Friday, July 30, 2010

National teams

National teams
The NZRU has several teams under its control.
Men
• All Blacks - the national men's rugby union team of New Zealand
• Junior All Blacks - the second national team behind the All Blacks and not an age graded side.
• Sevens - the national rugby sevens team of New Zealand. Established in 1983, when the first full international side was sent to the famous Hong Kong Sevens tournament.
• New Zealand Māori - the national men's Māori team of New Zealand. Members of this team must have at least 1/16 Māori ancestry (one great-great-grandparent).
• Under 19s - an age graded side that has developed some of today's current All Blacks, sometimes referred to as the "Baby Blacks."
• Under 20s - an age graded side created after the IRB folded its former under-19 and under-21 World Championships into an under-20 competition known as the IRB Junior World Championship. Currently the country's top age-grade side, and also sometimes referred to as the "Baby Blacks."
• Under 21s - an age graded side that has developed some of today's current All Blacks, also sometimes referred to as the "Baby Blacks."
• Heartland XV - established in 1988 to expose players from Divisions Two and Three in the Air New Zealand NPC to rugby at a higher level. After the 2006 reorganisation of the NPC into the fully professional Air New Zealand Cup, now ITM Cup, and the nominally amateur Heartland Championship, the team now consists solely of players from the Heartland Championship.
• NZ Schools - a development team of school players who move up to the Under 20s and ultimately the All Blacks.
Women
• Black Ferns - the national women's rugby union team of New Zealand.
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History


History
The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) was formed in 1892 to administer the game of rugby union at the national level. At that time, the national union was known as the New Zealand Rugby Football Union or NZRFU. Its name is shortened in 2006 with the removal of the world “Football”.
The first rugby match is played in the Nelson in May 1870, between Nelson College and Nelson Football Club. The game progressed very quickly and in September 1875 the first interprovincial match took place in Dunedin, between Auckland Clubs and Dunedin Clubs.People take interest in this game very soon. In 1879, the first Provincial Unions were formed in Canterbury and Wellington.
Formation and Early Years
On Saturday 16 April 1892, in a meeting held in Wellington, the New Zealand Rugby Union was formed. Inaugural members were the Provincial Unions of Auckland, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu, Marlborough, Nelson, South Canterbury, Taranaki, Waiararapa, Wanganui and Wellington. At the time, three major South Island Provincial Unions – Canterbury, Otago and Southland – resisted the central authority of the NZRU.
In 1893, the NZRU formally adopted the black jersey as the national playing strip and selected the first NZRU-sanctioned national team, for a tour of Australia. However, the earlier New Zealand team selected to tour New South Wales in 1884 is recognised as a New Zealand team and its players recognised as All Blacks.
By 1895, with the additions of the Bush, Canterbury, Horowhenua, Otago, Poverty Bay, Southland and West Coast unions, the NZRU was considered to be a complete and united collection of all New Zealand rugby players. However, the New Zealand rugby map would be repeatedly redrawn in the following decades.
At the Annual Meeting in 1921, the NZRU elected its first Life Member, George Dixon, manager of the 1905 “Originals” All Blacks and the NZRU’s first Chairman, appointed in 1904. In another innovation, provincial delegates met prior to the Annual Meeting to arrange representative fixtures for the season ahead, introducing a new level of national coordination.
Provincial Rugby
In 1976, the National Provincial Championship was formed to help organise matches between provincial unions, it had two divisions in its first year of play but the format was repeatedly reorganized throughout its 30 year history, notably in 1992 the Rugby Union Bonus Points System was brought in to determine the top placed team. Auckland have been the most successful team in the NPC's history with 16 championships including the last in 2005. At the conclusion of the NPC there were three divisions and 27 Rugby Unions under the NZRU's jurisdiction, it was replaced by the Air New Zealand Cup and Heartland Championship in 2006 with 14 teams in the top competition, including the new Tasman Makos, who formed with the amalgamation of the Marlborough and Nelson Bays Rugby Unions, and 12 teams in the amateur Heartland Championship. After a 2010 change in sponsorship, the Air New Zealand Cup became the ITM Cup.
The All Blacks
The All Blacks are New Zealand’s number one national rugby side and have rated amongst the best in the world for well over 100 years. Their name and distinctive all-black playing strip have become well known to rugby and non-rugby fans worldwide.
The first New Zealand team was selected in 1884, for a tour to New South Wales. The team played its first match at home, against a Wellington XV, before recording eight wins in eight matches in Australia. Otago prop James Allan, who played eight matches for the 1884 team, has the title of All Black No 1.
In 1893, the first official NZRU-sanctioned New Zealand team was selected, for an 11-match tour to Australia. The team lost just once, to New South Wales in Sydney.
In 1894, an official New Zealand team hosted visiting opposition on home soil for the first time, in a match against New South Wales at Christchurch won 8–6 by the visitors, two years later, New Zealand beat Queensland at Wellington to record its first home win against visiting opposition.
New Zealand’s 1905–06 tour to the United Kingdom, France and North America might be considered the most important in New Zealand rugby history. The team played 35 matches in total, losing just once. In the United Kingdom especially, the team’s largely confident, attractive and comfortable wins made a strong statement about the quality of rugby in the colonies and New Zealand in particular. Moreover, the 1905–06 tour gave rise to the famous “All Blacks” moniker, as the fame surrounding the black-clad team spread. Nowadays, this team is known as “the Originals” – they were the first team to demonstrate the power and skill of New Zealand rugby, the first to make rugby a part of New Zealand’s cultural identity, and the first to be known as All Blacks.
In 1978, the All Blacks achieved a Grand Slam for the first time. For southern hemisphere sides like New Zealand, a Grand Slam includes victories over the four Home Unions – England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – in the course of a single tour. The team achieved a second Grand Slam in 2005 and a third in 2008.
In 1987, the All Blacks won the inaugural Rugby World Cup, hosted by New Zealand and Australia.
Professional Era
In 1995, following the Rugby World Cup tournament in South Africa, international rugby turned professional with the IRB’s repeal of all amateurism regulations. For the first time, the NZRU negotiated with and contracted New Zealand rugby players. The NZRU also joined with the national unions of Australia and South Africa to form SANZAR, which sold the television rights for major southern hemisphere rugby competitions and helped to build the commercial foundation on which professional rugby is based. SANZAR remains an important rugby organisation and organises the Super 14 and Tri Nations competitions.
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Management and Staff

