Best of the Rest

It’s Friday afternoon, which means there’s lots of people sitting at work waiting for the weekend to arrive. Here’s a few rugby articles that might help pass the time, touching on: Scotland’s arrival, a Chilean lock and a couple Canadian ones, Major League Rugby, Argentine rugby development, coaching commentary, and the Rugby Europe scandal.

 

Experimental Tourists can stake World Cup claims – by Tom English / BBC

“Townsend might be a touch tender in the back department but there’s nothing wrong with his eyes – or his nerve. This Canada side are a poor crew, but even still, the side Townsend has picked to play against them is even more experimental than we might have imagined.”

 

A good moment for one of the Stalwarts of Los Cóndores – by Eduardo Vilasau / Rugby Chile (Spanish)

“With Paraguay we had to show that we were one step ahead of them, and that although we did not have good results in the ARC, we are working to get to have them. So the third place in the South American was important to regain confidence.”

 

Otago in Taieri lock’s sights – by Adrian Seconi / Otago Daily Times

“Larsen has played seven games for Canada and has also chalked up 11 games for Northland. But with three Super Rugby contracted locks ahead of him in the Taniwha, he has made the move south in the hope of cracking the Otago team.”

 

Rugby Star recovering from injury in Sun Peaks – by Emily Perrins / Sun Peaks Independent News

“Inspired by his own negative experience of “pushing through headaches” to stay in the game, Pierce has also helped establish a non-profit organization called the Rugby Safety Network (RSN), which aims to heighten awareness among rugby players about concussions and head injuries in the sport.”

 

How it got to this stage is Staggering – by Danny Ruddock / Sports Gazette

“Rugby Europe needs to be seriously looked at in the wake of the player ineligibility scandal, according to former Belgian assistant coach Simon Leader. “They cleared each and every one of those players to play in the games as they have to do the checks before each game. How it got to this stage is staggering”.”

 

Contepomi: In the future, the best idea may be to have a Single Group – by Rugby Champagne (Spanish)

“Testing the number of players is sometimes good, but you have to be careful because the goal of Argentina XV is to develop, not test. With little time and few opportunities in the year, the development has to have a consistency and continuity. When you alternate so much, you hurt the player more than anything, since it changes a lot of system in a short time.”

 

Soldier chasing his Army and Rugby dreams – by Deon Siemon / Northwest Guardian

“Will Holder was barely in Washington state to report to Joint Base Lewis-McChord before he was recruited for Major League Rugby’s Seattle Seawolves club. The Army captain now with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 17th Field Artillery Brigade, was announced as one of the team’s latest signings April 21 — the day before the Seawolves season opener against San Diego Legion.”

 

An Open Letter about Female Coaches – by Pau Gasol / The Players’ Tribune

“Maybe you’re laughing to yourself as you read that. And I get it. It’s ridiculous. But I think it’s worth taking seriously, too, for a moment — just in terms of how embarrassing it is for us as a league that this is something people are actually talking about.”