Rhino Rugby News

Off the west coast of Scotland, the 10th staging of the unique Islay Beach Rugby tournament took place in front of the White Hart Hotel in Port Ellen, in glorious sunshine on Saturday 8th June. The event has traditionally enjoyed good weather and provides one of the social and sporting highlights of the Islay calendar. Over a thousand spectators gathered on the banking beside the beach to enjoy fearsome competition from twenty two men's and eight women's teams. Conditions were perfect as a prolonged spell of dry weather provided deep, soft, powdery sand. Whilst this meant it was utterly exhausting to play on, it probably accounted for the lower injury count this year which is always welcome. Billed as "Blood on the Beach", the spectacle of fast, furious, full contact rugby made for great entertainment.

The winners of the 'Laddie Cup' were The Mercian Regiment who were making their first appearance at the tournament. Runners up were fellow debutants Garnoch. Last year's winners Kilchoman won the Plate, beating Oban in their final while the Bowl was taken home by Trinity who prevailed over Ardbeg.

The Lassie Cup was won by Team 200 who were also joining us for the first time. They beat Melrose Ladies, a club that has been a long term supporter of Islay Beach Rugby and it should be noted that the standard of rugby played by the women was very high this year. The 'hits' have always been fierce but this time round some the of the passing and movement from both sides in the final were mesmerizingly fast.

The competition is sponsored by Bruichladdich Distillery and Rhino Rugby were the ball supplier and joint sponsor for the first time. Rhino Rugby MD, Anthony Locke said: "It was an absolute pleasure to be involved in such a well run and well attended event. Congratulations to the winners but also to all players for performing at the highest levels of sportsmanship despite the extremely physical nature of the contest. I'd like to thank everyone involved for making us feel so welcome on the island and to the organisers for putting together such a fantastic event."

Three players boasted a perfect goalkicking record in Super League last month, with Danny Brough taking the title of Rhino Super League Top Gun for May.

The Huddersfield Giants playmaker landed 14 from 14 attempts, narrowly seeing off Catalan's Thomas Bosc, who kicked nine out of nine, and Warrington's Stefan Ratchford, who kicked eight from eight, to land the monthly prize - free Rhino Rugby balls for a community club of his choice.

Brough is the third different winner of the monthly award this season. Leeds' Kevin Sinfield scooped the award in both February and March, with Marc Sneyd finishing top dog in April, having landed 16 out of 17, a percentage of 94% in the month.

Sinfield had previously followed up his win in the first month of the season, by kicking 12 from 13 in March, a conversion rate of 92%.

Rhino Rugby League Managing Director Tony Colquitt said: "This goes to show the high quality goalkicking on show in Super League, and it will take a top player to win each monthly award, let alone the overall title at the end of the year.

"With many points still to be won over the rest of the season, the difference between victory and defeat could rest on any two-pointer as we get in to the business end of the year."

At the end of the season, the goalkicker with the best percentage over the season will be named the inaugural Rhino Super League Top Gun, and presented with the award at the Man of Steel dinner.

Rhino are one of the sponsors of the inaugural Marstons GB7s which is taking place over 3 weekends in June. In the first tournament at Colwyn Bay last week the Wailers defeated Apache in the final, and in the second leg over the weekend in Edinburgh they were narrowly edged out 34-33 by Samurai due to a last minute try by Welsh international Sam Cross. The two sides go into the final leg of the competition at Allianz Park, home of Saracens in North London, this weekend tied at the top of the table.

A sneak peek at the Lions training with some of our equipment. We wish them well in the 2013 Australian tour!

The Rhino Dictator Scrum Machine

The Barbarians were resplendent in their new Rhino kit as they trained at St Pauls School in Barnes where they prepared this morning for their forthcoming match with England at Twickenham on Sunday. The kit has been well received and warmly praised by the Barbarians management and players. See their final scrum practice on the St Pauls Rhino Premiersled on the video below.

You can purchase the new Barbarians kit online from Rhino Teamwear.

Coach Dai Young, Captain Mike Tindall and Manager Derek Quinnell.
Imanol Harinordoquy of Biarritz and France

A couple of great videos from Red Bull - featuring Rhino Rugby training equipment and balls.

The 2013 British & Irish Lions have kicked off their tour with training at the Vale in Cardiff. The squad were using the Rhino Vortex Elite ball which is the Official Ball of the Lions and will be the match ball for their opening game against the Barbarians in Hong Kong on June 1st.

Images © Fotosport

At the annual RaboDirect PRO12 Awards evening held at the weekend at Clontarf Castle in Dublin, Rhino awarded two prizes - the Rhino Golden Boot Award to the goalkicker with the highest percentage success rate, and the Rhino Collision Kings Award to the side showing the most effective technique and performance at the breakdown in the regular PRO12 season ahead of the play-offs.

Rhino CEO Reg Clark presented Ian Madigan of Leinster with the Golden Boot Award for his 86.96% performance. Remarkably, he was tied with Leigh Halfpenny of the Cardiff Blues who achieved exactly the same percentage success, but with markedly fewer attempts at goal; Madigan winning accordingly. Ian follows Jonathan Sexton of Leinster who won last year, and was placed fourth this time.

Donal McEvoy of Rhino Ireland presented Simon Easterby, Head Coach of the Llanelli Scarlets with the Rhino Collision King Award. The Scarlets edged out last year's winners Glasgow Warriors in the view of judge and Rhino Collision King inventor Richie Gray when they comprehensively outplayed the Warriors at the breakdown in a recent victory which clinched their play off place.

The RaboDirect PRO12 play offs begin tonight with Ulster playing the Scarlets at Ravenhill in Belfast, and tomorrow Leinster playing Glasgow Warriors at the Royal Dublin Showgrounds. The final is scheduled for Saturday 25th May at the RDS.

It's been another great season for the RaboDirect PRO12 and with 26 out of 38 Lions selected playing in the tournament and SKY Sports announced as beginning coverage of 30 live games plus play offs for 4 years from the
2014-15 season, it looks set to go from strength to strength.

Reg Clark presents Ian Madigan of Leinster with the Rhino Golden Boot Award.		Donal McEvoy presents the Rhino Collision Kings Award to Simon Easterby of the Llanelli Scarlets

Rhino is very proud to be supporting the memorial game being played tonight at Cardiff Arms Park between the Welsh Medicals and the Welsh Academicals in honour of the legendary Dr Jack Matthews who died last year aged 92.

The match is also being supported by Jamie Roberts who in addition to recently qualifying as a doctor has also emulated Jack in playing for Cardiff, Wales and the Lions and being a Grand Slam winner. Rhino marked the Lions link by supplying the same match balls for the memorial game which will be used in the opening Lions tour match on June 1st against the Barbarians in Hong Kong.

Jamie has this to say about one of the hardest tackling centres ever to play the game - a man tough enough not only to win 17 caps for Wales, including a Grand Slam in 1950 and play all 6 Tests on the 1950 Lions Tour, but also to fight 4 exhibition rounds with Rocky Marciano: