Madagascar 30 Ivory Coast 10 Crowd 30,000

[Polynesian Warrior]

Madagascar rocket up rankings

19 SEPTEMBER 2005



Madagascar pulled off the result of the weekend to beat the Ivory Coast 30-10 in Pool B of the Confederation of African Rugby's Top 9 championship.

The Islanders outplayed their more illustrious opponents - veterans of a Rugby World Cup - in front of 30,000 avid home spectators at the National Stadium in Antananarivo.

The result sees them rocket up eight places in the IRB World Rankings to 43, closing fast the Ivory Coast, who fall three places to 41.

Madagascar next travel to Windhoek to play Namibia on 1 October.

In Pool A Zimbabwe fronted up well against a strong South Africa amateur XV, but were ultimately outgunned 47-29 in Bulawayo.

The match-savvy South Africans scored six tries to Zimbabwe's three, and now face Uganda on 1 October in Johannesburg. Uganada lost their first game against Zimbabwe.

The second match did not affect the rankings as the South Africa XV was an amateur side.





Great news and developments through out the Rugby world .

 

[ali]

What about 40th ranked Netherlands not being able to raise a squad for the under 20 European competition?

 

[Te Kaha]

What about 40th ranked Netherlands not being able to raise a squad for the under 20 European competition?

And that has what to do with Madagascar beating Ivory Coast?

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

Holland are rank 33 and have bee competing in the European Cup and Six Nations B . As a rugby fan Im not aware of their under 20 team but every rugby nations has its up and downs .
I can think of many top 10 rank rugby league nations who can't even raise a squad for the under 16 rugby league world championships .
Like Hollands under 20 Im sure it was all money related issue .

Here is some more good news from Europe .


70000 spectators are expected for Toulouse against Stade Francais in the french league
The Stade de France has been chosen for this fixture, it would beat the best previous attendance for a professional league game during regular season (45000) and even beat the best attendance for a football game in the league 1 currently held by Marseilles with 59000 spectators.

That is obvioulsy great news for the french league and the strenght of frecnh club rugby.

60000 tickets have been sold so far for the game to be played on ctober 15th.

 

[Copa]

Holland are rank 33 and have bee competing in the European Cup and Six Nations B . As a rugby fan Im not aware of their under 20 team but every rugby nations has its up and downs .
I can think of many top 10 rank rugby league nations who can't even raise a squad for the under 16 rugby league world championships .
Like Hollands under 20 Im sure it was all money related issue .

Here is some more good news from Europe .


70000 spectators are expected for Toulouse against Stade Francais in the french league
The Stade de France has been chosen for this fixture, it would beat the best previous attendance for a professional league game during regular season (45000) and even beat the best attendance for a football game in the league 1 currently held by Marseilles with 59000 spectators.

That is obvioulsy great news for the french league and the strenght of frecnh club rugby.

60000 tickets have been sold so far for the game to be played on ctober 15th.

Toulouse against Stade Francais?? i think the stadium will win.

 

[Copa]

Holland are rank 33 and have bee competing in the European Cup and Six Nations B . As a rugby fan Im not aware of their under 20 team but every rugby nations has its up and downs .

They couldn't get any players interested.
From elsewhere:

De Nederlandse Rugby Bond is niet in staat gebleken, ondanks grote inspanningen een ook maar bij benadering voldoende grote groep spelers te interesseren om deel te nemen.

The Netherlands Rugby Bond is incapable of even getting close to raising a team,although a big effort has mean made, and cannot get enough players interested.


But back to Madagascar.... has anyone here been there? They say there is a cultural connection between parts on indonesia and madagascar from waaaay back.

 

[Moffo]

lol id like to see how they got to that figure. ive seen crowd shots from that game and they are kidding if there was anything more than 10k there

more lies

 

[Te Kaha]

lol id like to see how they got to that figure. ive seen crowd shots from that game and they are kidding if there was anything more than 10k there

more lies

Yes because moffo knows everything...why don't you show some of the crowd shots you have "seen"? or do the "more lies" actually refer to what generally comes out of your mouth when ther is something you dont like.

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

More Lies Moffo ! Lol


Where rugby finds a way

12 March 2003




In July 2001 the Chairman of the Madagascan Rugby Union was facing a problem. Against a desperate backdrop of poverty in his country he was forced to explain that - following the previous year's Tananarivo League finals - he was doubling ticket prices to limit spectators.

Needless to say, between 6,000 and 7,000 spectators still packed Tananarivo's stadium for the finals.

Unlike its hungry population, rugby in Madagascar is in good health and like so many others, the union harbours serious expansion plans.

Madagascar's children are not concerned by which kicking tee to use, or which boots to wear. They play on pitches with no grass wearing nothing on their feet. They love the game.

And now the implementation of an age grade rugby programme, focusing on rugby in schools and club rugby, is underway.



Union officials and coaches are in utter agreement that - as most children attend school - the school environment is the best place for children to find rugby.

Teaching the teacher

The children, though, were not the only ones in the dark. Step one was to make the childrens' teachers aware of the game, giving them the required training and equipment. And so it was that at the end of 2000, contacts were initiated by the Union with the directors of the six Tananarivo school districts to propose teachers for rugby training.

Replies from three of the districts - Antsiramana, Toamasina and Tohara - were positive, and in 2001 courses were held in each district, 20 teachers in all being initiated in to the game. Each left with a ball and two sets of jerseys to go with the already unbridled enthusiasm of their students.

