| 2012 Tag Rugby World Cup Wrap |
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Great Britain & Ireland have completed their 2012 Tag Rugby World Cup campaign in Auckland, New Zealand. The open mixed team finished with two wins, one draw and four very close losses. The highlight of their tournament was a 5-3 loss to eventual champions New Zealand (closer than Australia got to New Zealand in the World Cup final!).
The open men’s team had a tough campaign losing all 7 matches in the stronger of the two pools. The side (which besides for 3 players, could have qualified for the over 30’s) battled hard throughout, almost getting the better of a talented Australian Aboriginals team who they led 3-2 at half-time. The open men's title was won by Australia. However it was the performance of the Great Britain & Ireland open mixed team that had people talking at the end of the tournament, with their tight loss to New Zealand making the southern hemisphere teams sit up and take notice. Great Britain and Ireland open mixed play maker Gareth Roach said “They went on to win the tournament and we were the team that came closest to beating them! We were seeded bottom of our group and no one gave us a chance so it was great to hear lots of chat about us after it was all over. A couple of referee decisions and the bounce of the ball and all joking aside we really felt we could have pulled off something special”. To download the tables after the pool stages click here. To download the finals results and see which teams won each division click here. To view photos from the tournament click here. A big thank you again to the coaching staff Ringo Wilkinson, Arron Lombardo and former head coach Pat Ginty. Also thank you to the World Cup organising committee of Shun Tamura, Martin Kearney & Andy Dickins and to all players who put in so much effort, time, hard work and dedication for this World Cup. 2012 Tag Rugby World Cup Preview The Great Britain and Ireland Mixed and Men’s squads have arrived safely in Auckland, New Zealand, ahead of the 3 day Tag Rugby World Cup, which kicks off this Thursday (December 6th). The 30 player squad, drawn exclusively from Try Tag Rugby’s booming London leagues (with the exception of 15 year old Yorkshire Tag Rugby prodigy Taylor Stott), will play 7 pool matches and potentially 2 finals over the course of the tournament. The tournament being run by the International Tag Football Federation and taking place at Auckland’s North Harbour Stadium, features 15 nations fielding 120 teams across 16 different divisions (men’s, mixed and ladies’ at different age group levels). Despite the squad being almost exclusively based in the UK’s heartland of Tag Rugby, London, the players originate from all corners of the UK and Ireland, with a number of players qualifying on ancestral or residency grounds. On behalf of Try Tag Rugby and the London Tag Rugby community, we wish all players and both squads all the best for an enjoyable and successful tournament.
GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND WORLD CUP SQUADs Open Mixed
Open Men’s Mark Batty, Phillip Browne, Bernard Casey, Sagan Daniels, Andy Dickins, Carl Duckels, Paul Heller, Martin Kearney, Gary McNamara (c), James Redmond (vc), Taylor Stott, Shun Tumara, Dave Twohig, Dom Wilde, Paul Wycherley. Coach Arron Lombardo
Open Mixed Players to Watch Stephen Concannon Straight from the famed Munster Rugby player nursery, Steve Concannon is undoubtedly a world class Tag Rugby player. With pace to burn, an excellent kicking game and uncanny ability to beat defenders with a subtle move of the hips, the multitalented Concannon provides the X Factor (bad pun - see why here) likely to progress the Great Britain and Ireland mixed team through to the second phase of the tournament. Gareth Roach The Welsh Wizard will take on play making duties in the mixed squad. An architect by trade at a top London firm, Roach has a great measured kicking game, an excellent in and away and a lovely pass.
Nicknamed "The Security Guard" (as you can’t get past her), Speare is one of the best defenders in the squad. Great hands, a beautiful short passing game and a handy step, also make her a big threat in attack, particularly when close to the try line. Matt Picknett Nicknamed “Bullet”, if you’ve seen him play you’ll soon realise why! Expect Picknett to score a lot of tries at one end and be saving them at the other through sheer speed. Emily Stone Another player with exceptional pace, Roehampton University student Stone’s low centre of gravity makes her extremely hard to tag. Expect Stone to continually surprise defences throughout the tournament and get over for a number of tries.
Open Men’s Players to Watch Taylor Stott 15 year old play maker Taylor Stott will be the youngest player in the open men’s tournament of the World Cup. Stott who is Gary McNamara Inspiration captain McNamara will lead from the front, leaving no ounce of energy on the field. With good play making skills and a great attitude in defence, the form and fitness of the Irishman could determine how far the Great Britain and Ireland men’s team progresses in the tournament. Dave Twohig Another product of Ireland, Twohig is an excellent Rugby player with a good running and passing game. Twohig also possesses one of the best looks in the squad, likely to endear him as a cult favourite to fans watching at the ground or on on Sky Sports NZ.
Big Name Rugby Players Taking part in the Tournament With categories going all the way from under 16’s through to over 50’s, a number of big name Rugby players from both codes are expected at the tournament in either playing or administration capacities. The players include: - Wendell Sailor, (Former dual Australian international in Rugby League & Rugby Union)
World Cup Open Trials Announced (24/02/2012) The team at Try Tag Rugby and the team for the 2012 Tag Rugby World Cup Planning Committee (UK) are pleased to announce the dates for the World Cup open trials. The trials are open to anyone interested in trialling for a position for the following teams: British & Irish Lions (Mixed), British & Irish Lions (Men's or Men's O/30's depending on standard) and Ireland (Men's) teams for the upcoming Tag Rugby World Cup in December 2012, to be held in Auckland, New Zealand. Any player is welcome to attend even if you are not a regular Try Tag Rugby member. Players from all over the country who would like a chance to represent Great Britain & Ireland in Tag Rugby are encouraged to trial. There have been four trial dates set so players can at least make one of the below trials: 11th March: 3.30PM - 5PM at Balham (London) The selection trials will be overseen by "Interim Director of Rugby", Pat Ginty who has been a regular in the successful London Australia Tag Rugby squads and senior England Tag Rugby players, Phillip Browne, Lee Miller, Tim Ross & Paul Wycherley (London Ireland). The 2012 Tag Rugby World Cup Planning Committee (UK) has come up with a 10 day tour package to New Zealand and a 14 day tour package to Australia/New Zealand (TBC) for the successful trialists. The committee will be hosting a series of fundraising activities throughout the year to help subsidise the tour cost for players and officials. The nations/teams likely to participate include Australia, Australian Aboriginals, Cook Islands, Great Britain & Ireland, Lebanon, Malta, New Zealand, New Zealand Maori, Niue, Samoa and Tonga. To be eligible to play for Great Britain & Ireland you must have been a resident of either nation for at least 3 years or have a parent or grandparent born in either country. For more information about the Tag Rugby World Cup trials or the World Cup, please email info@trytagrugby.com |
Rachael Speare
also a talented up and coming Rugby League player on a scholarship with Keighley Cougars, is the only non London resident in the squad, hailing from Queensbury in Yorkshire, where his team the Queensbury Mad Taggers take part in the RFL’s Tag Merit League.
