Starting Line Up V Malta.

We have been informed that the starting line up is almost the the same as last week. Bobby Nave doesn't make the trip, Seta comes in on the wing. Tim drops to full back and Thomas starts at 10. More news to follow, once our link with Malta is re-established.

Who's Who?

Once again the turn of the Ladies and this time we feature one of the younger players in the Squad. Kerstin Lovendahl is tough, extremely fit and dedicated to her sport. She is universally liked and always has a smile for everyone. A star not just of now but for the future.

How did you become involved with Rugby?

It just happened.. I searched for a sport for me, had never play somehthing before. And one day there were posters in my school "Try Rugby" ..I did, and loved if from first day!
When did you first start playing?
I started playing rugby 24th of february 2004, 17years old.
What positions have you played?
Hooker is my "first position", but I really like back row too.. I have played all positions from nr1 to nr15!.. and also 16-22, but I really dislike the last ones!
What Club/s have you played for?
Lugi RFC!.. and a little bit in HRC Gripen too.
How many International Caps do you have?
At least 4, since -08, maybe some more..
What has been your best playing experience?
Best one. I have so many I really love to think about: When Lugi won DM Cup and the way we did it, When I play with the mens team and score a try... and my first game for Sweden against England.. them and many other.
What has been your worst playing experience?
Hm, maybe when I broke a bone in my finger during a national game in WET last year, and was taking off the field.
What are your ambitions within the game?
My ambitions in both Lugi and the National team is to play my best Rugby, improve myself and of course help my team mates to play their best, feel confident and improve themselves... Yes, too be a good team mate in my lovely teams!
What encourages you about the game in Sweden?
I like that teams help other teams to improve, that everyone prefer more teams and more games. It help the Rugby in Sweden and make the small clubs being stronger, the big clubs being even better.. and has taken the ladies National team to VM.. its fantastic, really fantastic!

How do you see the future?

I really hope I could follow my dreams.. I have dreamt so many times about VM and seen myself playing there.. Wonderful dreams, that I will do everything I can to fulfill! 

Later on, I wanna play for Sweden for many years.. both 15 and 7 a side, hopefully in OS, but focus now is the way to VM!

Your profession?

Preschool teacher.

Marital status?

Rugbylover!

Do you have any children?

None of my own, but twenty lovely kids at my work and one godchild on the other side of the earth.

 Take care everyone, LugiLove from me!

Many Thanks Kerstin.

Squad for Malta.

Thanks to our intrepid reporters, who use all their vast experience and probably a few favours, we can inform you of the squad for Malta. There are a couple of changes, but it still looks to be a strong group of players and if they perform in a similar manner to last Saturday, they could well bring home a win.

Alex Taylor.
Andrew Daish.
Sebastian Taylor.
Lee Sandberg.
Magnus Macdonald.
Jan Olof Johansson.
Paul Mathews.
Paul Sullivan.
Viktor Pettersson.
Thomas Ardvisson.
Fredrik Casselhag.
Richard Johansson.
Mattias Thorhard.
Roger De Jager.
Seterki Tegunimataka.
Rikard Ornberg.
Alan Letele.
Tobias Borg.
Tim Johansson.
Peter Wiklund.
Ivar Bengtsson.

Unfortunately not even our resources know the starting line up, but we wish the players and management team, every success.

Rugby Final's Day

With 80% of voters favouring a one off final's day, we would humbly suggest that the Board consider this view.
It is not our intention to direct them either way, but it appears that there is a strong swell of support to promote the game via this route. It would be easier to administer, arrange and control. The publicity generated could hopefully help swell the crowd and create an atmosphere that players, officials, and the crowd would enjoy. With 3 finals on the day it ought to be a wonderful way to watch the spectacle. If steps were taken now, this could be in place for next season and what better way to showcase the game and end the season? We are fully in support of this and feel that it would be another progressive step by the Union.

Who's Who?

Next up we feature Magnus Macdonald, one of the more senior players in the Men's National Squad. Somebody who commands respect, through his demeanour and modesty. We thought that he had a tremendous game in the tight against Holland and look forward to watching him in more matches in the future.

Good afternoon True Sweden Rugby and Heineken!

In answer to your questions...

How did you become involved with Rugby?

Through a friend of my father who had just started coaching at a club,and asked my father if I wanted to come and try out. I went along, and the rest as they say is history.

When did you first start playing?

Jumped straight in to senior rugby at 18.

What positions?

I would love to say full back, though i think that would be stretching the truth a bit. I play either side of the scrum as a prop.

What Club/s?

Currently playing in the U.K. for London Scottish

International Caps?

Nine

Best playing experience?

There have been many! Touring is always a special experience and should 

be encouraged (though never talked about when you get home). My first cap for Sweden against Switzerland in Gothenburg, playing as a full time professional in England, playing in the Premiership. Playing in Wales against Cardiff when Dai Young was my opposite number and Robert Jones was at 9, I remember being a bit overawed at the sheer sense 

of occasion, well, until the first scrum! Beating Bristol in the playoffs to gain promotion to the Premiership. Winning a ball against the head.

Worst playing experience?

Losing a Cup Final two weeks after a very close friend had died on the pitch whilst playing his last game for the club, before he and his family were to move to Australia. Losing against Holland was pretty tough too (my first defeat in a test match). Saturday's defeat was pretty tough to take too.

Your ambitions within the game?

Well getting to my twilight years as a player....I want more caps and want to help Team Sweden to group 2A. I also want to give back to a fantastic game, letting younger players gain the benefit of my experience at the coalface. Be that as a coach or a mentor.

What encourages you about the game in Sweden?

The fantastic passion, and sheer hard work of all those involved. For a country with limited playing numbers there is great talent involved in all aspects of the game, be it as a coach, player, manager, supporter, referee, administrator, blogger....

How do you see the future?

Through a crystal ball. I think nothing less than two wins from these next two tests will satisfy me personally. We have a good strong squad that is capable of winning these games and that has to be the minimum. Great to see the Ladies qualify for the World Cup, here is hoping they have a great tournament. 7's in the Olympics, seems like things are on a roll, we just have to keep the momentum going across the sport as a whole and not rest on our laurels.

Your profession?

A rehabilitation trainer in a physiotherapy clinic.

Promising Performance.

We felt that it was important to reflect on the Sweden v Holland match that took place yesterday and we also decided to speak to the the coaching team to get their view on the performance, before we published our post.

The match was a terrific advertisement for the game, played at a fast and furious pace, this was a game that Sweden should have won. Unfortunately the wrong decisions were taken at times, the number of penalties awarded to Sweden were more than enough to win the match had either of the two main kickers on the pitch nudged the ball to goal. It was clear to the experienced eye that the team were working to a game plan and with the forwards dominating the opposition pack they took the game to the Dutch, who took over 10 minutes to get out of their own half. With the back row hitting anything that moved things were looking good and the first penalty awarded gave Sweden the lead. Holland obviously shaken by this turn of events, upped their game and they started to make inroads into the Swedish half applying some intense pressure, eventually resulting in a penalty which was calmly kicked through the posts. That seemed to inspire the home team to even greater efforts and with  the opposition continually infringing a further kickable penalty was taken and the lead restored. Once more the Dutch came back and just before half time they equalled the scores with another penalty, so at half time the score was 6-6.
Receiving the kick, Sweden made an error and from the resultant scrum Holland made the most of this gift by
going over the line to score. The extra points were missed but for the first time Sweden were behind, they however were far from finished and took the game back to the Dutch, who were still committing too many penalties under the pressure being applied by the home side. Again though, the Dutch broke out from defence and managed to set up a counter attack which was finished off by a try. Still Sweden kept coming back and after yet another penalty, which was kicked, the referee yellow carded  one of the opposition. This encouraged a further spell of dominance with a further number of penalties being awarded to them. These should have been kicked at goal but instead were kicked to touch, for the lineout. All credit to the Dutch, they defended as if their lives depended on it and no scores were awarded whilst they were a man down. The Swedes were convinced they had scored when their left winger touched down and with the referee unsure, he consulted the Dutch touch judge, who said there had been a double movement.
As the game was drawing to a close Sweden made some changes and carried on applying pressure, which resulted in a try for them under the posts, following some good running and work by the replacement centre with the extra points being added the score had been closed to 3 points. The Dutch then took up the challenge of keep ball and just played a series of driving mauls to run the clock down and from one of those a drop goal was attempted, after which the referee blew the final whistle leaving the score at 16-19.

We understand that the players and management team were bitterly disappointed with the result as you would expect. In our view they were the better team and there are a lot of positives to be taken into the next match against Malta next weekend. The coaching team feel that this could be the start of something really exciting for the National Squad, with potentially the best group of players that Sweden has ever had. The weekend showed that they enjoyed each others company and wanted more than anything to move forward together.

We at TrueSwedenRugby believe that is a distinct possibility and wish them well for the future and look forward to receiving the report from the next match.

Latest Team News!

We have just received the latest news from our reporter within the Swedish camp. The selection is very interesting and shows just how hard the coaching team of Mike Tatu and Mike Hale have worked to get this squad together. So all the speculation is over and this is the team that will take the pitch against Holland tomorrow, in Trelleborg.

1   M. MacDonald
2   J O Johansson
3   M Thorhard
4   I Bengtsson
5   V Pettersson (Captain)
6   A Letele
7   A Daish
8   S Taylor
9   L Sandberg
10 T Johansson
11 T Borg
12 P Mathews
13 A Taylor
14 T Ardvisson
15 B Nave

16 F Casslehag
17 R Johansson
18 R De Jaeger
19 P Wiklund
20 R Ornberg
21 P Sullivan
22 J Wetterstrom

With plenty of good players on the bench and one or two younger ones who could be called upon, this looks to be the basis of an exciting squad and we wish them well for the game.