishop, who is highly regarded within Rugby League circles. The challenge for Jones-Bishop will be to ultimately force his way into the Quins team and prove to his parent club that he is the heir apparent to Brent Webb. Jones-Bishop has made a handful of appearances for Leeds over the last couple of years and has impressed with his pace, reading of the game and ability under the high ball. When Jones-Bishop gets his chance this year, expect him to take it with both hands.

Jonny Lomax – St Helens

The Saints academy is fabled for producing some starlets of Super League like James Graham, James Roby and Paul Wellens. After making five appearances last season, Jonny Lomax will be hoping to force his way into the Saints line-up again in Super League XV. Originally a stand-off, Lomax was used on the wing and at full-back last season, and many of the Saints faithful feel he may be the heir apparent to stalwart Paul Wellens. Pacey, good under the high ball and with the creative tendencies of a stand-off, Lomax possesses all the qualities to become a mainstay of the Saints line-up for a few years to come. Whether he cements his place this year is questionable, but if called upon Lomax will certainly not let anyone down.

Gary Wheeler – St Helens

Another straight off the St Helens production line is centre/winger Gary Wheeler. Wheeler impressed when called upon last year and reads the game excellently. Expect Mick Potter to have no hesitation in throwing Wheeler straight into the side if any member of the Saints back-line is injured or underperforming. Like Jonny Lomax, Wheeler’s favoured position is at stand-off but his versatility means he can cover a number of positions. A quick pair of hands, good kicking game and an excellent rugby brain means Wheeler will almost certainly be in and around the Saints first-team for years to come.

With these players and other youngsters such as Kallum Watkins, Richard Owen and Jordan Turner also playing in the competition, the future of the competition looks very bright indeed.

Hi FAX Fans

Well it’s been another hectic week in the office with the biggest culprit being Season Tickets!!!  Mr FAX has been working night and day filling envelopes, printing cards and matching up names. I feel very much in the spirit of Christmas because my life resembles that of a Christmas elf!

It has all been worth it though because I am pleased to say that the season tickets are ready for collection. Despite broken machines, being send the wrong printing ink and a small piece of plastic breaking in my hands, we have managed to print all of them (nearly) and they are all neatly placed into boxes ready for you FAX Fans!

So if you have ordered your season ticket, come to the shay stadium and pick it up. We understand that certain people will be unable to get to the shay and collect, so if you are one of these then call the club on 01422 342792. But we would really appreciate it if you could come on down as we are reluctant to post out the tickets as they have been known to go missing in the past, and we want you to have them in your hands for Christmas Day.

Also, if we have yet to receive your photo then we will need it in order to print your ticket. So either email it to the club at info@halifaxrlfc.co.uk or come to the Shay where we can take your picture.

So spread the word FAX fans that the season tickets are ready. We will be shouting this news from the roof tops over the next week or so (well the courier and website) but if you know someone who may not know then tell them to come on down!!

So what else has been happening other than Season Ticket packing? Well our very own Mike Riley has taken to film directing with his debut masterpiece having a very Christmassy feel. Click Here to see some dancing FAX Stars and Click Here to see the Staff sing a few songs!

These videos are frankly brilliant and Mike is very proud. I don’t want to jinx it, but Oscar anybody?

And speaking of Christmas, well it is getting closer and closer and with it comes the end of our super Shirt Promo. The offer, which allows you to get a FAX shirt for just £22, ends on Saturday 19^th December. So if you have yet to buy your Blue & White, then get down to the club shop or Harvey’s Department store and Save some money. Once the 19^th arrives the shirts will go back up to £32 so you have been warned.

And remember to fill your stockings with other FAX related goodies and help the club grow and grow. This week’s interview is from Retail Guru, Malcolm Powell, who speaks about all the FAX gear you can buy. To see this video Click HERE

Finally, a quick East Stand update. Just about all the seats have now been installed so the stand is really starting to look complete. We expect all the finishing touches to be complete over the next couple of weeks, so we could just be given the best Christmas present ever.

And I know I promised you a Christmas Poll this week but with the season ticket episode I have simply had no time. I do promise to create one for next week though so do not worry.

Until next time FAX fans, keep it Blue & White.

Mr FAX

Boring? It’s boom time in the tryless world of Mike Ford and Shaun Edwards

From The Times
December 10, 2009
John Westerby

While much of the rugby world gnashes its teeth at the shortage of tries that is blighting the game, there is one group of people who may be forgiven a wry smile.

For the game’s defence coaches, the Scrooges whose job it is to stop tries, this could be seen as boom time, with attacking teams consistently struggling to pick a way through carefully constructed defensive systems.

Much of the blame for this season’s sterile rugby has been laid with the new breakdown law, which has denied attacking teams the quick ball they need to prosper. But another common complaint from players is that modern defences have become too strong, that it is harder than ever to find a path to the try-line. So have defence coaches become too good at their jobs?

Leading the case for the defence is Mike Ford, whom Martin Johnson, the England team manager, entrusts with preventing the opposition scoring. Although England scored only one try in three disappointing autumn internationals last month, they conceded only three: two against Australia and one against New Zealand.

“I think the amount of time spent on defence in rugby union is now greater than it has ever been,” Ford said. “When I came into union [from rugby league] with Ireland in 2002, we’d have a team meeting and it was all about attack, nobody would mention defence. In rugby league, defence is the first thing you learn and in training, it’s 50 per cent defence.

“Union has come a long way since then and now, with England, I probably get about a third of training time. A third on attack, a third on defence and a third on the set-piece is about the right split.”

In terms of defence, rugby union was dragged into the professional era by a legion of coaches from rugby league, led by John Muggleton in Australia and Phil Larder in England. Marshalled by Muggleton, Australia conceded only one try in six games when they won the World Cup in 1999, then Larder was Clive Woodward’s defence coach when England triumphed in 2003. Even now, 14 years after rugby union turned professional, defence is still dominated by cross-code coaches.

“I suppose we had a head start,” Ford said. “The joke among us is that none of us defence coaches could tackle when we played. Shaun Edwards, me, Alan Tait [now at Newcastle Falcons], we were all attacking players.

“The difference now is that when Phil Larder came into union, he spent as much time working on tackling technique as organising a defence. Now I get players from their clubs who are defensively sound. These days players are much more savvy.”

The main concern of a defence coach is to develop a system that works for his team. Like a grandmaster organising 15 very large chess pieces, he must decide on a defensive alignment and then make sure his players can reset the system after each phase of play. Ideally, his best defenders will line up opposite the other team’s strongest runners, tackling with their strongest shoulder. Slower players will stay in the middle of the field, with quicker runners out wide.

“The more intelligent coach will adapt his system to the players he has,” Dave Ellis, the France and London Irish defence coach, said. “It’s juggling the players to get them in the right places. You might have left-handed defenders who tackle better on their left shoulder.”

Although there are endless variations, coaches tend to work within three broad frameworks (see graphic). The best defences will use a combination of the three systems. The key is to keep the opposition guessing.

“There’s so much analysis going on now that other teams soon figure out what you’re doing,” Ford said. “So you keep tinkering with your system to counteract that.”

A prime example of this was provided by the blitz system, much in vogue a few years ago after its conspicuous success for South Africa and London Wasps, among others, but it is now used as more of an occasional weapon.

“When it first came in at Premiership level, it was a fantastic idea,” Ford said. “It still has its advantages, but people learn to play against it. I’ve always felt it would get unpicked if you used it all the time.”

It is rare for a team to make dramatic changes to their defensive structures during a game, but the longer a group of players stays together, the better their chances of adapting.

“The vision for England is to be able to change in ten-minute spells, or from set-piece to set-piece,” Ford said. “We’ve got fantastic defenders like Lewis Moody, Joe Worsley and Mike Tindall who can make those decisions. But you need a settled side. We had so many injuries in the autumn.”

For all that, Ford concedes that New Zealand are still setting defensive standards to which England can still only aspire. “I’m forever trying to get people in the right positions after set-pieces or turnovers,” he said. “From No 1 to No 15, they’ve got the skill and athleticism to defend in whichever channel. We’ve got to do that.”

As part of Johnson’s coaching team, along with Brian Smith, the attack coach, and John Wells, the forwards coach, Ford’s brief also extends to assisting the development of England’s attack. Working closely with Smith, he will analyse England’s offensive operations, while Smith applies his attacking nous to Ford’s defence.

So does Ford really enjoy watching a game in which no tries are scored? “Far from it,” he says. “I’m much happier if England win after conceding four tries, rather than losing after conceding none. But the laws are making it easier for defences at the moment. I’m a defence coach, but I really believe that the laws should favour attacks. We all like to see tries.”

Gentlemen of league

The influence of former rugby league players is still strong among defence coaches in the Guinness Premiership and home unions. In this list of coaches with responsibility for defence, an asterisk indicates a former rugby league player or coach Bath Brad Davis* Gloucester Dennis Betts* Harlequins Tony Diprose Leeds Carnegie Simon Middleton* Leicester (no defence coach) Richard Cockerill/ Matt O’Connor* London Irish Dave Ellis* London Wasps Shaun Edwards* Newcastle Falcons Alan Tait* Northampton (no defence coach) Jim Mallinder/Dorian West/Paul Grayson Sale Sharks (no defence coach) Kingsley Jones Saracens Paul Gustard Worcester Warriors Billy McGinty* England Mike Ford*, Scotland Graham Steadman* Wales Shaun Edwards* Ireland Les Kiss*

Hi FAX Fans

The weeks are going faster and faster and before we know it Christmas will have arrived and 2010 will have begun. That means one thing to Mr FAX, the start of rugby season down at the Shay!

To get us in the Christmas mood, tomorrow sees the Clubs annual Xmas Dinner at the Bowers Mill and everyone is excited for what should be a great night. The band is ready, the food is being prepared and the new players are ready for their first FAX Event.

Keep an eye out next week as I am sure there will be a few pictures floating around the web of the great spectacle.

The main reason I say keep an eye out is because Mike Riley is back and with it his infamous camera. In fact the first thing Mike told me yesterday was how he nearly bought a new camera whilst on holiday (another one????). That boy is obsessed with taking pictures and he took many of the nearly complete East Stand.

When he left for Florida 5 weeks ago it was merely a boy, but now it has grown into a big strong man (with seats and everything). There were reports earlier in the week that the seats being installed were condemned and needing to be sent back. BUT don’t worry, because the seats were sent back weeks and weeks ago and the seats currently being installed are brand new and up to code. So do not worry FAX Fans because we are all good for the big launch.

Myself and Mike took a tour yesterday around the new stand and everything is looking very good. To se all the pictures CLICK HERE, but I have added a couple sneaky previews for you below (you can thank me later).

I can honestly say that everything is looking great and come the New Year we will have one of the best stands in the country. Now all we need to do is fill the thing and cheer on the boys, and that is where you all come in!

Season ticket sales are going very well, but we can always sell more and we urge all you FAX Fans out there to get one so you can save money in 2010. And if you already have yours then why not tell a friend to get one, that way we can spread the word of the FAX and see the Shay bursting at the seams!!

This weeks video is of the clubs new Marketing Chief, who talks about the ins and outs as to how to appeal to all you FAX Fans (in other words bossing Mr FAX around). The video can be seen HERE

The interviews have continued this week with Blacky and Pat’s joining the fun and telling us their life stories. Next week we already have new boys Branighan and Nash lined up, so if you have any questions for them (or any other player) then make sure you email it to marketing@halifaxrlfc.co.uk

Luke and Dylan came into the office yesterday too after having a shopping spree to fill their new flat with TV’s and sheets and pots and pans. They told me that they have been warmly welcomed to Halifax and find the club to be very professional in every area. They did tell me this before they met Mike Riley though so their tune may soon change once they meet the hyperactive man himself.

Finally FAX Fans, last weeks poll saw the most anticipated game in 2010 to be Widnes visiting the Shay (58%). Last years champs came in second with 25%, with Keighley, Whitehaven and Leigh all picking up votes too.

No Poll this week, but watch out next week where we will have a special Xmas question for you all.

So that is everything for now FAX Fans, but make sure you visit the club shop HERE and finish off your Christmas shopping in style!

Mr FAX

Hi FAX Fans

Well it’s been a busy couple of day here at the Shay. First up is the news that we have signed Strong running Centre (who can also fit in the back row) Dylan Nash. Dylan joined his former Thunder teammate Luke Branighan at the Shay yesterday, after they both arrived from their annual trip back home to Australia. Ben Black also joined them, with all 3 landing in Manchester (on different flights) within a few hours of each other. Coincidence or Fate?

They were telling us stories of this thing called sunshine and beaches, and although I had no idea of what they were talking about it all sounded rather nice. Maybe we could get some of that ‘Sunshine’ shipped over to Halifax? Anybody know anyone?

Dylan comes to the FAX with a fierce reputation of being a strong running player who can fit in effortlessly into either centre or Second Row. Many have said we never replaced Richard Varkulis, so here you go everyone, consider that spot filled.

As well as being a big runner, he also knows where the try line is, scoring a hat trick against us last season. Now I certainly don’t condone people scoring tries against us, but it is certainly a way to get yourself noticed!

Welcome on board Dylan, we hope your stay at Halifax is a good and successful one.

That means everyone is back in training now except for elusive full back Shad Royston. Shad is still back home on his honeymoon after tying the knot with his long term partner. It was also his Birthday the other day and how did he celebrate his day of birth and new life with his wife? He threw himself out of a plane! That a boy Shad!

He comes back to the cold in a couple of weeks, but until then we hope you have a great time in the Aussie summer.

The youth Media group also continued the interviews last night, with Stanley, Makali, Neil and Jon all being put under the spot light. They all gave very good accounts of themselves and gave a great insight into the life of a rugby player. Makali in particular gave us a great peek of his life with some great stories. It looks as though we have brought in a couple of great characters this year that will really help our younger players. Bring on 2010!!!

This week’s interview will be of our marketing guy who will give us an insight into how the magic happens, with the player interviews starting just before Christmas!

Finally, the East Stand has seen a couple of amazing additions over the weekend with the most exciting occurring just this morning. It was very cold this morning and as a result I was rushing to the office, but I was halted suddenly with a marvellous sight. Imagine my shock when I looked up to see blue seats!!!

They weren’t stacked in a pile, being delivered or anything like that. They were actually in place in the East Stand! Last week I told you how some metal pole were being installed (although I didn’t really know what they did) but to actually see blue seats is very exciting indeed.

I will try and get some pictures taken later, but at the moment have no camera. So it may have to wait until later in the week when the elusive Mike (The Camera) Riley returns.

That’s all for now FAX fans, and expect to hear something shortly with regards to picking up your season tickets. The parts for the machines are on its way so printing should commence shortly. We will be in contact wit you all as soon as they are ready, so please be patient for a little longer.

Also, we have extended the offer to get a limited edition FAX Portrait so for a perfect Xmas Present Click Here and really make someone’s day and help the club move to the next level in 2010!

Mr FAX

Get smart this year. Take the stress out of Christmas. Shop early and shop online. To help your deliberations we asked our man about the place Sam (late 20s and about to be married,)  to tell us what he wants. It might inspire you too.

1.       Anything Top Gear. I love Top Gear, and I don’t mind watching them again and again. Whether it is a t-shirt saying “I am the Stig”, or the 4 DVD Stig helmet collection or the Top Gear top tunes CD. I just can’t have enough Top Gear just like 350 million other men around the globe.  http://www.officialproducts.co.uk/

2.       Adventure activities. I was over the moon when I got a flight training voucher on my birthday from my fiancée.  In addition to that I would be equally delighted to get a voucher to drive a race car or a rally car. Anything that makes memorable memories is highly recommended. http://www.freemanx.co.nz

3.       Rugby / cricket /basketball tickets. With Christmas being in middle of summer there is always a cricket match going on in some part of New Zealand or Australia. Also you can purchase Rugby League or Super 14 tickets in advance. Aussi NBL tickets can also be highly appreciated. http://premier.ticketek.co.nz/

4. Tools/ Power tools. Depending on your budget, you can find a tool or a power fitting in your budget. Choices vary from a Swiss Army knife to Makita power drills and air compressors for Nail guns. https://www.toolking.com/

5. Apple products /accessories. If you have a geek in your family or friends, then the ideal gift to give them is an Apple product. If your budget forbids you from spending bucket loads of money on Iphone or MacBook, then go for fancy accessories that bling your Iphone. http://www.gadgetgear.com.au

PS For the man who has everything, Herbal Ignite will give a little zest to his love life. www.herbalignite.com

I had the pleasure of being seated next to Wayne Bennet at a special event for compass inc on Saturday night. Most people in the room would have been envious, the crazy thing is I have no interest in Rugby League.

