All Blacks y Doping

All Blacks fuming at book's steroids claim: Former All Blacks are fuming over allegations of steroid taking in the 1990s. The New Zealand Herald reports.

"Jack Ralston, who was New Zealand Rugby Union's head of sales and marketing between 1997 and 1999, made the allegation in his yet-to-be-released biography, The Sports Insider.

"People might be stunned by this but I know at least two All Blacks in the 1990s who responded to demands that they bulk up by taking steroids," he wrote.

"Ralston would not name the two players, who he said had told him in confidence, telling Fairfax Media they were "smaller guys who needed to put on muscle and bulk who were under pressure".

"He said the players may now feel they can speak publicly about taking the performance enhancing substances."

Highlights Hong Kong Seven 2012

España estará en las Series Mundiales. Balón Oval

España estará en las Series Mundiales:

Ole, ole y ole. E N H O R A B U E N A  a los Leones del seven. El año que viene estarán en las Sereis Mundiales de la IRB. Bravo! En la Final hemos caído con Canada, pero el objetivo ta estaba cumplido. Bravo!

Tras vencer a Tonga, España se enfrentó a Japón y como mandan los cánones, o sea, con la épica tras prórroga, España logró la victoria que les da la plaza para disputar las Series en 2013.

Los Leones del Sevn están por derecho en la élite mundial.

 El encuentro comenzó de cara para los intereses españoles con un ensayo del capitán Pablo Feijoo (5-0, descanso). En la reanudación, Igancio Martín amplió diferencias con otra marca transformada por César Sempere (12-0) pero Japón logró empatar el encuentro con el tiempo cumplido. En la prórroga, disputada a muerte súbita, el ensayo logrado Pedro Martín cerró la clasificación para la final del Torneo y el consiguiente billete a las World Sevens Series 2013.

Fichas de los partidos del domingo

España vs Tonga

Marcador:

5-0 Ensayo de César Sempere

—-

12-0 Ensayo de Pablo Feijoo transformado por Sempere

12-7 Ensayo de Latu convertido por él.

19-7 Ensayo de Carlos Blanco transformado por Sempere

España: I. Martín, Blanco, Canosa, Feijoo, Sempere, Heredia, P. Martín.

También jugaron: LeRoux, Cano, Tudela
España vs Japón

Marcador:

5-0 Ensayo de Pablo Feijoo

12-0 Ensayo de Ignacio Martín transformado por César Sempere

—

12-5 Ensayo de Hikosaka

12-12 Ensayo de Tipuilai convertido por Sakai

—

17-12 Ensayo de Pedro Martín

Alineación: I. Martín, Blanco, Canosa, Feijoo, Sempere, Heredia, Poggi

También jugaron: Cano, LeRoux, P. Martín
España vs Canada

Marcador:

5-0 Ensayo de Sean Duke

10-0 Ensayo de Sean Duke

17-0 Ensayo de Sean White convertido por Hirayama

17-5 Ensayo de Matías Tudela

22-5 Ensayo de Sean Duke

——-

10-0 Ensayo de Canadá

10-7 Ensayo y transformación de César Sempere

La vuelta del hijo pródigo, Brian O'Driscoll

The return of the prodigious son: David Kelly reports the hype surrounding the return of Irish rugby's favourite son, Brian O'Driscoll, in the Irish Independent.

"The 'sold out' signs are set to be erected around the RDS tonight for the keenly anticipated comeback of Irish captain Brian O'Driscoll.

Nearly 17,500 tickets have been sold as O'Driscoll prepares to make his first appearance of the season in Leinster colours against the Ospreys after a speedier than expected recovery from his post- World Cup shoulder surgery."

Tributo a Shane Williams

Edimbourg vs Racing Metro de París, el mejor partido de la Heineken

Edimbourg vs Racing Metro de París, 18 de noviembre 2011



J2 Hcup - Edimbourg v RM 92 - Le résumé por racingmetro92

Delon Armitage suspendido durante cinco semanas por dos incidentes

Earlier this week England and London Irish back Delon Armitage received two bans for incidents that took place in an Aviva Premiership match against Bath a few weeks back. He has now been suspended five times this year. His brother, Steffon, could also face suspension, following his lashing out at the procedure via Twitter. 

Armitage, who was suspended during the Rugby World Cup for a high tackle on Scotland's Chris Paterson, has spent a fair amount of time off the park this year. A push on a doping officer in January earned him 8 weeks off - causing him to miss the entire Six Nations - and upon his return he was suspended for a strike on Northampton Saints flyhalf Stephen Myler.

Armitage pleased guilty to the dangerous high tackle, and was later found guilty of dropping the knee into lock Dave Attwood as he went over for a very well taken try in the corner. That happened in the same match, not long after Armitage returned to the field following his time in the sin-bin.

The RFU banned him for 5 weeks for the tackle, and 3 for the knee, but they will run concurrently. "We accept that both these incidents were reckless and not malicious," said Judge Jeff Blackett.

"However, in relation to the dangerous tackle on Tom Biggs there was the potential for significant injury and for that reason we believe that it was a mid-range entry level offence of six weeks. We increased it to eight because of concerns raised by the IRB about injuries caused by dangerous tackles and because of his poor disciplinary record.

"We then reduced the sanction to five weeks because of his guilty plea, his contrition and the impressive way he conducted himself at the hearing. In relation to the strike to which he also pleaded guilty, we decided that this was a low-end entry offence and for that we imposed a three-week suspension.

"Delon has unfortunately had several disciplinary issues this year and it is a shame that he once again finds himself not playing. However, we hope that he will learn from these events and we look forward to him resuming the game he quite clearly feels very passionate about," he added.

Meanwhile Delon's brother Steffon is under investigation from the RFU regarding comments he made about the rulings on Twitter. Steffon, who is capped by England, reportedly called the RFU 'dickheads' and said 'rugby is turning soft!!! U should have stuck with football!!!!'

Following the recent investigations and banning of Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu for similar comments on Twitter, you would think that there may be a second Armitage being suspended some time soon.

Below are the two incidents from the London Irish match against Bath. The second wasn't discussed by the match commentators as they were focussing on the try being scored, but you can see it briefly anyway. Delon will miss matches in both the Heineken Cup and Aviva Premiership.