England beat Canada to win Women's Rugby World Cup
- Thread starter Blackleaf
- Start date
It is the SIXTH World Cup England or Great Britain has won in both codes of rugby, men and women...
Rugby League World Cup
1954 (Great Britain beat France 16-12 in front of 30,368 spectators in the Final at Parc des Princes in Paris to become the first winners of the tournament. The prime motivators behind the idea of holding a rugby league world cup were the French, who were short of money following the seizing of their assets by the rugby union in World War II. The first rugby league World Cup was an unqualified success. It was played in uniformly good spirit, provided an excellent standard of play and was a fitting celebration of France's 20th anniversary as a rugby league-playing nation. The trophy, which was donated by the French, was worth eight million francs )
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1960 (Great Britain won the four-team tournament by winning all three of their group matches - 23-8 against New Zealand; 33-7 against France; 10-3 against Australia - and finishing top of the group)
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1972 (Great Britain and Australia finished first and second respectively in the four-team group, above France and New Zealand, so both teams met in the Final. Great Britain and Australia drew 10-10 in the Final in front of 4,231 spectators at Stade de Gerland in Lyon. Great Britain were declared the winners on the league placings)
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Rugby Union World Cup
2003 (Mighty England, then ranked No1 in the world, beat Australia 20-17 in the Final in front of 82,957 at the Telstra Stadium in Sydney. The match finished 14-14 after normal time, and so went to extra time. The scores were still tied - 17-17 - with just 26 seconds remaining in extra time when England's Johnny Wilkinson received the ball and attempted a 3-point drop goal.... and the rest, as they say, is history)
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Women's Rugby Union World Cup
1994 (England beat USA 38-23 in the Final at Edinburgh Academicals RFC)
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2014 (England beat Canada 21-9 in the Final at Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris)
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Nothing in rugby's as tough as having a baby, says World Cup heroine: PE teacher hopes juggling sport and her job with motherhood will inspire other women
Emma Croker, 31, is the only mother in England's women rugby team
She was back on the pitch just four months after having a C-section birth
Now her daughter Lucy, two, goes with Mrs Croker, from Essex, on tour
She said: 'Women don't have to stop career or sport once they have a baby'
By Eleanor Harding for the Daily Mail
19 August 2014
Daily Mail
She's the only player in England’s World Cup-winning women’s rugby team to have had a baby – but don’t think it’s put her at any disadvantage.
For Emma Croker says her traumatic experience of childbirth has made her even tougher on the pitch.
And the 31-year-old said she hoped her experience of juggling professional sport and childcare, as well as a job as a PE teacher, would inspire other women with families.
Emma Croker, 31, pictured here with her two-year-old daughter Lucy, is the only mother in the England women's rugby team, but says she hopes her experience of juggling work, professional sport and motherhood will inspire other women
‘After you’ve gone through childbirth, you don’t fear pain anymore,’ she told the Daily Mail. ‘I don’t think anything in rugby is going to be as painful as childbirth.
‘It’s worth it in the end. Ask any mother and it’s worth it to have that little baby in your arms.
‘The experience has made me live for the moment – I want to win every game. But at the end of the day I still have my family to go home to. That’s my number one priority.
‘That’s what’s so great about having a family – whatever’s happening in your job or your rugby or your career, they’re there for you and you can’t be sad in front of your children, they just make you happy.’
Mrs Croker was diagnosed with pre- eclampsia – a condition which can prove fatal for the mother and unborn child – meaning an emergency Caesarean was the only option.
But despite the toll on her body, she returned to the rough and tumble of the pitch in her position of hooker after only four months.
Croker, from Essex, is pictured being tackled in the World Cup semi-final against Ireland. The England team took the title for the first time in 20 years
She said: ‘Having people tackling you and having impact on the area where you’ve had the C-section was quite scary, but I had a couple of mates at my club in Richmond who tackled me in the corner to see if it wasn’t too bad.
‘The best thing to do is to get back in the game and give it a shot and see what happens.’
Like any high-powered woman, Croker knew having a baby might mean the end of her career, but her determination to get her fitness back meant she won her place back almost immediately.
Now Mrs Croker, from Billericay in Essex, takes two-year-old daughter Lucy with her on tour.
