Archive for November, 2009

Inside the camp with Lewis Moody

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Thursday, November 19th, 2009

Lewis MoodyMaximum Rugby stepped inside the England camp thanks to main sponsors O2, to have a chat with Lewis Moody, who was speaking on behalf of the England Rugby team.

Who were your England rugby heroes when you were growing up? (Question asked Maximum Rugby user John, from Crewe)

Will Carling and Dean Richards

Have you always played in your position?

No, I was a centre until I was 17 and then moved to the back row

Do you train every day before a big International?

I train when the team trains so generally you train hard at the start of the week and then take it down sort of towards the end in the build up to the game.

Who do you most admire away from Rugby and why?

My wife, she’s my rock. She’s just a star.

What has been your most memorable match to date and why?

The World Cup final. Coming on in the last seven minutes and the boys deciding to throw the final line out of the game to me, which was in the build up to Jonny’s drop goal.

Which other sports did you play growing up?

Played all sports. I was a goalkeeper in football, fast bowler at cricket, I loved all sports. I do a bit wakeboarding now and again.

Who is the best dressed in the squad?

Mark Cueto

Who is your best friend in the squad and why?

Probably the lads I’ve played with for a long time – Steve Thompson, Joe Worsley, Jonny Wilkinson – I’ve spent a lot of years getting to know them and playing with them. But all of them really, they’re all good lads.

Favourite roast?

Chicken

Tell us a joke?

I’m not very good at jokes, to be honest!

Have you ever played an instrument?

I tried to learen the guitar but very poorly unfortunately. I just don’t have the patience I don’t think for music, whereas my wife’s family are all musicians.

O2 customers get priority matchday experiences at Twickenham thanks to O2, England Team Sponsor. Visit o2.co.uk/blueroom for more information.

Want to ask a member of the England team a question?

Following our recent interviews with Lewis Moody, Mark Cueto, Danny Care and Shane Geraghty, we will be stepping inside the camp again next week, so here’s your chance to get your questions answered!

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Fan wins £250,000 in crossbar challenge

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Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

Saracens fan Stuart Tinner, who lives at home with his parents, won £250,000 in the Crossbar Challenge at half time of the Saracens game with South Africa at Wembley.

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Inside the camp with Shane Geraghty

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Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Shane GeraghtyMaximum Rugby stepped inside the England camp thanks to main sponsors O2, to have a chat with Shane Geraghty, who was speaking on behalf of the England Rugby team.

Do you think there is too much kicking in the modern game?

I think maybe some teams kick a little bit too much but for some teams it obviously works, and that’s why they keep doing it. With the teams I’ve been involved with, luckily we’ve had coaches which like to play a good mixture, with a bit of kicking, passing it about and running the ball when it’s on. Some teams do kick a bit too much, but that’s just the style of rugby they play.

Is kicking something you have to spend a lot of time on?

I work pretty hard on my kicking being a 10/12, it’s a big part of the game. Many hours spent on the training ground practising with Paul Grayson, so a lot of hard work goes in to it, the different types of kicks like the drop kicks, the punting and the goal kicks especially, so I work very hard on that.

What is your proudest moment on the pitch?

My England debut, playing against France and winning, and also most recently with Northampton against Munster at Franklin’s Gardens. It was just an unbelievable game and I was lucky enough to be involved from the start. It was just one of those games that I’ll look back on at the end of my career and say that was special. The atmosphere was unbelievable and you don’t get that very often in your career.

Are you looking to add to those memories with England?

Definitely. Any England spot I’m given I’ll be very proud of, running out on the pitch and playing, so as many of them I can get will be fantastic.

Who are your best friends in the squad?

I’ve grown up with a few of the guys – Dylan Hartley, Jordan Crane, who was here last week, all the Irish boys like Paul Hodgson, Steffon Armitage, Dylan Armitage, and then the few of the others who I get on with pretty well also.

Who is the toughest player you have ever come up against?

I’d say one of the Tuilagi brothers. In terms of purely the ferocity in the way he runs and just how big he is to be honest, I’d go for Henry Tuilagi, who’s at Perpignan. He is probably the hardest guy I’ve ever challenged and had to tackle.

What is the first thing you eat fresh off the pitch?

Normally the nutritionist is quite good and will get pizzas in to the changing room to get the carbs up straight after the game, and then they bring in steak baguettes or tuna sandwiches and stuff like that. I do like to relax a bit after the game, and if we’ve had a nice win get some ice cream or pizza in, be a bit naughty!

