Why can't this be us?

Under the watchful eye of IOC President Jacques Rogge, former rugby player from Belgium (Dendermonde club, I believe...famous for the Dendermonde Tens tournament...)
and other worthies such as Billy Beaumont (former British Lions and England Captain) and IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.....Hong Kong hold aloft the sheild....even though it is the lowliest trophy, you have to beat some teams to win it....Korea's rugby sevens team needs to find the capability to do that and to build to get there....

The last couple of years have been a big learning for Korean rugby; the additional sponsorship from Standard Chartered that came alongside the England Counties visit, the experience of hosting a major touring side, the progress of Korean players in Japan and the regular disappointment in the results suggest that, organisationally, the bottom has been tested....and now we look for the leadership to take the lessons and convert the KRU and Korean rugby into something better organised, better managed, attracting greater talent and ultimately (because this really takes time) deliver better results.

Korea rugby sevens team returns from Hong Kong empty-handed

Action from the match v Zimbabwe


And versus South Africa

It looks like the results are telling us what we already knew; Korea are just not taking accoiunt of the progress made by other rugby nations and the results in Hong Kong now have disappointed for several years. It seems the tournament win in Shanghai in the inaugural Asia Sevens competition was a flash in the pan....
This weekend, our boys never threatened to win anything and must be looking in astonishment at the rise of other teams like Kenya, for example....

Kyunghee Univ English Magazine on Rugby in Korea

To read the original article, click(click the images to enlarge on this following blog) http://blog.naver.com/rugby15/50085305447

New shirts for Korea Rugby

Proud sponsors Kappa, it seems, have stepped in to support Korea....no doubt thius will be another controversy having changed the colourse, style etc....

Hope that Standard Chartered have organised some for all their staff and press-ganged them to attend all home matches for Korea in Asia Five Nations!!

Rugby sevens in Korea

"1st Annual Ansan Rugby 7s Festival " on Sunday, March 28 at 10:00am.

Event: 1st Annual Ansan Rugby 7s Festival
What: Sporting Event
Start Time: Sunday, March 28 at 10:00am
End Time: Sunday, March 28 at 6:00pm
Where: Ansan Lake Park (호수공원)

Wanted: Old timers of Korea rugby

Would any over-40 rugby players in Korea be interested in joining the 'Asian Marauders' Golden Oldies team in Sydney in September?

The Asian Marauders is a team mainly consisting of former YCAC (Yokohama Country & Athletic Club's Rugby Section) players and friends.
Originally called Mellie's Marauders in 1997 & 2001 when they went to South Africa and Toulouse and then Mike's Marauders on their tour to San Diego. The Brits were not so keen on Edinburgh in 2009 so the team was renamed Asian Marauders and added few guys from Nomads etc. in Asia and that concept seemed to work well.

In Edinburgh it seemed that there was not a single Korean playing in or Korean team participating among the 100's of teams Golden Oldies Rugby Festival (http://www.goldenoldiessports.com/go_festivals/rugby_festivals/world-rugby-festival-2010.htm).

If anyone is interested in helping to make the team even more Asian, please contact Mike Galbraith or Jim Watson.

Regarding the tournament itself, there are usually about 10 to 15 Japanese teams at these events and we can't let them have all the fun!! There are three games of about 20 minutes each way (with people swapping in and out) `during the week and many events including a grand dinner (usually about 2,500 people) on the last night. If think that if Korean ruggers saw this event, they would start getting interested in participating in future events in their own teams.

By the way, 2012 Golden Oldies will be in Kyushu and so very close to Korea!

Womens rugby in Korea needs coaches

Seoul Sisters, the club that pioneered women's rugby in Korea, is looking for coaches. Really important to keep this fledgling alive!
The Seoul Sisters Rugby Club (www.ssrfc.com) is looking for coaches on Saturdays from 11am-12pm at Jamwon Pitch near Apugjeong Station. Please contact club representative, Robin Seila, at robin.seila@gmail.com if you are interested.

Seoul Survivors adds a new rugby team in Korea, organises for growth!

The Oakwood Seoul Survivors are pleased to announce the formation of a 2nd mens' squad within the Survivors club. The SS Killer Bs will focus on fun, social rugby and player development acting as a feeder squad and reserve for the 1st team and an important stepping stone to senior rugby for Colts players. So if any old soldiers or greenhorns out there want to dust off the boots then now's the time. All senior rugby players train together at Jamwon 10am on Saturdays. Stay posted for latest details. Tell your mates!

In other news, the recent AGM held on the 6th of March has solidified the organisational structure for 2010. These are the club roles and the guys who have sacrificed their time and effort to fill these positions:

The Gray Captain: Ted Gray
Club Manager: Roddy Bancroft
Treasurer: Les Edwards
Korean Liaison: Richard Jang
Coaching Committee: Roddy Bancroft, Dan Grover, Jono O'Sullivan

1st Team Captain: Simon Walsh
2nd Team Manager: Kurt Taogaga
Touch Team Captain: Nathan Atkins

Social Committee: Phillip Guerrero, Brian Bruckman, Matt Butler
Media Team: Kurt Taogaga, Richard Jarvis, Nathan Farren, Jacob Leonard
Kit Managers: Roddy Bancroft, Jacob Leonard
Community Project Team: Jordan Smigelsky, Jin Lee

Check out the website for contact details: http://www.facebook.com/l/ceceb;www.survivorsrfc.com

Looking forward to seeing you at our social events and matches in 2010!

Korea Rugby's fixtures for 2010

See the attached report in the Korea Herald for an update on Korea in the Asia Five Nations rugby http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2010/03/05/201003050059.asp

By the way, the Korea Rugby Union is also promoting Invictus.... see the banner on the right http://rugby.or.kr/