Nov 30 Newsletter

I just sent this out to my newsletter list.
If you want to get info via newsletter please email me;
pedanticpete@gmail.com.
I'm a total newbie to any sort of website/blog so I don't have a sign up on my blog....yet.

In this diatribe

a) Live rugby from Big Johns

b) International 7s rugby in Houston Feb 2013

c) Other news.

a) Live rugby

Big Johns at 6150 Wilcrest will show free of charge the last 2 International games

England vs New Zealand 8.30am Live

Wales vs Australia 11am Replay

The geniuses at IRB have scheduled the last two games at the same time.

And, arguably, these are 2 of the most anticipated games.

Is it possible for the greatest game to be saddled with such incompetence time and time again.

I haven't been able to get out as much as I'd like because of health issues. But if you guys want to encourage the owner to spend many thousands of dollars to show 6 Nations then please get out and support. One cannot bank on internet during 6 nations. The digital rights management people are out in force policing the internet and shutting down sites.

It costs him quite a bit to open early on Saturdays and have all the ingredients for an Irish/English breakfast. His regular clientele does not eat English bangers, Heinz baked beans or black pudding.

b) International 7s rugby

Friday 1st and Sat 2nd Feb from midday both days.

It looks like all the fieldside tickets have already been sold.

Rugby sevens is party time. Go to You t*ube to see what a great time is had by all.

I found this on you tube by Googling Hong Kong 7s crowd

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlt9q1YqnAc&feature=share&list=PL58B7C2BE673E1BC2

You'll have to copy and paste as many corporate email clients dislike hyperlinks, particularly YT.

My missus, Becci, exec director of BABC, is working with a few companies on sponsorship deals.

I hear they are dirt cheap with the added bonus of many free tickets. Company and client party?

Call her on work # 832 351 3940.

Next week I'll outline all the deals.

c) Other news

South Africa’s Bryan Habana has won the International Rugby Players’ Association (IRPA) try of the year award for his score against New Zealand in September, it was announced Thursday.

Here are the 4 tries which were nominated. You decide.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNcncFY6-qQ

Habana has been one of my favs for years. Not only is he a prolific scorer who would undoubtedly have score three times as many tries had he played for All Blacks, but he is always looking for work.

In other news....the alternative international rugby awards have finally acknowledged what I have been saying for years....namely

Worst Coach
a) Andy Robinson: Worst capitulation in IRB rankings in a single year.
b) Rob Howley: For enabling Wales to slip down the rankings faster than Warren Gatland falling from a ladder.
c) Robbie Deans: Consistently making the worst attempts to win a Bledisloe Cup.
d) Heyneke Meyer: For best attempt to make Springbok fans nostalgic for the good old days when P-Divvy was in the power seat.
e) Martin Johnson: for worst attempt at a Rugby World Cup campaign.

Yep....Andy Robinson is officially the worst coach.

The collegiate sevens is being held at Texas A &M today and tomorrow.

I'll get details out asap, with details on how to watch. I remember seeing Espn 3 showing finals tomorrow.

I must zoom to a docs appointment.

Thanks for enduring my diatribes.

Regards Pete

PS: all this weekend's rugby games will be on my quick blog;

http://allblacks-rugby.blogspot.com/

 

 

Decorative artists. www.kandpinteriors.com
Founder www.katyrugbyclub.com
and www.katyrugby.org
British American Business Council
www.babchouston.org
Mobile 281 701 8449


"The things that will destroy us are: politics without principle; pleasure without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business without morality; science without humanity; and worship without sacrifice."
--Mahatma Gandhi

