Madagascan march
Madagascar are rapidly emerging as one of rugby's unheralded success stories. Last week they claimed a shock 33-31 win over South Africa Amateurs to secure a place in the final of the Confederation of African Rugby's Top Nine competition, where they will meet Morocco.
Playing in front of yet another 40,000 capacity crowd at the Stade Municipal De Mahamasina in the capital Antananarivo - which could become a familiar name on the rugby map if the Madagascans continue to improve - they again produced the fluid "Fijian-style" game they have developed in recent years to overcome heavier and stronger opponents.
Though enjoying an unprecedented surge of popularity at present, rugby has long been established on the large Indian Ocean island, indeed the union are celebrating their centenary season.
The Moroccans, meanwhile, continue to improve steadily and outclassed an under-strength and dispirited Namibia 49-0 in Casablanca, scoring eight tries, to establish themselves as favourites to qualify from the African pool next year for the 2007 World Cup.
Morocco and Madagascar will now travel to Paris for the final, which will be staged as a curtain-raiser to France's final autumn international, against South Africa at the Stade de France on Nov 26. Hats off to the French, and the International Rugby Board, for their splendid initiative on this front in such a simple but obvious way of helping expose the smaller rugby nations to the big time.
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Tick the Boks
Thanks to our friends at Invesco Perpetual this column again has a pair of tickets to give away for a Wales home game, this time the sell-out match against South Africa on Nov 19. First-class rail travel to Cardiff from your home - assuming you live in Britain, as we had entries from the United States and Israel for last week's competition - will also be paid for. But first you must exercise the grey matter. Nothing in life is free. Who was the Wales captain in June 1999 when Wales recorded their only win over the Springboks? And who were the Welsh points scorers on that momentous occasion? Entries should be e-mailed to me - Brendan.Gallagher@telegraph.co.uk - by 3pm next Tuesday.
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Age no barrier
There is no substitute for experience, certainly down at Pershore, where the club's third XV - who have amassed 154 points in the past three games - believe they can boast the oldest second-row combination in the country. Jim Booth, a trim 70, and Hugh Gibbon, a ridiculously youthful 67, have been seeing off opponents a third of their age in the line-out and still have the energy to contribute elsewhere.
There was consternation in the changing rooms when Jim, a retired vet, failed to appear one Saturday recently until they remembered he had taken the week off to compete in the Malvern Beacon run. Hugh, a retired teacher, has only recently given up groundsman duties at the Pershore club.
A bottle of something bubbly will be winging its way to these gentlemen unless any other regular "boiler house" combination in Britain can provide evidence of exceeding their combined age of 137. Minimum qualification is three matches together in the second row this season.
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England step up
The vaunted women's Super League series will kick off on Nov 20 and is seen as a key component in England's attempt to topple New Zealand at the World Cup in Canada next summer.
Around 90 players eligible for England will step out of the club season to compete in one of four teams in a two-round league tournament. The 44 members of England's elite squad will play only Super League and representative rugby this season.
The four sides - Stormers, based at Gloucestershire's Hartpury College, Tornados, from St Mary's in Twickenham, the Hurricanes, at Harpenden RFC and Thunder, based at Nottingham University - will all be looked after by the England women's coaching team.
"Super League is exactly what we need in our season," England coach Geoff Richards said. "It will provide good quality games for our elite players as well as providing decent rest and recovery periods and consistent coaching with the England set-up. We hope Super League will make a big difference to our World Cup preparations."
By Brendan Gallagher
Playing in front of yet another 40,000 capacity crowd at the Stade Municipal De Mahamasina in the capital Antananarivo - which could become a familiar name on the rugby map if the Madagascans continue to improve - they again produced the fluid "Fijian-style" game they have developed in recent years to overcome heavier and stronger opponents.
Though enjoying an unprecedented surge of popularity at present, rugby has long been established on the large Indian Ocean island, indeed the union are celebrating their centenary season.
The Moroccans, meanwhile, continue to improve steadily and outclassed an under-strength and dispirited Namibia 49-0 in Casablanca, scoring eight tries, to establish themselves as favourites to qualify from the African pool next year for the 2007 World Cup.
Morocco and Madagascar will now travel to Paris for the final, which will be staged as a curtain-raiser to France's final autumn international, against South Africa at the Stade de France on Nov 26. Hats off to the French, and the International Rugby Board, for their splendid initiative on this front in such a simple but obvious way of helping expose the smaller rugby nations to the big time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tick the Boks
Thanks to our friends at Invesco Perpetual this column again has a pair of tickets to give away for a Wales home game, this time the sell-out match against South Africa on Nov 19. First-class rail travel to Cardiff from your home - assuming you live in Britain, as we had entries from the United States and Israel for last week's competition - will also be paid for. But first you must exercise the grey matter. Nothing in life is free. Who was the Wales captain in June 1999 when Wales recorded their only win over the Springboks? And who were the Welsh points scorers on that momentous occasion? Entries should be e-mailed to me - Brendan.Gallagher@telegraph.co.uk - by 3pm next Tuesday.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Age no barrier
There is no substitute for experience, certainly down at Pershore, where the club's third XV - who have amassed 154 points in the past three games - believe they can boast the oldest second-row combination in the country. Jim Booth, a trim 70, and Hugh Gibbon, a ridiculously youthful 67, have been seeing off opponents a third of their age in the line-out and still have the energy to contribute elsewhere.
There was consternation in the changing rooms when Jim, a retired vet, failed to appear one Saturday recently until they remembered he had taken the week off to compete in the Malvern Beacon run. Hugh, a retired teacher, has only recently given up groundsman duties at the Pershore club.
A bottle of something bubbly will be winging its way to these gentlemen unless any other regular "boiler house" combination in Britain can provide evidence of exceeding their combined age of 137. Minimum qualification is three matches together in the second row this season.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
England step up
The vaunted women's Super League series will kick off on Nov 20 and is seen as a key component in England's attempt to topple New Zealand at the World Cup in Canada next summer.
Around 90 players eligible for England will step out of the club season to compete in one of four teams in a two-round league tournament. The 44 members of England's elite squad will play only Super League and representative rugby this season.
The four sides - Stormers, based at Gloucestershire's Hartpury College, Tornados, from St Mary's in Twickenham, the Hurricanes, at Harpenden RFC and Thunder, based at Nottingham University - will all be looked after by the England women's coaching team.
"Super League is exactly what we need in our season," England coach Geoff Richards said. "It will provide good quality games for our elite players as well as providing decent rest and recovery periods and consistent coaching with the England set-up. We hope Super League will make a big difference to our World Cup preparations."
By Brendan Gallagher
posted by Zo Heri at 11:30 PM
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