April 2013 Issue 156 The Official Newspaper of The RFU FANTASTIC SEASON FOR ENGLAND’S YOUNG SQUADS Stefan Curtis 28-15 win at Eirias Park. this level of success and new support in the form of the BMW Then England U18 were crowned European champions partnership, which continues for the next three years at least, It has been a great season for England’s young for the second successive year, winning the Justin Bridou has allowed for some excellent development work. representative squads. Both the England Under 20 Trophy after beating France 27-22 in front of 15,000 fans at “The management teams under U20 Head Coach Rob and U18 teams put in determined and disciplined the Stade de Alpes in Grenoble. Hunter and U18 Head Coach John Fletcher have done a performances against strong opposition to carry off Said England Head Coach, Stuart Lancaster, “This has great job and we all wish Rob every success as he leaves well-deserved trophies. been a fantastic season for England’s young squads. The us to become forwards coach for Exeter Chiefs. We have First England U20 took on the Welsh on their home players have worked hard and deserve our congratulations. appointed Nick Walshe as England U20 Interim Head turf, winning the Six Nations Championship for an “Partnerships between educational establishments, club Coach for the Junior World Championships, with Ian Peel unprecedented third time in a row after an impressive academies and the RFU have been fundamental in achieving assisting as Interim Forwards Coach.” RBS 6 NATIONS ENGLAND TO FACE FRANCE IN 2014 PARIS OPENER England kick off their 2014 RBS 6 Nations schedule against France in Paris, having beaten Les Bleus at Twickenham this season 23-13. Stuart Lancaster’s squad are first up playing Italy in Rome when the final round matches again take place on the same ‘Super Saturday’. With a return to Friday night matches for the next two seasons, England will meet Wales in Cardiff in an evening opening round of the 2015 Six Nations. Bill Beaumont, the Six Nations and RFU Chairman, says, “The Six Nations Championship is the focus of rugby and sports supporters across the world, particularly over those seven weekends PLAYERS’ DESCENT SEES CHARITY SOAR in February and March. This year we saw over one million people attend the 15 matches, making it still the best attended The RBS 6 Nations England v Italy match brought the RFU Injured Players international rugby tournament in the world on a per match basis.” Foundation (IPF) their highest profile ever. As the official match charity, The schedule: they had dancers in the streets, face painters, their own GB Wheelchair 2014 Saturday 1 February – France v England (5pm) Rugby pitch-side pundit and abseiling injured players, earning them Saturday 8 February – Scotland v England (5pm) BBC coverage. Saturday 22 February – England v Ireland (4pm) It also saw them contacted by two injured players who didn’t know the IPF existed, Sunday 9 March – England v Wales (3pm) their daily website hits increase from 20 to 200, an extra 900 follow them on Twitter Saturday 15 March – Italy v England (12.30pm) and they recruited eight fundraisers the following Monday. 2015 Friday 6 February – Wales v England (8.05pm) The Royal Marine Commando Display Team helped 30-year-old Captain Tom Saturday 14 February – England v Italy (2.30pm) Hughes (pictured) and Tom Horey (20) onto the stadium roof to abseil down beside the Sunday 1 March – Ireland v England (3pm) pitch. Tom, seriously injured in a match to get fit for the Army v Navy game just after Saturday 14 March – England v Scotland (5pm) returning from serving in Afghanistan, then delivered the match ball. Saturday 21 March – England v France (5pm) Discover more about the work of the IPF in helping to support 141 families and players whose injuries stretch back to the 60s at www.rfuipf.org.uk 1 ALL SCHOOLS ON PITCH AND IN PARLIAMENT Nicola Marshall Following the news in last month’s Touchline that Prince Harry is to become Patron and Canterbury the Official Partner for All Schools, the RFU’s programme to get more state secondary schools playing rugby union, the initiative has enjoyed some great highlights on the pitch at Twickenham and in Parliament. All Schools was officially launched to an audience of Ministers, MPs, Lords, sport and education experts at Parliament. Invited dignitaries joined Sky Sports presenter Alex Payne, RFU colleagues and England players Maggie Alphonsi and Michaela Staniford to hear about All Schools in the State Rooms of the Speaker of the House of Common’s residence. Students from four of the schools on the programme also joined the event to talk about their experiences