NZRU Management and Staff
The NZRU Management and Staff is headed by a senior management team that includes the Chief Executive Officer, General Manager Professional Rugby, General Manager Community and Provincial Union Rugby, General Manager Commercial and Finance, General Manager Corporate Services and All Blacks Manager. The CEO is responsible with the Board for the establishment of the vision and strategy for the organization, acts as the key link between the Board and the staff, and is ultimately responsible for the administrative and operational aspects of the NZRU, the current CEO is Steve Tew, who was elected in 2008. The General Manager Professional Rugby oversees NZRU’s High Performance development, the Professional Players Collective Employment Agreement, Professional Player, Coach, Referee and other team management contracting, Other National Teams, Medical, Health and Safety, and Sports Science initiatives, the current General Manager Professional Rugby is Neil Sorensen. The General Manager Community and Provincial Rugby oversees the relationships between the NZRU and the Provincial Unions and leads and manages the NZRU’s Community rugby strategy and initiatives, Buck Anderson currently holds the title. The General Manager Commercial and Finance oversees a broad portfolio of interrelated business units, including commercial and marketing, finance, business planning and development, communications, broadcasting, and IT, Stuart Robb received this position in 2007. The General Manager Corporate Services oversees the support functions within the NZRU, including human resources, legal counsel, and office management, Kirsten Patterson holds this title. The All Blacks Manager heads a small team of staff dedicated to managing the All Blacks team and other activities specific to New Zealand’s top rugby team, Darren Shand is the current All Blacks Manager and has been so since 2004.
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patrons and officers

Patrons and Officers
The NZRU Patron fills an honorary role as the figurehead for the organization. The current Patron is former All Blacks captain Sir Wilson Whineray, who has held the title since 2003 and was last re-elected for a three-year term starting in 2007. Previously, the role was filled ex officio by the Governor-General of New Zealand.
The President and Vice President of the NZRU are the Union's two officers who represent the NZRU and New Zealand Rugby at rugby and non-rugby functions and events. Unlike the NZRU Patron, the President and Vice President are entitled to attend NZRU Board Meetings, but are not entitled to vote on Board matters. The President and Vice President are elected for two years each. The current President is John Sturgeon, former All Blacks Manager, and the current Vice President is Bryan Williams.
NZRU Board
The NZRU Board is charged with setting strategy, direction and policy for the NZRU, and is ultimately responsible for the decisions and actions of NZRU management and staff. Many of the decisions concerning New Zealand’s national teams, domestic competitions, financial management and rugby traditions are made the Board. The Board has nine members: six zonal representatives, one Maori representative and two independent Board Members.
Zonal Representatives
New Zealand’s 26 Provincial Unions are divided into three zones – North, Central and South – and two representatives from each zone are elected to the Board. These zonal representatives are nominated by a Provincial Union within their zone and are elected by a vote of all 26 Unions at the Annual General Meeting. From the six zonal representatives, a Chairman is elected, currently Jock Hobbs holds this title and was first elected in 2002 as a Central Representative.
Maori Representatives
The Maori representative may be nominated by any Provincial Union and is elected by a vote of all the Unions at the Annual General Meeting. The Maori representative is automatically appointed as NZRU representative on and Chairman of the New Zealand Maori Rugby Board.
Independent Board Members
The two independent Board Members must be independent of any Provincial Union and are not nominated for the role. Instead, independent Board Members must apply for the position and are selected on the basis of their professional qualifications and experience by a committee of the NZRU Board.
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The New Zealand Rugby Union


The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) (formerly the New Zealand Rugby Football Union) is the governing body of rugby union in New Zealand, it was founded in 1892, 12 years after the first Provincial Unions in New Zealand, and in 1949, became an affiliate to the International Rugby Board, the governing body of Rugby Union for the world. The Union's main objectives, as displayed in the NZRU Constitution is to, promote and develop rugby throughout New Zealand; arrange and participate in international, trial and other rugby matches and tours in New Zealand and Overseas; represent New Zealand on the International Rugby Board; form and manage NZ representative teams; and encourage participation in, and support for, rugby players and supporters at all levels of the game. NZRU Headquarters are located in Wellington, New Zealand
There are currently 11 NZRU Board Members, President, John Sturgeon, was elected in 2009, who received the position from Andy Leslie in 2009. Steve Tew is the current Chief Executive and Sir Wilson Whineray is the current Patron.
The NZRU currently have eight representative teams, while the New Zealand Maori rugby union team was postponed for the 2009 Pacific Nations Cup, replaced by the Junior All Blacks, with NZRU Chief Executive Steve Tew stating "while the long-term view was that the New Zealand Maori team was the best fit for the Pacific Nations Cup, the development of the top level of players as a pathway to the All Blacks was a more urgent priority in 2009".
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structure

