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Monday March 21, 2011
Issued by Simon Mills


Mark Odejobi takes to the water with swimming legend Karen Pickering


ENGLAND have pooled resources with former swimming World Champion Karen Pickering to boost performance going into the second half of the HSBC Sevens World Series.

England are in the Far East preparing for the Cathay Pacific Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens – a pivotal event as they seek to extend their lead in the race for a first ever series title.

And as well as working on the training ground they’ve been raising fitness levels with work in the pool with guidance from the former World, European and Commonwealth gold medallist.

Pickering contacted head coach Ben Ryan via Twitter last year and now runs regular sessions with physiotherapist and conditioner Brett Davison using her KP SWIM Elite programme.

“I was looking at what various other athletes do as part of their training and lots use swimming as part of their rehab but maybe not enough in terms of general fitness,” said Pickering.

“A load of sports use swimming but probably don’t have enough of a background in it to use it as well as they could.

“I was following some of the players and Ben on Twitter and saw he was taking the guys swimming so I made contact and said ‘are you interested in me looking at the swim programme?’

“Brett has a swimming background so he understands the benefits but even so it’s been great to extend his knowledge and show different ways you can work someone’s arms, work someone’s legs, and if you’ve got a particular injury what you can do so they can still keep fit.

“A lot of it is helping Brett deliver better sessions for the team. I can’t be around all the time, much as I’d like to go to New Zealand and Hong Kong with them! Hopefully they’re getting fitter because they’re able to do another work-out without any impact or pounding or getting the knocks they get in other sports.”

As well as the team’s power and fitness levels, Pickering’s work on breath control could ultimately lead to a competitive advantage in terms of endurance at the end of exhausting games often played in hot and humid conditions.

“The more they can work on that I think at the end of games – and certainly with back-to-back games – that they should be able to recover their breathing and play for longer without really blowing,” she said.

“We’ve definitely got the jump on everybody,” said Davison.

“Going to places like Hong Kong humidity is a massive issue and Karen’s been able to give us some idea about breathing in the pool. The players have definitely struggled to get to the end and there’s definitely been a big training effect.

“I’d stand there in a full-piece suit if I could poolside but I don’t think I’d cut the same figure as she does. They backchat me all the time but the guys gaze intently at her and just do as she says!”

The new regime has impressed England captain Ben Gollings, still intent on adding new weapons to his armoury as he chases a fifth Hong Kong crown.

“It’s pretty cool being taught to swim by one of the country’s best ever swimmers,” said Gollings.

“The sessions are a real bonus. There is a rehab side and then after big trips you can really get the body moving but they’re also a help towards creating more power, strength work for the legs and to your endurance as well. It’s off your feet and you’re not hammering your body although it is very hard work.”

Wednesday March 23, 2011
Issued by Simon Mills

Ben Gollings in action during England's victory at the 2006 Hong Kong Sevens

BEN GOLLINGS wants England to raise the roof in his ‘second home’ at the Cathay Pacific Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens.

Gollings captains the England side that leads the HSBC Sevens World Series at the half-way mark as they chase their first ever global title.

Success in Hong Kong (March 25-27), where extra points are on offer to the winners of the 24-team tournament, and Adelaide (April 2-3) would set them up perfectly for the final two stages in May – the Emirates Airline London and Edinburgh Sevens at Twickenham and Murrayfield.

The Far East is a happy hunting ground for Gollings, who has banked four Hong Kong titles, the last in 2006 when his try and conversion after the hooter had sounded snatched victory against Fiji.

That famous win had thousands of ex-pat fans on their feet and England are looking for a repeat in the carnival atmosphere of the Hong Kong Stadium.

“It is all to play for and Hong Kong can make or break a season – it’s massive, pivotal, and that’s why we have to be at our best,” said Gollings.

“Having tasted success there it is a place you want to go back to and to win there again. It is sensational and I hope we can go and taste that success again.

