A New Year, A New Opportunity

With Finnish rugby rising from it's traditional hibernation period and with another great Snow Rugby tournament in Jyvaskyla behind us, off-season training is making the transition to pre-season preparations and with several big internationals looming in the near future, Ruck Tales assesses what we can expect to see.



 

After the first two games of another European Nations Cup (ENC) campaign, Finland finds itself in a familiar position: at the bottom of the group table and although not yet booking flights to Azerbaijan, no-one is deluding themselves by thinking that the situation is safe. Finland will fly to Athens for a head-on collision with Greece on 30th March, followed up by a trip to Bosnia & Herzegovina on 20th April. Although Greece provided the sole victory in last season's ENC campaign, they have consistently proved stronger performers at home, holding off the marauding Bosnians last Autumn.


Finland made a positive start to 2013 by holding two National Squad training camps at Kisakallion Urheilupuisto near Lohja, with 40-50 players braving the sub-zero temperatures at each. It was a vital opportunity for Head Coach Alan Hine to bring together both the first team regulars and also other players who impressed during the 2012 domestic season. After visiting both camps, we can report that both camps were clear successes: neatly-executed training sessions and cooperation between the old and new players made for highly productive weekends. Given how little time the National Team is given to train together, this improvement in attitude will surely result in a more effective team performance than those seen in previous games.

Finland vs Luxembourg 06.10.2012:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKRFkWYsjc8

Finland will also look to exploit the experience gained abroad by three of the intended 1st squad, with Warriors' captain Tumppi Finell spending the winter with Dutch club Rugby Club 't Gooi, making eleven appearances so far for their 1st team. Meanwhile across the water, Jyvaskyla back row Mauno Konttila has battled his way into the 1st team of Dover RFC. They will be joined by London-based back row Mikael Ahola, bringing not only new experience but also guaranteed match fitness.

Norway vs Finland 20.10.2012
http://www.norgesrugby.no/videos/834-enc-2012-14-norway-vs-finland-video

Another spur to performance is the introduction of the Finland A side, which has taken over the mantle as Finland's second representative team. The aim of the side is to keep a constant level of pressure and competition at the national level and the two recent camps have already caused one or two selection headaches. A team Coach Alastair Davies is optimistic about the development:

'The A side should firstly be able to provide what the National Team desperately needs during the long stretches between ENC fixtures: match time as a team. It also gives us an extra opportunity to make a direct comparison between those players who are usually thought of as the top picks and those who might have been prematurely dismissed in the past - everyone will have to earn their shirt for every game.'

Finland A already have two fixtures of their own arranged for the Spring: they will travel to Åland in April to meet Stockholm Exiles 2nd XV (whose 1st team are the current Swedish champions), followed by a trip to Estonia in May to restart the International Partnership Shield. Considering that Sweden compete four leagues above Finland in the ENC, and the last time a Finland side travelled to Estonia the score was a close 15-22, both games are likely to be highly testing for the A side.

Best of luck to both the First team and the A side in their upcoming matches!