Such a lot of activity! We have USA and Canada performing with credit in the IRB World Series Sevens, with both these Unions preparing for the IRB Junior World Championship. Jamaica is gearing up for the IRB Junior World Trophy. Canada’s Under 19 women and Under 17 Men have been on tour recently in England, and USA’s Under 20s are readying for a tour to Ireland. We have High Performance employees newly in place north and south, with elite players’ squads being selected and entering a new quadrennial of elite “daily training environment”.


USA is holding coach development camps in New York, Washington and elsewhere. Next weekend, the BC Coaching Jamboree will take place in Vancouver, where Graham Henry will be the guest speaker. And let’s not forget the excellent San Diego IRB Sevens which are only four weeks away!

Follow up:

This year we also look forward to the first round of the 2011 Men’s Rugby World Cup, and the qualifying tournament for the Women’s and Men’s 2009 RWC Sevens. The IRB continues to increase its financial support to the Region, and there has never been so much action in NAWIRA.
And here is a statistic that emerged from my analysis of Unions’ Trust Grant applications which further enhances the view that progress is being made: there are now 441 women coaches in NAWIRA, and 243 referees.

So a sincere Happy New Year to everyone who receives the Information Page, and good luck to all as we set forth on the 2008 adventure.


Source: IRB by email