With the season finally over, following the last of the Swedish International matches last week, we thought that we should reflect on the last year.The Men's National team had an interesting start to the year with a win in Barcelona against a strong Catalonian side. This was followed by a narrow defeat in Riga by Latvia, with several of their top players unable to make the match through no fault of their own. But they did not let that loss cloud the issue, (think about it) and they recovered to beat Croatia at home leaving them in good shape for the Autumn Internationals, both were wins and Sweden sits proudly on top of the league. So a very good year for them.
The Women's National team played in both the EM and the World Cup. Great things were expected of them following their success in 2009. Unfortunately, since qualifying for the World Cup by winning the 2009 European Championship, they have failed to win an International match. Thus the high expectations were not met and the overall losers appeared to be the women's game in Sweden.
Stockholm Exiles were runners up to Hammarby in the Elite league, but managed to overcome the same opponents in the Men's finals to deservedly win Gold. They also won the Svenska Cup, although that was obtained through a walkover following an appalling decision by GRF to forfeit the game.
Hammarby confounded their critics by having their best ever season, although faltering towards the end of the season, they should be proud of their achievment.
Enkoping went backwards and appeared to have lost some of their zest from 2009, finishing 3rd in the Elite and being totally overwhelmed n their semi-finals. A disappointing season for them.
Spartacus confounded all the critics and had their best ever season. Extremely difficult to beat at home, losing just twice, although they did come unstuck in a few of their away matches, which they managed to turn around in the semi-finals, failing by 10 points to go for gold. A creditable season for them.
Göteborg Rf were the major disappointment of the season in the Elite series. Although they did manage to win the vital away match against Pingvin. Their failure to play the final of the Svenska Cup was in our opinion a disgrace and is not what Rugby is about!
Pingvin were unlucky to be relegated losing at home to Grf in the final match of the season. However it was their performances over the season that cost them their place in the top division and they must be regretting some of their losses.
Enkoping ladies managed to prevent an overconfident Göteborg ladies from making it 3 in a row, so congratulations to them on winning Gold.
Atilla won the right to compete in the Elite next season by one point, our congratulations to them also.
Overall an interesting season with some fine rugby played, let's hope for another fine one next year.
Correction on your review of the women's international team - they have won two games since the World Cup qualifiers, against Russia and Germany in the FIRA.
ReplyDeleteIt was unfortunate that they were unable to win a game at the World Cup, but the performances in the games were overall very good (I speak as someone who saw four out of their five matches). If only your women could have come up with a larger, more competitive pack they would have beaten Kazakhstan, and possibly France and Scotland as well.
Our apologies, but as we don't take much of an interest in the Women's game, we did not check out the facts. To be honest, we prefer to concentrate on the Men's game as that is a much better sport and provides far better competition!
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't Spartacus' best ever season. They won an SM silver back in the day
ReplyDeleteHasn't this blog gone quiet since the Exile players have returned to their own countries. They were a disgrace this year and the management at Exiles must have been embarrassed by their continual denigration of our competition and players.
ReplyDelete"Enkoping went backwards and appeared to have lost some of their zest from 2009, finishing 3rd in the Elite and being totally overwhelmed n their semi-finals.
ReplyDeleteA disappointing season for them."??????
Which club in Sweden would not be satisfied
with the 2010 season, if you had these results?
SM Gold women's team in the XV-a-side
SM Gold men's team in the VII-men
Nordic Champion men's team in the XV-a-side
SM Silver women's team in the VII-men
SM-Bronze men's team in the XV-a-side
Won the Hacke Indoor Sevens in Vaxjo, men
Won all matches in the qualifiers in the Sevens-men-women (almost)
Youth Championships in September
International against Croatia on Korsangens Rugby Arena
Several trainingcamps with the Nationalsquad in Enkoping during the preseason
We have conducted a nationwide high school tournament
We have implemented local school tournaments
Lot of players in the National Teams
That Enkoping would not be happy with the season
2010 to have achieved the above
strikes me as ridiculous to say!
maybe... possibly... its gone quiet because it off season ??
ReplyDeleteare you trying to imply that there would the same amount of posts in the offseason as weeks before and during finals ? Please.
And here you go again. Have another dig. Try and get it all going again. Your a disgrace. By the way > 50% of the post were from people like you, spreading the hate.
Why is everyone talking about present year? Who gives a fuck? New year, new teams, BRING IT!!
ReplyDeleteWhat are the chances of seeing a Swedish player at Stockholm?????
ReplyDeleteWhat are the chances of seeing a Swedish player at Stockholm?????
ReplyDeleteNot very much, most of the imports are coming back it seems.
I think the chances of seeing a Swedish player at Stockholm are as good as seeing sunshine on Christmas Day
ReplyDelete@ Heineken. How silly you are. If you're not interested in the women's game then don't write about it instead of writing inaccurate things. Stick to the men's game which is, in Sweden, rubbish rugby anyway.
ReplyDelete