England v Australia, a fans view

England versus Australia in rugby will always evoke great memories for me, since losing the ’91 World Cup, England have put the Aussies out three tournaments running including the 2003 final, in Australia, with that drop goal by Jonny Wilkinson.

England still appears to be in a transitional stage. After a disappointing World Cup last year many new faces are being introduced by Stuart Lancaster, with the emphasis on the changing mindset leading into the 2015 tournament more than the short term. Why this match is quite so important will become quite apparent on December third, when the draw for the World Cup finals will be made. To try to explain the convoluted process of ranking points allocations, would need several maths lessons and quite an increase in column inches, but the basics are that the top four sides in the world will be kept apart in the pool stages. As it stands New Zealand, South Africa and Australia occupy three of those slots but the fourth was very much in the balance with France, England and Wales the three in contention.

So with this knowledge in hand it was with much excitement that I took my seat up in the gods in the East stand at RFU HQ with my lucky English rugby jersey. My first autumn international, I was interested to see how the atmosphere differed from that of my more regular Six Nations outings.

Now one thing is for sure, the Aussies like a bit of banter, especially after a sneaky pint or two, so to my delight we were sat in the vicinity of a couple of antipodeans. My old uni’ mate nicknamed these two chaps Skippy (with the comedy Kangaroo hat) and Bush tucker Bob - due to the big ears and bigger belly of the respective characters. Perhaps the best thing rugby has over football is the ‘friendly’ banter, and after a few colourful interchanges about the respective coaches, Stuart Lancaster and Destroyer (Robbie) Deans as the head coach was christened), we settled into the comfy plastic seats along with 82,000 others to fully expecting to enjoy a third straight English win against the men from down under. The teams came out to fanfare, fireworks and much ceremony, perhaps due to the fact that they needed a distraction from the hidious new Regal Purple monstrosity of a kit.

As the game progressed it was clear that the usual “pom bashing” was a distant second to the abuse that Deans was receiving, not a popular figure. Deans the destroyer of Aussie “football” presiding over a battle weary side, much maligned by all and sundry, and shorn of many of its top players through injury, fatigue and suspension. It was quite clear however that this counted for nothing as the Aussies were murdering us at the breakdown, and even in the scrum which surprised most of section E36.

Listening in on my handy little ref radio my hackles were instantly raised by the French referee constantly penalising the “pinks” which only added to the indignation to the fact that England were not wearing white. The Aussies dislike of all things Gallic soon became softer as Mr Poite became an unofficial Aussie. The noise from the home fans referring to the referee as a rather uncharitable gentleman with questionable lineage, boomed long and load from much of the crowd around us as we were constantly penalised.

The first half however was promising, Toby Flood kicked his goals and we looked half decent in defence until a hole twice the size of the one that sunk the Titanic appeared and Nick Cummins waltzed over. The crowd roared, forward pass surely, but the English voices were dulled and Australia led. Right on half time with the rush to the bars well and truly on, Manu Tualigi bounced over the line in possibly the most sympathetic of video ref decisions in some time, (perhaps evening out Cummins’ try). A collective exhale, a massive roar. When a stadium that holds 81,361 people screams and cheers, it shakes, the floor vibrates, drinks are spilt and the hair on the back of your neck sends goosepimples to your very core.

Sadly that was the last time we were able to celebrate a score, of any description, as missed passes, clumsy moves, poor decisions and a ridiculous amount of turnover ball allowed the Aussies to clear their lines time and time again. Aussie Michael Hooper seemed to be tackling anything and everything, turning over the ball as though it was the World Cup Final itself. In seasons passed the Rob Andrew’s, Jonny Wilkinson’s etc would have popped over our second half penalty chances instead of kicking for touch and attacking. Percentages over flair, and even in defeat this naive bravado made it a thrilling end instead of a stagnating kick-fest, but with an Aussie side quite clearly on a different plane to the one spanked by the French, perhaps the duller option would have brought a much needed win. A change of mindset was called for prior to this match and perhaps this was it, just without the cohesiveness required. When the umpteenth rendition of Swing Low boomed out, it was more of a prayer, a murmour of hope rather than a call to arms and the crowd knew the Aussies weren’t going to allow us the all important score that hard graft in the last 15 minutes perhaps deserved. Statistics are hard to disprove and with only 6 wins from 17 autumn internationals, Lancaster has a big job to do. The inexperienced side needs to learn and learn fast with the Springboks and New Zealand waiting in the wings. If these lads can learn to deal with the pressure as the 2003 side did, maintaining their skill set under pressure there is still hope for the future. It was just a shame that we lacked a little guile, a little more organisation in some of the set moves that stifled our wingers instead of feeding them.

Spending over an hour waiting for the trains next to a group of celebrating green and golds rubbed just salt into the wounds. Having been told that England just lost to the worst ever Aussie team may be a bit on the extreme but it cuts nonetheless. Ah Pom Bashing at its best, relentless, and I have to say I puffed out my chest with my 2003 World Cup badge as far as I could, remember this? Futile and childish, but I felt better and it kept the vociferous celebrations to a hardly bearable rumble.

And let’s be fair, it could have been worse, we should have won, we had enough chances, but we could be supporting the Welsh who were downright awful in every department!

 

Jersey V Newcastle Falcons

The Falcons were born as Gosforth Football Club in 1877, when a group of old boys from Durham School met in a private house in Gosforth. The club had a nomadic existence up until the middle of the 20th century and in those early years had to play wherever and whenever they could. A fundraising effort eventually saw the club purchase a ground of its own in 1951. The ground officially opened in 1955, as the club became more ambitious with Gosforth increasingly dominating local rugby.

 

In the 1971-72 season the club was captained by Jack Rowell, who would later go on to coach Bath and England successfully. With no league tables as such, Gosforth's rising success was measured by their illustrious fixture list and their triumphs in the cup finals of 1976 and 1977 – the forerunner to what is now the Powergen Cup. The team of that era was packed with household names such as England's Roger Uttley, Peter Dixon, David Robinson and Scotland's Duncan Madsen, to name but a few. It was by far the most memorable time that the club had experienced.

