Results tagged “rugby”

Johnson announced his squad on Tuesday to face an All Black side still smarting from their shock exit from last year’s World Cup. Bracken, who made his debut against them in 1993, thinks it’s a big ask for an inexperienced England team.

“It’s the toughest place to go on the planet,” he said. “What a place to start. There’s some new blood going out there and he [Johnson] must be nervous having to pick his squad, with a few injuries and big games coming up. But he’s a tremendous leader and I’m confident he’ll make a success of it.”

Morgan Stanley booked their place in the City League final with a convincing win over Dresdner.

The Canary Wharf side produced some superb rugby to run out 42-19 winners and book a final place against Lloyds, where they will be looking to avenge their only defeat of the season against the City bank

The City League Plate Final saw JP Morgan beat Freshfields 48-3.

simon.hayes@wharf.co.uk

Rory Underwood, England’s flying winger during the ’80s and ’90s, is taking part in the Microsoft UK Challenge.

He will join teams from several Canary Wharf companies, including HSBC and Barclays.

The former sporting giant, who now runs high performance development consultancy UPH, said: “I’m really looking forward to it. I’m doing a couple of events, although I don’t quite know what they involve – but then that’s the whole point.

RORY UNDERWOOD is backing Martin Johnson to do the business as England team manager, but thinks people need to give him time.

Underwood, who won 85 caps between 1984 and 1996, believes Johnson, England’s world cup winning captain, has all the attributes for the job he inherited from Brian Ashton.

He said: “Martin’s got great personal qualities. He’ll bring clearer leadership and direction to the team. He’s not at the same coaching level as Brian Ashton but he has nous to pass on.

Millwall Rugby Club will celebrate the end of the season with their annual festival at Mudchute Farm this Saturday.

With the official league season drawing to a close, the Isle of Dogs club have begun preparations for their annual Millwall England v Millwall Rest of the World match, where all the English adult men’s players from the club take on a Barbarians-like team featuring players from over 15 countries.

The festival day also features matches from the Millwall U12s, U14s, Millwall Venus - the club’s Ladies section - and the hugely successful U16s.

ENGLAND legend Jason Leonard says Martin Johnson will provide the national team with the leadership needed to reclaim former glories.

At the time of going to press, Johnson was on the verge of being handed the England manager’s job.

And Leonard, who was at ExCeL London in the Royal Docks publicising next month’s Think Regatta, was keen to throw his substantial weight behind his former skipper.

“It’s a role that is perfectly suited to Martin,” said Leonard, who played 114 times for England.

Harlequins star Andy Gomarsall thinks Johnson, who skippered England to World Cup glory in 2003, is perfect to take on a manager’s role – and he could work with current coach Brian Ashton.

“I think he would be fantastic,” he said. “His rugby cv is the best so he would be awesome."

Snow and a frozen pitch couldn't stop Millwall Lions under 16s from beating Wanstead 12-10 on Sunday (April 6).

Centre Billy Gray scored all points for the visitors as the Lions earned revenge for the defeat to Wanstead one week earlier that halted their winning streak at just two matches.

With the snow falling heavily, Millwall arrived at Wanstead with just 14 players and the home side took the early advantage, scoring a try out wide five minutes into the match.

Reuters got the better of Canary Wharf rivals Citigroup in a keenly contested City League cup clash.

The plate competition match at Charlton Park saw the media company beat their banking neighbours 43 - 31 on Wednesday evening (March 26).

It was a game of two very different halves in wet and windy conditions. Citigroup led 24-5 at half-time and also scored first in the second period.

The City Scrum touch rugby tournament next Thursday (April 3), at the Honourable Artillery Company in City Road, will see 10 teams from banks and other institutions battle it out to be the City’s top rugby dogs.

The tournament is being organised by law firm Norton Rose, and Canary Wharf is well represented with teams from HSBC, Reuters, Citigroup and Credit Suisse all taking part.

So says ex-skipper Will Carling following a disappointing performance by Brian Ashton’s side in the Six Nations championship.

England won their final match against Ireland at the weekend to finish second in the results table, but Carling still believes the country needs to be led by someone else – and he knows just the man.

Millwall Rugby Club's thriving under-16 team continued their impressive form with a 41-0 thrashing of Essex league team Stanford Le Hope.

The fixture, played at Millwall Park on Sunday (March 16), was organised to prove a measuring stick for the young lion’s improvement as they seek inclusion in the Essex leagues for next season.

Captain and Fly Half Oliver Jardine lead his team from the outset, steering his team around the park with precision kicking and some strong running.

Millwall Rugby Club's relegation worries increased after they crashed 39-10 at home to Ilford Wanderers on Saturday.

The visitors struck first in the Essex 1 match with a well worked forward try from a maul after just 11 minutes. Millwall replied with a penalty from fullback Ben Murphy, who took full advantage of the wind 16 minutes in.

Millwall's fly half Dan Lawrence continued his brilliant season with a solo try in the 21st minute, which was converted by Murphy.

TROUBLE is brewing in Docklands over controversial plans to include a bar in a new rugby clubhouse.

Millwall Rugby Club have applied for an alcohol licence as part of their plans to redevelop disused railway arches in Millwall Park, Isle of Dogs, but neighbouring residents are determined to stop them.

Tower Hamlets licensing sub-committee was due to rule on the application last Wednesday (February 13) but the meeting was abandoned when one of the councillors, Anwara Alim, failed to attend. Supporters and opponents alike have been left frustrated.

FABIO Capello might have been dubbed “The Headmaster” by the British tabloids, but there’s one world cup-winning coach to whom the title would be far more appropriate.

Jake White is a former schoolteacher turned top rugby coach who masterminded South Africa’s march to glory in France last October.

The Wharf's reporter Simon Hayes caught up with him in Canary Wharf last Wednesday (February 6) while he signed copies of his absorbing autobiography In Black and White at Books, etc in Jubilee Place mall.