Akapusi Qera
Akapusi Qera (born 24 April 1984) is a Fijian professional rugby union player. A Flanker or No.8. He is married to wife Phillipha Talei and together they have four children. Qera is also from a Christian sporting family; his father was an international cricketer for Fiji and his brother also played international rugby for Fiji. He is also a first cousin of Fiji test international Viliame Veikoso. Qera is a current test international and 15's captain for Fiji Qera has also represented the Barbarians. Whilst playing for Pertemps Bees during the 2006–2007 season he was voted Fiji rugby player of the year. Later in the season he was nominated for Fiji sportsman of the year, finishing second to golfer Vijay Singh. A key player for Fiji during their 2007 Rugby World Cup campaign in France, he scored three tries and was later voted third in the Guinness Premiership player of the season awards for 2007–08. Since his debut season at Gloucester, Qera has gone on to captain the Fiji ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Suva
Suva () is the capital and largest city of Fiji. It is the home of the country's largest metropolitan area and serves as its major port. The city is located on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, in Rewa Province, Central Division. In 1877, the capital of Fiji was moved to Suva from Levuka, the main European colonial settlement at the time, due to its restrictive geography and environs. The administration of the colony was transferred from Levuka to Suva in 1882. As of the 2017 census, the city of Suva had a population of 93,970, and Suva's metropolitan area, which includes its independent suburbs, had a population of 185,913. The combined urban population of Suva and the towns of Lami, Nasinu, and Nausori that border it was around 330,000: over a third of the nation's population. (This urban complex, excluding Lami, is also known as the Suva-Nausori corridor.) Suva is the political, economic, and cultural centre of Fiji. It is also the economic and cultural ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rugby Union Positions
In the game of rugby union, there are 15 players on each team, comprising eight forwards (wearing jerseys numbered 1–8) and seven backs (numbered 9–15). In addition, there may be up to eight replacement players "on the bench", numbered 16–23. Players are not restricted to a single position, although they generally specialise in just one or two that suit their skills and body types. Players that play multiple positions are called "utility players". Forwards compete for the ball in scrums and line-outs and are generally bigger and stronger than the backs. Props push in the scrums, while the hooker tries to secure the ball for their team by "hooking" it back with their heel. The hooker is also the one who is responsible for throwing the ball in at line-outs, where it is mostly competed for by the locks, who are generally the tallest players on the team. The flankers and number eight are expected to be the first players to arrive at a breakdown and play an important role in se ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dean Ryan
Dean Ryan (born 22 June 1966) is an English rugby union coach and former player. A former corporal in the Corp of Royal Engineers, he played for England as a Number 8. Since summer 2019 he has been head coach at the Welsh regional side, the Dragons, and was previously head coach or Director of Rugby at Guinness Premiership sides Gloucester Rugby and Worcester Warriors. Playing career During his on-field career Ryan played for Saracens, Wasps, Newcastle and Bristol. Regarded as one of the most competitive and robust forwards of his generation he saw league success twice during his career with Wasps (96-97), and captained Newcastle to league success on the first attempt during the 97–98 season, making 21 appearances. He was awarded six England caps during his career with his International debut against Argentina in 1990. Coaching career Ryan moved to coaching Bristol taking the reins at the club for the beginning of the 2000–01 season. In his first season Bristol finish ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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James Simpson-Daniel
James David Simpson-Daniel (born 30 May 1982 in Stockton-on-Tees) is a former English rugby union footballer who played wing or centre for Gloucester Rugby. He attended Red House School & Sedbergh School in the Yorkshire Dales, which has produced a number of professional rugby union players including Will Greenwood, Will Carling and Phil Dowson, with whom he played alongside in the same XV. He began playing for the Yorkshire Under 18s and then the North East Under 18s. His Gloucester Rugby debut was against Rotherham in 2001, when he scored a superb individual try. He represented England at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2002 and scored a hat trick in the final, which England won. He also scored a hat trick in a club game against Bath. Four days before his twentieth birthday he rounded Jonah Lomu to score a try for England XV against the Barbarians at Twickenham. He made his international debut for England against New Zealand in November 2002. An injury to his foot meant that he missed ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Olly Barkley
Oliver John Barkley (born 28 November 1981) is a former English people, English rugby union player who played for Bath Rugby, Bath, Gloucester Rugby, Gloucester, Racing Metro 92, Racing Metro, FC Grenoble, Grenoble, Scarlets and London Welsh at fly-half between 2001 and 2016. Early career Barkley was born in Hammersmith, London but raised in Wadebridge, Cornwall. He was educated at Wadebridge School, and later at Colston's Collegiate School, Bristol where, under the guidance of Peter Mallorie and Alan Martinovic, he captained the team to a Daily Mail Cup success in 2000. Professional career Barkley was spotted by Andy Robinson and Brian Ashton (rugby union), Brian Ashton while playing for Colston's in 1999–2000. He made his Heineken Cup début for Bath on 6 October 2001, coming on as a reserve against Swansea RFC, Swansea. He scored his first Heineken Cup try in a game against Italian club Gran Rugby, whilst playing at fullback on 11 October 2002 in Parma. He made his début ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Leeds Carnegie