The Alternative International Rugby Awards

With another rugby season just about done and dusted, and with the IRB Awards looking to be the usual overly political, foregone conclusion, it’s time to celebrate those who have actually provoked the most debate and excitement in season 2012.
Nominees for the Alternative IRB awards are:
1. Worst Refereeing Howler
a) Wayne Barnes and Dave Pearson: For being too close, or too far away to spot Bradley Davies spear tackle on Donncha Ryan.
b) Craig Joubert: Worst unlikely contribution to New Zealand’s Rugby World Cup campaign.
c) Bryce Lawrence: Worst brazenly obvious contribution to New Zealand’s rugby world cup campaign.
d) Alain Rolland: Worst timing for a referee to actually punish a tip tackle while having a French sounding name.
e) Jonathan Kaplan: For “Keep your eye on the ball… the ball… not around the ball…the ball. Now, JK, which ball was used in the quick throw? The game ball from row Z in the stands? Or another one?”
2. Worst Coach
a) Andy Robinson: Worst capitulation in IRB rankings in a single year.
b) Rob Howley: For enabling Wales to slip down the rankings faster than Warren Gatland falling from a ladder.
c) Robbie Deans: Consistently making the worst attempts to win a Bledisloe Cup.
d) Heyneke Meyer: For best attempt to make Springbok fans nostalgic for the good old days when P-Divvy was in the power seat.
e) Martin Johnson: for worst attempt at a Rugby World Cup campaign.
3. Worst Act of Thuggery
a) Aurélien Rougerie on Richie McCaw: For worst eye gouge on an opposition captain in a Rugby World Cup final.
b) Dean Greyling on Richie McCaw: For worst attempt to subtly imply to a referee that a flanker might be offside.
c) Sam Warburton on Vincent Cleric: For worst attempt to get away with a tip-tackle.
d) Andrew Hore on Bradley Davies: For worst attempt to nonchalantly knock out an opponent.
e) Bradley Davies on Donncha Ryan: For least appropriate way to suggest a player is bound correctly to a ruck in the future.
4. Worst Team Performance
a) England for Rugby World Cup 2011: otherwise known as Mike Tindall’s stag.
b) Fiji: For all of 2011/2012.
c) France: For worst performance by a finalist in a Rugby World Cup pool.
d) New Zealand: For that draw in Brisbane.
e) Wales: For the tour of Australia they backed themselves to win 3-0.
f) Ireland: For losing to New Zealand 60-0 after being an injury time drop goal shy of a win the week before.
5. Worst off Field Indiscretion
a) Mike Tindall: For getting caught on video with another woman in a bar, two weeks after getting married.
b) Manu Tuilagi: For worst waterborne attempt to escape from the England team environment.
c) James Haskell, Chris Ashton and Dylan Hartley: For “the hotel walkie-talkie incident”.
d) Quade Coope : For worst contribution to dressing room solidarity.
c) Eliota Sapolu Fuimaono: For worst adherence to Godwin’s law on a social media platform.
6. Worst Kit
a) England: For wearing All Black to a rugby competition, in New Zealand.
b) Ireland: For wearing an All Black away strip, at home after losing 60-0 to the All Blacks.
c) England: For the purple jump suit.
d) New Zealand: For being a bunch of money grubbing sell outs and defiling rugby’s proudest icon with a sponsor’s logo.
7. Worst Commentary/Pundit
a) Ian Smith: For introducing the defeated French Captain as “Thierry Henry” in the Rugby World Cup post match interview.
b) Murray Mexted: Occupying all Google’s top 10 hits for the search phrase “rugby commentary howler”.
c) Zinzan Brooke: For ending every sentence on Sky TV with the word “here”.
d) Brian Moore: The only thing more reliable than a referee ignoring a crooked scrum feed is that Brian Moore will talk for 20 minutes about it. Every. Single. Time.
e) Phil Kearns: For suggesting every act of foul play perpetrated by a Wallaby should be legalised by the IRB.
f) John Inverdale: For most tenuous segue to mention Jonny Wilkinson’s 2003 drop goal during every single match commentary.

RaboDirect Pro 12 weekend Dec 1 and 2

RaboDirect Pro 12

Fri 30 Nov
Ospreys v Cardiff Blues 19:05 (local) 13:05 (Houston)

Sat 1 Dec
Benetton Treviso v Newport Gwent Dragons 15:00 (local) 08:00 (CST)
Connacht Rugby v Edinburgh  17:00 (local) 11:00 (CST)
Leinster v Zebre  18:00 (local)  12:00 CST
Munster v Glasgow Warriors 19:45 (local) 13:45 (CST)

Sun 2 Dec
Scarlets v Ulster 16:05 (local) 10:05 (CST)

Aviva Premiership games weekend Dec 1 and 2

Fri 30 Nov
Harlequins vs Worcester Warriors 19:45 (local) 13:45 (Houston)
Sale Sharks v Northampton Saints Nov 19:45 (local) 13:45 (Houston) 

Sat 1 Dec
Leicester Tigers v Bath  12:30 (local)  06:30 (Houston) 
Exeter Chiefs v London Wasps  17:30 local) 11:30 (Houston)

Sun 2 Dec
London Welsh v London Irish  15:00 (local) 09:00 (CST)
Saracens v Gloucester Rugby 15:00 (local) 09:00 Houston

French Top 14 games weekend Dec 1 and 2

Fri 30 Nov
Perpignan v Agen 20:50 (local) 13:50 Houston

Sat 1 Dec
Toulouse v Clermont Auvergne  15:00 local 08:00 (Houston)
Biarritz v Bordeaux Begles  18:30 (local) 11:30 (Houston) 
Mont-de-Marsan v Castres 18:30 (local) 11:30 (Houston) 
Montpellier v Bayonne   18:30 (local) 11:30 (Houston)
Racing Metro 92 v Stade Francais  18:30 (local) 11:30 (Houston) 
Toulon v Grenoble  18:30 (local) 12:30 (Houston)

2 day special ticket pricing for women's 7s Houston Feb 2013

This from USA Rugby. (A copy of my newsletter and FB notice)

The special is only available today and tomorrow.

