Matawalu, Bothma, Tipuric, Tuisova, Autumn Internationals

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NEW YORK, NY – Yes we know Ireland won this weekend and we will get to it but first there was a lot of news to cover. Lets take care of the transactions and then get to the fixtures. Today’s recap will cover: Matawalu, Bothma, Tipuric, Tuisova, Autumn Internationals… So, off we go with this rendition of the RWU Global Rugby Recap.

News & Transactions:

Aviva Premiership: Fijian international Niko Matawalu will head to Exeter from Premiership rivals Bath and will join up with his new team-mates once the current November Tests are concluded after negotiating a mid-season transfer… Harlequins announced the signing of Namibian eightman and captain Renaldo Bothma, who will join the Premiership club ahead of the 2017/18 season… Western Province second-row Wilhelm van der Sluys has joined Worcester Warriors on trial, the Premiership club announced on Thursday.

Pro 12: Ospreys announced that Justin Tipuric has signed a new long-term deal, committing himself to his home region until the summer of 2020… Newport Gwent Dragons announced that Ross Wardle has been released from his contract and will begin his career as a pharmacist… Ulster announced that versatile prop Andy Warwick and second-row Pete Browne have signed fresh contracts with the province.

Top14: Toulon announced that Fiji Sevens star and wing Josua Tuisova has signed a contract extension at the Top 14 giants until June 2020. News of his extension is a boost for Toulon and is coupled by his brother, wing Filipo Nakosi, joining from Agen on a contract until 2020… Clermont fly-half Patricio Fernández has signed a new contract with the Top 14 outfit, which keeps him at Stade Marcel Michelin until 2020.

Super Rugby: The Brumbies announced the boost of their attacking stocks with the signing of former Reds outside-back Tom Banks… The Western Force announced the re-signing of veteran hooker Heath Tessmann for the 2017 and 2018 Super seasons.

USA Rugby: The Women’s Premier League (WPL) will host its eighth national championship Friday, Nov. 11 and Sunday, Nov. 13 at Life University in Marietta, Ga. The eight-team competition is split into two tiers and begins with championship and fifth-place semifinals on day one. Either Glendale, New York, San Diego or Twin Cities will be crowned the 2016 champion. Read more here.

In an unprecedented and exciting new program, SoCal Youth Rugby has led the way for safety and player welfare with its new ‘Player Welfare Program.’ More information here.

World Rugby: Japan announced New Zealand’s Damian Karauna as their new head coach for the 2016-17 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

The weekend’s fixtures:

As always, Ladies first…
Women’s International: There are two internationals scheduled this weekend as Wales takes on the British Army and Ireland face England.

Here is the schedule:
Fri – 11 Nov 2016
Wales – British Army
Sat – 5 Nov 2016
Ireland – England

England v SA; Confirming the location of post-match festivities

Autumn Internationals: This is the first official weekend the international fixture season. As for the fixtures themselves, they begin with the legendary Barbarians playing against Fiji. The next batch of matches feature New Zealand looking to bounce back from their first loss ever by taking on Italy, England host South Africa and Scotland welcome Australia. Ireland take on Canada, France face Samoa and Georgia tackles Japan. The USA face off with Romania, Spain clash with Tonga, Germany and Uruguay clash and finally Chile will battle Korea, the Southern one.

Here is the schedule:
Fri – 11 Nov 2016
Barbarians RFC – Fiji

Sat – 12 Nov 2016
Italy – New Zealand
England – South Africa
Scotland – Australia
Wales – Argentina
Ireland – Canada
France – Samoa
Georgia – Japan
Romania – United States
Spain – Tonga
Germany – Uruguay
Chile – Korea

Anglo-Welsh Cup: This competition serves as an important developmental tournament for young players in Wales and England. It has been the place where players like Johnny May, Jack Nowell, Ollie Devoto and Maro Itoje made a name for themselves and became regulars for their club and or country. As for match-ups this weekend, Bristol battles Sale, Ospreys tangle with Harlequins, and Scarlets clash with Bath. Saturday sees Saracens against Newcastle, Northampton and Gloucester do battle, and Leicester welcome Newport-Gwent. The final two games of the weekend will see Exeter host Cardiff and finally Worcester travel to face Wasps.