The rugby player - who is also a PE teacher - takes her daughter with her on tour and says she loves it
With the help of her husband James, 35, an RAF rugby coach, and mother Carole Layland, 59, a caterer, she was able to juggle looking after Lucy with her job and training.
Croker says the battle wounds she sustains during rugby matches are nothing compared to childbirth
‘Having a family was important to me,’ she added. ‘It’s not easy, you need a massive support network behind you, but you can do it – women don’t have to stop their career or sport once they’ve had their baby.’
Women rugby players, in contrast to their male counterparts, receive no sponsorship to play.
As a result all members of the women’s team have day jobs – including a vet, lifeguard, plumber and several teachers – and they get reimbursed for the days they have taken off work as payment.
Yesterday, as the team was welcomed home from the competition in France by cheering crowds at Twickenham, Lucy was allowed to get her hands on the cup.
‘She loved it,’ Mrs Croker said. ‘It was a great privilege for us to win this year, never mind have my daughter there. It’s an experience not many people get to share with their kids.
‘She’s really sporty, and she’s always running and jumping off things. So hopefully she’ll get into a sport when she’s older.’
Sunday’s victory was the first time the England women’s rugby team have won a World Cup in 20 years, with the last win in Scotland in 1994.
It marks a high point in a long battle for the women, who made it through to the finals in 2002, 2006 and 2010 but missed out each time at the last hurdle.
Croker said she hoped Sunday’s victory would inspire other women to take up rugby, which is still seen as a men’s sport by many.
She added: ‘When we first started playing and first started getting media coverage there were a few negative comments but we just answer it by saying, “come and watch our game”.
‘Since people have been able to watch us on TV, it’s changed people’s opinions. What they see is a good game of rugby.’
Read more: Emma Croker hopes juggling sport and her job with motherhood will inspire other women | Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Emma Croker, 31, is the only mother in England's women rugby team
She was back on the pitch just four months after having a C-section birth
Now her daughter Lucy, two, goes with Mrs Croker, from Essex, on tour
She said: 'Women don't have to stop career or sport once they have a baby'
By Eleanor Harding for the Daily Mail
19 August 2014
Daily Mail
She's the only player in England’s World Cup-winning women’s rugby team to have had a baby – but don’t think it’s put her at any disadvantage.
For Emma Croker says her traumatic experience of childbirth has made her even tougher on the pitch.
And the 31-year-old said she hoped her experience of juggling professional sport and childcare, as well as a job as a PE teacher, would inspire other women with families.
Emma Croker, 31, pictured here with her two-year-old daughter Lucy, is the only mother in the England women's rugby team, but says she hopes her experience of juggling work, professional sport and motherhood will inspire other women
‘After you’ve gone through childbirth, you don’t fear pain anymore,’ she told the Daily Mail. ‘I don’t think anything in rugby is going to be as painful as childbirth.
‘It’s worth it in the end. Ask any mother and it’s worth it to have that little baby in your arms.
‘The experience has made me live for the moment – I want to win every game. But at the end of the day I still have my family to go home to. That’s my number one priority.
‘That’s what’s so great about having a family – whatever’s happening in your job or your rugby or your career, they’re there for you and you can’t be sad in front of your children, they just make you happy.’
Mrs Croker was diagnosed with pre- eclampsia – a condition which can prove fatal for the mother and unborn child – meaning an emergency Caesarean was the only option.
But despite the toll on her body, she returned to the rough and tumble of the pitch in her position of hooker after only four months.
Croker, from Essex, is pictured being tackled in the World Cup semi-final against Ireland. The England team took the title for the first time in 20 years
She said: ‘Having people tackling you and having impact on the area where you’ve had the C-section was quite scary, but I had a couple of mates at my club in Richmond who tackled me in the corner to see if it wasn’t too bad.
‘The best thing to do is to get back in the game and give it a shot and see what happens.’
Like any high-powered woman, Croker knew having a baby might mean the end of her career, but her determination to get her fitness back meant she won her place back almost immediately.
Now Mrs Croker, from Billericay in Essex, takes two-year-old daughter Lucy with her on tour.