Christmas 2001 saw a two-day tournament host 1,500 children from under 11, 13 and 15 age groups, and the national team players, the "Madagascar Makis", refereed most of the matches.




Three similar events are planned for 2002/2003, with the overall aim being 30 rugby schools in the 6 districts of Tananarivo by the end of the year and 15,000 children paying rugby.

As it is 5,500 senior players play the game, almost 2,000 at under 17 level and 110 women. The country has 32 clubs at Division One level, with more in the two divisions under that, and there are eight women's clubs.

Jean-Luc Barthes, one of two IRB Regional Development Managers for Africa, admits to feeling humbled by the people's attitude to the game in the country.

"There is a crazed infatuation with rugby among the people of this wonderful country. The strength of feeling is almost beyond comprehension."

 

[Copa]

Unlike its hungry population, rugby in Madagascar is in good health

That's a worry.

 

[Moffo]

you calling me a liar tekaha?

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

2000 fans turn up to watch a club game in Madagascar but then again I could be lying .

 

[Te Kaha]

you calling me a liar tekaha?

A claim with no proof.. just put up those pictures of the game you have "seen" and I will gladly retract it...

 

[Copa]

2000 fans turn up to watch a club game in Madagascar but then again I could be lying .

I've actually seen photos of crowds like that at RU club games in madagascar.

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

http://www.irb.com/InTouch/Regions/050926+SL+catalan.htm


As one of Spain's foremost Cities and cultural centres, it is perhaps strange that Barcelona considers itself Catalan first and Spanish second.



Catalan rugby is also fiercely independent with the Catalan team a contender in the European Regions Championship. In recent preparation for that competition, the Catalans played touring Irish provincial power Ulster.



The event was seen as being hugely significant for rugby in the area, as reported on by Total Rugby this week.



The match was held at the stunning Montjuic 1992 Olympic Park and, with rugby now drawing big crowds, it was all hands to the tiller.



For the predominantly amateur Catalan players, facing up to a young Ulster team represented a huge challenge, but the visitors were under no illusions as to the passionate response their opponents would bring.



“Ulster has its own sort of mentality and we can identify with that,” said Ulster’s Nigel Brady. “We're very proud people, proud to pull on the jersey and certainly every time you play at any level it's something special. I’m sure it’s the same for them.”



The international dream



The players are drawn from the strong Barcelona club scene, but for them the ultimate dream is to compete in Catalan colours at international level.



“It is very important for Catalonia as we are fighting to be able to compete on an international level for Catalonia,” said Alfons Martinez. ”All these games we play against big clubs will help us achieve a better level to be able to compete on an international level in the future.”



“I am very, very proud of our performance and we feel a lot of pride to have been able to play against a team that has such great players,” added Martinez after the match.



For President Xavier-Albert Canal Gomara, the game was an important step towards higher goals.



“We have made a good friendship with the team and the people from Ireland,” he said. “They have been great, they have behaved perfectly, the game has had the highest sporting level, they have showed they are a high quality team and I think that we have to continue organising this kind of match.”



Catalonian rugby still has a long way to go to achieve its international dream, but its future seems to be in very safe hands.



To see how the Catalonians fared against the might of Ulster, tune into Total Rugby this week.

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

Look like another good crowd there for the Catalonians amateurs .

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

Morocco, Madagascar in CAR final
Sunday November 06 2005
Namibia, SA Amateurs beaten

There were two surprises in the semi-finals of the Confederation of African Rugby's Top 9 competition, played on Saturday.

In Casablanca Morocco thrashed a strange Namibian side 49-0, and in Antananarivo Madagascar beat the South African Amateur team 33-31.

This means that Morocco will play Madagascar in the final to be played at Stade de France on 26 November as a curtainraiser to the match between France and South Africa.

Both the winning teams are Francophone.

Namibia who have been to the last two Rugby World Cups were blown away before some 2 000 spectators at COC Stadium in Casablanca by a Moroccan side made up entirely of players playing in France. At half-time Morocco led 39-0. In all they scored seven tries.

There were 40 000 spectators at the Stade Municipal De Mahamasina in Antananarivo, including the president of the Malagasy Republic, several cabinet ministers and the French ambassador.

It was a fitting celebration of the centenary of the Madagascar Rugby Federation.

The Moroccans questioned whether the Namibian team was really the best team the country could select.

Morocco took control of the match from the start with captain Narjissi Jalil, Mokhtar Garcia and Boutati Abdellatif in the van. The pack dominated and the backs ran freely. In the first half they scored six tries through Housni Hicham, Mokhtar Michael (two tries), Mounir El Hajj (two tries) and a collective effort when the forwards went over in a bundle, Flyhalf Janick Thomas converted three of the tries and added a penalty.

The Moroccans dominated the second half as well but this time the Namibians were more resilient.

Present at the match were Morocco's minister of sport Abderrahmane Zidouh, the president of the Confederation of African Rugby Abdelaziz Bougja, and Said Bouhajeb, president of the Royal Moroccan Rugby Federation.

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

There were 40 000 spectators at the Stade Municipal De Mahamasina in Antananarivo, including the president of the Malagasy Republic, several cabinet ministers and the French ambassador.

It was a fitting celebration of the centenary of the Madagascar Rugby Federation.:thumb\\\\/

 

[Ari Gold]

Well done, you've conquered Madagascar....:lol:

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

Thanks Mate ! :lol: 40,000 !