“I’ve been there a lot, love playing there and I’ve got a big attachment to Hong Kong. The city is great because it gives you the opportunity to enjoy rugby and to get away from rugby too.

“At the stadium, it’s an electric atmosphere. It feels like the whole crowd is right on top of you when you come out.

“We purposely run down one side in front of our fans just before we warm up just to get them going. It’s great to have that support – it’s like a second home for us – and let’s hope we can really give them a reason to raise the roof again this year.”

England flew out with a 13-man squad having added Ollie Lindsay-Hague (Harlequins) and Marcus Watson (London Irish) to the group that played in Wellington and Las Vegas with Simon Hunt (Birmingham & Solihull) involved in Championship play-offs with his club. Mark Odejobi – a replacement for the injured Isoa Damudamu in Vegas – retains his place.

So far, continuity has been important for England with 14 players used during the first four legs of the series. Lindsay-Hague was a major star during the side’s victory in Dubai, Odejobi has been on the big stage before in the 2008 England Under 20 side that won a Grand Slam and reached the Junior World Championship final, while Watson has featured for the London Irish first team and played for England Under 20 last season.

“I think we’re equipped to win again in Hong Kong,” said Gollings. “We’ve got a fairly settled side and we’re unlucky not to have won a couple more tournaments this season. These boys have the ability and lots of potential.

“It’s great to have Ollie Lindsay-Hague back – he did spice things up for us at Dubai, he’s come a long way since he first played for us last season and he does add another ball player to the squad which is great for us.

“Mark Odejobi has been quietly going about his business – he’s a strong runner and very powerful – and Marcus Watson has a great opportunity to come away to a great couple of tournaments and get a taste of what it’s all about. It’s a great springboard for his career.”

You can watch England Sevens in action on May 21 and 22 at Twickenham Stadium in the Emirates Airline London Sevens, the penultimate leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series. Tickets are available from £15 via rfu.com

England Sevens breeze through Hong Kong opener
Friday March 25, 2011
Issued by Simon Mills

England cruised through the opening game against China at the Cathay Pacific Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens to post their highest score of the season.

The HSBC Sevens World Series leaders beat the Pool B minnows 59-5 in front of a delighted ex-pat crowd at Hong Kong Stadium on the tournament's opening evening.

They go on to face Japan and the USA tomorrow with the final stages in the fifth of the eight tournament series taking place on Sunday.

Head coach Ben Ryan had asked for his side to be 'clinical and professional' in the opening rounds and that is exactly what he got against a China side who claimed a solitary consolation score through Wang Chongyi.

In all England scored nine tries, with a hat trick for Royal Navy forward Greg Barden, two apiece for Mathew Turner and Dan Norton (Bristol Rugby) and one each for Dan Caprice and captain Ben Gollings.

Sevens legend Gollings, who touched down within 25 seconds of the kick-off, added seven conversions for a 19-point haul that extends the England captain's world record points tally to 2,543.

All the tournament's big guns breezed through their opening games - Australia 42-0 winners over Zimbabwe, Fiji beating Malaysia 59-0 and Samoa hammering Mexico 64-0. Only South Africa were briefly tested before pulling away to beat Spain 33-5.

Saturday March 26, 2011
Issued by Simon Mills

England successfully negotiated their second pool game and saw off a star back named Lote Tuqiri on the second day of the Cathay Pacific Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens.

The HSBC Sevens World Series leaders pulled away to beat Japan 33-14 thanks to three second half tries and now face the USA in their final Pool B contest at 10.34GMT today (Saturday).

Harlequins utility back Ollie Lindsay-Hague and former Cambridge flanker Tom Powell both scored twice with Bristol Rugby wing Dan Norton adding a second half try and captain Ben Gollings kicking four conversions.

Fijian-born Tuqiri is a 22-year-old business student from Hakouh University rather than the marauding Australia wing who scored the opening try in the 2003 World Cup final.

