Women's Rugby World Cup

If you have not watched any of the Women's Rugby World Cup games, you are missing out on some of the best rugby you'll ever see. I am impressed with the skill and talent of these women, and I have enjoyed watching these exciting and highly entertaining games. They are tough and they hit hard, but they also play a much more skill based game than what I see from the men. Ball handling, rucking and mauling, open field running - all top notch.

Watch full games online at the Women's World Cup site. Go to the Video page.

For a great re-cap of the final between New Zealand and England, take a look at Tom Fordyce's Blog.

The final game was really something. After watching New Zealand play a couple of matches I thought there would be no way that anyone could beat them. It was a nail biter though. England are tough and talented, and they pushed New Zealand to the limits.

I didn't watch enough games to make really knowledgeable picks, but from what I saw there were a few standouts, especially in the New Zealand (known as the Black Ferns) and England squads. I also don't know many of the women's names, shame on me.

Carla Hohepa (14, Black Ferns) - Top scorer in the tournament, and you can see why when she runs. Amazing. She couldn't have done it without fantastic support from the rest of the team, especially the rest of the back line.

New Zealand's Hooker, Fiao'o Fa'amausili I believe. Outstanding.

England's strong side Flanker (#7), possibly the best player in the tournament. She's got more talent in her big toe than I have in my whole body. Fun to watch her play.

England's Scrum Half (#9). She doesn't fit the look of a scrum half, but what does that matter (or mean, even) when you play that well.

Hawaii Rugby Finals

I am glad I made it down to the park yesterday to watch the Hawaii Rugby Finals. It was a great game. Two semi-finals in the morning, then a Women's match, then the finals. I didn't get to see the semi-final games, but I'm sure they were exciting as well, based on what I saw in the finals.

Oh, before I forget, the finals pitted the Kalihi Raiders against the Tama Laie Lions. Kalihi Raiders won, 22-17. A close, and hard fought game.

The finals were a test of fitness since both teams had little rest after their morning matches. Although fitness has greatly improved over the last two years, it is still one of the things that the Hawaii teams need to work on. The game was delayed numerous times due to injuries, which only increased towards the later stages of the game. Injuries occur at a much higher rate when the players get tired.

I say this from me experience as a player and my own travels down the road to fitness. When I played rugby for the Pygmies in Socorro (New Mexico Tech Rugby Club), only a moderate amount of fitness was required. Since we often only had 15 or 16 players, and frequently less and had to "recruit" spectators, fitness was required to start or play. But then when I moved to Albuquerque and played club-side rugby for the Aardvarks, everything changed. I was competing for my position (blind side flanker) with one of the fittest people I've ever met. So I had to get fit. It took quite a while, but I did it. It also improved my game, because instead of gasping for breath I was able to actually play the game the was it was supposed to be played.

Another point that I think the Hawaii teams need to look at is the kicking. As in far too much of it. Kicking is important - when it's done right. But just kicking because you don't know what else to do, don't want to take the hit, or have no support, is wrong.

I also took lots of pictures. Some of which actually came out pretty well. Check some of them out here, and if I can get around to creating a Facebook page for them, I'll let you know.

Here's the women:





And here's the men:

Tama Laie



Kalihi Raiders



I got a few action shots. Not bad for my little camera.

Lineout


















Tama Laie scoring a try


















Ikuna, Kalihi Raiders captain, kicking for goal

Making A Splash

Hawaii Rugby has been making the news lately.

The Honolulu Advertiser posted an article and some pictures about the La'ie women's team winning the Las Vegas Invitational 7's tournament last month.

eRugbyNews posted an article about the Islanders on March 10th.

A little late, but here's some information from Ma'afu about the youth tournament going on this week at Kapiolani Park and a Positive Coaching Alliance Clinic:

ALOHA TO ALL RUGGERS!

12 NOON: WEDNESDAY KAPIOLANI PARK on the rugby field during the ALOHA 7's.

The POSITIVE COACHING ALLIANCE CLINIC sponsored by USA Rugby, Hawaii Youth Rugby and Rugby Hawaii Union ..... invites coaches, players, parents and fans to attend.
Please bring your own chair and coaches a pen.

See you all there ! Invite your friends.

SPRINGBREAK YOUTH RUGBY at KAPIOLANI PARK ... get your keikis out!

ALOHA 7'S youth rugby.... Monday 3/15, Tuesday 3/16 and Wednesday 3/17.

Hawaii Youth Rugby Invitational 15's starts 8:30am on Thursday 3/18, Friday 3/19 and Saturday 3/20.

Hawaii Women's Rugby

Got some info from Shelly. Seems Hawaii Women's Rugby is a force to be reckoned with. You Go Girls!

Clubs Laie Park Ladies, Teine Toa O Laie and HPU are in the Las Vegas Invitational, here are some of the results -

Laie Park Ladies 26 vs Iowa 5.

HPU wins their first game 5 tries to 1.

Teine Toa O Laie wins by forfeit against the University of Minnesota.

Laie Rookies 7 tries .... Las Vegas Slots 0

Teine Toa O Laie 7 ... Oregon Beavers 10

Laie Rookies 35 ... Rochester 0

Teine Toa not in contention

Laie Rookies 21 ... Flamingos 12; move to the finals

Finals: Laie Park Ladies 19 ... Minnesota Amazons 7

LAIE PARK LADIES are the LVI Champions!!! Congratulations to our Women's Clubs for their hard work and determination!


This is the list of teams on their website:

Womens Open 7's

BYU Womens Cougar Rugby Club
Flamingos
Laie Park Ladies Rugby
Rochester Renegades Women's Rugby Club

Tenei Toa O' Laie
The Satiated Beavers
Twin Cities Amazons
UC Santa Cruz -W

University of Minnesota
Velvet Piglets

Stress!

I quote; “You don’t understand because you’re a man.”

What I’m accused of not understanding, again I quote; “Sometimes vegetables cause me stress.”

Apparently, women are stressed with worry about vegetables going bad before they can be eaten.

This does not cause me stress. Hence my lack of understanding.

‘Nuff said…