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Marco Bortolami
Marco Bortolami (; born 12 June 1980) is a rugby union coach and retired Italian international player, whose career includes experience playing in the national top-level Italian ( Petrarca Padova), French (RC Narbonne), and English (Gloucester Rugby) championships, before joining the then recently-born Pro14 (with Aironi Rugby and then Zebre). Praised for his leadership skills, he captained all the teams he played for at professional level. At international level, he also captained the Italian side since 2002 till the 2007 Rugby World Cup, before being replaced in the permanent role by Sergio Parisse. He currently serves as head coach for Benetton Rugby in the United Rugby Championship. Club career Bortolami began his playing career with the team of his native Padua, making his debut as a second row aged only 18. After a two-year spell with RC Narbonne in the French Top14, in the summer of 2006 he joined English Premiership side Gloucester Rugby when he was considered by man ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Padua
Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 214,000 (). The city is sometimes included, with Venice (Italian ''Venezia'') and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area (PATREVE) which has a population of around 2,600,000. Padua stands on the Bacchiglione River, west of Venice and southeast of Vicenza. The Brenta River, which once ran through the city, still touches the northern districts. Its agricultural setting is the Venetian Plain (''Pianura Veneta''). To the city's south west lies the Euganaean Hills, praised by Lucan and Martial, Petrarch, Ugo Foscolo, and Shelley. Padua appears twice in the UNESCO World Heritage List: for its Botanical Garden, the most ancient of the world, and the 14th-century Frescoes, situated in dif ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zebre Rugby
Zebre Parma (, meaning "Zebras") are an Italian professional rugby union team competing in the United Rugby Championship and EPCR competitions from the 2012–13 season. They are based in Parma (Emilia-Romagna), Italy. They are operated by the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) and replaced Aironi in the Pro12. Zebre Parma, often referred to as "the XV of the North-West" (), represents the four committees of Emilia-Romagna, Liguria, Lombardy and Piedmont, which includes tens of thousands of members and several clubs. Since 2018, it represents also teams from others committees like Abruzzo, Lazio, Marche, Tuscany and Sicily. The team was officially named Zebre Parma at the start of the 2021–22 United Rugby Championship season. History The entry of Italian teams into the Celtic League had been proposed for many years. After several failed attempts, there was hope that a deal for Italian entry would be done in time for the 2010–11 season, with the Scots delaying support for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wales National Rugby Union Team
The Wales national rugby union team ( cy, Tîm rygbi'r undeb cenedlaethol Cymru) represents Wales in men's international rugby union. Its governing body, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), was established in 1881, the same year that Wales played their first international against England. The team plays its home matches at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff (currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Principality Stadium), which replaced Cardiff Arms Park as the national stadium of Wales in 1999. Wales has competed annually in the Six Nations Championship (previously the Home Nations Championship and Five Nations Championship) since it was established in 1883. They have won the tournament (and its predecessors) outright 28 times, most recently in 2021. Since 2005, Wales has been the most successful team in the Six Nations, winning six Six Nations titles. They include four Grand Slams, again more than any other side. Wales has also participated in every Rugby World Cup since the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tonga National Rugby Union Team
The Tonga national rugby union team ( to, timi feohi ʻakapulu fakafonua ʻa Tonga) represents Tonga in men's international rugby union. The team is nicknamed ''Ikale Tahi (Sea Eagles)''. Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a traditional piece of performance art – the Sipi Tau. They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance (PIRA) along with Fiji and Samoa. The Ikale Tahi achieved a historic 19–14 victory over France in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, but having lost to New Zealand and Canada, were unable to achieve what would have been their first-ever presence at the quarter-finals. History Rugby was brought to the region in the early 20th century by sailors and missionaries, and the Tonga Rugby Football Union was formed in late 1923. Tonga beat Fiji 9–6 in their first test in 1924 played in the capital Nukualofa. However, Tonga lost the second test 14–3 and drew the decider 0–0. Between 1924 and 1938 Tonga and Fiji played ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup. Originally planned to be hosted by India, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the Indian Rugby Union and Rugby World Cup Limited. The pre-event favourites were England, regarded by many at the time as the best team in the world. New Zealand, France, South Africa and defending champions Australia were also expected to make strong showings, with New Zealand being second favourites after victory in the southern-hemisphere Tri-Nations championship. The tournament began with host nation Australia defeating Argentina 24–8 at Stadium Australia in Sydney. Australia went on to defeat New Zealand 22–10 in the semi-final, to play England in the final. Along with a try to Jason Robinson, Jonny Wilkinson kicked four penalties and then a drop-goal in extra time to win the game 20–17 for England, who became the first northern hemisphere team to win the Webb Ellis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Kirwan (rugby)
