|
Richard Parks
Richard David Parks (born 14 August 1977) is a former Wales international rugby union player turned extreme endurance athlete and television presenter. In rugby he represented Newport RFC, Pontypridd RFC, Celtic Warriors, Leeds Tykes, Perpignan and Newport Gwent Dragons over a professional career which spanned 13 years. In May 2009 he was forced to retire from rugby due to a shoulder injury. Early years Parks was born on 14 August 1977 in Pontypridd to a Jamaican mother, Lee, and a Welsh father, Derek Parks. Richard grew up in Newport, Wales and attended Rougemont School, Newport and Monmouth School. Parks first started playing rugby at the age of 11 at Rougemont School and progressed quickly through the school ranks playing at flanker throughout. He was selected for Welsh Schools at under-18 level and then had a brief spell with Newport youth before spending a year in South Africa in 1996 at Michaelhouse, a boarding school for senior boys in Durban. He competed for the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pontypridd
Pontypridd ( , ), Colloquialism, colloquially referred to as ''Ponty'', is a town and a Community (Wales), community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, approximately 10 miles north west of Cardiff city centre. Geography Pontypridd comprises the electoral wards of Cilfynydd, Glyncoch, Graig Pontypridd, Graig, Hawthorn, Glamorgan, Hawthorn, Pontypridd Town, 'Rhondda', Rhydyfelin Central/Ilan, Trallwng (Trallwn Pontypridd, Trallwn) and Treforest. The town mainly falls within the Pontypridd (Senedd constituency), Senedd and Pontypridd (UK Parliament constituency), UK parliamentary constituency by the same name, although the Cilfynydd and Glyncoch wards fall within the Cynon Valley (Senedd constituency), Cynon Valley Senedd constituency and the Cynon Valley (UK Parliament constituency), Cynon Valley UK parliamentary constituency. This change was effective for the 2007 National Assembly for Wales election, 2007 Welsh Assembly election, and for the 2010 United Kingdom general election, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Free State Stadium
The Free State Stadium (), currently known as the Toyota Stadium for sponsorship reasons and formerly known as Vodacom Park, is a stadium in Bloemfontein in the Free State of South Africa, used mainly for rugby union and also sometimes for association football. It was originally built for the 1995 Rugby World Cup, and was one of the venues for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The primary rugby union tenants of the facility are the Free State Cheetahs, which participate in South Africa's domestic competition, the Currie Cup. Previously, the Cheetahs represented the Free State and Northern Cape provinces in the international Pro14 competition. Until their sale before the start of the 2021–22 South African Premier Division, the primary association football tenant was Bloemfontein Celtic, who played in South Africa's domestic Premier Soccer League. Notable matches 1995 Rugby World Cup The stadium was one of the host venues for the 1995 Rugby World Cup. It hosted first-round mat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2007–08 Celtic League
The 2007–08 Celtic League (known as the 2007–08 Magners League for sponsorship reasons) was the seventh Pro14, Celtic League season and the second with Magners as title sponsor. The season began on 31 August 2007 and finished on the weekend beginning 10 May 2008. Some disruption to fixtures occurred as a result of the 2007 Rugby World Cup, which took place during September and October 2007. The teams competing were the same as the previous season with one exception; only two Scottish teams participated, as the Scottish Rugby Union scrapped the Border Reivers (rugby), Border Reivers region at the end of the 2006–07 Celtic League, 2006–07 season. As in previous seasons, the league was played on a home and away basis, with teams earning four points for a win, and a bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match. The losing team may also earn a bonus point if they lose by seven points or less. The losing bonus point system is intended to ensure that both teams compete ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium (; usually known as Twickenham, and for sponsorship purposes known as the Allianz Stadium Twickenham) is a rugby union stadium in Twickenham, London, England. It is owned by the Rugby Football Union (RFU), the English rugby union governing body, which has its headquarters there. The stadium is England's List of national stadiums, national rugby union stadium and is the venue for the England national rugby union team's home matches. Twickenham is the world's largest rugby union stadium, the second largest stadium in the United Kingdom (behind Wembley Stadium), and the List of European stadia by capacity, fourth largest in Europe. The Middlesex Sevens, Premiership Rugby fixtures, Anglo-Welsh Cup matches, Harlequin F.C., Harlequins' annual The Big Game (rugby union), Big Game, the The Varsity Match, Varsity Match between University of Oxford, Oxford and University of Cambridge, Cambridge universities and European Rugby Champions Cup games have been played there. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anglo-Welsh Cup
The Anglo-Welsh Cup (), was a cross-border rugby union knock-out cup competition that featured the 12 Premiership Rugby clubs and the four Welsh regions. It was a created as a replacement for the RFU Knockout Cup, which featured only English clubs. The competition was replaced by the Premiership Rugby Cup, involving only the 12 English Premiership clubs, beginning with the 2018–19 season. History Background RFU Knockout Cup From 1971 to 2005, English clubs played in the RFU Knockout Cup. At its formation, it was the highest honour that a club could win, as there were no nationally organised leagues until merit leagues were introduced in 1984, followed by the full national league pyramid in 1987. It was an open tournament to any club that was a member of the Rugby Football Union. Previous Anglo-Welsh fixtures 2005–2018: Anglo-Welsh Cup 2005–09: Initial format Starting in the 2005–06 Powergen Anglo-Welsh Cup, 2005–06 season, the E.ON UK, Powergen Anglo-Welsh Cup wa ... [...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, consisting of 10 clubs, 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 Hemisphere, 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. The current ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 Leeds Beckett University (LBU), formerly known as Leeds Metropolitan University (LMU) and before that as Leeds Polytechnic, is a public university in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has campuses in the Leeds city centre, city centre and Hea .... 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), later Yorkshire Jets Leeds Beckett University Sport in Leeds ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2003–04 Celtic League
The 2003–04 Celtic League was the third Celtic League season, and the first following the formation of the five regional rugby sides in Wales. The Celtic League, having previously been played as a pool stage followed by knockout rounds was restructured into a typical league system, based on home and away games only. The league was won by the Llanelli Scarlets, with all the other Welsh regions finishing in the top 6. Following this season, the Celtic Warriors were bought-out and disbanded by the Welsh Rugby Union The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; ) is the governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby. The WRU is responsible for the running of rugby in Wales, overseeing 320 member clu ..., and in subsequent years, only four Welsh sides have competed. Teams Table Fixtures Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7 Round 8 Round 9 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Introduction Of Regional Rugby Union Teams In Wales
Welsh regional rugby is the top tier of professional Welsh club rugby and is composed of the Scarlets, Ospreys (rugby union), Ospreys, Cardiff Rugby and the Dragons (rugby union), Dragons which compete in the United Rugby Championship. The regions were established for the start of the 2003/04 rugby union season. From this date, Wales was represented by a smaller number of regional teams in both the Pro14, Celtic League and European Rugby Champions Cup, European Cup competitions, where previously the top club sides were entered into them. Current regions Cardiff Rugby Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, Cardiff Rugby (Welsh language, Welsh: ''Rygbi Caerdydd'') play at Cardiff Arms Park and are owned by the Welsh Rugby Union following an administration in 2025. From 2003 to 2021 the club were known as the Cardiff Blues before changing their name to Cardiff Rugby prior to the start of the 2021-22 season. Cardiff are responsible for developing rugby in the city of Cardiff, V ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England national rugby union team, England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Union and Rugby World Cup Limited. The pre-event favourites were England national rugby union team, England, regarded by many at the time as the best team in the world. New Zealand national rugby union team, New Zealand, France national rugby union team, France, South Africa national rugby union team, South Africa and defending champions Australia national rugby union team, 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� ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