My only experience of him is occasionally viewing his often rocky relationship with the media. As this evening was a recognition of achievements of the trainees of compass, all of which have intellectual disabilities, Wayne spoke from the heart as he is the father of two disabled children himself.

He told some funny football stories and offered some insights into his own formula for success. I’m going out today to pick up a copy of his book “Don’t die With The Music In You” I told him the story of how a St George football jersey I was given at my 21st birthday turned pink after a washing misadventure, that raised a smile, which was great considering the intimidating reputation he has.

For those not familiar with Wayne he is a very successful Rugby League coach at the National, interstate and international level for over 20 years.

One simple tip he gave was to make decisions, if they are wrong then make another decision and move on. Don’t waste your time with worry and with what might have been.

Have fun find something that inspires you today

Ian Newton

Com certo atraso (justificado pelo terrível fim de semestre universitário), o Blog do Rugby traz o time candango do Brasília Rugby, campeão do Pequi Nations 2009, e os Harlequins, da Inglaterra.

Nome: Brasília Rugby

Cidade/Estado: Brasília/DF

Campo: Estádio Vasco Viana de Andrade – Metropolitana – núcleo Bandeirante; e Asa Norte 307/308

Títulos: Campeão do Pequi Nations 2009; Campeão da IV Etapa do Campeonato Paulista do Interior 2007 – Campinas-SP; Campeão Taça Estímulo (Taça de Madeira) no Torneio Internacional de Sevens de São José dos Campos.

Site: www.brasiliarugby.com.br

O Brasília Rugby Clube, BRC, foi o primeiro clube de Rugby na capital federal. Criado em 2000, a equipe foi fundada por J.R. Zakrzewski e alguns estrangeiros praticantes de Rugby em seus países de origem. Juntamente com alguns brasilienses interessados, deram início às atividades do time em 2001. Em meados de 2002, um grupo de franceses liderados por Bruno Guerrard, e outros representades da Embaixada Francesa, criou o Rugby Sem Fronteiras, RSF; clube que chegou a participar de alguns campeonatos nacionais. Ambos os clubes contaram com a identificação de vários brasileiros com o esporte, e rapidamente angariaram vários atletas.
Infelizmente a falta de apoio e de estrutura durante os anos que se seguiram acabou por diminuir o interesse dos atletas e aumentar a dificuldade em conseguir novos membros. Em meados de 2005, as diretorias dos clubes decidiram unir forças para o desenvolvimento do rugby no Distrito Federal. A fusão dos dois times foi feita com o objetivo de participar do Campeonato Brasileiro – 2ª Divisão no mesmo ano, e desenvolvimento de vários projetos para 2006 e anos seguintes.

Levando as cores e a bandeira do DF no brasão, o novo clube, o Brasília Rugby, teve rápida identificação com o povo candango. Com a experiência dos membros do RSF que já haviam disputado o Brasileiro em 2004 e a vontade dos membros do BRC, a primeira conquista veio logo. Em junho, o time foi Campeão da Taça Estímulo do Torneio Internacional de Sevens de São José dos Campos, dada ao melhor time estreiante. Teve também eleito o jogador revelação do campeonato, Cedric Wamba. No Brasileiro, a equipe conseguiu uma vitória em casa diante do BH Rugby e foi derrotada pela o Rio Union no Rio de Janeiro, terminando a competição em 3° lugar juntamente com o Pasteur.

Em 2008, o clube iniciou um projeto de fortalecimento interno e formação de equipes juvenis. Por fim, em 2009, o Brasilia ingressou no Pequi Nations, torneio que envolve equipes do Centro-Oeste brasileiro, e foi campeão.

Fonte: site oficial do clube

Nome: Harlequin Football Club

Cidade/País: Londres, Inglaterra

Estádio: Twickenham Stoop Stadium (capacidade: 12,700)

Títulos: Copa da Inglaterra (John Player Cup/Pilkington Cup): 2; European Shield/Challenge Cup: 1 (2001 e 2004)

Site: www.quins.co.uk

O genuíno clube londrino. O Harlequin F.C., mais conhecido como Harlequins, ou simplesmente Quins, é um dos mais famosos clubes de rugby da Inglaterra. E também um dos mais antigos. Fundado em 1866 com o nome de Hampstead Football Club, em alusão ao bairro central de Londres onde o clube foi fundado – um dos bairros mais caros da cidade. O clube foi fundado por jovens empregados que trabalhavam nas empresas financeiras da City londrina. Em 1870, contudo, buscando se desvincular de sua identidade restrita ao bairro de origem, o clube mudou de nome para Harlequin F.C. A mudança de nome foi curiosa. Para não precisar mudar as iniciais do nome (HFC), os membros recorreram ao dicionário. A palavra Harlequin foi escolhida, mas não sem criar polêmica. Um racha entre os membros se seguiu à mudança de nome. O antigo Hampstead foi dividido em dois clubes: o Harlequin F.C. e o Wasps F.C. (atual London Wasps).

A fama do clube vem de seu famoso e pitoresco uniforme, dividido em 4 partes no tronco, cada uma com sua cor, mais as mangas. A meias também são coloridas, fazendo jus ao nome da equipe – harlequin traduzido para o português é arlequim, um bufão ou um palhaço, muito comum como figura carnavalesca. A fama boêmia do clube e de seus torcedores também é notória, o que uma das agremiações de rugby com mais torcedores na Inglaterra, apesar de não possuir títulos expressivos. Não à toa que o nome “Harlequins” se espalhou pelo mundo e dá nome a uma porção de equipes nos mais variados países: de Dubai a Melbourne, de Hangzhou, na China, a Dallas, o nome e o tradicional uniforme são verdadeiros ícones do rugby.

Em 1906, a RFU convidou a equipe a usar o recém construído estádio de Twickenham como casa. Mesmo tendo passado por mais de 15 sedes diferentes, os Harlequins mantiveram sua identidade vinculado a Twickenham, e desde 1963 mandam suas partidas no The Stoop, pequeno porém muito atmosférico estádio vizinho ao grande templo do rugby inglês, o estádio de Twickenham.

Apesar de não ser conhecido pelos títulos, os Harlequins já tiveram grandes equipes. Tiveram um dos melhores times do país até a Primeira Guerra Mundial, e voltaram ter proeminência no cenário inglês na década de 1980, quando conquistaram a John Player Cup (a Copa da Inglaterra), em 1988. O segundo título da competição, já sob o nome de Pilkington Cup, veio em 1991, e atingiram mais três vezes as semi-finais. O primeiro título internacional veio em 2001, no European Shield (atual European Challenge Cup), ao derrotarem o Narbonne, da França, por incríveis 42 x 33. O bicampeonato da competição veio em 2004, com vitória na final sobre outra equipe francesa, o Montferrand (atual Clermont), por emocionantes 27 x 26. O sucesso europeu, contudo, foi eclipsado pelo rebaixamento no Campeonato Inglês, na temporada 2004-05. A promoção de volta à elite do rugby inglês veio no ano seguinte. Por questões de patrocínio, o time também era conhecido como NEC Harlequins. Agora, com patrocinador principal novo, a equipe principal voltou a ter apenas o nome do clube: Harlequins.

Em 2006, o clube iniciou sua empreitada no Rugby League, fundando o Harlequins Rugby League, única equipe londrina que disputa a Super League (divisão de elite do rugby league inglês). Todavia, a direção das equipes de rugby union e de rugby league são mantidas completamente separadas.

Dentre os grandes jogadores que vestiram a emblemática camisa dos Quins o brilhante hooker inglês Keith Wood (ex-melhor do mundo segundo a IRB), o ex-all black Andrew Mehrtens, o abertura francês Thierry Lacroix e os ex-centros ingleses Will Greenwood e Will Carling, que atuaram pelos British & Irish Lions.

Hi FAX Fans

It’s another wet and dark morning, but the mood has been lightened with the news that last nights training session resulted in 2 signings (as well as the players having there first real workout).

The 2 new faces (although they aren’t really that new) are Dave Wrench and Dave Larder. Both have been around the rumour mill in recent weeks with many fans telling us that they had signed and that it was a done deal. Well on this occasion they would be correct, because the two veteran forwards committed to another season at the Shay, bulking the squad to an almost complete 21 players.