Leeds Carnegie was a brand name used by several sports teams associated with the Carnegie School of Physical Education, now part of Leeds Beckett University. These include: Current * Leeds Carnegie Handball Club Changed name * Leeds Carnegie (basketball), now Leeds Force * Leeds Carnegie (women's basketball), now Leeds Force (women) * Leeds Carnegie (rugby union), now Leeds Tykes * Leeds Carnegie L.F.C., now Leeds United Women F.C. Defunct * Leeds Carnegie F.C. * Leeds Carnegie (netball) Yorkshire Jets were an English netball team based at Leeds Beckett University. Their senior team played in the Netball Superleague. Between 2005–06 and 2011 they played as Leeds Met Carnegie or simply Leeds Carnegie. Together with the men' ..., later Yorkshire Jets Leeds Beckett University Sport in Leeds ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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CS Bourgoin-Jallieu
CS Bourgoin-Jallieu is a French rugby union club currently competing in the third level of the French league system, Nationale. The club have been runners-up in the French championship and the French Cup competitions, and have won the Challenge Cup. Founded in 1906 as "Club Sportif Bergusien". They play at Stade Pierre Rajon (capacity 9,441). They are based in Bourgoin-Jallieu in the Isère department in the province of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in France. History The club was established in 1906 as "Club Sportif Bergusien". Runners-up French Cup 1997 In 1997 the club had a very successful season; contesting the Challenge Yves du Manoir final, losing to Section Paloise 13 to 11. Runners-up French Championship 1997 As well as making it to the final of the French championship, where they went down to Toulouse, 12 to 6 at Parc des Princes in Paris. Winners of the European Challenge 1997 Also that year they made it to the final of the Challenge Cup, where they defeated fellow F ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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RFU Championship
The RFU Championship is an English rugby union competition comprising twelve clubs. It is the second level of men’s English rugby and is played by both professional and semi-professional players. The competition has existed since 1987, when English clubs were first organised into leagues. Organisation and format The Championship is governed by the Rugby Football Union (RFU). The current competition format is a double round-robin tournament, where teams play each other home and away. The 2021-22 season had no playoff phase, and no team was promoted to the Premiership as no team met the minimum standards criteria. Current teams Current league table History Precursor competitions (1987–2009) The governing body for rugby union in England, the RFU, first allowed league hierarchies in 1987. This came nearly a century after leagues were first established in football and cricket, England's other two principal team sports. The RFU's reluctance to allow leagues was ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Colonial Cup (rugby Union)
The Colonial Cup (named after sponsors The Colonial National Bank) is a defunct rugby union football competition that was played in Fiji between 2004 and 2008. The Colonial Cup was Fiji's first attempt at a professional rugby competition, but it did not draw sufficient crowds and ceased after five seasons. History In 2004, with the gap between provincial rugby in Fiji and test rugby at an unacceptable level, the Fiji Rugby Union introduced a brand new, streamlined competition to identify and prepare local players for the international stage. The 30-odd provincial unions were grouped into four franchises along geographical lines. Players not selected for one team could be picked up by one of the others. Players were paid £40 a week plus lodgings. The new competition started on 3 April 2004 and finished 22 May 2004 in time for the international test window. The four teams played a round-robin followed by semi-finals and a grand final. The Coastal Stallions held off a late rally ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Guinness Premiership
Premiership Rugby, officially known as Gallagher Premiership Rugby, or the Gallagher Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is an English professional rugby union competition. The Premiership has consisted of thirteen clubs since 2021, and is the top division of the English rugby union system. Premiership clubs qualify for Europe's two main club competitions, the European Rugby Champions Cup and the European Rugby Challenge Cup. The winner of the second division, the RFU Championship is promoted to the Premiership and until 2020, the team finishing at the bottom of the Premiership each season was relegated to the Championship. The competition is regarded as one of the three top-level professional leagues in the Northern and Western Hemispheres, along with the Top 14 in France, and the cross-border United Rugby Championship for teams from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Italy and South Africa. The competition has been played since 1987, and has evolved into the current Premiership system ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003, beating a bid from England. The competition consisted of 48 matches over 44 days; 42 matches were played in ten cities throughout France, as well as four in Cardiff, Wales, and two in Edinburgh, Scotland. The eight quarter-finalists from 2003 were granted automatic qualification, while 12 other nations gained entry through the regional qualifying competitions that began in 2004 – of them, Portugal was the only World Cup debutant. The top three nations from each pool at the end of the pool stage qualified automatically for the 2011 World Cup. The competition opened with a match between hosts France and Argentina on 7 September at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris. The s ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |