Saturday 27 August 2011

Youth Membership Day - Sun 4th Sept

Sunday 4th of September is the date your membership fees are due for the new season. Come down to the clubhouse from 12pm (until 4pm) to sign up. 


We will have exclusive RFU goodie bags and great freebies only for players who pay their membership on this day. 


Team/Squad photos will also take place on this day - including an ambitious Millwall Youth group photo. Team photos will be taken at the following approximate times -

Minis -12.30pm
Under 12s - 12.45pm
Under 14s - 1pm
Under 16s - 1.15pm
Whole club photos 1.30pm

Please try and be around for your team photo as they will be our official photos for the coming season!!


The Academy Director from Robert Clack Rugby Academy & College will also be down to talk to parents and players of our U16s team about their educational and rugby options for next year. 


It promises to be a great day, so please make an effort to come down - hot food will be available for sale on the day also.


Tell us you are coming by Facebook RSVP here







Wednesday 17 August 2011

Lions Weekly Round Up

Dear Players and Parents,

Welcome to the first Lions Weekly Round Up for the 2011/12 season. If you are new to the club, then firstly let me welcome you! We hope you settle in and enjoy the social and fun atmosphere that we have been trying to build at Millwall Rugby Club.


This issue will be short but important:

DIRECTOR OF RUGBY
RUGBY FRIDAYS
CANARY WHARF EVENT
REGISTRATION DAY
TRAINING



DIRECTOR OF RUGBY
If you haven't seen, Millwall Rugby Club has appointed Warren Abhrahams as the Director of Rugby. Warren will be responsible for all coaching within the club, including the youth section, so if you see him, do take the time to say hi. More on the announcement here


RUGBY FRIDAYS
Rugby Fridays continue to run during the school holidays - there are only 3 more sessions left, so if you haven't come along yet, now is your chance. All sessions are free and are run by experienced RFU-qualified coaches. Lunch is also provided (and also free). For more information about Rugby Fridays, see the our blog here


CANARY WHARF EVENT
The whole club are decending upon Canary Wharf arcade on Saturday 27th of August, from 12pm to officially launch our new season and recruit some more members for our teams. If you are about on the day, and can spare 30-40 mins to help us hand out flyers, please contact me asap. Even if you can't help, swing by our stand outside HSBC & Accessorize in Canada Square Arcade and say hi!


REGISTRATION DAY - SUNDAY 4TH SEPT
Sunday 4th of September is the date your membership fees are due for the new season. Come down to the clubhouse from 12pm (until 4pm) to sign up. We will have exclusive RFU goodie bags and freebies for players who pay their membership on this day. Team/Squad photos will also take place on this day - including an ambitious Millwall Youth group photo! The Academy Director from Robert Clack Rugby Academy & College will also be down to talk to parents and players of our U16s team about their educational and rugby options for next year. It promises to be a great day, so please make an effort to come down - we'll send out more in the coming weeks about this, but mark it in your calendars now! Tell us you are coming by Facebook RSVP here


TRAINING
Rugby Training has resumed in preparation for the new season. HITZ Rugby (run by Premiership club Saracens) takes place on Millwall Park every Wednesday from 4:30pm. Millwall Youth Pre-season training begins at 6pm, also on Millwall Park, every Wednesday. Sunday training will begin in earnest from Sunday 11th of September. All sessions will be on Millwall Park until further notice.


If you have any questions, concerns or comments, please do get in touch.

Let's go to Work!

Matt Shorrock
Youth Chair
Millwall Rugby Club

Sunday 14 August 2011

Scott's England Rant

England vs. Wales Match report- Millennium Stadium- Saturday 13/08/2011
England Flop In Cardiff

Last week at Twickenham, England’s “B” team beat Wales in a closely contested game 23-19.

Saturday’s game saw





Martin Johnson make 12 changes to the starting line-up with the majority supposedly being England’s first choice team, Banahan, Cueto & Corbisiero were the only survivors from the game at headquarters.

There was a couple of first XV players missing from the line-up with Ben Youngs still recovering from minor surgery meaning Wigglesworth started at scrum half and Chris Aston failed a fitness test on his ankle before the game so had to sit this one out giving Banahan another chance to impress on the wing.

I'm not a big fan of Banahan playing on the wing, he doesn’t use space very well and always looks for contact. He quickly proved my opinion when he was left unmarked on the right wing, received the pass and instead of fixing the covering defender with an in and out run he simply tried to use his 6ft 7in 18 stone frame to power through. If he had scored I would have said well done but he didn’t, he was stopped by one of the smallest players on the pitch proving that his size is wasted.

Waiting on the bench is Charlie Sharples who’s pace on the wing is immense, plus the pending return of Ashton (both of who I think would have converted that chance) I can’t see a place on the wing for Banahan at the world cup.

I want to focus mostly on England’s backs but before I do I have to mention Nick Easter who had a cracking game at number 8, he always went forward with the ball and put England on the front foot. Also it was good to see a return for Courtney Laws after the neck injury scare in training a few weeks back.

The Backs: England’s starting back line of Wigglesworth, Flood, Cueto, Hape, Tindall, Banahan and Foden, looked on paper like it would cause problems for the Welsh defence, but they barely managed to break through the first line of tacklers. On the few occasions they did, nobody was able to show any finishing quality.

Toby Flood should not be a starting player for England, he had nothing in his locker to trouble Wales, which allowed them to play a rush defence and pressure the backs for the whole game. The set moves in the backs looked shaky to say the least and were so signposted that Wales could have had just one defender and still tackled the ball carrier.

