UFO Info Week-End

The Rugby Football Union has confirmed that a disciplinary hearing will be convened to hear the case

The Rugby Football Union has confirmed that a disciplinary hearing will be convened to hear the case of Gloucester’s Trevor Woodman after his sending off against Beziers.
Woodman was dismissed for fighting during Gloucester’s 47-7 pre-season defeat to the French club on 10 August. The disciplinary panel will now meet in Bristol on 29 August to decide on a possible punishment for the prop.London Irish have announced a player development programme aimed at producing future prospects without them having to sacrifice their studies. The club is setting up 30-strong squads at under-16, 17, 19 and 21 levels with the aim of producing the nucleus of a home-grown senior side within five years.The club have linked up with Downside and Pangbourne Colleges to offer bursaries to promising players with under-19 full-back Matthew Hulland the first to take advantage.. New season, new tournament. Hot on the heels of the Challenge Trophy, Anglo-Welsh friendlies and then the advent of the Welsh/Scottish League, followers of the game in Wales now have to contend with the Celtic League

New season, new tournament.

Hot on the heels of the Challenge Trophy, Anglo-Welsh friendlies and then the advent of the Welsh/Scottish League, followers of the game in Wales now have to contend with the Celtic League.
Such is the pace of change in the professional game that blink and you might miss a trophy being presented. For the nine clubs in the top flight in Wales this season there will be four major titles – Heineken Cup or European Shield, Welsh-Scottish League, Celtic League and Principality Cup.Listen to the cynics and the Celtic League, for which the two finalists will pick up around £250,000 for up to 10 games, is destined for failure. However, such negativity will not prevent the new tournament kicking off this evening to the usual backdrop of optimism.The Welsh Rugby Union and its counterparts in Scotland and Ireland believe the competition – comprising 15 teams from the three celtic nations – will improve the standard of domestic competition. However there are others who will take some convincing.A league comprising the four Irish provinces, two Scottish super districts and Wales’ top nine club sides is a laudable concept, and as the Wales coach, Graham Henry, said: “It will give our top players improved competition throughout the season.” But with hopes of a British league virtually gone, the competition suffers from its consolation prize image.There are problems, too, with its structure.

With 15 teams, the league will comprise of two conferences, one of eight, the other of seven teams. The imbalance also dictates that clubs take turns to sit out Saturdays, losing out on revenue through the turnstiles.To add to the confusion, matches between Welsh clubs will count towards both the Celtic and the Welsh-Scottish League, but only the latter offers qualification for the Heineken Cup.Much will depend on how the Celtic League is treated by the clubs. Unlike Edinburgh and Glasgow, who are guaranteed participation in the Heineken Cup, Welsh clubs have to scrap for a top-five place in the Welsh-Scottish League.Bridgend and Pontypridd take centre stage in Wales this evening, a game that marks the beginning of what the Ravens hope will be a revolution at the Brewery Field. Gareth Thomas, one of seven summer signings, will miss the game because of more pressing matters – his lunchtime wedding – while John Funnell is on honeymoon, much to the club’s displeasure.The Welsh-Scottish League champions, Swansea, travel to Ulster without Mark Taylor, who will miss the next six months due to a knee injury. Ulster will unveil Jeremy Davidson, a summer signing from Castres. Their European form since winning the Heineken Cup three years ago has been far from impressive but at Ravenhill they are tough to beat.Leinster meet Glasgow and Edinburgh take on Munster in the other two games.