Structure
The NZRU was initially governed by a committee of delegates from the provincial unions until replaced in 1894 by a seven-member Wellington-based management committee. This was expanded 43 years later to create two entities, the ruling NZRU Council and an executive committee. In 1986, the NZRU introduced the three zones and the executive committee was replaced by an administration committee. Ten years later the council was replaced by the current NZRU Board which included independent board members. Administrative responsibilities were initially held by honorary secretaries, and then secretaries, from 1907. Since 1990, the NZRU has been managed by a CEO.
Patrons and Officers
The NZRU Patron fills an honorary role as the figurehead for the organization. The current Patron is former All Blacks captain Sir Wilson Whineray, who has held the title since 2003 and was last re-elected for a three-year term starting in 2007. Previously, the role was filled ex officio by the Governor-General of New Zealand.
The President and Vice President of the NZRU are the Union's two officers who represent the NZRU and New Zealand Rugby at rugby and non-rugby functions and events. Unlike the NZRU Patron, the President and Vice President are entitled to attend NZRU Board Meetings, but are not entitled to vote on Board matters. The President and Vice President are elected for two years each. The current President is John Sturgeon, former All Blacks Manager, and the current Vice President is Bryan Williams.
Structure
The NZRU was initially governed by a committee of delegates from the provincial unions until replaced in 1894 by a seven-member Wellington-based management committee. This was expanded 43 years later to create two entities, the ruling NZRU Council and an executive committee. In 1986, the NZRU introduced the three zones and the executive committee was replaced by an administration committee. Ten years later the council was replaced by the current NZRU Board which included independent board members. Administrative responsibilities were initially held by honorary secretaries, and then secretaries, from 1907. Since 1990, the NZRU has been managed by a CEO.
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Thursday, July 29, 2010

World Cup 2008

World Cup 2008
ireland were drawn against Lebanon and Russia in Europe's Qualifying Pool Two. Ireland topped the group with a 16-16 draw with Lebanon at Dewsbury on 2 November 2007. The draw meant Ireland qualified for the 2008 World Cup on points difference from Lebanon as both nations gained the same number of group points.

At the World Cup in Australia, Ireland were in Group C along with Tonga and Samoa. They lost to Tonga on 27 October in Parramatta, Sydney, but were victorious against Samoa, again in Parramatta, on 5 November and topped the group on points difference. As the group winners, they played Fiji, winners of Group B, for a chance to qualify for the semi-final. Fiji won 30-14 and so Ireland were eliminated.
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Ireland national rugby league team


Ireland national rugby league team
The Ireland national rugby league team represent the island of Ireland (i.e. both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) in rugby league football. Ireland are accredited as an affiliate nation of the Rugby League International Federation. The representative team is dominated by players from Super League and sometimes includes players from the Australasian NRL. Ireland is also represented by an Ireland A side, which is made up of players from the domestic Irish competition.

Since Ireland began competing in international Rugby League in 1995, it has participated in the Emerging Nations Tournament (1995), Super League World Nines (1996), World Cup (2000 and 2008), European Nations Cup (since 2003) and Victory Cup (2004). Ireland A compete annually in the Amateur Four Nations competition (since 2002) and the St Patrick's Day Challenge (1995–2004).

Irish players have in the past been selected to play for the Great Britain side, one recent example being Cork-born Brian Carney. However, since the Great Britain team was split into individual nations in 2007, it is unlikely that this situation will arise again.
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ireland rugby history


History
Ireland formed its very first competitive team to play against the USA in Washington on St. Patrick's Day in 1995. Ireland won 24-22 with Wigan legend Joe Lydon coming on as a replacement. He had gone to the US as a manager but was drafted in to play. Terry Flanagan, Huddersfield coach and former Great Britain player, along with Niel Wood, Director of British Student Rugby League, coached the team. In August 1995 Ireland beat Scotland at the RDS in Dublin. The game was played as a curtain raiser to the British Charity Shield encounter between Wigan and Leeds. The Irish team that day included former Great Britain player Des Foy. These two victories ensured that Ireland were included in the Emerging Nations World Cup in the Autumn of 1995. Coached again by Flanagan and Wood, the Ireland team beat Moldova and Morocco but lost 22-6 to the Cook Islands in the final held at Gigg Lane, Bury in England. In February 1996 a Senior Irish squad travelled to Fiji to participate in the Inaugural Super League World Nines. Ireland managed to finish 8th out of 16 nations. During the tournament Ireland played Japan, France, New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga. Following discussions between Mal Meninga and Ireland's Niel Wood (this was actually a game of touch football as final preparation for the Nines Tournament which started the next day), an unofficial 'test' was organised between Ireland and the World Champions, Australia on 20 February 1996.


The match was played at the Fiji National Stadium and was won by Australia 20-12. Australians playing that day included: Laurie Daley (Capt.), Ricky Stuart, Andrew Ettinghausen, Brett Mullins, Wendell Sailor, Jason Hetherington, Simon Gillies, Robbie Beckett, Mark Geyer and Steve Renouf. In 1996 a second St. Patrick's Day match was played against the USA. Try scorers that day were Thomas "Tom" McCabe and Des Foy. Phelim Comerford kicked 3 goals to ensure another 2 point victory by 14-12. In August 1996 the Ireland team lined out against Scotland and were beaten 26-6. Both teams fielded a few professionals: Scotland included Alan Tait, Matt Crowther, Danny Russell and Darren Shaw.

The Ireland team included Martin Crompton, Bernard Dwyer and James Lowes. The rest of the Irish team was made up of a few professionals from the lower divisions in England, a couple of ex-professionals, a few amateurs from the English amateur leagues and players from the fledgling Irish domestic competition. 1997 saw more England-based Super League players making themselves available by use of the grandparent rule. The Irish team improved its standards but this development gave less opportunity for Irish-based players to get a chance to play. However, Irish-based players were included in the Irish squad for the triangular tournaments in 1998 against France and Scotland and 1999 against Scotland and Wales. Their success was enough to earn a place in the 2000 World Cup. Finishing top of their group, the Irish eventually lost 26-16 to England in the quarter-finals, but the performance set the scene for future developments in Ireland.
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ireland match results


Results
Ireland has played in 22 full internationals, winning 14 and losing 7 with 1 draw. As it is not a full member of the Rugby League International Federation, these matches are not considered to be tests. Ireland has also played friendlies against USA, Scotland and Australia that are not included in these results.