Hape and Tindall as a centre pairing again looked solid in defence but showed absolutely nothing in attack; Hape looked massively out of his depth breaking up one attacking move with an unpressured forward pass and dropping the ball in contact on another attack.

Hape for me just played himself out of the England squad completely.

With the centres not causing Wales any problems, England didn’t earn the right to go wide meaning the wingers didn’t get much space apart from the Banahan chance mentioned earlier. Foden at fullback only had a few touches of the ball on the counter attack but he wasn’t in the game enough to have a real impact.

Wigglesworth looked a bit nervous in the first 20minutes but I think he would have got better as the game went on; unfortunately he picked up an injury before the 30 minute mark and had to be substituted for Danny Care. Care had another great game and should definitely partner Wilkinson for the world cup starting XV.

On two occasions in the second half Wales were down a player with yellow cards to Jamie Roberts and the Mike Phillips but even then England could not create anything scoring just 3 points in the 20minutes of play with a man advantage.

All credit to the Welsh defence for a solid performance, which saw them pinned inside their 22 for large periods of time and didn’t allow England a sniff of the try line.

At the other end of the pitch the Welsh finishing was clinical with Hook crossing the line on the only real Welsh attack.

Last week I discussed England’s chances in the world cup.

I did say that semi finals was reachable, but looking at that performance from a supposedly first choice team, England aren’t going to make it out of the group stage!

Big changes needed before England travel to Ireland for the last warm up game.

Yours in rugby,
Scott Vinnicombe


Thursday 11 August 2011

Rugby Fridays are ON

Rugby Fridays continue this week, so come on down to Millwall Park at 11am to get your rugby fix! It's free and lunch is provided also!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tuesday 9 August 2011

Wed 10/08/11 Training Cancelled

*** NOTICE ***

Due to the London Riots and to ensure the safety of our players and parents, please be advised that this Wednesday evening's training session (10th Aug 2011) is cancelled.

Stay indoors and make sure you aren't wondering around at night - and definately don't get involved in anything you shouldn't!

As member's of Millwall Rugby Club, you are role models in the local community. We are proud of all of our kids and we trust you know the difference between right and wrong.

If you know of anyone involved in these senseless acts and wish to report them anonymously, you can do so via the Fearless.org website

Assume that training will be back on next week, unless we tell you otherwise.

If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch at youthchair@millwallrugby.com or 07884012678

thanks
Matt Shorrock
Youth Chair
Millwall Rugby Club

Monday 8 August 2011

Scott's England verdict

Youth Coaching Co-ordinator Scott Vinnicombe gives his verdict on England's performance against Wales on Saturday and makes a call on their world cup chances.


England Match report- Twickenham- Saturday 06/08/2011
England 23 def Wales 19

Martin Johnson named a “second String” team to face Wales in Saturday’s world cup warm up match. With only three games left before the long awaited trip to New Zealand this was a chance for several players to cement their spot on the plane and for others to put themselves forward.

Some of the key selections for the match include England’s world cup winning fly half Johnny Wilkinson, who has returned to form and fitness since leaving Newcastle for Toulon in the 2009/10 season.

Matt Stevens who has served his two year ban for drug use and has quickly re-established himself as a dominant prop in English rugby playing for Saracens and the England Saxons in 17 undefeated matches since his return.

Finally Manu Tuilagi the young Samoan born centre known most recently for trying to knock Chris Astons head off in the Premiership semi final.

For me the three people I just mentioned were England’s best players on the day, Wilkinson didn’t miss a kick, carried the ball well and when Danny care gave him quick ball he attacked on the gain line and caused the welsh defence lots of problems. He kicked a total of 13 points from England’s 23 and set up a try with a well timed switch with centre Tuilagi. Wilko a definite starter in the world cup for me!

Tuilagi had an impressive first team debut for England and I think his second half try sealed him a place in the world cup squad maybe even the starting XV. Defensively he showed his inexperience early on but seemed to improve greatly as the game went on and he combined well with Wilko for his try cutting back inside on the switch then breaking three welsh tackles to score under the posts.

I think Matt Stevens has also got himself a squad place for the world cup especially as he can prop as both tight and loosehead. Good performances in the set pieces with his strength in the scrum setting up the platform for James Haskell’s try in the first half. Didn’t see too much of him with ball in hand but I think he will be on the plane to New Zealand.

A quick mention also for Delon Armitage who played at fullback, unfortunately for him Ben Foden finished the season on great form and doesn’t look like giving up the fullback spot but Armitage certainly gave England’s selectors a performance to warrant a trip to the world cup. Several key tackles including a try saving(match saving) tackle on Wales captain Warburton, he also showed a flash of his counter attacking skills after intercepting a pass and running it back from the halfway line up to the welsh 5metre line before a great covering tackle stopped what would have been the try of the match.

So... can England win the world cup??? My honest opinion is no, my heart screams yes but I must swallow my pride and use my head, England have come along way since the 2007 world cup and the young players coming through are starting to gel and looking good but I think the world cup has come a year too early for us to be real contenders.

I think we will make the semi finals but a draw against Australia or South Africa could end our world cup hopes very quickly as both team have a very strong squad, To me it doesn’t matter who we play because I just can’t see past New Zealand winning it.

They have been known to choke in the world cup but with the form they are showing in the tri-nations and the fact that they play host this year surely they will lift the Webb Ellis Cup.