Dave and Dave are both very experienced and Matt Calland was delighted to have two of his most seasoned campaigners on board for another season. With young forwards such as Neil Cherryholme and Stephen Bannister already signed up, having a few older heads can make all the difference in a long season, so welcome back to the Club Dave and Dave. You are as always, welcome.

Shortly after signing there contracts the two tackling machines started training along with the rest of the 2010 squad. It was the first real session of the off season, with Calland & Co. putting the lads through the paces. Between now and Christmas the main focus is on speed and endurance, with fundamental football being thrown into the mix.

In previous years the football side has been left until later, so there are already early signs that Matt wants his boys to continue the enterprising rugby that made us stand out in 2009.

The coaching staff has said they are very impressed with the standard of player so far with all players showing an increase on this time last year. With continuous improvements inevitable, 2010 looks to be our most exciting yet. It will be Blue, it will be White, and it will be FAX!!

Other than training and contracts, what else has been occurring here at the Shay? Well, mike returns from holiday early next week (has it been a month already? The office has been so quiet and tranquil) with Sarah leaving for Australia for a well deserved break (yes, I am jealous if you were wondering). But don’t worry FAX Fans, because Mr FAX will remain here keeping you updated with everything Blue and White, and of course the wonderful East Stand.

Speaking of the East Stand, we have windows!!! At the back of the week I brought you the news that some windows were placed in the Exec Boxes, well now they have nearly finished it. As well as cladding the rest of the corporate area. It is hard to see through all the rain and gloominess, but it is starting to look rather neat and impressive. A little bit like Wembley, only slightly smaller.

And considering the corporate area is nearing completion we thought it was only right to start thinking of sponsorships and what not. Therefore the website now has a revamped corporate section, with downloadable brochure, that gives you a little bit more info about what we can offer to our beloved sponsors. So if you would like to become a club sponsor, know somebody that might, or be part of a business that needs to, then get in touch. We have a package for you!! (A kit sponsorship makes a perfect Christmas present, hint hint!!)

And speaking of Christmas. It is getting rather close isn’t it? Well to celebrate the annual holiday the club is having a Christmas dinner at the Bowers Mill on Saturday 5th December. I have just been told that a large contingent of Players (including New Signings) will be there, so it will be a perfect chance for you to meet some of our stars.

We still have a few places available, so why not make a night of it and book yourself a few places. For more info CLICK HERE!!

And if a dinner doesn’t quite fill your Xmas needs then why not head to the club shop and get yourself one of the limited edition player portraits that are available. The perfect present for any FAX Fan. Click Here for the shop….

That is all for now FAX fans

Mr FAX

Oh Thierry Henry, what did you have to go and do that for? You, of all people. Despite being a life-long Spurs supporter, I have always been a great fan of yours; you were one of those rare and special footballers it was always such a pleasure to watch, no matter which team you played for. One of those players who, despite all the greed and arrogance in modern football, made me remember why I fell in love with the Beautiful Game in the first place.

But then, in a crucial World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland last week, you did a Maradona, and the poor old Republic unfairly went crashing out after neither referee nor linesmen spotted your blatant handball. And blatant it was too. Quite ridiculously so. You even compounded the offence with your comments after the game: “It was necessary to exploit what was exploitable”, you said, as if that somehow justified what was, without question, cheating. How could you?

However, Henry’s out-of-character double handball is not the first instance of blatant cheating in sport this year. In some cases, this cheating has just been childishly sad, as with the deliberate F1 crashes, while in others it has veered towards out-and-out fraud, as with the outrageous and notorious Harlequins ‘Bloodgate’ incident (and what with Quins being the rugby union side I support, this scandal made me particularly angry), and the recent Champions League match fixing arrests.

It is difficult to know how to remedy such examples of dishonesty, because if sportsmen and women – as with pretty much anyone else in any walk of life, unfortunately – think that there is the slightest possibility they might get away with it, they’ll try to do just that.

But with situations like that of Thierry Henry last week, there is a solution. It’s just that the footballing authorities, as usual, aren’t interested in it, despite the fact that it has been proven to work in other sports. FIFA and UEFA have their collective fingers in their collective ears, and are loudly singing “LA LA LA LA I CAN’T HEAR YOU” at anyone who mentions it. And they’ve been doing this for years now.

The solution is really quite obvious, to me, anyway: use video technology. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy-schmancy, but had there been even basic video technology in place last week, the on-pitch referee could have quite simply stopped the game (and stopped the clock) when the Irish players protested, then asked the video referee to have a quick look at the incident. It would have taken a matter of moments to reach a decision before the goal was given or not, as the case may be.

There are those who would argue that introducing video refs into football would disrupt the flow of the game. I can understand their concern to an extent, but they’re wrong. Yes, football is a fast game, a game of movement, but video refereeing needn’t disrupt that. For a start, the vast majority of the incidents it would be used for would be goal-related, or foul-related, when the game stops anyway. No flow to stop there.

And it has been proven that video refereeing does not disrupt the flow of one of the fastest games around. Rugby League has used the video ref system for some years now, and it works. If you’ve ever been to a Rugby League game, you’ll have seen the system in action, and you’ll know that it takes just moments for the video ref to make a decision and communicate it to the referee on the pitch. In fact, the fans’ brief, breathless wait for the decision to be made and to flash up on the scoreboard is actually half the fun of it – I can see that going down a storm in football.

And it must also be pointed out that the same system works well in Rugby Union, a slower game with more natural stops and starts than football or Rugby League, and a game with a strong sense of tradition which is less accepting of change than many other sports. If the RU authorities can happily accept the video referee system, why can’t the football authorities?

It’s not as if cost is the issue either. Football is one of the richest sports in the world, and European football is particularly wealthy. The initial investment in the necessary video technology and training for referees would be easily affordable, but it’s not about that, is it? This is all about vested interests, about what the authorities want – not what’s good for the game.

This is all about the outdated attitudes of those who run football, and their arrogant belief that they are right and that they know best. This is all about a bunch of old men (and yes, they are old, and yes, they are all men) who don’t seem to get the value that technology could bring to the game, who don’t seem to get that technology could help prevent the kind of scandals and controversies (like last week’s Henry incident) which go a long way to adding to the dreadful reputation football already has. And maybe that’s in their interests? Or not…

Hi FAX Fans

The weekend is once again upon us and it has been another week that has flown by here at the Shay Offices. The big news this week is the appointment of two influential businessmen onto our board of directors.

Howard Posner makes a return to the club after a couple of years away, whilst Ian Croad has made the transition into a full time director after several months of increased activity with the club. Both men are highly respected around these parts and bring a wealth of experience to the mighty FAX. Overall this means that the club is even more stable and can continue the plan to regain our Super League status in 2012.

There is still a long way to go but with people like this involved the task is made easier and with the help of our fantastic supporters we are confident that 2012 will see a top flight rugby team in the town of Halifax! (And I don’t mean for a Challenge Cup game either)

That has been the major news in the office this week and has kept everyone busy with plans to improve this and improve that. It is all very exciting, tiring, and crazy. Just the way we like it!

Other news is that the players continued there comeback this week with further tests carried out. Full training begins next week and will see the players put through their paces, although it started early for Frankie Watene as he could be seen charging up and down the wing yesterday in a bid to get one up on new arrivals Stanley Gene and Makali Aizue. Take it to them Frank!!

And as always we have an East Stand update for you all. As I walked into the stadium this morning I saw what seemed to be a reflection at the top of the stand, so I took a closer inspection. To my delight I saw what looks to be doors and windows in some of the Exec Boxes. I am not sure if you will be able to see it from the web cam but it is very exciting from my seat. Am I sad? Maybe, but I don’t care. I have been waiting nearly 10 years for this J

Finally, the interview with Michael Steele was finally finished and uploaded yesterday and has already been enjoyed (hopefully) by hundreds of people. A big thank you to everyone who has watched the interview and leave us some comments please. Next week Graham Clay is under the spot light and we begin the player interviews. To See the Interview with our Chairman CLICK HERE

That’s all for now FAX Fans, but before you leave and enjoy the start of your weekend take a minute to vote on this weeks Poll. Out of the new signings, who excites you the most? Is it Stan the Man? Maybe Makali ‘The Monster’ Aizue? Or is it Luke ‘I am very good at Kicking & Passing’ Branighan? Make your choice below.