 

In 1989 they decided to sell their North Road Ground and set about purchasing the ground at Kingston Park, and in 1990 they moved into their new home, also under a new name – Newcastle Gosforth. Up-and-down results and financial problems beset the club and in September 1995 it was to undergo another major change, when Newcastle United soccer chairman Sir John Hall realised his long-held dream of establishing a Newcastle sporting club.

 

With Gosforth's fortunes on and off the field diminishing somewhat, Hall's involvement could hardly have come at a better time. Newcastle became the first fully professional club in the world, installing Rob Andrew as Director of Rugby as well as a raft of other high-profile signings. Dean Ryan and Steve Bates were enlisted as key coaching and playing figures, while the likes of All Black Inga Tuigamala, Scotland’s Gary Armstrong and Doddie Weir, and England's Tony Underwood soon followed. The 1996-97 season saw the first under the current name of Newcastle Falcons in the club colours of black and white, as the club earned promotion from the National Second Division to the Premiership at the first attempt.

 

The following season, 1997-98, would go down the biggest in the club's history, as the all-star squad sensationally went on to lift the Allied Dunbar Premiership trophy in their first season back in the top flight.

 

In 1999 the latest chapter in the club took flight, when current chairman Dave Thompson bought out Hall's Sporting Club shareholding. Thompson, a businessman but also a keen local rugby man ensured that professional rugby survived in the north-east. It was with his backing that the club reached the 2001 Tetley's Bitter Cup final, where a last-minute try secured a dramatic late win over Harlequins. The team then repeated this success in 2004, their last major honour to date, a thrilling Powergen Cup final victory over Sale Sharks.

 

Recent history in the league has seen little success. Since winning the Premiership in 1997-98, their best finish was sixth and whilst last season was an improvement on wins and points gained to the season before, they finished rock bottom. Initially they had a reprieve from relegation, as London Welsh were not believed to have met the criteria needed to gain promotion to the top flight after their play-off win. But after a subsequent court battle, Welsh won promotion and condemned the Falcons to the Championship. Dean Richards was appointed Director of Rugby this summer following three years out of the game due to the ‘Bloodgate scandal’.

 

A former England international with 48 caps, playing in four World Cups and twice touring with the British and Irish Lions (six matches), Richards brings a wealth of experience, having won four Premiership titles and two Heineken Cups with Leicester as well as guiding Harlequins to promotion back to the top-flight at the first attempt. It would be anything other than a shock if this feat was not repeated this season.

 

Famous ‘Son’

Newcastle has had many famous players through the years, none more so than Jonny Wilkinson – scorer of 1938 points, 1179 international points, not to mention the small matter of 67 Lions points. Still ranked second only to New Zealand’s Dan Carter in the international standings, Wilkinson was as talismanic for the Falcons as he was to England, and his kicking took the team to its only Premiership title as well as two Powergen Cup triumphs.

 

The season so far.

It’s fair to say that Newcastle is by far the best side in the division. Unbeaten in the league with nine from nine, amassing 345 points with only 110 conceded, comfortably twelve points clear of Bedford, as well as two thumping wins in the British and Irish Cup and a friendly success against the Tongan national side. However there has been criticism of their style, they place a heavy emphasis on combative play, primarily through the forwards and less emphasis on the open expansive play we perhaps expect from a team with such talent. That said anything gained from this match will be a bonus for Jersey, especially after the capitulation in Bristol. One thing is for sure, coach Dean Richards would much rather have been playing Jersey a few weeks previously, than now - Jersey experiencing a four game winning run with confidence flowing through the side. We can only hope that the Falcons long journey down from Tyneside after being softened up by a physical Tongan side last week will work in Jersey’s favour and cause what would be the shock of the season so far.

 

Who to look out for.

 

James Hudson.

Second Row.

Leads the lineout well, the Falcons favour driving the ball when close to the opposition line. Hudson joined the Falcons in the summer of 2009, from London Irish. A renowned line out specialist with pace to burn in the loose, Hudson broke on to the Premiership scene with Bath, having served his apprenticeship under the likes of England stalwarts Steve Borthwick and Danny Grewcock. The 2009-10 season saw Hudson as one of the Falcons' focal points, appearing in all 22 league games before being deservedly rewarded with the club captaincy for the 2010-11 campaign having also helped England Saxons to Churchill Cup glory in North America.

 

Jimmy Gopperth.

Fullback.

Raised in Taranaki, Gopperth previously played for the Wellington Lions and then the Hurricanes and Blues in the Super 14’s, scoring over 450 points in his time there. Another Junior All Black, he signed for the Falcons in 2009 and was tasked with filling the departing boots of Jonny Wilkinson. He won the Gilbert Golden Boot as the league’s top points scorer in his first two seasons and it was largely due to his kicking that they managed to stave off relegation the season before last. A key man to the Falcons ambitions, unsurprisingly he is the Championship's top scorer this season with 150 points. He has found himself at fullback in the last two games, offering a real counter attacking threat. His kicking game has been absolutely key to the Falcons success and he has returned errant opposition kicks with interest.

 

Allister Hogg. (Captain)

Number 8/Flanker.

A former Scottish international, Hogg has also played basketball for Scotland at under-16 level. He graduated from Telford College in Edinburgh with an HND in Sports Coaching & Sports Development. Hogg made his international debut aged 21. He established himself as one of Scotland's best players. His pace, strength, skill, and work ethic saw All Blacks open-side flanker Richie McCaw rate him as one of the best back rows in the game, shortly after he missed being selected for the 2005 British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.

The first Scotland forward in 20 years to score a hat-trick of tries in one match when he plundered a treble during the 42–0 World Cup win over Romania in 2007. A useful sevens player for Scotland, Hogg joined the Falcons from Edinburgh in the summer of 2010, after scoring 16 tries in his 92 Magners League appearances for Edinburgh as well as a further five tries in 35 Heineken Cup outings.

 

Rory Lawson.     

Scrum Half.

(Possibly on international duty but not involved v S. Africa last weekend)

 

A current Scottish international. In the summer of 2006 he moved to Premiership side Gloucester, gaining his first international cap against Australia in the autumn of that year. He was also a member of Scotland's 2007 Rugby World Cup Squad. Lawson joined the Falcons in the summer of 2012 as the club's recruitment drive went full tilt ahead of the arrival of incoming director of rugby Dean Richards. The 31-year-old scrum-half brings a wealth of experience to Kingston Park, having being capped 30 times by Scotland, having established himself as one of Europe's top scrum-halves, captaining Scotland on five occasions, most recently at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. Lawson has demonstrated his class at domestic level with Gloucester, helping the Cherry and Whites lift the LV= Cup and reach the Aviva Premiership play-offs in 2011.

 

Jon Golding.

Loose Head Prop.

Previously playing for Rotherham and Northampton Saints who he signed for after leaving the Leicester acadamy, Golding joined the Newcastle Falcons for the start of the 2006–07 season. After representing England at under-19 level, Golding was unfortunate to be denied England Under-21s honours when he was concussed during the final trial at that age group. However he did finally earn international recognition when he helped England Saxons to victory at Italy 'A' in 2008.

After strong form in the early part of the 2009–10 season, Golding was a contender to be in the senior England squad for the 2010 Six Nations Championship but a broken rib sustained against London Wasps kept him out for the duration of the tournament

The 2009-10 season saw Golding star in 20 appearances for the Falcons, earning himself man-of-the-match honours in the televised games against Wasps and Montauban. This was enough to earn him a call-up to the England squad for their Australasian tour in the summer of 2010, with the Falcons Players' Player of the Season appearing against the Barbarians at Twickenham and twice against the Australian Barbarians.

 

Tane Tu'ipulotu.

Centre.

Nicknamed ‘King’. Tu’ipulotu was born in Tonga. A gifted athlete, he was the New Zealand secondary schools pole vault champion in 1999. He played for the Hurricanes in the Super Rugby competition, and has previously represented the Pacific Islanders and the Junior All Blacks in 2007 as well as in the U-19 and U-21 World Cups for New Zealand. He may have received more international honours but for injuries and the fact he was competing for places against greats such as Tana Umaga, Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith. In his second stint as a Falcon after first signing for three seasons in 2008, Tu'ipulotu rejoined the Falcons in the summer of 2012 from Japanese side Yamaha Jubilo.

 

 

Jersey V Plymouth Albion Nov 2012

Plymouth Albion

 

Plymouth Albion RFC was born in 1875, raised from a hard core of Devonport Royal Naval Dockyard Apprentices from a merger between Plymouth RFC and Devonport Albion RFC. They first played at Devonport Park and the players and officials carried the goal posts and flags to the park. There were no facilities so the players had to return home for a bath after the match! In 1887 spectators paid three old pence to watch the game and players even had to stump up one penny each to play. During the 1894 season Plymouth played at Home Park, now the home of Plymouth Argyle Football Club, before moving to The Rectory Fields. Since 2003 they have played their home games at The Brickfields stadium. Albion celebrated its 125th Anniversary season during 2000-2001 and includes England International greats such as James Peters (the first black player to don an England shirt) in 1902 in its history.

 

In 1912, the Northern Union attempted to form a Western League of clubs in Devon and Cornwall. Huddersfield played Oldham in an exhibition game at South Devon Place in front of 8,000 spectators and as a result a meeting was held and the Plymouth Northern Union club was formed. In July, the Northern Union club took over South Devon Place and as a result Plymouth RFC disbanded, later to re-emerge as part of a merger with Devonport Albion to become Plymouth Albion. Albion began to grow from this and in a 1927 classic book on ‘Rugger’, Plymouth Albion is described as one of the leading clubs in the United Kingdom.

 

Albion was indeed a major force in English rugby union in the 1920s having five internationals on their books at one time. Around this time they attracted a crowd of 18,000 to a midweek game against Oxford University which established a record crowd for a club match in England which was not exceeded until the 1980s. During the 1950s and 60s, the Club had an excellent record despite no major league or cup success. When the leagues were introduced in the 1980s, Plymouth Albion saw its finest hour in the 1988-89 season, with a 100% record in Courage League Three, as Albion were crowned champions. After three seasons in Division Two, Albion suffered relegation in two successive years, ending up in Jewson League Two (South). In the 1998-99 season, Albion only avoided relegation from National League rugby by winning away against Weston-Super-Mare in the last match of the season. Albion's only away win of the entire season!

 

Bold action was urgently required. Graham Dawe (Bath and England) was appointed Chairman of Rugby and made his presence felt immediately by achieving a creditable fourth in Jewsons League Two (South) the next season. The 2000/2001 season must be one of the highlights of recent rugby in Plymouth with Albion winning promotion to National League Division Two and again being unbeaten in League rugby. The 2001/2002 season saw promotion again to the second tier of the English game.

 

On their way to promotion to the Championship, the team went on a two season unbeaten streak of over 50 games, starting when the club was in Division Three South and ending after their promotion to National Division One. On finishing third in the 2003/04 season, fans and officials at the club have said it was Albion's best position nationally since the 1920s. The club parted company with Graham Dawe in November 2011 after 12 years service having rescued the club from the brink of falling out of the National League to the heroics of almost reaching the promised land of the Premiership.

 

Nat Saumi is the current head coach at the Albion, taking over from former Exeter boss Peter Drewett. After funding for Drewett's post was lost and he was forced to leave the club, Saumi took over until the end of last season in a caretaker role, before taking over full time this term. Saumi, a former Fijian international, has been associated with Albion since first joining as a player in 2003. As a player he starred for the Cornish Pirates, where he could play anywhere behind the scrum, was an elusive runner, a destructive tackler and a first rate goal kicker all rolled into one. Saumi's appointment as head coach came at a difficult time for Albion. Off the field they had severe financial problems and had to appeal to fans and shareholders to donate money, (believed to be in the region of £250,000) in order to keep the club afloat.

