New Zealand have qualified for the inaugural women's rugby competition at next summer's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro despite slipping to a shock defeat against Spain on the opening day of the latest World Sevens Series leg in London.
The Kiwis have been virtually unbeatable in recent years, winning both editions of the Series since it was first introduced in 2012-2013 and having claimed 37 consecutive victories heading into the latest event.
After a regulation opening win over Brazil that all changed, however, in stunning circumstances at The Stoop as their European opponents showed a stubborn refusal to giving up, eventually forcing a 19-15 victory thanks to a last gasp try by Spanish captain Patricia Garcia.
Garcia admitted afterwards that it was a massive win for Spanish rugby, while New Zealand counterpart Sarah Goss conceded that Spain were better on the day.
“Spain put up a good show like they always do," she said
"They are a quality side and unpredictable."
Goss' team fought back with a 24-0 win over France to reclaim top spot in the group and confirm their Rio participation, but will now realise plenty of hard work lies ahead and they are by no means certain of gold.
Spain were rewarded for their plucky efforts by finishing second in Pool A to set up a quarter-final against Australia tomorrow, while England will be the next challenge for the All Blacks after a heavy 31-0 loss to Canada consigned them to second place in Pool B.
Canada, meanwhile, who laboured to a victory over Russia before finding their best form against South Africa and the English, will now face Russia again for a place in the last four.
United States against France will complete the lineup at The Stoop stadium, with the competition to conclude tomorrow as action begins at nearby Twickenham Stadium in the latest round of the men's World Series.
With one round to go after this weekend - in Amsterdam next weekend - and the top four teams at the end of the Series qualifying for Rio, Canada, Australia and France are currently in poll positions for the other three places, although United States, England and Russia all remain in with a chance.
Caledonia AIA dumps W Connection on penalties
Caledonia AIA pulled off a stunning upset on Friday night when it ousted defending champions and four-time winners DirecTV W Connection from the 2014/2015 Digicel Pro Bowl, 5-4 on penalty kicks after an entertaining 3-3 draw at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. In the winner-take-all $100,000 final on May 29, at the same Couva venue, Caledonia, tournament winners in 2008 and beaten in the decider, both in 2009 and 2012, will come up against first-time finalist Central FC, 1-0 winners over Police in Friday’s other semifinal.
It will be the second time that Central and Caledonia will be squaring off in a final after the latter won the T&T Football Association FA final, 2-0 at Couva in 2013, to ruin the “Sharks” prestigious title in their debut season. However, at Couva on Friday it was the Jerry Moe-coached Caledonia, disappointing eighth-placed league finishers this season which was on the tip of most spectators’ lips after dumping W Connection.
On the eve of the clash, a repeat of their previous two quarterfinal encounters, both won by W Connection 3-1, Moe had stated his team had much respect for its opponent, but held no fear. It was W Connection which struck as early as the third minute through defender Mekeil Williams, who rifled home past goalkeeper Shemel Louison from inside the six-yard box, off a rebound.
It did not take Caledonia too long to respond as Guyana international Pernell Schultz got on the end of a right-sided centre from Nathan Lewis to hit past Julani Archibald for a 1-1 score after only 11 minutes. Eight minutes before the half, Lewis was again the provider, this time for Kareem Joseph to fire past Archibald for a 2-1 lead which his team took into the break.
Caledonia could not have asked for a better start to the second-half when veteran midfielder, Conrod Smith latched onto a careless pass in his own 18-yard box by W Connection defender Alvin Jones and fired through the legs of defender Leslie Rusell on the goalline to extend his team’s advantage to 3-1 in the 56th and within sight of the finals.
The “Savonetta Boys” still searching for a first domestic title this season then mounted a late charge with Shannon Gomez and Jomal Williams replacing Yhon Stiven Reyes Lopez and Neil Benjamin Jr in the 61st minute while Jones made way for Christian Rodriguez 11 minutes later. The changes soon brought reward for coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier as Gomez right-sided cross was turned in by Shahdon Winchester in the 78th minute to reduce the score to 3-2.
Two minutes from the final whistle, with Caledonia hanging on by the thread, Gomez set up Arcia to net and leveled the match at 3-3 and send the contest to penalties. Williams (M) started off things for W Connection by converting his attempt while Joseph did likewise for Caledonia. Winchester then stepped up with W Connection’s next attempt, but looked on in dismay as it ricocheted off the base of the upright to hand Caledonia the initiative which Pierre Hitner took full advantage of by scoring his effort for a 2-1 lead.
