BY SEAN FITZPATRICK
Laureus Academy Member and legendary All Blacks captain
Wales see red
A team of Laureus cyclists are planning to ride 500km in five days from the Southern town of Seenigama to the Northern town of Mankulam in Sri Lanka later this month to raise funds for the Laureus-supported Foundation of Goodness project.
The cyclists aim to raise funds to pay for new bicycles for the community members of Northern Sri Lanka whilst linking the organisation’s humanitarian sports projects in Seenigama and Mankulam.
Laureus Fundraising and Events Manager Rebecca Malcolm will be joined by Foundation of Goodness architect Kim Wright and Cherry Briggs, who has been teaching in Colombo since 2010.
Rebecca Malcolm
Rebecca spent three weeks in 2009 coaching a range of sports activities in Seenigama and said: “I have done a number of cycle rides for Laureus and am really looking forward to this one. It will be fantastic riding through a reconciled Sri Lanka and great to return to the country.”
Laureus World Sports Academy Member Ian Botham and Ambassador Michael Vaughan recently visited the site of the new sports complex in Mankulam, which is supported by fellow cricketing legend Muttiah Muralitharan, who was instrumental in securing from the government the 50 acre site.
The bike ride is aiming to raise the US$20,000 needed to provide 200 bicycles for Northern community members. One bicycle costs around US$100 and provides benefits to those in a rural community by allowing them to access education, employment, markets for sale and purchase of goods, water and food sources.
The Foundation of Goodness has been committed to improving the lives of people in rural communities in Sri Lanka since 1999. In 2004 the Foundation of Goodness helped communities which had been devastated by the Boxing Day tsunami during which 30,000 – 40,000 people in Sri Lanka lost their lives.
The Mankulam project helps those affected by the 26-year civil war and uses sport to help the local people lift themselves out of poverty and lead a better life.
To sponsor Rebecca Malcolm, please visit: http://www.justgiving.com/BexSriLankabikeride
The sight of a group of kids enjoying some food in the sun, listening to music and playing a bit of basketball isn’t such an unusual sight.
But when you realise that the group consists of 100 kids from both Greek-Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, playing together in the Cypriot Buffer Zone between the North and South of the island, you know you are witnessing something truly special.
This all took place at last weekend’s Peace Day Basketball Tournament organised by the fantastic Laureus-supported community sports project PeacePlayers International – Cyprus.
Kids from both Greek and Turkish communities in Cyprus played together in mixed teams
Laureus at the Rugby World Cup: Sport helps to heal a nation
Ben Youngs was England’s hero in their first match in the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, scoring the crucial try that gave them a narrow 13-9 win over Argentina. His dad, Nick Youngs, played six times for England as scrum-half in the 1980s. Here he talks to Laureus about the emotions of having his son play in one of the biggest sports events on the planet
Ben Youngs scores the all important try for England against Argentina
Did you watch the England v Argentina match?
Nick: Yes, I watched the match at home with close family, including some of our cousins. My wife Patricia can’t bear to watch – playing for England or playing in a school match, it makes no difference. She hasn’t been able to watch either of our boys play since they were about ten. Ben’s older brother, Tom, currently plays for Nottingham as a hooker. He’s two years older than Ben. It was marvellous when Ben scored. We were happy to see him fit and raring to go.
Has Ben been in touch, what did you say to him?
Nick: Ben was in touch lunch time on Saturday after the game and he was pretty tired. He was pleased to have won and pleased to be in one piece. They felt they had got through a very difficult game. Just happy to come through and win. Delighted.
Ben’s been injured, how is the injury?
Nick: Ben did a bit of damage to his left knee and had key-hole surgery. He’s had to work very hard with rehabilitation. Ben had real experts to help him and he’s done all sorts of exercises to strengthen and get it right. He had a fantastic team behind him getting him fit. The RFU must be commended for their medical provision. Tony Knowles, an American who is an expert in rehabilitations, having done skiers, footballers and other sports, was a tremendous help.
Actually, the injury gave Ben the chance to refresh himself. It’s a long season for the boys with just three weeks off and then straight back at it.
