Rio Olympics

[Nusadan]

^^^Interesting the situation with Northern Ireland as there are many Northern Ireland residents who consider themselves British. (Rugby being the only sport to my knowledge that the whole of Ireland plays as one team).

Probably in Gaelic football, players from NI would play in All Ireland team v the Aussies Kangaroos?

 

[Quick Hands]

Probably in Gaelic football, players from NI would play in All Ireland team v the Aussies Kangaroos?

Maybe, not sure either way. Although I couldn't imagine many protestants playing gaelic football.

 

[Highlander35]

Cricket I think also plays as all Ireland.

 

[Slim 293]

Andy Friend or Ben Gollings for coach?

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/a...ens-coaching-job/story-e6frf4pu-1227666135984

 

[barbarian]

Couple of the NI golfers have said if they go to the Olympics, they'll represent Ireland, including Rory McIlroy.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

This has been asked before and I can't recall if anyone was able to answer it - you might know.

Will the GB team comprise players from England only? Or will players from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also be eligible? Do the RFU select the team?

Read on PlanetRugby that Wales & Scotland have been promised at least one player each & that no Northern Irishmen will be selected regardless of whether or not Ireland qualify via the repechage (not sure how that would work, other than Northern Irishmen having some kinda claim to Republic of Ireland citizenship).

 

[BaysideBird]

^^^Interesting the situation with Northern Ireland as there are many Northern Ireland residents who consider themselves British. (Rugby being the only sport to my knowledge that the whole of Ireland plays as one team).

Almost all sports are organised on an All-Ireland actually. In individual sports, like swimming and athletics, an NI Athlete can choose between Ireland and Team GB. Soccer seems to be the only big sport not All Ireland and that was due to a split in the 1920's due to politics, which is now all a bit silly now.

 

[D-Box]

Referee panels announced

http://www.worldrugby.org/news/152534

The woman's panel is much mor diverse with most of the men coming from SA, then NZ and Aus

Sent from my HTC_0PJA10 using Tapatalk

 

[The Mil]

Almost all sports are organised on an All-Ireland actually. In individual sports, like swimming and athletics, an NI Athlete can choose between Ireland and Team GB. Soccer seems to be the only big sport not All Ireland and that was due to a split in the 1920's due to politics, which is now all a bit silly now.

Soccer players have always been the dramatic ones.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Ardie Savea has opted out of 7's:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/sevens/79266524/ardie-savea-pulls-out-of-sevens-to-focus-on-15s

 

[Highlander35]

Good move. He'd be my pick for the Bleck Seeven jersey.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Cane looks to have that locked down ATM, more likely it's Savea v Todd for 20 & I wonder whether the injury to Gibson is maybe a factor.

 

[zer0]

Fortunately the Ioane's appear to be honouring their commitments. Akira in particular is of far more importance to the cause than Savea.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Draw for the men's repechage tournament in Monaco on 18 & 19 June is due out tomorrow our time. Women's is in Dublin on 25 & 26 June, not sure when draw is being done but presumably soon.

In each case the Pools will comprise a team from each of four Bands:

Men:
Band 1: Canada, Samoa, Russia, Hong Kong
Band 2: Germany, Zimbabwe, Spain, Chile
Band 3: Mexico, Tonga, Morocco, Uruguay
Band 4: Tunisia, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Korea


Women:
Band 1: Ireland, Russia, Spain, Hong Kong
Band 2: China, Samoa, Mexico, Argentina
Band 3: Kazakhstan, Portugal, Venezuela, Zimbabwe
Band 4: Cook Islands, Tunisia, Trinidad & Tobago, Madagascar

Draw for Rio men's will be confirmed after London 7's, looks like they're using aggregate points from the 2014/15 & 2015/16 Series in which case (& assuming Samoa take out the repechage):

Pool A - Fiji, USA, Argentina, Brazil
Pool B - South Africa, United Kingdom, Samoa, Japan
Pool C - New Zealand, Australia, Kenya, France

Still can't find anything on squad sizes but IMO they need to be bigger than 12 given the number of tournaments this year & last where teams have finished with only 11, 10 or even 9 fit players. I'd like to see everyone allowed two extra players who can only be called in if someone gets ruled out on medical or compassionate grounds (so: player gets suspended on-field or misbehaves off it, tough, deal with it).