 

Having lost a good sized chunk of the squad in the summer, Saumi has been aided in recruitment by their major local rivals. Exeter Chiefs currently supply Plymouth with several duel registered players, and have signed a number of former ‘Chiefs’ players on permanent deals. Together these clubs have reinvigorated the passion for rugby in the county, and Devon local derbies have become major popular events.

 

Second bottom during the regular season last term with only six wins, and like London Scottish last week they contested the relegation play offs. Surviving relatively comfortably with four wins from six. They were predicted to struggle again this term especially after the loss of so many top players. In a recent Championship poll they were out on their own as the side most expected to be relegated. However with several duel registered stars from Premiership neighbours Exeter, and a strong Tongan/Canadian influence, they have surprised the division and sit handily placed in the top half of the table taking four wins from their first five league games, Albion’s best ever start to a Championship season.

 

Who to watch out for:

 

Samuel Hocking.
Flanker.

The 6’2” 16 ½ stone 28 year old local lad, born in Liskeard, a stone’s throw from Albion’s home ground. He made his Albion debut in 2009 having previously been on the books at Launceston (where he was loaned to Albion) and Premiership Bath. Hocking has represented Cornwall at English rugby HQ, Twickenham in the county championship. Joint top scorer in the league overall with six tries this season, scoring in all bar one league match, actually doubling his tally for the previous two seasons, Hocking is definitely this seasons danger man.

 

Brett Beukeboom.

Lock.

At 23 years old, 6’5” and tipping the scales at 17 ½ stone, the young up-and-coming Canadian second row is one of Albion's new summer recruits. Signing from Ontario Blues, and the third Canadian in the squad, (replacing countryman Tyler Hotson who moved to last weeks opponents London Scottish). In his first season as a full professional, both Albion and Canada have big hopes for Beukeboom, who made his debut for their national team in the summer having starred in the 2009 Junior Rugby World Cup. Beukeboom is a product of the Canadian Rugby Championship program that was set up to facilitate the move from club rugby to the test arena, Described as a physical lock who specialises in line outs, he will give Jersey Captain Nathan Hannay something to think about.

 

Aaron Carpenter.

Number eight.

Another formidable back rower, at six feet and 17 stone, Canada’s new international captain is beginning his third season at Albion and fourth in the Championship having previously been on the books at Coventry. Carpenter's story is one of success, found through Canada's development ranks starting with Ontario under-16s. He also played under-21 for his province and represented his country in the under-18 and under-21 sides. Represented his country in both the 2007 and 2011 World Cups where he was steady, reliable, and a lot of people in rugby took notice. He is one of Albion's key players and he was missed at the start of last season when he was away on World Cup duty. However, he finished last term strongly and claimed The Herald readers' player of the year award. Always a solid player, 100% committed every minute of every game as the England Saxons players will testify. His outstanding play in his first season won him rookie of the year honours for Canada.  The North American influence in the Albion pack is not to be underestimated.

 

Keni Fisilau.

Centre.

Starting his 12th season with the club, the former Tongan international veteran centre is Albion's record league appearance holder with over 200 games under his belt. He is popular with the both club and supporters, having won the clubs player of the season previously. Earlier this year the evergreen back enjoyed a successful testimonial. Albion coach Nat Saumi was happy to offer Fisilau a new deal for this season. ‘He is an experienced guy, who works really hard,’ said Saumi. ‘He is really fit. He is much fitter than most of the backs. In fact, I think he is the fittest and you can combine that with experience.’ Having served an 18 week ban at the tail end of last season for a dangerous tackle, he has a reputation for a strong tackle showing no fear on the pitch, the mobile Tongan certainly takes no prisoners.

 

Rupeni Nasiga.

Lock/back-row.

A monster of a Fijian, at 6’4” and well over 18 stone, the Fijian international is one of Albion's big signings of this summer. Played in the 2011 World Cup and looking forward to tasting Northern Hemisphere rugby for the first time. The versatile former farmer previously spent a year in New Zealand playing semi-professionally. ‘Island people like running rugby,’ according to Nasiga. He added, ‘And physical games, and since I play lock, and used to play in the loose as well, I'm used to playing both types of game.’ Albion boss Nat Saumi knows Nasiga from Fiji, and was instrumental in bringing him to Brickfields as he had several offers from elsewhere.

 

 

 

Jersey V London Scottish Oct 2012

London Scottish Football Club was founded on Wednesday 10th April 1878 by three men who formed a breakaway from St Andrew’s Rovers FC as a club for Scottish nationals. They were the first of the ‘Exiles’ rugby clubs to be founded, and also the last of the main three (Irish and Welsh) to go ‘open’ in 1996. Scottish are great exponents of the rugby sevens, winning the Melrose sevens (twice), the Middlesex sevens, (seven times) and the Rosslyn Park London Floodlit sevens (seven times).

 

London Scottish have not won any major national honours in the fifteens game, despite a strong presence in the second tier. They did make the John Player Cup Final in 1974 where they lost 26-6 against defending champions Coventry. Despite this they have always had a strong side. Scottish have produced more than 220 international players for the Scottish national team, which is more than any other club, and the same number of Lions captains as Leicester Tigers with four.

 

One of those players is Andrew Gavin Hastings, OBE (born 3rd January 1962). A former Scottish International, he is frequently considered one of the best, if not the best, rugby player to come out of Scotland. ‘Big Gav’, born in Edinburgh, has also played for Watsonians, Cambridge University and the British and Irish Lions. He was one of the outstanding players of his generation, winning 61 caps for Scotland, 20 of which as captain. Playing at fullback he captained the Lions on the tour to New Zealand in 1993 (after playing in all three tests in the 1989 tour to Australia).

 

In 1987 the national league structure was formed, and in 1996 the game, along with Scottish, turned professional. During this period Tony Tiarks bought the club for £500,000 in 1996. In the summer of 1998, Scottish, co-tenants of Richmond at the Athletic Ground, were promoted to the top division via a play-off, and Tiarks forced through an ill-fated ground share with Harlequins and London Broncos at The Stoop.