and why they are enthusiastic converts to rugby. Parliamentarians were extremely positive about the initiative and the Speaker of the House of Commons said: “I was delighted to host the Parliamentary launch of All Schools because it is a really important initiative, and I strongly believe in giving all children the opportunity to enjoy sport.” Some 100 All Schools students had a special day at Twickenham the whole squad. By teaching these students who are new to the flanking the military bringing out the giant England shirt into the on 10 March when they each got to reveal the shirt they designed game the core values of rugby union and the history of the shirt, pitch before kick-off, and then during a half time parade. for their school team in front of a crowd of 82,000 at the England V I’m sure that these school teams will share the same passion for CEO of Canterbury, Chris Stephenson said: “All Schools is Italy game. The students, aged between 12 and 15 years old, were their own design.” a fantastic programme which we are fully behind. It was an representing schools from across England that had taken part in The students’ drawings were turned into bespoke final designs amazing spectacle seeing all the children on the pitch wearing the Canterbury kit design workshops last year. by the team at Canterbury and the shirts were presented for the their unique shirts; there were some great designs. I imagine it was Stuart Lancaster, England Head Coach said: “The match shirt is a first time to a representative from each school by England prop a very proud day for all involved, getting to wear the shirt you had source of huge pride for the players. When they are presented with Alex Corbisiero and England women’s hooker Amy Turner before a hand in designing on the pitch at Twickenham in front of a sell- it before an international it is a very special moment for them and the match. The students took great pride in wearing their new kit, out crowd.” HISTORIC TRIPLE FOR U20S COBHAM Stefan Curtis CELEBRATION England Under 20s won the Six Nations Champions title for an In the last 18 months Cobham Sports Association, unprecedented third time in a row after an impressive 28-15 win which includes Cobham RFC, has doubled the size away in Wales at Eirias Park. ADDITIONAL of its grounds and to mark this success there will be The match was on a knife edge for large parts of the game with an open Celebration Sports Day on Sunday May 12th Wales fly half Sam Davies a constant threat with the boot, but two OPPORTUNITIES when England World Cup legend Jason Leonard tries from flanker Harry Wells and one from wing Jack Nowell gave will formally open their new Premier Rugby Pitch. England the win, fly half Henry Slade adding 13 points with the boot. FOR WOMEN The England Touch Rugby and England Lacrosse Wales secured the first points, a Davies penalty putting the hosts teams will be putting on displays and encouraging 3-0 up. But England hit straight back and a nice break from scrum Julia Hutton volunteers to have a go. half Callum Braley freed up LV= Breakthrough Player of the Year President of Cobham RFC Lionel Frewin said “The day winner Nowell to touch down in the corner. Wales regained the lead Women’s and girls’ rugby in England has been given a major boost will showcase our sports sections and encourage more active when Davies’ second penalty made it 6-5, before Slade put England with the announcement of five new Advanced Apprenticeships in sports participation within the local community.” in front with 25 minutes gone to make it 9-5. Sporting Excellence (AASE) Rugby Union centres. The doubling of the grounds comes just three years after Slade brought England to within a point after 34 minutes with a The new AASE centres are in addition to the existing Cobham Sports Association developed a new clubhouse long range penalty and, as the half drew to a close, England opted to programmes currently running at Hartpury and Moulton thanks to a member’s legacy, sports matching and an kick for touch instead of the posts and back row Wells touched down colleges which have proved to be a resounding success. 22 ambitious fundraising campaign across the membership. for his first England try, converted by Slade. Wales were reduced to players, including the likes of Alexandra Matthews and Ceri 14 men with their No 8 Ieuan Jones in the sin bin. Frewin said, “Having created a wide ranging level of Large, have been capped at England, England U20s or England sponsorship support Cobham Sports Association is now looking The hosts started the second period putting England under Sevens level since the first cohort of graduates in 2010.