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Monaco Sevens - Men's Olympic Games repechage (18-19 June) Stade Louis II

Pool A: Samoa, Zimbabwe, Tonga, Ireland

Pool B: Canada, Germany, Uruguay, Sri Lanka

Pool C: Russia, Chile, Morocco, Tunisia

Pool D: Hong Kong, Spain, Mexico, South Korea

Dublin Sevens - Women's Olympic Games repechage (25-26 June) UCD Bowl

Pool A: Seed 1-, Samoa, Zimbabwe, Madagascar

Pool B: Seed 2-, Mexico, Venezuela, Tunisia

Pool C: Seed 3-, China, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago

Pool D: Hong Kong, Argentina, Kazakhstan, Cook Islands

- Seeds one-three (Russia, Spain and Ireland) will be confirmed after the final round of the HSBC World Rugby Women's Sevens Series in Clermont-Ferrand on 28-29 May

http://www.voxy.co.nz/sport/5/252490

 

[Highlander35]

Pool A wll be an interesting one. Certainly Samoa will be favourites, but Zimbabwe were ever so close to qualification in the African tournament, and played well in both Hong Kong qualification and Cape Town. Tonga pulled the rabbit out of the hat and beat Samoa in the Oceania qualifier and Ireland could be anything.

 

[Omar Comin']

Surely it'll be Samoa or Canada, with Russia probably the only other semi-decent chance. Samoa did lose to Tonga in the Oceania qualifier but that was a Samoan team that played terribly, whereas they just won a world series event a week and a half ago.

No idea who will go through on the women's side. Though you can bet World Rugby will be hoping it's China.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Pools confirmed for Women's repechage:

Pool A: Russia, Samoa, Zimbabwe, Madagascar
Pool B: Spain, Mexico, Venezuela, Tunisia
Pool C: Ireland, China, Portugal, Trinidad & Tobago
Pool D: Hong Kong, Argentina, Kazahkstan, Cook Islands

http://www.worldrugby.org/olympics/repechage

 

[Highlander35]

GB sides named for the first of 4 tournaments.

GB Royals

Cory Allen

Tom Bowen
Alex Davis
Jamie Farndale

Alex Gray
Warwick Lahmert
Ollie Lindsay-Hague
Ruaridh McConnochie
Luke Morgan
Scott Riddell
Joe Simpson
Luke Treharne (C)

Fixtures (all times in BST with a live stream available via www.rugbyeurope.tv)

9.28am v Georgia

12.28am v Lithuania

3.28pm v Russia

GB Lions

Mark Bennett

Dan Bibby

Phil Burgess

Sam Cross

James Davies

Richard de Carpentier

Lee Jones

Gavin Lowe

Tom Mitchell (C)

Dan Norton

Mark Robertson

Marcus Watson

Fixtures (all times in BST with a live stream available via www.rugbyeurope.tv)

8.22am v Portugal

11am v France

2.22pm v Poland

Rodwell still injured, and someone else (can't tell at first glance) is injured too, Glasgow/Scotland wing Lee Jones is drafted in for at least this tournament. Fairly even split of English players, with the Royals having more Welshies and the Lions having more Scots.

Edit: Charlie Haytner is the other one injured. Josea Nayacavou was also called in to train in Rodwell's place albeit his non-selection is probably an indication of where he is in the pecking order. Rugby Europe has ruled Players are also not allowed to switch teams between tournaments so the coaches have decided that they'll be the ones to switch, and will do so on the 2nd day of each tournament.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Fiji training squad named:

http://www.planetrugby.com/news/fiji-announce-sevens-squad/

Yes, they've named Hayne, but what I find interesting is the reference to Ryan picking his best 13 for Rio. If that's not a typo it's great IMO considering how often teams were reduced to 10 or 11 on day 2 of tournaments this year & last.