Have a Blue & White Weekend FAX Fans

Mr FAX

If you were paying attention, and I’ll assume that you were, as hanging on my every word is quite unavoidable, you’ll notice where I called this page a sports site. This is only partially true (you’ll find, as we go forward, that partial truths are one of my many fortes, along with sneaky lies, eloquent hyperbole, and expertly placed scorn). In addition to sports, I will also be covering games. To deal with issues of server space and short attention spans, the two have been amalgamated under the catch-all phrase “sports” in such a way that they’ve lost all distinction. Well, I’m here to set the record straight… which should have been listed amongst my fortes… setting the record straight. I’m very good at it.

And actually, the distinction is quite simple to understand… and here’s the litmus test; if a fat 60 year old can do it moderately well, it’s not a sport, it’s a game. Simple as that.

So let’s get to it, shall we?

But first, let’s start by saying I’m not going to mention anything that’s so obviously a game that its’ combatants won’t even complain at having it called so. These include poker, backgammon, Madden challenge, Scrabble, spelling bees, etc… These have at most a very little physical aspect to them, and thus don’t qualify as a sport under any definition of the world. Plus, a fat 60 year old, after some practice, could be the best in the world at any of them.

American Football – Sport. Clearly, our fat 60 year old could strap on a helmet and shoulder pads and proceed to play the game, but this is where the “moderately well” portion of our litmus test comes into play. I would also recommend a stretcher, ambulance, priest and his loved ones be nearby.

Archery - Game. Games can be broken down into two categories… strictly mental games, like the ones mentioned above (Poker, Backgammon, etc…), or games that combine both mental and physical aspects. Alas, when it comes to archery’s physicality, we’re talking hand-eye coordination (true of many games) and average levels of strength. A fat 60 year old can handle those aspects.

Australian Rules Football – Sport. I would, though, like to see our fat 60 year old in one of these. Wait, no I wouldn’t. Forget I said that.

Auto Racing – Game. Let’s be honest here… the cars are the athletes. They’re the ones competing in a sport. The drivers, not so much. Yes, it’s physically and mentally demanding… but can you really sit there and tell me, perched on your high chair like you most certainly are, that a fat 60 year old couldn’t win one race, let alone do moderately well? Already, Mark Martin of Nascar fares quite well at age 50, and the oldest winner was 52. Formula one’s oldest winner was 53. And we’ve got a fat guy that regularly wins in Tony Stewart. Would he win? Probably not. Could he do moderately well? Definitely.

Badminton – Sport. Yes, our fat 60 year old, depending on what strata of society he finds himself within, might play regularly… probably with regular breaks for tea and judging people. But put that same fat 60 year old in a competitive environment, and he loses every time. There’s nothing “moderately well” about that.

Baseball – Sport. Baseball’s one of the trickier ones to call, actually. Most players are involved in a sport, but pitchers, particularly those pansies from the American League (what with the designated hitter rule), might be playing a game. We’ve seen plenty of successful fat guys… C.C. Sabathia, David Wells, Bartolo Colon, Jumbo Brown… most of them pitchers (though certainly the aforementioned designated hitter and first base are prone to successful fat guys, like Cecil Fielder, and John Kruk)… but could our 60 year old do it, at least moderately well? Maybe, but he’d have to be pretty special. And since most baseball players qualify as athletes playing a sport (unless you could see our fat 60 year old chase down a fly ball, or steal second… I don’t), we’ll call baseball a sport.

Basketball – Sport. Through and through. Even if our fat 60 year old was 7′4″, he still wouldn’t hold up, and that’s saying something.

Bobsleigh – Game. Any activity where gravity does the most work is a game. That fact should maybe be at the top, but at least it’s here. A fat person actually benefits from these kinds of games. As a matter of fact, until the governing body instituted a weight-limit rule in 1952, bobsleigh crews were very heavy. It should also be noted that bobsleigh inverse to baseball, as the pusher might actually be playing a sport, at least at the start of the race. This is of course before the gravity takes over, and it’s the pusher’s job to get the sled moving. But for most of the race, all members of the team are playing a game, hence, its’ designation here.

Bossaball – Sport. And a wild one at that. And just look at that photo (you’ll have to hover over “bossaball” to see it)… if any of you know a fat 60 year old that could even do that without gravely injuring him/herself, I want their name and number. I have an idea for a viral video. Oh, and if you want to know just what the hell bossaball is, check this out.

Boules – Game. Uh, yeah. This one’s obvious, right? From a class of games that includes Bocce, Lawn Bowling, Petanque, Boule Lyonaisse, Klootschieten and Varpa… games seemingly specifically created for the elderly (but fun nonetheless).

Bowling – Game. Again, no questions here, right? If so, just head to your local bowling alley. You’ll see plenty of fat, drunk 60 year olds bowling in the 200’s regularly. Not a sport.

Boxing – Sport. This one’s a bit thorny. George Foreman, at this very moment, is a fat 60 year old (ironic for a man synonymous with the Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine, but I digress). Could he really not fare at least moderately well in the ring today? Probably so… but this one comes with a caveat. The only way this could work is in the heavyweight division, where lumbering, plodding heavy punchers will always have a place. You can be all of those things as a fat 60 year old. In no other weight class would this be plausible. So on the whole, boxing’s a sport, whether the heavyweight division is a game or not.

Competitive Dance – Sport. So us macho types, like, for instance, myself, don’t like to admit that dance is a sport. But step back and take a look at it… extreme athleticism? Check. Very competitive? Check. Exclusion of fat 60 year olds? That’s a big fat check. And those of you who have been to a competitive dance… uh… competition?… and seen the merciless backstabbing and cutthroat sabotage that regularly unfolds know damn well that this is no game.

Cricket – Sport. The art of bowling sets cricket apart from baseball. As opposed to the standstill throw a pitcher delivers, the bowler’s is a violent, full-body action with an extended run-up that would certainly throw out the backs of most fat 60 year olds. Even the act of batting is more involved, as batsmen have been known to switch sides of the wicket while the bowler is in his run-up (this would be akin to a right-handed batter jumping over home plate to bat left-handed during a pitcher’s windup). No easy feat, and no place for a fat 60 year old to tread.

Curling – Game. There’s nothing about this game that a fat 60 year old couldn’t handle. They might be the best in the world at it, for all I know.

Cycling – Sport. A fat 60 year old in spandex? We don’t think so.

Darts – Game. One of the few games where being a fat 60 year old is an advantage.

Decathlon/Heptathlon/Pentathlon – Sport. This would, of course, be the end of our fat 60 year old. We had some good times, fat 60 year old. We’ll always remember you.

Disc Golf – Game. Another addendum; if stoners, hippies and other movement-reluctant bums fancy it, it’s a game.

Discus Throw – Game. The actual throwing of the discus any fat 60 year old could handle, and while some of them might be hilariously awful, some could reach the “moderately well” threshold… that’s the rub. It’s the leadup to the toss that gets a bit dicey. Most athletic 25 years olds will end up on their ass following it… and a fat 60 year old? He’ll get vertigo… unless… he/she was already an experienced discus thrower. A former champion, let’s say. Could he/she still fare moderately well? Of course.

Diving – Game. Here’s the thing… at the elite level, yes, diving is heavily populated by 15 year old, 58 pound Asians. But tack on 45 years and 200 pounds to those same Asians… and splashy, cannonball-esque entry aside, could they not at least fare reasonably well in a diving competition? I think so, yes.

Downhill Skiing – Sport. OK, let me explain. Yes, gravity plays a major role here, in fact, it’s the agent propelling the skier down the hill. But what sets downhill skiing apart from say the bobsleigh or the luge is that the skiier must use his/her athleticism against gravity, to turn, sometimes sharply. Without the ability to do so, the ability to fare, oh, I don’t know, let’s say moderately well, goes down the tubes. Our fat 60 year old would be carried faster than most down the hill, thanks to the “fat” part, would his/her 60 year old muscles be able to turn him/her appropriately? We have our doubts.

Equestrian – Game. Again, who’s the athlete here? Is it the person riding the horse, or the horse doing all the work? The horses are certainly competing in a sport… the person sitting on the horse? Not so much. Though we will admit that we certainly feel for the horse that has a fat 60 year old on its’ back.

