Day 2 Box Scores - Women's College 7s

Written by RUGBYMag Staff    Saturday, 01 December 2012 11:01

Day 2 Box Scores - Women's College 7s

Box scores from day two of the Women's College 7s Championship:

CUP QUARTERFINALS

Norwich 29

Tries: Day 2, Champagne, Clark, Derocher

Conversions: Bell, Baugus

Harvard 0

Texas 29

Tries: Sun, Jenkins 2, Fortkort, Moses

Conversions: Fortkort 2

James Madison 0

Navy 29

Tries: Hitt, Lovelace 2, Sturdifen, Pedersen

Conversions: Hitt, Pedersen

Ohio State 5

Tries: Adu-Gyamfi

Princeton 10

Tries: Mittow, Lea

California 0

Source : rugbymag[dot]com

A Reason to Root for Kutztown

Written by Pat Clifton    Saturday, 01 December 2012 09:50

A Reason to Root for Kutztown

If Kutztown wins the National Title today, sponsor CMI Plastics will donate $5,000 to the families of children with cancer. It's part of the company's campaign called "Victory for a Cause".

If Kutztown wins the Collegiate Rugby Championship in the spring, CMI will donate $10,000.

Source : rugbymag[dot]com

Burnley V Blackburn at Turf Moor : Match Preview

Burnley V Blackburn - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.


Clear minds vital for Derby - Dyche

Sean Dyche has called on his Burnley players to keep their composure amid the white-hot atmosphere of the east Lancashire derby against Blackburn.

Burnley welcome Rovers to Turf Moor tomorrow looking to inflict a third consecutive npower Championship defeat on their fierce rivals, who have endured a rocky start to life under new boss Henning Berg.

Dyche's transition replacing Eddie Howe in the Clarets' hotseat has appeared far smoother and a first victory in the fixture for 33 years would see them climb above Blackburn in the table.

The Burnley boss said: "The mentality of these occasions can spill into how the game actually works - the feel of it, the tempo of it.

"But within that it's important to have clear minds. I'll be speaking to the players about clear minds, concentrating and focusing.

"While you have to be aware of what the opposition offer you, it's important to remember what we're doing and what we're about.

"We go into it with a good mentality at the moment and a nice, solid confidence to what we're doing."

Such confidence was not in evidence when Rovers came out on the wrong side of a local argument earlier this week, succumbing 2-1 to Bolton at Ewood Park.

The hosts were behind to a Kevin Davies strike inside two minutes and would have been on the end of a considerably less-flattering scoreline were it not for the heroics of goalkeeper Paul Robinson, before Jordan Rhodes reduced the arrears.

"If we start the Burnley game the way we finished the Bolton one we will be fine," said Berg. "If we don't we will be in big trouble.

"We don't play football just for fun, this is our profession. With that comes a worth ethic and standards that have to be met.

"Professional footballers have to be able to learn to take defeat and handle wins.

"That is a big part of football and I expect them to be ready for Sunday."

The match is being billed in some quarters as a showdown between the Championship's two supreme goal poachers.

Rhodes has continued his free-scoring ways since moving to Blackburn for a club-record #8million fee from Huddersfield, while Burnley striker Charlie Austin is the country's top scorer with an astonishing 21 goals to his name this season.

Clarets captain Jason Shackell has to contend with Austin in training on a daily basis and is relishing the challenge of lining up at centre-back with the intention of thwarting Scotland international Rhodes.

The former Derby man said: "I've played with Chaz and I'm aware of his attributes. He's a very good player and he's obviously done fantastically for us this year.

"I don't know Jordan quite as well, but he's scored a lot of goals over the last few years so it's going to be a good game for us to test ourselves as a defence. These are the players you want to be playing against.

"Not any player should bring fear. It's much more relish of testing ourselves against a very good side.

"We know if we keep as organised and as hard working as we have been then we can get a good result and, hopefully, keep Jordan quiet."





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Source : http://www.football.co.uk/burnley/burnley_v_blackburn_at_turf_moor___match_preview_rss3624049.shtml

Milton Keynes Dons V AFC Wimbledon at stadium:mk : Match Preview

Milton Keynes Dons V AFC Wimbledon - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.