Did you as a former international think England were struggling against Argentina?
Nick: Argentina are a very good rugby nation. You don’t expect England to walk in and put 20 or 30 points on them. They have history from the last World Cup beating the host, France, twice. They are phenomenally good players, who are all playing professional rugby. They are very good athletes. The pack is strong and the big, lumpy men can match anybody. They play a very straightforward tight game. Tough players take some breaking down. Lobbe is a fantastic No. 8, one of the best players in the world. I wasn’t surprised we were in for a fight.
Coming into the Tri-Nations next year will improve Argentina’s rugby even more. It’s a known fact in Argentina that a lot of children are playing rugby and there must be 300-odd Argentinians playing throughout Europe professionally. They are good at getting a grip of it, grinding you down to a snail’s pace and eating out the penalties. If the goal kicker had been good, we’d have lost the game.
What about Jonny Wilkinson, He did not kick well?
Everyone was struggling with kicking the ball, only 66 out of 150 taken, just over 50% throughout. Maybe it has something to do with the ball. Stats don’t lie. Different technique in kicking, or maybe it’s the shape, or the way it drifts is different to what they’ve been kicking. Jonny never misses that many kicks. Same with the Argentinians, they couldn’t kick it well either. There will be a lot of practising goal kicks over the next few days.
Do you expect Ben to be in the side for the Georgia game?
I don’t know. He could be involved, but I haven’t heard from him. We’ll speak tonight so I’ll probably hear by then.
Will we see a more expansive England against other teams?
We need to get the ball first. We need to get more ball and move, go forward. Then we can impose our game on anybody. Then we look good. Slow stodgy stuff we look very predictable. England v Argentina saw a lot of penalties. Caught off-side, putting the pressure on us by forcing us into errors. It’s tough against big, strong physical packs.
Did Ben go to the scene of the Christchurch earthquake?
Ben didn’t go to Christchurch. Johno (Martin Johnson) went down with some of players and they visited a hospital and Lancaster Park. Christchurch lives rugby and a lot of the games were going to be played there, but the quake has left the city devastated and unsafe. It is extremely sad, a real tragedy.
Who do you think will win the Rugby World Cup?
All Blacks to win. It’s their time. I can’t see them losing on home ground. But then you never know what the World Cup will throw up.
Laureus at the Rugby World Cup: Sport helps to heal a nation
It might just be that the biggest surprise of the Rugby World Cup so far is in how the ‘tier two’ teams have stood up to the more celebrated opponents.
As Sean Fitzpatrick said in his Laureus blog on Sunday, the gulf between the minnows of the rugby world and the top teams is shortening.
Two results from the past few days really show this in action, simply because the same fixtures have been played before in preceding World Cups.
24 October 2003 New Zealand 91 – 7 Tonga
9 September 2011 New Zealand 41 – 10 Tonga
18 September 2007 Scotland 42 – 0 Romania
10 September 2011 Scotland 34 – 24 Romania
Anyone who watched the France vs Japan match will know that the score line of 47 – 21 to France clearly flattered Les Bleus, particularly when you remember that the French only led Japan by 28 – 21 with 9 minutes to go.
And Ireland’s win over the USA further shows this improvement. The Irish team, whose players compete week in and week out in the harshest elements, couldn’t seem to use this pro experience to their benefit and only managed a 22 – 10 win over a semi-professional Eagles outfit.
And as the first matches in Round 2 come to a conclusion, once again the lower tier countries are punching above their weight. Georgia lost to Scotland by just 9 points (15-6).
For this, thanks can be given to the IRB for the funding and development model they have initiated.
The IRB have recently released £18.6 million of funding over three years for tier two nations: Canada, the USA, Japan, Romania, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, in addition to the £10-12 million it normally gives out in grants. This programme is designed to increase the competitiveness of international rugby union and if this World Cup is anything to go by, it is money well spent.
When did the average rugby pundit last consider a group that consisted of South Africa, Wales, Fiji and Samoa and Namibia the group of death?
Long may it continue!