Fencing – Game. We’ll admit, fencing takes incredible instincts and quickness, and the reflexes of a… uh…. well, something that has really fast reflexes. So we’re under no illusion that a fat 60 year old could be a champion. But let’s say renowned champion Sergei Golubitsky hits 60 and has let himself go a little (or a lot, whatever picture you throw into that head of yours). Were he to enter a competition, could he not fare at least moderately well? It says here he could.

Figure Skating – Sport. Unless points were awarded for sliding along the ice on your ass or stomach, our fat 60 year old would stand no chance here. None at all. Though, this does give me an idea. Who wouldn’t pay money to watch fat 60 year olds attempt some of these advanced moves. It’d be a train wreck, and train wrecks make good televsion… hmmmmm…. We’d have to come up with some appropriate clothing, but yeah, I think I could make it work.

Fishing/Angling – Game. Go watch your local fishing tournament this weekend. Take note of the number of people that aren’t fat 60 year olds. Now, nod in agreement with me.

Gaelic Football – Sport. A fat 60 year old would spend the entire game getting embarrassed, thus causing him, if he’s Irish (as we would expect, if he’s playing Gaelic Football), to pick a fight with every player on the pitch, followed by that particularly intoxicating brand of Irish violence… utter chaos, generally speaking… which would subsequently lead to everyone getting drunk together and singing songs. Stereotypical? You betcha… but I’ve lived it. And stereotypes exist for a reason, right?

Golf – Game. First, it’s a favorite of fat 60 year olds. Second, you could easily see one heating up and shooting a 70 on the same day Tiger Woods shoots a 72. An activity where you could play better than the world’s best? That’s a game, my friends. Let’s put that same fat guy up against Lebron James in a game of one-on-one. Does he ever win? Of course not. If we tied one of James’ arms behind his back, does the fat 60 year old ever win? Of course not. I believe I’ve eagled this one.

Gymnastics – Sport. OK, picture the fat 60 year old, and let’s go with a male. Now… and this won’t be easy… picture him in a unitard. Get past it, you can do it. OK, good. Now, picture him going through a routine on the pommel horse. How many times did he crush his nuts? 30? 40? No, this is no place for a fat 60 year old.

Hammer Throw – Game. Like the discus throw, the problem lies in the lead up to the throw. And like the discus throw, most people would end up on all fours attempting such a thing, with probably a vertigo supplementation for our fat 60 year old. But, like the discus, an experienced discus thrower who just happens to be fat and 60 could fare moderately well… thus… it’s a game.

Handball – Sport. Like many sports, a fat 60 year old could play handball, and like all of them, against decent competition, he’d get embarrassed to the point of taking up shuffleboard.

Hockey – Sport. Whether it be the ice or the field variety, the end results are the same. Our fat 60 year old hospitalized, probably with a feeding tube and catheter. It wouldn’t be pretty.

Horse Racing – Game. A great sport for horses, a decent game for humans. Again, how is this a sport for jockeys? Actually, let’s put it this way, if the real athlete in the sport (the horse) would be better off without human involvement (you know, faster without something on its’ back), then it’s no sport for humans. There. And yes, we’d need a very special, strong horse for our fat 60 year old, but there’s one out there that could lead it to a moderately decent finish.

Hurling – Sport. And one I’m not sure should be legal. Picture, Americans, a combination of baseball, soccer and handball. That’s right, they run around with what amounts to baseball bats in their hands, freely swinging them on the field of battle, with others all around them. Hence the helmets. I don’t think we should allow our fat 60 year old to even try this one. Let’s move on.

Hydroplane Racing – Game. Another sport where the humans are just controlling the athletes… in this case, crazy-fast boats. And another one a fat 60 year old would fancy his chances in. He might even prevent things like this from happening, what with the extra weight and all.

Jai Alai – Sport. I don’t think “the fastest sport in the world” is any place for a fat 60 year old. I don’t know, maybe that’s just me, but I’m gonna go ahead and give this one the sport nod, and move on, thus saving the life of our fat 60 year old, in all probability. Ed Honcho, hero.

Javelin Throw – Game. As with most throwing sports, where your average fat 60 year old wouldn’t be able to compete, one with experience should be able to at least fare moderately well. Hence the designation as a game. They are the Olympic Games, after all, right?

Jumping – Sport. This includes the High Jump, Long/Broad Jump and Triple Jump, not to mention certain obstacles for fat 60 year olds… namely, the whole jumping part.

Luge – Game. This falls under our aforementioned gravity rule (see: bobsleigh). Our 60 year old’s girth would do nothing but help him/her. Sure, he/she might end up in the hospital, but that’s true of thin 26 year olds as well.

Martial Arts – Sport. Unlike boxing’s heavyweight division, there are very few plodding, heavy hitters when it comes to any discipline of the martial arts. My recommendation to our fat 60 year old? Start tapping out as soon as the competition begins. I’m tired of these hospital bills. It’s starting to add up.

Motorcycle Racing – Game. Again, and maybe I should just put this on repeat. The humans here aren’t the real athletes. The motorcycles are. They’re the ones competing in a sport. The humans… simply enjoying their game. And sure, your average 60 year old would struggle… but a former motorcyle jockey who spent 10 years gorging on Tastykakes? He could fare, you guessed it, moderately well.

Netball/Korfball – Sport. Very similar to basketball, though not quite as arduous physically as one’s movement is restricted. Thus, at amateurish levels, a fat 60 year old could hold his/her own. But once we start to creep into the levels of “moderately decent”, the fat 60 year old falls short.

Orienteering/Rogaining – Game. Navigation-based competitions will always fall into the category of games, for obvious reasons, the most clear being that many fat 60 year olds already participate, and can certainly fare at least moderately well. The “fat” part undoubtedly doesn’t help, as these competitions are all on foot, but this deficiency can be made up for in other areas.

Pole Vault – Sport. The mere idea of a fat 60 year old attempting the pole vault has me sitting in my chair laughing my ass off (or SIMCLMAO, from here forward). This is no game.

Polo – Game. This is a combo event between the horse and the human, with the horse playing a sport and the human playing a hand-eye-coordination-based game. Our fat 60 year old could play this game, with a big enough horse, and play it quite well.

Racewalking – Game. This one just feels like a game, doesn’t it? It’s got that game funk all over it. And I’m not coming at this from a “what’s shoved up those guys asses?” point of view either. Nope. I know they’re great at what they do, and it takes talent. It’s just, what’s the ceiling on speed if you’re walking? And what’s the ceiling on speed if you’re a former racewalking champ who’s put on a few and 60 years old? Are they that far apart? That’s the thing. The slower racewalking speeds allow for the discrepancies in time to remain close, as opposed to running, where the difference increases exponentially. Thus, our fat 60 year old can log his/her moderately well and move on with his/her life.

Rock Climbing/Bouldering – Sport. Yeah, our guy would be dead. Fat and rock climbing/bouldering go together like…. uh, fat and… modeling. I don’t know. Two things that don’t go together very well. Cut me some slack, I’ve run out of coffee.

Rowing – Game. This one’s not so easy. Could a fat 60 year old row well. Yes, and with great power. Would his/her girth keep him/her from our “moderately well” standard? We say no, not if he/she were an experienced rower. This one definitely toes the border between sport and game, though. But hey, the rules are the rules… hard and fast. Just like me. Except for fast. Sometimes… depends what we’re talking about. Let’s just move on.

Rugby – Sport. Sure, Rugby (both League and Union) has its’ fat guys, but they’re not really fat guys, they’re just sports fat guys. You know, the kind of guy that drinks all night and doesn’t pay any attention to what he puts in his body… fish & chips, meat pies, etc… But they’re not really fat, not by society’s standards, at least. They’re just sports fat. Our 60 year old is society fat, plus, you know, he’s 60. He might hold his own in a scrum, but otherwise, it’s back to the hospital with him.

Running – Sport. Including sprints, marathons, hurdles, etc… And we’re moving on.

Sailing – Game. Now, we certainly don’t want to downplay what they do, but could a fat 60 year old be part of a winning team? You betcha. Could he win an individual competition? Unlikely, but could we expect him to do reasonably well? Were he a former champion, yes, we could. And I’m sticking with it, no matter how many hateful emails I get.

Shooting – Game. Encompassing sporting clays, skeet and trap shooting, our fat 60 year old is already moving into the semifinals.

Shot Put – Game. Our fat 60 year old is excited to try this one out. No running, no jumping, just sheer strength. And it says here they’ll fare at least moderately well.

