Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Seoul Sisters rugby get their kit off (again)

They have once again published their tasteful calendar and it isn't this one http://www.ssrfc.com/indexeng.htm
Can anyone let an interested conniseur know where to source this item?

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Koreans; go to Australia, learn rugby and then come back home and play!

This is how you do it!
http://www.rugbyinasia.com/korea/547-22/australian-study-work-and-rugby-opportunities-beckon-for-korea

Women's rugby in Korea at a crossroads?

Sources suggest that the KRU plans to create a new women's rugby team for Korea and not build on the existing team which has been formed a couple of years ago. Does this make sense? It would certainly be good news that the sports governing body made a serious commitment to women's rugby in Korea, but does it make sense to throw out what already exists? And does the KRU have the resources to build from scratch?

Korea Touch shines in Shanghai

Sounds like the teams that were sent to Shanghai did Korea Touch Association www.koreatouch.com proud last weekend, winning the mens and finishing runners up in the mixed. Shanghai now claims to be the biggest Touch competition in Asia, something that ITS once was able to boast in Seoul. This means that the results are very good for Korea Touch and an indication of progress in standards in Touch in Korea.

Survivors back in reckoning for Yellow Sea Cup

Survivors saw off visitors Beijing Devils but now have to wait for the result when Shaghai visit Beijing....full story on Rugby in Asia http://www.rugbyinasia.com/feature/560/survivors-can-only-watch-and-wait

New Zealand minister bigs up Korea Rugby

New Zealand's foreign minister talked up Korea's prospects in rugby in his visit to Korea http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/11/02/200911020048.asp
Apparently, Murray Mcully believes that Korea has a bright futire in rugby according to this interview in the Korea Herald...GREAT!!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Korea drop to second place in Asia Sevens rugby

Following Japan's win in the latest tournament, Korea have now dropped back to second place as they finished third in the tournament. After two tournaments that "count" the top three are Japan, Korea and Hong Kong. With HK having beaten Korea in both of the tournaments, they'll obviously be looking to exchange places with their big rivals in the overall standings. However, the gap between HK and Japan stays pretty large, whereas Korea did the double on Japan twice in Shanghai although they had little luck in Kota Kinabalu.

The big question I ask is, why don't Korea host one of the tournaments? They'd get much bigger crowds than Shanghai for sure....and what better way to showcase Olympics newest sport?

Korea rugby sevens falls behind Japan and Hong Kong

Japan beat Hong Kong 38-14 in the final of the Asian Rugby Sevens Series event held yesterday and today in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Japan was the form side of the tournament from the opening kickoff, posting 187 points while conceding just four tries and 26 points over two tournament days and six matches.
In today’s Cup semifinals, Japan edged Korea 10-7 in a tight encounter that was entirely fitting for these two Cup finalists from the Shanghai Sevens in September. This time Japan emerged victorious despite being a man down deep into injury time.
Hong Kong hobbled through to the final after a series of injuries kept much of its star power on the bench over the two tournament days. Despite the injury woes, it was a recovery story that dominated Hong Kong’s semifinal against Malaysia. On his return from a long absence rehabilitating a shoulder injury former captain Mark Wright led from the front against the hometown team, seemingly willing Hong Kong to victory to the dismay of the 3,500 thousand strong crowd.
Wright tallied two tries and set up a third in the match to help steer Hong Kong out of trouble against a talented Malaysian that looks to be a contender in Asian sevens in the years ahead. Hong Kong advanced in a seesaw match over Malaysia, 22-17.
Japan’s dominance extended into the final as Hong Kong started to show the toll of its cumulative injuries with several players taking the pitch heavily strapped. The Brave Blossoms jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first two minutes through a long ranging try to Michio Iwa.
Hong Kong’s Keith Robertson, who was playing despite a rib injury, replied in the fifth minute with an audacious up and under, catching his own ball at the 10 metres before dragging a defender over the line for Hong Kong’s only try of the first half. The successful conversion brought the score to 7-all.
Hong Kong’s defence almost held for the remainder of the half before a crucial knock on by captain Jeff Wong on his own five metre line gave an opportunity for Kenji Shomen to dive over from the ensuing scrum, bringing the score to 12-7 at halftime.
In the second half, Japan put paid to Hong Kong’s hopes for a comeback with two tries in the first two minutes to Usaku Kuwazuru and Atsushi Tujiya bringing the score to 26-7. The third Japanese try came in the fifth minute to Japan’s Michio Iwa, giving him a brace for the final, and bringing the score to 31-7. In the seventh minute, Kensuke Iwabuchi finished Japan’s scoring with a try that was converted to bring the score to 38-7.
Hong Kong winger Salom Yiu Kam Shing added a last bright moment for the losing finalists with a 60m sprint that he converted himself to bring Hong Kong to 14 points. The whistle blew a moment later ending the match at 38-14 and giving Japan its first title on the new Asian Rugby Sevens Series. In the Bronze Medal (3rd/4th place) match, Korea surpassed a tired Malaysian side 31-7.
Japan’s win sees them clear to the top of the Asian Rugby Sevens Series with 23 points, one ahead of Korea and two in front of Hong Kong.
The Plate final pitted China against an unexpected Philippines team that entered the tournament ranked 10th and was competing in just their second Asian Rugby Sevens Series event after last week’s run in Brunei.
The Philippines’ had formed a habit of unseating favoured opponents over the weekend, ushering Chinese Taipei into the Bowl competition on day one and beating the Thais today to reach the Plate. But the streak ended in the Final as a comprehensive display by China saw the favourites romp home 31-0. China finished in fifth place overall in the Borneo Sevens and in fourth spot on the Series table with 16 points.
In the Bowl final Chinese Taipei took its revenge for a weekend of injury setbacks and disappointing results to beat India 19-0. Chinese Taipei finished 9th overall and will be ruing missed opportunities after entering the tournament as fourth seed and in fourth place on the Asian Rugby Sevens Series table. After the weekend’s results, Chinese Taipei slipped to fifth place on the table with 13 points.
Another surprise package this weekend was Guam in its debut Asian Rugby Sevens Series event. After running Korea close in the opening day and consistently scoring against Hong Kong throughout the weekend, Guam took its chances well to upend a favoured Thailand 24-7 in the 7th/8th place playoff today. Their performance in Borneo was good enough to elevate Guam to sixth place on the Series standings.
In the Bowl Semifinal Chinese Taipei beat Indonesia 40-0 while India beat Brunei 19-10. Brunei then beat Indonesia 26-7 to finish in 11th place with Indonesia rounding out the 12 Asian teams in the final spot. Brunei and Indonesia charted two and one points on the Series table respectively.
The Borneo Sevens is the last of two ranking events on the inaugural Asian Rugby Sevens Series. The final table rankings will be effective for the remainder of 2009 and will be used for ARFU competitions, multi-sport games and IRB World Sevens Series events when applicable.

About the Asian Rugby Sevens Series:
The Asian Rugby Sevens Series was launched in September 2009 with the first event being in Shanghai in September. Two of the five events on the inaugural calendar (Shanghai and Borneo) have been awarded official Rankings Status. The Asian Rugby Sevens Series is sanctioned by the Asian Rugby Football Union and International Rugby Board.
2009 Asian Rugby Sevens Series Schedule
Shanghai Sevens, China - September 12-13
Brunei Sevens - October 24-25
Borneo Sevens, Kota Kinabalu - October 31 - November 1
Kish Island Sevens, Iran - November 20-22
Sri Lanka Sevens, November 28-29