Best of the Rest

It’s another edition of some of our choice picks from elsewhere in the cyber-world. Most of the articles touch on topics related to the Americas but not all. In this installment there are pieces on Major League Rugby, contract negotiations, player development, mental illness, life as a professional, Argentina’s woes, and a little Canadian rugby history.

 

Rest and Recovery – by Matt Symons / Wasps

“My friends and teammates will argue that I didn’t have a decent ‘rig’ in the first place, but it feels as though the small amount of muscle I had has slipped from my shoulders and arms, softened up on the journey down, and settled on my love handles. The rate at which this has occurred is quite startling, and does not bode well for retirement.”

 

Inaugural Season Finish Line for MLR Arms Race – by Pat Clifton / Rugby Today

“When it comes to the on-the-field product, the league office has put parameters in place which will help shape the makeup of the original seven teams, but it’s up to the teams themselves to build rosters which are sustainable, affordable and competitive. For this reason alone, the prelude to MLR’s inaugural season has been fascinating to follow.”

 

IRFU has to pay Peter O’Mahony what he wants – by Gordon D’Arcy / The Irish Times

“Contracts are not just about the form of the player, a good negotiator takes all the factors into consideration. Especially when he gets married and kids arrive, especially when they start school. All the things that make a player perform, make for a happy existence, can be used against him.”

 

Mental Illness Left me Guilt-Ridden – by Nadia Popov / CBC Sports

“My journey wasn’t meant to end on a podium. I was standing in the hallway of a therapist’s office, a year before the Olympic Games, about to learn that I was one of the one in five Canadians who experience mental illness in their lifetime.”

 

How England’s Next Rugby Stars are being Developed – by Andrew Aloia / BBC

“For the first 10 minutes there is not a rugby ball in play. Instead, players get their hands on footballs and even odd-shaped and odd-sized balls – because you never know just how the next pass or kick will land in your hands.”

 

Time – by Frankie Deges / A Pleno Rugby (Spanish)

“Not winning any of the 14 tests against better ranked teams is understandable from this point of view. It is hard to imagine another season in which only the top five are played with only two games against lesser-ranked teams.”

 

The UAR shows signs of Political Stability – by Fernando Rizzi / UAR

“When this process started and World Rugby decided to work with the UAR in its development towards high performance and step towards becoming a Tier 1 nation, one of the issues we had to resolve was a divided UAR, with Buenos Aires on one side and the interior on the other.”

 

The Dedicated life of Chilean rugby players who play abroad – by Carmen Novoa / Emol (Spanish)

“The players that are abroad have to look for compatibility to play for both the national team and their club. Why? Because some of the tournaments that Los Cóndores participate in are not in the international window and at the same time the club might be contesting its championship.”

 

Interview with John Tait – by Craig Muncey / 1876 Cardiff Rugby

“I was nervous and excited to prove that I belonged in professional rugby. I do remember that I guessed at a few lineout and other calls as I was still adjusting to the various Welsh accents! Not sure I ever figured out what Justin Thomas or Emyr Lewis were saying half the time!”

 

40 Years of Rugby on the Rock – by Brock Smith / Aedelhard

“There’s something about Swilers rugby that’s tough to quantify, to put into words. Chiseled and toughened by the harsh winds and the salt from the ocean breeze, St. John’s rugby players are a hardier stock than most; for 80 minutes, they’re notoriously fearsome, inspired competitors.”