Shuffleboard – Game. Funny story, our fat 60 year old is actually the reigning world shuffleboard champion. True story.

Skateboarding – Sport. We’re eagerly anticipating our fat 60 year old’s turn on the half-pipe. We’re guessing the judges don’t throw the term “moderately well” around. Maybe something more along the lines of “OH MY GOD! CALL 9-1-1!!!”

Ski Jump – Game. The ski jump, as opposed to downhill skiing, requires very little active resistance to gravity. Gravity hurls it’s participants down the ramp, a small, quick, powerful burst of the legs when the ramp turns up, then it’s all about holding your form. Our fat 60 year old, a former ski jumper, could handle this sort of thing, and his performance would be deemed “moderately well,” grammar be damned.

Snowboarding – Sport. And this includes virtually every form of snowboarding sport there is, whether it be boardercross, halfpipe, big air, slopestyle or simply racing. Now, some of them do start to creep into game territory… for instance, our fat 60 year old could get good air, and maybe perform enough tricks to fare moderately well… but we doubt it. And the rest of the events would leave him/her at the ski lodge in a full body cast… so yeah, we’re going sport.

Speed Skating – Sport. It’s a matter of sheer physics, really. As our fat 60 year old made a turn, provided he/she had any sort of speed built up, the centrifugal force would carry him/her into the boards, everytime… partly because their mass would be difficult to stop/turn, and also because their older legs wouldn’t be able to do it. I like to call it the “law of hilarious crashes where hopefully nobody gets hurt”. I am having some trouble getting it to stick. Maybe you guys can help me out? Spread the word. Spread the love.

Soccer/Football/Calcio/Futbol – Sport. Sure, lots of fat 60 year olds play soccer, but have you watched them? Let’s just say that their version is a sedentary one, rife with mis-kicks, hand-balls, shin-shots, beer and singing. OK, so it’s not that much different than the EPL… but just enough that our fat 60 year old narrowly fails the test.

Softball – Game. Though really, the way women play it, it’s a sport. But the way the vast majority of people play it, it’s barely a game. More like a mixer, or a party, or something between grilling and horseshoes. Our fat 60 year old is right at home.

Surfing – Sport. First of all, fat, in the surfing world, means shark food. Second, well, let’s go back to physics. The best surfers don’t sit too far down in the water. They skim the surface. Fat means skimming becomes more difficult… means jumps don’t look as good… means tubes aren’t properly navigated… means “moderately well” is out of the picture.

Swimming – Sport. Unless you consider drowning a success, in which case, you need to go talk to someone. Seriously.

Table Tennis – Game. To play at the highest level, with the best of the best, you cannot be fat, or 60. It takes hummingbird-like reflexes that, let’s face it, have left our fat 60 year old over time. But to play the game moderately well? Our fat 60 year old can handle that, especially if he/she has history in the game.

Tennis – Sport. It’s like table tennis, if the table were expanded to 10 times it’s normal size and you got on top of it. This means 10 times more ground to cover for our fat 60 year old. That’s about 9 times too much.

Triathlon – Sport. Maybe if the swim were 25 yards, the bike 1/4 of a mile, and the run 30 steps… maybe, our fat 60 year old could fight his/her way into the “moderately well” category. Anything more and he/she suffers a stroke.

Ultimate Frisbee – Sport. That’s right. Ultimate has moved out of the realm of hippies and stoners and been taken over by real athletes. The amount of athleticism required to catch the many errant throws that occur alone dooms our fat 60 year old (and if you don’t believe me, check out the photo if you hover over “ultimate frisbee”, or this one).

Volleyball – Sport. If we’re talking water volleyball, our 60 year old might stand a chance. But beach, or indoor? Uh, no. Even if he/she were 7′0″ tall, his/her lack of quicks would doom him/her. Plus, that’s not even an insurmountable heighth these days when it comes to volleyball. No, we’re quite sure our fat 60 year old would be humiliated.

Water Polo – Sport. Treading water is an underestimated exercise. It’s exhausting. Trust me. Ed Honcho spent his formative years as a lifeguard (what did you expect?), where part of the certification process was to hold a brick over your head and tread water for 1 minute. Go ahead and try it, we’ll wait… no? Pansies. What you’d find is that it’s not the sort of thing a fat 60 year old should be attempting under any circumstances, brick or no. Though, I will admit, it might come in handy during a lifeguard certification class, as you would most certainly be dragging them off the bottom of the pool, maybe putting them on a backboard, and potentially administering a little mouth-to-mouth. Three birds with one stone. I’m surprised they haven’t thought of this one yet. What I’m not surprised about, is that I have.

Waterskiing – Sport. Have you seen some of the things these people do? Yes? Can you imagine a fat 60 year old doing any of them? Yes, but only poorly, and quickly followed by a horrible wipeout? Me too!

Weightlifting – Game. Plenty of fat people excel at weightlifting… remember, fat people can be very strong, whether they be 20, 40, 60 or 80 years old.

Wrestling – Sport/Game. Truly, in wrestling moreso than any other sport, it depends on the discipline. Freestyle or Collegiate wrestling is a sport. Fat 60 year olds would get twisted into pretzels. Greco-Roman wrestling is a game, since it relies almost solely on upper body strength, which a fat 60 year old might have in spades… or, at least enough to fare moderately well. Submission wrestling is a sport, as a fat 60 year old wouldn’t have the speed to contain someone at the top of their game… not to mention someone at an average level of their game. Arm wrestling is a game, which should be patently obvious to anyone but the dullest of minds. Sumo wrestling is a sport, as, though our 60 year old is fat… that gives him no advantages. Instead, it’s about quickness at that size, something that puts our 60 year old at a decided disadvantage. And, of course, professional wrestling is neither a game or a sport, it’s what we like to call “acting” in the business.

So there you have it… I would normally spend the next few hours waxing poetic about my prophetic… ness. But it does appear as if our fat 60 year old is in need of immediate attention. What do eyes rolled back in the head usually mean? Is that bad? Yeah. OK, I gotta go. Spread the word people. Let’s make this stuff fact. Oh, and if you want to send any particularly hateful emails my way, sure, I can take it. Just send it to icanbesurprisinglysensitive@edhoncho.com. Yo.

Nesta edição do Atlas do Rugby, acompanhamos a trajetória do Waratahs e do Direito São Francisco, mais um time universitário da cidade de São Paulo.

Nome: Rugby XI

Cidade/Estado: São Paulo/SP

Campo: Av. Dr Dante Pazzanese, 421 (mesmo campo onde treina o Bandeirantes)

Títulos:

Site: www.rugbyxi.com.br

O RUGBY XI é a equipe de rugby da Associação Atlética Acadêmica XI de Agosto da Faculdade de Direito do Largo São Francisco (USP), formada principalmente por alunos e antigos alunos da San Fran.
Como acontece geralmente nas atléticas, o apoio a um time de Rugby surgiu após a inclusão desse esporte no Interusp, tradicional torneio entre as faculdades da USP. Sua história teve início em 1998, quando, aproximadamente quarenta alunos, em sua grande parte calouros, inscreveram-se e compareceram ao primeiro treino, realizado no Cepeusp, recebendo as primeiras instruções do treinador Marcos Restrepo (Marcão), aluno recém formado da São Francisco e jogador do saudoso Alphaville e da seleção brasileira, a quem, naquele mesmo ano, se juntariam, para compor a comissão técnica, seu irmão André Restrepo (ET) e Túlio Cohn, também um franciscano recém formado, ambos jogadores do Alpha e da seleção brasileira, além de Manoel Sequeira (Manu), mais um jogador do Alpha.

Após um turbulento início, onde a equipe passou por dificuldades com falta de uniforme e e de jogadores, o Rugby XI se estabilizou e evoluiu, e cinco anos depois já eram notáveis os avanços e as conquistas que demontravam a força do Rugby XI. Dentro de campo, a equipe tornou-se a quadrilha abobra. Ao brio, raça e determinação sempre presentes nos jogadores, somou-se a experiência absorvida na disputa de partidas e na participação de vários atletas em clubes como o Alphaville, SPAC, Bandeirantes e Rio Branco.

O time que nunca recusou quem desejasse treinar, pelo contrário, sempre incentivou a participação de todos os franciscanos, formou um grupo numeroso, composto por calouros, veteranos e pós-graduandos, personalidades diferentes, unidas pelo rugby atuando em conjunto, mesmo fora de campo, em manifestações culturais, competições etílico-esportivas como a Maratoma e outros eventos sociais tais como a Peruada.