Link at bottom. I've removed hyperlink in case some company email systems will reject. So copy and paste please.

Pre-Sale: International Rugby Women's Sevens World Series

International Rugby Returns to Houston!
The International Rugby Board and USA Rugby have awarded Houston a multi-year deal to host Round 2 of the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series. Twelve international women’s teams will compete at the event, scheduled for February 1 & 2, 2013, at BBVA Compass Stadium.
This historical two-day International Series, the second stop on a new Women’s World Series Rugby Sevens global tour, the first of its kind for women, and an Olympic qualifier series, will take place annually in Houston through 2015. Rugby Sevens will debut as one of the new Olympic sports at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Catch all the hard-hitting action as Australia, Canada, England, Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States take on Brazil, South Africa, Russia, Japan, Argentina, and Trinidad & Tobago in 7-minute, adrenaline-filled increments stretched over 14 total hours.
As a supporter of rugby & BBVA Compass Stadium, we are extending an exclusive pre-sale offer beginning Tuesday, November 27th at 10 a.m. through Thursday, November 29th at 11:59 p.m. Get your 2-day passes starting at just $15. The event will donate $1 per ticket to the Houston Area Women’s Center. To access pre-sale offer, click here.
Tickets for the International Women’s Rugby Sevens World Series will go on-sale to the general public beginning Friday, November 30 at 10 a.m. and will be available online at www.axs.com or www.bbvacompassstadium.com or by calling 888-929-7849.

https://tickets.axs.com/eventShopperV1b.html?wr=cb8965a9-7481-4239-9051-36a0e63fbc93&skin=bbva&prefill=1&sysID=bcs

Rankings blow for England and Wales

Rankings blow for England and Wales

November 25, 2012

England's ambitions of winning the 2015 Rugby World Cup have taken a blow with the confirmation they will not be in the top-four seeds for the tournament that they will host.

But the stiutaion could be significantly worse for Wales. Warren Gatland's side face a crunch clash with Australia on Saturday at the Millennium Stadium, where a defeat would see them relegated to the third tier of seeds for the World Cup draw which will take place in London on December 3.

The International Rugby Board will reveal the latest world rankings tomorrow with New Zealand, Australia, France and South Africa occupying the top spots. And with the rankings gap between them and the rest too big to be overturned by next weekend's internationals, those four teams will be the top four seeds for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

England face the All Blacks at Twickenham on Saturday but defeats to Australia and South Africa this autumn have already scuppered their hopes of securing a top seeding, which could have led to a favourable draw for the 2015 World Cup.

Wales' hopes of gate-crashing the top four was ruined by defeats to Argentina, Samoa and the All Blacks. But victory over Australia at the Millennium Stadium will secure their place alongside England, Samoa and Ireland in the second band.

However defeat would see Wales, who finished fourth at the World Cup in New Zealand a year ago, drop into the third tier of seeds along with Italy, Scotland and Tonga with Argentina taking their place in the second band of seeds.

Wales' surprise defeats to Argentina and Samoa earlier this autumn - when Gatland was granted time away to focus on preparations for the British & Irish Lions tour of Australia next summer - could therefore prove decisive in their chances at the 2015 World Cup.

The official IRB world rankings will be released on Monday.

Provisional rankings:

1. New Zealand - 92.91

2. South Africa - 86.94

3. Australia - 86.31

4. France - 85.07

5. England - 81.07

6. Ireland - 80.22

7. Wales - 78.95

8. Samoa - 78.71 (78.709236088306938 to 15 decimal places)

9. Argentina - 78.71 (78.708853582562098 to 15 decimal places)

10. Italy - 76.24

11. Tonga - 76.10

12. Scotland - 75.83

So, its official...finally....Northern hemisphere style rugby cannot keep pace with the Southern hemisphere style. Yes we suck.

Finally Andy Robinson, coach of Scotland has gone. Scotland now have a chance to progress.
I have been saying for years that the guy is absolutely the worst coach in pro rugby.