(RUGBYWORLDCUP.COM) Thursday 12 April 2012 Four teams battle for place in next round Asian rugby on the rise Webb Ellis Cup on show in Manila on 15 April The road to Rugby World Cup 2015 in England continues this weekend with Manila providing the backdrop for the the beginning of the Asia qualification process that will deliver at least one team from the region to Rugby’s showcase event. Sri Lanka, Singapore, Chinese Taipei and hosts the Philippines will participate in the HSBC Asian Five Nations Division 1 tournament from April 15-21 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila with the winner being promoted to the HSBC Asian Five Nations proper next year. More importantly, however, that team will still be in the mix for a place at Rugby World Cup 2015. There is one direct qualifier place available via the Asia process with the winner of the 2014 HSBC Asian Five Nations progressing to Rugby World Cup 2015
NZ 2011
(Other) Thursday 5 April 2012 Will Greenwood celebrates England’s finest hour at RWC 2003 England fans will never forget the images of Will Greenwood celebrating with Jonny Wilkinson immediately after his last gasp drop goal won the Rugby World Cup 2003 Final in extra time. The scorer of 31 tries in his 55 Tests for England, Greenwood is a passionate supporter of grass roots rugby and can now be found on the sidelines as a TV pundit. How did your role as an England Rugby 2015 Ambassador come about?
(RUGBYWORLDCUP.COM) Tuesday 3 April 2012 Eddie Jones’ first Japan national squad starts out on the long road to RWC 2015 and, beyond that, RWC 2019 on home soil – Photo: JRFU / H.Nagaoka While Japanese Rugby Union officials have been meeting off the field with Rugby World Cup Limited this week, the country’s newlook national team has started out on its journey to Rugby World Cup 2015 and, beyond that, Rugby World Cup 2019 on home soil under the guidance of new head coach, Eddie Jones. Immediate thoughts rest on the HSBC Asian 5 Nations and the IRB Pacific Nations Cup but beyond that lies qualification for England 2015 and Japan’s first Asian showpiece four years later
(Other) Thursday 29 March 2012 Lawrence Dallaglio was impressed by what he saw while in Mexico for the first qualification match on the road to RWC 2015 Last weekend saw Mexico take on Jamaica in the first RWC 2015 qualifier. It was a massive occasion for the hosts and for a few hours on Saturday, Mexico City became the home of rugby as the International Rugby Board confirmed its commitment to the sport’s worldwide growth by helping to put on a show to rival the Rugby World Cup Final itself. Lawrence Dallaglio, one of the England Rugby 2015 ambassadors, was at the match and handed out the jerseys to the home side on the eve of the contest
(IRB.COM) Monday 26 March 2012 Mexico player-coach Simon Pierre on the charge against Jamaica Mexico’s reward for overwhelming Jamaica 68-14 in the opening Rugby World Cup 2015 qualification match at La Ibero Santa Fe in Mexico City on Saturday is a one-place climb to 70th in the latest IRB World Rankings. It is the first time Mexico have climbed since joining the IRB World Rankings earlier this month and the emphatic victory is enough to lift them above Niue, who slip one place along with the two other rankings newcomers the Philippines and Pakistan
(RUGBYWORLDCUP.COM) Saturday 24 March 2012 Mexico captain Juan Pablo Andrade and his Jamaican counterpart Carlyle Burger with IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset and the Webb Ellis Cup A record crowd for a Rugby match in Mexico is expected when the hosts entertain Jamaica in the opening qualification match for Rugby World Cup 2015 on Saturday. Over 2,000 fans from a thriving local Rugby community will pack into the La Ibero Stadium in Santa Fe, Mexico City, to see a match that will be about bragging rights within the NACRA Region and will ignite a qualification process that will see 80 countries vying across 184 matches for eight places at Rugby’s showcase event. The Webb Ellis Cup will also be on display, while Rugby World Cup 2003 winner and England Rugby 2015 ambassador Lawrence Dallaglio will accompany IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset to the match which will be officiated by Rugby World Cup 2011 Final referee Craig Joubert
(RUGBYWORLDCUP.COM) Monday 19 March 2012 The Philippines will host Asia’s first RWC 2015 qualifying matches in April The Asian road to Rugby World Cup 2015 will begin in Manila on 15 April when the Philippines host Sri Lanka, Chinese Taipei and Singapore in the HSBC Asian 5 Nations 2012 Division 1. The Philippines, one of the up-and-coming nations in Asia having earned promotion as Division 2 winners last year, will host three double header match days at the Rizal Memorial Stadium with the competition for the first time taking a round robin format. Sri Lanka will be the favourites to win Division 1 and secure an immediate return to the elite tier which in 2012 will feature Japan, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Korea and UAE.
(Other) Thursday 22 March 2012