 

The club had a successful start to this brave new era, despite only playing in the Premiership for just the one season. In 1998/1999 under coach John Steele, and with limited resources they managed to finish in a creditable 12th place out of the 14 teams which should have saved them from relegation. Unfortunately at the end of the season, the professional club, in which London Scottish was a shareholder, was forced into administration. By the halfway point of that season, a disillusioned Tiarks discussed selling Scottish's place in the Premiership to second-division Bristol. He bailed out in the summer of 1999, leaving the original amateur club to rejoin the RFU leagues at the bottom of the pyramid after effectively being relegated nine divisions because of the administration process. The club has since progressed back up through seven divisions in ten seasons to the Championship from 2002-2012 in a supremely successful run, unbeaten in 2008/09, and topping National One in 2010/11. The club’s ‘home’ is still the Athletic Ground it shares with Richmond.

 

Two years ago Scottish made a return to the second tier of English rugby in dramatic fashion. Having started the 2010/2011 season with three straight losses, (very similar to Jersey’s own start to National One), promotion looked unlikely. However, a run of 26 straight victories following that inauspicious start; meant that the promotion battle all came down to the final day of the season: a straight fight between local rivals Scottish and Barking with the winner heading to the Championship.

 

With seconds remaining, the score was locked at 13-10 to Barking, who looked odds on to gain promotion. The East Londoners expertly recycled possession close to the Scottish try line, winding down the clock. Just as Scottish supporters were resigning themselves to another season in National League One, the Barking number 10 threw a pass to London Scottish wing David Howells who plucked the ball from the air, before sprinting the length of the field to score an extraordinary interception try, and with it promotion.

 

Last year the club secured a second season in the Championship, finishing fourth from bottom in the regular season but contesting the now defunct ‘relegation pool’ having won six of their 22 league matches. Two out of six play-off wins were enough to survive by the skin of their teeth at the expense of Esher. Six wins is a stat that seems some way off for Jersey right now, but with successive home matches against sides predicted to be in the bottom half of the table, and with growing confidence after the recent home performances against Bedford and Pontypridd, along with a fantastic win away to Leeds last week, surely the table will look healthier very soon.

 

This season the Exiles are again led by Head coach Simon Amor, formerly the England rugby seven’s captain, and managed by Colin McIntyre. Amor who once played at scrum half or fly half for Scottish, is regarded as one of the greatest rugby sevens players in the history of the game having represented England from 2001-06. Having secured links with Premiership champions Harlequins, four youth players have already made the short trip to bolster an already strong looking squad; Agustin Gosio, Alfredo Lalanne and Adam Kleeberger all played at Rugby World Cup 2011 and eight others have had international rugby experience for Scotland.

 

Results this season have been mixed, fantastic at home, three league wins, with only Championship favourites Newcastle lowering the Scottish colours in the league by a narrow margin 32-49, (certainly the Falcons have posted much bigger scores elsewhere). Away from home it’s a different story with no wins, (two championship and one cup defeat), including proverbial spankings from both Bedford and Nottingham who put over 50 points on the Exiles. With the leakiest defence in the division, and if Jersey’s once famed defence can fire again, tries are on the cards today. With Jersey now on an unbeaten run of two, and with ‘The Booj’ back in the groove against Leeds, a continuation of this form and a solid forwards display, the first league ‘W’ is there for the taking and a return to ‘fortress St Peter’ is surely just around the corner.

 

Who to watch out for:

 

James Love.
Fullback/Wing.

Love, 24, was an integral part of Plymouth’s successful battle against relegation last term, notching up 247 points over the course of the 2011/12 season. This achievement is made all the more remarkable as this was his first season in the Championship after making the jump up from Hartpury College in National Three South West, having been born and raised in Bahrain. Director of Rugby Simon Amor was excited to see Love further his development at The Athletic Ground this season, saying, ‘James scored nearly 250 points for Plymouth last season which is obviously a fantastic kicking record. However, he is also a great attacking threat as well with ball in hand. I’m really excited to see how he develops in London Scottish colours.’ Exiles top scorer with 69 league points so far, and fifth in the division overall, ill discipline by the Jersey ranks will be punished.

 

Chevvy Pennycook.

Back Row.

New signing this term, 25-year-old Bristolian back row Pennycook made 16 appearances for Moseley last season after recovering from an early season injury. He arrives at The Athletic Ground with not only Premiership experience with Bristol, but also with England U20 experience in 2007. Another that brings proven Championship quality to the Exiles. He is an outstanding ball carrier and has an immense physical presence on the field. Currently joint top league try scorer with four.

 

Mark Bright.

Back Row.

6’4” and 16 ½ stone, formerly of Redruth, Bright has been a talismatic figure everywhere he has played. He made the Rugby Times National One dream team a record five times and scored 79 tries in 119 appearances before his move to Scottish last season. A decent sevens player, the lure of working with Simon Amor was a big factor in his move to London. New Zealander Bright has an eye for a big game try with nine in 23 matches so far for Scottish, including five already this term against the likes of Bedford, Newcastle and Cornish Pirates. Inspirational Captain, leads by example and a tough competitor (only missing two games in five seasons for Redruth), and heads a strong physical presence in the Scottish pack.

 

Tyler Hotson.

Lock.

The 27-year-old forward joined London Scottish in the summer after several years with Plymouth Albion, having also played for Northern Suburbs in Australia. Hotson has 27 international caps for Canada to his name, having been a fixture in the squad since his debut in the 2008 Churchill cup. Hoping to feature in Canada’s summer internationals after playing in the 2011 World Cup. A player with proven Championship experience, as well as international experience, and a second Canadian international in the Scottish squad. A proven top quality performer, Hotson brings plenty of experience into the forwards and a great deal of physicality to their pack, topping 6’4” and nearly 17 stone.

 

Andy Reay.

Centre.

