TORONTO -- Its a sport Brian Burke loves, and one that he is happy to follow closely whenever he gets the chance. Rugby, not just hockey, has been in Burkes heart for decades. Hes played it, watched it and will now take part in directing it as well. Rugby Canada announced Tuesday that Burke is joining its board of directors, giving the former NHL executive a chance to get involved in what he calls his "second favourite sport." "Im really excited about it," said Burke. "I think its a great sport and I think the future of rugby in Canada is very bright." The former general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs first played rugby following a brief playing career in hockey. When he was a 23-year-old law student, Burke said he noticed the Harvard Business School Rugby Football Club practising near where he lived and asked if he could join. "I never played before, never watched before. My older brother played a little bit but I wasnt familiar with the sport," he said. "But I learned to love it. I played for two years after I graduated even though I was practising law." Now 58 years old, Burke is an avid fan of the game. He said he goes to as many of Canadas international games in Toronto as he can, and once even saw the senior mens team play Japan in Bordeaux, France in 2007. "Brian has a deep understanding of professional sports in North America and, with his successes and contacts across the National Hockey League and beyond, were happy to have him involved with Rugby Canada," Graham Brown, chief executive officer of Rugby Canada, said in a release. Burke has had a long relationship with Rugby Canada. Hes spoken at several events put on by the organization and said hes known former president Rick Bourne since around 1990. He said his first priority will be to get more familiar with the senior womens team, who captured its first Nations Cup title earlier this month after beating England, 27-13, for the first time in 20 years. Burke is already impressed with the men, who defeated the U.S. Eagles 27-9 on Sunday in the first leg of qualifying series for the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England. Canada, ranked 15th in the world, hosts the U.S. in the finale Saturday at Torontos BMO Field. The winner of the total-points series advances directly to the World Cup, while the loser gets another shot with a series against Uruguay. "Theyre beating sides that used to beat them easily, theyre in most matches. Theyre not in the elite group yet but theyre on their way," he said. Burke also sees potential in rugby sevens, which will make its Olympic debut at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. "It bears very little resemblance to 15s. But I think to me, the most exciting thing about sevens is we can attract an audience with our sevens program," he said. "We can get people watching rugby to say, This is cool, and then next thing you know theyre watching 15s." Prior to his tenure with the Leafs, Burke served as a GM with the Hartford Whalers, Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim, winning a Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007. Hockey is still the priority for Burke, who is currently a part-time scout with the Ducks. A dual citizen, Burke was also GM for the United States mens team that won a silver medal at the 2010 Winter Games and is the director of player personnel for the 2014 Sochi Games. Cheap Sneakers Near Me . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Cheap Shoes Online Free Delivery . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. http://www.shoesonfire.ru/ . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football. 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I was trying too hard and right now I feel pretty good.Maikel Franco hit a homer for the fourth straight game to help the Phillies complete a three-game sweep and win for the eighth time in nine games.Adonis Garcia hit a pair of RBI doubles for the Braves.Galvis lined a 2-2 pitch off Arodys Vizcaino (1-4) into the seats in right after Franco had started the inning with a walk.Hector Neris (3-3) got the win despite allowing a go-ahead run in the top of the eighth. Jeanmar Gomez finished for his 23rd save in 25 tries.Braves starter Tyrell Jenkins allowed one run and four hits in 4 2/3 innings. He started in place of Julio Teheran, who returned to Atlanta to be treated for an infection on his right thigh.He did a great job stretching the game that far, Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said. He gave us everything he had. He was pitching. He was mixing pitches, keeping the ball down.Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson gave up two runs -- one earned -- and four hits in six innings.Garcia lined an RBI double to right-center to score Jeff Francoeur, giving the Braves a 2-1 lead in the sixth. Garcia hit a sharp grounder down the left-field line to put the Braves up 3-2.Franco tied it at 2 with an opposite-field shot to right off Chris Withrow in the sixth.dddddddddddd.Im just really comfortable at home plate, Franco said. I see the pitch much better. Thats what Im doing right now, trying to see the ball and trying to put good contact on it.Odubel Herrera sliced an RBI double down the left-field line with two outs in the fifth to tie it at 1. Earlier in the inning, Francoeur made a perfect no-hop throw to the plate from left field to get Galvis trying to score from second on a single.Hellickson walked Freddie Freeman with the bases loaded to force in a run in the third. A fielding error on second baseman Cesar Hernandez led to the unearned run.COMEBACK KIDSThe Phillies have six comeback wins in their last 13 games, going 10-3 in that span. They had none in the previous 32 games after recording 10 in the first 41 games while going 24-17.STANDINGSThe Braves (28-57) have the worst record in the majors while the Phillies (40-46) are inching closer to .500.STREAKINGFranco is the first Phillies player to hit homers in four straight games since Ryan Howard in September 2012. Franco was 10 for 19 with four homers in the six-game homestand. ... Peter Bourjos was 0 for 3 with an intentional walk, ending his hitting streak at 14 games.UP NEXTBRAVES: RHP Lucas Harrell (1-0, 1.50 ERA) starts a makeup game at the Chicago Cubs before a three-game series at the Chicago White Sox.PHILLIES: LHP Adam Morgan (1-6, 6.31) pitches the opener of a four-game series at Colorado. Morgan is filling in for Aaron Nola, who is being skipped to get an extended rest after five poor starts. ' ' '