And a question from Maximum Rugby user Simon, from Liverpool, how does being away with the England boys differ to being on tour at club level?

You’re with the players in your club day in day out so you get to know them really well on and off the pitch. In England, Johnno’s trying to bring a similar feeling to the squad here, in terms of getting to know the players on and off the pitch. It’s definitely a little bit different than being at your club day in day out, but the squad’s really getting there now and becoming very settled now and everyone’s definitely on the same page.

Favourite biscuit?

Oreo

What do you do in your spare time?

Spend a lot of time with my friends and girlfriend. Got a lot of close friends in London, quite a close-knit group, so will go out for dinner or for a beer with them and just get away from rugby.

Who is the biggest practical joker in the squad?

James Haskell, he’s always having a joke and a mess around.

If you could be stuck in a lift with anyone, who would it be?

Probably Megan Fox, for obvious reasons!

What is your most treasured possession?

Laptop it’s got all my memories of friends, family, growing up and a lot of pretty important information on there, so I’d probably grab that if my house was burning down!

What is the last film you watched?

Saw 6.

O2 customers get priority matchday experiences at Twickenham thanks to O2, England Team Sponsor. Visit o2.co.uk/blueroom for more information.

Want to ask a member of the England team a question?

Following our recent interviews with Mark Cueto, Danny Care and Shane Geraghty, we will be stepping inside the camp again next week, so here’s your chance to get your questions answered!

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Inside the camp with Danny Care

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Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Danny CareMaximum Rugby stepped inside the England camp thanks to main sponsors O2, to have a chat with Danny Care, who was speaking on behalf of the England Rugby team.

Congratulations on your selection for the Australia games, what are your best memories of playing against the Wallabies?

Really looking forward to it, can’t wait. I’ve only played against them once and that was last year in the autumn and we were really good for 60 minutes and were really in with a good shout of winning the game and then slipped off in the last 20 so bad memories to be honest.

We’ll be looking to put it right this weekend. Obviously you need to be looking at playing for the full 80 minutes at international rugby level and that’s exactly what we’ll be trying to do this week.

You’ll be lining up alongside Jonny Wilkinson, how do you feel about that?

It’s the first time I’ve played alongside him so really looking forward to it. He’s a world class player and it’s great for everyone that he’s back in the squad and hopefully we can work really well together.

How much of an impact can the crowd have to your performance at Twickenham?

They can be massive. When you run out and there are 80,000 screaming English fans it’s one of the best feelings you’ll ever feel and singing the national anthem in front of them is just an amazing feeling. When you really need them in a game where you’re struggling they really pull it out of the bag for you, and when they’re cheering you on it acts as an extra man.

What are your best memories of playing for England?

My full debut away in New Zealand in the 2007 tour. We didn’t win the game and it was my first full game at nine and I managed to sneak over for a try as well.

What is your favourite away ground to play at?

When we went over to Paris and the Stade de France to play Stade Francais last year and they had 76,000 all dressed in pink and loads of shows going on and stuff, so that’s probably the best away ground experience.

If you could be any other member of the England Squad, who would you be and why?

Interesting! I would go for Ugo Monye for his cash and his car.

Who is your best friend in the squad?

At the moment, me and Ugo are very tight, we’re good friends at Harlequins and its good to be together over here, but everyone gets on really well to be fair. Then of course there’s Dave Strettle when he’s here.

Do you prefer the beach or the mountains?

Beach

How do you like your eggs cooked?

I’m allergic to eggs, so I can’t have them!

Did you have any nick names growing up…have they stuck?

Carebear and big DC!

What’s your favourite roast?

Christmas dinner

What’s the last thing that made you cry?

The Notebook, the film.

What’s your favourite song?

Lean on me.

Interview by James Gordon.

Want to ask a member of the England team a question?

Following our recent interviews with Mark Cueto and Danny Care, we will be stepping inside the camp again next week, so here’s your chance to get your questions answered!

Simply submit them using the form below or click here.

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Put your question to a member of the England team!

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Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Following our interview with Mark Cueto last week, Maximum Rugby is stepping back in to Team England again this week.

And we are giving you the opportunity to put your questions forward to a member of the England team.

Get your questions in using the comment form below before midday on Tuesday 3rd November, and we’ll choose the best ones for the interview!

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