But he struck twice following scores from Lindsay-Hague and Powell to leave the game all square a minute into the second half.

England made changes, introducing Norton and former Saracens and Blackheath wing Dan Caprice and giving Mark Odejobi his first taste of action in the Hong Kong Stadium.

Norton struck within 30 seconds of his arrival on the pitch before Lindsay-Hague and Powell closed out the win.

Several of the leading sides struggled to shake off their rivals at the start of the second day.

Only South Africa were untroubled, beating hosts Hong Kong 45-0, as joint leaders New Zealand needed a late Tomasi Cama try and conversion to beat Portugal 19-12, champions Samoa edged out Tonga 24-17 and Fiji held off improving Russia 29-14.

Canada - conquerors of Argentina yesterday - went close to another shock before going down 26-24 against Australia but beat Zimbabwe 24-10 to give themselves the chance of a runners-up spot in the quarter finals.

Hong Kong day 2: England book quarter final place
Saturday March 26, 2011
Issued by Simon Mills

England Sevens wing Dan Norton

England cruised into the quarter finals with victories over Japan and the USA on the second day of the Cathay Pacific Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens.

The HSBC Sevens World Series leaders were the heaviest scorers in the 24-team tournament’s opening stages beating Japan 33-14 and the USA 37-12 after thumping China 59-5 on the opening day.

As top seeds they now face rapidly improving Russia in tomorrow’s quarter finals at 05:02GMT.

Head coach Ben Ryan had wanted England to be ‘professional and clinical’ in the opening stages and his side were exactly that, running in five tries against Japan and seven against the dangerous USA team.

Japan tested them with Fijian-born Lote Tuqiri – not the former Australia wing but a 22-year-old business student at Hakouh University – scoring two tries in a game that was level a minute into the second half.

Harlequins utility back Ollie Lindsay-Hague and former Cambridge forward Tom Powell both scored twice though Bristol Rugby wing Dan Norton adding a second half try and captain Ben Gollings adding four conversions.

Norton scored two more against the USA with Lindsay-Hague, Gollings, Dan Caprice, James Rodwell and Nick Royle sharing the rest of the scores. Gollings added one conversion.

Several of the leading sides struggled to shake off their rivals at the start of the second day.

Joint leaders New Zealand needed a late Tomasi Cama try and conversion to beat Portugal 19-12, champions Samoa edged out Tonga 24-17 and Fiji held off improving Russia 29-14.

Canada - conquerors of Argentina yesterday - went close to another shock before going down 26-24 against Australia but went on to beat Zimbabwe 24-10.

And there were no surprises in the final round of games with England, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Samoa and Fiji all topping their respective pools.

Quarter finals: New Zealand v Portugal, South Africa v Fiji, Samoa v Australia, Russia v England.
Simon Mill

England face Samoa in Hong Kong Sevens semis
Sunday March 27, 2011
Issued by Simon Mills

England are into the semi finals of the Cathay Pacific Credit Suisse Hong Kong Sevens after edging past Russia 10-7.

The HSBC Sevens World Series leaders battled past one of the fastest risers in the world game who qualified as the best pool runners-up after beating Kenya, Malaysia and pushing Fiji in the pool stages.

Despite losing Igor Galinovskiy to the sin bin in the first minute, Russia trailed by only 5-0 at the break to a Mathew Turner try and took a shock lead early in the second half with Sergey Sugrobov’s try and Alexander Yanyuskin’s conversion.

England rallied, though, with Royal Navy forward Greg Barden scoring a minute from time to secure a semi final place against Samoa, who needed a late score of their own to beat Australia 15-12.

In the other half of the draw, Fiji defeated South Africa 24-19 and New Zealand beat Portugal 33-5.

England to play NZ in the cup final.

I think your lot will win, going by the play in the SFs



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:03:27:10:08:55 by Rarua.

NZ won.