Portugal also crownedFrance may have won the Grand Slam and Ireland the Triple Crown but the celebrations among the rugby community in Portugal wouldn't have been too shabby either following a momentous result also on Saturday.
For the first time the Portuguese were crowned European Nations Cup champions after a 19-18 victory over Russia in Coimbra.
Affectionately known at the Six Nations B Championship, the tournament has been played out over two seasons. To cut a longer story short, Portugal beat Romania last season but lost to the same team this season. When Russia shocked Romania recently in Krasnodar (33-24), it meant Portugal could claim the title if they beat Russia in their final game, and this they duly accomplished.
The Portuguese led 13-5 at the break but Russia responded by nudging ahead 15-13, before a penalty from Goncalo Malheiro edged Portugal back into the lead.
With seven minutes remaining, Alexander Kazantsev dropped a goal and glory beckoned for the Bears (Russia). But, three minutes into injury time Portuguese outhalf Malheiro guaranteed the greatest day in Portugal's rugby history by kicking the winning penalty.
The tournament was not without sinister overtones as the Romanians accused the Russians of doping their players during the game. The Romanian Rugby Federation (FFR) analysed urine samples and 12 of their team tested positive after the game for phenothiazine, a drug used to calm people with psychotic symptoms or excessive excitability.
The Romanians are claiming it was introduced into their food during their stay.
Sponsor on call
Saturday's Triple Crown victory will enhance the marketability of the Ireland rugby team and individuals within it but one deal concluded prior to their success was with mobile phone network O2. They announced a three-year €120,000 deal to sponsor the Ireland Schools team and have also agreed to fund summer camps around the country at which Irish internationals will be present.
Details of those camps will be announced early next month but O2 will be hoping for an immediate return on their sponsorship when Ireland take on Wales in a schools international at Donnybrook on Saturday (6 p.m.).
The Irish team will then face England and France - they won all three games last season - before travelling to Australia this summer.
All Blacks opt for trial
It seems like the days of the final trials in rugby are not quite extinct to judge from New Zealand coach Graham Henry's recent request. The All Blacks will play a trial match in Auckland on June 1st, just over a week before their first international of the year, against England in Dunedin on June 12th.
NZRU chief executive Chris Moller said Henry had asked for the trial. "We expect there to be significant interest in the match. It will be the chance to see the players who will be the All Blacks this year," he said.
Meanwhile, it should hearten the rugby community to note that all profits from the All Blacks' one-off Test against the Pacific Islands (a composite side made up of Samoan, Fijian and Tongan internationals) on July 10th at North Harbour Stadium in Albany will go to the Pacific Island Rugby Alliance (PIRA).
"The match against the Pacific Islanders is the culmination of many months of discussions with PIRA and we're delighted it is now taking place. It reaffirms our commitment to Pacific Island rugby," said Moller, who didn't add that considering the way Australia and New Zealand had pillaged the Islanders for their own national teams, it really is the very least they could do.
Steen honours even
The spoils were shared when Castleknock and St Paul's competed recently for the Fr Brendan Steen perpetual trophy, and the fixture is to be an annual event between the respective senior teams in the two schools. The match finished 15-15 so we're not quite sure where the trophy will reside: in each school for six months?
Diaspora XV replies
This column was frightened, sorry, surprised, by the number of replies received to the entreaty to inform us about Irish-born rugby players playing for other countries. We are most grateful to the respondents. Here are a few snippets from the emails that will greatly facilitate us in our goal of getting an Irish-born international XV.
Peter Whitten: ". . . I was interested to read your snippet on Enda Horan and Gavin Belton playing rugby for Luxembourg. I lived and played there for 10 years and have almost come up with an Irish Luxembourg XV (12 players all capped under residency rule). Backs: Johnny Orr, Peter Whitten, Andy Browne, Ruadhrí Guilfoyle, Stephen Knowles. Forwards: Ray Fitzpatrick, Johnny Smyth (brother of Ballymena and Ulster winger Davy Smyth), Frank Wall, Anthony Savage, Enda Horan, Gavin Belton, Mark McKeown." Peter also runs a rugby website, at www.eurorugby.com.
David Walsh informed us: ". . . I am aware that at least four Bective players have played international rugby in a foreign jersey. Kevin O'Farrell, Seán O'Farrell, Mickey Browner (all Trinidad & Tobago) and Gary Purcell (Austria)."
And finally we received an e-mail informing us that John Dooly won three caps in the second row with Austria during the 1998/1999 season. John was a member of the Blackrock College SCT squad in 1992 & 1993, and played his club rugby with UCD and Vienna Celtic. He has since moved to the Czech Republic.
Keep those accounts coming in to: josullivan@irish-times.ie.
League not popular
It seems the IRFU's hope that the new AIB League structure they recently unveiled would meet with the approval of the clubs is doomed to disappointment. At a recent meeting of Connacht's five AIB League clubs, the following joint statement was issued. "At a meeting of the five AIB All-Ireland League (AIL) Clubs in Connacht held in Galway it was unanimously decided to reject the format for All-Ireland competition proposed by the IRFU as being the best way forward for Irish rugby.
"The clubs decided that they wish the IRFU to retain an All-Ireland League in divisions, with promotion and relegation there to and there from, in the context of a review of the overall administration and management of the domestic rugby game in Ireland.
"The clubs support the efforts of the First Division and the Second and Third Divisions Associations, through their working group, to put forward a joint proposal for the AIL to the IRFU. The clubs share the ambitions of all clubs in Connacht, and throughout Ireland, seeking to advance and promote the playing of club rugby in a fair, equitable and appropriate format."
