O’Sullivan accepts Pacific Rim expansion job

Apr 1st, 2008 | Satire | 5 Comments

by Stan Doffe, International Correspondent

The International Rugby Board (IRB) today announced that former US Eagles and Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan has accepted the position of Top Associate of Rugby Development for the Pacific Nations Cup.

The Cup, formerly known as the IRB Pacific 5 Nations, currently includes the nations of Fiji, Samoa, Japan, Tonga, New Zealand and Australia. O’Sullivan has been brought in as TARD to expand the competition to include other Pacific Rim Nations in the Americas, namely Canada, USA and Argentina, as well as Uruguay.

“When I was first offered the job by the IRB, I jumped at the opportunity,” said O’Sullivan. “It was really, really great … something I won’t forget for a long time. But afterwards, I felt a little awkward around the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) executives. I knew when they found out about the Rim job, they would not be happy. Loyalty is a strong virtue in my relationship with the IRFU, and it was clear I had breached their trust.” → continue reading

New Zealand and Australia boycott 2011 Rugby World Cup

Oct 8th, 2007 | Satire, Test Rugby, RWC 2007 | 26 Comments

At a joint press conference today, the New Zealand and Australian Rugby Unions announced that they have withdrawn from future World Cup competition as a protest to the current format which encourages complacency by pestering the teams with pointless fixtures against developing rugby nations.

‘Crushing teams like Italy, Scotland and Portugal by as much as 95 points puts too much pressure on our boys,’ said Andy Leslie, President of the NZRU. ‘When we finally get some opposition, the performance anxiety is too great and we buckle beneath it…who wouldn’t,’ he continued. → continue reading