Reay joined London Scottish from Moseley in the close season. Educated at Brunel University, Reay has won nine caps for England U21, which included winning the U21 Six Nations Grand Slam in 2004. After spells with Harlequins and Bristol, Reay then spent four years at Billesley Common. A good leader, having been Moseley’s captain during the relegation playoffs. He’s a very solid defender, a powerful runner and has very good handling skills. In a league where experience really matters, Reay is a player who knows the division inside-out.

 

Olympic glance back

With all the fall out from Ashley Cole, John Terry, Lance Armstrong and the negative press that has gone on around them all, we seem to have quickly forgotten that the Olympic spirit was so strong and our patriotism roared on our medal hopefuls. Here's a little flash back to an earlier article as to why I enjoyed the Olympics so much.

London 2012, the biggest sporting global brand arrived in a city divided. Did we really want the games; could the country really afford it? There were more than a few doubters and many were sceptical. So London did you deliver? Yes you certainly did. Fears were banished of a continuing recession, ticketing fiasco, security problems and travel chaos. The miserable British weather gave way to glorious sunshine, for the most part. The generous spirit, enthusiastic volunteers, incredible venues and unwavering support from packed venues created the platform for dreams to become reality. The nationalistic spirit following on from the Jubilee celebrations showed the world that London was the correct choice, as a truly memorable Olympics began.

‘Inspire a generation’ began with a stunning opening ceremony. Sir Steve Redgrave handed the Olympic torch to seven up and coming athletes to light the ‘cauldron’. A petal for each and every one of the 204 competing countries.

The tone will always be set by the home nation’s success and had I been asked to sum up the more recent games, it would not have taken so long, Beijing aside. Britain won more gold medals in London 2012 than in 1992 (5 medals) 1996 (1), 2000 (11) and 2004 (9) combined. Now there are so many successes, so many great stories it really is impossible to sum it all up without leaving out a large chunk of these wonderful athletes. 29 Gold, 17 Silver and 19 Bronze, 65 medals in total, third overall only behind the might of the USA and China, and with so many near misses gave the home nation its most successful games in over 100 years.

It took until the 5th day of competition before GB won its first gold. Helen Glover and Heather Stanning in the rowing set the mood and from then on in the medals just kept coming. Britain’s favourite pair of sideburns, fresh from winning the Tour de France became Britain’s most decorated Olympian (albeit briefly) as Bradley Wiggins won the men’s cycling time trial for his fourth gold and seventh medal in total.

One of the idiosyncrasies of the Olympics is I, like many others, become transfixed to sports that I would not have otherwise even considered watching normally, so when Tim Baillie and Etienne Stott took gold in a Brit 1-2 in the canoeing and Peter Wilson in the double trap shooting, the momentum was certainly building as was my own excitement. Even the show jumping was dramatic, with a jump off giving GB their first gold in over 50 years.

Poster girl Jessica Ennis came into the games under immense pressure after the disappointment of 2008, the pin up of 2012, and failure here could have spelt disaster for the morale of the home athletes. Two stunning days, personal bests left right and centre gave her a comfortable win, roared home down the final straight of the 800m the gold was won. Riding the crest of this wave, injury plagued Long jumper Greg Rutherford and soon to be national hero Mo Farrah in the 10,000m followed on in a truly stunning 45 minute gold medal blast. Catherine Granger, after three successive silvers in the Olympics finally won the gold in the women’s double sculls rowing, and even Sir Steve Redgrave shed tears. Heroism aplenty such as Kate Walsh, hockey captain, leading Team GB to their first medal in over 20 years, bronze, despite fracturing her jaw in the pool stages. True Olympic spirit.

Velodrome domination, World Records tumbled with regularity. Even the coming to the end of the old guard failed to slow momentum, Sir Chris Hoy now with six gold medals, (overtaking Redgrave and Wiggins at the top of the medal tree). The final emotional charged ride of Victoria Pendleton’s career, the queen of the track, her legacy established through up and coming Laura Trott (who won two gold). 7/10 gold medals for the track cycling team matched the Beijing total despite a new rule of only one rider per nation per event. Director of the cycling team Dave Brailsford who has masterminded the two wheeled British juggernaut has stated that whilst the team do everything to make ‘marginal gains’ in order to give their riders an edge, without the graft, without the blood sweat and tears of four years of training day in day out, in all weathers to reach a standard not just to make the team, but to challenge the very best in the world takes a special person. Talent is not enough anymore but the rewards for those who had all this were showcased for us all to applaud.

British excellence was around every corner. Remarkable Ben Ainslie, who with four gold and one silver became the most successful sailor in the history of the Games, and in tennis Andy Murray who banished his Wimbledon final defeat by Roger Federer by beating the same player on the same court with consummate ease to take the gold. Brothers Alistair and Jonny Brownlee, gold and bronze in the men’s Triathlon, took on the world and gave them a lesson in how to race. The big names stepped up and delivered and we all cheered ourselves hoarse. One moment that will stay with me for some time is the picture of disbelief, of sheer elation as Mo Farah won his second gold, in the 5000m and his celebrations with sprint king Usain Bolt atop the medal rostrum on the second ‘Super Saturday’.

The overseas Sports Personality of the year will also be a tough one to call. Incredible Usain Bolt, the double treble 100m/200m sprints and 4x100 relay, becoming the first man in history to defend the individual titles. The end of Michael Phelps’ swimming career ending with 22 medals, 18 gold – the most successful athlete of all time, by some distance too. He leaves some pretty big shoes to fill having won more medals than any other for the past three games’. Only 38 countries have more gold medals in the history of the modern summer games than Phelps has by himself.

Kenyan David Rudisha (previously dubbed ‘the best athlete you never knew about’) 1500m World Record, the only individual track and field record to go. Coincidently, the previous Olympic record was held by Lord Coe himself, and had mentored Rhudisha in the run up to the games. The race of the games for me, Team GB’s Andrew Osagie came home 8^th and last, but in a time that would have won gold in the previous three Olympics.