Samuelson criticises MK cup motives

AFC Wimbledon chief executive Erik Samuelson believes MK Dons are using Sunday's FA Cup tie between the two clubs as a publicity stunt to try to justify the "hijacking" of Wimbledon FC to Milton Keynes.

In 2003 Wimbledon FC, FA Cup winners in 1988, were uprooted from south west London and moved over 50 miles north of the capital to the Buckinghamshire town. The club was renamed MK Dons the following year.

While there were financial reasons for the unprecedented move of an English club away from its home town, angry Wimbledon FC fans vowed to save the club's history and formed AFC Wimbledon from scratch in the Combined Counties League.

After five promotions in eight years, AFC Wimbledon, a club owned by a fans' trust, are now back in the Football League, just one division below npower League One promotion challengers MK Dons.

Ahead of the game at stadium:mk, Samuelson told the club's official website: "For our opponents, it is a wonderful opportunity to present themselves to the world as the wronged ones, a club which offers the hand of reconciliation and is wounded when rejected.

"It is an opportunity to issue statements of mild regret about `what happened', carefully crafted by PR specialists, and a re-imagining of history that leaves me almost incredulous at its cheek, until you think of the audacity of presenting the hijacking of another club 60 miles up the M1 as having saved it.

"But this opportunity for them is a problem for us. We are in danger of undermining a lot of the goodwill that exists towards us in the football world.

"If we are not careful, we may be presented as whining, unforgiving, dog-in-the-manger activists who can't move on and we mustn't go there.

"We should use this as an opportunity to remind everyone just what a brilliant thing we've done over the past 10 years. And if, while doing so, we slip into the conversation just what happened to force us to undertake this journey, then we'll do that.

"But we need to make the coverage about us and what we've done, and how well we've done it, not about them and what they did to us."

MK Dons manager Karl Robinson is far more upbeat about the tie and admits that he and his players have enjoyed all the extra attention in the build-up to what he calls a "unique occasion" in English football.

"When the draw was first made and there was a possibility we could play each other, if we both won our respective replays, I did a little dance around my living room! I think it's a game that needed to happen.

"We're used to criticism and there are an awful lot of people who have wanted to knock us. But a lot of water has passed under the bridge between now and then.

"We're looking forward to what is the most unique game in English football. For us, as League One players and as a League One manager, we don't get this very often.

"Everyone is talking about it. I heard someone say it it the biggest second-round tie in the competition's history, and perhaps it is.

"There are people loving it and hating it but it's here so you've got to choose what camp you are in. And I'm in the one that's excited about it."

Source : http://www.football.co.uk/milton_keynes_dons/milton_keynes_dons_v_afc_wimbledon_at_stadium_mk___match_preview_rss3624034.shtml

Women Repeat France Victory for Dubai Bowl

Written by Jackie Finlan    Saturday, 01 December 2012 07:50

Women Repeat France Victory for Dubai Bowl

The USA Women rebounded from a frustrating day one to win both their knockout matches on day two of the Dubai 7s. Going 1-2 through pool play, the Eagles were relegated to the Bowl competition, where they first beat China 36-7 in the semifinals. The final saw a rematch of the USA's only pool-play win against France, and the Eagles didn't falter in repeating the win, taking home the Bowl with a 26-12 win. The Americans inaugurated their IRB Women's Sevens World Series experience with a 3-3 record.

France definitely made it more entertaining than the teams’ first matchup; however, the USA ran out to a 12-0 lead before Les Bleus responded. Nathalie Marchino accounted for the first try, which was converted by Christy Ringgenberg. Vanesha McGee followed suit, showcasing her superb speed as she took the corner on the French defense for the second try.

It takes France the rest of the half to build their first score, but their patience and pressure pay off as Caroline Ladagnous scores and Christelle Le Duff converts, 12-7 into the break.

But France faltered in using that momentum to their advantage in the second half, as the team struggled with penalties and allowed the USA to penetrate deep into their territory. Katie Dowty eventually made the opposition pay for their indiscipline and sliced through the defense for the Americans’ third try. Ringgenberg slotted her second conversion for the 19-7 lead.

There the game stood for the next four minutes, but the French were determined to narrow the point margin. Shannon Izar’s try came with 45 seconds left in regulation for a 19-12 scoreline.