The trio of Hashim Arcia, Williams (J) and Gerard Williams scored the remaining three penalties for W Connection, but Caledonia trio Keyon Edwards, Nicholas Marcano and Jameel Neptune also found the target to send their team to the final, its first in the competition since a 5-2 drubbing from Defence Force in the 2012 decider at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
...Plaza sends Central FC to final
The second semifinal failed to live up to the first encounter as Central FC needed only one goal from Willis Plaza to slip past last year’s beaten finalist Police FC and secure their spot in the final.
Plaza, who also netted the lone goal in his team’s quarterfinal win over Defence Force, hammered home the winner six minutes into the match past goalkeeper Adrian Foncette on his first post to ease off-field worries of his teammates who entered the match distracted over promised bonuses yet to be paid.
Results
Caledonia 3 (Pernell Schultz 11th, Kareem Joseph 37th, Conrod Smith 56th) vs W Connection 3 (Mekeil Williams 3rd, Shahdon Winchester 78th, Hashim Arcia 88th) — Caledonia won 5-4 on penalty-kicks
Central FC 1 (Willis Plaza 6th) vs Police FC 0
Rugby women prepare for Olympic qualifiers with Colombia tourney
T&T’s women rugby sevens team yesterday began a valuable training stint in preparation for next month’s Nacra zone Olympic qualifiers with a series of matches against Central and South American opposition at the International Campus of Women Rugby Sevens Tournament in Medellin, Colombia.
Led by captain Ayanna Skeete and coached by Carlton Felix, the sevens team arrived in Colombia on Thursday for the two-day round-robin tournament. They were scheduled to play a series of top quality opposition in Casco champions and hosts, Colombia, Nacra women’s champions, Mexico, Costa Rica and Peru. The first match, against Mexico, finished after press time last evening.
They then faced the host team in the second match. Today, the second and final day, T&T will meet Peru and finally Costa Rica.
The team in Colombia is comprised of Skeete, Nicolette Pantor, Kanisha Vincent, Ornella George, Jolyene Coward, Sara Griffith, Kafi Wright, Alesha Bruce, Apphia Glasgow, Maria Mendez, Victoria Caliste, Dalia Jordan-Brown, Fayola Jack14. Tenisha Samuel-Duke, Blossom Stewart and Kathleen Stephens. Felix’s assistants are Jenilee Limada and Kelson Figaro. Ebony Young is the manager, while Derek Ashby-Williams is the team’s physiotherapist.
The trip, funded by the Sport Company of T&T (SporTT), Ministry of Sport, the T&T Olympic Committee and Nacra, is unprecedented a T&T women’s rugby team. Speaking ahead of the trip, Felix said the tournament serves a top opportunity to lift the women’s game and increase the team’s chances of success next month.
“I am really looking forward to this tournament, as it would provide us with ideal match preparation as well as give us the opportunity to have a closer look at some of the players,” Felix said.
“The timing of it would also allow us to properly analyze the games and make the necessary adjustments before the Nacra Tournament in June. The opportunity to have this type of preparation, as we have not had before, I am pretty confident that it will boost our chances come June.”
The women’s team will visit North Carolina, in the US, for the June 13-14 Olympic qualifiers.
USA to host Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018
The magnificent AT&T Park in San Francisco will provide an impressive stage for the world's top men's and women's rugby sevens players to showcase their talent in 2018.
The San Francisco Bay area will host Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 after the World Rugby Council awarded hosting rights for the prestigious event to USA Rugby.
The magnificent AT&T Park in San Francisco, supported by Avaya Stadium in San Jose, will provide an impressive stage for the world's top men's and women's rugby sevens players to showcase their talent ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The competition dates will be announced in due course.
A major tourism and sports location with a strong rugby community, the San Francisco Bay area boasts superb facilities that will ensure that the 24 men's and 16 women's teams have everything that they require in their quest to be crowned world champions.
The reigning men's and women's world champions are New Zealand following a compelling event in Moscow in 2013 and San Francisco's hosting offers another opportunity to showcase rugby to new audiences in a rapidly growing market for the sport.
World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: "Rugby sevens continues to go from strength to strength, proving a hit with fans, broadcasters and sponsors around the globe with its winning blend of compelling and competitive action, global destinations and festival atmosphere.
