England Rugby - March 2006 - A month I think we all wanted to forget!  I definitely did! 

What a shambles England turned out to be in this year's RBS Six Nations Championship.  Many blame the coaches but most of all Head Coach Andy Robinson for the situation England find themselves in, frankly I blame them all but in particular, Andy Robinson.  I do not understand how a successful Rugby World Cup Coach can get it wrong so badly.  Again many fans say the coaching has stood still, I do not agree with that,  I think we have gone backwards since the RWC and have said many times that at this point one year prior to the 2003 RWC we were the No1 team and on an unbeaten record run of wins.   Sorry folks but there is no way we will retain the Rugby World Cup unless a miracle happens.  Depressed? Well if we are depressed now we will most certainly be next year in France.  

We did however have the England Sevens, the England U21s, and the England Women to thank for some glory during March!  A big thank you to all of them for giving us all something to be proud of.

****************** 

Once again Ed Budge kicked our month off with his previews, reviews and sock it to them articles!  None more so than 

England Rugby Half Term Report

England took the high road to Scotland the only team unbeaten in the 2006 RBS Six nations that was until much later that day. I suspect England came back the low road but who knows. Ed Budge gives us his take on the debacle! Scotland v England Review Ed also previewed the Ireland match for us here... England vs Ireland Preview

England vs France match preview. Would England perform? Would the French team turn up? So many questions but Ben tried to answer them.   France vs England Preview

Then we had Rob Richmond aka Sanctimonious Pandemonium giving us his Review of England vs France 

"Uh, I dunno" Martin Corry England captain sums up his teams poor performance. Whilst Cozza tried desperately to carry his team mates he found himself leading an England team that were more error strewn than a blindman’s knitting,  much more hilarity in his article here.. (laugh I wanted to weep.......)  Anonymous England...

The England fortress is no more! England fell again in the RBS Six Nations 2006 Championship.  England vs Ireland Review

England players did not follow orders when playing Ireland, according to the East Terrace hounds. Question did anyone follow orders?    England head coach Andy Robinson has claimed that his players ignored direct coaching orders in England’s 28-24 defeat to Ireland.   Responding to media and fan criticism over England’s lack of creativity, Robinson took the unusual step of publicly rebuking his team.
England did not listen - Read all about it?

 

Hooray for Hollywood our England U21s did us proud  

England swept to their second Six Nations Championship title in three years following their five try win over Ireland at a cold and breezy Sixways tonight, home to Worcester Warriors. It was a performance of pace and power in front of the 9,726 strong crowd with the England pack dominating their visitors in most departments to ensure they left with the silverware. England U21s Win Grand Slam

England Women had a fantastic Six Nations Championship this year, winning the Grand Slam! 

 Some of the Reports are listed below.   Also reports on the Women's A team and U19s in Canada

England Women continue their Six Nations winning ways with victory over Scotland in very cold and windy conditions. England Women's Rugby 6n  - England Women next stop France  England Women trounce France   England Women final clash against Ireland at Old Albanians RFC,  England Women Ireland Preview   

 England Women crowned 6N Grand Slam Champs. The title has eluded Geoff Richards' side since 2003 but after England’s 28-0 demolition of France in Paris the Red Roses were in the driving seat & true to form, after an impressive 6N campaign, the women delivered in magnificent style running in 7 tries England Women Champs

and England A Women win in France England Women's Rugby - Great start for England's Calor Gas U19s  England Women win in Canada

Even the England Counties XV vs France Amateurs -had their run out...... While there are three full-time players, the squad also contains a plasterer, Rugby Football Union employees, a personal trainer, an IT recruitment headhunter, policemen, a builders merchant, business managers, a marketeer, a farmer, Rugby Development Officers, students, a fabricator and a sculptor.  Full preview here....England Counties vs French

Unofficial England's roving reporter Barney Burnham puts the record straight on what Lawrence said?   England's Lawrence  Barney also gave us an exclusive interview with Stuart Abbott England's Stuart Abbott

 

 

   

England Sevens did us all proud and brought back Silver Medals.  England narrowly beaten by New Zealand in Melbourne, check out all the results from the two days here... England 7s Commonwealth Games 2006

England Sevens got off to a fantastic start in Hong Kong by beating the hosts Hong Kong 52-0. England 7s Start well in Hong Kong

Full results here England 7s Hong Kong

Thank goodness we had Viralbank.com Spoof Clips   to lighten our mood during this month.  England Rugby Six Nations Spoof Movie Clips in conjunction with Viralbank.com and o2 - Great site and plenty of other fun categories.

And also our Australian Columnist Andrew from Rugby Passion, who gave us...............Rugby, Restaurants and Retail…??? - What I hear you ask? Well Andrew  us the run down. I do like the Retail bit in this article!  Reports on Rugby OZ Style

 

International Rugby stars unite to run the Bath Half Marathon for Cardiac Risk in the Young   Many of the players will be running in memory of Howard English and his son Sebastian. Howard, a fit and healthy 32 year-old, died suddenly on the rugby pitch; witnessed first-hand by well known sports presenter, John Inverdale. Sebastian, passed away 11 years later, again on the rugby field in similar circumstances. Had Sebastian been referred, following the death of his father, and received the correct screening this tragic loss could have been prevented  To find out more check out the full article here... England Players CRY

And the results on the day ....England Team Cry Results  

Jason Leonard, Paul Ackford, Mark Jackson, David Egerton and Will Carling

England's RWC Captain Martin Johnson sets out on his 2006 Rugby Camps. The programme is now extended with a total of 8 regional camps & continues to cater, for 11-16 year old boys & girls Places are selling fast and we would like to get as many local players involved in the programme as possible

 

• 26-28th July -                Warwick University

• 2-4th Aug –                    Clifton RFC, Bristol

• 7-9^th Aug -                      Plymouth Albion RFC, Plymouth

• 9th-11th Aug –              Newbury RFC, Berkshire   

• 14th-16^th Aug -             Westcombe Park - Kent

• 16-18^th Aug -                 Richmond/London Scottish

• 21-23^rd Aug –                Doncaster RFC, Yorkshire    

• 23-25^th Aug -                 Broughton Park, Manchester      

 

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