England V Ireland Hospitality

NEWBRIDGE College teacher Caroline Mahon has been named on the Ireland women's rugby squad for the forthcoming World Cup in England. The UL Bohemians club player is part of a 26 strong squad that will take on England, the USA and Kazakhstan in the pool stages of the tournament which gets underway next month.

Caroline has been playing internationally for four years and in her debut season represented her country in both the Six Nations and the World Cup. Despite her experience she is both delighted and relieved to be part of the squad for next month's showcase.

Ireland V England Hospitality

England V Ireland Hospitality

"I'm really thrilled. You can't take anything for granted. It's tougher now to hold to your place than it was when I first started because there is so much competition for positions," Caroline told the Leinster Leader this week.

Mahon plays her club rugby with UL Bohemians and is joined by no less than eight of her club mates on the panel for the World Cup. She also lines out for Leinster and indeed has captained her province in the past.

Meanwhile Ireland captain Fiona Coughlan will have the support of Straffan behind her as her parents reside in the Kildare village, while fellow squad member Sinead Ryan is employed at Pfizer in Newbridge.
Ireland will open their World Cup campaign with a tough encounter against host team and one of the pre-tournament favourites England. The game will be televised live on Sky Sports. Ireland then play former winners and three time finalists USA in their second game with the final pool game against Kazakhstan four days later. All the pool games are set to be played in the Surrey Sports Camp which will serve as the Rugby World Cup village for all participating teams.

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Ireland V England Hospitality

England V Ireland Hospitality

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Steve Borthwick, who was Martin Johnson's captain for 20 consecutive Tests, has been was dropped from England's elite player squad. The Saracens lock paid the price for not being around when Johnson's team beat Australia 21-20 in Sydney last month, a performance of the kind they will need if they are to make an impression at the World Cup in New Zealand next year.

Borthwick, who missed England's tour while recovering from a knee injury, lost the captaincy to the Bath flanker Lewis Moody at the end of the Six Nations. He has now lost his Test place after winning 57 caps since 2001. He has been named in the second-string Saxons squad.

Ireland V England Hospitality

England V Ireland Hospitality

Johnson said: "He's done a fantastic job for England over the last couple of years and it's the most difficult call we've had to make. It is very tough on Steve but it goes to show the depth of talent we've got in that area."

In Sydney, Tom Palmer and Courtney Lawes, making his first Test start, looked like a modern second-row combination, quick around the pitch yet beefy enough to make the hard yards in congested areas. The 24-year-old Gloucester lock Dave Attwood looks to be the next cab off rank after impressive displays in the midweek matches down under, followed by Wasps' Dan Ward-Smith, Geoff Parling and his new partner at Leicester, the former Wasp George Skivington, and possibly Newcastle's new captain, James Hudson.

Johnson said: "We want to build on what we've done this summer and a southern-hemisphere tour that was hugely beneficial and a really positive experience for the group. We were able to give lots of opportunities to players and expose them to a high level of rugby."

The England manager has picked a squad which repays the players who won in Sydney. All 22 men who came up with the most important victory of Johnson's managerial career are in the 32 for autumn Tests against New Zealand, Australia, Samoa and South Africa.

Vickery's place in the elite squad has gone to Paul Doran-Jones of Gloucester who as almost the only fit, England-qualified tighthead around last autumn, earned a first cap against Argentina. He is now a firm favourite with the England scrum coach, Graham Rowntree.

Forty-six players were used in Australia and New Zealand. Six Saxons – the Northampton back-rower Phil Dowson, Parling, the Quins flanker Chris Robshaw, the Wasps lock Ward-Smith and hooker Rob Webber and the Sale fly-half Charlie Hodgson – made persuasive cases for either an international future or a recall.

Two experienced backs are missing from the 64 names in the elite and Saxons squads. Harry Ellis, the Leicester and Lions scrum-half, is recovering from ongoing knee problems, having played only twice last season. The Bath centre Olly Barkley toured with the senior squad after missing most of the domestic season with injury.