* Lebanon def. Ireland 40-16 (8/11/09) 2009 European cup
* Wales def. Ireland 42-12 (1/11/09) 2009 European cup
* Ireland def. Serbia 82-0 (18/10/09) 2009 European cup
* Fiji def. Ireland 30-14 (10/11/2008) 2008 Rugby league world cup quarter final
* Ireland def. Samoa 34-16 (5/11/2008) 2008 Rugby league world cup group game
* Tonga def. Ireland 22-20 (27/10/2008) 2008 Rugby league world cup group game
* Ireland drew with Lebanon 16-16 (2/11/2007)
* Wales def. Ireland 31-10 (30/10/2005)
* Ireland def. Scotland 12-6 (23/10/2005)
* England A def. Ireland 36-12 (7/11/2004)
* Ireland def. Scotland 43-10 (29/10/2004)
* Ireland def. Wales 25-12 (17/10/2004)
* Russia def. Ireland 64-6 (16/5/2004)
* Ireland def. USA 74-16 (10/5/2004)
* Ireland def. Scotland 24-22 (26/10/2004)
* France def. Ireland 26-18 (11/1/2003)
* France def. Ireland 56-16 (26/6/2001)
* England def. Ireland 26-16 (11/11/2000) Quarter Final of 2000 World Cup
* Ireland def. New Zealand Māori 30-16 (4/11/2000) 2000 World Cup
* Ireland def. Scotland 18-6 (1/11/2000) 2000 World Cup
* Ireland def. Samoa 30-16 (28/10/2000) 2000 World Cup
* Ireland def. Scotland 31-10 (31/10/1999)
* Ireland def. Wales 24-17 (15/10/1999)
* Ireland def. Scotland 17-10 (18/11/1998)
* France def. Ireland 24-22 (4/11/1998)
* Ireland drew with France 30-30 (13/5/1997)
* Cook Islands def. Ireland 10-6 (24/10/1995)
* Ireland def. Morocco 42-6 (24/10/1995)
* Ireland def. Moldova 48-26 (16/10/1995)
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ireland national team


The national team
Main article: Ireland national rugby league team
There are in fact two Ireland teams: the full Ireland side is dominated by players of Irish ancestry from Super League and the NRL, whilst the Irish Wolfhounds side is made up of players from the domestic Irish competition.
Until recently the Great Britain team were known as 'Great Britain and Ireland' and Irish players were able to play for them. Brian Carney (rugby footballer) is a rare example of a player who played in the Irish league and then gained a professional contract with Super League club Wigan Warriors, he went on to play for Great Britain and Ireland.
Ireland also has a strong students Wolfhounds team who competed in the 2008 Students world cup and finished 2nd in the student's 4 nations tournament in 2009.
History
The seed of modern-day rugby league in Ireland was sown when in 1989 the Dublin Blues were formed and founded by Brian Corrigan. They consisted mostly of rugby union players who wanted to stay fit over the summer. The Blues competed against touring teams from Britain and surprised many of the touring sides with the quality of their play, scoring many memorable victories over British amateur opposition.
In early 1995 the British Rugby Football League development arm financed the position of a Development Officer for Ireland, providing a massive boost to the development of the game. In the same year Ireland formed its very first competitive team to play against the USA in Washington DC on St. Patrick's Day. Ireland won 24-22.
Competitive matches were established between teams in Leinster and Ulster: Schoolboy matches were played between Dublin and Belfast schools, Open Age Clubs competed against each other in the All-Ireland Challenge Cup. Teams included Belfast Wildcats and Bangor Vikings from Ulster. From Leinster there were Dublin-based Dublin Blues, North Side Saints, Tallaght Tiger, Churchtown Warriors, Seapoint Sharks and Bray-based East Coast Panthers. From Munster the Cork Bulls were formed under the guidance of Ex-Dublin Blues stalwart Peter McNamara. Northside Saints and Cork Bulls had their successes but the long-established Dublin Blues were always pre-eminent and there or thereabouts when it came to the trophy presentations.
The modern-day Rugby League Ireland was formed in 2001 initially in Leinster and Munster conferences, prior to this the competition was known as Ireland Rugby League, though after a season the league reverted to a national competition for two seasons before the conferences were reintroduced for 2004.
In 2006 the Leinster and Munster conferences were abandoned in favour of an all-Ireland league, but conference play was reintroduced for the 2007 season, this time on a North/South basis, below the Elite division.
For 2008 two national divisions operate, the Carnegie League and the Emerald Rugby National Conference.
In 2009 the Emerald National Conference has been replaced by the Emerald League run on a merit league basis. However, the Emerald League is unlikely to run in 2009 and it is hoped it will run in the future. Also a separate Northern Ireland league has been re-established.
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ireland past championship

Past champions
1997 - Dublin Blues 1998 - Northside Saints 1999 - Dublin Blues 2000 - Churchtown Warriors 2001 - Cork Bulls 2002 - Dublin City Exiles 2003 - Dublin City Exiles 2004 - Clontarf Bulls 2005 - Treaty City Titans 2006 - Treaty City Titans 2007 - Treaty City Titans 2008 - Carlow Crusaders 2009 - Treaty City Titans
League in Northern Ireland
The early stages of a competition in Northern Ireland are under development and progress was made when the RFL, RLI and members of the puplic met in Belfast in autumn 2008. The response to the meeting was positive and the competition is likely to kick off in the summer of 2009. Confirmed teams so far include:
• Ballynahinch Rabbitohs
• Belfast Bulldogs
• Portadown Pumas
• Strangford Sharks
• Fermanagh Redskins
• Magherafelt Mercenaries
Ballynahinch Bulls won the 2009 NI conference defeating East Belfast Bulldogs in the final.
Media
There are two weekly rugby league newspapers in the UK Rugby Leaguer & League Express and League Weekly and two monthly magazines, Rugby League World and Thirteen Magazine. Most of their content covers the sport in Britain, Australia and New Zealand but Irish rugby league is also covered. These publications are usually only available by subscription in Ireland.
A rugby union publication called Emerald Rugby covers rugby league in Ireland each month.
BBC Sport own the rights to broadcast a highlights package called the Super League Show which was first broadcast in Northern Ireland in 2008. Prior to this it had only been broadcast in the North of England. Rugby League Raw is not broadcast in Northern Ireland despite the BBC owning the rights to do so. The BBC covers the Challenge Cup from the rounds in which the top clubs enter.
BBC Radio Five Live and BBC Five Live Sports Extra carry commentary from a selection of Super League matches each week,.
Sky has the rights to show live Super League games; one or two live matches are broadcast often fronted by Mike Stephenson and Eddie Hemmings. Sky also hold the rights to show the Rugby League Tri-Nations live, whilst highlights are shown on BBC Sport. Australia's National Rugby League and State of Origin were shown until 2005-06 season when Setanta Sports outbid Sky for the rights.
Setanta Sports Ireland broadcasted highlights of the 2005 and 2006 pre-season Dublin challenge matches, and the 2005 European Nations Cup, on its Sports Weekly and Sports Monthly programmes.
Manchester based Channel M show some National League and amateur rugby on their Code XIII programme.
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ireland rugby league