Who will forget the tears of Sir Chris Hoy, the knowing smile from Jess Ennis after her final long jump in the heptathlon, the enthusiasm of the father of South African swimmer Chad Le Clos who became an internet sensation after his interviews on the BBC? History made, Nicola Adams winning the first ever women’s boxing gold to help the team to its best ever medal haul. Jade Jones winning Team GB’s first gold in taekwondo.

The underpinning success of the games lies not only with the athletes themselves, but with the ‘games makers’ the thousands of volunteers who went about their business with a smile, a sense of pride, caught up in the national fervour brought about by huge patriotic crowds marshalled superbly well by the armed forces, who stepping in at the last moment not only gave a sense of security but one of relaxed enjoyment.

The legacy of 2012 is to inspire a generation. Anyone who has paid attention to any part of these games, and there can’t be many who haven’t, can’t help but marvel at the level of sporting excellence attained. London will be remembered as a Games for the people, a bringing together of a nation already rallied by HRH’s Jubilee celebrations. The spirit and energy of a nation racked by banking scandals and phone hacking. and is this really the same city that was buried under the weight of riots only a year ago? Did this city really just stage the most stunning event? Yes, and it will live with those who watched for the rest of their lives.

I really can’t say which my favourite moment was as there were so many – Bolt retaining his 100m title in the fastest final in history, (bar injury to one runner), Phelps winning his all-time record breaking medal; Ennis in the heptathlon; Farrah in the five and ten thousand and Wiggins in the time trial. Hoy winning his 6^th gold and his rostrum tears also stands out. Maybe even the comic sketch of Bolt mimicking Farah’s ‘Mo-Bot’ celebration as Farah did a take of Usain’s ‘Lightning Bolt’ atop the medal rostrum as the Olympic stadium bode farewell to the athletics. Winning, is it everything? Competing in the games, being part of the biggest global spectacle once every four years, for some is everything. Just ask the women from the Gulf States – the London Olympics had the first Saudi Arabian and Qatari women to compete. South African Oscar Pistorius, the blade runner, becoming the first Para-Olympian to compete, or perhaps it is American Mateo Mitchell who broke his leg halfway through his section of the 4x400 relay but carried on to finish. Sometimes it really is just about taking part.

David Cameron summed up the mood: ‘We can all feel that we don’t just have a great past behind us, but we have a great future ahead of us.’ IOC President Jacques Rogge declared at the opening ceremony: ‘The Olympic games are coming home tonight. This great sports-loving country is widely recognised as the birthplace of modern sport.’ What we do with this is now in the hands of each and every one of us.

Having spent the last few weeks glued to the TV, Olympic App’s,  Twitter, Facebook and anything else that has mentioned Olympics, even briefly, I’m not sure how I will fill my time, but hey, Rio is now less than four years away!

I hope, that like me you have been hugely inspired by the feats of the athletes in 2012, not just our own. The facilities we have in the UKare excellent, and the clubs, teams across Britain have already had a huge surge in inquiries about joining. We have the ability to become or inspire the next generation of Olympians. London 2012’s tag line of ‘Inspire a Generation’ are just words, but we can get up, get out and become that generation.

 

London 2012 Preview

Team G.B.

For those of you lucky enough to have tickets to any event, let alone to one of your choice, London 2012 promises us a show. From minority sports such as rhythmic gymnastics and triathlon, to more mainstream events such as cycling, tennis and football, there really is something for everyone in an Olympic games. 

London 2012 will leave a legacy to the nation with the stadia and facilities having been promised to the next generation of athletes. As with all big sporting events, World Cups, Wimbledon, etc. the increase in interest in sport during and after can only be a healthy spin off, especially in ‘obese Britain’. The early mantra for these games was to increase sport participation amongst Britain’s youth, and whilst our youngsters will imagine themselves to be the next Mark Cavendish racing down the estate on their bikes, those slightly older may simply be inspired to just get out and about and get healthy.

There has been much written about what will become of the venues after the games, the Olympic main stadium in particular, and who will become the tenants. The biggest debate is whether or not it will remain an athletics stadium to be proud of, or be lost to a single sport such as football. What we must be careful of is to realise that the event is just the start, and that after a successful Olympics no-one wants to see the sporting hierarchy resting on its laurels. They must ensure that the legacy from London 2012 and its as yet unwritten stories are re-told for generations to come, to inspire and create heroes of the future.

But what about the participants? The last competitor from Jersey to take part in a Games was swimmer Simon Militis, who competed in Sydney in 2000. I spoke to Simon (400 Individual Medley and 200m Backstroke) on what it meant to represent his Island, and nation, at this global sporting event.

Q: When did you start swimming and what was your motivation? Was it that you were naturally good and fell into it?

A: My mum used to take me swimming at Fort Regent. From then on I have vague memories of mum and dad getting me up for early morning training - 5am wakeup calls! I wasn't an amazing youngster in the pool, but I was competitive and I used to give each race my best effort. As I got older I started to gradually improve, and it was only after my A levels that I swam really fast and won my first National Championship. This led to my first Great Britain Cap. From then on I realised my potential and progressed through Island Games, Commonwealth Games, European Championships and then on to The Olympic Games.

Q: Did you do much training in Jersey?

A: I started training with Regent Swimming Club (now Regent Tigers Swimming Club) back in the 80s and trained with them until I went to Portsmouth University in 1996.

Q: To reach the standard you eventually attained, how long and how many hours a day did you have to train?

A: I was swimming 11 sessions a week varying between two to three hours in duration as well as four land-work sessions a week – all-in-all around 30 hours a week. In the pool I was covering between 80,000 to 100,000 metres a week.

Q: When did you realise you would actually be part of Team GB?

A: Before the Great Britain Olympic Trials I had not posted a time that was quick enough to make the GB Team. At the end of the 400m Individual Medley I realised that not only had I set a new British Record, but had posted a time quick enough to represent Great Britain. From the time that I was actually confirmed as being on the GB Olympic Team there was a surreal feeling – it was my boyhood dream come true. However it only started to sink-in when I was up in London collecting my team kit.

Q: What are your most vivid memories?