Ireland V England Hospitality

England V Ireland Hospitality

McGeechan believes Wales’ gallant performance in the second Test against New Zealand proves they can be a competitive force at next year’s World Cup.

But he told Ryan Jones and his team they had to start believing in themselves more to grab a major southern hemisphere scalp.

Wales face South Africa in the pool stages and potentially clash with Australia in the quarter-finals out in New Zealand.

But McGeechan reckons Gatland’s men have the ability to reach the semi-finals if they start realising how good they are.

Many of the Welsh players shone under McGeechan’s guidance with the Lions in South Africa last year, with the likes of Mike Phillips, Adam Jones, Gethin Jenkins, Jamie Roberts and Matthew Rees enhancing their rugby reputations.

“Warren, Shaun Edwards and Rob Howley have given the Welsh players a very clear perspective in everything they do.

Ireland V England Hospitality

England V Ireland Hospitality

“Wales have got good players right through the team. I think ‘Gats’ is astute enough to challenge them.

“Wales were competitive in that last Test against New Zealand and I think they will have taken something from that game.

“Wales know their game has to be top drawer. They are trying to play an attractive brand of rugby and have the players to run in tries from anywhere.

New Zealand followed up their back-to-back victories over Wales in June with an ominous double destruction of world champions South Africa in the opening skirmishes of the Tri- Nations tournament.

He also knows those results against the Springboks put into context Wales’ own 42-9 and 29-10 defeats in New Zealand.

Gatland was without key men Hook, Jenkins and Martyn and Shane Williams in New Zealand and only a last-minute try in the second Test gave Graham Henry’s men a flattering scoreline.

“After that you have a group of teams who will believe they can get stronger as the tournament evolves.

“Remember, South Africa went on to beat New Zealand three times in a row last year and the Lions players should take credit for reaching that level and the quality of rugby they were playing themselves last summer.

“It was two good teams going hammer and tongs against each other which, for me, produced some great rugby.”

“England have probably got the best mix of established, experienced players and enthusiastic quality younger players,” said McGeechan.

“If that continues to evolve over the next 12 months then they will probably be in pretty good shape for the World Cup.

“Johnno knows what he wants and he knows what it takes to create a winning environment. The key is for him to see that what they achieved in that last Test against Australia is just a staging point rather than a finishing line.

“England were hit during the autumn and Six Nations with injuries. But most of those players are fit again and that gives Johnno a core group to develop. And I also think Lewis Moody has done well as captain. They look in good shape.”

Ireland V England Hospitality

England V Ireland Hospitality

ONE of England's 2003 world-beating rugby team, Mike Catt is the latest sports hero to become a Yorkshire Bank ambassador.

He will support the firm's six Yorkshire financial solutions centres, including Leeds FSC, at business and community events throughout the region.

He will spend time at schools and clubs, meeting and coaching young athletes, and representing Yorkshire Bank at business events where he will discuss his 20 years as a professional athlete to inspire and nurture new business talent.

Ireland V England Hospitality

England V Ireland Hospitality

Mike, who has just signed a three-year contract extension as a coach with Guinness Premiership team, London Irish, said: "Yorkshire Bank has a strong commitment to its local communities and its loyalty and enthusiasm in supporting sport is magnificent.

"Rugby teaches essential life skills such as team work and determination and I will be developing these at coaching sessions when I visit Leeds."

Yorkshire Bank Leeds FSC managing partner, Patrick Walton, said: "Mike Catt's role will see him visiting Leeds to take part in coaching sessions on the pitch and events to inspire businesses in the boardroom. His appointment is further indication of our commitment to developing the city's future sporting and business talent."

Other Yorkshire Bank ambassadors are former Olympic runner, Steve Cram, England cricketers Alastair Cook and Paul Collingwood and ex-England captain, Alec Stewart.

Ireland V England Hospitality

England V Ireland Hospitality