ireland rugby league

Rugby league in Ireland
History
In May 1934 Wigan beat Warrington 32-19 in an exhibition match in Dublin. Twenty years later, in May 1954, Warrington were again defeated by Halifax in both Belfast (34-15) and Dublin (23-11).
Several Irish rugby union players have crossed the Irish Sea to play in British Championship, most notably Irish forwards Robin Thompson, in the 1950s, and Ken Goodall a decade later.
The first club side to actually play in Ireland, Dublin Blues, were not formed until 1989. They consisted mostly of rugby union players who wanted to test themselves in the other code. The Blues competed against touring teams from Britain and surprised many of the touring sides with the quality of their play, scoring many memorable victories over British amateur opposition.
In early 1995 the Rugby Football League development arm financed the position of a Development Officer for Ireland, providing a boost to the development of the game. This laid the basis for the formation of the national Ireland side, which played its first ever game on St Patrick's Day 1995, in Washington DC, defeating the USA 24-22.
Competitive matches were established between teams in Leinster and Ulster: Schoolboy matches were played between Dublin and Belfast schools, Open Age Clubs competed against each other in the All-Ireland Challenge Cup. Teams included Belfast Wildcats and Bangor Vikings from Ulster.
Governing body and competitions
Main article: Rugby League Ireland
The governing body is Rugby League Ireland (RLI), though the Rugby Football League (whose remit covers the United Kingdom, and therefore partially overlaps with the RLI) provide funding and support for the game in Ireland.
Having experimented with a dual conference set up for several seasons, whereby teams from Munster and Leinster played in provincial conferences with the top teams going on to compete for the national title, the RLI changed to an All Ireland competition for the 2006 competition so as to guarantee more games for all teams and avoid repetition in the schedules as had been experienced in previous years, with Dublin based sides facing eath other as many as three times in the one season.
For 2007 the league has reverted to a conference style competition for fifteen teams, five in the top division, and ten in the second division, themeselves spit into two geographical conferences of five teams. One of these ten lower teams, Carlow Crusaders B, is from the same club as its namesake in the top division, so in total 15 teams will represent 14 clubs in the 2007 league.
The creation of a Rugby League club in the province of Ulster, the Portadown Panthers, has further increased the scope of the domestic competition and has led to hopes of the spread of the game in the north of the country. This left the western province of Connacht as the only unrepresented region of Ireland in the Rugby League Ireland competition.
Despite the creation of Portadown, early expectations of RLI success in Ulster were dampened when Portadown were severely beaten in their first and only game of the 2006 season by the North Dublin Eagles, 24-66. Portadown, apparently embarrassed after this defeat, left the remainder of Rugby League Ireland season, leving some other clubs in Ireland without games. However, Portadown did play in the 2008 elite league season but from 2009 will compete in the brand new Northern Ireland rugby league competition.
Hopes for a Connacht based Galway side appear to have been fulfilled, as the Galway Tribesmen have replaced the departing Waterford Vikings in the league for 2007.
Treaty City Titans won the 2009 Carnegie league defeating the Carlow Crusaders 33-26 in extra time.
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ireland rugby league