"Rugby World Cup Sevens is at the heart of the success story and we are delighted to be awarding these prestigious hosting rights to USA Rugby after a competitive process.
"I am sure that the San Francisco Bay area, with its major event experience and passion for sport, will be a popular and spectacular Rugby World Cup Sevens host."
The event will provide a perfect opportunity for rugby to capture hearts and minds in the USA, where rugby participation and interest continues to experience record growth with more than one million men, women and children now regularly playing what is one of the nation's fastest growing team sports.
USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville said: "We are delighted to be chosen to host the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens and look forward to delivering a fantastic rugby sevens experience for the players, fans, sponsors and media.
"Hosting a Rugby World Cup is an important step forward for rugby in the USA and will bring high levels of visibility and interest for the game in the country. We will also be using the opportunity to develop Impact 2018, a national legacy programme for the whole USA Rugby community."
With rugby sevens set to make its Olympic Games debut at Rio 2016, World Rugby took the decision last year to move Rugby World Cup Sevens back one year into the middle of the Olympic cycle to maximise the sport's integration onto the Olympic Games programme.
Lapasset added: "With an expanded 10-destination World Rugby Sevens Series beginning in 2015-16, Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 in the USA and rugby sevens set to make its Olympic Games debut at Rio 2016, these are exciting times for the sport as we continue to reach out, engage and inspire new audiences around the world."
Fiji set up chance to be crowned Sevens World Series champions as England seal British Olympic quota spot
Fiji will have the chance to seal the World Rugby Sevens Series title tomorrow when they do battle with second-placed South Africa on the final day of the season at Twickenham.
The Fijians, who currently sit top of the leaderboard on 147 points, will be crowned champions if they can beat the "Blitzboks", who suffered a shock defeat to the United States in their pool earlier today, in the last eight.
Ben Ryan’s side also maintained their 100 per cent pool record in London by beating Canada, Samoa and Argentina, and the Fiji boss is hoping they can complete the job tomorrow.
“It will give us an outcome,” Ryan said.
“I'm pleased we've done the whole season unbeaten in the pool stages, that's a big achievement.
“We win tomorrow morning, we win the world title - simple as that.
“It's good to be in control of our own destiny.
“We are in a Cup final tomorrow, anything after that is irrelevant really.”
It also proved to be a successful day for England, who booked a 2016 Olympic Games quota place for Team GB by virtue of reaching the quarter-finals with a thumping 56-7 win over Brazil, which ensured they will finish in the top four.
They will join the likes of New Zealand, Fiji and South Africa, who all sealed their Rio 2016 spot at the last Series event in Glasgow, as well as hosts Brazil in being part of rugby sevens’ debut on the Olympic stage.
“It’s fantastic to welcome rugby sevens to Team GB and it’s hugely exciting to know that will be represented in the sport at an Olympic Games for the first time,” Team GB Chef de Mission Mark England said.
"To secure the quota places here in London at the end of the first qualification phase is a great achievement and we can now look forward to Rio 2016 next summer.”
In what was another superb day of rugby sevens competition played out in front of a capacity crowd, things largely went to plan for the Fijians, however they did have to come from behind twice before eventually beating Argentina 24-19.
South Africa meanwhile looked on course to top pool D before they slipped to a surprise 21-12 defeat at the hands of the United States, which set up a tantalising quarter-final meeting with Fiji.
Hosts England, sure to be backed by a raucous home crowd at Twickenham, take on New Zealand in the last eight while Scotland play Canada, and the other clash sees the American side entertain Canada.
By virtue of their failure to make it out of the pool stage, Japan’s relegation has been confirmed and they will be replaced in next season’s Sevens World Series by Russia.
Fiji will have the chance to seal the World Rugby Sevens Series title tomorrow when they do battle with second-placed South Africa on the final day of the season at Twickenham.
The Fijians, who currently sit top of the leaderboard on 147 points, will be crowned champions if they can beat the "Blitzboks", who suffered a shock defeat to the United States in their pool earlier today, in the last eight.
Ben Ryan’s side also maintained their 100 per cent pool record in London by beating Canada, Samoa and Argentina, and the Fiji boss is hoping they can complete the job tomorrow.
“It will give us an outcome,” Ryan said.
“I'm pleased we've done the whole season unbeaten in the pool stages, that's a big achievement.
“We win tomorrow morning, we win the world title - simple as that.
“It's good to be in control of our own destiny.