Here is the schedule:
Fri – 11 Nov 2016
Bristol – Sale Sharks
Ospreys – Harlequins
Scarlets – Bath
Sat – 12 Nov 2016
Saracens – Newcastle
Northampton – Gloucester
Leicester – Newport-Gwent
Sun – 12 Nov 2016
Exeter Chiefs – Cardiff Blues
Wasps – Worcester Warriors

Top 14: The Top 14 season continues. The twelve teams this season are champions Racing 92, runners-up Toulon, Clermont, Montpellier, Toulouse, Castres, Bordeaux, Brive, La Rochelle, Grenoble, Pau and Stade Français… Two new teams from the 2015–16 Pro D2 season were promoted to Top 14 this year, Bayonne and Lyon in place of the two relegated teams, Agen and Oyonnax. It marks the first time that both teams relegated are both promoted in the following season (Bayonne and Lyon where both relegated during the 2014–15 Top 14 season). The line-up for the weekend begins with Pau welcome Racing, Castres hosts Brive, Grenoble tangle with Bordeaux, Lyon travel to Montpellier and Clermont are on the road against Bayonne. The final two games of the weekend will see La Rochelle against Toulouse and Toulon facing a challenge from Stade Francias.

Here is the schedule:
Sat – 12 Nov 2016
Pau – Racing 92
Castres – Brive
Grenoble – Bordeaux-Bègles
Montpellier – Lyon
Bayonne – Clermont-Auvergne
Sun – 6 Nov 2016
La Rochelle – Toulouse
Toulon – Stade Français

RAN 7s: International teams are in Trinidad and Tobago to vie for the Rugby Americas North Sevens Men’s and Women’s regional titles. The competition schedule for all 24 teams has been released and ensures two full days of rugby action. With 68 matches over the course of the tournament, fans at CIC Grounds at St. Mary’s College can expect to experience high caliber rugby in a festival-like atmosphere close to downtown, parks and the island’s coastline… All matches will be streamed live on www.rugbyamericasnorth.com. Follow @RugbyAmericasN on Twitter for live scores and tournament updates, or visit the event page at www.rugbyamericasnorth.com/ran7s. Join the conversation using #RAN7s.

European Nations Cup: The ENC, or the 6 Nations “B” , is the premier tournament for the second-tier nations of Europe. Unbeknownst to some, the ENC consists of seven divisions, each featuring between four and six teams. The matches played will determine who will get promoted and relegated from groups Championship, Trophy, Conference 1 North &1 South and 2 North & 2 South over a two-year cycle. The Championship, where the best teams in Europe not called England, Ireland, France, Italy, Wales or Scotland reside, has no promotion option – only relegation back to 1B. Hopefully promotion from 1A to the proper 6N will eventually occur… but we aren’t banking on it.

As for the the weekend’s fixtures, it begins with an exhibition match between Portugal and Belgium. Then there is a Trophy division match that sees Moldova face Ukraine. In Conference 1 North, Czech Republic welcome Lithuania while in Conference 1 South, Cyprus and Israel do battle.

Here is the schedule:
Sat – 12 Nov 2016
Exhibition: Portugal – Belgium
RET: Moldova – Ukraine
C1N: Czech Republic – Lithuania
C1S: Cyprus – Israel

Hong Kong Cup of Nations: The Hong Kong Cup of Nations is a fifteens rugby tournament which in 2015 featured four national sides – Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea, Russia and Zimbabwe – playing six test matches on 12, 16 and 20 November 2016. The round-robin competition replaced the HKRU’s autumn international test series. The first round begins this weekend as Russia take on Zimbabwe then Hong Kong play Papua New Guinea.

Here is the schedule:
Sat – 12 Oct 2016
Russia – Zimbabwe
Hong Kong – Papua New Guinea

Africa Cup: The Africa Cup 2016 will be the sixteenth edition of the continental tournament that involves the best African national teams, organized by the Rugby Afrique, formerly known as the Confederation of African Rugby (CAR). Given their superiority, the South African national team has rarely participated in most tournaments. The four times the SARU has participated, they sent either a U-23 team or amateur side, and went on to win it. Beyond South Africa, there are up to 27 rugby countries in the Cup with the national participants in the two divisions with each division divided into three groups (1A, 1B, 1C, 2 West, 2 East, and 2 South), with promotion and relegation. In the 1B, this weekend Tunisia host Senegal in the 1B final.