ireland rugby league

Current teams for 2010 Season
Leinster League
• Athboy
• Carlow Crusaders
• Dublin City Exiles
• Laois Panthers
• North Dublin Eagles
• Tullamore Knights
• Wicklow Vikings
Munster League
• Bruff
• Cork
• Treaty City Titans
• University of Limerick Bohs
Ulster league
• Ballinahinch Rabbitohs
• East Belfast Bulldogs
• Fermanagh Redskins
• Portadown Pumas
• Strangford Sharks
• Mid Ulster Mercenaries
Teams in past seasons of the league
2001
• Leinster Conference: Dublin Blues, Dublin City Exiles, Clontarf, Churchtown Warriors
• Munster Conference: Cork Bulls, Suir Valley Saints, Carbury Crusaders, West Munster Kings
2002
• Cork Bulls, Dublin Blues, Dublin City Exiles, Churchtown Warriors, North Kildare Knights, East Coast Eagles
2003
• Cork Bulls, Dublin Blues, Dublin City Exiles, Churchtown Warriors, North Kildare Knights, East Coast Eagles
2004
• Leinster Conference: Dublin Blues, Dublin City Exiles, Churchtown Warriors, East Coast Eagles, Clontarf Bulls, Kildare Dragons
• Munster Conference: Cork Bulls, Middleton Devils, Kilkenny Wildcats, Waterford Vikings, Kerry Kings, Treaty City Titans
• NB: Middleton Devils never started the season.
2005
• Leinster Conference (West): Kildare Dragons, Tullamore Knights, Portloaise Panthers, Athlone Arrows, Athboy Longhorns
• Leinster Conference (East): Dublin Blues, Dublin City Exiles, East Coast Eagles, Ashbourne
• Ulster Conference: Portadown Pumas
• Munster Conference: Cork Bulls, Kilkenny Wildcats, Waterford Vikings, Kerry Kings, Treaty City Titans
• NB: Ashbourne and Athlone Arrows failed to start the season and therefore the Leinster (West), Leinster (East) and Ulster conferences were merged into one Leinster Conference.
2006
• Kildare Dragons, Tullamore Knights, Portloaise Panthers, Athlone Arrows, Athboy Longhorns, Dublin Blues, Dublin City Exiles, North Dublin Eagles, Portadown Pumas, Cork Bulls, Kilkenny Wildcats, Waterford Vikings, Treaty City Titans, Malahide Lions
• NB: Cork Bulls and Malahide Lions failed to start the season with Carlow Crusaders being brought in as a replacement for Cork Bulls.
2007
• Elite Division: Carlow Crusaders, Treaty City Titans, North Dublin Eagles, Dublin Blues, Kildare Dragons
• North Division: Dublin City Exiles, Portadown Pumas, Athboy Longhorns, Athlone Arrows, Tallaght Tigers
• South Division: Tullamore Knights, Portlaoise Panthers, Kilkenny Wildcats, Galway Tribesmen, Carlow Crusaders B
• NB: Galway Tribesmen failed to start the season and were replaced by Treaty City Spartans. Kildare Dragons and Athboy Longhorns failed to complete the season.
2008
• Elite Division: Carlow Crusaders, Treaty City Titans, North Dublin Eagles, Dublin City Exiles, Portadown Pumas, Tullamore Knights
• National Conference: Landsowne Blues, Athlone Arrows, Tallaght Tigers, Portlaoise Panthers, Kilkenny Wildcats, Carlow Crusaders B, Ballinahinch Bulls, North Dublin Eagles B, Western Warriors
• NB: Landsowne Blues, Athlone Arrows, Ballinahinch Bulls and North Dublin Eagles B failed to complete the season
2009
• Elite League: Carlow Crusaders, Treaty City Titans, North Dublin Eagles, Dublin City Exiles, Tullamore Knights, Laois Panthers
• Rugby League Merit League: Tallaght Tigers
• Northern Ireland League: Portadown Pumas, Ballinahinch Bulls, East Belfast Bulldogs, Strangford Sharks
2010
• Ulster Conference: Portadown Pumas, Ballinahinch Rabbitohs, East Belfast Bulldogs, Strangford Sharks, Antrim Storm, Fermanagh Redskins
• Leinster Conference: Carlow Crusaders, North Dublin Eagles, Dublin City Exiles, Tullamore Knights, Laois Panthers, Tallaght Tigers, Athboy, Wicklow Vikings
• Munster Conference: Treaty City Titans, Cork Bulls, Bruff, Cashel
• NB:Antrim Storm, Tallaght Tigers and Cashel failed to start the season. However, University of Limerick Bohs replaced Cashel in the Munster Conference.
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Monday, July 26, 2010

ireland rugby



IRFU History
Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU)

Dublin University, founded in 1854, was the first organised Rugby Football Club in Ireland. Students at the University had first learnt the game while at English Public Schools. Other clubs which were formed at the time and are still in existence include, Wanderers founded in 1869; Lansdowne (1873); Dungannon (1873); UCC (1874); Co. Carlow (1873); Ballinasloe (1875); NIFC (1868); Queen’s University (1869).
Ballinasloe and Athlone amalgamated in 1994 to form Buccaneers.
From 1874 to 1879 there were two Unions. The Irish Football Union had jurisdiction over Clubs in Leinster, Munster and parts of Ulster; the Northern Football Union of Ireland controlled the Belfast area. When the first International was played against England in February 1875, the teams were twenty a side and the Irish team included 12 players from Leinster and eight from Ulster. The first fifteen a side match was in 1877 and the first Munster players were chosen in 1879.
In 1879 the two Unions agreed to amalgamate on the following terms:
(i) A Union to be known as the Irish Rugby Football Union was to be formed for the whole country.
(ii) Branches were to be formed in Leinster, Munster and Ulster.
(iii) The Union was to be run by a Council of eighteen, made up of six from each province.
The Council was to meet annually. The Council of the Union still meets annually, but the day to day affairs are managed by a Committee comprising a President, two Vice-Presidents, the immediate Past President, the Honorary Treasurer and nineteen members. In 1885, twenty-six Clubs were affiliated to the Union of which ten were in Ulster, nine in Leinster, seven in Munster. The Connacht Branch was formed in 1886. There are presently 60,000 (approx.) players in total in Ireland. 56 clubs are affiliated to the Ulster Branch; 71 to the Leinster Branch: 59 to the Munster Branch and 19 to the Connacht Branch. In addition there are 246 Schools playing rugby, Ulster (107), Leinster (75), Munster (41) and Connacht (23).
There is a National League of 50 Senior Clubs.
The Union owns grounds at Lansdowne Road at which International Rugby and Soccer matches are played. The ground is also home to Wanderers and Lansdowne Rugby clubs. Developments in recent years have added greatly to the seating capacity and the ground now holds approx 50,000. The Union also owns Ravenhill Park in Belfast, Thomond Park in Limerick and a number of grounds in provincial areas that have been rented to Clubs.
There is a Branch of the Union in each Province which s managed by a Committee representative of the Clubs in that province. The function of a branch is to regulate the affairs of its Clubs and Schools and to organise Interprovincial matches, Club competitions and Club matches. The Interprovicial series that is played before Christmas each season provides a useful series of trial matches for the Irish Selectors.