A: It’s difficult to contain the excitement of being at the world’s greatest sporting event. The Olympic Village was a smaller version of a town. It had everything from a post office and gym, to a spa, hairdressers, game zone and internet cafe. The dinner hall covered the area of about four football fields: It served every different type of food for every nationality competing and was open 24 hours a day.

I didn't attend the Opening Ceremony as I was competing a couple of days later and wanted to be able to perform to my best. On the day of my race it was very difficult to keep the nerves in check. The ready room (a room where the swimmers have to congregate 30 minutes prior to the start of their race) is full of tension and at that point you are on your own. The time came where I was marched out onto the poolside with the other seven swimmers to the cheer of the 18,000 capacity crowd. The sensation when your name is called out and the crowd are cheering just for you is indescribable. It really gets the emotions and adrenaline flowing, but from the second the gun goes it’s just you and your race plan. It’s an amazing experience to compete at the Olympics, one that only a few achieve. It is a special feeling knowing that you are one of approximately 6000 athletes from Great Britain that has represented their country at the World’s Greatest Sporting Event.

Q: Twelve years on you now have a young son, Oscar; will you be encouraging him to follow in your footsteps?

A: I won't necessarily force him to swim to his most competitive level, but I do think that it is important for him to learn to swim, especially living on an Island. If he wants to take up swimming, then I will support him, although doing early mornings again I'm not sure I'll enjoy that!

Fastest man on Earth, Usain Bolt.

My ones to watch:

There will no doubt be surprises and, as in all live sporting events, it is all about who gets it right on the day. Those who have shone all year may have an off-day, picked up a niggling injury or just do not perform. Putting all that aside there are two standout athletes who even on an off-day, barring injury, will almost certainly take home a gold medal and with it a great deal of the limelight.

 
American MichaelPhelps won eight golds in eight events in Beijing 2008. Although he will swim fewer races due to his advancing years (27 is old for a swimmer it seems), he should still be a force to be reckoned with. Already the winner of the most golds in an Olympic career (14 medals), Phelps is in need of three medals to have won more than any other Olympic athlete: Larisa Latynina won 18 medals for the Soviet Union in Gymnastics. If Phelps should accomplish this extraordinary feat, he will surely be hailed as the greatest Olympian ever.

Jamaica's Usain Bolt, won both the 100m and 200m with consummate ease in 2008. After his record-shattering speed in Beijing, he will look to become the first man to twice sweep the Olympic sprints in London. Bolt also won gold in the 4x100 relay to leave Beijing with three victories. Having beaten his own World records in 2009 and entering good form in 2012, the crowd favourite is odds on to be crowned once again, the fastest man on the planet.
 

Brit 'pin-up girl' Jessica Ennis

Brits to watch out for:

Tom Daley

Tom’s career to date seems to have been aimed at these games, having competed in Beijing as a 14 year old. Already a British star, the media have portrayed him of late as someone who is too happy to do the superstar bit first, train second. These games may well make or break his diving career after a troubled 2011.

JessicaEnnis
The reigning world champion in the heptathlon. Injury forced her out of the Beijing Games. The pin-up girl of the British team, she will be heavily backed on home soil.

Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter

Proved they were the best in the world after a turbulent 2011 season. After four months during which they were unable to compete together as Purchase suffered with a viral illness, the Olympic champions came back and retained their lightweight double scull world title in dramatic style.

Tiffany Porter

American born, the Great British captain has a lot of pressure on her shoulders having been handed this important role, but she has been destroying national records in the sprint hurdles all year.

Mo Farah

The first medal to be decided could well go to Cavendish

Much will depend on which event Farah will run, 5000m, 10000m marathon or a combination. David Moorcroft described him as; ‘the greatest male distance runner that Britain has ever seen’, and fully fit he will surely bring back a gold.

Keri-AnnePayne

Relative newcomer Payne, 24 years old, won an Olympic silver two years after taking up open-water swimming full-time and became the first Brit to qualify for the 2012 Games.

ChrisHoy
Track cyclist Hoy became the first athlete from Great Britain to win three gold medals at a single games in 100 years. Hoy also won gold in Athens and silver in Sydney.

RebeccaAdlington
Adlington was a double swimming gold medallist in Beijing (400 free, 800 free), becoming the first British swimmer to win two golds at the same Games since 1908. Not the favourite this time, but at home she may yet find the strength.

Alistair Brownlee

Reigning World and European champion. An injury has hit the best triathlete in the world at the back end of 2011, already a doubt, but fully fit no one will get near him, except perhaps his younger brother Jonny!

Mark Cavendish

Britain’s global superstar. The fastest man on two wheels. Winner of 20 stages of the Tour de France and current Green Jersey holder. The GB team put Cav’ in with a great chance of winning the World Champions ‘Rainbow Jersey’ in 2011 and he duly delivered. If he is within sight of the finish come the final showdown he could win the first gold medal of the games.

Football– Team GB

For the first time since 1972 Britain will have a football team at the Olympics. The side may yet give the nation its best chance of success in this sport since England’s near miss at the European championships in 1996. Given that world class players from the smaller nations may never get the chance to play in World Cups, and the home crowd factor, team GB have an edge they’ve never had in this event.

Whatever the results and whoever becomes a national hero, London 2012 will give us Britons a chance to become patriotic, to be proud of our nation and to hopefully revel in the successes of our stars. I leave the final words to flamboyant Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who at a party to mark the handover of the Olympic flag in Beijing, he laid claim to Britain’s sporting inventiveness. ‘Virtually every single one of our international sports were invented or codified by the British. And I say this respectfully to our Chinese hosts, who have excelled so magnificently at Ping-Pong: Ping-Pong was invented on the dining tables of England in the 19th century, and it was called Wiff-waff!

‘And there, I think, you have the difference between us and the rest of the world. Other nations, the French, looked at a dining table and saw an opportunity to have dinner; we looked at it and saw an opportunity to play Wiff-waff. And I say to the Chinese, and to the world, that Ping-Pong is coming home, athletics is coming home, sport is coming home.’