CanadianRugby.ca

Canada gets historic women’s rugby victory

admin — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:51:04 +0000

Canadian Press: Canada has made history in women’s rugby, claiming the first ever IRB Women’s Sevens Challenge Cup.

The Canadians produced a display of pace and power to beat England 26-7 and capture the title at the eight-team tournament Saturday, propelling Canada to the top of the world women’s sevens rankings.

“I love captaining these girls,” said Canada’s captain Mandy Marchak. “I have played with most of these girls for seven or eight years now. We all could not be happier. One of the most exciting things though for us is that we all fee we have so much more to give.

Canadian rugby focus turns to sevens

admin — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 00:14:21 +0000

NEIL DAVIDSON
Toronto — The Canadian Press
Published Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011 9:45PM EST
Last updated Friday, Nov. 25, 2011 7:12PM EST

After a lengthy World Cup campaign and pre-tournament schedule, Canadian rugby coach Kieran Crowley is giving his players a chance to get back to their normal lives.

The focus is on the sevens team in the short run. But Crowley will assemble his full squad for internationals next summer.

In the meantime, some more of his players have found their way overseas.

Jebb Sinclair (London Irish, England), Chauncey O’Toole (Ospreys, Wales), Jason Marshall (Stade Aurillacois Cantal Auvergne, France) and Matt Evans (Cornish Pirates, England) have all signed pro contracts.

“We have a couple of others that are talking to different clubs at the moment, which could possibly come out in the new year hopefully if things go well,” said Crowley.

Canada upset Argentina to win inaugural Pan-Am rugby title

admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 02:56:58 +0000

By Rex Gowar

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Reuters) – Two interception tries from Conor Trainor spurred Canada to a 26-24 upset victory over Argentina in the gold medal match in the inaugural rugby sevens tournament at the Pan-American Games on Sunday.

The two-point winning margin ultimately derived from Nathan Hirayama’s fine conversion kick from the left touchline after Canada’s first try but it was Trainor’s successful forays into the Argentina backline that kept his team in the match.

For Canada’s Rees, Hall of Fame rugby career all about teammates

admin — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:31:54 +0000

Maybe some day in the near future, after kicking and tossing the oval ball, a young Canadian will learn to love rugby for the same reasons Gareth Rees did when he began playing as a boy in Victoria, B.C. The value of rugby, Rees says, is the strength it builds through the companionship it demands.

And maybe that aspiring player will do something Rees, 44, could not and search the Internet to learn about great Canadian rugby players. Undoubtedly Rees’s name will rise to the top, with the words International Rugby Board Hall of Fame close beside.

But Rees hopes, and takes time to emphasize, that young players understand he did not become the first Canadian inducted into the IRB’s pantheon on Sunday because he scored hundreds of points in his club and international career while winning trophies wherever he played.

Rugby star Adam Kleeberger’s massive beard is no more

admin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 01:38:01 +0000

VICTORIA — Fear the beard became the rallying cry for Canada at the 2011 rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

But shear the beard was the mantra Monday.

Comedian Rick Mercer squirted some ketchup as he pretended to shave Canadian player Adam Kleeberger in front of the University of Victoria Student Union Building. But fear not the straight razor, rugby fans. No arteries were severed as the segment will be shown on CBC’s Rick Mercer Report in two weeks.

Trainor takes on the world

admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 18:48:44 +0000

Heather Travis:

Conor Trainor is used to being the underdog; in fact, he uses this as motivation to get what he wants.
The fourth-year civil and environment engineering student has barely settled back into his seat at The University of Western Ontario following a whirlwind tour as part of Rugby Canada’s team competing at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

North Vancouver rugby star earns pro spot

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:24:54 +0000

North Vancouver rugby star earns pro spot

World Cup leads to contract in French league

By Andy Prest, North Shore News October 12, 2011

Jason Marshall leads the tackle for Team Canada. The North Vancouver native started all four games for Canada at the Rugby World Cup and stood out enough to earn a pro contract in France.

Jason Marshall leads the tackle for Team Canada. The North Vancouver native started all four games for Canada at the Rugby World Cup and stood out enough to earn a pro contract in France.
Photograph by: submitted, for North Shore News

FEW “fork in the road” moments offer as wildly different paths as the one faced by North Vancouver’s Jason Marshall in the fall of 2008.

Unceremoniously released from Edmonton Eskimos training camp earlier that year, circumstances saw Marshall facing down this odd choice of potential career paths: accountant, or rugby player.

Both paths had pros and cons: not many accountants have their legs broken while on the job but, then again, not many accountants get to stand on a pitch in New Zealand with the All Blacks a few yards away dancing their famous haka.

Canadian rugby ‘beardo’ to shave for charity

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:18:06 +0000

Canadian Press: Canadian flanker Adam Kleeberger, whose bushy beard attracted worldwide attention at the Rugby World Cup, is going to shave for charity.

Kleeberger will have his beard removed Oct. 17 in Victoria by CBC comedian Rick Mercer as part of an upcoming episode of “The Rick Mercer Report.”

The 27-year-old from White Rock, B.C., is asking his fans to support the “Shear the Beard” campaign in one of two ways.

In Canada, he asks for donations via Movember (www.Movember.com and http://mobro.co/SheartheBeard), a campaign each November where men grow moustaches to raise awareness and funds for cancer

Thanks to World Cup, Canadian rugby is all the rage

admin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 23:50:15 +0000

Scott MacAfee is loving every hard-hitting minute of the 2012 rugby World Cup. He’s not alone.

Canadian sports fans have a new appreciation for Canada’s rugby team after the country’s solid showing in New Zealand.

“It’s great to see all the hard work finally getting some recognition,” said MacAfee, who played senior rugby for two decades with the Fredericton Loyalists. “Rugby’s had a cult following for years, but I think there are a lot of new fans, which is nice, and (Canada) is playing some really inspired rugby, too.”

“I still don’t know all the rules of rugby,” someone posted on TSN’s message boards, “but I know heart when I see it.”

Another post: “Any man or woman who puts on the maple leaf and goes to battle for this country is top shelf in my books. Proud of you already, boys!”

Canada’s forwards coach Neil Barnes back farming

admin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 21:46:55 +0000

In the space of 36 hours, Neil Barnes has gone from the coaches’ box at the Cake Tin to herd testing on his New Plymouth dairy farm.

The reality that his involvement at the Rugby World Cup is over didn’t take too long to sink in for Canada’s forwards coach Neil Barnes.

“Yeah, but you just have to get back into it because life goes on and this is my job,” he said.

The dark confines of the dairy shed are far removed from the euphoria inside the Canada camp as they arrived in the Far North almost a month ago for the tournament.

“It was a totally new experience for them to be in a country where everybody is so passionate about rugby,” he said. “To have whole communities turning up at your training, it was just amazing. It is an absolute credit to New Zealand how they have responded to this World Cup, everyone should be so proud.”