If you
are anything like me then your anxiety levels have been slowly building
for the past few weeks as the end of the domestic rugby season has crept up on us.
Weekends are made for watching Premiership Rugby and now that the season has
ended we have a situation to deal with; how to fill that Premiership sized hole in
our lives! They say that a problem shared is a problem halved therefore Out On
The Full is going to tackle this issue head on and provide some suggestions and
dates for the diary to keep you occupied during this challenging time.
This time last year we were gearing up for a tremendous month of
British and Irish Lions action and this summer we revert back to the single
nation variety. The Junior World Cup has already kicked off and that will reach
its climax on 20th June whilst at a Senior Level the matches are just about to
start. England have the mammoth challenge of taking on New Zealand in their own
backyard, 3 tests and a mid-week fixture will certainly show what Stuart
Lancaster's men are made of and I can't wait to watch them unfold!! Equally the
other home nations will be tested to the max on their respective travels; Wales are off to South Africa, Ireland to
Argentina and Scotland have their first
tour under Vern Cotter with tests against USA, Canada, Argentina and South
Africa. All of these matches take place across on the same weekends in June,
7th/8th, 14th/15th, 21st/22nd and Scotland finish on Saturday 28th. The games
will be live on Sky Sports and England's matches are early morning kick offs so
watching them with a hearty Full English seems like the best course of action
to me.... although having a pint in hand is optional!!
In July, on Saturday 12th, we have the Sevens and The City Tournament at Allianz
Park and the Legends Rugby Festival at Wimbledon RFC. The Legends Rugby
Festival started last year and showcases the experienced members of our distinguished
game. Old club rivalries will be rekindled in a strong top tier competition
that includes whole host of Aviva Premiership sides and I've been informed that
some rather well known faces will be dusting off their boots for the day. An
Out On The Full Legends Festival Preview will be coming soon! The inaugural Sevens and The City Tournament
will take place at Allianz Park, it is the brainchild of Matt Stevens and David
Strettle. Sevens and The City will be a great mix of elite rugby and rugby of
the more ‘recreational’ variety as well as a Netball and 4Fittest their
athletic competition. Saracens’ fans were treated to a taster of the
entertainment side of things at their last home game when the Sevens and The
City Jacuzzi arrived pitch-side! All in all and it promises to be a day filled
with entertainment and enjoyment. The
elite competition will be broadcast live on BT Sport as a couple of the teams
are using it as a warm up for the Commowealth Games.
Personally I’d then advice a little holiday for a few days, 4
maybe 5 at maximum before the end of July when everything kicks off again.
Obviously if you like the round ball game then you can catch the latter stages
of the Football World Cup but for those of you that are like me and find the
thought of watching 90 minutes of football extremely difficult to swallow then of
rest and recuperation will be the best option!
Another 7s date for the diary is the World Club 7s tournament,
on 16th & 17th August. Over two days Twickenham will host some electric
footwork from all parts of the world, the NSW Waratahs, New York 7s and a host
of other clubs will battle it out on the hallowed turf to be crowed the World
Club 7s Champion. Last year the man of the tournament was Carlin Isles and this
year’s tournament is guaranteed to be just as exciting as the last! Finally if
you enjoy your Super Rugby then The Rugby Championship starts on 16th August,
the annual tournament between Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and
Argentina always delivers absolutely stunning rugby and its fair share of
drama.
So I do hope that this article re-assures you that all is not
lost during the summer months, there is plenty of rugby action, across the
country and broadcast on TV to keep you occupied before the pre-season matches
begin in mid August. Premiership Rugby will release their fixture list for the
2014/15 season on Friday 4th July and for those of you with a vested interest
in the new European Rugby Champions Cup fixture list that will be launched
officially in Switzerland on Tuesday 10th June!
Out On The Full will continue to bring you articles and features
throughout the summer, starting with all of the England action this week! So
for now it is time to iron those International shirts and get ready for a few
early starts as the Summer Tours kick off in earnest in just a few days time.