The rugby player - who is also a PE teacher - takes her daughter with her on tour and says she loves it
With the help of her husband James, 35, an RAF rugby coach, and mother Carole Layland, 59, a caterer, she was able to juggle looking after Lucy with her job and training.
Croker says the battle wounds she sustains during rugby matches are nothing compared to childbirth
‘Having a family was important to me,’ she added. ‘It’s not easy, you need a massive support network behind you, but you can do it – women don’t have to stop their career or sport once they’ve had their baby.’
Women rugby players, in contrast to their male counterparts, receive no sponsorship to play.
As a result all members of the women’s team have day jobs – including a vet, lifeguard, plumber and several teachers – and they get reimbursed for the days they have taken off work as payment.
Yesterday, as the team was welcomed home from the competition in France by cheering crowds at Twickenham, Lucy was allowed to get her hands on the cup.
‘She loved it,’ Mrs Croker said. ‘It was a great privilege for us to win this year, never mind have my daughter there. It’s an experience not many people get to share with their kids.
‘She’s really sporty, and she’s always running and jumping off things. So hopefully she’ll get into a sport when she’s older.’
Sunday’s victory was the first time the England women’s rugby team have won a World Cup in 20 years, with the last win in Scotland in 1994.
It marks a high point in a long battle for the women, who made it through to the finals in 2002, 2006 and 2010 but missed out each time at the last hurdle.
Croker said she hoped Sunday’s victory would inspire other women to take up rugby, which is still seen as a men’s sport by many.
She added: ‘When we first started playing and first started getting media coverage there were a few negative comments but we just answer it by saying, “come and watch our game”.
‘Since people have been able to watch us on TV, it’s changed people’s opinions. What they see is a good game of rugby.’
Read more: Emma Croker hopes juggling sport and her job with motherhood will inspire other women | Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
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Of course it was worth a mention by you. The British finally won something or did something better than someone else for a change. It doesn't matter if you're a sexist pig who doesn't care about women's sport, you "Need" this after your last bungle regarding Britain's superior economy.
It doesn't matter that you beat a country that barely plays Rugby. It'd be like Canada beating the living crap out of South Africa in a Hockey Match.
Canada didn't win?
None of us are surprised.
Oh yeah, field hockey.... Psshhhh.
A little ball and a some golf clubs, prancing around in the tulips wearing skirts.
Oh but Rugby is the tough sport apparently.
Canadians lose their teeth because they get knocked out.
British lose their teeth because of poor hygiene.
Troll better
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I don't think Praxius, and millions of other people in Australia, have quite got over this, 11 years on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=oNEKxdW_J5I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=oNEKxdW_J5I
Got over it?
I didn't even know it happened or that there was a Rugby World Cup.
And while Rugby is played a lot more here in Australia, the Australian Rules Football (AFL) is what everybody here cares about.
But hey, whatever makes you feel good about yourself.
*clap clap*
Good Job.
Yeah. That's what they all say.
Rubbish.
Rugby league is Australia's national sport. Australia's National Rugby League (NRL) is MASSIVE, and not only in Australia. It is regarded as the world's elite rugby league championship and, per season, is one of the most viewed and attended rugby football competitions in the world.
The NRL provides six of the top seven and 78 of the top 100 programmes - ALL programmes, not just sporting ones - on Australian subscription television. It is the most watched sports league on Australian television, with an aggregate audience of 120.6 million viewers in 2010.
In Australia (just as in Northern England), rugby league rules. In fact, the Aussies call it "The Greatest Game of All".
Best tries in NRL 2013:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHpxFDxL0dw&feature=player_detailpage
National Rugby League - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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I'm looking forward to the 2015 Rugby (Union) World Cup. England are the tournament hosts and are the second favourites to win it after the New Zealand All Blacks. It would be nice to beat the Aussies in the Final on home soil, 12 years after we beat them in the Final on Aussie soil.
One interesting fact is that Ben Cohen, who won the 2003 Rugby World Cup with England, is the nephew of George Cohen, who won the 1966 Football World Cup with England. Two World Cup winners in the same family.
One interesting fact is that Ben Cohen, who won the 2003 Rugby World Cup with England, is the nephew of George Cohen, who won the 1966 Football World Cup with England. Two World Cup winners in the same family.