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Ryan Godsmark: 'Big dream is to go to the World Cup' with Belgium
There is so much to admire about the commitment of players on the tier-two rugby circuit. Take Ryan Godsmark, the Brussels-based school PE teacher from Scotland. It was last April in Stellenbosch when RugbyPass first shot the breeze with scrum-half.
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The Belgium men’s sevens team had just beaten Tonga in the final of the second leg of the Challenger Series and were royally celebrating the achievement. With a boom box pumping out the tunes in their Markotter dressing room, a multitude of selfies were being taken with the trophy.
Godsmark, his jersey off and a towel around his waist while preparing to get ready for the commute back to Cape Town and an unexpected night of celebration, explained the sacrifice involved in representing his adopted country in South Africa.
“I took two weeks’ holidays, I’m not paid to be here. All these other guys are not paid to be here, they lose money, but it is all about the experience,” he enthused.
Fast forward 11 months and the work leave sacrifice wasn’t as onerous when RugbyPass touched base again with Godsmark in France.
?? WHAT A WAY TO START TO FINALS DAY!
Belgium Rugby come flying out the traps. #REC24 pic.twitter.com/veP9e2lhu2
— Rugby Europe (@rugby_europe) March 17, 2024
Just two days off from the British School in Brussels were all that was needed for him to chip in with preparations ahead of last Sunday’s Rugby Europe Championship seventh-place play-off versus Poland in Paris.
Since we had last spoken, the soon-to-be 32-year-old, who qualifies for Belgium under residency, had played for the Brussels Devils in the Europe Super Cup and while he missed the Belgians’ headline-grabbing Rugby Europe Championship pool upset against Portugal, he was glad to have just played his part off the bench in their 34-8 play-off win over the Poles.
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“It confirms that we were obviously playing well,” he reckoned in the aftermath. “We had a bit of a miss game against Germany [they lost 11-21 at Waterloo on March 2] and the fact of finishing seventh place only losing two of the five games is really good. The boys are really happy. Everyone has worked really hard. It has been five weeks of hard work, so it’s good.”
The improvement brought about by having Laurent Dossat now at the helm has fired up the ambition of Godsmark and co. The Rugby World Cup is expanding from 20 to 24 teams for Australia 2027 and the Belgians want a piece of the action.
“Everything we have done has been a step forward. The big dream is to go to the World Cup, so we have put ourselves in a good position for that and that’s the big picture. To lose against Germany but then to finish it with a win, it’s a positive picture.
“The more time we get to work with each other the better. It’s the same story we had in Stellenbosch – some guys are pro, some aren’t. We have only got a short time to work together so we go into camp, we have got four, five days and then it’s game time. If we can be productive in that time it obviously shows.
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“At the end of these five weeks, there is a massive difference in terms of organisation, in terms of how we want to play and over the long term that can be even better if we get the time together, if we get more camps then it makes a difference.
“There is a better organisation than we have had the previous years, so it’s just working on that, having camps together, training together and having good preparation. Again, it was a much better preparation this year than the previous years and then we have also got guys being able to be free from their clubs in France.
The Belgium and Poland players applaud each other at the end of the seventh place final in Paris at Rugby Europe Championship finals day in Paris. #rugby #BELvPOL #REC24 pic.twitter.com/1dglU8rFa9
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 17, 2024
“There are still guys who haven’t been released from their clubs so that’s another thing, getting everyone released and being able to play would make a massive difference. Just training time together helps a lot.”
Godsmark did his bit to ensure success at Stade Jean Bouin. “I’m still a teacher, same story as last time. I had to take a few days off, had to take Thursday, Friday off.
“I had to ask the boss and he gave me it. That’s another story. They [the British School in Brussels] are good with me with the rugby, they give me some time off and I can go away. | just then have to make up for it later on down the line. It’s a bit of a sacrifice but it works well.
“They post it on their Twitter, on their Instagram, things like that so it’s good for them, it’s good for the students that I teach as well, they ask how it’s going with the rugby, they look on social media. I’m a PE teacher so it looks good for the kids.”
It's rare 4?? Test teams get to celebrate with a trophy on the same day at the same stadium… but Georgia, Spain, Netherlands and Belgium were all smiles after their Rugby Europe Championship wins in Paris on Sunday. #REC24 @GeorgianRugby @ferugby #RugbyNL @BelgianRugby #rugby pic.twitter.com/gF5YYPG0tk
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 18, 2024
Comments on RugbyPass
Karl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
1 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
1 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
5 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
45 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
5 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
8 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
2 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
8 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
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