No geral, o saldo desses primeiros cinco anos foi um time consolidado, que conquistou seu espaço entre os alunos da Academia de Direito e na Atlética XI de Agosto, formado por um verdadeiro por um verdadeiro grupo de amigos que sempre demonstra muita raça e competitividade dentro de campo.

Já participando dos campeonatos paulistas universitários, a San Fran sempre se destacou, invariavelmente chegando entre os três primeiros colocados. A exceção se deu esse ano, quando a equipe sucumbiu perante às fortes equipes da FEA, UNIP e Farma e corre o risco de rebaixamento. O campeonato, contudo, não chegou à uma conclusão até o momento e espera-se uma definição das posições ainda.

Outros campeonato onde a equipe se faz presente são os Jogos Jurídicos, onde disputa a supremacia contra o Direito Mack e o Interusp, bem mais equilibrado, que conta com grandes equipes, como Poli, Med, FEA, Farma entre outros.

Nome: New South Wales Waratahs

Cidade/País Sydney, Austrália

Estádio: Sydney Football Stadium (45,500 pessoas)

Títulos: Nenhum

Site: www.nswrugby.com.aru

Os Waratahs são os representantes de Nova Gales do Sul (New South Wales) no rugby profissional do Super 14. Trata-se do estado mais populosa da Austrália, e grande bastião do rugby (union e league) no país. Sydney é a capital e centro esportivo do estado, onde os Waratahs mandam suas partidas. O nome deriva da flor símbolo do estado, a waratah, e a cor azul celeste é a cor tradicional do estado, em todas as modalidades esportivas.

A New South Wales Rugby Union  foi fundada em 1872, à época com o nome de Southern Rugby Union (SRU). No mesmo ano, a união estadual promoveu o seu primeiro campeonato de clubes. Contudo, a presença do rugby na região é muito anterior. Os primeiros relatos de prática de “football” em Sydney datam de 1829, mas não se sabe com quais regras. Se levarmos em consideração que o lendário episódio de William Webb Ellis teria se dado em 1823, a prática de um jogo ao menos semelhante ao rugby em 1829 pode ser tido como um indício de que a originalidade de Webb Ellis é, de fato, um mito. A despeito desses primeiros relatos, o rugby tem sua presença bem documentada em Sydney a partir de 1864, data da fundação do time de rugby da Sydney University. Se considerarmos que a primeira colonização inglesa bem organizada na Austrália data de 1788 – justamente a fundação Sydney – tais datas são realmente impressionantes. A fundação da SRU veio a atender às necessidades de maior organização do esporte. Afinal, em 1880 eram nada menos do que 100 clubes (!!!) de rugby só região de Sydney.

Sydney se distingue culturalmente de Melbourne, a outra grande cidade do país, em um quesito essencial: o esporte. Melbourne é onde o futebol australiano nasceu e se desenvolveu, no início do século XIX. Todos os grandes clubes de futebol australiano se localizam em Melbourne, e o rugby tem pouco espaço. Em Sydney ocorre exatamente o inverso. Trata-se da casa do rugby australiano, onde primeiro ele foi jogado e onde ele mais se desenvolveu. A cidade é dividida entre as torcidas dos principais clubes de rugby do país. Mas com um detalhe: são clubes de rugby league.

Em 1907, ocorreu o episódio que mudaria os rumos do rugby na Austrália. Seguindo o grande cisma inglês, grande parte dos clubes de rugby de Sydney optaram pela profissionalização, fundando a New South Wales Rugby League. Isto é, trocaram de código, aderindo ao novo rugby league. A fundação da NSWRL fez do rugby league o mais popular esporte no estado, ganhando muita força entre as classes trabalhadores de Nova Gales do Sul. A partir de então, o rugby union se tornou um esporte de uma classe média e uma elite fiéis às tradições do rugby amador. O rugby union permaneceu por muitos anos à sombra do rugby league e, em Sydney, a visibilidade que o esporte passou a ter se restringia aos jogos da seleção australiana e dos Waratahs, a seleção estadual de Nova Gales do Sul.

A primeira partida realizada pelo selecionado azul se deu em 1882, frente à seleção de Queensland, seus eternos rivais no rugby. A descentralização reinante na organização do rugby australiano permitiu o forte desenvolvimento dos jogos inter-estatais, com as seleções estaduais de Nova Gales do Sul e de Queensland adquirindo um status elevado, por vezes superior ao da própria seleção nacional. Em 1928, os Waratahs representaram a Austrália em um tour pela Europa. A equipe desse tour foi famosa pelo jogo aberto e vistoso. Durante a primeira metade do século XX, os Waratahs fizeram tours pela Nova Zelândia, África do Sul e Europa, e foram a base dos Wallabies. Trevor Allan, David Brockhoff, Tony Miller, Nick Shehadie, Eddie Stapleton, Ken Catchpole, John Thornett, Peter Crittle e Ron Graham estão entre os grandes waratahs da década de 1930.

O advento do profissionalismo, em 1995, levou à profissionalização não dos clubes australianos, mas das seleções estaduais. As seleções de Nova Gales do Sul (Waratahs) e de Queensland (Reds) eram as equipes do rugby union australiano com potencial de competir comercialmente com os clubes do rugby league. Afinal, se o australiano torcia para seu clube de rugby league, no rugby union restaria a ele torcer pela sua seleção estadual – nada mais natural para quem também apoiava os Wallabies em seus jogos internacionais. Dessa maneira, muitos dos torcedores de rugby league de Sydney passaram também a acompanhar os Waratahs, no union. Com a profissionalização sendo possível apenas com as três seleções estaduais (o distrito federal, Canberra, se juntou a NSW e Queensland como casa para uma equipe profissional de rugby union), o rugby union da Austrália tem um calendário mais reduzido que o de Nova Zelândia e África do Sul. Os profissionais da Austrália disputam apenas o Super 12/14, não havendo um campeonato genuinamente australiano profissional de rugby union. O segundo escalão de jogadores atua nos times dos campeonatos estaduais. O principal deles é o Shute Shield, o campeonato amador de rugby union de Sydney.

Apesar do grande potencial que os Waratahs têm, a equipe nunca conseguiu ganhar um Super 12/14. O melhor que a equipe conseguiu foram 2 vice-campeonatos, em 2005 e em 2008. Isto é, a equipe só chegou a uma final em sua décima participação no certame. Apenas em outras duas oportunidades (2002 e 2006), os Waratahs chegaram à semi-finais. O melhor momento do time foi sob o comando do técnico Ewan McKenzie, que levou os azuis a duas finais e uma semi-final. Em ambas as finais, os torcedores de Sydney viram sua equipe ser derrotada pelos poderosos Crusaders.

Dentre os grandes jogadores do passado mais recente dos Waratahs merecem destaque o sensacional David Campese, Nick Farr-Jones (brilhante scrum-half wallaby), Chris Whitaker, Matt Burke, Mat Rogers, Brandan Cannon, Wendell Sailor, Lote Tuqiri, Peter Hewat, Rocky Elsom., Drew Mitchell e Phil Waugh.

A respeito da New South Wales Rugbu Union (NSWRU) é bom notar que dirige o rugby union da região de Sydney, sendo que o Shute Shield reúne apenas equipes da região. A New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union (que dirige o rugby union dos subúrbios de Sydney) e a New Sputh Wales Country Rugby Union (que dirige o rugby union do interior do estado) são filiados à NSWRU, mas têm autonomia e organizam suas próprias competições. Equipes originalmente dos subúrbios da NSWSRU participalm do Shute Shield, mas o interior ainda não foi integrado, mantendo estruturalmente à parte. A NSWCRU inclusive mantém um selecionado amador próprio, os NSW Country Cockatoos. Já o rugby union do sul do estado não é organizado pela NSWRU, mas pela ACT & Southern NSW Rugby Union, a união de Canberra e arredores, que mantém a equipe dos Brumbies no Super 14.

Clubes ativos do Shute Shield (e número de títulos, de 1906 a 2009):

Eastern Suburbs (10)

Eastwood (3)

Gordon (8)

Manly (7)

Northern Suburbs (6)

Parramatta (3)

Penrith (0)

Randwick (28)

Southern Districts (1)

Sydney University (22)

Warringah (1)

West Harbour (2)