“We are in a Cup final tomorrow, anything after that is irrelevant really.”
It also proved to be a successful day for England, who booked a 2016 Olympic Games quota place for Team GB by virtue of reaching the quarter-finals with a thumping 56-7 win over Brazil, which ensured they will finish in the top four.
They will join the likes of New Zealand, Fiji and South Africa, who all sealed their Rio 2016 spot at the last Series event in Glasgow, as well as hosts Brazil in being part of rugby sevens’ debut on the Olympic stage.
“It’s fantastic to welcome rugby sevens to Team GB and it’s hugely exciting to know that will be represented in the sport at an Olympic Games for the first time,” Team GB Chef de Mission Mark England said.
England secured a Rio 2016 quota place by virtue of reaching the last eight on home soil at Twickenham ©World Rugby"To secure the quota places here in London at the end of the first qualification phase is a great achievement and we can now look forward to Rio 2016 next summer.”
In what was another superb day of rugby sevens competition played out in front of a capacity crowd, things largely went to plan for the Fijians, however they did have to come from behind twice before eventually beating Argentina 24-19.
South Africa meanwhile looked on course to top pool D before they slipped to a surprise 21-12 defeat at the hands of the United States, which set up a tantalising quarter-final meeting with Fiji.
Hosts England, sure to be backed by a raucous home crowd at Twickenham, take on New Zealand in the last eight while Scotland play Canada, and the other clash sees the American side entertain Canada.
By virtue of their failure to make it out of the pool stage, Japan’s relegation has been confirmed and they will be replaced in next season’s Sevens World Series by Russia.
Coaches urged to be ‘rebels’
LANCE WALKER, Global Performance Director, at the Michael Johnson Performance (MJP) Center, urged his listeners to become rebels by thinking big, being passionate and creating solutions instead of complaining. Walker was speaking during the closing session of the two-day bpTT/TTOC MJP High Performance workshop which concluded at Olympic House in Port of Spain, yesterday.
Participants also heard from MJP founder and Former World and Olympic champion Michael Johnson who said: “Teaching athletes is an important component of coaching athletes”.
During the afternoon period, Drew Cuffee (regeneration and recovery specialist) engaged attendees in a practical session; introducing the MJP system that focuses on exercises surrounding dynamics, power, movement, force, metabolics and regeneration.
TTOC President, Brian Lewis, told the workshop that the TTOC is determined to create regular learning opportunities for high performance coaches and trainers in Trinidad and Tobago.
“Like Lance (Walker) said, we need to be a network of rebels not troublemakers for there to be transformation in TTO Sport” said Lewis.
Lewis pointed out that a similar type of workshop would cost between $2,000 - $5,000, but the TTOC offers the workshop for free as the focus is on capacity building.
The workshop was well received by participants.
“It was impressive and first world with lots of invaluable information. I will be tapping into the resources offered. Thank you, BPTT, MJP, Drew, Lance and TTOC for the opportunity” said Claire Orr, TT Cycling Federation assistant general secretary.
Those attending the High Performance Workshop which had as its theme: “Perfecting Performance – Striving for Excellence – Faster, Higher, Stronger” received a certificate of participation.
The participants were: Nicole Fuentes (TT Gymnastics Federation), Sean Morrison (TTVF), Gerard Franklin (Tobago), Mark Alexis (Tsunami Swim Club), Rheeza Grant (TTVF), Brij Parasnath (Caribbean Sport Specialists), Shurland Hartley (West Penn Athletics), Claire Orr (TTCF), Roger Frontin (TTCF), Edward Marchan (Paralympics), Josiah Morales (Eagles Aquatics), Curtis George (West Penn), Jenelle Nedd (MOS/NAAA), Ronald Rogers (UTT/TTCB), Kiron Simmons (UTT), Angel Ottley (UTT), Reynold Lovell (UTT), Shayne Cooper (NAAA), Rodney Liverpool (TTDF), Terron Abner (Marabella Family Crisis Centre), Jo-Ellen Redhead (MOS), Antonia Burton (NAAA), Gregory Seale (Movement Mechanics), Ashlee Alonso (Movement Mechanics), Courtnee-Mae Clifford (TTVF), Nataki Akii-Bua (Ventures Hockey Club), PaulVoisin (NAAA), Colin Syriac (Bike Smith Cycling Club), Jeffrey Claverie (QPCC) and Kelton Thomas (TTBBFF).