Sir John James Patrick Kirwan (born 16 December 1964) is a New Zealand mental health advocate, former rugby union and rugby league player, and former rugby union coach. A wing, he played for Auckland in the 1980s and 1990s, when they dominated New Zealand rugby. He played in 63 tests for New Zealand, and scored 35 tries, making him one of the highest try scorers in international rugby union history. He was part of the New Zealand team that won the first Rugby World Cup in 1987. He also played rugby league for the Auckland Warriors in their first two seasons in 1995 and 1996. After retiring, he moved into coaching, and was the head coach of Japanese club NEC, the Italy and Japan national teams, and the Blues in Super Rugby, until he stepped down in 2015. He has written two books on the subject of mental health, has spoken openly about his battles with depression and been honoured for his services to mental health. Early life and family Kirwan was born in Auckland ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Namibia National Rugby Union Team
The Namibia national rugby union team represents Namibia in men's international rugby union competitions nicknamed the Welwitschias, are a tier-two nation in the World Rugby tier system, and have participated in five Rugby World Cup competitions since their first appearance in 1999. They are governed by the Namibia Rugby Union. Namibia has been playing international rugby since the early 1900s. As well as having competed at the World Cup, Namibia annually competes in the Africa Cup. Until independence, players for Namibia were also eligible to represent South Africa, with Namibian-born Springboks including Jan Ellis. History 1990s Rugby union has been played in Namibia since 1916 when it was introduced by soldiers from South Africa who had invaded the German-run colony. Before Namibia gained its independence in 1990, the team, as South West Africa, played in South Africa's domestic club competition, the Currie Cup. The team achieved their best result in the 1988 season, wher ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Buxton
Peter Buxton (born 21 August 1978, in Cheltenham) is a former rugby union footballer who played flanker for Gloucester Rugby. Buxton signed for Gloucester Rugby from Newport RFC in 2002. He has gone on to make many appearances for the club and has captained the side on many occasions. Buxton was part of the Gloucester teams that topped the table in the 2002/03, 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons. He also helped Gloucester win the Powergen Cup in 2003 and he captained Gloucester to victory over London Irish in the European Challenge Cup victory in 2006. Buxton has scored 7 tries in 189 appearances for Gloucester, this includes a brace of tries against Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ... in the 08/09 season. After 11 years playing for Gloucester Rugby, it was ann ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alex Brown (rugby Union, Born 1979)
Alex Brown (born 17 May 1979 in Bristol) is a former English rugby union player, who played at lock position. He attended Colston's Collegiate School in Bristol. He started playing rugby at u7s level for Clifton in 1985 and worked his way through the age levels there After a brief period with Bath and Pontypool, he joined his home city club Bristol and was a key player when they won the first Under 21 Zurich Premiership. Under the tutelage of rugby director Dean Ryan, he was voted the club’s player of the year in the 2000–01 season. Brown's father played rugby for Clifton. Brown signed for Gloucester Rugby in the summer of 2003 rejoining Dean Ryan. The England Saxons international topped the line-out statistics charts during the 2003–04 season and was voted the players' player of the year. He played for England Saxons in the first Churchill Cup and was called into the England senior squad for the 2005 Autumn Internationals. Brown was expected to make his internati ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
English Premiership (rugby Union)
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 sys ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Top14
The Top 14 () is a professional rugby union club competition that is played in France. Created in 1892, the Top 14 is at the top of the national league system operated by the French National Rugby League, also known by its French initialism of LNR. There is promotion and relegation between the Top 14 and the next level down, the Rugby Pro D2. The fourteen best rugby teams in France participate in the competition, hence the name Top 14. The competition was previously known as the Top 16. The league is one of the three major professional leagues in Europe (along with the English Premiership and the United Rugby Championship, which brings together top clubs from Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Italy and South Africa), from which the most successful European teams go forward to compete in the European Rugby Champions Cup, the pan-European championship which replaced the Heineken Cup after the 2013–14 season. The first ever final took place in 1892, between two Paris-based sides ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