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New Zealand Rugby


New Zealand Rugby
The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) (formerly the New Zealand Rugby Football Union) is the governing body of rugby union in New Zealand, it was founded in 1892, 12 years after the first Provincial Unions in New Zealand, and in 1949, became an affiliate to the International Rugby Board, the governing body of Rugby Union for the world. The Union's main objectives, as displayed in the NZRU Constitution is to, promote and develop rugby throughout New Zealand; arrange and participate in international, trial and other rugby matches and tours in New Zealand and Overseas; represent New Zealand on the International Rugby Board; form and manage NZ representative teams; and encourage participation in, and support for, rugby players and supporters at all levels of the game. NZRU Headquarters are located in Wellington, New Zealand
There are currently 11 NZRU Board Members, President, John Sturgeon, was elected in 2009, who received the position from Andy Leslie in 2009. Steve Tew is the current Chief Executive and Sir Wilson Whineray is the current Patron.
The NZRU currently have eight representative teams, while the New Zealand Maori rugby union team was postponed for the 2009 Pacific Nations Cup, replaced by the Junior All Blacks, with NZRU Chief Executive Steve Tew stating "while the long-term view was that the New Zealand Maori team was the best fit for the Pacific Nations Cup, the development of the top level of players as a pathway to the All Blacks was a more urgent priority in 2009"

Structure
The NZRU was initially governed by a committee of delegates from the provincial unions until replaced in 1894 by a seven-member Wellington-based management committee. This was expanded 43 years later to create two entities, the ruling NZRU Council and an executive committee. In 1986, the NZRU introduced the three zones and the executive committee was replaced by an administration committee. Ten years later the council was replaced by the current NZRU Board which included independent board members. Administrative responsibilities were initially held by honorary secretaries, and then secretaries, from 1907. Since 1990, the NZRU has been managed by a CEO.
Patrons and Officers
The NZRU Patron fills an honorary role as the figurehead for the organization. The current Patron is former All Blacks captain Sir Wilson Whineray, who has held the title since 2003 and was last re-elected for a three-year term starting in 2007. Previously, the role was filled ex officio by the Governor-General of New Zealand.
The President and Vice President of the NZRU are the Union's two officers who represent the NZRU and New Zealand Rugby at rugby and non-rugby functions and events. Unlike the NZRU Patron, the President and Vice President are entitled to attend NZRU Board Meetings, but are not entitled to vote on Board matters. The President and Vice President are elected for two years each. The current President is John Sturgeon, former All Blacks Manager, and the current Vice President is Bryan Williams.
History
The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) was formed in 1892 to administer the game of rugby union at the national level. At that time, the national union was known as the New Zealand Rugby Football Union or NZRFU. The name was officially shortened in 2006 with the removal of the world “Football”.
The first rugby match to be played in New Zealand took place in Nelson in May 1870, between Nelson College and Nelson Football Club. The game spread quickly and in September 1875 the first interprovincial match took place in Dunedin, between Auckland Clubs and Dunedin Clubs. In 1879, the first Provincial Unions were formed in Canterbury and Wellington.
Formation and Early Years
On Saturday 16 April 1892, in a meeting held in Wellington, the New Zealand Rugby Union was formed. Inaugural members were the Provincial Unions of Auckland, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu, Marlborough, Nelson, South Canterbury, Taranaki, Waiararapa, Wanganui and Wellington. At the time, three major South Island Provincial Unions – Canterbury, Otago and Southland – resisted the central authority of the NZRU.
In 1893, the NZRU formally adopted the black jersey as the national playing strip and selected the first NZRU-sanctioned national team, for a tour of Australia. However, the earlier New Zealand team selected to tour New South Wales in 1884 is recognised as a New Zealand team and its players recognised as All Blacks.
By 1895, with the additions of the Bush, Canterbury, Horowhenua, Otago, Poverty Bay, Southland and West Coast unions, the NZRU was considered to be a complete and united collection of all New Zealand rugby players. However, the New Zealand rugby map would be repeatedly redrawn in the following decades.
At the Annual Meeting in 1921, the NZRU elected its first Life Member, George Dixon, manager of the 1905 “Originals” All Blacks and the NZRU’s first Chairman, appointed in 1904. In another innovation, provincial delegates met prior to the Annual Meeting to arrange representative fixtures for the season ahead, introducing a new level of national coordination.
Provincial Rugby
In 1976, the National Provincial Championship was formed to help organise matches between provincial unions, it had two divisions in its first year of play but the format was repeatedly reorganized throughout its 30 year history, notably in 1992 the Rugby Union Bonus Points System was brought in to determine the top placed team. Auckland have been the most successful team in the NPC's history with 16 championships including the last in 2005. At the conclusion of the NPC there were three divisions and 27 Rugby Unions under the NZRU's jurisdiction, it was replaced by the Air New Zealand Cup and Heartland Championship in 2006 with 14 teams in the top competition, including the new Tasman Makos, who formed with the amalgamation of the Marlborough and Nelson Bays Rugby Unions, and 12 teams in the amateur Heartland Championship. After a 2010 change in sponsorship, the Air New Zealand Cup became the ITM Cup.
The All Blacks
The All Blacks are New Zealand’s number one national rugby side and have rated amongst the best in the world for well over 100 years. Their name and distinctive all-black playing strip have become well known to rugby and non-rugby fans worldwide.
The first New Zealand team was selected in 1884, for a tour to New South Wales. The team played its first match at home, against a Wellington XV, before recording eight wins in eight matches in Australia. Otago prop James Allan, who played eight matches for the 1884 team, has the title of All Black No 1.
In 1893, the first official NZRU-sanctioned New Zealand team was selected, for an 11-match tour to Australia. The team lost just once, to New South Wales in Sydney.
In 1894, an official New Zealand team hosted visiting opposition on home soil for the first time, in a match against New South Wales at Christchurch won 8–6 by the visitors, two years later, New Zealand beat Queensland at Wellington to record its first home win against visiting opposition.
New Zealand’s 1905–06 tour to the United Kingdom, France and North America might be considered the most important in New Zealand rugby history. The team played 35 matches in total, losing just once. In the United Kingdom especially, the team’s largely confident, attractive and comfortable wins made a strong statement about the quality of rugby in the colonies and New Zealand in particular. Moreover, the 1905–06 tour gave rise to the famous “All Blacks” moniker, as the fame surrounding the black-clad team spread. Nowadays, this team is known as “the Originals” – they were the first team to demonstrate the power and skill of New Zealand rugby, the first to make rugby a part of New Zealand’s cultural identity, and the first to be known as All Blacks.
In 1924–25, the All Blacks embarked on a 32-match tour to the United Kingdom, France and Canada. Going one better than the 1905–06 Originals, this team won all 32 matches, including Test wins over Ireland, Wales, England and France, and earned the nickname “the Invincibles”.
In 1956, the All Blacks won a Test series against South Africa for the first time. The Springboks were the All Blacks’ greatest traditional rivals and had delivered some of the All Blacks’ worst defeats.
In 1978, the All Blacks achieved a Grand Slam for the first time. For southern hemisphere sides like New Zealand, a Grand Slam includes victories over the four Home Unions – England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – in the course of a single tour. The team achieved a second Grand Slam in 2005 and a third in 2008.
In 1987, the All Blacks won the inaugural Rugby World Cup, hosted by New Zealand and Australia.
Professional Era
In 1995, following the Rugby World Cup tournament in South Africa, international rugby turned professional with the IRB’s repeal of all amateurism regulations. For the first time, the NZRU negotiated with and contracted New Zealand rugby players. The NZRU also joined with the national unions of Australia and South Africa to form SANZAR, which sold the television rights for major southern hemisphere rugby competitions and helped to build the commercial foundation on which professional rugby is based. SANZAR remains an important rugby organisation and organises the Super 14 and Tri Nations competitions.
National teams
The NZRU has several teams under its control.
Men
• All Blacks - the national men's rugby union team of New Zealand
• Junior All Blacks - the second national team behind the All Blacks and not an age graded side.
• Sevens - the national rugby sevens team of New Zealand. Established in 1983, when the first full international side was sent to the famous Hong Kong Sevens tournament.
• New Zealand Māori - the national men's Māori team of New Zealand. Members of this team must have at least 1/16 Māori ancestry (one great-great-grandparent).
• Under 19s - an age graded side that has developed some of today's current All Blacks, sometimes referred to as the "Baby Blacks."
• Under 20s - an age graded side created after the IRB folded its former under-19 and under-21 World Championships into an under-20 competition known as the IRB Junior World Championship. Currently the country's top age-grade side, and also sometimes referred to as the "Baby Blacks."
• Under 21s - an age graded side that has developed some of today's current All Blacks, also sometimes referred to as the "Baby Blacks."
• Heartland XV - established in 1988 to expose players from Divisions Two and Three in the Air New Zealand NPC to rugby at a higher level. After the 2006 reorganisation of the NPC into the fully professional Air New Zealand Cup, now ITM Cup, and the nominally amateur Heartland Championship, the team now consists solely of players from the Heartland Championship.
• NZ Schools - a development team of school players who move up to the Under 20s and ultimately the All Blacks.
Women
• Black Ferns - the national women's rugby union team of New Zealand.

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introduction


Rugby football (usually just "rugby") is either of two current sports, either rugby league or rugby union, or any of a number of sports through history descended from a common form of football developed in different areas of the United Kingdom.
History
The game of rugby football developed from a version of football played at Rugby School and was originally one of several different versions of football played at English public schools during the 19th century.
The game of football that was played at Rugby School between 1750 and 1859 permitted handling of the ball, but no-one was allowed to run with it in their hands towards the opposition's goal. There was no fixed limit to the number of players per side and sometimes there were hundreds taking part in a kind of enormous rolling maul. This sport caused major injury at times. The innovation of running with the ball was introduced some time between 1859 and 1865. William Webb Ellis has been credited with breaking the local rules by running forwards with the ball in a game in 1823. Shortly after this written rules were established for the sports which had earlier just involved local agreements, and boys from Rugby School produced the first written rules for their version of the sport in 1870.
Around this time the influence of Dr Thomas Arnold, Rugby's headmaster, was beginning to be felt around all the other public schools, and his emphasis on sport as part of a balanced education naturally encouraged the general adoption of the Rugby rules across the country, and, ultimately, the world.
Status of rugby codes in various countries
Rugby union is both a professional and amateur game, and is dominated by the first tier unions: South Africa, Argentina, Australia, England, France, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales. Second and third tier unions include Canada, Chile, Fiji, Georgia, Japan, Namibia, Portugal, Romania, Samoa, Spain, Tonga, the United States and Uruguay. Rugby Union is administered by the International Rugby Board (IRB), whose headquarters are located in Dublin, Ireland. It is the national sport in New Zealand, South Africa, Wales, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Madagascar, and is the most popular form of rugby globally, with the seven-a-side version of the game, known as Rugby Sevens, having been admitted into the programme of the Olympic Games from Rio de Janeiro in 2016 onwards. There is also a possibility that Rugby Sevens will also be a demonstration sport at the 2012 London Olympics. The fifteen-a-side version of Rugby Union was last played at the Olympic Games in Paris 1924, with the United States winning the gold medal, defeating France in the final 17-3.
Rugby league is also both a professional and amateur game, administered on a global level by the Rugby League International Federation. In addition to the countless amateur and semi-professional competitions in countries such as the United States, Russia, Lebanon and across Europe and Australasia, there are two major professional competitions worldwide—the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League.
Laws
Further information: Comparison of rugby league and rugby union and Laws of rugby league
Distinctive features common to both rugby codes include the oval ball and the ban on passing the ball forward, so that players can gain ground only by running with the ball or by kicking it. As the sport of rugby league moved further away from its union counterpart, rule changes were implemented with the aim of making a faster-paced, more try-orientated game.
The main differences between the two games, besides league having teams of 13 players and union of 15, involve the tackle and its aftermath:
• Union players contest possession following the tackle: depending on the situation, either a ruck or a maul can occur. League players may not contest possession after making a tackle: play is continued with a play-the-ball.
• In league, if the team in possession fails to score before a set of six tackles, it surrenders possession. Union has no six-tackle rule; a team can keep the ball for an unlimited number of tackles before scoring as long as it maintains possession and does not commit an offence.
Set pieces of the union code include the scrum, where packs of opposing players push against each other for possession, and the lineout, where parallel lines of players from each team, arranged perpendicular to the touch-line attempt to catch the ball thrown from touch.
In the league code, the scrum still exists, but with greatly reduced importance as it involves fewer players and is rarely contested making the scrum academic. Set pieces are generally started from the play-the-ball situation. Many of the rugby league positions have similar names and requirements to rugby union positions but there are no flankers in rugby league.
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