But with a little time left in injury time, the USA immediately deflated France’s hope for a comeback, as Vix Folayan took the very next possession into the try zone for the final score, which Bui Baravilala converted.

It was a nice ending to tour and puts a more positive spin on the Americans' ninth-place finish.

USA 26
Tries: Marchino, McGee, Dowty, Folayan
Conversions: Ringgenberg 2, Baravilala

France 12
Tries: Ladagnous, Izar
Conversions: Le Duff

Source : rugbymag[dot]com

USA Women Into Dubai Bowl Final

Written by Jackie Finlan    Saturday, 01 December 2012 03:06

USA Women Into Dubai Bowl Final

Whatever disappointments the USA Women's 7s team may have experienced on day one of the Dubai 7s, they left them behind in their Bowl semifinal against China today. The Eagles ran out to a 36-7 win, qualifying for the Bowl final vs the winner of Brazil v France.

"As we head into day two of the tournament, we're feeling ready to take on China and whoever our next opponent will be," USA captain Vanesha McGee said in advance to their Bowl semifinal."We've taken the time to move on from yesterday's matches and not making the cut into the top 8 for this tournament. Although disappointed, we recognize that this is the first tournament of the series and there is a lot of rugby to play before the World Cup next year."

The USA played with more freedom in their first of two Saturday matches, as Vix Folayan accounted for the first 10 points on two tries. Lauren Doyle added another five-pointer before the break, giving the USA a 17-0 at half.

The Americans didn’t let up in the second stanza and saw Nathalie Marchino find a path to the try zone. Deven Owsiany contributed to the scoreline with a try of her own before China dotted down to prevent the shutout, 29-7.

The USA would have the last word, however, as Jill Potter helped set up Teena Mastrangelo’s try with a tearing run downfield, 36-7.

The victory was a nice rebound for the USA, which finished 1-2 through pool play yesterday. They will advance to the Bowl final vs the winner of France v Brazil.

Source : rugbymag[dot]com

Predictions. How We Did

Written by Alex Goff    Saturday, 01 December 2012 00:48

Predictions. How We Did

So how did RUGBYMag do predicting the college s pools? Not perfectly, that’s for sure. Here’s a rundown.

Pool A
We said:
Life 3-0
Colorado State 2-1
Wisconsin 1-2
Northeastern 0-3

Reality
Life 3-0
Northeastern 2-1
Wisconsin 1-2
Colorado State 0-3

We got the top team and the #3team right on. The big surprise [for us was Northeaster’s record. The big mistake we made? Over-valuing teams from the Rocky Mountain region.


Pool B
We said:
Arkansas State 2-0-1
Cal 2-0-1
NC State 1-2
Middlebury 0-3

Reality
Arkansas State 3-0
Cal 2-1
Middlebury 1-2
NC State 0-3

We got the top two right, and while Arkansas State and Cal didn't tie, their score was 10-7, which is pretty close.


Pool C
We said:
Central Washington 3-0
Kutztown 2-1
Texas 1-2
Virginia 0-3

Reality
Central Washington 3-0
Kutztown 2-1
Texas 1-2
Virginia 0-3

Perfect.


Pool D
We said:
Dartmouth 2-1
Air Force 2-1
Cal Poly 1-2
Navy 1-2


Reality
Navy 3-0
Dartmouth 2-1
Cal Poly 1-2
Air Force 0-3

Now we did say that this was a very competitive pool, and that our prediction could easily be reversed. We overvalued Air Force and undervalued Navy.


Pool E
We said:
St. Mary's 3-0
Texas A&M 2-1
Bowling Green 0-2-1
Western Washington 0-2-1

Reality
St. Mary's 3-0
Texas A&M 2-1
Western Washington 1-2
Bowling Green 0-3

Close. We chickened out on Bowling Green v Western Washington, game and called a tie. It was a close game, but not a tie.


Pool F
We said:
Davenport 2-1
SDSU 2-1
Delaware 2-1
Lindenwood 0-3

Reality
Delaware 2-1
San Diego State 2-1
Lindenwood 2-1
Davenport 0-3

The weird thing about this was that we picked a three-waytie at 2-1, just not this three.


Overall not bad. We picked the winners in four pools and in another we were  close. Only with Navy and Pool D were we way off.

Source : rugbymag[dot]com