The News Review:
- Who needs skill when there’s the ‘Heineken moment’?
- Haskell back on track after temporary derailment
- Hocking is the number one try poacher at No.8
- Carter may miss out on Heineken Cup tilt
- Rugby: Men of Munster on a legendary crusade
Who needs skill when there’s the ‘Heineken moment’?
Independent, UK
Moments of great skill, such as a well-placed volley or a delicately controlled drop shot, go almost unnoticed. However, scoreboard messages giving the speed of particularly big serves are greeted by gasps, routine smashes by loud applause and long baseline rallies by amused surprise. Some of the biggest cheers of the day come during the "Heineken Moment" at the conclusion of matches, when television cameras scour the arena before settling on a member of the crowd who is holding one of the sponsor’s products. As for the players, the Shanghai experience has clearly been a pleasurable one. "The atmosphere in all the matches has been great," Andy Murray said. "They get very excited during all the matches. I haven’t met too many people, but I really enjoy myself here.
Haskell back on track after temporary derailment
guardian.co.uk, UK
That “de-selection” was an experience Haskell had not beenused to during a career that followed a steep upward curve fromthe moment he made his Wasps debut as an 18-year-old. An England regular at all the various age-group levels, healso progressed smoothly through the grooming grounds of Sevensand Saxons. He made his senior debut in the 2007 Six Nations and helpedWasps win the Heineken Cup, though his efforts were not enoughto force him into the final World Cup squad. In this year’s Six Nations he started the first threematches before injury pegged him back but he roared back in thesummer as one of the few players to impress in the double-defeattour of New Zealand. By then there was talk of the 23-year-old as possibleEngland captaincy material and the rugby world appeared therefor the taking. However, when the domestic season got underway in SeptemberHaskell, along with most of his Wasps team mates, was not at theraces. It was no real surprise, even to him, when he was namedonly as a replacement against the Pacific Islanders.
Hocking is the number one try poacher at No.8
WalesOnline, United Kingdom
Though a fifth division was added during the five seasons of the Heineken League, it was only in season 1995-96 that the majority of clubs joined a full Welsh league. That has been added to by bringing in probationary clubs last season and has grown to the Principality Premiership and 22 other divisions. Yet, two players are battling it out at the top of try-getters with No. 8 Karl Hocking, now with Bridgend, leading his friend Lenny Woodard, currently with Newbridge in One East. Oddly, the two played together last season with Maesteg, who quite rightly claimed to have the top two try-scorers in Wales.
Carter may miss out on Heineken Cup tilt
Radio New Zealand, New Zealand
Carter is due to join up with the French club for his six-month sabbatical in December. He’s said that his main motivation was to play in the Northern Hemispehere’s premier club competition but the Top 14 side last week threatened to pull out of the tournament over an 18-week ban against hooker Marius Tincu. They are appealing the suspension but Carter says he’d be very disappointed if they pulled out. Copyright © 2008 Radio New Zealand
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Rugby: Men of Munster on a legendary crusade
New Zealand Herald, New Zealand
It doesn’t quite seem right – that this tiny little pocket in a remote part of Ireland has managed to become a rugby phenomenon. But they are a phenomenon, having won the Heineken Cup twice in the last three years. There is no better way of putting this than to say Munster are the Crusaders of Europe, who pride themselves on having no stars and a culture where no one is bigger than the team. Just like the Crusaders, they have relied on developing local talent and keeping things in-house. In the professional era, Munster have had one chief executive and just three coaches. The bulk of their players are local boys, men from the area who have grown up dreaming of playing for Munster.