womens Rugby Magazine

Alphonsi looking for second world cup chance

Tuesday March 3, 2009 Issued by Julia Hutton

Note to sports editors: All squad members and coaches are available for interview. Royalty free images are also available. Please contact Julia Hutton, RFUW Media Manager, on 07971 474557 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it England and Saracens player Maggie Alphonsi is hoping this week's IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens could be second time lucky for her. The Edmonton-based player missed out on the gold medal in 2006 when England lost narrowly to New Zealand in the XVs world cup final. Now Alphonsi has been brought into the sevens squad to help spearhead England's World Cup ambitions in the inaugural women's tournament which takes place in Dubai from March 6-7th. "Losing to New Zealand nearly three years ago really hurt, and when I think back to that final now, it still hurts," said Alphonsi, who was also voted the IRB's Female Personality of the Year after her performances in that world cup. "Now I am involved in a second world cup, so yes I do see this as another opportunity to go one better and hopefully help England bring the world cup home. It would be a dream come true for all the players here." Alphonsi was part of the England team that won the Dubai Sevens in November and the San Diego Sevens just last month. Wins like this for England has given the Red Roses the number one ranking for the world cup, but Alphonsi is adamant that come the start of the tournament ranking counts for nothing. She added: "We are obviously very excited to be here, but very focused at the same time. We are here to do a job. Preparations have been going really well, and I think we'll be in the best possible position we can be come Friday, but we have got a really tough pool, and then if and when we get to the knock-out stages we'll be up against the best teams women's rugby has to offer, and there is a lot of serious talent out there." England kick-off their world cup campaign against the USA on Friday and then play Russia and Japan on the same day. The quarter, semis and finals all take place on Saturday. England Women's Rugby World Cup Sevens Squad Sue Day Wasps Captain Maggie Alphonsi Saracens Heather Fisher Wasps Emma Layland Richmond Charlotte Barras Saracens Jo Yapp Worcester Danielle Waterman Blaydon Team Northumbria Alice Richardson Richmond Rachael Burford Saracens Claire Allan Saracens Michaela Staniford Wasps Katherine Merchant Worcester Non Playing Reserves: Sarah Beale Lichfield Amy Turner Richmond England Women's Playing Schedule: Friday March 6th England V USA, kick-off 9.12am GMT England V Russia, kick-off 12.08pm GMT England v Japan, kick-off 3.26pm, GMT Saturday March 7th Quarter, semi and final TBC

With just three weeks to go before the 2009 IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens kicks-off in Dubai, England Women are fine-tuning their preparations in San Diego this week.

Led by skipper Sue Day, England will play Japan and the USA in the San Diego Sevens pool stages on Friday before hoping to contest the latter stages of the competition.

Day, who has 59 caps for England, said: "We arrived in San Diego on Sunday night and although we have had little time here so far we are really enjoying being here in the States.

"San Diego for us is really all about dotting the i's and crossing the t's, getting everything right and putting it all into practice ready for the world cup. Certainly we hope we are already there, but this is our dry run.

"It's also a great chance for us to learn more about our opposition, and to get more game time, which is the most important thing for us."

The 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens is the first of its kind for women's rugby, and it will run alongside the men's tournament in March. For Day this competition was clearly too much for her to resist, despite initially hanging up her international rugby boots in 2007.

She added: "The chance to play in a sevens world cup was an opportunity I just couldn't miss. I have played in three other world cups, but they've always been in XVs so this was and is really exciting.

"It has been hard work, it's a new code to learn and a new programme to get on with but it's great to be back with the players. Certainly being back hasn't been a shock to the system, it's just been a wonderful experience."

Day is back in the squad with her former England captain Jo Yapp, who also returned to international rugby last season just to play sevens. The duo are joined by a handful of players who were just making their mark when Day and Yapp called it a day in XVs.

"This is a really exciting bunch of players and I am proud to be their captain," added Day. "It's nice to be back with Yappy as one of the two more experienced players, but it's also nice to be playing with this young squad who, despite their age, already have huge amounts of international experience. They are players who aren't afraid to give it a go, they want to make it happen. Our ultimate aim is to win the world cup and I think we have the potential to do that with this squad."

England San Diego Sevens Squad

Sue Day Wasps C
Maggie Alphonsi Saracens
Heather Fisher Wasps
Emma Layland Richmond
Sarah Beale Lichfield
Jo Yapp Worcester
Rachael Burford Saracens
Danielle Waterman Blaydon Team Northumbria
Claire Allan Saracens
Kat Merchant Worcester
Michaela Staniford Wasps
Charlotte Barras Saracens

San Diego Sevens Schedule:

Friday February 13th

Pool Stages:
England v Japan, KO 420pm GMT
England v USA 2, KO 550PM GMT
England v USA1, KO 755PM GMT
Semi-final, KO TBC

Saturday February 14th
Final, KO 11.01PM GMT

England Women's team announced for Wales RBS 6 Nations clash

England Women's Head Coach Gary Street has today named his team for England's second RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales at Taff Wells RFC on Saturday, kick-off 1pm.

Street sticks with the same starting line-up that inflicted an impressive 11 try, 69-13 defeat on Italy at London Welsh RFC on Saturday. On the bench he makes two changes with Wasps prop Clare Purdy replacing Lichfield's Rosemarie Crowley and Richmond's Alice Richardson replacing Saracens' Charlotte Barras. Barras is currently in San Diego with the England Women's Sevens team.

Street said: "I have made two changes following an excellent start to the Six Nations against Italy. Clare Purdy, who had a great game for the A team against Spain on Saturday, will give us some experience off the bench and Alice Richardson makes a welcome return to action after an injury lay-off."

England last played Wales in the final of the European Championships in Amsterdam in May and won a tense match 12-6. They also met in the RBS 6 Nations last season and put on a more impressive display, winning that match 55-0.

"We're looking forward to a tough game against Wales but are confident of producing another good performance with our rapidly improving young team," added Street. It's great to play two games back-to-back and have a real level of continuity. The team are in good spirits and are already looking forward to the weekend."

England are the reigning RBS 6 Nations champions and are gunning for an unprecedented fourth consecutive title this season.

England

1 Rochelle Clark Blaydon Team Northumbria
2 Amy Garnett Saracens
3 Sophie Hemming Bristol
4 Natalie Binstead Wasps
5 Joanna McGilchrist Wasps
6 Rebecca Essex Richmond
7 Lois Moulding Lichfield
8 Catherine Spencer (C) Bristol
9 Amy Turner Richmond
10 Katy McLean (VC) Darlington Mowden Park Sharks
11 Fiona Pocock Richmond
12 Kimberley Oliver Bristol
13 Emily Scarratt Lichfield
14 Francesca Matthews Richmond
15 Victoria Massarella Saracens
Replacements:
16 Samantha Reeve Worcester
17 Clare Purdy Wasps
18 Gemma Sharples Worcester
19 Karen Jones Richmond
20 Georgina Rozario Plymouth Albion
21 Christina Lee Bristol
22 Alice Richardson Richmond

A hard fought victory over Ireland saw England women play there way in to the record books. England have clocked up an impresive 19 consceutive test wins.This is the greatest acheivement of any men or women's team in the history of the game. England women have taken the title away from joint holders New Zealand and the Springboks ( men ). This is a fantastic achievment and deserves our recognition. Well done England.